To: City of Fort Collins

Development Review Center

281 North College Ave.

PO Box 580

Fort Collins, CO 80522

Attention Alyssa Stephens

From: Fossil Lake Ranch Neighborhood

The individuals who have signed this letter (online petition, accessed here: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ketcher-townhomes from the Fossil Lake Ranch Neighborhood of Fort Collins, are writing today to express our official opposition to the Kechter Townhomes (Kechter Townhomes, PDR 190004, Sign #560, Parcel #8604000924) that has been proposed to be added to Kechter Road just West of the Observatory Village subdivision. This development is across from Zach Elementary, and we have the following concerns:

1. Kechter Road is a heavily used road that is already inadequate in accommodating the volume of Zach Elementary, Fossil Ridge High School, neighborhood traffic, as well as, commuting traffic. This is evidenced by Zach Elementary school sending emails to parents in the past about traffic safety, rash driving, etc.
2. Street parking, during school drop-off and pick-up, further congests the traffic flow and increases safety issues for those children crossing Kechter Road from the Observatory Village neighborhood to attend school at Zach Elementary.
3. The Cottonwood Trees on the property are historic and are home to bald eagles (a national emblem and protected species) as well as other wildlife that will be lost.
4. As a high-density housing area and with the addition of housing, our home values, and our community will be less desirable, with the excessive traffic and noise.

Although we understand the need for low-income housing, there are locations that can better accommodate the increased traffic and not put wildlife habitat and most importantly, school children at risk.

It is our first request that the City of Fort Collins build somewhere else or comprehensively implement all the following:

1. At least two traffic and habitat studies done by independent organizations that are not connected to the City of Fort Collins and published to the surrounding affected neighborhoods on the effects of this development.
2. A walk bridge built from Observatory Village neighborhood at Jupiter and Kechter.
3. Widen Kechter Road to include a left-turn lane with a designated left-turn light, implementation of a right-turn lane, not to be confused with the bike lane. Additionally, a no right-turn on red mandate from Kechter into the school lot as well as no right-turn onto Jupiter street.
4. Provide Police presence during drop-off and pick-up times.
5. A speed camera in the school zone like the one located on Drake and Stover, which automatically issues speeding tickets.
6. Amend the design to include keeping the Cottonwood Trees on the property to protect the wildlife and historic trees that cannot be replaced.
7. Amend the design to lessen the number of townhomes to be built to 30.

Regards,

Fossil Lake Ranch Neighbors + Nearby residents