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Home My WebLink AboutSP201900007 Resubmittal 2019-12-23��Yt1ENpSS C� F p CIO, v C, �v 4RLa1 December 10, 2019 Andy Reitelbach, Senior Planner Albemarle County Community Development 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 RE: Resubmission: Tandem Friends School (TM 91-2A) - Proposed Pavilion Expansion • Special Use Permit Amendment Project Narrative Dear Andy, This is to serve as our narrative to accompany the submission of our Special Use Permit Amendment request to the Planning Commission to construct a dining and meeting pavilion for the students at Tandem Friends School. For specific responses to comments on the first submission, please see the responses to comments attached to the 18 October resubmission. We have revised this letter/narrative per your subsequent comments and per the email correspondence that followed. Also see the attached revised SUP Concept Plan dated 10 December 2019, which includes changes requested or suggested in the reviews. The existing school has a maximum enrollment of 250 students and enrollment will not expand with this proposal as discussed at the pre -application meeting. There is currently an approved Special Use permit (SP2015-00021) for an expansion to the Middle School, shown on the attached concept plan. The Middle School will not be built at this time, but is shown on the attached concept plan `per SP2015-00021'. PROJECT PROPOSAL The proposal is to construct a new pavilion building which will have glazed openings and garage doors to have the option of being completely open for temperate weather and enclosed for colder weather. The finished floor or main level of the new pavilion will be at the same level as the lower level of the assembly building. The building will be organized around a tall (double height) assembly space of approximately 42'x42' (square in the Quaker tradition) and have other spaces (entry porch, storage, bathrooms, janitor, etc.) that `serve' the main space. The building will have a maximum enclosed footprint of 4,500-sf and a maximum height of 34 feet at a central cupola; with a continuous ridge height of 28'; only the central light cupola (which we see as an appurtenance) will extend above the 28'. In the plan, the building is listed as 1 to 2 stories; this refers both to the 279 TANDEM LANE CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902 P 434.296.1303 F 434,296,1886 tandemfriends.org overall height and the potential for the area that serves the assembly space to have a mezzanine (as defined in the building code, it would be part of the first floor) for non - assembly purposes, possibly storage or office function. There will be restrooms in the building to serve the assembly function of the main room; estimated fixture counts are shown on the concept plan. There will also be storage to serve the various configurations of use in the main assembly space- dining, classroom and assembly. There will be the potential for a future fit -out for a kitchen within the 4,500 sf. Not all of the 4,500 sf footprint may be constructed in the first construction effort. The concept plan shows the full 4,500 sf building footprint hatched, but the first construction effort will have an open porch of 527 sf and an enclosed building area of 2,740 sf. leaving room for a later 1,233 sf. addition to the North. There would also be uncovered concrete sidewalk areas around the building. Also, there is an uncovered `stepped porch' (wood deck) to the East- this will be an additive bid item and may or may not be in the first construction effort. The proposed building will be located to the East/Northeast of the existing school buildings/courtyard. The new building is anticipated to meet two essential needs identified by school administrators: to provide unique dining, and additional meeting space. At this point, the design of the building is conceptual, and the conceptual footprint (and areas noted above) and grading are shown on the concept plan. The maximum school enrollment of 250 students will not change with this proposal. Since there is no proposed expansion in enrollment, the parking requirements will still be met by the current parking program. No additional outdoor events will be held; and the new structure would serve as a `rain location' for those events that are held. Outdoor events are often held in the `quad', or the open space in between buildings and in front of the Pavilion location. If anything, this building would provide more containment of sound and activities than the present outdoor assembly space in the `quad'. PUBLIC NEED This proposed pavilion expansion will benefit the public since it provides an improvement on the available private school options in the area. In Charlottesville, there are a number of diverse opportunities for schooling and Tandem Friends offers a unique experience for our area youth. There is no existing dining space and the existing assembly space is currently undersized and does not meet the main criteria listed above. The new pavilion would allow the two needs to be met under one roof, thereby improving the educational options available. CONSISTENCY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The Comprehensive Plan Area is neighborhood 4 within the Southern Western urban neighborhood development area' and the land use designation is `neighborhood density residential': the proposal is harmonious with the Comprehensive Plan. Zoning of this property is R-1 Residential, along with the Steep Slopes — Managed, Entrance Page 2 of 4 Corridor, and Airport Impact Area overlays. Managed slopes are shown graphically in the plan and noted. Entrance corridor concerns are addressed in responses to comments. IMPACTS ON PUBLIC FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE There are no negative impacts anticipated on public facilities and infrastructure. The site is currently served by public water and sewer and no new extension of public water or sewer is anticipated. There may be a tap and new meters set for domestic and irrigation water from the existing ASCA easement or new water to serve the building will come from `behind an existing meter'; there will be a new sanitary lateral from the building to an ASCA manhole. See responses to ASCA comments in the previous submittal. Also see preliminary concepts for water and sanitary laterals and a proposed fixture schedule on the concept plan. Access to the site is via Mill Creek Drive by way of Tandem Lane, Since there is no increase in enrollment, there will be no increase in trip generation and existing roads and parking are adequate. The site is also located outside of the public viewshed so there will no impact on adjacent properties; the site is well screened. No significant Police and Fire Department impacts are anticipated. IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES The proposed pavilion building is to be located on the northeast edge of the property in a predominantly cleared area that is a mix of grass and wooded buffer. Minor clearing is anticipated in order to construct the building and stormwater management measures. The view from the building will be of the wooded buffer below. In the area of the proposed construction, runoff flows via sheet flow to the south for approximately 800 feet until it is Intercepted by Cow Branch., which runs parallel to Route 20 and flows to the northeast along the west side of Route 20. As part of the proposed construction, the developer will comply with the requirements of the VSMP program. Various low impact techniques will be considered, including rooftop disconnection, wet/dry swales, bi-retention, other filtering practices, and/or sheetflow to conservation areas. It is anticipated that the square footage of disturbance will be under 1 Acre to be exempt from DEQ review. See notes on the Concept plan and in the responses to comments from the previous submission for more information. New Lighting will comply with section 4.17 of the Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance and a photometric plan will be submitted with the Site Plan. Page 3 of 4 We thank you very much for your review of this project and look forward to your thoughtful review and staff report Best Regards, -'-V� �- �'� '�LQ.O "�r Michelle Schlesinger, CPA, CGMA Cc: William Adams, Train Architects Tom Keogh, Train Architects Whitney Thompson, Tandem Friends School Page 4 of 4