The city is getting closer to forging a plan for its gateway at Harmony Road and Interstate 25, but how much of the land remains in a natural state is still open to debate.
Fort Collins City Council voted 4-2 Tuesday to support a major update to the Harmony Gateway Plan, part of the overall Harmony Corridor, on first reading. Mayor Wade Troxell and council member Ken Summers voted no but said they hoped to support it on second reading April 7 if concerns about a 40% naturalistic area were addressed.
The plan sets the tone for future developments, bans drive-through restaurants and big box stores larger than 50,000 square feet — common sites up and down the I-25 corridor — restricts building heights to three to five stories and "provides a degree of community separation" from Timnath.
It also requires 40% of the area on the south side of Harmony Road to be an open, landscaped area with natural plants and land forms, a requirement that would have a major impact on 200 acres owned by Fort Collins developer J.D. Padilla.
Padilla's attorney Carolynne White said the requirement was "unprecedented, extreme and tantamount to taking of the property" without compensation, a move that could make development financially impossible.
Former Fort Collins Mayor Ray Martinez, acting on Padilla's behalf, said the city should buy the land or partner with Padilla if it wants to keep the 40% open area requirement.
After a 30-minute closed-door session to get advice from City Attorney Carrie Daggett, council approved the plan but will continue talks with the developer to resolve the concerns. Council member Emily Gorgol was absent.
"The 40% open space needs to be an ongoing conversation before we have the issue settled," said Summers, who hoped to support the proposal at second reading.
The area "can be spectacular in so many ways," said Troxell, who voted no with hopes of voting yes in April following discussions with Padilla "to come up with something great within the current restrictions or with a recommendation to change the percentage to some degree to allow for the property to be developed."
Changing direction
The city's thoughts on gateway development have changed over the years as major commercial activity sprouted up on the eastern side of the I-25 intersection, including Walmart, Costco, Taco Bell, Chick-Fil-A and Starbucks, among other retailers.
The plan now emphasizes mixed use development and a sense of place rather than developments that bring commercial projects and employment.
"While retail uses are included and visibility to traffic is important, the proposed vision does not include typical shopping center or commercial strip formats oriented to the highway," according to the plan.
Under the proposal, the mix of uses would be limited to a maximum 50% retail and commercial, and a minimum 25% residential and 25% employment.
Building heights are limited to three stories for attached residential buildings and five stories for commercial and mixed-use buildings. An additional story for commercial and mixed used buildings could be permitted if structured parking is included.
The updated plan, which highlights the Poudre River valley setting, has been in the works for 18 months and gone through several iterations while trying to strike a balance between protecting the river valley, neighbors' desires for reduced retail and allowing inevitable development.
Roxanne Griffin, representing a group of neighbors calling themselves Protect Our Gateway, said the group wanted no more than 15% retail and increased cultural and recreational component. "Life is short," she said. "Culture and nature are long."
The corridor already has empty retail along Harmony Road, Griffin said. She feared empty retail space at the gateway would send the wrong message. "Will empty retail space communicate that we live in an economically thriving city?" she asked.
The gateway
Three corners of the intersection are already developed with a gas station, cell tower and landscape nursery business on the south side of Harmony Road; a commercial building with outdoor storage on the north; Walmart on the northeast corner; and Costco on the southeast side.
Padilla's land makes up the majority of the south side of the intersection.
Two years ago, The Wyatt apartment complex with 368 units was constructed, and there are plans for another 300 units directly across Strauss Cabin Road from The Wyatt. Additionally, the Harmony Transportation Transfer Center is about a quarter-mile from the interchange.
Padilla has not submitted any specific plans for the site except for the apartments.
Pat Ferrier is a senior reporter covering business, health care and growth issues in Northern Colorado. Contact her at patferrier@coloradoan.com. Please support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a subscription today.
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Fort Collins City Council OKs plan for gateway at I-25, Harmony Road, including natural space - Coloradoan
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