HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP200500034 Staff Report 2006-06-15 (2)COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
AGENDA TITLE: Camp Watermarks, SP 2005-34
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant
proposes to operate a nature / agriculture camp, four
weeks per year for local children on James River
Road (TM 136, parcels 613, 9D, 9D1, and 9E) with
the entrance drive located less than %2 mile west of
the intersection of Route 726 and Hatton Ferry
Road.
STAFF: Amy Ransom Arnold
PLANNING COMMISSION DATE: April 11,
2006
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DATE: May 3,
2006
APPLICANT / OWNER: Angela and Travis Critzer and Stuart Tapscott
PROPOSAL: The applicant has requested a Special Use Permit to allow for the establishment of a
camp for girls and boys from ages 8 - 18 in an agricultural setting. The applicant proposes to hold a
maximum of four overnight sessions per year at the camp with a maximum enrollment of 36 - 45
children for each session. The four week sessions would consist of one week during spring planting,
two weeks during the summer growing season, and a fourth week for fall harvest. Camp activities
and accommodations are proposed in several areas of the site including nine cabins, a recreation
hall/dining facility, basketball and skate boarding areas, a fishing lake, fire pit, and nearby animal
paddock. The applicants have indicated that one of their primary goals is to provide nature and
agricultural experiences for children who normally have limited exposure to outdoor and / or
agricultural environments.
BACKGROUND: The applicants had operated the camp for a week during the summer of 2005
utilizing buildings approved only for agricultural use. Electricity had been installed in the cabins
without permits. The shower room had been in use during the camp session without building,
electrical, or plumbing permits. In addition, the shower room had been operated without Heath
Department approval of the septic system. The violations were abated on September 16, 2005, when
the camp showers were disconnected and the applicant agreed to preclude camp activities until the
approval of the appropriate permits.
DISCUSSION/FINDINGS:
Staff has identified the following factors favorable to this application:
1. Farming will continue as the primary activity on these parcels; the camp is a secondary use.
2. The applicant's proposal for traffic management on James River Road is sensitive to potential
impacts on the neighborhood.
3. The camp environment is well integrated into the surrounding landscape.
4. The camp has the potential to heighten awareness and understanding of agricultural processes
and natural resources.
Staff has identified the following factors unfavorable to this application:
1. Increased traffic on James River Road.
2. Increase in overall activity levels on and around the site.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff has reviewed this request for compliance with the provisions of Section
31.2.4.1 of the Zoning Ordinance and recommends approval, based on consistency with the
Comprehensive Plan, subject to conditions of approval.
SP 2005-034
Camp Watermarks