Bedford planning commission recommends approval of PUD 25-2 for two office‑warehouse buildings at 2050 Forum Parkway

The Bedford Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 13 recommended City Council approve an amendment to the Bedford Forum Planned Unit Development (PUD) and a zoning map change for the property commonly known as 2050 Forum Parkway (Case PUD 25‑2), allowing two office‑warehouse buildings to be constructed on currently vacant land.

City planning staff described the request as an amendment to the 1970 Bedford Forum PUD that would remove the Master Highway Corridor overlay from the parcel while retaining the base PUD (industrial) zoning. Planning staff said the applicant seeks flexibility from the overlay’s 30‑foot front‑yard tree buffer because of a 15‑foot utility easement along Forum Parkway and other site constraints.

"There is an existing utility easement and active utility lines in it," said Cameron Ayn, the civil engineer for the project, explaining why the design uses a berm-and-shrub screen rather than the overlay’s tree row in one frontage area. Ayn said the site also drops roughly 12–14 feet in elevation, and the grading and required detention areas limit where landscape buffers can be placed.

Staff noted the applicant proposes increasing the allowed maximum building height from the City’s standard 35 feet to about 42.5 feet to achieve typical clear heights needed in modern warehouse space, and to apply parking ratios that reduce parking for warehouse components while keeping higher office parking rates.

Developer Eric Hawk of Archway Properties said the two‑building design was chosen to work with the steep grades and detention requirements and to reduce visual impacts from the street. "We tried to maintain separation of cars and where trucks would go," he said, describing added landscaping and hedgerows between the site and adjacent properties.

Commissioners focused questions on truck routing, traffic impacts and the proximity of a nursing home to the northeast. The applicant said a traffic letter was submitted to city staff and that primary truck access is intended from Plaza Drive; staff confirmed that review had been completed.

Following discussion, a commissioner moved to recommend approval of PUD 25‑2 as presented; the motion was seconded and the Commission voted 6 in favor and 1 opposed.

The Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for final action. The Planning and Zoning record shows the main outstanding implementation details will be addressed at site‑plan review and during the replat process required to split the property into two lots.