Forest Lakes
Letter of Intent
August 24, 2001
Owner/Applicant:
Forest Lakes, LLC
2 North Cascade Avenue, Suite 1280
Colorado springs, Colorado 80903
Consultant:
N.E.S. Inc.
1040 south 8th Street, Suite 201
Colorado springs, Colorado 80906
Site Location:
Forest Lakes is located west of Interstate 25 on Baptist Road. The property is a valley with Beaver Creek traversing its east-west axis encompassing approximately 990 acres in Northwest El Paso County.
Request:
Approval of the Preliminary Plan and Rezone from R (Residential) to PUD (Planned Unit Development) for Forest Lakes consisting of 467 lots with sizes ranging from 3,200 square feet to twelve acres. The project also has two neighborhood parks providing a total of 19.6 acres of active open recreation areas, a ten-acre elementary school site, and approximately 450 acres of open space. The plan is a clustered approach for the residential areas. Four distinct housing types are represented on the plan.
Justification:
On February 22, 1984, the County approved the High Meadow Lakes Sketch Plan. This sketch plan was approved for a maximum 466 dwelling units on approximately 900 acres with eight conditions of approval. Subsequently, the property was zoned R Residential (its current zoning) and a Preliminary Plan was filed. Our request is to rezone the property to PUD, under the approval of the original sketch plan, in order to provide a more responsive land plan based upon topography, adjacent uses, and threaten animal species habitat. The PUD designation allows the site plan to be more creative while requiring a much more restrictive approval of the zone district by the Planning Department.
We are proposing to add an additional 80 acres to the Forest Lakes project adjacent to the south boundary. This allows for a much more sensitive road to be constructed in order to access the southern parcels. With this additional 80 acres, only one additional unit is being proposed from the original sketch plan. This actually reduces the overall density of the project to 0.47 dwelling units per acre.
The 2000 Tri-Lakes Comprehensive Plan was adopted by El Paso County on October 19, 1999 as a guiding document for the area and it addresses the Forest Lakes property currently being reviewed. This plan is generally consistent with the 2000 Tri-Lakes comprehensive Plan based upon the following items:
Project Description
Land Uses:
The two primary uses on the property are residential and open spaces. Approximately 510 acres of the 990 acres is used for residential uses while 470 acres are proposed to be open space or parks. One ten-acre elementary school is provided in the northeast corner. The residential lots vary in sizes from the smallest lot at a minimum size of 3200 square feet that would be used for patio homes to estate lots that begin at 20,000 square feet and are as large as twelve acres. Two areas have been identified for patio homes. The area directly north of Bristlecone Lake is identified as 8800 square foot minimum lot sizes.
Most of the lots have the building setbacks illustrated on the plan with typicals on the cover sheet. Some of the lots have a circle or centrum locating where the house is to be built. 50 percent of the home must be located within the building centrum. This does allow for some creative placement on the lot for architects as they design the homes while dictating the location of the structure.
Open Space/Parks/Trails:
The open space proposed for the property is centrally located along the Beaver Creek corridor. The solid line illustrated on the plans is the 100-year floodplain boundary. The long dashed lines represent a 300-foot setback that is the no-effect determination area for the Prebles Meadow Jumping Mouse (PMJM), which is a threatened species, identified by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Further discussion of this will follow. In many areas, additional open space is provided beyond this designation. The original sketch plan planned two additional lakes for the stream channel. However the PMJM has eliminated the potential to build these structures. The reservation of this large open space tract provides the same quantity of open area for the plan.
Two active parks are planned for the site. Waterfront Park is proposed along the north shore of Bristlecone Lake and is planned to allow non-motorized use of the lake. Homestead Park is to include a non-lighted soccer field for recreational use and playgrounds and picnic areas. A trailhead is also proposed across form the school site, which would allow for access to the National Forest as the trail continues west along the northern side of Beaver Creek. This trail is proposed to use the existing graded road as the primary path if possible. A second trail loops along the east side of Bristlecone Lake and continues along the south side of the creek until it rejoins the main trail to form a loop back to the trailhead.
Transportation:
The primary access for the site is from Baptist Road west of Interstate 25. As a condition on the original sketch plan, Forest Lakes is providing a 120-foot right-of-way for a minor arterial to extent north of the residential area. The original sketch plan traffic study indicated that this road was to connect to Rickenbacker Avenue. A fifty-foot easement extends along the Ward Subdivision on the east side of Rickenbacker Avenue. While this could be used it does not provide a very realistic minor arterial connection. The Tri-Lakes Comprehensive plan indicates that Mitchell Avenue should be extended to Baptist Road to accommodate better circulation. This option however has significant issues relative to Monument Creek, PMJM habitat, and private landowners. Forest Lakes has therefore included in the traffic study several alternatives with various connections and their impacts for review by the County. It is the intent of this submittal to provide analysis of these alternatives in order for a decision o northerly minor arterial access to be made in an educated fashion.
Other street connections include Lindbergh Road and Hay Creek Road. These are two County residential streets that abut the property. These access points have been discussed with the neighbors and some have expressed concerns with these points and would like to have them emergency only. The accompanying traffic study indicates that the Forest Lakes development would contribute a very small amount of trips to these roadways and is therefore not opposed to having them emergency only. If the County decides that that is acceptable, appropriate turn-arounds would be provided.
Another condition of the original sketch plan was participation in improvements along Baptist Road including a railroad crossing. This is currently being studied in greater detail relative to train lengths, stopped time, stacking requirements, etc. The initial indication from the railroad is that they do not feel that a grade separated crossing is required until Baptist Road reaches a threshold that mandates a four-lane road. The traffic study provides alternatives and indicates with which alternative the trip generation increases to require this improvement.
The entire Forest Lakes area, including the non-residential development, is with the Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority area. Therefore all development is subject to pay fees per the Authority’s guidelines. It is the intent of that agency to take the lead on many of the regional improvements for the area such as the railroad crossing and Mitchell/Baptist connections. Forest Lakes will cooperate with the Authority as they prioritize improvements for the corridor.
Natural Features/Prebles Meadow Jumping Mouse
The most significant natural feature on the property is the presence of water, both the lakes and the streams. This characteristic is very unique for the Front Range area of Colorado. Two lakes are present on the site, Pinon Lake is about 11 acres in size and Bristlecone Lake is about 60 acres in surface area. Beaver Creak runs the length of the property from east to west and generally runs year-round. As one would expect, significant wetland are present along this creek. Uplands from the creek is varied topographic features of rolling prairie character to mesa formations and foothills vegetation. The proposal indicates the most significant areas of development occur in the areas with the least significant natural features. In areas where homes are proposed in more significant areas, preservation areas, no-build areas, and building centrums are used to adequately protect the vegetation and topography.
Beaver Creek has been identified as an area with Prebles Meadow Jumping Mouse (PMJM), a threatened species listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). We have had many discussions with USFWS concerning the development. Two letters and other relevant information are attached indicating that the 300-foot setback from the 100-year floodplain as indicated on the plans constitutes a no-effect to PMJM habitat. The north tributary west of Homestead Park was not immediately defined as habitat and is in need of further study and approval by USFWS. Therefore, the phasing on the plan corresponds to approved no-effect area without further review by USFWS. Any disturbance west or south of the phase one line will need some review and approval. Per our conversations with USFWS, we anticipate any impacts for the southern road or crossing of the north tributary to be mitigated on the property and enhance the habitat corridor along the south side of the lake.
Schools:
Forest Lakes has discussed and is providing an elementary school site for use by the Lewis Palmer School District for its educational needs. This location is suitable to the District with a road connection to the north. They are interested in appropriate access for all students that might attend the school for areas other than Forest Lakes. Depending upon the resolution of the transportation issues, the school site might be subject to change pending approval by the District.
Neighborhood Involvement:
Forest Lakes has made an early attempt to involve the surrounding neighbors in the process prior to submitting to the County. We have met twice with select neighborhood representatives to discuss the project and have made some changes based upon their input. A formal neighborhood meeting was held on August 22, 2001. Attached is the sign-in list and a few comments that were received at the meeting. Based upon discussion at the meeting, additional comments are expected other the coming weeks. All of this information will be shared with the County for their review.
Waivers:
Forest Lakes requests a waiver from the El Paso County Street Standards to allow more sensitive roadways to be planned for the hillside areas. To this end, a waiver is requested for the hillside street indicated on the plans to follow the hillside street standards as established and enforced by the City of Colorado Springs. Utilizing these standards will reduce the amount of grading and disturbance to vegetation while providing access.
A waiver is also requested for the use of private streets in the patio home areas as indicated on the plans. These streets would be owned and maintained by a Homeowners Association or the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District. These streets are not gated but the would allow greater flexibility in maintenance in the tighter areas.
A waiver is also requested for the use of one non-standard cul-de-sac bulb in the westernmost patio home area. Again utilizing this design fits better into the area and development.
Additional Reports:
The following reports are provided for review with this application:
· Water Report
· Wastewater Report
· Master Development Drainage Plan
· Geologic Hazard Evaluation
· Traffic Impact and Access Analysis