HomeMy WebLinkAboutChamonix Site Master Plan Advisory Committee_Meeting Minutes_041108Chamonix Site Master Plan Advisory Committee
April 11, 2008, Meeting Notes
The Advisory Committee held a public meeting on April 11, 2008, in the Community Development Large Conference Room to discuss the first site plan concepts (“options”) for the Chamonix
Site.
The meeting convened at 12:00 noon and Staff presented a brief overview of the eleven project planning goals and design parameters approved by the Town Council on March 4, 2008. Stan
Clauson and Gilbert Sanchez discussed how the goals and parameters factored into the three site plan and density options to be presented to the Committee.
Three options were presented. Each option showed a mix of low density (duplex) residential on the northern portions of the site, combined with higher density (townhouse/condominium)
structures generally located on the southern portion of the site. Each option showed a fire station and living quarters (separated) located on the “Wendy’s” parcel.
Option 1 was identified during the meeting as the lowest density option (18 DU/buildable acre); Option 2 was identified as a medium density option (22 DU/buildable acre), and; Option
3 was identified as the highest density option (32 DU/buildable acre).
Options 2 showed an area of the fire station facility, dedicated or reserved for a future Ambulance District development. The committee discussed whether to design the project around
the eventuality of the District building on the site, or whether to proceed with designing the fire station and housing around the Town’s immediate needs.
Option 3 showed a sub-grade parking structure under multi-family (condominium) development – as a “new urbanist” model to encourage pedestrian circulation through the site and to present
more common open space/courtyard space. The committee discussed the disadvantages of constructing a sub-grade parking structure and committee members agreed that Option 3 might be “too
dense” and potentially cost prohibitive to construct.
Each option showed additional (new) road/driveway cuts along Chamonix Lane to serve several duplex structures located on the northern portion of the site. One committee member reiterated
concern by the residents of the Chamonix neighborhood regarding additional driveway entrances. He stated concern, but expressed a willingness on behalf of the neighborhood to consider
a limited (4-5) number of new driveways.
The committee members discussed the three options, pointing out advantages and disadvantages of differing densities. General comments or suggestions are as follows:
In any fire station design scenario, the design must account for backing of equipment and the associated noise;
Use positioning of the fire station building and associated fire department/Town employee housing to “wrap” or enclose equipment bays and to provide a better visual and noise barrier
between the fire station, the adjacent Shell Station and the adjacent neighborhood;
Consider an access control gate to separate residential from emergency services uses and traffic circulation;
Reduce or eliminate new driveway access points on Chamonix Lane;
Must consider CDOT access standards and the potential need to request a variance from CDOT for access points less than 150’ form the round-about;
Align internal circulation access point on Chamonix Road, to be across from the existing driveway at First Bank;
Ensure that proper turning radii is provided within the fire station portion of the site for emergency services vehicles;
Explore locating fire department housing within a third story of the fire station, rather than in a separate building, to preserve more buildable space on the site for residential uses
and open space/common areas;
Option 3 (“Parking Garage Option”) may be too dense/urban and cost prohibitive;
Option 3, or a combination of Options 2 and 3, may be desirable if redesigned to accommodate better separation between lower density duplex structures and higher density town-home and
condominium buildings;
Study revising plans to better integrate higher density, for-sale residential units with fire department/Town employee housing and to provide a better visual and noise barrier between
the fire station, the adjacent Shell Station and the adjacent neighborhood;
Concepts should include more “New Urbanist” design concepts to minimize auto-oriented design solutions (such as solutions presented in Option 3).
The committee discussed next steps in the process – to allow the design team to further study each option – and discussed possible next meeting dates.
The meeting adjourned at 2:00 pm.