To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Tara Vargish, Director of Development Services
Donna Ferguson, Senior Planner
Title
Resolution Approving a Site Development Plan for Terrain North Basin Village Planning Areas 17, 18, 26, 31, OSP, and OSD of the Terrain Planned Development and Approving a Sidewalk Variance for a Portion of Planning Areas 17 and 31 (North Basin Village Phase 1 Site Development Plan) [located in the center of the Terrain community along Castle Oaks Drive, between the intersections with Autumn Sage Street] (Continued from the April 6, 2021 Town Council Meeting)
Body
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Executive Summary
Stratus Terrain is requesting approval of a Site Development Plan (SDP) known as North Basin Village Phase 1. North Basin Village Phase 1 is 71 acres in size and generally located in the center of the Terrain community along Castle Oaks Drive. The SDP proposes a total of 96 single-family homes in four clustered home areas along Castle Oaks Drive and 36.15 acres of open space which encompass McMurdo Gulch and the future Front Range Trail. SDPs for residential use require public hearing before Town Council who shall review and make a decision upon the proposal after review and recommendation by the Planning Commission. Planning Commission voted 5 to 1 to recommend approval. Town staff has determined that individal homeowners will not incur costs for any signalizedintersections discussed during the Planning Commission Hearing. Moreover, negotiations with the Applicant regarding public improvement cost allocations are ongoing.
Notification and Outreach Efforts
Public Notice
The applicant mailed a public hearing notice letter for the Planning Commission public hearing to all property owners within 500 feet of the site 15 days prior to the public hearing date. In addition, Town staff posted public notice signs on the site, published the notice letter on the Town’s website and made the application available for review on the Town's Development Activity Map.
Neighborhood Meetings
The applicant conducted the first neighborhood meeting virtually on February 25, 2020 and the second neighborhood meeting virtually on August 4, 2020. Neighborhood meeting discussion topics included increased traffic on Castle Oaks Drive and Autumn Sage, road improvements to Castle Oaks Drive, and the future Front Range Trail along McMurdo Gulch. The third and final neighborhood meeting to share the final proposed SDP is scheduled for March 18, 2021.
External Referrals
Requests for comments were sent to various local agencies and utility service providers, including Douglas County Government, Douglas County Schools, Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado Geological Survey, Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Authority, surrounding HOAs, surrounding Metro Districts, IREA, Black Hills Energy, Xcel Energy, Century Link and Comcast. Comments received from local agencies and utility service providers were technical in nature and reconciled through the SDP review process.
Discussion
Use
The permitted use for each planning areas is outlined in the Terrain at Castle Rock PDP as Residential Single-Family (R-SF) and described as, “single-family detached dwelling units having the lowest density of the residential land use designations within the Terrain Planned Development Plan”. The proposed use of single-family detached homes for North Basin Village Phase 1 is in conformance with the permitted use described for R-SF.
Development Standards
A comparison of the proposed SDP to the zoning requirements (Page 1 of SDP) illustrates the proposed SDP meets all the zoning requirements and development standards outlined for the site. The maximum proposed density per residential planning area 17, 18, 26, and 31 are respectively 3.16, 4.08, 3.54 and 4.35 dwelling units per acre, which is under the maximum permitted density of 5 dwelling units per acre. The proposed building height of 35-feet meets the maximum permitted height requirement of 35-feet and the proposed setbacks for the homes and garages are all proposed to be in conformance with the zoning. In addition, the proposed open space of 50.09% is two and one-half times the minimum regulation of 20%.
Sidewalk Variance
A variance request to omit two sections of sidewalk is being requested with this Site Development Plan; a required detached sidewalk along the east side of Castle Oaks Drive from planning area 17 to planning area 31, and an attached sidewalk along the west side of Madrona Court, parallel to Castle Oaks Drive, which serves planning area 17, see Exhibit 2. Requests to omit sidewalks require review and approval by Town Council. Town staff is recommending approval of the variance request finding that eliminating these sidewalks will reduce grading impacts to adjacent slopes and vegetation and maintain the more rural character of the area. Furthermore, eliminating the sidewalks will not negatively impact pedestrian activity on the east side of Castle Oaks Drive as the future Front Range Trail will serve as an adequate east side pedestrian route through the North Basin Village Phase 1 neighborhood, see Exhibit 3.
Traffic Impact Analysis and Mitigation
A traffic impact analysis report was submitted with the proposal for Town review. The report examines the potential impacts of the proposed development on existing and future infrastructure capacity. Town staff have reviewed the traffic analysis and concur with the conclusion that the public street system, with the proposed improvements, will accommodate the traffic generated by the project.
The site plan proposes four separate home areas or blocks that each access Castle Oaks Drive. Castle Oaks Drive will be paved with this project and is expected to have low traffic volumes in this area consistent with local residential street volumes. Each of the proposed access points will be stop sign controlled and good levels of service are expected. A northbound left turn lane is proposed at the intersection of Castle Oaks Drive and Peachleaf Loop
Much of the traffic from this development will travel to Founders Parkway via Autumn Sage Street, Crimson Sky and Copper Cloud streets. The Crimson Sky and Founders Parkway intersection is presently not signalized and is not expected to meet traffic signal warrants until the properties on the west side of Founders Parkway develop. The level of service for westbound left turns at this intersection is expected to be substandard and require mitigation by 2040. The Town is requesting the applicant to pay 50 percent of the Crimson Sky signalization cost with the North Basin project.
A sidewalk is omitted on the easterly side of Castle Oaks Drive for the majority of the property. This was due to topographical constraints where adhering to the standard would result in significant grading and impacts to natural slopes/vegetation and impacts to private Douglas County properties adjacent to Castle Oaks Drive. A sidewalk is also omitted on one side of Madrona Court. Madrona Court is contiguous with Castle Oaks Drive which has a proposed sidewalk on the westerly side and Madrona Court has a proposed sidewalk on the easterly side providing good pedestrian routes for these streets. The omission of sidewalks along public streets requires approval by Town Council. The proposed Front Range Trail will be constructed through and adjacent to the property providing additional pedestrian routes. To address safe pedestrian crossings, the developer is proposing multiple flashing crosswalk beacons on Castle Oaks Drive and also for the Autumn Sage Street crosswalk near the Terrain Swim Club.
Utilities
Adequate water, stormwater, wastewater, and road infrastructure are proposed with this project to serve the site.
Budget Impact
Development of the property will generate review and impact fees, along with use taxes similar to other single-family residential development.
Recommendation
On March 25, 2021, Planning Commission voted 5 to 1 to recommend approval of the North Basin Village Phase 1 Site Development Plan to Town Council.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the Resolution as introduced by title.”
Attachments
Attachment A: Resolution
Exhibit 1: Site Development Plan
Exhibit 2: Variance
Exhibit 3: Proposed Sidewalks and Front Range Trail
Attachment B: Traffic Impact Study
Attachment C: Drainage Report