HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA200200008 Public Notification 2002-11-05 Public Hearing Items:
ZMA'c02=U8;:Soutt l?anto,tigCQffTCe Recuest to rezone 24.07 acres from PD-MC (Planned
Dist first ct=Mike l-Commercial)ftiPD-MC (Planned District- Mixed Commercial)and HC (Highway
• Commercial)to amend a proffered plan to allow for an office use instead of a hotel use and to
allow for an expansion of Dennis Enterprises car dealership. The properties, described as Tax
Map, 78 Parcel 73A and Parcel 13, are located in the Rivanna'Magisterial District on Hanson
Road in the Giant Shopping Center at Pantops and on Route 250. The Comprehensive Plan
designates these properties as Regional Service in Neighborhood 3 (Pantops). (Michael Barnes)
Mr. Barnes presented the staff report noting that the situation was confusing. Back in the 80's the
•County zoned the area for the Giant Store for a Planned Development. Virginia Land Company
came in and started developing it and was required to do a plan for the entire development area.
Subsequently, the Giant Store and several of the other places were developed. The remaining
portion that is sort of out on the end of the property is what they were concerned with today. The
section number 3 was actually subdivided off, a boundary adjustment done and transferred to
Dennis Enterprises. It was somewhat unclear to the applicant at the time that was zoned as part
of the Planned Development and did not show for an expansion of a car dealership. That is the
reason that Dennis Enterprises was added to this application for consideration. It makes sense in
staffs perspective because there are a lot of grading issues that cross the boundaries of the two
parcels. For that reason, staff supported Dennis Enterprises being included on this application
and considered with that. There is another parcel that is wedged between the site where they are
asking for this office complex and Dennis Enterprises' existing building. He pointed out that one
adjacent parcel was owned by Michael Spooner and was an undeveloped parcel that sits down in
a swale. The road that was built, Hanson Road, is located on the high ground and everything
else slopes down to the bottom. The drainage moves from Route 250 down towards the river in
this direction. Along with the rezoning, Dennis Enterprises submitted a minor site plan
amendment requesting the expansion of the parking lot. For various reasons, they pulled that
plan. Currently, the plan is not active, but the Architectural Review Board is reviewing the plan.
He stated that tonight they would focus on the relationship of these two uses and how the
relationship impacts the grading. In addition, they would discuss how the structures shown in
orange are relative to Hanson Road and the Neighborhood Model. He noted that the applicant in
response to staff's comments submitted the center plan. The biggest problem with the middle
plan is that it does not front on Hanson Mountain Road and requires extensive 2:1 slopes in the
back. Staff feels that the plan would meet the Neighborhood Model better by creating more of a
streetscape along Hanson Road. Therefore, staff would prefer to see both buildings brought up
to the road and have the parking lots in the back. Having terraced down one grade, you would
still have 2:1 slopes on the back, but staff feels that there is a way to terrace it down to lessen the
amounts of 2:1 slopes which will help the Entrance Corridor issue. It also helps provide space for
internal landscaping on the project.
Mr. Rieley noted that the terracing is not shown on the plans anywhere.
Mr. Barnes stated that the applicant prefers to not have that since they don't think that the
terracing will work. While the Spooner property is not under construction and cannot be tied to
these applications, staff is encouraging them to work with the designers in order to get a
coordinated grading plan across these three properties. He noted that staff could not compel
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them to work together since the Spooner property was not under consideration for the rezoning.
Since the buildings would be used for offices, staff was trying to work with the applicant to keep
the buildings up out of the ground. Those were the major issues dealing with the Neighborhood
Model. The applicant has agreed to provide sidewalks, trees along the street and to work on a
bus stop. Staff continues to try to get the applicant to do a better job to meet some of the
principles of defining the streetscape along Hanson Road. Referring to Attachment G, staff has
been working on ways to create a parallel road system to Route 250. The plan shows a
proposed extension of Rolkin Road to connect with South Pantops Road. This would provide
circulation back to these properties without expanding Route 250 to eight lanes as called for by
VDOT. The road plans are unofficial, would cost a lot of,money and be difficult to build due to the
required extensive filling. This road wouldn't affect this site. Staff would like'to explore with the
applicants their willingness to preserve this right of way for future dedication if this road was to
come about. In conclusion, the two uses proposed for this site are not counter to what is
envisioned for this area. Dennis Enterprises wants to expand their existing use. The office use
would replace the hotel on the original application plan. The items that are unfavorable about the
request include the lack of a unified grading plan; the fact that the buildings do not front on
• Hanson Road and neither proposal is working with the existing terrain very well. He pointed out
that the traffic study information had just been submitted and staff has not had a chance to
interpret that. While both projects have gone before the Architectural Review Board, the ARB has
not completed their review of these projects. For those reasons, staff has been unable to
recommend approval of the rezoning request, the special use permits and the site plan. Staff
recommends that the applicant request a deferral to work on these issues if they are willing to do
that. Staff recommends the Commission to deny the requests.
Mr. Loewenstein stated that he favored having a parallel road to Route 250, but he did not favor
extending the road exiting on Spotnap Road due to the close proximity of the apartments and the
senior living facility. He noted that it was not clear that the parallel road would fit in here or if it
would become reality. He asked if there were any other questions for staff. There being none, he
opened the public hearing and asked the applicant to address the Commission.
Katurah Roell, representative for Virginia Land Company, spoke for the request. He stated that
the site plan for Dennis Enterprises was submitted in March. Staff decided that the land was part
of the old PD-MC and the site plan was stopped because the use was not permitted by the old
master plan. He pointed out that they did have an active site plan on the front portion of that
property and have put in pipes and preliminary graded the area. They have been talking with
Don Franco concerning the proposed grading plan for the Spooner property. He pointed out that
the 2:1 slope that they were showing currently on their site plan would literally disappear into the
Spooner site evening out to Route 250. He noted that they were trying to amend the master plan
through the ZTA in order to work out the other details. He asked for the Commission's approval
of the request for office use instead of hotel use. He pointed out that the traffic study shows that
the hotel use would generate more traffic than an office use. He passed out a handout for the
Commission's review.
Mr. Loewenstein invited further public comment. There being none, he closed the public hearing
and brought the matter before the Commission for action.
Mr. Loewenstein reminded the Commission that they were also considering SP-02-13 Dennis
Enterprises—Outdoor Display, SDP-02-34 Dennis Enterprises—Minor Site Plan Amendment and
SDP-02-84 South Pantops Office Preliminary Site Plan that were listed in the staff report as well.
Mr. Roell requested that the Commission defer his requests noting that he would like to heard
again as soon as possible.
Ms. Hopper moved for deferral of ZMA-02-08, SP-02-13, SDP-02-34 and SDP-02-84 to
December 3rd as per the applicant's request.
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