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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA198500033 Study 1980-09-30 rAcr -vArr C. { September 30, 1980 STAFF REPORT SP-80-57. Mary H. and Thomas G. Lupton Request: Planned Community Acreage: 486+ acres Zoning: A-1 Agriculture Location: Property, described as Tax Map 31, Parcel 31 and..46 is located on the northeast side of Route 743 at Earlysville. Character of the Area This property surrounds Wakefield Farm and has a total of about 3400 feet of frontage in two locations on Route 743. Earlysville Heights ,subdivision and Earlysville Green commercial area are located to the north across Wakefield Farm Road. Whyte's store and C and P Auto Service are to the west across Route 743. Happy Valley Farm, recently approved as an RPN, is to the south. This property is gently rolling with less than 4% of the land in 25+% slopes. Tributaries of Chris Greene Lake run in an easterly fashion through the property. The site is heavily wooded, a portion being in commercial pine. Applicant's Proposal Forest Run Planned Community is proposed to consist of 155 single-family lots with ' about 210 acres in common open space, resulting in a gross density of one dwelling per 3.1 acres. A 3.8 acre commercial area is proposed at the intersection of ' Wakefield Farm Road and Route 743. Surrounding the commercial area is an 8.56 acre recreation area proposed for dedication to public use. Recreational facilities would consist of two basketball courts, a football/soccer field, softball field, and a'children's play area. Open space is employed for a variety of uses such as: defining small residential clusters; providing trail linkages; protection of stream environs; and providing a buffer on the perimeter of the development. A lake is shown in the western end of the development to serve recreational purposes and provide protection to Chris Greene Lake. Tennis courts, children's play area, and a fishing dock are proposed at the lake. A public road would meander through the development, discouraging through traffic while providing access to existing public roads at two locations. Private roads would feel off the public road to serve individual residential clusters. aeA y ) (7) Comparative Impact Statistics Forest Run Existing A-1 Zoning Planned Community Dwellings 220* 155 Population 594 419 School-Aged Children 145 102 Traffic Generation 1606 vtpd** 1132 vtpd** Gross Density 2.2 4 ac: 66/d6_, 3.1 <iu/ac. a�/ New Density 2.1 du/ae. 1.6 du/ae'. / * Assumes 1 du/2.2 acres to account for road right-of-way and lot size variation. Due to mild topography, no deduction for slope was considered. **Based on 7.3 vtpd/du. Generation from Earlysville Heights is 7.9 vtpd/du. Traffic generation from commercial area and public recreation area not calculated. Comprehensive Plan Earlysville is recommended as a larger Type I village in the Comprehensive Plan with a residential density of 1 du/acre and appropriate commercial uses. The surrounding area is recommended for agricultural-conservation with a density of 1 du/5 acres. Staff has estimated that 40-50 acres of the Forest Run property is within the village area with a remainder in agricultural-conservation. This estimate yields 133 dwellings compared to the request for 155 dwellings. Therefore, while the Forest Run proposal does not strictly comply with the Comprehensive Plan's recommended density, the applicant is proposing a substantial reduction from the estimated 220 dwellings achievable under existing zoning. Staff has also reviewed the Forest Run proposal in regard to the text of the recently-adopted plan amendments ( pp. 67-70; pelase review entire text ) . Excerpts from the text and staff comment are as follows: The southeastern boundary on Route 743 is established in recognition of the fact that it is an open area at the Goa- intersection with Route 660 following an approach from ' 1.t' - -� the east which is heavily wooded on both sides, i.e. , a sense 09,Q of place is evident because of this change and the U� combination of both old and new ( commercial ) development on either side of the road at this point. OUP.' The three entrances to the village at the old village boundaries ( Route 663 north and Route 743 south and 01° east ) should have existing vegetation preserved. The transitions from open to wooded land provide a sense of identity and•a visual boundary that serve to alert the traveller that he has arrived at a distinct place. The Route 743 south entrance ( at Route 660 ) is particularly important due to the long uninterrupted woodlands leading to the opening and the beginning of village development.' Destruction 'of trees in this area would cause a significant ' change in the approach and character of this portion of the village. * v Most of the frontage of Forest Run in this area would remain wooded and would be a part of the open space system. Development of the commercial and recreational areas would alert the tra'reller prior to arrival at the intersection of Route 660. 40w Other wooded areas to be preserved are those along drainageways ��" � and streams and all wooded areas along roads. As a general gyp)" ' rule, in addition to specific mapped recommendations, it is important to conserve as many trees as possible during development w erever it occurs in the village areas. An example of the value of this policy is immediately evident in the treatment given wooded areas in and around the development between the school and Route 764 ( the Pines ) . ✓As stated previously, sensitivity to these concerns is reflected in the use of open space in the Forest Run proposal. }} The commercial concentration at its present location of the 51 4. intersection of Route 743 with Route 660 should be Crry " strengthened. The new and expanding commercial area should '\ be treated with additional landscaping devices including berms and shrubbery to soften the visual impact of this new activity center. The new commercial area should be allowed to expand within a defined area as indicated on the plan. While the commercial area is not located as shown in the plan, the proposal is to develop in a similar fashion to Earlysviile Green to provide consistency to the area. Community facilities should be geared to retaining existing activities and adding to them. New facilities recommended include athletic/playfields and equipment at the elementary school. The proposed public recreation area would provide the facilities called for in the Comprehensive Plan. While not located at the elementary school, the proposal has been endorsed by the Parks Department. Existing Public Roads Route 743 on the north of Forest Run is listed by VDH&T as tolerable with 237 vtpd. On the west of Forest Run and south of Route 660, Route 743 is listed as non-tolerable with 3355 vtpd. Most traffic generated by the development would use the non-tolerable portion of Route 743 with destinations in the urban area. Staff is concerned about the adequacy of existing rdads to accommodate traffic increases generated by development and generally discourages traffic generation in excess of design capacity. However, staff recommends that flexibility in review is appropriate �'inrl orderto achieve the locational �grl growth objectives s of thel Comprehensive Plan. si cLRll, "tV l�f� 1( O1 Lc� f�??�; , �;�1'f�J ✓tFVt n}. ��^;I �l° (7,, l� 2 l) Water and ,Sewer Forest Run is proposed to be served by a central well system and individual septic systems. The water system would be designed in accordance with Albemarle County Service Authority specifications. �•J In initial review, staff suggested that a cooperative effort by Teledyne Avionics, Happy Valley Farm RPN, and Forest Run RPN might result in economic extension of public water to serve tie area. Teledyne has recently purchased the Happy Valley Farm property and has indicated no immediate plans for development. The nearest public water line is on the east side of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport. The Albemarle County Service Authority has recommended for engineering and safety reasons that extension of the line should bypass the runway. The Service Authority has roughly estimated extension of the line to Forest Run to be in excess of $450,000. Staff Comment Approval of Wakefield Farm road as a state road would increase traffic behind the double frontage lots adjacent to it in Earlysville Heights. Currently a wooded buffer exists between these dwellings and the roadway. Staff would recommend that improvement to the road be made on the Forest Run side and that consideration be given to additional-vegetative plantings or perhaps stockade fencing to further buffer these residences ( Should fencing be employed, staff would recommend it be located along the top of the existing berm ) . Staff opinion is that Viewmont Road should be extended to the new public road to provide direct access from Earlysville Heights to the commercial areas, public recreation area, and Forest Run residential areas. While this would increase traffic adjacent to six lots in Earlysville Heights, staff opinion is that improved access for the overall subdivision ( 56 lots ) and the travelling public on Route 743 outweigh this concern. Staff recommends approval of the Forest Run Planned Community. for the following reasons: 1. Staff opinion is that the proposed density substantially complies with Comprehensive Plan recommendations; 2. The plan reflects specific textual recommendations for Earlysville in the Comprehensive Plan; 3. The proposal is generally compatible to the area.