HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA201900015 Application 2019-12-04 (2)t)UR NEIGHBf)RHfX)D
CHILD DEVELnPMENT CENTER Neighborhood
434-2152-8639
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Niovember 18, W19
Project Proposal
Our Neighborhood Child Development Center (CDC) (the "applicant") requests a zoning map amendment on tax
map parcel 78-58K, a 3.58 acre parcel in Albemarle County (the "property"), from R-1 Residential to C-1
Commercial to open a child development center on the property. Our Neighborhood CDC intends to use the
existing structures, parking areas, and landscaping, only making minimal improvements, where necessary, to
improve internal circulation and to ensure landscape design is consistent with Entrance Corridor guidelines.
Our Neighborhood CDC is currently located at 2110 Ivy Road and will be moving no later than summer 2020, due
to a recent sale of their current leased space. Our Neighborhood CDC has been a pillar of high quality early
childhood education community for eight years. Currently, Our Neighborhood CDC is at capacity and has a waitlist
stretching more than a year. This growth will allow the CDC to nearly double its capacity for infants and toddlers as
well as add a full-time preschool classroom. The property at 1395 Stony Point road will allow the CDC to serve 124
children and families and meet the ever growing demand on the waitlist. This early childhood program is envisioned
as a community space with outdoor classrooms open to the community in the evenings and weekends, regular
parent classes, and neighborhood events.
Early childhood education is a huge need in our community. A few facts about early childhood are relevant here.
For 67% of children both of their parents are employed.' Sixty-two percent of infant's mothers are employed.2
About one quarter of stay at home parents still enroll their child in some early childhood education.' Parts of
Charlottesville and Albemarle County remain child care deserts despite their affluent population.' Nearly every early
childhood program in Charlottesville has a waiting list. Parents in the Charlottesville area are struggling to find
childcare.' There are 36 early childhood programs in Charlottesville and 62 in Albemarle County, but only five of
those programs are accredited.16 Our Neighborhood is one of only three accredited programs in Charlottesville that
serves infants and the only accredited program that serves infants whose families do not work at UVA. The demand
for high quality early childhood education is simply unmet in our community.
As our city grows we need to consider how to protect and support community spaces. Early childhood education is
a need in our community as without it families cannot work. As a tight margin industry, it can be very difficult for
early childhood programs to find suitable space that can handle the indoor, outdoor, and parking needs at an
affordable price. Families need easy access to programs in their neighborhood and on their commutes. 1395 Stony
' "Fact Sheet: Child Care - Center for American Progress." 16 Aug. 2012,
https://www.americanl2rogress.org/issues/economy/news/2012/08/16/11978/fact-sheet-child-care/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2019.
a "Zero to Three." https://www.zerotothree.org/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2019.
s "America's Child Care Deserts in 2018 - Center for American ...." 6 Dec. 2018,
https://www.americanl2rogress.org/issues/early-childhood/reports/2018/12/06/461643/americas-child-care-deserts-2018/. Accessed 20
Oct. 2019.
4 "Little wonder: Why it's so hard to find affordable, high -quality ...." 27 Feb. 2019,
https://www.c-ville.com/little-wonder-why-its-so-hard-to-find-affordable-high-duality-child-care/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2019.
s "Find Quality Child Care/Preschool - For Families - naeyc." https://families.naac.org/find-quality-child-care. Accessed 6 Nov. 2019.
"Search for Child Day Care - Virginia Department of Social ...." htWs://www.dss.virginia.gov/facility/search/cc.cgi-. Accessed 6 Nov.
2019.
Point road offers a beautiful opportunity to support community space, green space, local business, and high quality
early childhood education.
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
The property is designated as Urban Density Residential and secondarily Parks & Green Systems in the approved
Pantops Master Plan. 1395 Stony Point Road is also located in the Rivanna Ridge Urban Center, the Neighborhood
Service Center, and the Recreational District. The Pantops Master Plan lists Schools and Child Care as a primary use
within Urban Density Residential designated areas.
It is envisioned for a child development center to contribute to a walkable community in this area, harnessing the
green space, and embracing a role as a part of the neighborhood service center. 1395 is surrounded by residents and
having a school in that neighborhood would benefit the community.
A child development center in this location would greatly contribute to the Pantops Master Plan vision for character
and conservation. A child development center is a community asset that contributes to the character of the area by
offering neighborhood services that benefits local families and our communities youngest residents. A portion of
the proposed property is designated as Parks & Green Systems and it is intended for this area to function in a
manner that is consistent with expectations for green systems. A reforested area and undisturbed buffer is proposed
along the stream where historically disturbance has occurred up unto the stream bank. The area designated as
greenspace is ideal outdoor space for students at the CDC. There is ample space for outdoor play areas and gardens
that will enrich the students' experience while enrolled at the CDC. The location is truly special because of this
outdoor environment.
Impacts on Public Facilities and Public Infrastructure
Trip generation rates and a turn lane warrant analysis has been submitted with this application. It is expected that
many CDC families would be commuting on Stony Point Road already and the child development center would add
a stop to their commute but not an additional trip to the road. There is already a left turn late in place which will
maintain smooth traffic flow traveling south. We would likely open at 7:30am and close at 6:00pm and expect the
highest traffic impact around 8 am and 5 pm.
The CDC is expected to connect to public water and sewer and will have demands typical of a child day care use.
Impacts on Environmental Features
There are minimal site improvements planned with the exception of additional fencing and parking areas
improvements to improve site circulation. An undisturbed buffer is designated on the concept plan adjacent to the
stream. This area is also designated for reforestation.
Proposed Proffers to Address Impacts
A draft proffer statement has been included with this submittal. The proffer statement limits commercial uses on
the property and has eliminated uses that are auto -centric. Additionally, commercial setbacks have been proffered
with this application.
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