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Home My WebLink AboutSDP200600087 Legacy Document 2006-12-29ti� pF AI Rn ALBEMARLE COUNTY PLANNING STAFF REPORT SUMMARY Project Name: UVA Research Park Town Staff: David Pennock Center Two — Lighting Waiver (SDP 06 -087) Planning Commission Public Hearing: Board of Supervisors Hearing: November 28, 2006 N/A Owners: UVA Foundation Applicant: UVA Foundation Acreage: 477.67 acres Rezone from: Not applicable Special Use Permit for: Not applicable TMP: Tax Map 32, Parcel 6A By -right use: PDIP (Planned Development Location: On the south side of Lewis and Industrial Park) Clark Drive approximately 1/2 miles west of the intersection with U.S. Route 29 Magisterial District: Rio Proffers /Conditions: No Requested # of Dwelling Units /Lots: N/A DA — X RA Proposal: Request for waiver of Sec. 4.17, Comp. Plan Designation: This area is Outdoor Lighting in order to allow a light that shown as Industrial in the Hollymead is not a "full cut -off luminaire ". Community. Character of Property: Proposed location Use of Surrounding Properties: UVA Town for UVA Research Park (formerly known as Center One and future site for UVA Town North Fork Research Park). Center Three and Four (proposed) Factors Favorable: Factors Unfavorable: 1. This waiver will allow a more uniform 1. The light fixture does not meet the "theme" for the lighting for the overall definition of "full cutoff luminaire ". area of this project within the Town Center District of UVA Research Park, which is a Planned District. RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff is not able to recommend approval to the Commission of a modification of Section 4.17.4. STAFF CONTACT: PLANNING COMMISSION: AGENDA TITLE: David E. Pennock, AICP November 28, 2006 SDP 2006 -087 PROPERTY OWNER: UVA Foundation APPLICANT: UVA Foundation — Todd Marshall (Contact) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: This area is shown as Industrial in the Hollymead Community. APPLICANT'S PROPOSAL: UVA Research Park (formerly known as North Fork Research Park - ZMA 95 -004) includes a town center segment that is to be developed in phases. Town Center One was approved in 1999 (SDP 99 -115), and Town Center Two was approved in 2000 (SDP 00 -070) with amendments in 2002 (SDP 02 -110) and 2005 (SDP 05- 102). Town Center Three and Four are currently under review (SDP 06 -113). All four of these buildings will be in close proximity to one another (see Attachment B). A light fixture in use in Town Center One was approved as part of the site plan for that project. The light met the definition of "full cut -off optics" that was included in the Zoning Ordinance at that time. Since then, that definition has been removed from the Zoning Ordinance (ZTA 01 -014). The current ordinance requires all lights to be "full cut -off luminaire ". The previously approved light does not meet the requirements as a "full cut -off luminaire ". The lights in Town Center One were approved under the previous definition and have been installed. However, because of the change in ordinance, the same type of light cannot be approved in the other phases. The applicant wishes to have a uniform light throughout the Town Center area. Thus, rather than replace or retrofit lights previously installed with Town Center One, the applicant is requesting a waiver of the ordinance requirements in order to continue to use this light in Town Center Two (Attachment Q. REASON FOR PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW: Section 4.17.4(a) requires that: 4.17.4 STANDARDS The following standards shall apply to each outdoor luminaire: a. Except as provided in section 4.17.6, each outdoor luminaire subject to these outdoor lighting regulations shall be a full cutoff luminaire. (Amended 10- 17 -01) The applicant has requested a waiver from this section in order to allow the use of the same type of light previously approved with Town Center One. As shown in the illustration on the next page, the proposed fixture (also shown in detail on the sheet labeled "Town Center Two — Original Approve Fixture" in Attachment D) has a light source with a bulb at the end of a socket extender. This allows the bulb to be recessed within the cap and segmented reflector of the lantern. Light generated by this bulb is generally directed downward both within and outside of the lantern fixture. However, light will also be reflected by the base of the lamp. Thus, some percentage of the light generated within the lantern will be directed out of the fixture at an angle above a horizontal plane. By definition, this means that the fixture itself is not downward directional, and so does meet the definition of "full cut -off luminaire" as listed in the ordinance: 4.17.3 Definitions The term `full cutoff luminaire" means an outdoor light fixture shielded in such a manner that all light emitted by the fixture, either directly or indirectly from the fixture, is projected below the horizontal plane. 2 i.•.. -36 Y#` Light Reflectance CAST ALUM #6 FINIAL PAI N I) C CARL rS T O d GRELN CAST ALUM LID PAINT CHARLESTON GREEN —LINK—LOCK CONNECTOR VL2 SEGMENTED RMECT R SOCKET EXTENDER ALL. ALUM. PARTS rNs ]]E FTYTLfRE PAINT, BLACK � 7' WIDC BASE PAINT, CHARL.ESTQN GRCEN PHIL `G BUTTEN CELL Section 4.17.5 of the Zoning Ordinance allows any of the standards of Section 4.17.4(a) to be modified by the Planning Commission. REVIEW OF SECTION 4.17.5: 4.17.5 MODIFICATION OR WAIVER Any standard of section 4.17.4.a may be modified or waived in an individual case, as provided herein: (Amended 10- 17 -01) a. The commission may modify or waive any standard set forth in section 4.17.4. a in an individual case, and the commission may impose conditions on such a modification or waiver which it deems appropriate to further the purposes of these outdoor lighting regulations, in either of the following circumstances: (Amended 10- 17 -01) 1. Upon finding that strict application of the standard would not forward the purposes of this chapter or otherwise serve the public health, safety or welfare, or that alternatives proposed by the owner would satisfy the purposes of these outdoor lighting regulations at least to an equivalent degree. Discussion — The applicant has proposed an alternative that would otherwise satisfy the outdoor lighting regulations. The amended "gooseneck" style of lights (shown in Attachment D) meet the requirements of the Ordinance and have been approved. However, the applicant wishes to have a uniform theme for the lighting throughout the Town Center area. Thus, this waiver will allow the previously installed lights from another section to be extended through this section as well. Because the project is within a planned district, the uniformity of lighting may be considered to have been anticipated by the developer. Given the lantern style of light, there is no practical way to retrofit the existing lights in a way that would meet ordinance requirements. The light source is generally concealed already — the reflectance within the fixture itself is the source of the upward lighting. Eliminating all reflectance is likely impossible with this style of fixture. RECOMMENDATION: Staff has reviewed this request with consideration for the required criteria. The review has resulted in mixed findings for and against approval of the waiver: Factors favorable to approval: 1. This waiver will allow a more uniform "theme" for the lighting for the overall area of this project. Factors unfavorable to approval: 1. The light fixture does not meet the definition of "full cutoff luminaire ". Generally staff finds that this request is inconsistent with the criteria of Section 4.17.5 for granting a modification. Therefore, staff is not able to recommend approval to the Commission of a modification of Section 4.17.4. Attachments: A - Location Map B - Application Plan Reduction C - Applicant's Request and Justification D - Cut - sheets of Various Light Types 2