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Planning and Development Services

Planning Division 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Ste. 2300 Aurora, Colorado 80012 303.739.7250

March 7, 2018

Jason Marcotte Northstar Commercial Partners 1999 Broadway, Suite 770 Denver, CO 80202

Re: Initial Submission Review – Retail at Parkside at Center – Site Plan with Waivers Application Number: DA-1773-05 Case Number: 2017-6008-02

Dear Mr. Marcotte:

Thank you for your initial submission, which we started to process on Monday, February 12, 2018. We reviewed it and attached our comments along with this cover letter. The first section of our review highlights our major comments. The following sections contain more specific comments, including those received from other city departments.

Since several important issues still remain, you will need to make another submission. Please revise your previous work and send us a new submission on or before Friday, March 30, 2018.

Note that all our comments are numbered. When you resubmit, include a cover letter specifically responding to each item. The Planning Department reserves the right to reject any resubmissions that fail to these items. If you have made any other changes to your documents other than those requested, be sure to also specifically list them in your letter.

As always, if you have any comments or concerns, please give me a call. I may be reached at 303-739-7857.

Sincerely,

Sarah Wieder, Planner II City of Aurora Planning Department cc: Scott Higa, G3 , 5150 E Yale Circle Suite 301, Denver, CO 80222 Susan Barkman, Neighborhood Liaison Mark Geyer, ODA Filed: K:\$DA\2083-00rev1.rtf

Initial Submission Review

SUMMARY OF KEY COMMENTS FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS

 Make revisions to the Letter of Introduction (see Item 2)  Ensure compliance with Design Guidelines (see Item 3)  Provide additional information regarding the requirements for the Site Plan (see Item 5)  Make changes to the elevations to meet the Design Guidelines and Station Area Plan (see Item 7)  Revise Landscape Plan per redline comments (see Item 8)  Coordinate with PROS on the design and of both connections (see Item 11)  Make changes to the Utility Plan per Aurora Water comments (see Item 12)  Show a 6-foot sidewalk extending the entire length of the fire lane (see Item 14)  Pay into the Tree Mitigation Fund or plant more trees back on site (see Item 15)  Ensure building are not encroaching into easements and begin the license agreement process (see Item 16)  Review and address comments from RTD, Xcel Energy and Tri-County Health Department (see Items 17-19)  Respond to all additional redline comments on the Site Plan

PLANNING DEPARTMENT COMMENTS

1. Community Questions, Comments and Concerns 1A. Twenty registered neighborhood organizations and seven adjacent owners were notified of the Site Plan application. No comments were received and thus a neighborhood meeting is not necessary.

2. Completeness and Clarity of the Application 2A. Please revise the Letter of Introduction to fix inconsistencies and include additional information. Detailed justification for all waiver requests is required (see Item 4). 2B. Revise the Vicinity Map per redline comments. 2C. The project name and legal description in the Signature Block is incorrect. Please update. 2D. Include “With Waivers” in the title on the Cover Sheet. 2E. A Public Art Plan complying with the TOD Public Art Guidelines must be uploaded with the next submittal or the submittal will not be accepted. The public art should also be shown on the Site Plan. Please coordinate with Roberta Bloom on the Public Art Plan. 2F. Include signage information in the Data Block. 2G. Revise how the monument signs are labeled so that they reflect the type of sign that is proposed (i.e. multi-tenant monument sign, project identity sign, pedestrian directory sign, etc.). Please include details of all types of monument signs to show the materials and the height. 2H. Provide an approval letter from the Design Review Committee. 2I. Please fill out the Mineral Rights Affidavit and supply this document to your Case Manager. 2J. As a reminder, the city has developed CAD Data Submittal Standards for internal and external use to streamline the process of importing AutoCAD information into the city’s Enterprise GIS. Please note that a digital submission meeting the CAD Data Submittal Standards is required before your final Site Plan mylars can be routed for signatures or recorded. Please review the CAD Data Submittal Standards and email your Case Manager the .DWG file before submitting your final Site Plan mylars. Once received, the city’s AutoCAD Operator will run an audit report and your Case Manager will let you know whether the .DWG file meets meet the city’s standards.

3. and Land Use Issues 3A. The Site Plan refers to a 10-foot minimum setback for all , but there is only a maximum setback in TOD Core, not a minimum setback. Please verify that all building setbacks do not exceed 10 feet. 3B. Per the Design Guidelines, trash enclosure materials shall match the primary (i.e. brick). CMU is not used on any of the buildings nor is it an approved material in the Design Guidelines. Please revise.

3C. The proposed fixtures for the pedestrian and parking lot lights do not match the Design Guidelines nor the City Center Station Area Plan. Please change the pedestrian lights to a “Louis Poulsen Kipp” fixture in black and the parking lot / site lights to a “Gullwing” fixture in mocha brown. 3D. Site furnishings such as bicycle racks, benches, fences and waste receptacles are not shown on the Site Plan. Please call out all proposed locations and include details of these items within the plan set. 3E. Change the location of the pedestrian lights to be in between the tree openings in the Alameda right-of-way.

4. Waivers 4A. Clear at Grade along the Street Frontage. The City Center Station Area Plan requires “clear windows at grade along the street frontage for a majority of the façade length, except for residential uses.” As part of the Master Plan review, the Design Guidelines were revised to state that “any building façade along Alameda Avenue shall be comprised of clear windows or covering a minimum of 51 percent of the building façade facing Alameda Avenue. No more than half of the required glass may be screened utilizing opaque materials.” As currently shown on Sheet 11, there is only 50 percent glazing and it is unclear whether clear or opaque materials are being used. Please provide clarification with the next submittal. In addition, detailed justification is needed within the Letter of Introduction to determine whether this waiver request is acceptable. Please clearly state how you are providing mitigation through other architectural features or enhanced materials. 4B. Entries along Major Streets. The City Center Station Area Plan requires “entries fronting along all major streets (except Sable Boulevard) that shall be generously proportioned and defined with architectural features.” As part of the Master Plan review, the Design Guidelines were revised to state that “buildings with Alameda frontage shall provide entries directly from Alameda. Entries shall be generously proportioned and defined with architectural features. Where topography prevents provision of an accessible entrance, the Director may waive this requirement. Tenants shall have the option of utilizing doors to accommodate or restrict customer access.” Detailed justification for this waiver request is needed in the Letter of Introduction. Even if actual customer entries are not possible here, they should appear as if they are actual building entries and should include the same level of architectural detail as the entries facing the parking lot. As currently shown on Sheet 11, the façade facing Alameda Avenue and the associated service entrances are not conducive to a pedestrian-oriented environment that promotes foot traffic, which is the intent of this requirement.

5. Streets and Pedestrian Issues 5A. Please label the widths of all proposed sidewalks. 5B. Per the Design Guidelines, “sidewalks should change in material from at sidewalk level before tapering to meet the street and become comprised of brick pavers at crosswalk level within the street.” This is not currently shown or identified on the Site Plan. Please revise to meet this requirement. 5C. Please provide a cross section detail showing the sidewalk treatment / grade difference from the edge of the storefront to the edge of the parking area. It is difficult to tell how this will look from the Site Plan. 5D. The sidewalk within the fire lane easement on the east side of the site should continue to the northern portion of the site to allow a trail connection in this area. Please show on the Site Plan. 5E. The phasing / boundary line for this Site Plan run through the middle of the sidewalk adjacent to the future mixed use building on the west side. Is this being constructed now? Please shift the line so this is clear. 5F. Clarify whether the “upper sidewalk” area is continuous in between the . 5G. Label all vehicular access movements on the Site Plan. 5H. The concrete along Alameda Avenue should be scored in a 5-foot by 5-foot pattern similar to the condition in front of Colorado State Bank and Trust. Please ensure that this is called out differently from the rest of the concrete. 5I. Identify all of the different types of concrete or pavers on the Site Plan.

6. Parking Issues 6A. Although it is unclear how the parking requirements in the Data Block were calculated and what the gross area of each use is (i.e. retail, restaurant, , etc.), it appears that you may exceed the maximum amount of parking that is permitted in TOD Core per Section 146-729. Please provide additional information regarding the types of uses within these buildings with the next submittal. If the amount of parking provided exceeds the maximum allowances, a waiver will need to be requested.

7. Architectural and Issues 7A. Per the City Center Station Area Plan, “the building materials shall establish a consistent and high level of quality that is durable and appropriate to pedestrian contact at the street level. Materials used shall convey a high level of visual amenity that is commensurate with the urban character of the station area. Materials tactilely accessible at the pedestrian level cannot be synthetic stucco.” Please revise your building elevations to remove EIFS at the pedestrian level on all elevations. Please use a higher quality material in lieu of EIFS. 7B. Many of the colors identified in the Exterior Finish Schedule do not match what is in the Design Guidelines. Please update the colors to match the Design Guidelines. 7C. Per the Design Guidelines, “primary building entrance elements must have 10 percent of their façade covered with a veneer stone.” It does not appear that any stone is shown on the current building elevations. 7D. Per the Design Guidelines, “side and rear building elevations shall include materials and design characteristics consistent with those on the front elevation. Use of inferior or lesser quality materials for side or rear building elevations shall be prohibited.” Please clarify how this is being met, specifically for the rear elevations. 7E. Per the Design Guidelines, “a stone or brick wainscot must be provided on all facades.” It does not appear that this standard is being met. Please ensure that the building elevations feature a clear base, middle and top in order to provide architectural interest and set a high standard for development along the R Line. 7F. The screening element used along Alameda Avenue and Sable Boulevard does not look well integrated into the building architecture as the material and the design are not utilized elsewhere. It also gives a “back of ” appearance. Please consider other options that would create a more cohesive and interesting building façade. This is particularly important along Alameda Avenue given the waivers that are being requested. 7G. Please clarify where the building-mounted utility equipment is located. Show on the building elevations. 7H. In addition to updating the colored building renderings based on these comments, please provide colored building elevations and a color / material board (mounted on an 8.5” x 11” foam board) with the next submittal. 7I. Review the comments in Item 4 regarding building elevations and make revisions.

8. Landscaping Issues (Chad Giron / 303-739-7185 / [email protected] / Comments in bright teal) Sheet 3 8A. Add material hatch to area outside of trash enclosures. 8B. Modify the dark boundary line on all sheets to include what will be done by the bank site proposal. Remove all hatches and sidewalk scoring patterns in this area for clarification purposes. 8C. Label all retaining . 8D. Add the “Landscape Areas” hatch where applicable to the Site Plan. Sheet 4 8E. Only the abbreviations used on the Grading Plan need to be shown in the Legend. Please revise. 8F. Add a retaining detail showing what materials are proposed as described in the Design Guidelines. Sheet 5 8G. Remove the sidewalk scoring patterns. 8H. Please add labels to the hatch patterns and add them to the Legend, or remove them from the Utility Plan. 8I. Remove the “Landscape Areas” hatch per redline comments. Sheet 6 8J. Add “Existing” to the 8-inch caliper tree text in the Non-Street Buffer table for clarification. 8K. Provide a Detention Pond Landscape table to demonstrate requirements. 8L. Add two more required Landscape Notes as described. Sheet 7 8M. Add additional landscape material to fill in the gaps on the west boundary line. 8N. Add and label all proposed monument signs. 8O. Per the Design Guidelines, plaza areas should have canopy trees to provide shade. 8P. Per the Design Guidelines, the “upper sidewalk” areas will be pavers. 8Q. Consider changing the south entry landscape to match what’s proposed on the bank site for a consistent design. 8R. Label all retaining walls and include top of wall / bottom of wall elevations. 8S. Consider relocating the shrubs in the detention pond closer to the grasscrete and sidewalk.

9. Addressing (Cathryn Day / 303-739-7357 / [email protected]) 9A. Please provide a preliminary digital .SHP or .DWG file for addressing and other GIS mapping purposes. Include the parcel, street line, easement and building footprint layers at a minimum. Ensure that the digital file is provided in a NAD 83 feet, Stateplane, Central Colorado projection so it will display correctly within our GIS system. Eliminate any line work outside of the target area. Contact me if you need additional information about this digital file.

REFERRAL COMMENTS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

10. Civil Engineering (Kristin Tanabe / 303-739-7306 / [email protected] / Comments in green) 10A. Add a note indicating if the storm sewer system is public or private and who will maintain it. 10B. Show the street and pedestrian lights on the Site Plan. 10C. The access path needs to reach the top of the outlet structure. 10D. Remove AutoCAD text items in the comment section. Flatten to remove the ability to select those items. 10E. See comments on the Grading Plan regarding minimum and maximum slopes.

11. PROS (Chris Ricciardiello / 303-739-7154 / [email protected] / Comments in purple) 11A. In prior coordination with PROS, the applicant has agreed to provide a trail connection from the northeast corner of the subject property to the existing perimeter concrete trail within City Center . The trail connection shall be a 6-foot wide concrete trail meeting PROS ADA standards, following the existing soft surface maintenance road until deviating toward the east and making a connection with the existing trail in the park. In addition, the applicant shall improve the trail connection east into City Center Park closer to the existing dental office. The improved trail shall not exceed 5% longitudinal gradient. Designed stair runs shall be acceptable where necessary to keep trail grades under 5%. Stairs must be designed with railings meeting PROS standards. Coordinate with PROS on the design and construction of both trail connections. 11B. Coordinate with to secure a license agreement for all work to be performed in City Center Park. 11C. All built improvements must be setback 25 feet from the property line abutting the City Center Park. See Section 146-1424 for further documentation regarding the Special Landscape Buffer.

12. Aurora Water (Steve Dekoskie / 303-739-7490 / [email protected] / Comments in red) 12A. Tap the new water main interior to the site for this development (domestic and private fire lines). Please do not tap the water main in Alameda Avenue. 12B. A license agreement will be required for retaining walls encroaching into the utility easement. Casing pipe may need to extend past the retaining wall. 12C. Use 45 degree bends on the sanitary service line. 12D. On the Utility Plan, label the 20-foot utility easement for the water main located between buildings. Meter pits are to be located outside of the utility easement for the water main. Meters should be in a landscaped area. 12E. The grease interceptor sizing and location should be included with the building plans. 12F. There cannot be two fire hydrants on a dead-end line. Is the fire hydrant that is remaining needed? 12G. Maintenance access should extend to the outlet structure. 12H. The mixed-use / multi- building will likely require a larger meter than 1.5”. Please make sure there is enough to install a 3” water meter with bypass per Aurora Water specifications. If a 3” water meter is needed, the estimated daily average usage needs to be submitted.

13. Traffic Engineering (Victor Rachael / 303-739-7309 / [email protected] / Comments in orange) 13A. The Traffic Impact Letter identifies the incorrect retail square footage. Please update to be consistent with the submitted Site Plan.

14. Fire / Life Safety (John Van / 303-739-7489 / [email protected] / Comments in blue) 14A. Please show a 6-foot sidewalk extending the entire length of the fire lane. 14B. Remove the extra fire hydrant where noted per redline comments.

15. Forestry (Jacque Chomiak / 303-739-7178 / [email protected]) 15A. There will be 17 trees impacted by of this site, all of which are of a larger size, which increases mitigation requirements. Below is the list of those trees that will require mitigation. Due to the size of trees on the site, relocation is not an option. The use of tree equivalents is not permitted to mitigate for tree loss. Any tree that is removed from this site should either be replaced within the landscape or be mitigated through payment to the Tree Planting Fund. 15B. Please provide a Tree Mitigation Chart on the Landscape Plan taken from Page 29 of the Landscape Manual. If payment will be made into the Tree Planting Fund, add another to the chart indicating the payment amount that will be made. If trees will be planted on the site, please show a symbol indicating trees that are specific to tree mitigation. 15C. The caliper inches that will be lost are 235”, but only 86” would be required for planting back onto the site. The mitigation value is $32,199.00. Mitigation values based on International Society of Arboriculture’s Guide to Plant Appraisal. Species, diameter, condition, and location factors were included in the assessment.

MITIGATION MITIGATION TREE SPECIES DIAMETER COMMENTS VALUE INCHES 1 Blue Spruce 17 $4,515.84 10 2 Honeylocust 14 $2,378.75 7 3 Bristlecone Pine 7 $500.61 2 4 Linden 18 $2,668.28 6 5 Linden 13 $401.05 1 6 Linden 15 $2,126.36 6 7 Linden 11 $1,156.63 4 8 Linden 16 $3,623.11 Multi-Stem 10 9 Linden 11 $289.16 1 10 Linden 13 $401.05 1 11 Linden 13 $401.05 1 12 Linden 18 $3,811.82 9 13 Linden 13 $1,403.67 5 14 Linden 10 $240.21 1 15 Linden 16 $4,037.18 10 16 Linden 16 $2,355.02 Multi-Stem 6 17 Linden 14 $1,809.55 5 Total 235 $32,199.35 86

16. Real Property (Maurice Brooks / 303-739-7294 / [email protected] / Comments in magenta) 16A. Begin the license agreement process for any retaining walls or other items in easements. 16B. Building overhangs cannot encroach into the utility easement. Please revise the easement location or move the overhangs out of the easement.

17. RTD (C. Scott Woodruff / 303-299-2943 / [email protected]) 17A. The Site Plan appears to show the construction area entering the R Line track envelope. This is not permitted. Please see redline comment on Sheet 3 and revise the Site Plan as such.

18. Xcel Energy (Donna George / 303-571-3306 / [email protected]) 18A. See attached comment letter.

19. Tri-County Health Department (Annemarie Heinrich / 720-200-1585 / [email protected]) 19A. See attached comment letter.

Siting and Land Rights

Right of Way & Permits

1123 West 3rd Avenue Denver, Colorado 80223 Telephone: 303.571.3306 Facsimile: 303. 571. 3284 [email protected]

February 28, 2018

City of Aurora Planning and Development Services 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, 2nd Floor Aurora, CO 80012

Attn: Sarah Wieder

Re: Retail at Parkside at City Center, Case # DA-1773-05

Public Service Company of Colorado’s (PSCo) Right of Way & Permits Referral Desk has reviewed the site plan for Retail at Parkside at City Center. Please be aware PSCo owns and operates existing natural gas and electric distribution facilities including transformers within the proposed project area and requests that they are all shown on the plans.

The property owner/developer/contractor must complete the application process for any new natural gas or electric service, or modification to existing facilities including relocation and/or removal via FastApp-Fax-Email-USPS (go to: https://www.xcelenergy.com/start,_stop,_transfer/new_construction_service_activation_ for_builders). It is then the responsibility of the developer to contact the Designer assigned to the project for approval of design details. Additional easements may need to be acquired by separate document for new facilities.

As a safety precaution, PSCo would like to remind the developer to call the Utility Notification Center at 1-800-922-1987 to have all utilities located prior to any construction.

Should you have any questions with this referral response, please contact me at 303- 571-3306.

Donna George Right of Way and Permits Public Service Company of Colorado

February 26, 2018

Sarah Wieder City of Aurora Planning and Development Services 15151 E. Alameda Parkway Aurora, CO 80012

RE: Parkside at City Center, DA-1773-05 TCHD Case No. 4795

Dear Ms. Wieder,

Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the Site Plan for three retail buildings at Parkside at City Center located at the northeast corner of Alameda Avenue and Sable Boulevard. Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) staff has reviewed the application for compliance with applicable environmental and public health regulations and principles of healthy community design. After reviewing the application, TCHD has the following comments.

Food Service Plan Review TCHD reviews plans for new and remodeled retail food establishments to reduce the risk of food borne illnesses. Plans for all new and remodeled retail food establishments must be reviewed by TCHD for compliance with Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations and approved by the Department before the start of construction. Should any of the retail sites include a retail food establishment, the applicant shall submit plans for the proposed food establishment to our Administration Office at 6162 S Willow Drive, Suite 100, Greenwood Village, along with the Plan Review Specification Packet found at http://www.tchd.org/DocumentCenter/View/2094. More information can be found at http://www.tchd.org/246/Restaurants-Grocery. We recommend a review of the plans by TCHD be completed before the City of Aurora issues a building permit for the construction.

The applicant may call TCHD’s Plan Review Hotline, at our Administrative Office at (303) 846-6230, regarding requirements for, and scheduling a plan review. Instructions for opening a retail food establishment can be found on line at TCHD’s web site at http://www.tchd.org/DocumentCenter/View/315.

Sun Safety for Outdoor Common and Gathering Areas Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Colorado has the 5th highest death rate from melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. A leading risk factor for skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet rays (UV) from the sun. Seeking shade when outside is one of the best ways to prevent overexposure to UV rays. TCHD recommends the use of shade in common areas like , and play areas

Serving Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties  www.tchd.org 6162 S. Willow Dr., Suite 100  Greenwood Village, CO 80111  303-220-9200 Parkside at City Center February 26, 2018 Page 2 of 3 through the planting of trees or physical shade structures. It is important that shade structures and appropriate landscaping are considered early in the design process so that they can be incorporated well into the overall site plan. These considerations optimize the opportunity for people to shield themselves from the sun and reduce their risk of skin cancer. TCHD supports the inclusion shade structures in the outdoor seating areas.

Vector Control – Building Rodents such as mice and rats carry diseases which can be spread to humans through contact with rodents, rodent feces, urine, saliva, or through rodent bites. For example, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a rare but potentially lethal viral infection, can be found in the droppings and urine of rodents commonly found in southwestern United States. When buildings are demolished, rodents can spread to surrounding and increase the risk of vector exposure to humans. The applicant should plan for vectors and eliminate any known infestations prior to demolition. Information on rodent control can be found at http://www.tchd.org/400/Rodent-Control.

Fugitive Dust – Building Demolition Exposure to air pollution is associated with a number of health problems including asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) regulates air emissions. The application indicates that the existing buildings on the site will be demolished. State air quality regulations require that precautions be taken prior to demolition of buildings to evaluate the presence of asbestos fibers that may present a health risk. If asbestos is present, actions must be taken to prevent their release into the environment. State regulations also address control of ozone depleting compounds (chlorofluorocarbons) that may be contained in air conditioning or refrigerating equipment. The applicant shall contact the APCD at (303) 692-3100 for more information. Additional information is available at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ap/asbestos.

Community design to support walking and bicycling Because chronic diseases related to physical inactivity and obesity now rank among the country’s greatest public health risks, TCHD encourages community designs that make it easy for people to include regular physical activity, such as walking and bicycling, in their daily routines. Because research shows that the way we design our communities can encourage regular physical activity, TCHD strongly supports community plans that incorporate pedestrian and bicycle amenities that support the use of a broader pedestrian and bicycle network.

Safe crossings of driveways and streets: TCHD commends the applicant for including crosswalks where a pedestrian sidewalk crosses internal site drive lanes as these pedestrian crossings may not be easily visible to drivers since they are not at a street intersection.

Parkside at City Center February 26, 2018 Page 3 of 3

Safe and attractive pedestrian amenities: Research shows that people are more likely to use pedestrian amenities when they are attractive and feel safe. One way to improve the feeling of safety is by providing pedestrian scale . TCHD commends the applicant for incorporating this into their design.

Onsite Bicycle Amenities: TCHD supports the inclusion of bicycle parking in the proposed design.

Connection to nearby bus stop or transit station: The subject property is within a quarter mile to the Aurora Metro Center Station. Since research has shown that people who use transit regularly gain tremendous health benefits, TCHD encourages the applicant to consider providing a safe and direct connection to the transit stop. This could include designing the onsite pedestrian facilities to easily facilitate walking from the site to the nearby transit stop. TCHD commends the applicant for including detached, landscaped sidewalks along Sable Boulevard.

Building Orientation and Parking Lot Design TCHD commends the applicant for bringing retail buildings forward to street frontages. This can help people feel safe and can create a welcoming environment. Moreover, locating parking behind buildings can help create a more pedestrian-friendly environment. TCHD supports the applicant’s design with parking on the interior side of buildings.

Connection to nearby trails: TCHD commends the applicant for considering how to best connect the property to the High Line Canal Regional Trail and City Center Park.

Please feel free to contact me at 720-200-1585 or [email protected] if you have any questions on TCHD’s comments.

Sincerely,

Annemarie Heinrich, MPH/MURP Land Use and Built Environment Specialist cc: Sheila Lynch, Keith Homersham, TCHD