HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP202100012 Review Comments Special Use Permit 2021-07-02COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902-4596
Phone (434) 296-5832
July 2, 2021
Dr. Dolores Carr
P.O. Box 7203
Charlottesville, VA 22906
dcarr(a)etcnow.org
RE: SP202100012 Education Transformation Centre
Dear Dr. Carr:
Staff has reviewed your initial submittal for a Special Use Permit for a private school use
in the Rural Area on Earlysville Road.
We have some questions and comments which we believe should be resolved or
included as conditions of approval before your proposal goes to public hearing. We
would be glad to meet with you to discuss these issues. Our comments are provided
below.
Comments are organized as follows:
A. Comments on the Special Use Permit
B. How the proposal relates to the Comprehensive Plan
C. Additional comments from reviewers
D. Additional information
A. Special Use Permit
1. Parking. Parking on this parcel is informed by a site plan that was approved in
October 1988 (SDP198800069). A site visit to the property found that the existing
parking does not match the approved parking area shown on the site plan. The
approved plan provides 69 parking spaces, surfaced by a combination of paving
(36 parking spaces) and stone base (33 parking spaces). The site today provides
only 31 marked, paved parking spaces, which includes 3 handicap -accessible
spaces. As such, it isn't known whether both uses — church and private school —
can be supported by the existing parking area, particularly at the threshold
proposed in the narrative, which references greater than 150 people, particularly
on an environmentally -sensitive parcel. Staff, therefore, request a Parking Needs
Study be submitted for staff review. The Study should identify parking needs
associated with both uses and show how those needs will be accommodated on
the site. This includes parking for church- and school -related activities throughout
the week, such as staff parking, after -hour school conferences/trainings and
events, events related to funerals and weddings, fundraisers, choir practice,
summer programs (under the church or private school), etc. The Study will be
reviewed by the Zoning Administrator. (Note: Section 4.12.6 of the zoning
ordinance addresses the minimum number of parking spaces required for
specific uses, religious assembly and schools. However, language in the
ordinance includes provisions to allow the Zoning Administrator to determine the
appropriate number of parking spaces for both uses.)
2. Ingress/Egress. Review of VDOT and Transportation Planning staff identified
that a Design Waiver is needed in lieu of providing a turn -lane. Staff are
concerned that the use will negatively impact traffic on Earlysville Rd during peak
travel hours. How do you intend to mitigate this impact? Options may be
procedural or physical in nature, such as off-peak hours of transportation, hours
the site will be accessed, staggered drop off/pick up, hours of operation, whether
students will be transported to the site via group travel (buses, carpooling)
exclusively or whenever possible, etc.
3. Application type. Language in the project narrative under the section that
addresses consistency with the comprehensive plan references this application
as a rezoning instead of a special use permit (e.g. a use that is being added to
the current uses permitted on the site). Please confirm that you wish to pursue a
special use permit to approve this use. Feel free to reach out to staff if you would
like to have a follow-up discussion. This can be done via email.
B. 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 Rural Area Chapter (Chapter 7) of the Comprehensive Plan designates this parcel,
TMP 45-31 D, for Rural Area land uses. The intent of the Rural Area designation is to
allow uses that preserve and protect agricultural, forestal, open space, and natural,
historic, and scenic resources; and also to allow residential uses at a density of up to
0.5 acres per dwelling unit. The Comprehensive Plan does not specifically address
schools located in the Rural Areas, however staff find the proposed private school use
to be consistent with the intent of Rural Areas in the following ways: supporting
education, providing a resource for County residents, not contributing or enabling the
suburbanization of land in the Rural Areas, complimentary of other uses in the Rural
Area.
C. Additional Comments from Reviewers
Planning Comments
The following comments related to planning matters have been provided by Mariah
Gleason, mgleasonCcD_albemarle.org:
1. Advisory Comment: Any accessory structure(s) for the private school, including
those associated with outdoor play or outdoor classrooms, must be consistent
with the setback regulations for Rural Areas contained in Sec. 10.4. Note,
"structure" is defined by the zoning ordinance as "...anything constructed or
erected, the use of which requires permanent location on the ground, or
attachment to something having a permanent location on the ground."
2. Advisory Comment: Additional comments or questions may be provided after
the Community Meeting is held. These additional comments or questions will be
based upon the discussion and any concerns or issues that are raised by nearby
residents and property owners and the CAC members at this meeting.
3. Advisory Comment: Please keep in mind, approval of the special use permit in
no way implies approval of any waiver or modification to any standards.
4. Advisory Comment: Should the special use permit be approved, the private
school use cannot commence without the appropriate building permits and
zoning clearances.
In order to address the impacts generated by this proposal staff will recommend
conditions. While the language of these potential conditions has not been developed
the potential conditions include:
1. Limitation on development associated with the private school use (e.g. to
remain in accordance with the approved site plan for the property)
2. Limitation on enrollment
3. Possible limitation on hours of operation
4. Possible limitation on how students are transported to/from the site
Zoning
The Deputy Zoning Administrator, Francis MacCall fmaccall(a)albemarle.org, has no
objections to this proposal.
Engineering
The County Engineer, Frank Pohl, fpohl(&albemarle.org, has no objections to this
proposal.
Building Inspections
The Building Inspections reviewer, Betty Slough, bslougho_albemarle.org, has no
objections to this proposal.
Fire/Rescue
The Fire/Rescue reviewer, Howard Lagomarsino, hlagomarsinoe-albemarle.org has no
objections to this proposal.
Virginia Department of Health (VDH)
Comments from the VDH reviewer, Josh Kirtley, ioshua.kirtley(a-)-vdh.virginia.gov, have
not yet been received. Once received, staff will promptly forward them to you. If VDH
staff have no issues with the proposal, then no further action related to this aspect will
be requested. If there are concerns, revisions to the proposal or additional information
may be requested, or those aspects may be recommended as conditions of approval for
the special use permit.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
Please see the attached letter from Adam Moore, adam.mooreo_vdot.virginia.gov,
regarding comments on this proposal.
Planning - Transportation
The Transportation Planning reviewer, Daniel Butch, dbutch(a-)-albemarle.org, has the
following comments:
1. In review of the turn lane analysis and recommendations, transportation planning
staff requests the applicant follow VDOT's Design Waiver process and standards
in submission of a Design Waiver.
Natural Resources
The Natural Resources Manager, Kimberly Biasiolli, kbiasiolli(a)-albemarle.org, has no
objections to this proposal.
Additional Information
SP Conditions
Staff has not fully drafted conditions to date for this special use permit, due to the
potential changes and additional information requested. Once conditions are drafted,
staff will send them to you.
Summary of potential proposed conditions:
1. The private school use must take place within the existing church building except
for outdoor play and outdoor classrooms.
2. Maximum student enrollment for the private school use cannot exceed 24
students.
3. Hours of operation for the private school use will be ---, except for occasional
private school -related events may occur after ---.
4. Private school uses cannot commence on the site without written approval of the
proposed septic facilities from the Virginia Department of Health.
Action after Receipt of Comments
This application has been tentatively scheduled for Planning Commission public hearing
for August 24, 2021, which is within 90 days after submittal. However, staff
recommends that you resubmit your application, which would require deferral. Staff will
work with you to choose a Planning Commission date for public hearing.
Resubmittal
If you choose to resubmit, please use the attached form. There is no fee for the first
resubmittal. The resubmittal date schedule and other related resources are provided for
your convenience online at:
https://www.aIbemarle.org/qovernment/community-development/apply-for/planning-and-
site-development-applications
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.
Community Meeting
Prior to requesting a public hearing with the Planning Commission and Board, a
community meeting must be held in accordance with Zoning Ordinance Section 18-
33.37. Staff will work with you to schedule a community meeting.
Feel free to contact me if you wish to meet or need additional information. My email
address is mgleason(a)albemarle.org.
Sincerely,
kdu4*
Mariah Gleason
Urban Designer/Senior Planner II, Community Development Department
enc: Att. 1: VDOT Comment Letter
Att. 2: Action After Receipt of Comments
Att. 3: Resubmittal Schedule
Att. 4: Resubmittal Form
COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Stephen C. Brich, P.E. 1401 East Broad Street (804) 7862701
Commissioner Richmond, Virginia 23219 Fax: (804) 786.2940
June 17, 2021
County of Albemarle
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Attn: Mariah Gleason
Re: Education Tranformation Centre — Special Use Permit
SP-2021-00012
Review # 1
Dear Ms. Gleason:
The Department of Transportation, Charlottesville Residency Transportation and Land Use
Section, has reviewed the above referenced plan as prepared by Old Dominion Engineering,
dated 13 May 2021, and offers the following comments:
1. Based on the turn -lane warrant analysis and the recommendations therein, this project
will require a Design Waiver which includes what a turn -lane looks like on this site if
built, how the street would operate without a turn -lane, and how the lack of a tum-lane
will be mitigated.
2. Note that the final plan must show conformance with the VDOT Road Design Manual
Appendices B(1) and F, as well as any other applicable standards, regulations or other
requirements.
Please provide a digital copy in PDF format of the revised plan along with a comment response
letter. If further information is desired, please contact Doug McAvoy Jr. at (540) 718-6113.
A VDOT Land Use Permit will be required prior to any work within the right-of-way. The
owner/developer must contact the Charlottesville Residency Transportation and Land Use
Section at (434) 422-9399 for information pertaining to this process.
Sincerely,
Adam J. Moore, P.E.
Area Land Use Engineer
Charlottesville Residency
VirginiaDOT.org
WE KEEP VIRGINIA MOVING
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ACTION AFTER RECEIPT OF COMMENT LETTER
FIRST SET OF COMMENTS
Your project has been scheduled for a public hearing by the Planning Commission for August 24, 2021,
which is 90 days from the date your application was accepted for review. State Code requires a 90-day
review by the Planning Commission unless the applicant requests deferral. As you will read in this
comment letter, staff recommends changes to your project to help you achieve approval. Without
these changes, staff cannot recommend approval to the Planning Commission.
If you need more time to make these changes, and if you prefer to move forward to the Planning
Commission with a recommendation for approval, you must request deferral. If you choose not to
request deferral, staff will take your project to the Commission as originally submitted, but without a
recommendation of approval. Instructions for requesting a deferral are outlined below.
Within one week please do one of the following:
(1) Request deferral, as required by Section 33.11, if you will resubmit, but would like to
receive comments on the revised submittal, and understand the Planning Commission
date will be later than August 24, 2021
(2) Proceed to Planning Commission public hearing on August 24, 2021
(3) Withdraw your application
(1) Deferral requested
To request deferral, you must submit a request in writing to defer action by the Planning Commission
and Board of Supervisors. The request may be made by email. Please note that your request for
deferral may not be accepted and the County may retain the initial scheduled hearing date. If your
request for deferral is accepted the application will be deemed withdrawn if the application is not
reactivated within six months of the request for deferral or within 32 months from the time the
application was determined or deemed complete.
(2) Proceed to Planning Commission Public Hearing on August 24, 2021
At this time, you may request that your application proceed to public hearing with the Planning
Commission on August 24, 2021. With this option no additional documents will be accepted, and staff
will take your project to the Commission as originally submitted, but without a recommendation of
approval.
Revised 9-17-19 MCN
(3) Withdraw Your Application
If at any time you wish to withdraw your application, please provide your request in writing.
Failure to Respond
An application shall be deemed to be voluntarily withdrawn if the applicant requests deferral pursuant
to subsection 33.11 and fails to provide within 90 days before the end of the deferral period all of the
information required to allow the Board to act on the application, or fails to request a deferral as
provided in subsection 33.11(D).
Fee Payment
Fees paid in cash or by check must be paid at the Community Development Intake Counter. Make
checks payable to the County of Albemarle. Do not send checks directly to the Review Coordinator.
Fees may also be paid by credit card using the secure online payment system, accessed at
http://www.albemarle.org/department.asp?department=cdd&relpage=21685.
Revised 9-17-19 MCN
Resubmittal of information for
Special Use Permit
PROJECT NUMBER THAT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED: SP202100012 Education Transformation Centre
Owner/Applicant Must Read and Sign
I hereby certify that the information provided with this resubmittal is what has been requested from staff
Signature of Owner, Contract Purchaser
Date
Print Name Daytime phone number of Signatory
FEES to be paid after application
For original Special Use Permit fee of $2,366
❑
First resubmission (TO BE PAm WHEN THE RESUBMISSION IS MADE TO INTAKE STAFF)
Free
❑
Each additional resubmission (TO BE PAID WHEN THE RESUBMISSION IS MADE TO INTAKE STAFF)
$1,183
❑
Technology surcharge
+ 4%
For original Special Use Permit fee of $1,183
®
First resubmission (TO BE PAm WHEN THE RESUBMISSION IS MADE TO INTAKE STAFF)
Free
❑
Each additional resubmission (TO BE PAID WHEN THE RESUBMISSION IS MADE TO INTAKE STAFF)
$592
❑
Technology surcharge
+ 4%
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Fee Amount $ Date Paid By who?
Receipt # Ck# By:
401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, VA 22902 Voice: (434) 296-5832 Fax: (434) 972-4126
Revised 7/l/2021 Page 1 of 1
2021 Submittal and Review Schedule
Special Use Permits and Zoning Map Amendments
Resubmittal Schedule
Resubmittal Dates (1st
and 3rd Monday of the
month)
Comments given to the
Applicant
Applicant requests PC
Public Hearing AND
Payment Due for Legal
Ad (no additional
resubmittals)
Planning
Commission Public
Hearing No sooner
than*
Monday
Wednesdav
Friday
Tuesday
Jan 04
Feb 03
Feb 05
Mar 02
Tues Jan 19
Feb 17
Feb 26
Mar 23
Feb 01
Mar 03
Mar 12
Apr 06
Feb 15
Mar 17
Mar 26
Apr 20
Mar 01
Mar 31
A r 09
May 04
Mar 15
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Apr 23
Ma 18
Apr 05
May 05
May 07
Jun 01
Apr 19
May 19
May 21
Jun 15
May 03
Jun 02
Jun 11
Jul 06
Ma 17
Jun 16
Jun 25
Jul 20
Jun 07
Jul 07
Jul 09
Aug03
Jun 21
Jul 21
Jul 30
Aug24
Tues Jul 6
Aug04
Aug13
Sep 07
Ju119
Aug18
Aug27
Sep 21
Aug02
Sep 01
Sep 10
Oct 05
Aug16
Sep 15
Se 24
Oct 19
Tues Sep 7
Oct 06
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Nov 02
Sep 20
Oct 20
Oct 22
Nov 16
Oct 04
Nov 03
Nov 12
Dec 07
Oct 18
Nov 17
Nov 19
Dec 14
Nov 01
Dec 01
Dec 17
Jan 11 2022
Nov 15
Dec 15
Tues Dec 22
Jan 18 2022
Dec 06
Jan 05 2022
Jan 07 2022
Feb 01 2022
Dec 13
Jan 12 2022
Jan 21 2022
Feb 15 2022
Bold italics = submittal/meeting, day is different due to a holiday.
Dates with shaded background are not 2021.
2022 dates are tentative.
`Public hearing dates have been set by the Planning Commission, however, if due to unforeseen
circumstances the Planning Commission is unable to meet on this date, your project will be moved to
the closest available aaenda date.