Planning Commission Minutes 2015 03 12

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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 12, 2015 Page 20 of 23 Russ says the shared parking for DELO Plaza does not need a note in the PUD. The applicant was concerned about this. The parking agreement shall be included in the subdivision agreement. Staff feels that Miner's Field and Downtown will benefit for the excess parking. Regarding Public Works, Staff has had detailed conversations with Engineering. Staff thinks there is a design solution that can meet their concerns. The proposed design is not it. Staff thinks the water can go north and east. The Public Works Director and City Engineer made it clear the water should not go south. Staff feels the solution can be worked out before it goes before City Council. Regarding the sidewalk and proposed sidewalk, Staff agrees with the timing concerns. Staff is proposing "The proposed sidewalk, to the extent practical, shall match the sidewalk design included in the Highway 42 Plan. The applicant will contribute funds for the construction of the sidewalk, in concert with Highway 42 and Short Street Intersection Improvements." The City is moving forward with improvements to the South Street intersection. The City does not have the warrant from CDOT so no signal can be put in, but the City can affect all the geometrics around it. The City will use the CDOT money to get footings and foundations for the signal as well as get the sidewalks and curbing installed. Regarding the 20 foot parking addition would create a 30 foot buffer, 10 feet less than the McCaslin shopping center. There is flexibility if necessary to relocate the 3% elsewhere on the site. Staff is working on a northwest mobility study to get an RTD bus route on Highway 42. The bus route would run from the Broomfield Event Center through Interlocken, through the Colorado Technology Center, up Highway 42 to serve Downtown, and a stop may come in on Cannon or on South Street, hence the midblock crossing. RTD says the route is viable, it just needs connection to the CTC. Staff is working to punch a road from 95t" Street to Arthur in the CTC at the railroad bridge. It has been conceptually engineered. In the next three to five years, the bus route will be operating. Regarding preservation of existing trees along Short and South Streets, Russ says there are existing high quality hackberry and honey locust trees in their sidewalk greenway. Staff wants to specifically look at right-of-ways. Russ apologizes for this conversation in front of the PC. Staff made the presentation to the applicant that it needs to be continued in order to work it out. The applicant has a right to continue the hearing. The applicant feels the clock is running low from their perspective. Staff recommends continuance rather than denial. McClure says it is Conditions 2, 5, and 6 that are problematic. Conditions 1, 3, and 4 are okay. Condition 2 is a height sign issue for the project identifier of 21 feet. They are willing to compromise. McClure says Condition 5 is the landscaping and increased buffer. The landowner will not remove the parking and is non-negotiable. They will add sidewalks but the removal of the parking and associated landscape buffer is non-negotiable. McClure says Condition 6 with Staff's addition of "along Short and South Streets" is more restrictive. If during construction process, the root ball is damaged and the tree dies, they do not want to be committed to an obligation. The project landscape architect says it will not be possibility as proposed. He requests going back to the original language of Condition 6. Russ says that Staff agrees with the blight observation existing on this particular site. What is proposed is significantly better than what is currently there. The City is getting an asset for the parking and getting cooperative framework along the block. Staff feels this property will, over time, get to the MUDDSG. Staff is not comfortable with the signage. PC and City Council can decide it. Staff recommends approval for this project. Staff recognizes its shortcomings. Staff does not agree with the applicant's perception of the MUDDSG. Staff recommends this project be approved with the conditions as negotiated but are intractable on the signage.