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Home My WebLink AboutSDP201800008 Request of Modification, Variance, Waiver 2018-09-21COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE Department of Community Development 401 McIntire Road, North Wing Charlottesville, Virginia 22902-4596 Phone (434) 296-5832 Fax (434) 972-4126 September 20, 2018 Ms. Riki Van-Niekerk, Project Engineer, Roudabush, Gale & Associates, Inc. 172 S. Pantops Drive, Suite A, Charlottesville, VA 22911 (434)-979-8121 x. 145 / RVan-NiekerkARoudabush.com Mr. Trey Steigman, Vice President — Development, Management Services Corporation 102 S. First Street, Suite 301, Charlottesville, VA 22902 P.O. Box 5306, Charlottesville, VA 22905 (434)-977-4181 x. 105 / tstei ng ian &msc-rents.com RE: Request for Substitution of Required Recreation Areas and Facilities (Vistas at South Pantops — Initial Site Plan SDP -2018-00008) Dear Ms. Van-Niekerk and Mr. Steigman: This letter is provided in response to your written request (received 8/29/2018) to provide a variety of recreation areas and facilities in the proposed Vistas at South Pantops project that would deviate from the recreation areas and facilities that are otherwise specified in Zoning Ordinance (Z.O.) Section 4.16. County staff have reviewed the proposed substitutions, and based on the following proposed substitution areas and facilities and their favorable aspects (below), have recommended to the Director of Planning that the proposed substitution request, as submitted on 8/29/2018, be approved pursuant to Z.O. 4.16. Substitution Areas and Favorable Aspects: 2.200 SF Tot Lot: ■ Proposed playground amenities are equivalent (or better) than the traditional playground recreation amenities required by Z.O. Section 4.16.2, in that they allow for a higher number of concurrent active users, a higher number of passive users / observers, and include more compelling contemporary equipment which facilitates a higher degree of physical activity than traditional equipment; ■ Proposed playground amenities are more appropriate for the anticipated needs and preferences of future occupants, as articulated in your written substitution request; and ■ As articulated in your written substitution request, the proposed tot lot / playground area would be designed and graded (inclusive of a retaining wall) to provide an area for active recreation that would be flat, enjoyable, safe, and in compliance with slope and drainage requirements. Two Recreational Trails: ■ One trail would primarily be for residents only, and provide Vistas residents and guests with direct access to and from the Old Mills Trail along the Rivanna River; and ■ The other trail would provide public access from South Pantops Drive to the Old Mills Trail along the Rivanna River (subject to public use/access easement being approved and recorded). As noted in the SRC Comment Letter / Letter of Conditional Approval: o Please modem the trail locations and alignments [as may be applicable] in collaboration with Mr. Dan Mahon in the Albemarle County Parks and Recreation Department (ACPR). o Please consider opportunities to partially relocate/realign the southern trail into areas which will already be subject to land disturbance, so as to minimize disturbance within steep slopes, where possible. Clubhouse: ■ Proposed private clubhouse would include workout facility, multi-purpose activity room, pool and patio area, and lounge. Riverfront Amenities: ■ Proposed riverfront amenities such as a kayak and river gear storage station would provide additional (and unique) recreational benefit to residents; however, please be advised that such facilities are subject to review and approval during the Final Site Plan application, and the Flood Hazard Overlay District regulations must be taken into account when siting and designing these proposed facilities. Staff remain available to assist and coordinate with regards to the Flood Hazard Overlay District provisions and regulations. Director of Planning Approval of the proposed Recreation Substitution(s), as detailed in the Request materials dated 8/29/2018y1ursuant to Z.O. Section 4.16 ("Recreation Regulations"): Kndrew Gast -Bray, P"Al, CNU-A Director of Planning / Assistant Director of Community Development 2- 41- D a -Da e Please be advised that the Final Site Plan for the Vistas at South Pantops will be reviewed for compliance with the applicable Recreation Regulations in Z.O. Section 4.16 - provided that the approved substitutions will be permissible, and will satisfy or otherwise supercede the directly comparable Recreation Regulations. Please also be advised that the County review of the Final Site Plan must include an assessment of the following: ■ whether the tot lot should "be fenced, where determined necessary by the director of planning and community development, to provide a safe environment for young children" (Z.O. Section 4.16.2.1) with regards to the adjacent steep slopes; and ■ whether the recreation areas and facilities comply with all applicable overlay zoning district regulations, such as Steep Slopes and Flood Hazard. Please contact me at your convenience if you have questions or require additional information or assistance. Sincerely, rr Tim Pad no, AICP - Senior Planner Department of Community Development - County of Albemarle, Virginia tpadalino(a)albemarle.org / (434)-296-5832 x 3088 ROUDABUSH, GALE & ASSOCIATES, INC. $ A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION g p LAND SURVEWNG Serving Virginia Since 1956 ENGINEERING LAND PLANNING ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT SURVEY DEPARTMENT 172 SOUTH PANTOPS DRIVE, STE, A 914 MONTICELLO ROAD JIM L. TAGGART, P.E. CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22911 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902 WILLIAM J. LEDBETTER, L.S. DON FRANCO, P.E. PHONE. (434) 979-8121 PHONE. (434) 977-0205 BRIAN D. JAMISON, L.S. DAVID M. ROBINSON, P.E. FAX (434) 979-1681 FAX (434) 296-5220 DAVID A. JORDAN, L.S. AMMY M. GEORGE, L.A. INFO@ROUDABUSH.COM KRISTOPHER C. WINTERS, L.S. August 29, 2018 Mr. Tim Padalino Senior Planner Department of Community Development 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, VA 22902 RE: SDP -2018-00008 Vistas at South Pantops — Request for substituting recreation amenities Dear Mr. Padalino, This is our narrative for requesting a substitution of the traditional recreational amenities for evaluation by the Director of Planning and community development. Section 4.16.2.1 states that the site shall contain equipment which provides amenities equivalent to: one swing, one slide, two climbers, one buchabout or whirl, and two benches. This equipment would allow for approximately five (5) consecutive equipment users and passive bench seating for four (4). This proposal omits traditional playground amenities, listed above, in favor of equipment that is more contemporary and that allows for more active play, uses space more efficiently on the constrained site, and which is more visually and experientially compelling for children and adults. This proposed equipment allows for approximately eight (8) consecutive users up to age 12, and passive bench seating for six (6). Additionally, a retaining wall is contemplated to be built along the west side of the tot lot to make the area flat and enjoyable for all users. This wall would be built up to provide bench seating along the perimeter of the lot. Please see attached site plan and proposals from Miracle. Our proposed location for the required "tot -lot" is between the Preserved steep slopes and building #1 where there is 2,217 square feet of space. The contemporary playground equipment, including fall zone safety envelope, will utilize 1,242 square feet leaving 975 square feet for seating and picnic tables (of the total 2,217 square feet total area). The space will comply with Albemarle zoning code and retaining walls will be constructed to meet the slope and drainage requirements. Furthermore, the property owner/developer has proposed two recreational trails that will provide public access from South Pantops Drive to the Old Mills Trail along the Rivanna River. One of the trails will be for Vistas resident use (and possibly Overlook owners by separate agreement) and may include interactive workout stations along the trail where possible, which will enhance the trail experience for the users. The other trail will be for public use. The property is unique in that it has direct access to the Rivanna River, and therefore, we would like to add kayak and river gear storage stations at the property boundary close to the riverfront. This amenity will be unique to other developments along the Rivanna and will make the most of what the Pantops area has to offer to its residents. Additionally, The Vistas at South Pantops will have a full access clubhouse to its residents. The clubhouse will have a workout facility, yoga studio/breakout exercise/'mommy-and-me" room, and patio and pool area. The clubhouse will also offer lounge areas for residents to entertain and work in. The Vistas at South Pantops proposes 144 apartments consisting of one and two bedroom apartments to provide housing for professionals who would potentially be working in the Pantops area, at Martha Jefferson Hospital or Peter Jefferson Place. Therefore, the above proposed recreational amenities would be more appropriate to the needs of the occupants of this development. We thank you for taking the time to review our proposal. Please let me know if you have any questions or require additional information. Very truly yours, 1R acil V ave- N i P.k"kl Riki Van-Niekerk Cc: Trey Steigman Steve Houchens Ua 0 � O U y 4- �m N 0 2 Q=) z U� ��-�o >LL Z Q r J r^ V1 �2 �\ >a W Dy W Q °N Wco v2 C[:NL? Urn poc N i p -,t �? 0 cr Q 0 LL y aW y w o y U Zc) W O� W �rn M �w W 4 Z O 0 a REVISIONS CHANGE OF DESIGN FIRM APR. 26, 2018 DATE August 7, 2018 SCALE 1"=20' C) 0- 0 z Q Q Z 0 o=>� LL � z �oo o Q J W X Q p; w cn w m � ^ V\_J J Q LU 2 FILE NUMBER 17.0110 SHEET 01 OF 01 South Pantops Development Miracle Recreation Proposal 6 Tracie W- vl* `JCJI F.