HomeMy WebLinkAboutSUB202000190 Request of Modification, Variance, Waiver 2020-11-23SHIMP ENGINEERING, P.C.
Design Focused Engineering
November 20, 2020
Mr. Charles Rapp, Director of Planning
County of Albemarle
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
RE: Slabtown Meadow (TMP 56-38)
Request for Variation from Section 14-404(A)
Dear Mr. Rapp,
Pursuant to Section 14-404(B), the agent may vary or except the requirements of sections 14-404(A) of
the Subdivision Ordinance which requires a single point of access on the lot from one street, shared
driveway, or alley established at the same time as the original subdivision. The owner of tax parcel 56-38,
a property that is the subject of a subdivision known as "Slabtown Meadow," requests a variation from
the requirements of Section 14-404(A).
The subdivision plat for Slabtown Meadow proposes the creation of seven (7) single family home lots
from the 7.41 acre parent parcel that is zoned R-1 Residential. A considerable portion of the parent parcel
is designated as stream buffer and floodplain, however there are approximately two acres of the parcel
adjacent to Crozet Avenue that do not contain environmentally sensitive features and that can
accommodate seven (7) building sites. The homes in the Slabtown Meadow subdivision are designed to
be oriented towards Crozet Avenue where six of the lots would be accessed from three (3) separate shared
driveways and one (1) of the lots would be accessed from a single driveway. The proposed design has
considerably less impervious surfaces when compared to a design that accommodates internal road
infrastructure that would be required to provide a single point of access to the subdivision. Although
multiple points of access are proposed with multiple driveways, we have reduced the possible access
points by arranging the lots so that six of them may be served by shared driveways. The design of the
proposed Slabtown Meadow will establish seven (7) by -right residential lots that effectively make use of
the developable portions of the parent parcel while minimizing disturbance in areas designated as
environmentally sensitive features and further respecting those environmentally sensitive features by
minimizing the amount of impervious surface needed to access the proposed lots by designing them to be
accessed by a series of shared driveways. In your consideration of this request for variation from Section
14-404(A), please consider the following justification provided in accordance with Sec. 14-203. 1 (B)2:
As aforementioned, portions of the property are designated as stream buffer and floodplain,
limiting the developable land that can be dedicated to home site and infrastructure improvements
within Slabtown Meadow. If an internal road providing a single point of access to the subdivision
were to be provided, a significant portion of the land that is developable would be dedicated to
impervious surface to serve the internal road. The three shared driveways and one single
912 E. High St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1 434.227.5140 1 shimp-engineering.com
driveway that are proposed to serve the lots within Slabtown Meadow significantly reduce the
amount of impervious surface necessary to provide access to the proposed lots.
Further, the single point of access may be a requirement to limit potential conflict points on
public streets and so although this proposal puts forth a total of four access points to serve seven
total lots, there is significant property frontage along Crozet Avenue which allows for the
proposed driveways to be spaced at a minimum, 185' apart. Additionally, the surrounding
properties are largely built -out and so it is unlikely any additional access points will be provided
on Crozet Ave in the immediate vicinity of this property.
Thank you for your consideration of this variation request for the Slabtown Meadows subdivision.
Regards,
Justin Shimp, P.E.
Shimp Engineering, P.C.