HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA200600012 Staff Report 2007-01-05COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
PLANNING STAFF REPORT SUMMARY
Project Name: ZMA 06- 12 UVA Foundation
Staff: Rebecca Ragsdale
Amendment for ART Building Annex
Planning Commission Public Hearing:
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing:
November 7, 2006
December 13, 2006
Owners: University of Virginia Foundation
Applicant: University of Virginia Foundation
Acreage: 5.9 acres
Rezone from: CO with proffer to CO with
amended proffers.
TMP: 76-17B
By -right use: Office/Research Park Zoned CO
Location: Fontaine Research Park on Ray C.
and approved for up to 535,000 square feet
Hunt Drive on Fontaine Avenue Ext.
Magisterial District: Samuel Miller
Proffers: Yes
Proposal: Amend proffers to allow additional
Total Requested Square Footage: 565,000
building space of 30,000 square feet.
DA (Development Area): Neighborhood 6
Comp. Plan Designation: Office Service
Character of Property: Research Park and
Use of Surrounding Properties: Research
open space
park and open space immediately; residential to
the east of park.
Factors Favorable:
Factors Unfavorable:
1. The building expansion can be
Staff has not identified factors unfavorable to this
accommodated by the existing site plan,
request
without adverse impacts to the physical
environment, other activities on the site, or
nearby properties and neighborhoods.
2. The research park is located within the
urban area, close to the City, and
concentrating office and research activities
in this location places jobs close to areas of
dense population.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of ZMA 2004-010, provided that proffers are
revised based on staff recommendations and that a Certified Engineers Report is submitted with
approval of a final site plan for the proposed building annex.
STAFF PERSON: Rebecca Ragsdale
PLANNING COMMISSION DATE: November 7, 2006
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DATE: December 13, 2006
ZMA 200 UVA RESEARCH PARK AMENDMENT
PETITION:
PROJECT: ZMA 2006-12 UVA Foundation -Advanced Research & Technology Building Annex
PROPOSAL: Rezoning on CO -Commercial Office (offices, supporting commercial and service
uses; and residential use by special use permit at 15 units/ acre) zoned property to allow an
additional 30,000 square feet for a building square footage total of 565,000.
PROFFERS: Yes
EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE/DENSITY: Office Service - office uses,
regional scale research, limited production and marketing activities, supporting commercial,
lodging and conference facilities, and residential (6.01-34 units/acre) in the Development Area.
ENTRANCE CORRIDOR: Yes
LOCATION: Ray C. Hunt Drive in the Fontaine Research Park, located on Fontaine Avenue,
adjacent to the northeast of the Rt.29/250 Bypass in Neighborhood 6 of the Development Area.
TAX MAP/PARCEL: TMP 76-17B, 17136
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: Samuel Miller
CHARACTER OF THE AREA:
Fontaine Research Park has seven existing buildings, primarily involved with medical services
or health-related research, with the exception of AIMR and the front building which houses the
University's development office. Beyond the park boundaries but accessed via Ray C. Hunt
Drive are the Forestry Building and associated warehouse. Nearby are the Nob Hill subdivision,
Buckingham Circle neighborhood, Piedmont housing area (UVa) within the County and the Fry's
Spring and Jefferson Park Avenue neighborhoods within the City.
SPECIFICS OF THE PROPOSAL:
The applicant is seeking to amend an existing proffer approved with ZMA 2004-10, to allow
additional square footage within the University of Virginia's Fontaine Research Park for research
and laboratory space. Attachments B-E explain the applicants request and provide a tally of
square footage within the research park as well as exhibits showing the Advanced Research
and Technology (ART) building. An existing proffer limits total buildings in the park to 535,000
square feet. (Attachment E) If approved, this proffer amendment would add 30,000 square feet,
increasing total park capacity to 565,000 square feet. The proposed expansion will add
additional research space for the approved ART facility and will be located in basement annex
underneath an approved parking area. Because research equipment typically occupies a larger
spatial area than standard office furnishings, a larger research building may generate the same
number of people (and cars) as a smaller office building. Zoning has determined that parking
should be adequate and specifics will be addressed with the site development plan.
ZMA 2006-12 Fontaine Research Park Amendment 2
Planning Commission 11/7/06
APPLICANT'S JUSTIFICATION FOR REQUEST:
The proposed expansion is to add a basement annex to an existing approved building in the
park called the Advance Research and Technology (ART) building for additional research space
and will have limited traffic impacts. (Attachment B)
PLANNING & ZONING HISTORY:
In June 1992 the property in question was rezoned (ZMA 92-03) from PD -SC and R-10 to CO
Commercial Office with proffers and a proffered plan of development. A special use permit (SP
92-13) for supporting commercial uses, research and development activities, including
experimental testing was also approved with a condition that a Certified Engineers Report be
provided to ensure compliance with the provisions of Section 4.14 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Medical and pharmaceutical laboratories was also approved in 1992 with the rezoning. Since
then, the site has been subdivided to provide individual parcels for each of the institutional uses
referenced above. In September 2000 amendments to the original ZMA and SP were
approved, allowing an additional 106,000 square feet and bringing total research park square
footage to 495,000. In October 2004, a rezoning was approved (ZMA 2004-10) that allowed an
additional 40,000 square feet of for a current maximum of 535,000 square feet of building area.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
Land Use Plan
The park is recommended for Office Service in Neighborhood Six of the Comprehensive Plan,
Land Use Plan. Recommended Office Service uses include the following:
Office parks and mixed-use planned developments emphasizing office uses and
regional scale research and office uses providing information and professional services
to the County and the larger region. Limited production activities and marketing of
products may be included.
High density residential, commercial, and motel/hotel/conference facilities may be
included as a secondary use.
Office Service designation requires a large site size (20+ acres), arterial road
accessibility, water and sewer availability, and compatibility with adjacent land uses.
The applicant's proposal is also consistent with the preliminary findings and recommendations
of the Southern Urban Area B Study (accepted by the PACC but not yet adopted by the
County), which identifies Fontaine Research Park as an existing Neighborhood Center and
acknowledges and supports the potential for additional development within the park, both
employment related and supporting commercial. Similarly, the applicant's proposal does not
conflict with any of the connector road alternatives between Fontaine Avenue and Sunset
Avenue Extended identified and evaluated by the study. The 1988 JPA/Fontaine Area B Study,
predecessor to the current study, stated that these [Research Park] parcels should be
considered for rezoning, after completion of feasibility studies by the University.
ZMA 2006-12 Fontaine Research Park Amendment
Planning Commission 11/7/06
The Neighborhood Model
The Neighborhood Model, an adopted part of the Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Plan, sets
forth twelve principles for evaluating development proposals within the Development Area.
Neighborhood Model principles are not strongly reflected in this research park, which pre -dated
the County's current policy and embodies a more suburban approach to development. Those
which are reflected to some degree in this proposal and/or in the park are:
Pedestrian
Although the organization and dimensions of the research park do not
Orientation
make it an easy pedestrian environment, there is a sidewalk network
linking buildings within the park, and linking the park network to
Fontaine Avenue which has a pedestrian facility.
Neighborhood
Landscaping and streetscaping make many of the internal streets
Friendly Streets and
attractive for pedestrians.
Paths
Interconnected
The applicant has an existing proffer to construct a bus shelter for
Streets and
transit riders to improve waiting conditions. Currently, the site is
Transportation
served by JAUNT and a hospital van shuttle. The recommended bus
Networks
shelter would serve the CTS route when it commences.
Mixture of Uses
The proposed site and adjacent parcels are characterized by a limited
mixture of uses including office, laboratory, clinical/medical and
institutional/educational. Residential uses are located nearby.
Neighborhood
The park serves as an employment -oriented neighborhood center,
Centers
and has the potential to become a better center with the addition of
supporting commercial uses. It is an important regional employment
center.
Site Planning that
Development in the park has been oriented away from sensitive
Respects Terrain
environmental features
Parks and Open
The design of the research park includes a central green element and
Space
preservation of natural areas on the edges of the site. The applicant
previously proffered to dedicate land along Morey Creek for a
greenway.
Mixture of Housing
No residential uses are proposed in the research park but a variety of
Types and
residential uses are located nearby.
Affordability
Redevelopment
This proposal will add building square footage underneath a proposed
parking lot. It is not redevelopment, but is expanding within the same
developable area determined with the master plan for the park.
ZMA 2006-12 Fontaine Research Park Amendment 4
Planning Commission 11/7/06
STAFF COMMENT:
Relationship between the application and the purpose and intent of the requested zoning
district
The applicant is requesting an amendment to the existing proffers to allow additional office use
in a CO Commercial Office district. The purpose and intent of the CO district is to permit
development of administrative, business and professional office and supporting accessory uses
and facilities. The district is intended as a transition between residential districts and other more
intensive commercial and industrial districts. The proposal meets the intent of the CO Zoning
District.
Anticipated impact on public facilities and services
Roads- No adverse impact to roads is anticipated with the addition of 30,000 square feet to the
Fontaine Research Park as it is anticipated that the research and laboratory uses will have
lower occupancies.
Water and Sewer- Adequate water and sewer are available to serve the site. The Albemarle
County Service Authority (ACSA) commented on the site plan (SDP 2005-00121) for the ART
building and referenced those comments. A site plan amendment will be needed for the
proposed basement annex and the ACSA will also review those plans. (Attachment G)
Stormwater Management- Since this facility will be primarily underground and located beneath
the previously approved parking area, there are no other significant issues (ex. stormwater
management, grading, critical slope impacts, etc.).
Schools- There will be no impacts to schools.
Fiscal Impact- A fiscal impact analysis was not requested since the additional square footage
does not significantly change employment numbers, but is more to accommodate spatial needs
of the ART building.
Anticipated impact on cultural and historic resources
No impact is expected on cultural or historic resources.
Anticipated impact on nearby and surrounding properties
There may be some waste products generated by the research lab and vivarium. It is the intent
of the University Foundation that this facility will be occupied by the University of Virginia and
operated by the University Occupational Health and Safety and the Facilities Management
departments. The County Engineer has recommended that prior to the approval of a final site
plan, the applicant shall submit a letter and supporting documentation addressing the
performance standards of Code 18-4.14, to the satisfaction of the county engineer. This shall
include the University Occupational Health and Safety and the Facilities Management
department standard procedures and related documentation for the storage and disposal of
chemicals and waste products associated with the operation and maintenance of this facility.
Public need and justification for the change
The University's medical research program would benefit from the building expansion, ultimately
benefiting the general public as well as other University affiliates.
ZMA 2006-12 Fontaine Research Park Amendment 5
Planning Commission 11/7/06
PROFFERS:
The existing proffers for the research park, which were updated with ZMA 2004-10 are attached.
(Attachment F) The applicant intends to amend Proffer 5 to increase the total development on
the site to 565,000 square feet of floor area. Staff has also recommended that Proffers # 3 and
Proffer #4 of ZMA -2004-10 be revised to make the approval of the site plan for this addition to
the ART Building subject to the greenway dedication and completion of the pedestrian system in
the research park. The applicant has not yet submitted revised proffers, which would replace the
previously approved proffers, for review but intends to do so in time for the Board of Supervisors
meeting in December and agrees with the staff recommended revisions.
SUMMARY:
Staff has identified the following factors favorable to this rezoning request:
1. The building expansion can be accommodated by the existing site plan, without adverse
impacts to the physical environment, other activities on the site, or nearby properties and
neighborhoods.
2. The research park is located within the urban area, close to the City, and concentrating
office and research activities in this location places jobs close to areas of dense
population.
Staff has not identified factors unfavorable to this request.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of ZMA 2004-010, provided that proffers are revised based on staff
recommendations and that a Certified Engineers Report is submitted with approval of a final site
plan for the proposed building annex.
ATTACHMENTS:
A — Vicinity Map
B — Applicants Justification and Gross Square Footage summary letter to Elaine Echols dated July 27,
2006
C — UVA Fontaine Research Park ART Building exhibit
D — UVA-ART Life Sciences Annex -Basement Level Plan for annex
E — UVA ART Annex Schematic Design
F — Existing Proffers approved with ZMA 2004-10 for the UVA Fontaine Research Park
G — Albemarle County Service Authority from Gary Whelan to David Pennock dated November 29, 2005
ZMA 2006-12 Fontaine Research Park Amendment
Planning Commission 11/7/06