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Home My WebLink AboutZMA201900004 Application Zoning Map Amendment 2019-11-18raj ROUDABUSH, GALE & ASSOC., Inc. A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION Serving Virginia Since i _o5G November 18, 2019 Mr. Tim Padalino, AICP Senior Planner, Albemarle County Department of Community Development 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, VA 22902 RE: Resubmittal ZMA 201900004 Breezy Hill Dear Tim: Attached please find resubmittal of our additional and revised zoning application materials for Br-7 Hill. Ac vnn Vn"Ur thA nrniArt nQ deferred at t}in„ notnhovr'22nd PC .._.1 J , ...., i....j...,. Agenda to give us an opportunity to address the concerns raised in the staff report. The Village of Rivanna is different from the County's larger designated growth areas. At a high level, both the comprehensive plan and the area's master plan recognized that the principles of the Neighborhood Model should not be applied equally. And more than in any other development area, future growth in the Village of Rivanna was defined on the Capacity, aucyunCj%, ariu wucurrency Of the supporting trot aouuUiuic. vviui uic waici and sewer capacity determined to be adequate to accommodate Breezy Hill, the discussion has focused on the transportation network and timing of identified improvements. In simple terms, the Master Plan recommends development at the very lowest range, residential low -density development, and identifies a list of transportation improvements needed to accommodate the anticipated growth. These recommendations have guided the timing of public investment in the area. According to the Master Plan, existing zoning was expected to produce 631— 804 additional units, a small amount of retail, office, and service uses and an additional 300 to 400 new units were thought to be possible from future zoning applications and by right development. At the lower end, this is a total increase in 931 additional units. Since adoption of the Master Plan in 2010, Rivanna Village, the largest new development and core of the growth area, amended its zoning. The revised plan reduced the anticipated vehicle trips from 9,559 external trips (2001, Cox &'Company) to 4,307 external trips (2013 EPR). The lower intensity in the village center significantly reduced the over impacts to the transportation network. Conservatively, a 40% drop in the expected traffic from the "existing" zoning and future development combined is forecast. This drop is equal to about 430 fewer single-family detached units. Should the loss of these residential units be replaced within the development area? 914 Monticello Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902 172 South Pantops Drive, Suite A, Charlottesville, 22911 RGA LAND SURVEYING • ENGINEERING • LAND PLANNING Page 2 of 4 Breezy Hill is the single largest remaining area to be developed within the Village of Rivanna. If a portion of the intensity lost to date is to be recovered, Breezy Hill is the best opportunity. The approach with Breezy Hill has been to balance additional units against baseline transportation metrics and the soft edge vision for the property. As proposed, 160 units with proffers, Breezy Hill not only mitigates its impacts, but ensures that the overall network is improved. Route 221250 and North Milton Road 1 250 are the two most problematic intersections between the county line and 1-64 interchange. Though signal optimization and bus service, the intersections can be improved 23%159% (amlpm) and 15%130% during peak hours, respectively. Existing traffic conditions, with less intense development of the village center included formed the baseline for this comparison. Assuming the baseline used for development of the Master Plan, improvement is significantly better. The overall traffic is less than what was forecast based on the zoning in place in 2001. Besides traffic, the proposal emphasizes a soft edge to the rural area. Past public and PC input have recommended buffering the rural area east of Running Deer as well as the residential lots fronting along the western edge of the growth area. To that end, we have limited our visual impacts to the rural edge by eliminating the secondary vehicular connection to Running Deer. This ensures that edge of the growth area has little to no physical change and Breezy Hill is buffered by at least one row of lots (about 250 feet). A 40' additional buffer has also been added to mirror the 35' rear yard setback in the rural area. The buffer ensured through a minimum 20' buffer and 20' rear setback at the rear of Block 5. We also propose no attached units in Block 5, ensuring our density favors the western edge of our property. BRu;1ding on cur pre:^ous public hearuigs, we have proposed rural section roads I: thin our development to help maintain the low density, rural character of the area. Waiver of provisions for urban streets in the various sections of the County Code is hereby requested. Finally, I offer the following comments relative to the neighborhood model principles. Pedestrian Orientation — Consistent with the input we have received in public hearings, Breezy Hill is designed with a rural feeling. In lie.: of the formal, neotraditional look of roads with curb and gutter streets and sidewalks, rural streets are proposed. To help preserve the pedestrian emphasis recommended in the Comprehensive Plan and Master Plan, Breezy Hill includes a series of internal trails which provide access to and through the projects open space. Externally, we establish our portion of the larger multi -use path along our Route 250 frontage. Mix'ui _ of Uses — Consistent with +he Tiia-ter Plan recommend at; _^ s on1jr residential uses are proposed. 914 Monticello Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902 172 South Pantops Drive, Suite A, Charlottesville, 22911 RGA LAND SURVEYING • ENGINEERING • LAND PLANNING Page 3 of 4 Neighborhood Centers — Consistent with the Master Plan recommendations, no neighborhood centers are proposed. Mixture of Housing Types and Affordability — Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan recommendations, a mixture of residential housing types is proposed. And, consistent with public input, proffer is included to address off - site affordable housing. Interconnected Streets and Transportation Networks - Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan recommendations, inter connected streets are provided internally. Consistent with public input, interconnection with the adjacent parcels is not proposed. Multi -modal Transportation Opportunities - Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and M_nsier Plan recommendations, a proffer to helpfund extension of bus service to the area is offered. Parks, Recreational Amenities, and Open Space - Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Master Plan recommendations, just under 40% of the project is preserved as open space, protecting the most environmentally sensitive areas of the property. Buildings and Space of Human Scale - Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Master Plan recommendations, only low density residential is proposed. Relegated Parking — This principal is generally not applicable in rural areas. Redevelopment - This principal is generally not applicable within the Village of Rivanna. The recent growth and low density recommended is generally on supported through greentield development. Respecting Terrain and Careful Grading and Re -grading of Terrain - Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Master Plan recommendations, the proposed grading works with the terrain. Clear Boundaries with the Rural Area - Consistent with public input, the project extends the rural character of the surrounding area into the development area. The proposed density at Breezy Hill is mitigated by the proffered traffic improvements to below the baselines of both the Master Plan and 2023 conditions with no development at Breezy Hill. Please consider these facts when preparing your staff report and framing questions for the Planning Commission and BOS. Mitigating the project's impacts to below previously forecast traffic volumes demonstrates that Breezy Hill balances the recommendations of the Albemarle County Comprehensive Plan, Master Plan for the Village of Rivanna and supports the public 914 Monticello Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902 172 South Pantops Drive, Suite A, Charlottesville, 22911 RGA LAND SURVEYING ® ENGINEERING @ LAND PLANNING Page 4 of 4 investment that has been both constructed and proposed for the eastern portion of the County. We recognize the proposed density is above the Master Plan recommendation. It is low density residential which is the least intense residential use recommended in the Comprehensive Plan. We suggest moving past that argument and focus on the bigger planning question. We have demonstrated that the project impacts are mitigated and the existing infrastructure and public improvements can accommodate the proposed density, the question is whether development at less than 1 unit/acre (gross) is in keeping with the County's overall growth management policies. Thanks for you help on this project. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions Thanks, Don Franco, PE Roudabush, Gale & Assoc., Inc. 014. Mnn6-11n R-1 Charlottesville, VA 22902 434-977-0205(w) 434-249-9641(m) 914 Monticello Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902 172 South Pantops Drive, Suite A, Charlottesville, 22911