1

Renewing Fort Collins Together: Renewing Fort Collins Together: A Team ApproachA Team Approach

April 14, 2011April 14, 2011

2

Agenda TopicsAgenda Topics

1. North College Urban Renewal Plan Area

2. Mason Corridor

3. Midtown Existing Conditions Survey

4. Prospect South

5. Foothills Mall

6. Sustainable, Flexible, Predictable Planning Tool

3

North College North College Urban Renewal Plan AreaUrban Renewal Plan Area

4

URA CommitmentsURA Commitments

Landscaping/trees/wetlands enhancementsLandscaping/trees/wetlands enhancements Stormwater improvementsStormwater improvements Sewer expansion/infrastructureSewer expansion/infrastructure StreetscapesStreetscapes SidewalksSidewalks UtilitiesUtilities Green building featuresGreen building features Demolition/site prepDemolition/site prep Façade enhancementsFaçade enhancements

$80 M invested$80 M invested

$14 M in TIF grants$14 M in TIF grants

$26 M in TIF generation$26 M in TIF generation

TIF TIF Quick FactsQuick Facts

5

North College Marketplace

Union Place

Rocky Mountain Innosphere

JAX

Kaufman and Robinson

Valley Steel

6

www.renewfortcollins.com

7

Mason CorridorMason Corridor

8

Mason CorridorMason Corridor

Linking community, lifestyle, and business Enhancing environmental quality Providing economic development opportunity Offering convenience and choice

9

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

“Rubber tired light rail”– Flexibility & convenience– Speed & comfort– High frequency service – Compressed natural gas

Purchasing six North American Bus Industries (NABI) BRT Vehicles

10

Mason Express BRT CorridorMason Express BRT Corridor

11

Downtown

CSU: Old Main to Laurel

Prospect to Drake and Horsetooth to Harmony

12

South Transit CenterSouth Transit Center

13

Project StatusProject Status

90% final BRT design completion Construction late 2011 Operational late 2013

Howes two-way conversion complete

Mason two-way conversion begins 2011

14

Next StepsNext Steps

2011 Complete BRT final design, obtain FTA Grant Agreement

2011-13 Mason Street conversion, STC construction, and BRT construction (includes

Troutman and NRRC)

2013 Begin MAX service

15

Midtown Existing Conditions SurveyMidtown Existing Conditions Survey

16

Step 1Step 1Existing Conditions Survey

–Finding of “blight”

Creation of Urban Renewal Plan area

Enable TIFas funding tool

Revitalization &Improvements

Step 2Step 2

Step 3Step 3

Step 4Step 4

PR

OC

ES

SP

RO

CE

SS

17

What is a Blight Study?What is a Blight Study?

Inventory existing conditions– Visual and non-visual observations

Assess which observations qualify as factors of blight according to Urban Renewal Law in C.R.S.– Four of the eleven factors must be present

Document evidence to support a “finding of blight” by City Council

18

19

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

20

Blight Factors IdentifiedBlight Factors Identified

Slum, deteriorated or deteriorating structures Defective or inadequate street layout Faulty lot layout Unsanitary or unsafe conditions Deterioration of site or other improvements Unusual topography or inadequate public

improvements Health, safety, or welfare factors requiring high

levels of services or underutilized buildings/sites

21

22

23

24

Non-Visual ObservationsNon-Visual Observations

535 nuisance code violations from 1999-2010 Level of Service at major intersections at C/D 33 average annual traffic accidents at major

intersections Spring Creek floodway/floodplain Surface drainage and flooding Multiple ditch crossings

25

Next StepsNext Steps

April 20 – Open House April 26 – Council work session to review Study May 17 – Council hearing to declare blight and

submit Urban Renewal Plan (URP) to P&Z, PSD, and County

June 16 – P&Z hearing to determine if URP is aligned with City Plan policies

July 19 – Council hearing to approve URP

26

Prospect SouthProspect South

27

28

Prospect SouthProspect South

Existing Conditions Survey updated Capstone – Choice Center student housing project

– 220 units– Break ground in July, open Fall 2013

July 19 – plan area adoption Property owner “Charette” – corner of Prospect

and College

29

Foothills MallFoothills Mall

30

Foothills Mall RedevelopmentFoothills Mall Redevelopment

Existing Conditions Survey updated Continued dialogue with General Growth

Properties Working towards a redevelopment agreement Likely a phased program over several years More to come over the next six months

31

Sustainable, Flexible, Predictable Planning Tool (SFP)Sustainable, Flexible, Predictable Planning Tool (SFP)

Sustainable

Flexible PredictableSFP

32

Why do we need the SFP?Why do we need the SFP?

Modifications to the Code are becoming the norm, not the exception

Projects just meeting the code minimum, not above and beyond

Infill/redevelopment sites are heavily constrained Interim uses are challenging under the Code

33

What is the SFP?What is the SFP?PREDICTABILITY

RE

VIE

W P

RO

CE

SS

stat

ic

Flexible zoning

LEAST

Prescriptive zoning

MOST

Dis

cret

ion/

Nei

ghbo

r In

put

LEA

ST

MO

ST

LAND USECODE

dyna

mic

L.D.G.S.

SFP!

The SFP is… Voluntary Planned Development Approach Performance-Based

Defined Location Incentivized

34

Defined LocationDefined Location

Targeted Activity Centers

Targeted Redevelopment Areas

Transit Oriented Development

(TOD) Overlay Zone

35

IncentivizedIncentivized

Use flexibility (addition of a permitted use) Extended plan approval timeframe Funding Fee delay Density bonus

36

Next StepsNext Steps

Research (Feb - Apr) Develop (Apr - May) Test & Refine (May - Jun) Adopt (Jul - Aug)

Monthly Planning & Zoning Board (P&Z) work sessions

July 21 – P&Z recommendation Aug 16 – City Council action

37

Issues and Opportunities Issues and Opportunities SurveySurvey

38

Thank you for coming today!Thank you for coming today!

Questions?Questions?

www.renewfortcollins.comwww.renewfortcollins.com