HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC110012 Ellis Exterior Alt 022811
MEMORANDUM
TO:Planning and Environmental Commission
FROM:Community Development Department
DATE:February 28, 2011
SUBJECT:A request for the review of a exterior alteration, pursuant to Section 12-7B-7, Exterior Alterations or Modifications, Vail Town Code, to allow for the addition of enclosed floor
area, located at 302 Hanson Ranch Road, Unit 301 (Mill Creek Court Building)/ Lot I, Block 5A, Vail Village Filing 5, and setting details in regards thereto. (PEC110012)
Applicant: Gail Ellis, represented by Craig Snowdon, Snowdon Hopkins Architects, PC
Planner: Rachel Dimond
I.SUMMARY
The applicant, Gail Ellis, represented by Snowdon Hopkins Architects PC, is requesting an exterior alteration, pursuant to Section 12-7B-7, Exterior Alterations or Modifications, Vail
Town Code, to facilitate the construction of five bay windows that consist of forty-nine square feet of Gross Residential Floor Area (GRFA) to the Mill Creek Court Building, located
at 302 Hanson Ranch Road, Unit 301 / Lot I, Block 5A, Vail Village Filing 5.
Staff recommends that the Planning and Environmental Commission approves, with conditions, the application, subject to the findings and criteria outlined in Section VII of this memorandum.
For reference, the attachments include a vicinity map (Attachment A), photos (Attachment B), a letter from the applicant (Attachment C) and architectural plans (Attachment D).
II.DESCRIPTION OF REQUEST
The purpose of the proposed exterior alteration is to allow for the construction of five bay windows on the south elevation on the third floor of the Mill Creek Court Building located
at 302 Hanson Ranch Road. The windows to be added will create forty-nine (49) square feet of additional GRFA. Because allowable density has been exceeded (both GRFA and dwelling units/acre),
this addition is permitted as a 250 addition, per 12-15-5, Vail Town Code. Of the five bay windows, two are clear story bays located in the dining room, with the existing roof utilized
as the roof covering. Two traditional bays located in the living room are approximately nine feet (9’) in length and are connected by a twenty-one foot long metal bay roof band. The
fifth bay window in the laundry room is four feet wide and has a new copper roof to match the unit below. The proposed bay windows will not add site coverage, as they are the same footprint
as the bay windows below.
III.BACKGROUND
The Mill Creek Court Building was built in 1965 as part of newly incorporated Town of Vail.
In 1986, a request was made to begin preliminary discussions regarding redevelopment of the Mill Creek Court Building. However, a recommendation was made by staff to delay any redevelopment
until the completion of the Vail Village Master Plan, to which the applicant agreed. Another request to discuss a rezoning was made years later, but according to the legal file, nothing
became of the informal request.
In April of 2001, a request for a work session was made to the Community Development Department to discuss the rezoning of the Mill Creek Court Building from CCI to a different zone
district or to a special development district to allow office and residential uses on the street level. However, this item did not move forward.
In 2005, the PEC approved an exterior alteration to install five bay windows on the second floor, all of which are directly below the proposed bay windows.
IV.APPLICABLE PLANNING DOCUMENTS
TITLE 12 ZONING REGULATIONS (IN PART)
Section 12-7B Commercial Core 1 (CC1) District (in part)
12-7B-1: PURPOSE: The Commercial Core 1 District is intended to provide sites and to maintain the unique character of the Vail Village commercial area, with its mixture of lodges and
commercial establishments in a predominantly pedestrian environment. The Commercial Core 1 District is intended to ensure adequate light, air, open space, and other amenities appropriate
to the permitted types of buildings and uses. The District regulations in accordance with the Vail Village Urban Design Guide Plan and Design Considerations prescribe site development
standards that are intended to ensure the maintenance and preservation of the tightly clustered arrangements of buildings fronting on pedestrianways and public greenways, and to ensure
continuation of the building scale and architectural qualities that distinguish the Village.
12-7B-7: EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS OR MODIFICATIONS:
A. Subject To Review: The construction of a new building, the alteration of an existing building which adds or removes any enclosed floor area, the alteration of an existing building
which modifies exterior rooflines, the replacement of an existing building, the addition of a new outdoor dining deck or the modification of an existing outdoor dining deck shall be
subject to review by the Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC).
12-7B-20: VAIL VILLAGE URBAN DESIGN PLAN:
A. Adoption: The Vail village urban design guide plan and design considerations are adopted for the purposes of maintaining and preserving the character and vitality of the Vail village
(CC1) and to guide the future alteration, change and improvement in CC1 district. Copies of the Vail village design guide plan and design considerations shall be on file in the department
of community development.
Vail Village Master Plan
The Vail Village Master Plan is based on the premise that the Village can be planned and designed as a whole. The Vail Village Master Plan is intended to be consistent with the Vail
Village Urban Design Guide Plan, and along with the Guide Plan, it underscores the importance of the relationship between the built environment and public spaces. Furthermore, the Master
Plan provides a clearly stated set of goals and objectives outlining how the Village will grow in the future.
Goals for Vail Village are summarized in six major goal statements. While there is a certain amount of overlap between these six goals, each focuses on a particular aspect of the Village
and the community as a whole. A series of objectives outline specific steps that can be taken toward achieving each stated goal. Policy statements have been developed to guide the
Town’s decision-making in achieving each of the stated objectives.
The stated goals of the Vail Village Master Plan which pertain to this application are included in Section VIII of this memorandum, Criteria and Findings.
Vail Village Urban Design Guide Plan
This Guide Plan represents collective ideas about functional and aesthetic objectives for Vail Village. Diagrammatic in nature, the Guide Plan is intended to suggest the nature of improvements
desired. It is based on a number of urban design criteria determined to be appropriate for guiding change in the Vail Village. The Guide Plan is intended to be a guide for current
planning in both the public and private sectors. Design considerations relative to redevelopment within the Commercial Core, specific to this proposal are as follows:
Vail Village Design Considerations: Facades - Windows
In addition to the general degree of transparency, window details are an important source of pedestrian scale-giving elements.
The size and shape of windows are often a response to the function of the street adjacent. For close-up, casual pedestrian viewing windows are typically sized to human-sized dimensions
and characteristics of human vision. (Large glass-wall storefronts suggest uninterrupted viewing, as from a moving car. The sense of intimate pedestrian scale is diminished.) Ground
floor display windows are typically raised slightly 18 feet f and do not extend much over 8 feet above the walkway level. Ground floors which are noticeably above or below grade are
exceptions.
The articulation of the window itself is still another element in giving pedestrian scale (human-related dimensions). Glass areas are usually subdivided to express individual window
elements - and are further subdivided by mullions into small panes - which is responsible for much of the old-world charm of the Village.
Similarly, windows are most often clustered in banks, juxtaposed with plain wall surfaces to give a pleasing rhythm. Horizontal repetition of single window elements, especially over
long distances, should be avoided.
Large single pane windows occur in the Village, and provide some contrast, as long as they are generally consistent in form with other windows. Long continuous glass is out of character.
Bay, bow and box windows are common window details, which further variety and massing to facades - and are encouraged.
Reflective glass, plastic panes, and aluminum or other metal frames are not consistent in the Village and should be avoided. Metal-clad or plastic clad wood frames, having the appearance
of painted wood have been used successfully and are acceptable.
V.ZONING ANALYSIS
Zoning:Commercial Core 1 District
Land Use Plan Designation:Village Master Plan
Current Land Use:Mixed Use
Development StandardAllowed/RequiredExistingProposed
Lot Area:5,000 sq ft10,039 sq ftno change
Setbacks:
Front:Per Vail Village 0 ftno change
Sides:Urban Design0 ft/0 ftno change
Rear:Guidelines0 ftno change
Building Height:60% at 33 ft or less100% at 33 ft or lessno change
40% at 33 ft to 43 ft0% at 33 ft to 43 ft no change
GRFA:80% / 8,312 sq ft10,469 sq ft250 addition
Density:25 DU/acre48 DU/acreno change
5 units11 unitsno change
Site Coverage:8,312 sq ft (80%) 6,384 sq ft (63%)no change
Landscape Area:Per the Vail Village37% no change
Urban Design Guide
Plan
Parking:Per Section 12-10-10Per Section 12-10-10no change
VI.SURROUNDING LAND USES AND ZONING
Land Use
Land Use Designation
Zoning
North:
Residential
Village Master Plan
High Density Multiple Family District
South:
Lodge
Village Master Plan
Public Accommodations District
East:
Parking/Park
Village Master Plan
Parking District
West:
Open Space
Village Master Plan
Outdoor Recreation District
VII.REVIEW CRITERIA
It shall be the burden of the applicant to prove by a preponderance of the evidence before the planning and environmental commission that:
1. The proposed exterior alteration is in compliance with the purposes of the CC1 district as specified in Section 12-7B-1, Vail Town Code; and,
Staff finds the proposed exterior alteration is in compliance with the purpose of the CC1 District, as the proposal will “maintain the unique character of the Vail Village Commercial
Area.” Further, the application is consistent with the Vail Village Urban Design Guide Plan’s Design Consideration that “bay, bow and box windows are common window details, which further
variety and massing to facades - and are encouraged”.
2. The proposal is consistent with applicable elements of the Vail Comprehensive Plan; and,
Staff finds that the application is consistent with the applicable elements of the Vail Comprehensive Plan, which includes the Vail Village Master Plan, Urban Design Guide Plan, Design
Considerations and the Vail Land Use Plan. There are no specific sub-area concepts in the Urban Design Guide Plan for Vail Village relevant to this proposal. As stated above, the Design
Considerations encourage “window details, which further variety and massing to facades,” which in turn supports this application. Further, the application is consistent with the element
of the Design Considerations that recommends the illusion of movement and articulation of facades. The application furthers the Vail Land Use Plan goals and objectives, including Objective
1.1, to “encourage the upgrading and redevelopment of residential and commercial facilities” and Goal 1.3, that “the quality of development should be maintained and upgraded whenever
possible.”
3. The proposal does not otherwise negatively alter the character of the neighborhood; and,
Staff finds that the proposal does not otherwise negatively alter the character of the neighborhood, as there are existing bay windows below the proposed bays on the second floor. The
proposal will positively impact the character of the neighborhood by improving the Mill Creek Court Building.
VIII.STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The Community Development Department recommends approval, with conditions, of the request for an exterior alteration pursuant to Section 12-7B-7, Exterior Alterations or Modifications,
Vail Town Code, to allow for the addition of enclosed floor area, located at 302 Hanson Ranch Road, Unit 301 (Mill Creek Court Building)/ Lot I, Block 5A, Vail Village Filing 5, and
setting details in regards thereto.
Should the Planning and Environmental Commission choose to approve this exterior alteration, the Community Development Department recommends the Commission make the following motion:
“The Planning and Environmental Commission approves an exterior alteration, pursuant to Section 12-7B-7, Exterior Alterations or Modifications, Vail Town Code, to allow for the addition
of enclosed floor area, located at 302 Hanson Ranch Road, Unit 301 (Mill Creek Court Building)/ Lot I, Block 5A, Vail Village Filing 5, and setting details in regards thereto.”
Should the Planning and Environmental Commission choose to approve this exterior alteration, the Community Development Department recommends the Commission approve the following conditions:
“1. This approval is contingent upon the applicant obtaining Town of Vail design review approval for this proposal.
2. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the applicant shall mitigate the impacts on employee housing resulting from the construction of 49 square feet of new gross residential
floor area in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 12-24, Inclusionary Zoning. ”
Should the Planning and Environmental Commission choose to approve the exterior alteration, the Community Development Department recommends the Commission makes the following findings:
“The Planning and Environmental Commission finds:
That the proposed exterior alteration is in compliance with the purposes of the CC1 district as specified in section 12-7B-1 of the Zoning Regulations; and
That the proposal is consistent with applicable elements of the Vail Comprehensive Plan; and
That the proposal does not otherwise negatively alter the character of the neighborhood.”
IX.ATTACHMENTS
Vicinity Map
Photos of Existing Structure
Letter from the applicant
Architectural Plans
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