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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA201900006 Review Comments Zoning Map Amendment 2019-08-020 COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE Department of Community Development 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 August 2, 2019 Greg Powe Powe Studio Architects 208 Third Street NE Charlottesville, VA 22902 434-316-2525 RE: ZMA201900006 — Greenfield Terrace Apartments Dear Mr. Powe: Staff has reviewed your initial submittal for the zoning map amendment, ZMA201900006, Greenfield Terrace Apartments. We have a number of questions and comments which we believe should be addressed before we can recommend favorably on your ZMA request. We would be glad to meet with you to discuss these issues. Review comments are provided below. The first section of comments are issues that should be addressed prior to proceeding to the Planning Commission public hearing. Additional comments are organized by department or agency, and include comments related to the Comprehensive Plan and Neighborhood Model Principles: Major Rezoning Comments: 1. Street Connection: There should continue to be an existing street connection through this site, which is currently achieved through Station Lane and Greenfield Terrace. The Rio29 SAP calls for a local street connection here, which may be in a different location, as long as the connection is achieved. The connection should continue to be a street and meet street standards, and should not be downgraded to a travel lane. 2. Street Standards per the Rio29 SAP: More information is needed to determine if the streets in this development are meeting the standards in the Rio29 SAP. a. Show the Local Street Standards street section (Page 18 of the Rio29 SAP) and a comparison with the existing conditions and with the proposed street sections for Greenfield Terrace and Station Lane. If changes are needed, include justification as to why certain standards are not being met. b. Show the Boulevard Standards street section (Page 16) and a comparison with the existing conditions and the proposed street section for Rio Road West. If changes are needed, include justification as to why certain standards are not being met. 3. 18-19.6.1: PRD Open Space Requirement: It is not possible to determine if this requirement is being met. Please show open space calculations to meet the 25 percent minimum common open space requirement. Alternatively, apply for a special exception per 18-8.2(b) to reduce the amount of required open space. See Zoning comments for additional information. 4. 18-4.16: Recreation Requirement: More information is needed on 18-4.16 substitution requests. Per 18-4.16, two (2) tot lots would be required and one half (1/2) basketball courts (with no substitutions). The application should show specifically the type and square footage of each recreational amenity provided. See Zoning comments for additional information. Comprehensive Plan Initial comments on how your proposal generally relates to the Comprehensive Plan are provided below. Comments on conformity with the Comprehensive Plan are provided to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors as part of the staff report. The Comprehensive Plan identifies Tax Map Parcels (TMP) 45-157, 45-158, 45-167, and 45-166 as Flex land use in the Rio29 Small Area Plan (SAP). This classification is intended to allow a flexibility of uses including residential (no maximum density), commercial, retail, office, institutional and employment uses. The proposed rezoning from Commercial Office (CO) to Planned Residential Development (PRD) is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Additional information is needed regarding streets and relegated parking: • Development Areas: Strategy 2j: "Continue to require that streets are interconnected in the Development Areas; ensure that exceptions occur rarely and not routinely." • Development Areas: Strategy 2n: "Continue to work with developers to design and build projects that relegate parking to the side or rear of sites, which results in the fronts of buildings facing the street." Rio29 Small Area Plan: Connectivity • Goal: "Transform Rio29 into a multimodal hub that has a connected network of complete streets, which are designed for all users (Page 11)." • Supporting recommendation: "Establish a connected street network." The Connectivity Chapter shows both Greenfield Terrace and Station Lane designated as "Local Streets." The intention of the Rio29 SAP is to create a connected street network for all modes of transportation. These two streets are already existing, and therefore the connection from Rio Road to Berkmar Drive has already been made. These streets should meet the Local Street standards, or justification should be given where changes to the standards are needed. More information is needed to determine if this proposal is meeting the street standards outlined in the Rio29 SAP. The Connectivity Chapter shows Rio Road West designated as "Boulevard". The description of Boulevards highlights the importance of including pedestrian and bicycle improvements along this street in order to create a "bicycle and pedestrian boulevard". More information is needed to determine if this proposal is meeting the street standards outlined in the Rio29 SAP. Character • Goal: "Transform Rio29 into a vibrant and diverse mixed -use community with interesting character and human -scaled built environment." The parcels in this development proposal are designated "Flex" in the Rio29 SAP. Buildings in this designation should be between 2-5 stories, should not have blank walls, and should have relegated and structured parking. The proposed buildings are 3-4 stories, and renderings show windows and varied facades with no blank walls. The parking behind Station Lane is relegated from the West building and somewhat relegated from the North building. The surface parking along Station Lane is not relegated and may become street parking. It should be relegated if feasible, or function as street parking. Buildings should be stepped back above 4 stories or 50 feet along Boulevards, and above 3 stories or 40 feet along Local Streets. Staff may be supportive of a special exception to waive the stepback requirement, if the applicant chooses to pursue this option. Stepbacks may not be needed if the spatial enclosure called for in the Rio29 SAP is achieved with a 1:2 or 1:3 building height to road width ratio (Page 27). Conservation • Goal: "Transform Rio29 into a place enhanced through conservation with a network of sustainable and usable public spaces that enrich community and preserve and enhance natural resources." • Conservation and Private Development (Page 37): "Where possible, amenity spaces within private development should be connected to the Conservation Network via pedestrian and bicycle facilities." Street trees are shown on all proposed streets. A stormwater detention feature is also shown, which should be designed as a natural -looking amenity that would be comfortable for residents to spend time around. The Conservation Plan does not show any specific features at this development site. The development proposal continues pedestrian access to natural spaces by providing sidewalks. The future Shared -Use Path along Berkmar Drive will be easily accessible. Neighborhood Model Projects located within the Development Areas are reviewed for consistency with each of the Neighborhood Model Principles found in the Comprehensive Plan. Comments are provided below on relevant aspects of the Neighborhood Model. Revised comments may be given after additional information is submitted. Pedestrian Orientation This principle is partially met. Further clarification should be provided to show that the proposed street designs meet Rio29 SAP standards. Sidewalks with street trees are provided on both sides of the streets shown. There are a variety of uses and places that are walkable from this development, including Northside Library. The application could be strengthened by mentioning future connection (by having sidewalks and being within walking distance) to the proposed Shared -Use Path described and shown in the Rio29 SAP. Mixture of Uses This principle is met. There is a mixture of compatible uses in the area of this development, with the potential to live, work, and shop. There are existing professional offices and retail on Greenfield Terrace, Rio Road West, and Berkmar Drive. The Northside Library is approximately ''/< mile from the proposed development. Neighborhood Centers This principle is met. This development is not within a designated Center, however it is about a 7-minute walk from Northside Library, which is a community gathering space and implementation project in the Rio29 SAP. Centers are not designated in the Rio29 SAP, although important projects and public spaces are identified. Mixture of Housing Types This principle is partially met. The proposal includes 15 and Affordability percent affordable housing units, per the Housing Chapter policy (6b) of the Comprehensive Plan. Affordable housing is also identified as a priority in the Rio29 SAP. Affordable units will not be distinguishable from market rate units. Additional information is needed to review the proposed affordable housing to ensure it fully meets the County's policy. The proposal contributes to a greater variety of housing types available in the area. There are existing apartments nearby on the other side of Route 29 (Rio Road E), however there are mainly single-family houses in the Rio Road W area of this development. Relegated Parking This principle is not met. It appears that the parking shown on what is currently Station Lane is a proposed parking lot with a proposed travelway. It does not appear to meet private or public street standards. An existing street should not be downgraded to a travelway. The proposal should be revised to have street parking (which may be parallel or angled) and a street that meets private or public street standards. The parking lot to the side of the West building is somewhat relegated, although it still faces part of the front of the North building. Parking should be relegated as sufficiently as feasible. The garage parking and the requested reduction decrease the need for surface parking. Interconnected Streets and This principle is partially met. There should be a street to Transportation Network street connection throughout the development, which should meet Rio29 SAP Local Street Standards. The existing Private Street (Station Lane) should not be downgraded to a travelway. There is an existing and expanding network of sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and multi -use paths in this area. There are existing bus stops on Rio Road W. The proposed sidewalks with this development will contribute to the network. Information on the bike lanes on Rio Road W should be provided. There is an existing cul-de-sac named Greenfield Terrace. This was required to be a cul-de-sac, as it is a public street connecting to a private street (Station Lane). It would be preferable for Station Lane to become a public street and for the cul-de-sac to be eliminated. If it is not feasible for Station Lane to become a private street, it should at least remain a private street. Multimodal Transportation This principle is partially met. Additional information is Opportunities needed to ensure that adequate pedestrian and bicycle facilities are being provided, per the Rio29 SAP and Neighborhood Model Principles. There are existing bus stops on Rio Road W. There are existing bike lanes and sidewalks on Rio Road W and Berkmar Drive. A shared -use path is planned for Berkmar Drive in the Rio29 SAP. A parking reduction of 10 percent has been requested for this development. Parks, Recreational This principle is partially met. With the information provided, Amenities, and Open Space it is not possible to determine if this application meets the required open space and recreation requirements per 18- 19.6 and 18-4.16. Please include information as to how these requirements are being met or substituted. The proposed stormwater management facility should be as natural -looking as feasible, and be made as a pleasant space for pedestrians to spend time around as possible. The proposed sidewalks continue the connections to existing and proposed parks, open spaces, and multi -use paths. Proposed spaces at this development should be identified as public or private. Buildings and Spaces of This principle is partially met. The road width to building Human Scale height ratio should meet the 1:2 or 1:3 standards outlined in the Rio29 SAP to provide a sense of enclosure. Please show the ratio that is being provided with this development. Proposed sidewalks, breaks in building fayade, and windows without blank walls all contribute to a human scaled environment. Redevelopment This principle is met. Two of the parcels (TMP's 45-157 and 158) do not currently contain any structures. TMP 45-167 contains townhomes and a single-family residence, and TMP 45-166 contains a single-family home and daycare. The rezoning request will allow for redevelopment of the parcels at a higher density than the current uses, in accordance with the Flex land use classification recommended by the Rio29 SAP. Respecting Terrain and This principle is partially met. This property contains Careful Grading and Managed Steep Slopes. The proposal shows that there may Regrading of Terrain be disturbance of these slopes. Pursuant to Section 18- 30.7.4, Managed Steep Slopes may be disturbed if the design standards per 18-30.7.5 are met. The application should indicate that these standards will be met. Clear Boundaries between This principle is not applicable. The proposal is located in the the Development Areas and Development Areas and is not adjacent to the Rural Area. the Rural Area Planning Comments (Tori Kanellopoulos) 1. Streets: Once all street typologies (public, private) and design have been finalized, label each street on the Concept Plan as applicable (e.g. "Existing Public Street"). 2. Open Space: Please clarify whether the proposed open space will be privately owned or dedicated to public use. 3. 18-4.19 and 18-19.9: Residential setbacks will automatically apply per 18-4.19 if the rezoning is approved, therefore no special exception is needed for setbacks. See Zoning comments for additional information. 4. 18-19.7: Stepbacks: "The minimum stepback requirements for any story that begins above forty (40) feet in height or for each story above the third story, whichever is less, in height shall be as provided in section 4.19." A special exception will be required for any buildings not meeting the stepback requirement. Please clarify if any of the buildings will not meet the stepback requirement and apply for a special exception as applicable. 5. Narrative: Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan: There is no defined maximum density in the Rio29 SAP, however the Zoning Ordinance limits the PRD district to 35 units/acre. Please revise the narrative. 6. Narrative: Provide information on the current zoning of the parcels and overlay districts. Please include the following in the narrative or on a separate sheet at the beginning of the application: a. List all Tax Map Parcels including in the Rezoning request. b. Include the current Zoning District of each parcel. c. Include all overlay districts: Airport Impact Area, Entrance Corridor, Steep Slopes — Managed. 7. Retitle "Illustrated Site Plan" to "Conceptual Plan". 8. To note: The required community meeting will be held on August 22°d, 2019, during the regularly scheduled Rio CAC meeting. Comments and concerns from residents should be factored into the application as applicable. Engineering (Frank Pohl) 1. Please provide an option of angled parking along the private street to justify why perpendicular parking is required. 2. Comments may be revised depending on ultimate designation of Station Lane (public street, private street, or travelway). Fire/Rescue (Shawn Maddox) 1. No Objection. Zoning (Lea Brumfield) 1. Please see attached review comments dated July 17, 2019. Architectural Review Board (Margaret Maliszewski) 1. The ARB will review this application on August 19, 2019. Comments will be available after that meeting. VDOT (Adam Moore) 1. Please see attached review comments dated August 6, 2019. ACSA (Richard Nelson) 1. See attached review comments dated July 25, 2019. Building Inspections (Michael Dellinger) 1. No Objection. RWSA (Dyon Vega) 1. Capacity issues for sewer that may affect this proposal None Known 2. Requires Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority Capacity Certification Yes X- No 3. Water flow or pressure issues that may affect this proposal None Known 4. "Red Flags" regarding service provision (Use attachments if necessary) None Known Transportation Planning (Daniel Butch) 1. Greenfield Terrace and Station Lane are designated as "Local Streets" in the Rio29 Small Area Plan with a connection from Berkmar Drive and Rio Road. These streets should meet the Local Street Standards, orjustification should be given where changes to the standards are needed. More information is needed to determine if the proposal is meeting the street standards outlined in the Rio29 Small Area Plan. 2. Rio29 intends for street connections to be public where feasible. Please include justification as to why Station lane cannot be made public. 3. Rio Rd should meet the Boulevard standards outside the core which includes the importance of including bicycle and pedestrian improvements. More information is needed to determine if this proposal is meeting the Boulevard street standards outside the core outlined in the Rio29 Small Area Plan. 4. Please provide street type illustrations for both Local and Boulevard street types with dimensions. Action after Receipt of Comments After you have read this letter, please take one of the actions identified on "Action After Receipt of Comment Letter" which is attached. Resubmittal If you choose to resubmit, please use the attached form. There is no fee for the first resubmittal. The resubmittal date schedule is provided for your convenience online at Notification and Advertisement Fees Additional notification fees will not be required unless a deferral takes place and adjoining owners need to be notified of a new date. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to meet or need additional information. My email address is vkanell000ulos@albemarle.org and my phone number is 434-296-5832 ext. 3270. FSinc rely, /Z,- Tori Kanellopoulos Planner Department of Community Development enc: Action After Receipt of Comments Zoning Review Comments ACSA Review Comments VDOT Comments Resubmittal Application