HomeMy WebLinkAboutSDP202100022 Correspondence 2021-07-06 (4)SHIMP ENGINEERING, P.C.
Design Focused Engineering
July 6, 2021
Andy Reitelbach
County of Albemarle
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
RE: Response Letter #3 for SDP2021-00022 Albemarle Business Campus: Block 5
Dear Andy,
Thank you for your review of the final site plan for Albemarle Business Campus: Block 5. This letter
contains responses to County comments dated June 30, 2021. Our responses are as follows:
1. [32.5.2(b)] Information regarding the proposed use.
a. New Comment: Clarify the additional proposed uses on the site. The cover sheet
identifies the proposed uses as self -storage and restaurant. However, the site and utility
plan identifies the additional tenant spaces as general retail, not specifying the restaurant.
RESPONSE: Comment received. The site/utility plan, parking schedule, and ITE trip
generation have been clarified to be consistent throughout the plan.
b. Provide the square footage of non-residential space in each of blocks 2-5 so that staff can
ensure the ranges identified in the Code of Development are met. Provide the total square
footage of the structure on Block 5. It appears the building footprint square footage is
provided but not the building's overall square footage, which must be between 45,000
and 125,000 square feet. Clarify the square footage: the cover sheet states that the
"restaurant" portion of the development is 3,800 square feet. However, the two
retail tenant spaces on sheet C6 total 4,337 square feet.
RESPONSE: Comment received. The cover sheet has been clarified to match the site
plan.
c. Provide more information on the amount of proposed greenspace and amenities. Also
identify all the amenities that are being provided. 20% of the site must be greenspace, and
20% of the site must be amenities; however, these two elements can overlap in many,
though not all, circumstances. It is not clear what is being counted as greenspace, what is
being counted as amenity, and what is counted toward both calculations. Provide more
detail calculations of these elements.
Recreational facilities in accordance with 18-4.16 of the Zoning Ordinance are not
provided in block 1, as required by note 1 on sheet 5 of the COD. Provide these required
amenities and recreational facilities in block 1. If substitution of these facilities is desired,
provide a substitution request with justification to Planning staff for review.
In addition, the dog park on block 5 is not shown as part of the site plan at all.
912 E. High St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1434.227.5140 1 shimp-engineering.com
Who will be maintaining the private greenspace and amenity areas? Some sort of
agreement will be required. A Private Improvement Maintenance Declaration (PIMD) or
another type of legal agreement must be provided for review and recorded, to assign
ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the green space and amenities, such as the
stone dust path.
As a separation parcel, TMP 76-46AB will need a legal document to ensure
continued access and maintenance of the shared elements and amenities with the
overall development, in the event that the parcel to a separate owner in the future.
This document has to be completed with the site planning stage since there would
likely be no further subdivision of 76-46B. As there is already a proposed plat and
deed of easement for other shared features of the development, it is recommended
the stone dust path be added to the plat (SUB2021-00100) and to the deed of
easement associated with that plat. It appears there is already language referencing
maintenance in the draft deed of easement. Please be aware that the deed will
require review by the County Attorney's Office prior to final approval, so
additional information may be needed depending on the outcome of that review.
RESPONSE: Comment received. A revised plat and deed of easement has also been
submitted for review.
d. The parking schedule needs to be revised. Sufficient parking must be provided for the
development. There is not currently enough parking, and the Zoning division has not
approved the requested reduction in parking.
i. As the parking spaces are proposed to be shared among blocks 2-5, a shared
parking agreement will be required prior to site plan approval. A parking
agreement may be required with this site plan depending on the location of the
revised property lines. Shared parking agreement has been received and is
under review along with the easement plat and deed.
RESPONSE: Comment received.
ii. The parking schedule must be revised. There are more than 45 spaces depicted on
the site plan. In addition, there is greater than 20% permitted increase over the
required amount of parking. Remove some of the parking spaces so that the
number of spaces is not above the 20% permitted. See comments Li and I.ii
above for more clarification on the proposed uses of the non -self -storage
areas of the development.
RESPONSE: The cover sheet (parking schedule and trip generation) and site plan
have been updated for clarity. Please note that excess parking has been removed
from the site plan to be within the permitted requirements.
iii. New Comment: Why is the handicapped parking space blocking the ramp onto
the sidewalk to the southwest of Retail Tenant Space 1? The ramp could not be
used if a vehicle were parked in the space.
RESPONSE: Although unconventional, ADA access is provided in this location
as there is adequate clearance of 3.2' between the 18' length of the parking space
and the curb. To ensure that access to the ramp will be provided, the area beyond
18' of parking length has been striped.
2. [32.5.2(i)] Streets, easements, and travelways.
912 E. High St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1434.227.5140 1 shimp-engineering.com
a. At the time of subdivision, a request, with justification, for a private street will be
required for the proposed new street through blocks 2-5. Requests for private streets in
non-residential areas are reviewed administratively. If the request for a private street is
granted, a private improvement maintenance agreement will also be required. A request
for a private street must be submitted for this block if right-of-way is proposed for the
travelway located between Wahoo Way and Old Lynchburg Road. Otherwise, the
frontage and setback requirements cannot be met with the currently proposed layout. If a
private street is not proposed (and approved dependent on staff review) for this
travelway, then the building on this block must be pushed back 5 feet in order to meet the
requirements of the COD for a setback of five feet from the sidewalk if the sidewalk is
not in right-of-way. See footnote 3 on page 8 of the COD.
It is acknowledged that a private street request is not currently required for the
interior travelway, as the subject parcel has frontage on Old Lynchburg Road.
However, please be aware that the self -storage building must meet the setback
requirements established in the COD when a private street authorization is
requested. These requirements include the building being setback five feet minimum
from the right-of-way line, or sidewalk if it outside of the right-of-way. The sidewalk
along the northwest corner of the building, adjacent to the storage office, would not
meet this requirement, as it is directly adjacent to the building. The comment
response letter referenced a waiver that would be emailed. To my knowledge, this
waiver request has not been received by CDD at this time.
Although setback requirements along this internal travelway are met at this time,
they may not be met with future site plan proposals and private street requests.
Please be aware that ensuring setback requirements are met with those future
submissions will be an important part of the review and could delay approval of
such applications, depending on the design(s) and any waivers or modifications that
are requested. It is recommended that these issues be addressed at this time.
RESPONSE: Thank you for underlining this issue. The developer understands that a
waiver will need to be pursued to ensure that this building will remain within the
allowable setback per the COD at the time of private street authorization. If this waiver is
denied, the developer understands that other alternatives, such as road re -alignment or a
rezoning, will need to be pursued to address this issue.
b. A separate submission of road plans will be required for the proposed new street through
blocks 2-5. Road plans will be required if the travelway between Wahoo Way and
Old Lynchburg Road is proposed to become a private or public street.
RESPONSE: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. A road plan will be submitted
at a future time, when the travelway becomes authorized as a private street.
c. Identify on the site plan the proffered right-of-way dedication depicted in the "Single -
Lane Roundabout Exhibit." With the vehicle trips per day generated by the proposed
uses, as provided on the cover sheet of the site plan, proffer number 1 will need to be
fulfilled with this block. In addition to the cash contribution, a plat will need to be
prepared to dedicate the right-of-way at the intersection of 51h Street and Old Lynchburg
Road. Show this round -about construction and dedication on this site plan as well. As
mentioned in previous comments, clarify the proposed use of the other tenant spaces
in this building, whether they are for restaurant or general retail or both.
RESPONSE: Please see the revised cover sheet, which includes an updated ITE trip
generation table.
912 E. High St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1434.227.5140 1 shimp-engineering.com
d. Identify all proposed access easements. Access easements will require an approved plat.
An access easement plat is required to be submitted and reviewed prior to final site plan
approval. A PIMD will be required with the easement plat. Receipt of easement plat is
acknowledged. Plat is under review.
RESPONSE: Comment received.
3. [32.5.2(j); 32.5.2(k)] Label all existing and proposed water, sewer, and storm drainage easements
by type and include a size/width measurement. For existing easements, state the deed book and
page of the recorded instrument. For proposed easements, an easement plat will need to be
submitted, reviewed, approved, and recorded at the courthouse prior to approval of the final site
plan being granted. Submit easement plats for review and approval prior to approval of the site
plan. Receipt of easement plat is acknowledged. Plat is under review.
RESPONSE: Comment received.
4. [32.5.2(1)] Label all existing and proposed utility easements by type and include a size/width
measurement. For existing easements, state the deed book and page of the recorded instrument.
For proposed easements, an easement plat will need to be submitted, reviewed, approved, and
recorded at the courthouse prior to approval of the final site plan being granted. Submit easement
plats for review and approval prior to approval of the site plan. Receipt of easement plat is
acknowledged. Plat is under review.
RESPONSE: Comment received.
5. [32.5.2(p); 32.7.9] A landscape plan that complies with section 32.7.9 of the Zoning Ordinance
must be submitted with the final site plan. When submitting final site plans, keep in mind that the
landscaping requirements need to be met individually for each phase of the development, as the
phases must be able to stand independently. See comments below:
a. Street trees need to be planted along the entirety of the proposed internal road since that
improvement is being proposed with this site plan. Although not needed at this time,
since it is not a street, please be aware that street trees meeting the requirements of
the ZMA and Zoning Ordinance will need to be provided along this travelway at
this time it is approved as a private street.
RESPONSE: Comment received. We have accounted for this future requirement in our
landscape plan.
b. Identify where the new property lines are so that staff can accurately determine whether
the proposed landscaping is actually on the subject property. The landscaping, such ash
the tree canopy, required by this development must be located on the subject parcel. The
revised property lines for TMP 76-46AB do not appear to be depicted on the
landscape plan.
RESPONSE: Thank you for bringing this our attention. The property boundary is now
notated on the landscape plan.
c. New Comment: Provide additional information on the proposed tree wells for those trees
along the interior travelway. Identify the square footage of the tree wells, as they must be
at least 50 square feet.
RESPONSE: The tree wells are approximately 70 SF. For further clarification,
dimensions of the tree wells have been added to the site plan.
If you have any questions or concerns about these revisions, please feel free to contact me at
Keane@shimp-en ine eerine com or by phone at 434-227-5140.
912 E. High St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1434.227.5140 1 shimp-engineering.com
Regards,
Keane Rucker
Shimp Engineering, P.C.
912 E. High St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 1434.227.5140 1 shimp-engineering.com