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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSE202000019 Correspondence 2020-10-26 (3)SHIMP ENGINEERING, P.C. Design Focused Engineering Project Narrative For: Special Exception for Christian Aid Mission Parcel Description: Tax Map 59, Parcel 23G1 Initial Submittal: Date October 26, 2020 Revised: Date(s) N/A Current Revision Date: Date N/A Pre-App Meeting Date: Date June 8, 2020 ACREAGE EXISTING LAND USE COMP PLAN ZONING DESIGNATION TMP 59-23G1 12 AC Commercial Semi -Public Rural Areas Office Additional Zoning Considerations: Entrance Corridor, Critical Slopes Location: On Route 250, 600' east of Broomley Road Project Proposal: Christian Aid Mission is the owner (the "owner") of tax map parcel 05900-00-00-023G1, a 12-acre property located at the northeastern comer of the intersection of Ivy Road (Route 250) and Broomley Road (the "property"). The owner desires to construct a full -access entrance to the site from Broomley Road; construction of this entrance will require disturbance of critical slopes. Although the property is zoned commercial office, it is designated within the Rural Areas of the Albemarle Comprehensive Plan and therefore, granting of a special exception is required for the disturbance of these slopes. Currently, the Regents School of Charlottesville, a private school, operates on the property and development on the property is subject to the conditions of SP201600025, which permits the operation of a private school in accordance with the conditions approved with that application. With the approval of SP201800011, the Regents School of Charlottesville was granted approval to operate on a property off of Reservoir Road in Albemarle County and so in anticipation of the Regents School of Charlottesville moving to their new location off of Reservoir Road, the owner requests the Board of Supervisors approve the disturbance of critical slopes for the construction of a full access entrance off of Broomley Road to better serve the Christian Aid Mission and/or a future tenant on the property once the property is no longer encumbered by the conditions triggered by the operation of a private school use. The partial access entrance constructed by Regents School of Charlottesville restricts exiting movement to right -out only. Those who need to head east out of the site are likely to make an illegal U-turn at Broomley Road, or use private parking lots along Route 250 to turn around and head in the opposite direction. Allowing for a full -access entrance on Broomley Road allows traffic to be facilitated in either direction at the Route 250/Broomley Road traffic light, allowing for safer movement on Route 250. 912 E. High St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1434.227.5140 1 shimp-engineering.com While Regents School of Charlottesville must manage their traffic as a private school use, Christian Aid Mission and/or a future by -right user of the site do not generate substantial peak hour trips, relative to a private school use. Directing left -out traffic towards Broomley Road would not create back-up traffic into the residential areas, as Christian Aid Mission and/or a future by -right user are not expected to generate high peak hour trips (see below) as Regents School of Charlottesville. The applicant proposes, as a condition of critical slopes disturbance approval, that the existing channelization island at the entrance onto Route 250 remain in place, guiding right -out traffic to make use of the existing entrance, while left - out traffic moves onto Broomley Road. In accordance with Sec 4.2.5(a.)(1.) address the following (the public, health, safety, and welfare factors): Rapid and/or Large -Scale movement of soil and rock The disturbance of critical slopes will require cutting into existing native soils (see attached section exhibit). Cutting into existing native soils and existing slopes does not create high risk of rapid or large- scale movement of soil and rock, as opposed to place fill on top of a sloped area. Cut slopes are no steeper than 2:1. Adherence to County erosion and sediment control measures, as well as stormwater regulations shall protect against erosion that could lead to rapid or large-scale movement of soil and rock. Excessive stormwater run-off An engineered ditch and swale are proposed with the new entrance to prevent excessive stormwater run- off. A drainage inlet is to be provided at the end of the ditch, piping stormwater to the existing riprap on the other side of the entrance. The proposed stormwater management features must additionally be in accordance with County regulations, which are in place to manage stormwater run-off effectively. Siltation of natural and man-made bodies of water, loss of aesthetic resources The proposed improvement will be subject to the County's Water Protection Ordinance, with erosion and sediment control measures provided at the time of construction. While a stream exists approximately 700' northwest of the proposed entrance, a railroad right-of-way with an accompanying ditch is present between the property and the stream. With the proposed ditch, the presence of the railroad bed, and compliance with the County ordinances in place, it is highly unlikely that impacts would directly affect the stream. As the critical slopes have been previously graded by the Virginia Department of Transportation, they do not provide an aesthetic resource in this area. In the event of septic systems failure: a greater travel distance of septic effluent This factor is not applicable, as the site will connect to public sanitary services. In accordance with Sec. 4.2.5.3, please consider the following findings: The following traffic analysis supports the findings (a) and (d) as required by the County Ordinance. a. Strict application of the requirements of section 4.2 would not forward the purposes of this chapter or otherwise serve the public health, safety or welfare; d. Granting the modification or waiver would serve a public purpose of greater import than would be served by strict application of the regulations sought to be modified or waived Prior to 2014 improvements, the Route 250 entrance on Bob Finley Way allowed for full -access movement. To improve the flow of traffic, Regents School of Charlottesville constructed the entrance in ZMA201900000 Narrative 2 2014 as partial -access, inhibiting left -out movement leaving the site. While the partial -access entrance improves safer movement merging onto Route 250, drivers who needed to make the left -turn movement would likely make an illegal U-turn at the intersection of Broomley Road and Route 250, or must turn into private property along Route 250 or Broomley Road to turn around and move eastbound. This unintended consequence causes issues for the general public off -site and could be addressed with the second entrance. Additionally, drivers who need to move eastbound but are forced to turn right will have to turn around (through a U-turn or on private property) and merge into higher volumes of traffic in the mornings, as more trips move eastbound into the City during the AM peak hour. The proposed entrance on Broomley Road would guide drivers to the traffic light at the intersection of Route 250, allowing for safe left -turn movement and removing the likelihood of illegal U-turns and turn-arounds on private property. Following Regents School of Charlottesville's departure from the property, there could be approximately 30,000 sq. ft. of general office. According to ITE Trip Generation, 101 Edition and the 2019 Virginia Department of Tranpsortation Daily Traffic Volume Estimates, there could be around five trips turning left out of the site in the mornings and ten trips turning left out of the site in the evenings. Prior traffic studies have shown that there is less than 30-second delay for a left -turn at this intersection, with a queue length at about 5-6 vehicles; all vehicles in the queue are able to make the left -turn within one cycle. With a conservative estimate of 10 vehicles in the evening requiring a left -out from the site in the peak hour, vehicles in the queue would not create substantial back-up on Broomley Road. A queue of 10 vehicles would not back-up past the proposed entrance nor cause negative impact to the residential communities north of this site. Drivers forced to turn around on Route 250 or on Broomley Road would create more traffic disruption and unsafe maneuvering, impacting all drivers on this segment of Route 250, which could be addressed with facilitating left -out traffic towards the existing traffic light infrastructure. Use ITE IV I AM PM Total In Out Total In Out Total Office 710 30,000 s . ft. GFA 47 8 55 6 30 36 292 Route 250 3.84-mile segment (Dick Woods Road to US 29, Bus US 250 I Road AADT 13000 Dir Factor 0.689 AM Irturn Out 5 PM L-turn Out 10 ZMA201900000 Narrative 3 Proposed Conditions of Approval: Channelization island in Route 250 Commercial Entrance to remain to prevent left turn egress movements. Summary of Attached Exhibits: Two exhibits are provided with this submittal. An alternative entrance exhibit was requested by the County, to see if moving the entrance to the existing gravel road was feasible. While it is feasible, the travelway is increased in length to meet the required grade and results in increased critical slopes disturbance. A cross section of the proposed entrance depicts the cut section into critical slopes, which demonstrates that the accessway and adjacent ditch would act as a graded bench. The graded bench would be constructed within the existing critical slope, capturing stormwater run-off rather than allowing drainage to sheet flow across a steep slope. Attachments: Entrance Location Exhibit Section A -A' Exhibit ZMA201900000 Narrative 4