HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA202000013 Project Narrative 2020-12-07PANTOPS PDMC AMENDMENT
ZMA2020-000XX I AN AMENDMENT TO ZMA2002-08
PROJECT NARRATIVE
SUBMITTED DECEMBER 7, 2020
Parcel
Acreage
Existing Zoning
Pantops Master Plan
Land Use Designation
TMP 78-73A7
2.73
PDMC, HC, and R-15
Community Mixed Use
+ Parks and Green
Systems
WS Four, LLC is the owner (the "owner") of tax parcel 07800-00-00-073A7 in Albemarle County; a 2.6870 acre parcel
located approximately 240'west of the intersection of Hansen Road and the eastbound lanes of Route 250 Richmond Road
(the "property"). WS Four, LLC requests to rezone the property from Planned Development Mixed Commercial (PDMC),
Highway Commercial, and R-15 to Planned Development Mixed Commercial (PDMC) to amend the application plan and
proffers approved with ZMA2002-00008 to allow for the construction of a hotel on the property.
Project Proposal
ZMA2002-00008 is an amendment to ZMA1998-00020, which first established the application plan for the Pantops
PDMC. The following are actions approved with ZMA1998-00020 and ZMA2002-0008 shown in italics and revisions to
these approvals proposed with this 2020 ZMA application shown in bold.
ZMA1998-20:
Modifications, for Application Plan approval:
a. The Board granted a waiver of restrictions to development on critical slopes for and restricted to the Kroger
Shopping Center site, the DMV site and to those areas shown for roadways and other infrastructure
improvements on the Application Plan. Subsequent requests for other critical slopes waivers as may be requested
as other site plans as presented will be entertained by the Planning Commission.
No revisions proposed with this ZMA.
b. The Board did not find that the request for relief from stormwater detention requirements to be contrary to
general planning/policy issues. The Board will allow administrative determination by the Engineering
Department subject to satisfaction of the Engineering Department concerns as to adequacy of water quality
measures as well as adequacy of downstream channels.
No revisions proposed with this ZMA.
c. The Board can determine no compelling reason to incorporate commercial roadways into the public road
network. Private roads will generally allow more flexibility in site design due to more flexibility in setbacks and
improvements which may occur within the right-of-way. Therefore, the Board approved usage of private
roadways internal to the development. This should not be viewed as a zoning restriction/prohibition to Board
approval of these roads as public roads at some future date; and
No revisions proposed with this ZMA.
d. The Board believes that PD-SC parking standard was intended to encourage a Planned Development approach
for shopping center development. The Board found that this intent has been accomplished through this petition
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and that usage of the PD-SC parking standard would be appropriate with this intent as with standards of the
Comprehensive Plan.
The applicant proposes to comply with parking standards for hotel use stated in Sec.4.12.6 of the
Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance on the subject property.
Requirements, for Application Plan approval:
1. A landscape plan providing full screening of all buildings and parking areas visible from Monticello shall be
provided as a condition of site plan approval for all development. The landscape plan may preserve existing trees
or provide plantings which shall provide the necessary screening within 15 years.
No revisions proposed with this ZMA.
2. A street tree plan providing a visual buffer for Hansen Road and Rolkin Road shall be provided as a condition of
site plan or road plan approval. Large street trees shall be planted on both side of such roads in accordance with
Section 32.7.9.6 of the Zoning Ordinance and shall be staggered on opposite sides of the road.
No revisions proposed with this ZMA; this requirement has been satisfied in the PDMC.
3. All buildings shall be designed to provide rooftop style, treatment and color schemes which assure minimal visual
impact on the Monticello viewshed. Assurance of such style, treatment and color schemes shall be a condition of
final site plan approval. Such approval may be given by the Director of Planning and Community Development
after providing notice to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation and an opportunity for Foundation
comments to be considered
No revisions proposed with this ZMA.
4. Approval and execution of the Four Party Road Improvement Agreement substantially in accord with the
document dated October 20, 1998, and attached hereto, shall be required prior to the approval of any
development plan.
No revisions proposed with this ZMA; this requirement has been satisfied in the PDMC.
ZMA2002-00008:
Tax Map 78-73A: Modification of the ZU498-20 Application Plan and Pro ers:
A. The portion of the Application Plan for ZMA 98-20, outlined in red, located generally west of Hansen Road, and
comprised of the area designated as "Hotel #7 — 100 Rooms" on the attached copy of the ZU498-20 Application
Plan, is amended to allow "Office Space" instead of a hotel. The development of this Office Space area shall be
in general accord with the `Preliminary Site Development Plans for Office at South Pantops", prepared by
Rivanna Engineering, dated January 3, 2002 and revised January 7, 2003.
No revisions proposed with this ZMA; this requirement has been satisfied in the PDMC.
B. The portion of the Application Plan for ZMA98-20 outlined in blue, located generally east of Hansen Road, and
comprised of the area designated as "Office Space #5 — 45,000 SQ Ft", is amended to reduce the permitted
square footage of office space use from forty-five thousand (45,000) square feet to twenty thousand (20,000)
square [feet].
No revisions proposed with this ZMA; this requirement has been satisfied in the PDMC.
C. The tree conservation area depicted by dotted lines on the `Preliminary Site Development Plans for Office at
South Pantops ", prepared by Rivanna Engineering, dated January 3, 2002 and revised January 7, 2003 may be
reduced in size so that its western boundary is moved in from the common property line with Tax Map 78 parcel
13A by up to fifty (50) feet.
This ZMA proposes removal of the tree conservation area depicted by dotted lines on the "Preliminary Site
Development Plans for Office at South Pantops." An application plan for the subject property, provided
with this ZMA, shows proposed site improvements in the location of the tree conservation area. Existing
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conditions on the property indicate that much of the tree conservation area was previously disturbed and
does not currently contain vegetation.
D. The three modifications listed in A, B, and C above are in addition to those previously approved, and in all other
respects the previously approved Application Plan and the modifications and requirements reflected in the
October 28, 1998 letter apply.
This ZMA application proposes changes to the approved Application Plan for this property; hotel use is
proposed on the subject property. All requested changes to prior approvals are noted in this (2020) ZMA
application.
E. The applicant shall provide the County with a modified application plan showing the changes authorized by the
modifications, listed in A, B and C above, per section 8.5.5 of the Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance. However,
the modified application plan can be limited to the area covered by this zoning request.
This has been satisfied. For this ZMA application a revised application plan is provided that is limited to
the area covered by this (2020) zoning request.
F. Accept the proffer pertaining to the 120 foot "no build zone" (Attachment D).
This proffer has expired.
In addition to the changes noted above which include revisions to the approved PDMC application plan to allow for a
hotel use on tax parcel 78-73A7 and removal of the tree conservation area, this ZMA application proposes further
amendment to the approved application plan to depict an entrance to the site from Route 250 and removal of a landscape
easement westem/northwestern property boundary adjacent to the rear parking lot of the Auto Superstore.
Consistency with the Master Plan + Comprehensive Plan
The property is primarily designated as Community Mixed Use and a portion of the property along its south/southwestern
boundary is designated as Parks and Green Systems. The Future Land Use Typologies table states that the intent of this
designation is to promote, "mixed use development with a mix of medium to high -density residential, commercial, retail,
office, and other uses that serve the community, with a high intensity of uses expected in a walkable development
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pattern." A hotel on this site would contribute to developing a high intensity of uses within the community mixed -use
zoning designation as there are already existing retail, commercial, and office uses within the area designated as
"community mixed use." Further, a hotel is identified as a primary use within the community mixed use designation and
so the proposed use on this property is directly consistent with recommendations called for in the Master Plan.
This ZMA request is directly consistent with multiple strategies as outlined in the Albemarle County Comprehensive Plan
specifically:
CO, Strategy la: Continue to encourage approval of new development proposals in the Development Areas as the
designated location for new residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed -use development
This project is located within the development areas and seeks to amend a previously approved planned development
district for commercial development.
Ch6, Strategy la: Promote new employment activities in the Development Areas and encourage developers of
commercial and industrial project to incorporate the Neighborhood Model Principles
This commercial development is within the development areas and will provide employment activities and opportunities.
An analysis of this project's consistency with Neighborhood Model Principles is included in this project narrative.
Ch6 Strategy 4b: Encourage development of business and industrial uses in the Development Areas on appropriately
zoned land and consider proactively rezoning land to allow for light industrial uses that have been identified on master
plans
This property is currently zoned for mixed commercial use however, the existing application plan does not contemplate a
hotel use on this property, development in the tree conservation area, or an entrance to the site from Route 250; this
application seeks to develop a commercial enterprise on appropriately zoned land.
Ch6 Strategy 4c: Explore opportunities to assist with redevelopment of underutilized commercial and industrial zoned
properties
Although this project is not a redevelopment proposal, approval of this ZMA would assist with the future development of
this underutilized commercial property. This property is located within an established commercial center and will develop
once a plan is established on the property that allows for site improvements on the property.
The following is an analysis of the project's consistency with Neighborhood Model Principles:
Pedestrian Orientation:
The proposed development will feature required internal sidewalk improvements.
Mixture of Uses:
A hotel on this site would contribute to a mixture of uses with the "Community Mixed Use" designated area.
Neighborhood Center:
This property is within a designated urban center, Rivanna Ridge, and a hotel on this property will contribute to the
overall vitality of the urban center by establishing an employment opportunity and a place that is frequented by people. As
an undeveloped property predominantly surrounded by developed properties, more intense development on this property
will contribute to a more compact neighborhood center, which is called for in the Master Plan.
Mixture of Housing Types and Affordability:
There are no residential uses proposed with this project.
Interconnected Streets and Transoortation Networks:
The property is part of an existing PDMC that established interconnected streets parallel to Route 250
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Multi -Modal Transportation Networks:
The property will feature required internal sidewalks and pedestrian streetscape improvements along Route 250 to ensure
pedestrians can safely cross the proposed entrance to the site.
Parks- Recreational Amenities- and Open Space:
A portion of the site is designated as parks and green systems; the applicant will work with Staff throughout the ZMA
review process to understand the County's specific proposal for this area and how that vision may be realized on this
property with this project proposal.
Buildings and Spaces of Human Scale:
The proposed hotel is four stories, which is consistent with recommendations for community mixed use areas as outlined
in the Pantops Master Plan.
Relegated Parking_
The application plan shows parking to the side of the building, and the potential for parking to be accommodated
underneath the building.
Redevelopment:
The property is currently undeveloped; however it has been zoned PDMC for over 20 years. This revision will allow the
property to develop in a manner that contributes to the Urban Core.
Respecting Terrain and Careful Grading and Regrading of Terrain:
Managed slopes are present on the property and any grading in managed slopes will comply with Section 18-30.7.5 of the
Albemarle County Code.
CONSISTENCY WITH ZONING DISTRICT
The intent of the PDSC district is "to permit the development of large-scale commercial areas with a broad range of
commercial uses under a unified planned approach. It is intended that PD-MC districts be established on major highways
in the urban area and communities in the comprehensive plan. In recognition that such large-scale development may
substantially reduce the functional integrity and safety of public roads if permitted with unplanned access, it is intended
that multiple access to existing public roads be discouraged and that development and accessed be oriented toward and
internal road system having carefully planned intersections with existing public roads." The PDMC district is already
established on a majority of this property and rezoning the small portions of the property that are HC and R-15 would
bring the existing property boundaries under one unified district. The Pantops PDMC is an established planned district
established on major highway, Route 250, in the development areas. Although multiple points of access to the PDMC are
discouraged, due to the location of the parcel on the edge of the approved Pantops PDMC and the topographic relationship
of the property to adjacent parcels, it would be difficult to achieve primary access to the parcel from the established
internal road network. An entrance to the site from Route 250 is proposed and the applicant will work with VDOT and
transportation planning throughout the ZMA review and site planning processes to determine the location and
specifications of the proposed entrance.
IMPACTS ON PUBLIC FACILITIES
& PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
Water and sewer:
The property will connect to public water and sewer and will have demands typical of commercial hotel development.
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Traffic:
Trip generation estimates for an all -suites hotel with 125 rooms was prepared using ITE trip generation estimates. The
daily and peak hour totals are in Table 1 below:
TABLE 1:
Trip Generation Manual, loth Edition
i AM
PM
DAILY
Use Description
ITE
in
out
Total
in
out
Total
Total
All Suites Hotel
311
125 room
23
20
43
20
1 22
1 42
531
US Route 250 (Richmond Rd) has an AADT of 36,000 trips along the 1.79 miles stretch of road from its intersection with
Route 20 to I-64 East of Charlottesville according to 2019 VDOT AADT data. Of those 36,000 trips, it is estimated that
3,275 of those trips occur in the peak hour. During the AM peak hour, the peak direction is westbound towards
Charlottesville while during the PM peak hour, the peak direction is eastbound towards 1-64. Since it is likely that an
approved entrance on this site will be right -in, right -out only, it is anticipated traffic from this site will enter the site from
the eastbound approach and exit the site heading eastbound. Given these entrance constraints directing the traffic flow to
and from the site, the anticipated total number of trips from the site during the AM Peak Hour (43 trips) will contribute to
a 3.5% increase in the number of trips traveling eastbound and the anticipated total number of trips from the site during
the PM Peak Hour (42 trips) will contribute to a 2% increase in the number of trips traveling eastbound in the PM peak
hour.
The number of trips anticipated to be generated from a hotel use on this site is consistent with the number of trips that
were originally anticipated to be realized within the PDMC; the application plan approved with ZMA1998-20 and
subsequently amended by ZM4,2002-08 depicts 7,000 SF (Retail #8 on approved application plan, see Figure 1) of
specialty retail near this property's boundary with the current SunTrust Bank property. The bank on tax parcel 78-73A4 is
3,860 SF according to Albemarle GIS and therefore there is 3,140 SF of specialty retail that remains undeveloped. This
specialty retail could be dedicated to a variety of users with varying daily trip generation numbers; for example, if a 3,140
SF fast casual restaurant were realized on the property, the trip generation from this user would be 977 daily trips (ITE
code 930) whereas if a pharmacy without a drive -through were realized on this property, the daily trip generation would
be 279 trips (ITE code 880).
Figure 1:
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IMPACT ON SCHOOLS
There are no proposed residential units within this development and therefore there are no impacts on public schools.
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
All design and engineering for improving the property will comply with applicable County and State regulations. The
project will utilize underground detention for storage of stormwater runoff and will discharge into existing drainage
easements abutting the property. Stormwater treatment is anticipated to be consistent with typical urban developments and
may utilize the purchasing of nutrient credits.
PROPOSED PROFFERS TO ADDRESS IMPACTS
As a project within a planned development district, the application plan will guide development on this property. The
applicant will work with Staff throughout the review process to identify impacts from the project; there are no proposed
proffers at this time.
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