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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-12-17 PZC MINUTES• • • CITY OF ENGLEWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION December 17, 2002 I. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the City Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Englewood Civic Center, Chairman Waggoner presiding. Present: Absent: Staff: Guests: Lathram, Roth, Schum, Welker, Waggoner Krieger and Willis entered late Mueller, Diekrneier (both members gave previous notice of absence) Senior Manager Lauri D annemiller Assistant City Attorney Nancy Reid Bill Wenk and Grayson Baur of Wenk Associates Julio Iturreria, South Pl atte Open Space Committee II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES November 19, 2002 December 3, 2002 Chairman Waggoner stated that the Minutes of November 19, 2002 were to be considered for approval. Roth moved: Lathram seconded: The Minutes of November 19, 2002 be approved as written. AYES: NAYS : ABSTAIN: ABSENT: Lathram, Roth, Schum, Welker, Waggoner None None Krieger, Mueller, Willis, Diekrneier The motion carried. Chairman Waggoner stated that the Minutes of December 3, 2002 were to be considered for ap- proval. Schum moved: Roth seconded: The Minutes of December 3, 2002 be approved as written . AYES: NAYS : Roth , Schum , Welker, Waggoner None H:\GROUP\BOARDS\PLANCOMM\Minutes\Minutes 2002\PCM 12-17-02.doc 1 ABSTAIN: Lathram ABSENT: Mueller, Willis , Diekmeier, Krieger The motion carried. Ms. Krieger entered the meeting and took her chair with the Commission. IHI. SOUTH PLATTE RIVER OPEN SPACE PLAN Ms. Dannemiller introduced herself, Mr. Bill Wenk and Mr. Grayson Bauer of Wenk Associates, and Mr. Julio Iturreria of the South Platte River Open Space Steering Committee. Ms. Danne- miller provided a brief background of the proposed Open Space Plan, noting that the Plan has been a work in progress for over 13 months. The Plan is a culmination of efforts of representa- tives from Englewood, Sheridan, Arapahoe County, South Suburban Parks & Recreation De- partment, Corps of Engineers, Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Trust for Public Land and other organizations. Ms. Dannemiller stated that the proposed Plan will come before the Planning Commission and before City Council for Public Hearing, and will be a component of the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Englewood. Mr. Bill Wenk addressed the Commission. Mr. Wenk stated that need to improve the South Platte River corridor was recognized by representatives of Englewood, Sheridan, and Arapahoe County. A Steering Committee was formed, and three major overall goals were developed to provide guidance for the development of the Plan . • ~ Increase the recreational value of the corridor; ~ Preserve natural areas and protect water quality • ~ Encourage land uses that are compatible with recreational goals and that contribute to the economic well being of Englewood and Sheridan. Mr. Wenk pointed out that the proposed Plan is a 13-month project, and that during this time, public meetings were held to keep landowners in the corridor apprised of the proposal. The study area encompassed in the Plan extends along the South Platte River from the Den- ver/Englewood City boundary southward to the Englewood/Littleton boundary; specifically, it encompasses the Platte River itself; land within a quarter-mile of the west bank of the river, and land between the river and South Santa Fe Drive. Chair Waggoner asked if the Urban Drainage & Flood Control Plan was reviewed while developing the South Platte River Open Space Plan. Mr. Waggoner recalled that the Urban Drainage Plan included location for boat chutes and other recreational amenities. Ms. Dannemiller stated that the Committee worked with Urban Drainage & Flood Control representatives, but did not review specific documents. Mr. Wenk assured the Commission that the proposed South Platte River Open Space Plan is compatible with the Urban Drainage & Flood Control Plan. Mr. Wenk reviewed primary Goals as set forth in the Plan : ~ Provide improved access and encourage a variety of recreational activities along the South Platte. ~ Promote economic vitality in the Santa Fe Corridor. H:\GROUP\BOARDS\PLANCOMM\Minutes\Minutes 2002\PCM 12-17-02.doc • 2 • • • ~ Preserve and enhance the environmental quality and the flood protection function of the South Platte River. ~ Make the river a centerpiece for Englewood, Sheridan and the region. Mr. Wenk stated that implementation of the Plan will extend over a number of years; the Steer- ing Committee was not in favor of using condemnation to acquire property, but rather the entities should work with landowners to educate and encourage support of the Plan. Mr. Schum inquired whether proposed improvements would impact historic stream flow of the river. Mr. Wenk stated that the Steering Committee did not investigate stream flow information. Ms. Dannemiller pointed out that there are legal water rights that would have to be followed. Chairman Waggoner suggested that the Corps of Engineers will have stream flow information. Mr. Willis entered the meeting and took his chair with the Commission . Mr. Grayson Baur addressed the Commission, and discussed existing conditions in the corridor. Mr. Baur pointed out that south of U.S. 285 the corridor is more open -there is a golf course and a park that the river winds through. North of U.S. 285, roads flank the river, and industrial de- velopment is predominant. Constraints that must be considered in the corridor include uses such as a landfill, floodplain of the river, slope or terrain of the land, and water and sewer services. There are also the points of juncture with Big Dry Creek and Bear Creek to be considered. Open space "resources" in the corridor include the Englewood Golf Course , Centennial Park and other small green areas . Trails, bicycle and pedestrian, and trail connections were then discussed. Ms. Dannemiller em- phasized the need for "connections" between trail segments to provide continuity for bikers or walkers . She cited trail connections or improvements needed at Dartmouth A venue, linkage at Oxford A venue, and along Big Dry Creek. Ms. Dannemiller suggested that consideration be given to "dual trails" -one for bikers and one for pedestrians where possible -citing conflicts that occur when bicyclists and pedestrians both try to use a minimal width path. Ms. Dannemil- ler pointed out an area on the northern reach of the river where vehicles are allowed to be parked next to the path, and in fact, may protrude into the path. An immediate solution to this would be installation of curbing along the path to prevent protrusion into the path right-of-way. Linkage of existing trails to redevelopment sites by creation of "fingers" of open space that connect to the trail network was also cited by Ms. Dannemiller. Protection of habitat was cited; efforts to limit trails through sensitive areas or prevent development on existing drainages and slopes should be exerted. Use of "soft" bank stabilization versus "hard" riprap is advocated in the Plan. Ms. Dannemiller discussed development of an "environmental education facility" on land lo- cated near the golf course recently reclaimed by the City. Assistant City Attorney Reid noted improvements that have been accomplished in the Big Dry Creek drainage area . Randall & Blake, Inc. (RBI) has given an easement through their property for Creek improvements; this has been a benefit not only to the City, but also to RBI in the form of a tax write-off. H:\GROUP\BOARDS\PLANCOMM\Minutes\Minutes 2002\PCM 12-17-02.doc 3 A mix of development along the river corridor was then discussed. Ms. Dannemiller stated that established businesses in the corridor provide livelihood for people, and efforts were made in • establishing the boundaries of the corridor to follow property lines. There are areas where addi- tional traffic access is needed to enable development. It was pointed out that a majority of the river corridor is within the Sheridan City limits, and Sheridan is interested in maintaining and improving a tax base for their City . Mr. Schum in- quired about Oxford Recycling and its relationship to the City of Sheridan . Ms . Dannemiller discussed funding for redevelopment and improvements in the river corridor. She stated there is no dedicated funding source at this time. Implementation tools include estab- lishing dedicated funding sources, establishing criteria for parks and open space land prioritiza- tion, acquisition of open space lands and trail easements; strengthen environmental protection and quality standards , revise development standards in local codes, and make the South Platte Task Force a permanent advisory committee to oversee Plan implementation and involve stake- holders in the process. Other funding sources to be considered may include bonding , use of waste transfer tipping fees from this area, annual appropriations, pursuit of State and/or Federal grant funds, investigate private grants and partnerships , and pursuit of public partners such as GOCO , the Gates Family Foundation, Arapahoe County, the Greenway Foundation, and other organizations. Mr. Wenk also briefly discussed formation of partnerships to assist in implemen- tation of the Plan, citing possible partnerships with organizations such as Urban Drainage , the Corps of Engineers, US Forest Service, and others. Prioritization and phasing of activities to implement the Plan were noted. Ms. Dannemiller • pointed out that phasing is broken into "within five years", "5 to 10 years", and "10 to 25 years ". Mr. Baur briefly discussed cost estimates on implementation of the Plan. Trail improvements , property acquisition, development , and maintenance are all facets of the overall funding issue. Ms. Dannemmiller further discussed funding possibilities, and pointed out that if dedicated fund- ing sources can be established, the open space plan could serve as a catalyst to encourage public and private participation to implement the Plan . Ms. Dannemiller discussed the need to continue the Brownfields program , and the desire to continue to use EPA grants and other funding sources. Incentives for the private sector might also come into play -for instance, if a trail easement is granted, a property owner might be granted a density bonus. Mr. Wenk emphasized the need to work with other entities. The goal is to preserve the integrity of the river corridor, and develop a long-term "vision" of what the corridor could become. Ms. Dannemiller asked members of the Commission : "are we on base"; "are we way off'; "what is your opinion". She stated that the Steering Committee hopes to have the Plan before the Commission for public hearing sometime in January or February of 2003, and then go before City Council for a Public Hearing. Ms. Dannemiller stated that the same procedure will have to be followed in Sheridan -public hearings before the Planning Commission and Council. Ms. Dannemiller stated that once the South Platte River Open Space Plan is adopted, it will be an element of the City of Englewood Comprehensive Plan. H:\GROUP\BOARDS\PLANCOMM\Minutes\Mi nutes 2002\PCM 12-17-02.doc 4 • • • • Ms. Lathram inquired about grants for funding of improvements. Ms. Dannemiller stated that the City does receive grants from the Conservation Trust Fund, and GOCO. Award of grants, particularly from GOCO, is very competitive. Ms. Lathram asked if minor improvements can be made along the corridor -placement of benches in small green areas, for instance; items that might not be too expensive but that can be done by use of City Public Improvement Funds. Ms. Dannemiller stated that there are some im- provements that can be made along the existing corridor, and possibly the Plan should expand on some of the smaller improvements that can be accomplished in a shorter period of time. Ms. Lathram agreed that it's fine to have a time line for long-range improvements, but we need to look at what can be done "today". Mr. Willis asked about priorities with a "three-year goal", or a "five-year goal". He stated that the Plan is great, but wants to see "site-specific" improvement goals. He emphasized the need for more specifics, and a focus on what can be done right now to begin improvement of the cor- ridor. He inquired about discussions with the Urban Drainage & Flood Control District. Mr. Wenk stated that representatives of Urban Drainage have participated in the meetings; one of the issues that Urban Drainage advocates is maintenance of natural river banks -preserve vegetation and keep the "soft approach" versus the hard treatment of rip-rap along the banks. Mr. Schum asked about responses from property owners along the corridor -have they been re- sistant or supportive. Mr. Wenk stated that the Plan received a mixed reaction , and noted that property owners that have been impacted by the Santa Fe Drive widening expressed more resis- tance than other property owners closer to the river. He noted that a number of the landowners were "suspicious of the City". Some property owners don't want to be disturbed. He empha- sized that the proposed Plan is market driven. Ms. Dannemiller stated that a number of land- owners in the southern end of the study area were very interested in getting additional street and utility access, and were overall supportive of the proposed Plan. Mr. Sch.um asked about the South Drive-in site and the recycling center. Ms . Dannemiller reiter- ated the outreach efforts of the Steering Committee, pointing out that there were two public meetings to which the landowners were specifically invited. Mr. Welker stated that he was a member of the Steering Committee, and had spoken with some of the landowners; some of them are apprehensive. Mr. Welker briefly discussed the Theater property, noting the poor access to the site . He noted that the property owner has an investment in this property and is interested in some redevelopment that will provide revenue to him. Mr. Schum asked about the mobile home parks that are located in the corridor; will these resi- dents be displaced by corridor improvements, and what provision is proposed for relocation of the residents. He suggested this Plan needs to address need for low-income housing. Mr. Wenk stated that residents of mobile home parks should not be ignored in redevelopment plans. Mr. Schum reiterated that a location for low-income residents needs to be identified in this Plan. He pointed out that people do live along the River, and provision should be made for them . H:\GROUP\BOARDS\PLANCOMM\Minutes\Minutes 2002\PCM 12-17-02.doc 5 Ms. Krieger pointed out that this is an Open Space Plan, it will become a part of the overall Englewood Comprehensive Plan, and housing needs will be addressed in the Housing section of • the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Wenk and Ms. Dannemiller concurred with Ms. Krieger. Mr. Wenk also pointed out that at this point, the discussion is about the "potential" of redevelopment along the river corridor. Ms. Dannemiller stated that the Steering Committee has tried to avoid identifying any specific "type" of redevelopment that may occur. Mr. Welker emphasized the need to look at open space land use, and pointed out that a variety of wildlife can be found in the river corridor. He stated that there isn't a lot of open space in the area to accommodate wildlife population, and suggested that preservation of habitat be a focus of the Plan and improvement efforts. Mr. Welker stated that the possibility of redevelopment was part of the agreement to bring all the entities together, and the Steering Committee is trying to solve the issues. Mr. Schum stated that "it should be discussed together -it's not just an Open Space Plan". Chairman Waggoner asked why the West Harvard Gulch area was omitted from the Open Space Plan. He stated that this is an improved greenbelt that ties in with the South Platte River. Ms. Dannemiller stated that this was overlooked, and modifications to the Plan will include Harvard Gulch. Chairman Waggoner stated there is no reason there should not be a trail system along the Gulch. Chairman Waggoner pointed out that recreational use of the river has been discussed, yet there is nothing in the Plan regarding the boat chute location that was in the Urban Drainage plan -this was at approximately Oxford Avenue. This should be shown in the Plan. Chairman Waggoner • also asked that there be improved identification and labeling of Little Dry Creek, Big Dry Creek, Bear Creek, and other important features. Mr. Welker also noted that labeling of important streets should also be improved or included. Chairman Waggoner pointed out that the Plan ref- erences "16 entities", yet only 13 are cited-he suggested this discrepancy should be clarified. Ms. Dannemiller thanked members of the Commission for their comments on the draft Plan. She again suggested that this will be before the Commission in January or February 2003 for Public Hearing. IV. DIRECTORS CHOICE Ms. Dannemiller stated that Senior Planner Langon asked her to transmit a couple of items to the Commission. 1. The next regular Commission meeting date is January 7, 2003; however, although not finalized, the agenda may include a UDC discussion. 2. The continuation of the "UDC Charrette" with members of the City Council and Board of Adjustment has been scheduled for January 9, 2003, at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Civic Center. Members were asked to make note of this on their calendars. 3. The American Planning Association (APA) National Conference will be held in Denver March 29 -April 2, 2003. Members of the Commission are encouraged to attend this Conference, and the City will pay for basic registration and up to $150 extra for mobile H:\GROUP\BOARDS\PLANCOMM\Minutes\Minutes 2002\PCM 12-17-02 .doc 6 • • • • workshops. Any social events that are listed in the brochure may also be attended; how- ever, the City will not pay for tickets to those events. Members were asked to review the brochure, and to notify staff whether they will want to attend or not; they were encour- aged to let staff know before the end of the year if possible, and all reservations should be made no later than January 17 to take advantage of reduced rates. v. ATTORNEY'S CHOICE Ms. Reid said she had nothing to bring before the Commission. VI. COMMISSIONER'S CHOICE Mr. Roth stated that he had attended the City Council meeting the evening of December 16; Council considered the proposed amendment regarding the number of unrelated individuals al- lowed in a household . Mr. Roth recalled that the initial City Council recommendation was not more than three unrelated adults and their children could comprise a household; the Planning Commission recommended that this be increased to four unrelated adults and their children. However, the City Council revised the recommended amendment to allow no more than two adults and their children to live in a "household". Mr. Roth stated that he found this action on the part of City Council to be "disappointing". He understood that one of the "concerns " of the City Council is number of vehicles and parking. Mr. Schum and Ms . Krieger also expressed concern and disappointment regarding the Council decision . Mr. Willis referenced recent action by Denver City Council regarding scraping of small homes and construction of large homes in redevelopment areas . He commented that a news article indi- cates that 60 % open space must be provided on the lots. Mr. Welker asked if this article could be made available to the Commission -he did not see it in the newspaper. Mr. Willis stated that the Denver action could provide some perspective for the discussions Englewood is having on the UDC. Mr. Schum excused himself from the meeting. Mr. Willis commented on the beauty of the holiday decorations and lighting in the Civic Center plaza and along Englewood Parkway. Ms . Lathram wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The meeting was declared adjourned. Isl Gertrude G . Welty Gertrude G. Welty, Recording Secretary H :\GROUP\BOARDS\PLANCOMM\Minutes\Minutes 2002\PCM 12-17-02.doc 7