Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2 ResponseToCityComments - 11122021Homestead at Buffalo Run Response to City’s Concept Comments (21-270) Planning Comments 1. Process – BMC 38.230.020. A master site plan is a generalized development plan that establishes building envelopes and overall entitlements for complex, large-scale projects that will require multiple years to reach completion. A master site plan application is not required, however if phasing is proposed to extend beyond 2 years, a Master Site Plan allows that entitlement to be extended to 5+ years. Please include the following with your formal submittal: a. In addition to, or as listed in the submittal checklist, a Site Plan must include: 1. A detailed phasing plan that includes: a) Detailed construction management plan. b) Project phasing and associated improvements necessary for the independent function of each phase such as parking, pedestrian connections to the street, and open space. c) Without a phasing plan, final occupancy may not be granted until the entire site is built out and ready for occupancy. 2. Draft access and utility easements to facilitate services, and vehicular and pedestrian access throughout the site in lieu of subdivision and dedication. 3. A master park plan. 4. A concurrent construction request is recommended. b. If submitting a master site plan, the Phase 1 site plan may be reviewed concurrently. Subsequent phases require additional site plan application reviews. c. Any requested departures must be submitted with the applicable review fees for each departure. Response: The applicant is not proposing phasing beyond 2 years, therefore a Master Site Plan has not been submitted with the Site Plan. A detailed phasing plan has been included in this Site Plan submittal that includes a construction management plan, project phasing and associated improvement details, and phasing details to allow for occupancy prior to full site build out. The applicant has also included draft access and utility easements with the Site Plan submittal. Requested departures have also been specified within the application materials, and the applicant is prepared to by the requisite fees once the application has been deemed complete. 2. Applicant Questions: Staff supports a concept review meeting. Please coordinate a follow up meeting with your Development Review Coordinator, Diane Tolhurst. Response: Understood. 3. Form and intensity standards – BMC 38.320.030. For this single lot development provide calculations for minimum lot area, lot coverage, floor area ratio, building height, and setbacks for all building types. Per this section, maximum lot size for an R-4 lot with residential uses is 2.5 acres. Departures from the maximum lot size requirements may be allowed where the planned development fits into the context of the neighborhood and proposed pedestrian and vehicular circulation measures meet community objectives. In the formal submittal a departure with the associated processing fee must be requested from this standard. Detail how the proposed development is meeting these standards. Response: All required calculations have been included with the Site Plan application materials. A departure request and the required justification have also been included in this submittal. Please see page 7 of the Planning Narrative. 4. Townhouse and rowhouse dwellings – BMC 38.360.250. The rowhouse and duplex buildings within this development are subject to this section of the code. Provide a response in the narrative and drawings to the standards in this section including a different usable open space calculation from Article 5 (see below for multi-household open space standards), and building design standards that require repetition with variety. For rowhouse open space, the provided open space must be provided directly adjacent to each unit and meet dimensions of at least 12 feet on all sides. This will need to be delineated on the open space drawings for each rowhouse unit. For the building design requirements specify in the project narrative which of the repetition with variety guidelines, and which of the residential building articulation standards from 38.530.040.C are being employed to meet this standard. Response: All required calculations have been included with the Planning Narrative. Please see the Planning Sheet S5 for all open space areas. Please see the Architectural Plan Set for more information on the building articulation and repletion with variety. We are proposing to use the following façade articulation items to break up the massing: changing in window styles between units, changes in roofline, and changes in color and material. 5. Watercourse setback – BMC 38.410.100. Where a development is crossed by or is adjacent to a watercourse, the developer must mitigate the impacts of the development on the watercourse. This mitigation may not be less restrictive than the requirements of the city floodplain regulations or any other applicable regulation of this chapter. The purpose of this mitigation is bank stabilization; sediment, nutrient and pollution removal; and flood control. Provide details and classification per this section on any watercourses present on site, provide a delineation and functional assessment of any wetlands present on the site according to the requirements of 38.610. Provide proposals for mitigation along with any required local, state, and federal permits that may apply. Response: The Applicant is working (since 07/13/21) to get a determination from the USACE. See the email correspondence in the Documents folder for details (Email from MMI to USACE Jurisdictional Determination Request_ 5400 Fowler Lane 092821.pdf). The Gallatin Conservation District has made the following determination. From Mike Rotar representing the Conservation District “I’ve attached a marked-up excerpt from the 1953 Water Resources Survey (WRS) for Gallatin County. As Christine described in her email, the waterway on this property is a lateral from the Middle Creek Ditch. I reviewed aerial photos back to 1995, and although the waterway looks to have been manipulated on the property to some degree in the last 25 years, it continues to have originated from the main Middle Creek Ditch on the SE side of the Fowler Rd./Patterson Rd. intersection. As such, this waterway is a ditch and considered non-jurisdictional from the CD’s standpoint.” See this email correspondence in the Documents folder for details (Buffalo Run - Water Course Designation - Conservation District 120919.pdf) 6. Block length and width – BMC 38.410.040. Blocks must be designed to be between 300-400 feet in length. Block lengths may be longer than 400 feet if necessary due to topography, presence of critical lands, access control, or adjacency to existing parks or open space. Blocks must be between 200-400 feet in width, except where essential to provide separation of residential development from a traffic arterial or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation. Provide details in the formal submittal how the proposed avenues and pedestrian rights-of-way are utilized to meet the standards in this section. Response: The Homestead at Buffalo Run has 2 north/south local streets that create the block network. These blocks are greater than 400’ but in both directions east/west and north/south we have a pedestrian block separator breaking up the blocks. The east/west block separator is a 30’ easement with 5’ building setbacks off it. The north/south block separator is a 10’ easement with 10’ building setbacks. Where these block separators cross drive isles there is change in material indicating the cross walk. Please refer to the Civil Plan Sheets C201 – C204 for more information. 7. Grading and drainage – BMC 38.410.080. Stormwater retention/detention facilities in landscaped areas must be designed as landscape amenities. They must be an organic feature with a natural, curvilinear shape. The facilities must have 75 percent of surface area covered with live vegetation appropriate for the depth and design of the retention/detention facility, and be lined with native grasses, indigenous plants, wet root tolerant plant types and groupings of boulders to create a functional, yet natural site feature. A cross section and landscape detail of each facility must be submitted with the final landscape plan for review and approval. Facilities with a slope up to and including ten percent grade may be grassed and irrigated to blend into the adjacent landscaped area. Response: We have transitioned into using underground storm tech systems. This comment is no longer applicable. 8. Block frontage – BMC 38.510. This project will include multiple block frontages: a. A community design framework master plan must be submitted with your formal submittal to designate block frontages for new streets per section 38.530.030.L. b. Special Residential: For residences with ground floor living spaces facing a sidewalk or pedestrian path within a residential development, the building must feature at least one of the public/private space transition elements described in Section 38.530.030.J. Identify all special residential frontages interior to the site, and describe the transition method in the formal submittal. c. Landscaped Block Frontage: In the formal submittal narrative and drawings demonstrate compliance with the block frontage required design elements including but not limited to: Building placement, building entrances, façade transparency (provide on elevation sheets), weather protection, and parking location. Response: A community design framework master plan has been included and shows the proposed block frontages for the new streets (See Planning sheet S6). Special residential block frontages are also shown on this exhibit. The buildings all feature a 10-foot setback with a private outdoor space for each residential unit as shown on Planning Sheet S2 and on the building elevations. Please refer to the building elevations sheets for more information about building entrances, façade transparency (provided on elevation sheets), and weather protection. 9. Non-motorized circulation and design – BMC 38.520.040. Sites with residential units. Provide direct pedestrian access between all ground related unit entries and a public street or to a clearly marked pathway network or open space that has direct access to a public street. Residential developments must provide a pedestrian circulation network that connects all main entrances on the site to other areas of the site, such as: a. Parking areas; b. Recreational areas; c. Common outdoor areas; and d. Any pedestrian amenities; For townhouses or other residential units fronting the street, the sidewalk may be used to meet this standard. Additionally: a. Crosswalks are required when a walkway crosses an on-site paved area accessible to vehicles. Crosswalks must contain contrasting material (such as concrete) and/or patterns (such as stamped asphalt), excluding painted surfaces. b. Pedestrian paths through parking lots. Developments must provide specially marked or paved sidewalks through parking areas. At least one walkway must be provided every four rows of parking or at a maximum spacing of 200 feet. The pathways must provide a safe connection to the building entrance and meet the pathway design standards set forth in subsection D. c. Provide easements for non-motorized access to facilitate the future extension of paths when adjoining properties are improved. d. All internal pathways must have a minimum five-foot-wide unobstructed surface, except where wider pathways are prescribed in this division or where the applicable uses and context dictate wider pathways. e. Where a pathway is adjacent to perpendicular or angled parking, an extra two feet of walkway width must be provided to mitigate for parked vehicles overhanging the walkway. f. Pathways must be separated from structures by at least three feet of landscaping except where the adjacent building façade meets the Storefront block frontage standards per section 38.510.030.B. Departures are permitted for other landscaping and/or façade design treatments to provide attractive pathways will be considered. Examples include sculptural, mosaic, bas-relief artwork, or other decorative treatments that meet the intent. Response: Please see the Site Plan on Sheet S2 in the planning plan set for detailed information pertaining to this comment. 10. On-site residential open space – BMC 38.520.060.B. All multi-household development, including multi-household portions of mixed-use development, must provide minimum usable open space equal to 100 square feet per dwelling unit for studio and one bedroom dwellings and 150 square feet per dwelling unit for dwellings with two or more bedrooms. The required open space may be provided in a combination of ways: shared open space, ground level private outdoor space, balconies, common indoor recreation areas, and shared roof decks. Provide an exhibit detailing proposed open space overall and by phase. The open space plan shows all areas not being used for buildings, parking, and circulation as open space, this will not work in the formal submittal. Demonstrate compliance in the formal submittal how each type of open space proposed will meet the listed design standards in this section including dimensional standards, amenities provided, and separation from residential windows and service areas. Response: Please see the Planning Sheet S5 for all information relating to open space. 11. Location of ground related service areas and mechanical equipment – BMC. Service areas (loading docks, trash dumpsters, compactors, recycling areas, electrical panels, and mechanical equipment areas) must be located for convenient service access while avoiding negative visual, auditory, olfactory, or physical impacts on the streetscape environment and adjacent residentially zoned properties. The review authority may require evidence that such elements will not significantly impact neighboring properties or public areas. The applicant has indicated the location of solid waste enclosures, but not other types of service areas and utility meters. Detail in the formal submittal how the development service areas will be functional and provide the required service access while minimizing impacts to residents. Mechanical equipment such as roof top or ground level AC units, PTAC units, and Mini-splits must also be screened. Response: Our intent was to strategically place the trash areas to service multiple buildings. Please see the Planning Sheet S2 indicating the proposed locations of the trash enclosures and the Civil Sheet C705 for the detail of the trash enclosures. 12. Solid Waste Enclosures – BMC 38.520.070.C. Screening of ground related service areas and mechanical equipment. 1. Where screening of ground level service areas is required the following applies: a. A structural enclosure must be constructed of masonry, heavy-gauge metal, or decay-resistant material that is also used with the architecture of the main building. The review authority may allow materials other than those used for the main building if the finishes are similar in color and texture or if the proposed enclosure materials are more durable than those for the main structure. The walls must be sufficient to provide full screening from the affected roadway, pedestrian areas or adjacent use. The enclosure may use overlapping walls to screen dumpsters and other materials (see figure 38.520.070.C below); b. Gates must be made of heavy-gauge, site-obscuring material. Chain link or chain link with slats is not an acceptable material for enclosures or gates; c. Where the inside of service enclosures is visible from surrounding streets, pathways, and buildings, an opaque or semi-opaque horizontal cover or screen must be used to mitigate unsightly views. The horizontal screen/cover should be integrated into the enclosure design and compatible with adjacent development; d. Collection points must be located and configured so the enclosure gate swing does not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or does not require that a hauling truck project into any public right-of- way. Ensure that screening elements allow for efficient service delivery and removal operations. e. The service area must be paved. Response: Please see the Planning Sheet S2 indicating the proposed locations of the trash enclosures and the Civil Sheet C705 for the detail of the trash enclosures. 13. Utility meters, electrical conduit, and other service utility apparatus - BMC 38.520.070.D. Utility meters, electrical conduit, and other service utility apparatus must be located and/or designed to minimize their visibility to the public. Project designers are strongly encouraged to coordinate with applicable service providers early in the design process to determine the best approach in meeting these standards. If such elements are mounted in a location visible from the street, pedestrian pathway, or shared open space, they must be screened with vegetation and/or integrated into the building's architecture. Elevations that detail the location and method of screening is required with the formal submittal. The applicant must design for screening and separation in mind. Work with Northwestern Energy to determine where dry utility lines, gas and electric meters, and transformer pads will be located and provide screening details in the formal submittal. Response: Please see the architectural elevations for each building showing the screening up all utility meters. Additionally, please see the Landscape Plan Set for landscaping around the utility meters and dumpster enclosures. 14. Building design – BMC 38.530. The following building design standards will be reviewed generally with the formal submittal: a. Building massing and articulation – BMC 38.530.040.C. Residential buildings must include articulation features at appropriate intervals relative to the scale of the façade in order to reduce the perceived massing of the building and add visual interest. At least three of the features listed in this section must be employed at intervals relative to the individual dwelling units or at a maximum of every 30 feet. The scale of the façade articulation should be compatible with the surrounding context. Provide details in the narrative and elevations. b. Building massing and articulation – BMC 38.530.040.E. Building façades wider than 150 feet must include at least one of the listed features to break up the massing of the building and add visual interest. Detail in the narrative and drawings which elevation feature is being utilized. c. Building materials – BMC 38.530.060. In the submittal provide details demonstrating compliance for all exterior cladding materials listed in this section. d. Blank walls – BMC 38.530.070. Untreated blank walls visible from a public street, pedestrian- oriented space, common usable open space, or pedestrian pathway are prohibited. Methods to treat blank walls are listed in this section and must be included in the formal submittal. Response: Please see the architectural plan set for all information about building materials, massing and blank walls. 15. Number of parking spaces required – BMC 38.540.050. The following details are required to accompany the proposed parking calculation: a. Provide a calculation and location of required spaces per phase, not just an overall calculation. b. Reductions/adjustments to minimum requirements are required to be applied per phase not overall. c. Show the locations and dimensions of on-street parking used to reduce off-street parking. On- street parking per phase will need to be located adjacent to the portion of the lot where the phase is located. d. Bicycle parking requirements for rack types, dimensions, and locations is located in Section 38.540.050.A.4-5. Response: Please see the Planning Plan Set for more information on parking. A parking plan has been included as Sheet S3. For a typical detail on the proposed bicycle parking please see Civil Plan Sheet C705. 16. Landscaping – BMC 38.550. Provide a phased landscaping plan that addresses mandatory landscaping provisions in Section 38.550.050 including street frontages, open space, parking lot landscaping requirements, landscaping used for screening of service areas and parking areas, and internal landscaped areas with the formal submittal. Response: Please see Planning Sheet S1 for information on phasing. All ROWs and park improvements will be completed in phase 1. 17. Signs – 38.560.060. The following on-premises signs may be permitted in R-4 with an approved sign permit: 1. Subdivision and residential complex signs. For residential subdivisions consisting of more than four residential lots and for residential complexes with more than four dwellings and more than one building, one low profile, freestanding, sign per development entrance may be permitted. No sign may exceed 16 square feet in area or five feet in height from the finished grade. The sign must be set back at least five feet from the property line. 2. Residential building signs. For properties used for multi-household residential, one wall sign per street frontage may be permitted. No sign may exceed eight square feet in area. Response: The applicant is proposing one monument sign in the northwest corner of the project. Please see Planning Sheet S2 for a specific location. The sign is located on private property 5’ off the property line. It is understood that this sign will have to go through the building permit process to be approved. The design of the sign is still under development. 18. Lighting – BMC 38.570. Provide a lighting plan and photometric plan for all site and building lighting at the time of master site plan submittal. Response: Please see the lighting plan set for all information relating to lighting and photometric data. Parks • A parkland calculation table is required to describe what amounts of parkland and CILP are required and proposed in accordance with 38.420.020.A.1 o For calculating parkland, net residential density is used (see Sec. 38.700.130 for calculating Net Residential Density) o For this zoning district under known future density, it is required that the equivalent parkland for 8 Dwelling Units (DU) per acre is provided as land and the equivalent of parkland for 4 Dwelling Units per acre is required as CILP o For any adjustments to the above parkland/CILP ratio, please provide written justification per Resolution 4784 o Cash-in-lieu of Parkland (CILP) appraisal value is currently $2.07 PSF (effective June 22, 2021). Final CILP appraisal value is determined at the time of final plan approval. o Cash-in-lieu of Parkland and Improvements-in-lieu of Parkland are used interchangeably, however IILP provides a greater value to the City Response: A Parkland Dedication table is provided on the Planning Sheet C1 and on page 5 of the Parks Master Plan. Additionally, included in the Parks Master Plan is written justification per resolution 4784. • All parkland proposals are reviewed by the Rec and Park Advisory Board or its Subdivision Review Committee and approved by the City Commission at formal Site Plan submittal. Response: Understood. • Since parkland is proposed adjacent to an existing park, a new park master plan for the entire new park is required. o Application must clearly distinguish between future planned improvements and those to be installed with this development. o If improvements will be phased, provide a phasing plan for review. o Any areas of the park that will not be completed with this development should be indicated clearly (screened back, labeled, and a boundary line) Response: Our Parks Master Plan has been included as Appendix M. Included in that documents is the Meadow creek Subdivision Parks Master Plan. Additionally, Please see the landscape plans Labeled as Meadow Creek Park Expansion. • A park landscape construction document set is required for all improvements to be installed with this development. Provide this set at the time of site plan submittal. o This CD set will follow all requirements of the City Applications and Noticing code (Sec 38.220.060.A.16), the Landscape code (Sec. 38.550), and the Park and Recreation code (Sec. 38.420) o The cost of all improvements must be provided as a separate table attached to the park master plan documents o Disclaimer: Existing adjacent park is in need of irrigation improvements Response: Please see the Landscaping Plan Set labeled Meadow Creek Park Expansion for construction drawings. Additionally, please see the Parks Master Plan Appendix M for cost breakdowns. • See section 38.420 for general Park and Recreation requirements. Response: Understood. • The park master plan, park landscape set, and all requirements above shall be submitted as a unique packet of information including a table of contents, narrative, and all associated documents o See attached document as an example submittal. This document includes items that go beyond the requirements listed above, and it is not expected to have those extra items with this submittal. Response: Understood. Solid Waste Division 1. Need to identify location for refuse enclosure for multi units. Response: Please see the Planning Sheet S2 indicating the proposed locations of the trash enclosures and the Civil Sheet C705 for the detail of the trash enclosures. 2. Need detailed plan for refuse enclosure. Response: Please see the Planning Sheet S2 indicating the proposed locations of the trash enclosures and the Civil Sheet C705 for the detail of the trash enclosures. NorthWestern Energy • Electric primary and gas mains will need to be extended to and into the proposed project location. A full complete engineering design will be needed by the NWE project engineer to determine location of utility mains and equipment to provide the needed electric and gas services. An application will need to be submitted to get this part of the project started. Response: An application was submitted on October 7, 2020 (tacking number is 20201007-622-NC) and we have been in coordination with Northwestern Energy since that application. Primary coordination has been with Kory Graham. Latest plans have been provided as well as anticipated loads for each building type. • Utility easement. Any extension of gas main or electric primary will need to be installed within 10-foot or greater easement. To establish the needed utility easement locations the NWE project engineer will help to establish these locations as well as the needed documentation. Response: Understood. • With the proposed project area being in a high groundwater zone it is anticipated that a significant amount of fill be brought for building purposes. A complete site grading plan will need to be submitted for the NWE project engineer to determine elevations for electric primary, gas mains and transformer and junction can installations. Response: Understood. • Service & Meter Location. NWE engineer will need to review the elevation plans for the proposed location of gas and electric meters. The electric meter & or CT cabinet will need to be installed in the same general location within 10-feet of the gas meter. NorthWestern Energy reserves the right to specify the location of our meters. All meters are to be located outdoors on the corner or in a location on the building closest to the transformer or secondary junction can serving the building unit. On new construction, electric meter locations must be within 10 feet of the gas meter if NorthWestern Energy will be providing both electric and gas service. Meter locations will need to be approved by NWE. NWE policy is to maintain a minimum 30-inches wide by 3-feet clear zone between the front of the meter and landscape screening or wall screening for self-contained meter bases and 48-inches for installations requiring cabinets. Location of the meter(s) shall allow easy access to the meters for operation and maintenance. Response: Understood. Please see the architectural elevations and Civil Plans for more information on the meter locations. • The following applies to buildings in regards to the gas regulator. The gas regulator cannot be placed under a window or within 3’ of the operable portion of the window. It can be placed under a window/deck on the second story, provided the “open/operable” portion has at least 6’ of clearance from the regulator. Ensure that there is 10’ of separation from any mechanical air intake, including air conditioning units. The gas regulator will need to be 3-ft or more separation from the closest corner of any portion of the electric meter base. Response: Understood. • Applicant needs to show proposed meter screening methods for the NWE engineer to review. If using a screening wall a drawing of the screening wall need to be reviewed and approved by NWE for underground utility installation under the wall and access for operation and maintenance lines and equipment. Response: Understood. Screening methods are shown on the architectural elevations. Screening Wall criteria. o Gas service cannot penetrate foundation walls that are attached to the building foundation per the International Fuel Code. Gas riser need to penetrate the building above ground. However, if the foundation is not attached to the building i.e. the foundation wall is isolated from the building for just supporting the wall, this is acceptable. Response: Understood. o If this is a free standing foundation wall, a knock-out must be provided that is a min of 2’x2’ but may be required that the knockout be larger on the electric service depending on the meter base amperage. Consult NWE for proper sizing of knock-out Response: Understood o Contact NWE for placement of knock-out to insure that it lines up properly with the termination location to prevent bends in the gas or electric services. Response: Understood o Screening must meet the clear zone requirement of NWE Electric Service Requirements which typically for commercial application is 48” from the face of the electric meter. See meter location comment. Response: Understood o Gas meter cannot be located in recessed location where it is not open atmosphere above the meter without approval from NWE. Response: Understood. o Screening cannot consist of rolling doors or other devices that are required to be open to access the meters. Response: Understood. • Transformer location to Building. The location of transformers will be determined by the NWE Project Engineer. If any of the buildings will be requiring 3 phase power a transformer pad site should be planned. Typical 3-phase pad is going to be a 7’x7’ pad. For oil filled transformers a 2-foot clearance is required to non-combustible walls and surfaces that do not have any openings such as doors, windows, air intake, and fire escapes routes, and meets current NEC or NFPA requirements for non-combustible material. For transformers 750kVA & larger a 3-foot 6-inch clearance is required. For both locations, 10-feet of clearance is required on the front side of the pad where the transformer doors are located. Note, all distances are referenced to the edge of the pad. For any combustible surface, not meeting current NEC or NFPA requirements for non-combustible material, a minimum of a 10-foot clearance is required. For planting of bushes or shrubs a Minimum Working Space for a Pad- Mounted Transformer, is 4-feet on the sides and back portion of the concrete pad and 10-feet of clearance on the front side of the pad where the transformer doors are located. Note, all distances are referenced to the edge of the pad. The NWE project engineer will help to determine the appropriate location for the transformer. Due to COVID-19 there has been an impact on receiving larger three phase and single phase transformers and a longer timeline may be needed to receive the needed equipment for these services. Response: We have been in close coordination with Kory Graham at Northwestern Energy. Northwestern Energy has our most current site plan and required loads for each building. It is our understanding that the design of transformer sizes and locations is currently ongoing. • Landscaping. No large, deep rooted trees or bushes will be allowed within the 10-foot utility easement. No large trees reaching heights of 15-feet or taller will be allowed under any overhead distribution lines. All other approved landscaping will be placed so as not to damage, prevent or hinder operation and maintenance of NWE utilities. Response: Understood. • For landscaping, planting of bushes or shrubs a Minimum Working Space for a Pad-Mounted Transformer is 4-feet on the sides and back portion of the concrete pad and 10-feet of clearance on the front side of the pad where the transformer doors are located. Note, all distances are referenced to the edge of the pad. Response: Understood. • Submit an application online to have the NWE project engineer work with the applicant on easements and location of transformers, service meters and all relocation or removal of existing utilities. Go to www.northwesternenergy.com/construction to apply online Montana Construction Application, and access Montana New Service Guide to provide information on electric and gas service requirements. Response: An application was submitted on October 7, 2020 (tacking number is 20201007-622-NC). The application was reviewed and processed on October 13, 2020.