HomeMy WebLinkAboutSDP202000001 Other 2020-03-16SHIMP ENGINEERING, P.C.
Design Focused Engineering
March 13, 2020
Bart Svoboda, Director of Zoning
cc: Frank Pohl, County Engineer
County of Albemarle
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
RE: SDP202000001 Our Neighborhood Child Development Center — Waiver of Section 4.12.15(c)
and Section 4.12.15(g)
Dear Mr. Svoboda,
Per Section 18-4.12.2(c), "design requirements in [section] 4.12.15... may be modified or
waived... if the zoning administrator finds that the public health, safety or welfare would be equally or
better served by the modification or waiver and that the modification or waiver would not otherwise be
contrary to the purpose and intent of this chapter." The property, TMP 78-58K, associated with SDP2020-
1 is currently used as a detached single-family home; the developer seeks to convert the existing
structures to a child day center use. We request a waiver from Section 4.12.15(c) and section 4.12.15(g)
as the developer would like to provide parking area improvements where needed while minimizing
disturbance to the property. Notably, the southern portion of the parcel boundary follows a stream
centerline, which is not part of the County's Water Protection Ordinance and lacks a regulatory stream
buffer. Adjacent to this stream, there is an existing gravel parking lot. Per SDP2020-1, this parking lot
area (27 spaces) will be paved and reduced to remove a portion of the gravel and incorporates a 30'
vegetative buffer, to be replanted. While a 30' vegetative buffer has been incorporated into the rezoning
application (ZMA2019-15), we would like to minimize further disturbance adjacent to this buffer.
Waivers to the grade and curb & gutter would facilitate the appropriate stormwater management for this
use especially in consideration of the on -site stream.
Section 4.12.15(c) requires that "the maximum grade for parking spaces, loading spaces, and
access aisles abutting parking or loading spaces shall not exceed five percent in any directions." The
912 E. High Sr. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1 434.227,5140 1 shimp-engmeering.com
fanned parking area (10 spaces) and handicap parking spaces will fall within the maximum grade
permitted. However, the proposed grade of the back parking area (27 space) is approximately 7%, on
grade. Under typical circumstances, this parking lot would be cut or filled to achieve the 5% grade. If the
grade of the parking lot was held at the stream, the high side of the parking area would require
approximately 4 feet of cut. However, due to the proximity of the building, 4 feet of cut would not be
feasible in this area, which would additionally impact the grade of the fanned parking area and ADA
accessible spaces. If the grade of the parking lot was held at the building, the stream side of the parking
lot would require approximately 3 feet of fill, resulting in a steeper slope from the end of the parking lot
to the stream, which could potentially lead to erosion issues and negatively impact the proposed
vegetative buffer. As this back parking lot will be reserved for employee parking, frequent traffic in and
out of this lot would not be anticipated.
Section 4.12.15(g) requires that "curbs shall be established at the edges of parking areas or access
aisles ... in all commercial or institutional developments requiring eight or more parking spaces... Gutters
shall be required where necessary to control or direct stormwater runoff." Sheet flow could be
appropriately achieved on this property and the installment of curb & gutter would inhibit the natural run-
off direction towards the stream. Additionally, sheet flow would be the more compatible alternative with
the proposed vegetative buffer, as it lies immediately adjacent to the back parking lot.
Regards,
Justin Shimp