2.4.5 MIXED-USE -- FITZSIMONS BOUNDARY DISTRICT (MU-FB) | Aurora Unified Development Ordinance

2.4.5. MIXED-USE -- FITZSIMONS BOUNDARY DISTRICT (MU-FB).

A. Purpose. The MU-FB district is intended to include the important redevelopment area surrounding the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, now the Anschutz Medical Campus. It includes land uses that support and enhance redevelopment at Fitzsimons and improvements to surrounding neighborhoods. The MU-FB district is intended to provide services for and link to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the area being developed by the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority with the surrounding neighborhoods. It shall promote needed services for both the Fitzsimons medical services campus and the surrounding neighborhoods. The MU-FB district is intended to include special design approaches that are coordinated with redevelopment at Fitzsimons and surrounding neighborhoods. The MU-FB district is intended to remove blighted conditions and to create a unique and special identity for the zone district. Uses in the MU-FB district are as shown in Table 3.2-1 (Permitted Use Table).

B. Cross-References to Other Applicable UDO Sections. All development and redevelopment must comply with all applicable sections of this UDO. A short summary of some of the key sections is shown below.

Table 2.4-7 Cross-References to Other Applicable UDO Sections
Use Regulations	Article 146-3
Dimensional Standards	Section 146-4.2
Neighborhood Protection Standards	Section 146-4.4
Lot Access and Connectivity	Section 146-4.5
Parking, Loading, and Stacking	Section 146-4.6
Landscaping, Screening and Stormwater Management (including fence and wall regulations)	Section 146-4.7
Building Design Standards	Section 146-4.8
Signs	Section 146-4.10

Basic dimensional standards for the MU-FB zone district are in Table 4.2-3, and more detailed standards are located throughout Section 146-4.2 (Dimensional Standards).

D. Compliance with Master Plan. Where an individual building is part of a Master Plan, as defined in this UDO, such building shall conform to all the approved design standards for that plan. The standards in Subsections E through P below apply to buildings or areas not addressed in a Master Plan.

1. A maximum of 25 percent of the lot frontage along arterial street frontages may include parking lot frontage.

2. A maximum of 25 percent of the lot may be devoted to automobile parking lots or garages.

3. All parking areas and service drives within 80 feet of property lines along public streets shall be screened by a three-foot high masonry wall or a continuous landscape hedge.

4. Carports (i.e., parking shelters that are unenclosed on one or more sides) are prohibited.

Table 2.4-8
MU-FB Landscape Standards
	Along the South Side of Colfax East of Peoria	Along the West Side of Peoria North of Colfax	Local Side Street Off of Colfax and Peoria	All Other Frontages
Landscape Standards, Minimum
Landscape buffer depth behind sidewalks to screen parking lot frontage	10 feet	5 feet	5 feet	See Section 146-4.7
Landscape buffer depth behind sidewalks in front of buildings (with zero-foot building setback)	None	None	5 feet landscape area	See Section 146-4.7
Landscape buffer depth behind sidewalks in front of buildings (with greater than zero feet building setback)	5 feet of either hardscape or landscape for the first 5 feet of setback; plus a minimum of one foot of landscape area for each additional foot of setback up to 10 feet	One foot of landscape area for each foot of building setback up to 5 feet	5 feet landscape area	See Section 147-4.7
Perimeter sidewalk and curbside buffer area	10-foot sidewalk in existing ROW adjacent to property line [1]	9-foot sidewalk inside property line [2]	Standard 5-foot and sidewalk and 8-foot street tree planting strip contained within existing ROW [3]	Standard sidewalk and treelawn design standards.[3]
Street trees, minimum	One tree for every 30 linear feet of frontage
Notes: [1] Remaining ROW from sidewalk to curb line to be hardscape consisting of patterned pavement, street trees, planters, underground utilities, etc. [2] Existing six feet of ROW to be hardscape, consisting of patterned pavement, street trees, underground utilities, etc. [3] If insufficient ROW exists, sidewalks may intrude onto the property with the granting of a sidewalk easement to the City.

G. Special “Gateway” Corners. At the intersections of Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street, Colfax Avenue and Ursula Street/Aurora Court, and Colfax Avenue and Potomac/Fitzsimons Parkway, the portion of any property forming a square area bounded by these intersections on two sides, and measuring at least 6,000 square feet abutting the curb corner, shall be subject to the following special use restrictions:

1. No parking spaces or truck loading areas shall be allowed within the areas.

2. Buildings may intrude into these areas to within 20 feet of the edge of the property line.

3. Areas not covered by buildings shall be landscaped and/or include a pedestrian gathering area with paving that differs in texture or color from standard concrete paving and amenities such as artwork, fountains, or other special features.

4. Fire lanes may intrude into these areas to within 40 feet of the edge of the property line.

H. Walls and Fences. All walls and fences within 20 feet of a property line running along a public street shall be constructed of masonry, stucco, wrought iron, tubular steel, or composite wood.

I. Street Furniture. Along Colfax from I-225 to Peoria and along Peoria from Colfax to Montview Boulevard, a standard for street furniture shall be selected and street furniture shall be installed by the City as space allows. If needed because of anticipated high usage, individual landowners may be required to provide an area within their landscape to accommodate a bench, trash receptacle, and/or pedestrian or vehicular light fixture.

1. All new multifamily residential developments shall incorporate an outdoor gathering area, which shall count towards total outdoor common area requirements.

2. All development and redevelopment that includes residential uses shall dedicate land on-site for neighborhood park purposes in accordance with the standards of Section 146-4.3.18.B (Park and Open Space Lands and Cash-in-Lieu) and the dedication and design criteria set forth in the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Dedication and Development Criteria Manual. A cash-in-lieu payment may not be used to satisfy the neighborhood park land dedication requirement in its entirety.

1. Sample Materials and Colors. The Planning Director shall maintain samples of approved "primary" building surface materials and colors that may be used on all structures, which shall include brick, traditional or artificial stucco, and integrally colored decorative concrete or clay masonry units. In addition, the Planning Director shall maintain samples of approved "accent" materials, which shall consist of panelized materials, ceramic tile, and awning fabric.

a. Residential Uses. The minimum amounts of brick, stone, and stucco on exterior elevations shall meet the standards in Sections 146-4.8.6 (Building Materials--Applicability) and 146-4.8.6.D (Masonry Standards for Single-Family Attached, and Multifamily Residential Dwellings).

i. At a minimum, 50 percent of each primary building façade facing a public street shall be surfaced in brick, real stucco, or architectural metal. The balance of each façade facing a public street may be surfaced with cementitious stucco, or integrally colored decorative concrete or clay masonry units. Lap siding shall not be used.

ii. For freestanding structures with a gross floor area of 20,000 square feet or less, at least 50 percent of the façade area visible from a public right-of-way shall be surfaced in brick, real stucco, or architectural metal.

iii. For freestanding structures with a gross floor area in excess of 20,000 square feet, the following requirements shall apply:

(a) At least 40 percent of each façade area facing a public street shall be surfaced with integrally colored decorative concrete or clay masonry units, or

(b) At least 20 percent of each façade area facing a public street shall be surfaced in brick.

iv. Regardless of the building size, the balance of façade areas may be surfaced in traditional stucco, brick, or integrally colored decorative concrete or clay masonry units. Lap siding shall not be used.

3. Accent Materials. All structures shall incorporate "accent" materials into all façades visible from a public right-of-way. Such accent materials shall be used for between five and 10 percent of a building's total façade area facing a public street. "Primary" materials may also be used as accents when placed in such a way as to provide a strong contrast in color or texture against the surrounding wall.

a. Allowable roofing materials include high profile composition shingles, architectural standing seam metal, concrete, and clay tile.

b. Thirty percent of all units shall include a porch, deck, patio, or balcony;

c. “Juliette” balconies extending two feet or less outward from the wall surface are not permitted;

d. Townhouses shall each have a direct access from the individual townhouse to the street.

e. All ground floor residential units shall have direct access from the individual dwelling unit to the street. This standard shall not apply to Affordable Housing Structures.

a. Flat roofs are allowed but shall incorporate variable parapet heights or sloped roof sections for visual interest. Allowable roofing materials include architectural standing seam metal, concrete and clay tile for sloped roofs visible to the public.

b. No building façade may have a façade in which more than 90 percent of surface is constructed or covered with glass.

c. Wall projections, articulation, arcades, or other breaks in the visual appearance of the wall shall be required when exterior wall length exceeds 50 feet.

a. All corridors and stairwells shall be fully enclosed within the building envelope.

b. All air vents mounted on a building façade shall be integrated into the building design and shall be flush with the façade or inserted inconspicuously into a wall recess.

1. Awning materials and colors shall be from the approved "accent" materials.

2. Internally backlighted awnings are prohibited.

3. Awnings may be lit with downcast architectural lighting fixtures.

N. Building Entry. All primary buildings shall include at least one primary entrance for each ground floor use to at least one street frontage.

O. Public Realm Standards. Public right-of-way sidewalk designs, sidewalk lighting, sidewalk materials, and wall treatments adjacent to sidewalks shall comply with those standards and examples maintained by the Planning Department or listed on the City’s website. (Ord. No. 2019-49 § 1, 08-19-2019)