Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP202000008 Narrative Special Use Permit 2020-04-204.20.19 BOYS & GIRLS CLUB COMMUNITY CENTER SP NARRATIVE Proiect Proposal: Background Information: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central VA (BGCCVA) has operated The Jouett Club, from Jack Jouett Middle School, for over 15 years and is now planning to build their own larger facility on the same campus in an effort to provide service to additional children in the community. The BGCCVA has already entered into a Lease agreement with Albemarle County Public Schools to locate their facility on the parcel. Attached is Exhibit A, from that Lease, which outlines the subject site on the Jack Jouett Middle School campus. This larger facility will help the Boys & Girls Club serve more children in the community as well as offer additional services that cannot be accommodated within the current Jack Jouett building. A Letter of Determination was requested, and it was determined that a Special Use Permit would be required to conduct any "Community Center" activities in the new facility (LOD 201900018). An Initial Site Plan has been submitted (SDP202000011) and is currently under review for the facility itself. The Boys & Girls Club occasionally partners with outside organizations (social, recreational, service, educational, etc.) for use of their facility. Examples are: Junior League of Charlottesville — Kids in the Kitchen — cooking event for kids Albemarle Parks and Rec — sports Charlottesville Parks and Rec — sports AAU — evening and afternoon practices and sports leagues Neighborhood Associations — meetings PB+J Fund — planning and assembling food bags for winter holiday break. The new Club will have an added program, Squash, and they plan to host clincs, exhibitions, and tournaments. This will also provide access to Squash, to the Public Schools. These additional programs and services of a community center serving the greater public have been determined to be uses that require a Special Use Permit. These uses benefit the community at large and are consistent with uses already conducted on the Jack Jouett campus. Albemarle County Public Schools currently partners with many of the same organizations and allows many, if not all, of the same uses throughout its school campuses. The school board property serves as a "public" community center of sorts and can accommodate the proposed Boys & Girls Club use without additional impact to adjacent lots or changing the character of the zoning district. Consistency with Comprehensive Plan: The subject property is zoned Rural Areas with a `Rural Area' Comprehensive Plan designation. However, the property is owned by the Albemarle County School Board and already serves a large public use. Additionally, the School Board has leased the property to the Boys & Girls Club for the uses they propose and supports the mission of the Club. The Comprehensive Plan speaks to the importance of compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods and uses when introducing infill and redevelopment. Specific language that is most relevant to this proposal is found under "Objective 6: Promote infill and redevelopment that is compatible with surrounding neighborhoods and uses." This proposal seeks to keep the Club in its current location, that is convenient and familiar to community members, but also offer an enhanced service to the community. As noted above, the proposed use is also in keeping with current activities at the site. The end goal is to provide a welcoming and accessible facility to serve the children in the community as well as other community organizations that do not have their own facilities. 4.20.19 Impacts on Public Facilities and Public Infrastructure: The property is currently served by public water and sewer. The proposed facility will connect to the public system. The Boys & Girls Club will no longer be operating from within Jack Jouett Middle School, but the impacts on public facilities and infrastructure will remain largely the same as they've been since 2003. Included in the plan for the new facility is a new parking lot and other site infrastructure (swm, etc) to support the expanded use. Impacts on Environmental Features: Critical slopes: There are small areas of critical slopes present on the property that are impacted by the proposed facility. The primary use of the facility, provision of before and after school and summer care, is a by -right use. The Site Plan application included a Special Exception request to impact these slopes. The lease area agreed upon by the School Board and The Boys & Girls Club is the area that best meets the objectives of both parties. No additional impacts to the critical slopes result from this Special Use Permit application. All design requirements in the County Code will be followed for construction on these slopes. Stormwater and Erosion Control: A WPO application is currently under review. All applicable regulations will be followed. Existing vegetation: Some of the lease site is wooded and will be impacted by the construction of the new facility. As with the critical slopes, the impact is created by the by -right use and there is no additional impact as a result of the Special Use Permit. Streams: There is an adjacent offsite stream. The site plan provides for storm water to outfall to this stream channel. Acreage: The site plan disturbed area delineated in Exhibit A is 6.21 acres. Thank you for your consideration and guidance in helping the Boys & Girls Club provide for the future. The proposed Boys & Girls Club expansion is integral to the achievement of their goals and to providing the best service to the community that they can.