Planning Commission Reviews Updates on East Colorado Specific Plan

The Planning Commission on Wednesday heard detailed updates on the guidelines for future development of areas along a portion of Colorado Boulevard.

The update to the East Colorado Specific Plan (ECSP) is the result of an extensive three-year planning and public outreach process led by the Planning and Community Development Department.

The ECSP area encompasses the 1.4-mile section of Colorado Boulevard between Wilson Avenue on the west and Roosevelt Avenue on the east.

The plan area also includes Green Street between Wilson and Holliston Avenues, and the north and south stretch of Allen Avenue between Colorado Boulevard and Corson Street.

According to Anita Cerna, City Senior Planner, changes to the proposed building height were made to encourage new developments in that area.

In the mid-city, the maximum building height would be increased from 63 to current 60 feet. The building height in the Allen Transit Area would be increased to a maximum of 63 feet from current 60 feet while the building height in the Gateway Area would be increased from 45 feet to 51 feet.

In the College District, the building height maximum would be increased to 48 feet from current 45 feet. However, for the Eastern Corridor, a decrease in maximum height was proposed from 45 feet to 39 feet.

According to Cerna, the revised ECSP includes a proposal to increase the public open space requirement for both residential and nonresidential projects throughout the planned area.

Under the plan, larger developments or over 80,000 square foot structures will have a public open space requirement for the construction of plazas, paseos or parks. Cerna said these should be built and maintained by the owner but will be accessible to the public during daylight hours.

According to Cerna, the community is supportive of the open space requirements, however, there are some concerns on the amount of publicly accessible open space required for office, research and development type of uses.

The updated draft also proposes the provision of additional landscaping and greening for pedestrians or “shaded connections” to be implemented either through expanded landscaped setback with alleé or double roll of trees within the sidewalk or the expanded landscaped setback with single row of trees.

According to Cerna, there are calls to tailor development standards to accommodate existing Oak trees in the area.

During the meeting, city planners also sought the commission’s feedback on the community’s suggestions to allow drive throughs and walk-up windows for restaurants throughout the planned area.

During the discussion, commissioner Julianna Delgado rejected the proposal to add drive-throughs but she expressed support for walk-up windows, saying this will also increase restaurant patronage.

“If we’re talking about increasing pedestrianism and multi-model use, drive-throughs do not help that. Drive-throughs hinder pedestrian use but walk up windows are pedestrian friendly.”

Delgado also remarked that paseos are a great idea but she expressed concerns about how businesses will perceive the requirement.

“I like the idea of paseos, I think they are wonderful. Anything that turns streets into walking streets that are not auto-oriented, I think they are the way of the future.”

“Usually it’s the businesses that don’t want to do this,” Delgado said.

Commissioner Mic Hansen for her part remarked: “I think [paseos] are a very desirable happening and I hope that that is considered to the maximum.”

Hansen expressed support for the proposed shaded connections, however, she urged the planners to reconsider the planting of Oak Trees, saying it will take decades before the public enjoys their shade.

The majority of the commissioners, including Chair Steven Olivas, Commissioners Lambert Giessinger and Delgado lauded the staff for its detailed report and for responding to the requests made by the commissioners during previous meetings.

The feedback received by the department will help in the refinement of the preliminary draft plan for the project.

The Planning and Community Development Department will return to the commission this September for a more refined report, according to Olivas.