HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB202000045 Staff Report 2020-05-28ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT
Project #/Name
ARB-2020-45: Hollymead Town Center Area C Townhomes Initial Site Plan
Review Type
Initial Site Development Plan
Parcel Identification
03200-00-00-041J0, -41K1, and -41P
Location
Hollymead Town Center Area C, Blocks 11, III, and VII; on the south side of Timberwood Blvd. between Connor Dr.
and Berkmar Dr., on the east side of Lockwood Dr. approximately 500 feet south of the intersection of Lockwood Dr.
and Timberwood Blvd., and on the northeast corner of the intersection of Berkmar Dr. and Laurel Park Ln.
Zoned
Planned Development Mixed Commercial (PDMC)/Entrance Corridor (EC)
Owner/Applicant
Post Office Land Trust/Shimp Engineering (Justin Shimp)
Magisterial District
Rio
Proposal
To construct 101 single-family attached dwelling units on 8.2 acres
Context
The immediate context is that of the mixed -use Hollymead Town Center development, with strip commercial, big box,
single family residential, and assisted living uses in the immediate surroundings.
Visibility
The townhomes are located 700' and more from the Rt. 29 EC. As such, they are expected to have limited visibility from
the EC. The elevation of the site increases moving east to west, so the upper portions of townhome blocks will be visible
above the adjacent, lower blocks to the east. Eventually, when the town center is built out, visibility from the EC may be
eliminated. Townhomes on parcel 41K1 fall outside the EC Overlay.
ARB Meeting Date
June 1, 2020
Staff Contact
Margaret Maliszewski
PROJECT HISTORY
The ARB has reviewed no proposals for these parcels but has reviewed and approved several developments within the Hollymead Town Center.
ANALYSIS
Gray highlight = means the guideline can't be reviewed at initial site plan stage, but recommendations can be provided for final
Yellow highlight = means the guideline can only be reviewed for location/configuration at the initial plan stage
Regular text = means the guideline can be reviewed at initial plan stage, can be made a condition of initial plan approval, and can be the basis for denial
REF
GUIDELINE
ISSUE
RECOMMENDATION
Purpose
1
The goal of the regulation of the design of development within the
Architectural designs have not been
Provide architectural
designated Entrance Corridors is to ensure that new development
submitted with the Initial Site Plan. When
designs with the Final
within the corridors reflects the traditional architecture of the area.
designs are submitted, they may show that
Site Plan submittal. The
Therefore, it is the purpose of ARB review and of these
the townhomes minimally reflect the
Final Site Plan and
Guidelines, that proposed develo ment within the designated
historic architecture of the area, but the
architecture may be
Entrance Corridors reflect elemof design c arac eristic of the
distance from the EC street is expected to
reviewed as a
significant historical landmarks, buildings, and structures of the
limit the need for details to conform to
Countywide Certificate of
Charlottesville and Albemarle area, and to promote orderly and
historic precedents. Forms and colors will
Appropriateness.
attractive development within these corridors. Applicants should
be important for establishing an
note that replication of historic structures is neither required nor
appropriate appearance at the distance
desired.
under consideration. Given the distance
from the EC street and intervening
development, staff level review of the final
site plan and architecture is recommended.
2-5,
Compatibility with significant historic sites, Compatibility with
Architectural designs have not been
9-16
the character of the Entrance Corridor, Compatibility with
submitted with the Initial Site Plan. Given
significant historic sites, Structure design
the distance from the EC street, colors and
forms — not architectural details — are
expected to have the most visual impact.
Accessory structures and equipment
17
Accessory structures and equipment should be integrated into the
Accessory structures and equipment are
Include the standard
overall plan of development and shall, to the extent possible, be
not shown on the Initial Site Plan. Given
equipment note on the
om atible with the building designs used on the site.
the distance from the EC street, equipment
is not expected to have a visual impact.
site and architectural
plans.
18
The following should be located to eliminate visibility from the
Entrance Corridor street. If, after appropriate siting, these features
will still have a negative visual impact on the Entrance Corridor
street, screening should be provided to eliminate visibility. a.
Loading areas, b. Service areas, c. Refuse areas, d. Storage areas,
e. Mechanical equipment, f. Above -ground utilities, and g. Chain
link fence, barbed wire, razor wire, and similar security fencing
devices.
19
Screening devices should be compatible with the design of the
buildings and surrounding natural vegetation and may consist of:
a. Walls, b. Plantings, and c. Fencing.
21
The following note should be added to the site plan and the
architectural plan: "Visibility of all mechanical equipment from the
Entrance Corridor shall be eliminated."
22-31
Lighting
The initial site plan includes no lighting.
Provide a complete
lighting plan with the
Final Site Plan.
7, 8,
Landscaping
No landscaping is shown on the initial site
Provide a complete
32-38
plan. There are several utilities and
landscape plan with the
easements noted on the plan, but leader
Final Site Plan. Provide
lines are missing so locations are unclear.
leader lines from utility
Some of the utilities and easements may be
and easement notes to
in/near areas where landscaping is
clarify locations. Shift
required. At a minimum, the standard
utilities and easements
landscaping will be required to ensure that
and/or increase planting
this development has an appropriate
area to accommodate
appearance for the EC. Utilities and
required landscaping free
easements may need to be shifted to
of utilities and easements.
accommodate required landscaping.
Site Development and layout, Development pattern
6
Site development should be sensitive to the existing natural
The areas of development have been
See recommendations on
landscape and should contribute to the creation of an organized
cleared and graded. The site layout appears
landscaping.
development plan. This may be accomplished, to the extent
to be generally organized. Many of the
practical, by preserving the trees and rolling terrain typical of the
townhome blocks are orientated parallel to
area; planting new trees along streets and pedestrian ways and
the EC street. Most of the townhomes on
choosing species that reflect native forest elements; insuring that
parcel 4 1 J have their backs or sides facing
any grading will blend into the surrounding topography thereby
the EC street, but the distance from the
creating a continuous landscape; preserving, to the extent
street is expected to minimize the impact
practical, existing significant river and stream valleys which may
of this orientation. Connections to adjacent
be located on the site and integrating these features into the design
pedestrian and vehicular connections are
of surrounding development; and limiting the building mass and
made. Landscaping has not been included
height to a scale that does not overpower the natural settings of the
with this proposal but landscaping that
site, or the Entrance Corridor.
meets the guidelines will be required to
ensure an appropriate appearance and to
39
The relationship of buildings and other structures to the Entrance
Corridor street and to other development within the corridor
integrate the sites into the overall
should be as follows:
development. Proposed building height
a. An organized pattern of roads, service lanes, bike paths, and
may range from 2 to 5 stories. It is
pedestrian walks should guide the layout of the site.
anticipated that townhomes of this height
b. In general, buildings fronting the Entrance Corridor street
can be designed consistent with the EC
should be parallel to the street. Building groupings should be
Guidelines, including those regarding
arranged to parallel the Entrance Corridor street.
scale. Views are not expected to be
c. Provisions should be made for connections to adjacent
impaired.
pedestrian and vehicular circulation systems.
d. Open spaces should be tied into surrounding areas to provide
continuity within the Entrance Corridor.
e. If significant natural features exist on the site (including creek
valleys, steep slopes, significant trees or rock outcroppings), to the
extent practical, then such natural features should be reflected in
the site layout. If the provisions of Section 32.5.2.n of the
Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance apply, then improvements
required by that section should be located so as to maximize the
use of existing features in screening such improvements from
Entrance Corridor streets.
f. The placement of structures on the site should respect existing
views and vistas on and around the site.
Site Grading
40
Site grading should maintain the basic relationship of the site to
The areas of development have been
Terrace retaining walls 6'
surrounding conditions by limiting the use of retaining walls and by
cleared and graded. The site rises from east
tall and taller and plant
shaping the terrain through the use of smooth, rounded land forms
to west. An 8'-high retaining wall is
the terraces.
that blend with the existing terrain. Steep cut or fill sections are
proposed at the southeast corner of parcel
generally unacceptable. Proposed contours on the grading plan AM
41J. The wall is not terraced. Top -of -wall
Provide top -of -wall and
be rounded with a ten foot minimum radius where they meet the
and bottom -of -wall elevations are not
bottom -of -wall elevations
adjacent condition. Final grading should achieve a natural, rather
provided.
for retaining walls.
than engineered, appearance. Retaining walls 6 feet in height and
taller, when necessary, shall be terraced and planted to blend with the
landsca
41
No grading, trenching, or tunneling should occur within the drip line
The areas of development have already
None.
of any trees or other existing features designated for preservation in
been cleared. There are no existing trees to
the final Certificate of Appropriateness. Adequate tree protection
remain.
fencing should be shown on, and coordinated throughout, the
grading, landscaping and erosion and sediment control plans.
42
Areas designated for preservation in the final Certificate of
Appropriateness should be clearly delineated and protected on the
site prior to any gradingactivity on the site. This protection should
remain in place until completion of the development of the site.
43
Preservation areas should be protected from storage or movement
of heavy equipment within this area.
20
Surface runoff structures and detention ponds should be designed to
No above -ground stormwater facilities are
None.
fit into the natural topography to avoid the need for screening. When
shown on the plan.
visible from the Entrance Corridor street, these features must be
fully integrated into the landscape. They should not have the
appearance of engineered features.
44
Natural drainage patterns (or to the extent required, new drainage
patterns) should be incorporated into the finished site to the extent
possible.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion:
1. Visibility of townhomes from the EC street; staff level review of the final plan.
2. Coordination of landscaping and utilities.
Staff recommends that the ARB forward the following recommendations to the Agent for the Site Review Committee:
• Regarding requirements to satisfy the design guidelines as per § 18-30.6.4c(2), (3) and (5) and recommended conditions of initial plan approval:
o Prior to Initial Plan approval the following items shall be resolved to the satisfaction of the ARB: None.
• Regarding recommendations on the plan as it relates to the guidelines: None.
• Regarding conditions to be satisfied prior to issuance of a grading permit: None.
Regarding the final site plan submittal:
A Certificate of Appropriateness is required prior to final site plan approval. The following items and all items on the ARB Final Site Plan
Checklist must be addressed in an ARB application for a Countywide Certificate of Appropriateness:
1. Provide architectural designs with the Final Site Plan submittal. The Final Site Plan and architecture may be reviewed as a Countywide
Certificate of Appropriateness.
2. Include the standard equipment note on the site and architectural plans: "Visibility of all mechanical equipment from the Entrance Corridor
shall be eliminated."
3. Provide a complete lighting plan with the Final Site Plan.
4. Provide a complete landscape plan with the Final Site Plan. Provide leader lines from utility and easement notes to clarify locations. Shift
utilities and easements and/or increase planting area to accommodate required landscaping free of utilities and easements.
5. Terrace retaining walls 6' tall and taller and plant the terraces.
6. Provide top -of -wall and bottom -of -wall elevations for retaining walls.
ATTACHMENTS
A — HTC Area C Townhomes Initial Site Plan
0W.11.1gW.1
This report is based on the following submittal items:
Sheet #
Drawing Name
Drawin Date/Revision Date
C 1
Cover
2020-04-06
C2
ZMA2017-05 Approved Proffers
C3
I Existing Conditions
C4
Site Plan: Block II
C5
Site Plan: Block III
C6
Site Plan: Block VII