Longmont planning commission approves 1313 Spruce (Bond Farm) preliminary plat, narrows park buffer in trade for porch encroachments
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Summary
On Dec. 10 the Longmont Planning and Zoning Commission approved the 1313 Spruce preliminary plat and four administrative modifications, including a negotiated park buffer change to 14 feet 6 inches and allowance for 3-foot unenclosed front porches; the vote was 6–1 after hours of public comment about parking and neighborhood character.
The Longmont Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 10 approved the preliminary plat for the 1313 Spruce ("Bond Farm") development and four administrative modifications, voting 6–1 after hearing presentations from staff, the applicant and more than a dozen members of the public.
The approval authorizes a preliminary plat for a residential-mixed neighborhood project with 61 units (a mix of duplexes, townhomes and a fourplex-style building) and four requested administrative modifications: reduced lot widths for four lots, a reduced street-facing transparency requirement on some rear-facing garage elevations, reduced front/side-yard setbacks and a reduced Type B landscape buffer between the proposed neighborhood park and six adjacent lots. Commissioners approved a modification to the park buffer from the applicant’s requested 9 feet to a negotiated 14 feet 6 inches in exchange for allowing certain small front-porch and egress encroachments into the front-yard setback.
Why it mattered: the project implements an Envision Longmont designation for medium-density residential and offers infill housing near Isaac Walton Park. Supporters said the design balances neighborhood character with more attainable units, while opponents said the density and code deviations could strain narrow neighborhood streets and reduce separation between homes and the future park.
Staff and applicant presentations: Planning Director Don Burchette and applicant representatives traced the site’s history — annexed in 2005, a PUD concept in 2016 and a 2023 concept-plan amendment that allowed higher density — and outlined the preliminary-plat layout, park dedication (meeting annexation-size requirements), street access for emergency vehicles and on-site parking. Burchette told commissioners staff recommended approval under PCR 2025-14a. Architect Alex Gore said the proposal grew from multi-party charrettes and was designed to orient garages inward and keep fronts facing existing neighborhoods. Developer Mark Young emphasized community engagement and said the team had logged “more than 1,000 hours” of volunteer and outreach time.
Key trade offered by developer: Young offered two conditional concessions to address neighborhood concerns. He proposed improving Park Place as a gravel turnaround and adding parallel parking there if city review approves the change, and he offered to increase the park buffer to 14 feet 6 inches (from the 9-foot request) provided the commission allowed unenclosed front porches up to 3 feet deep, steps/egress wells and the porch foundation to encroach into the front-yard setback. Staff representatives said many of those limited encroachments are already addressed in the land development code exceptions but that specific design review would occur at final-plat or DRC review.
Public response: Speakers were divided. David Palmer, a neighbor on Spruce Avenue, urged the commission to limit density to 24–36 units and warned of added traffic, parking and safety stresses on narrow local streets. Several neighbors, including Drew and Dan Sorrells and Doug Jones, described participating in charrettes and endorsed the updated design as a pragmatic compromise. Others emphasized the park-buffer concern; Charlie Schilling and others supported the 14'6" compromise. John Pullman and Mark Young described a potential gravel turnaround and additional parking on Park Place as a negotiated, conditional measure to add guest spaces, subject to city approval.
Traffic, parking and safety: The project’s traffic study (updated Aug. 2024) shows a projected Level of Service B at nearby intersections for the proposed development levels; the traffic consultant said the study covered a higher-unit baseline and the current plan (61 units) represents lower traffic than earlier analyses. Developers and staff gave detailed parking figures during deliberations: the applicant stated the site would provide approximately 182 parking spaces overall (including garage spaces), and staff clarified that surface, driveway and on-street pockets provide additional unassigned visitor spaces (staff referenced 12 on Spruce and 3 at the south end in the preliminary plat; applicant said many units have 2-car garages plus driveway space).
Legal/notice: An early public-notice flaw prompted the applicant and staff to schedule this special meeting; Assistant City Attorney Jeremy Terrell said he did not see a notice defect that would require pausing the hearing today. Commissioners questioned whether some 2023 concept-plan conditions (which called for items within 12 months of the ordinance) applied to the preliminary plat; staff and counsel said many of those requirements — traffic analyses, design exceptions and massing studies — were intended to be satisfied before final plat or as part of subsequent approvals rather than to deny the preliminary plat application.
Vote and next steps: Vice chair Poland moved to approve the preliminary plat and administrative modifications with the buffer/porch condition; Commissioner Matt seconded. The commission voted 6–1 (Commissioner Lang opposed). Chair Judson Hite read the action into the record and announced a seven-day appeal period running Dec. 11–17, 2025. If no timely appeal is filed, the approval will stand and next steps will include final-plat review and design/DRC-level checks on the encroachments and any Park Place improvements.
What remains unresolved: whether Park Place parking/turnaround improvements will be approved by the city (staff said dedicated right-of-way improvements would need separate city review), and the final design details for encroachments and materials that will be developed through the final-plat and building permit processes.
Quote: Mark Young, developer, said during his presentation: "I don't want perfect to be the enemy of good." Planning Director Don Burchette said staff "recommended approval" of the requested administrative modifications under the stated code criteria.
The commission’s approval documents: the action was recorded as PZR-2025-14 (preliminary plat and administrative modifications) and is subject to the seven-day appeal period announced by the chair.
