HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB202100012 Correspondence 2021-01-19® COLLINS ENGINEERING 200 GARRETT ST, SUITE K CHARLOTTESVILLE VA 22902
��434.293.3719 PH 434 93 2813 FX
www.coll ns-engineers n g.com
January 19, 2020
Margaret Maliszewski
County of Albemarle
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road
Charlottesville, VA 22902
1680 Seminole Trail Auto Dealership- Final ARB application
The applicant is seeking to redevelop the existing commercial site at the comer of Rio Road and
Seminole Trail (currently a Hardees fast food restaurant) for an auto dealership with display
parking. A special use permit was approved by the Board of Supervisors on January 60' 2021 for
the special use permit for display parking. The site improvements include moving the existing
parking spaces away from Rio Road and Seminole Trail to create a landscaping buffer area to
screen the site at this prominent corner of Albemarle County. The landscaping buffer created with
the modifications to the existing parking lot will help create an attractive pedestrian streetscape for
the improvements that were installed along Rio Road and Seminole Square with the VDOT
improvements to the corridor. The landscaping buffer will also help mitigate the proposed use on
the property from the intersection and the entrance corridor, providing a separation zone between
the property and the roadway. The proposed landscaping and buffer area will help enhance the
Pedestrian Zone along the Route 29 and Rio Road corridors adjacent to the site. In addition,
approximately 40 feet of the existing retaining wall along Rio Road will be removed with the
regrading of the site and added greenspace area.
The existing building will be re -used for the Auto Dealership, with minimal improvements. The
drive-thru canopy will be removed, and the metal roof and awning will be repaired, matching the
existing materials on the building. The (2) sheds on the southwest side of the site will be removed,
and the refrigeration building behind the restaurant will be removed. The free standing sign in
front of the building that is no longer in compliance with the ARB regulations will be removed,
and replaced with a sign that meets current ARB requirements.
No new mechanical units are proposed for the building at this time. Any new units or equipment
shall be hidden from views from the entrance corridor. The existing dumpster enclosure will
remain and added landscaping will be planted around the dumpster enclosure.
All landscaping shall conform to the landscaping standards as specified in the Albemarle County
Zoning Ordinance Section 32.7.9. Street trees and landscaping are provided along Rio Road and
Seminole Trail in the proposed buffer area. Grass planting areas have been created in the location
where the existing pavement is proposed to be removed, and the existing parking spaces have been
shifted back from the roadway along the frontage of the property. These planting areas are shown
on the site plan. Spacing of street trees are planted in accordance with Section 32.7.9 of the
Albemarle County Code for Landscaping and Screening requirements.
Screening and interior landscaping are also part of the landscaping plan to provide a visual barrier
and site landscaping as required the Albemarle County Ordinance along Route 29 and Rio Road
within the parking lot areas for the auto dealership, and along the perimeter of the parking areas.
Landscaping islands have been incorporated into the parking lot envelopes as noted on the site
plan.
The (3) existing lights on the site are shown to be removed and replaced with new lights that meet
ARB and Albemarle County guidelines and requirements. All new lighting shall conform with
the Albemarle County ordinance and shall be full -cutoff lighting, screened to the extent possible,
and limited to 0.5 footcandles at the property lines.
The proposed site plan reduces the impervious area on the site by 31%. The limits of disturbance
on the site is also limited to less than 10,000 SF of total disturbance. No additional stormwater
management is needed for the site design. Existing drainage patterns have been preserved on the
site, as shown on sheet 4.
On the attached sheets are existing photos of the site and the building.
Please contact me if you have any questions or require any further information.
Sincerely,
Scott Collins, PE
Site Frontage, looking North along Route 29
Site Frontge, looking North along Route 29
Site Frontage, looking South along Rio Road
Front of existing building to remain. Signage to be removed.
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Drive-thru canopy to be removed