HomeMy WebLinkAboutSDP202000037 Other 2020-04-20 (2)SHIMP ENGINEERING, P.C.
Design Focused Engineering
April 15, 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(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(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 reduced to
remove a portion of the gravel and incorporates a 30' vegetative buffer, to be replanted. The proposed
parking area will be graded to a maximum of 5% and paved. While the 30' vegetative buffer has been
incorporated into the rezoning application (ZMA2019-15), we would like to minimize further disturbance
adjacent to this buffer. A waiver to curb & gutter would facilitate the appropriate stormwater management
for this use especially in consideration of the on -site stream.
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
912 E. High St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1434.227.5140 1 shimp-engineering.com
appropriately achieved on this property and the installment of curb & gutter would inhibit the natural run-
off direction towards the stream. Sheet flow would be the more compatible alternative with the proposed
vegetative buffer, as it lies immediately adjacent to the back parking lot. The site plan attached with this
submittal proposes grading of the parking lot in order to achieve 5% slope, facilitating improved
stormwater management. A flatter grade is proposed to encourage less erosion of the vegetative buffer
and the stream, generally following the existing grade. Curb & gutter is not necessary as it would inhibit
this movement.
Regards,
Justin Shimp