A 16-acre mix of environmentally-friendly homes and offices near Vance Brand Municipal Airport will be developed in partnership with two leaders in energy-efficiency innovation.
The National Research Energy Laboratory in Golden and Boulder’s Rocky Mountain Institute are involved in development plans for the ModernWest property, which will be reviewed tonight by the Longmont Planning and Zoning Commission.
The ModernWest project is included as a case study in NREL’s Guidebook to Sustainable Development, according to a letter to the planning board from the development’s architect Erin Bagnall.
Annexed into the city last year, the ModernWest parcel is north of Nelson Road, east of Airport Road, south of Rogers Road and west of Andersen Street. The property is adjacent to the Andersen RV storage facility, according to a city staff report to the commission.
Applicant Derek Guarascio is proposing a concept plan amendment for the 16 acres that creates an energy-efficient mixed-use development, the report states. The community will include housing and commercial and office spaces within walking distance to transit services and multi-use bike and pedestrian networks, according to the staff report.
“The property will be developed with a focus on sustainability and the promotion of the arts,” the report states.
Buildings on the site will be placed with an east-west orientation wherever possible to allow for passive solar opportunities throughout the site, especially for residences. Greenhouses will be placed on rooftops, where appropriate, to support urban farming, according to the staff report.
Gurascio plans to include both affordable market rate housing and deed restricted affordable housing in the development, Bagnall stated in the letter to the commission. “The holistic vision for the development will be reflected on the residential areas by offering a mix of opportunities in housing,” Bagnall stated.
ModernWest’s design also takes into account the flight path of Vance Brand, Bagnall stated in the letter. Residential uses are emphasized on the southern end of the property and building heights will “step down” toward the north, Bagnall stated.
The Planning and Zoning Commission convenes at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The meeting can be viewed by clicking the video camera icon in the city’s online agenda portal, which can be accessed here.
