HomeMy WebLinkAbout08 07 2012 PC MinutesAlbemarle County Planning Commission
August 7, 2012
The Albemarle County Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Tuesday, August 7, 2012, at 6:00
p.m., at the County Office Building, Lane Auditorium, Second Floor, 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville,
Virginia.
Members attending were Richard Randolph, Bruce Dotson, Ed Smith, Thomas Loach, Don Franco,
Calvin Morris, Chair; and Russell (Mac) Lafferty, Vice Chair. Julia Monteith, AICP, Senior Land Use
Planner for the University of Virginia was present.
Other officials present were Lee Catlin, Assistant to the County Executive for Community and Business
Partnerships, Susan Stimart, Business Development Facilitator; Elaine Echols, Principal Planner; Mark
Graham, Director of Community Development, J.T. Newberry, Senior Planner; Wayne Cilimberg, Director
of Planning and Greg Kamptner, Deputy County Attorney.
Call to Order and Establish
Mr. Morris, Chair, called the regular meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and established a quorum.
Other Matters Not Listed on the Agenda from the Public:
Mr. Morris invited comment from the public on other matters not listed on the agenda.
Neil Williamson, President of Free Enterprise Forum, read from the writings of the late Stephen Covey
and their relevance to the Comprehensive Plan as they relate to beginning with the end in mind.
There being no further comments, the meeting moved to the next item.
Committee Reports
Mr. Morris invited committee reports.
Mr. Lafferty reported PACC Tech did not meet this quarter.
• Mr. Morris reported the Pantops Community Advisory Council was working with Dan Mahone on
a trail along the Rivanna River.
There being no further committee reports, the meeting moved to the next item.
Review of Board of Supervisors Meeting — August 1, 2012
Mr. Cilimberg reviewed the Board actions taken on August 1, 2012.
Work Session
CPA-2013-00001 Comprehensive Plan Revision — Target Industries and Land Designations
including Shadwell (Elaine Echols and Andy Sorrell)
Purpose: The Planning Commission held a work session to set general direction and obtain feedback on
the following issues: Target Industries and Land Designations including Shadwell.
In Andy Sorrell's absence, Elaine Echols presented the Power -Point presentation. Other staff members
present to help answer questions were Susan Stimart and Lee Catlin.
Elaine Echols presented the PowerPoint presentation, as summarized below.
Industrial Land Locations, Target Industries, and Shadwell Interchange
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The Planning Commission asked staff to come back with some information on our industrial land
locations once the Target Industry Study had been completed and endorsed by the Board of Supervisors
as well as to talk a little bit about the Shadwell Interchange and some possible land uses there.
Staff reported that there are four Target Industry Clusters
• Bioscience and Medical Devices
• Business and Financial services
• Information Technology/Defense & Security
• Agribusiness
Those are the four areas that have been endorsed by the Board of Supervisors as the categories where
they want to have business and industry expansion and perhaps attract some new ones.
Interstate Interchange Map — Staff reviewed the overall map showing generally where the locations are of
the existing larger areas of industrial land. Most of those are in the Places29 area.
Staff also identified areas where Business and Financial Services are located:
• Stonefield (Albemarle Place)
• Hollymead Town Center Area A-1, A-2, C
• North Pointe
• Old Trail
• Peter Jefferson Place Office Park
• Other properties zoned commercially
Staff referred to the following table to indicate the amount and size of vacant industrial land.
Table 2: Parcel Sizes of Vacant Industrially Zoned and/or Designated Land
Developable Acres on Parcels
Number of Properties
1— 2.99 acres (could be combined for larger parcel)
5
3 - 4.99
7
5 - 9.99
27
10 -14.99
7
15 -49.99
6
50+ (UVAF of 234 acres)
1
Total Acreage = approx. 600 acres
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In responding to How Much Do We Need, staff indicated that we need 200 — 557 acres over next the 20
years for 18,000 new jobs. Staff also noted that many of this type of job can potentially take place on
commercially zoned land.
With this amount of available acreage relative to need What are We Missing? Staff indicated
• Properties with easy access to 1-64
• More opportunities where infrastructure is in place for Data Centers
Staff Recommendations at this time are to:
• Re -designate 13 acres between Avon and Rt. 20 S
• Add language for potential industrial use at two DA interstate interchanges
• Re -designate part of land north of Rivanna Station
• Bring small area south of Rivanna Station into DA
• Leave south side of Shadwell interchange in RA; establish it as a priority area for agri-business
that does not require access or utilities
At the end of the presentation, Ms. Echols invited questions.
Public Comments:
Mr. Morris invited public comments.
There were no public comments; however, reference was made to written comments received via email
dated 8/7/2012 from Jo Higgins regarding industrial land decisions. Ms. Higgins indicated she was not in
favor of expansion of Shadwell growth area and in favor of the expansion of Crozet 1-64 Interchange
growth area since they should have businesses for employment. (Attachment — Email dated 8-7-2012
from Jo Higgins at end of minutes)
The Planning Commission discussed, asked questions, and commented on the information provided. The
Commission asked staff to take their comments into consideration in the continuing work on the
Comprehensive Plan Update, as follows.
Planning Commission General Recommendations/Decisions
1. There is adequate land and building opportunities for most of the target industries.
2. Have staff take the recommendation to change the proposed land use from Urban Density
Residential to Industrial Designation on the 13 acres between Avon Street and Route 20 South to
the community for response. Be clear about the relationship of the proposed land use to those
around it and potential impacts to nearby neighbors. Suggest possible uses for the property as
well as uses that would not be appropriate in a list as a starting point for discussion.
3. If a property is to be redesignated, it should be done thoughtfully with attention to context.
4. Redevelopment opportunities should be looked at as well as vacant properties for industrial -type
uses in places such as vacant strip malls.
5. Show both areas near Boulders Road as Office/R&D/Flex/Light Industrial; however, also explain
how these uses make sense in their context and in relation to the nearby neighborhoods and
other surrounding uses.
6. Leave the Shadwell Interchange as a Rural Interchange; however, designate it as a priority area
for supporting agricultural business and industry that does not require utilities or generate much
traffic. Be aware that it is in the Monticello Viewshed and development must be carefully done.
Comments from Commissioners:
The point of this deliberation is to make sure that there is sufficient land suitable for a variety of
ALBEMARLE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
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jobs. There needs to be a diverse array of sites — small, medium, and large in different locations
for businesses to expand, relocate within the community or relocate to the community.
• Performance parameters should be set up so that we can measure progress to achieving the
County's goals.
• The County and the City should be aware of industrially designated properties in both places and
understand that each locality shouldn't necessarily need to provide all things to all businesses
and industries.
• Staff should provide maps or other essential information to the Commission on things such as
location of utilities and fiber optics lines when making statements about the locations of these
things. The statements provided in the staff report about location of fiber optics lines being only
on Rt. 29 N are not correct.
• It is important to show centers and "places" on the Land Use Plan to make sure that there is an
understanding of how the uses relate to one another.
• The policy that was made for water service only being available to the Village of Rivanna and
Glenmore should have been articulated in the staff report. It was incorrect to say that water
service is available to the properties along Rt. 250 at the Shadwell interchange when the policy
does not support providing service at that location.
• Procedurally, the Commission should be careful about written material sent to be read into the
record at a meeting. The Commission receives many emails and to bring all of those emails to
the meeting to be read into the record would open Pandora's Box. Letters or written comments
can be provided with the minutes but there is no Planning Commission obligation to read them
into the record.
• Mini -warehouses are classified in many communities as "businesses" and are not appropriate
uses in the Rural Areas or at interstate interchanges. Concerns expressed about
recommendation 5 on page 24.
• The recommended priority area for Shadwell should not be construed as a priority area for the
Crozet interchange.
No formal action was taken.
Old Business
Mr. Morris asked if there was any old business.
The Planning Commission discussed the prior week's public hearing on the Avon/5th Street project and
suggested ways to help in conducting future public hearings on items of contention and disagreement.
There being no further old business, the meeting proceeded.
New Business
Mr. Morris asked if there was any new business.
• There will be no Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
• Next regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, August 21, 2012
There being no further business, the meeting proceeded.
Adjournment
With no further items, the meeting adjourned at 7:26 p.m. to Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the
County Office Building, Auditorium, Second Floor, 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville, Virginia.
`%WI V. Wayne Cili fterg, Secreta
(Recorded and transcribed by Sharon C. Taylor, Clerk to Planning Commission lanni Boards)
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