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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAttachmt 11 SDR Pkg - Project Description Lowe's at Grafton Station - Dublin Ranch Area H . Julv 2006 - Project Description for LOWE'S HOME IMPROVEMENT WAREHOUSE STORE GRAFTON STATION AT DUBLIN RANCH AREA H -- SITE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW ~ The following findings relate directly to the specific questions listed under the Written Statement section of the City's application submittal requirements for Site Development Review (SDR). This SDR covers the site plan as well as the architectural, streetscape, landscape and signage design elements for the Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse store within the Grafton Station project at Dublin Ranch - Area H. For additional information on the Project Site described in the following narrative, refer to the SDR drawing reductions in this submittal package, ~ ... ~ A. What type of business, activity or use are you proposing? On March 24, 2000, the City of Dublin approved a Stage I PD Rezone for Area H of Dublin Ranch, which included the proposed Project Site. In conjunction with the PD approval, the Project Site was designated for General Commercial and Campus Office uses. Specific commercial uses such as discount centers, factory stores, furniture outlets, home improvement centers and other regionally oriented, high volume retail uses were identified as permitted uses under these land use designations in the Stage I PD. The Development Plan for the Project site covered by this Site Development Review proposes an approximately 139,410 square foot Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse store with Garden Center on approximately 12.2 acres. Additional outdoor display and sales areas are proposed for short term, seasonal activities as shown on the exhibits included with this submittal package. Specific approvals requested from the City of Dublin for this project include a Stage 2 PD Rezone, Development Agreement, and Site Development Review Application, -- B. How many employees will you have or propose to have? Employee count varies from store to store depending on sales volume. Total store employment at Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse store in Dublin is projected to range between 150 and 200 employees, of which 70% to 80% will be full time employees. The maximum employees per shift will range between 30 to 50 employees, which would typically be on a Saturday afternoon, ~ Site Development Review. Project Description. Page / ~ Lowe's at Grafton Station - Dublin Ranch Area H . Julv 2006 I. Describe the architectural design/theme of the development including character, scale and quality of the design, and explain how the project will relate to and be compatible with the existing site and the character of adjacent buildings, neighborhoods and uses, The architecture of the proposed Lowe's of Dublin has been designed to be compatible with the "Main Street Character" of the Grafton Street retail buildings. The design goal of this project is to create a neighborly feeling between the east and west components ofthe project. Common design elements of this project will be utilized throughout the complex, providing unity to the overall development. Elements of the "Main Street Character" which are incorporated into the project include building fayade forms and massing, entrances and storefront details, walkways, and landscape elements. The building fayade will primarily exhibit earth tone color wall surfaces and accents with rustic stone features above stained concrete bases, Details such as simple formal elements include auburn colored accents and bronze colored metal awnings and trellises. The combination of these elements will create an interesting fayade in a human scale, Massing along the front fayade is broken up with varying wall and parapet heights, materials, and horizontal elements, Each separate horizontal variation in the massing creates the feeling of smaller storefronts as would be seen walking along a downtown street. The elements minimize the mass of the front fayade, yet are kept unified through repeating materials and similar colors, The front fayade, in keeping with the Main Street character, is divided into three separate components, the Garden Center, the Main Entrance and Exit, and the Lumber Canopy. Each of these components direct customers towards a store entrance from the parking lot. The Garden Center is denoted with a tall entrance, flanked on each side with accent stone around the openings and columns, The entrance is covered with a steel awning and signage above. The Garden Center is enclosed with a painted tubular steel fence, which allows visibility of the gardening products inside, In the peak gardening season, seasonal flowers and plants are displayed on the sidewalk at the exterior of the enclosure. These displays are beautiful showcases of colorful flowers and landscaping ideas, stirring the imagination of the home gardener and increasing pedestrian interest. The Main Entrance and Exit portion of the fayade are articulated by the tallest building mass with the largest area of accent stone and decorative elements that denote its importance. Walkways adjacent to the main entrance and exit are covered with awnings, creating shade and weather protection for pedestrians. A smooth faced, scored masonry wainscot is provided to create texture and interest at the pedestrian level along the walkway. This wainscot is accented with tubular steel trellis sections. The trellises mimic storefront windows of the Main Street character, yet do not interfere with the interior layout of the store, The Lumber Canopy provides extensive weather protection for customer loading of large items directly into their vehicles. This canopy features steel awnings similar to the pedestrian areas but on a larger vehicular scale, A tubular steel trellis ties in with the storefront scheme at the entrance, Site Development Review. Project Description. Page 6 Lowe.s at Grafton Station - Dublin Ranch Area H . Ju/v 2006 The left elevation of the store is the continuation of the Garden Center. The tubular steel fence is carried towards the rear of the building, The fence is articulated with wide rustic stone columns setting on top of concrete bases. The rear of the store is modulated by varying parapet heights. The main rear fayade is divided into earthtone colors with scores in the concrete walls, Square auburn accents feature the upper portion of the wall in a pleasing pattern, The left elevation features raised parapets and framed pilasters similar to the shape of the Garden Center entrance. This framing will add shading and depth to the elevation, The walls are accented with tube steel trellises, which again mimic storefront windows, Individual emergency exit doors are provided with awnings for weather protection; however, the doors are for emergency use only, The proposed Lowe's of Dublin has been designed to create an interesting and user friendly building by acknowledging its neighbors and securing its own place within Grafton Station. It is the intent that design elements of this project will be utilized throughout Grafton Station, creating a unified feel to the overall Project Site. This will be achieved thru the use of color, materials, texture, scale, style and architectural features as thoroughly described in this narrative, ], Describe how the landscape features have been designed so as to ensure visual relief and an attractive environment for the public. The Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse is a key retail component within the Grafton Station retail center. Lowe's is adjacent to and visible from 1-580 and is accessible from Dublin Boulevard via the southern extension of Grafton Street. Grafton Station has been designed as a unique retail destination with visual and physical continuity relative to the larger Dublin Ranch community, Grafton Station will utilize some of the urban design elements proposed for Grafton Street to the north of Dublin Blvd in the Village Center (Area G) of Dublin Ranch such as concrete unit pavers and large deciduous street trees which are continued on Grafton Street south of Dublin Blvd. Grafton Street will be terminated at its southern end by a public plaza, From Grafton Street, which is primarily intended to accommodate smaller retail merchants, two east/west streets are planned to connect directly to Lowe's and other big box retailers, The northern entry street extends westerly to separate the Lowe's parking lot from that of the northern commercial area and is flanked by two linear landscaped islands. These islands will contain a combination of shade trees and evergreen shrubs to screen vehicles within the adjacent parking lots, The parking lot for Lowe's will be planted with large shade trees in islands approximately 40' apart and includes an east/west pedestrian walkway lined with a double row of medium sized accent trees and mixed shrub plantings that will provide seasonal interest and shade in the hot summer months. This pedestrian pathway is intended to provide a direct connection for customers to circulate from Lowe's to the smaller retail merchants on Grafton Street. Other parking lot Site Development Review. Project Description. Page 7 Lowe's at Grafton Station ~ Dublin Ranch Area H . Julv 2006 amenities include bike racks and unit pavers in the areas serving handicapped patrons, A portion of the stormwater runoff will be collected from the Grafton Station site and directed to a linear water quality treatment bioswale on the southern edge of the site that abuts Northside Drive. The bioswale works to reintroduce runoff to the ground water table and will be planted with rushes, sedges and grasses that provide a higher level of water quality treatment before stormwater flows are piped to the adjacent water quality treatment basin. Banks within the bioswale will be planted with riparian and native trees, shrubs, vines and ground covers. A masonry retaining wall that varies in height from two feet to six feet will extend along the length of the bioswale. The wall is comprised of 4" high concrete blocks that will generally match the color of the CMU units on the building and will have a slight batter, stepping back slightly as it rises from the ground. Poured colored concrete columns spaced 18' on center will articulate the wall. The columns will taper as the wall rises and provide further articulation to create shadows and visual relief. An ornamental metal railing on top of the wall will be painted to match other site furnishings such as light poles within Grafton Station. Views from 1-580 are further softened with riparian plantings on the banks of the bioswale. At the southwest comer of the site, trees and shrubs will be densely planted to screen the rear facade of the Lowe's building and its loading dock from the 1-580 freeway and the adjacent property to the west. K. Is the proposed project located on a hazardous waste and substances site? (A list is of these sites is available in the Planning Department). A Phase I and 2 Environmental Assessment of the Project Site and surrounding areas has been conducted by Berlogar Geotechnical Consultants (dated 9/25/97) to determine the presence of any hazardous waste and substance sites. The findings of this study indicated that no problems were found, In addition, an environmental records search was conducted by Berlogar Geotechnical Consultants for Dublin Ranch-Phase I to determine if the site was included on a list of hazardous waste and substances areas. The results of this search indicated that no properties within a two-mile radius of the Dublin Ranch-Phase I (which includes lands within the Project Site) are listed as a hazardous site, hazardous material generator or transporter, or known to have underground storage tank leaks. Site Development Review. Project Description. Page 8 ~ Pleasanton 59601_nr.,Sui10100 _. CA1U5888535 925.41;;' 0611 925,4/;3,3690"'" Sacmmento 9OO9lhst, 16th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814-2736 91~449,9095 Transportation Consultants Santa Rosa 141 Stooy Ci., Sui10 280 SMta Rosa, CA 95401-4110 707575_ 5800 701575.5888 fax Fresno 516 W. ShIM AWl., Suite 200 FrflSflO, CA 93704-2515 559.325. 7530 559.221-4940 fax tjkm@tjkm.com www.tjkm.com MEMORANDUM January 26, 2006 To: Dave Chadbourne - MacKay & Somps Project No.: 157-145 From: Gordon Lum Jurisdiction: City of Dublin Subject: Trip Generation for Proposed Lowe's Table 1 presents the results of the traffic generation analysis for the proposed 139,410 square feet Lowe's, which is part of the Grafton Station Commercial Project in Dublin Ranch Area C/H, TABLE I: PROPOSED LOWE'S TRIP GENERA nON Dally AM. St1eet Peal< P.M. St1eet Pea/( Use I1E SIze Unn. Rille Trips Code Rille In" Out" In Out ToIBI Rille In" Out" In Out ToIaI lowe's 862 13941 ksf 2980 4.154 120 054 046 90 TI 167 2,45 0,47 0,53 161 181 34 ksf= 1,000 square feet Detailed trip distribution analysis has not been performed at this time, HoweveT, the majority of the customers are expected to come from: . Eastbound 1-580 (exiting at Tassajara Road) . Westbound 1-580 (exiting at Tassajara Road) . Eastern Dublin (various local streets) . Eastern Pleasanton (via Santa Rita Roadffassajara Road) The largest intersection closest to the proposed Lowe's is Dublin BoulevardfI'assajara Road, With build out of Dublin Ranch area C/H (including Lowe's), this intersection is expected to operate at LOS C during the a,m, peak hour and LOS B during the p,m, peak hour, " Wee rea t e t ran s po r tat Ion 5 0 I u 1 Ion s .. I . t II P I I I, t [J - () I) P"