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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA202000005 Correspondence 2021-08-19I MERIDIAN Engineering • Surveying • Planning PLANNING GROUP, LLC 440 Premier Circle, Suite 200 Charlottesville, VA 22901 Phone: 434.882.0121 August 9, 2021 www.meridienwbe.com Kevin McDermott Planning Manager County of Albemarle RE: ZMA-2020-00005 Old Dominion Village Dear Kevin, Below are responses to the letter addressed May 31, 2021. General Application Comments 1. Providing a concept sketch of what the layout might look like that does not have to become part of the application plan may benefit you when it comes to discussing the project with the Planning Commission and Board. ✓ Comment noted. 2. The changes made to the application to address the previous comments are very appreciated. This is especially true of the conversion to public roads. I understand the need to place the stormwater facility between Blocks 7 and 10 but it is unfortunate that the road system is unable to connect between them. A consideration could be made to provide a bicycle and pedestrian connection between the roads in those two blocks to address the Neighborhood Model of connectivity. ✓ Bicycletpedestrian foot bridge provided to connect Blocks 7 and 10. 3. Previously there was discussion of including on -street parking. It is unclear if that is still a consideration and it appears the application is able to meet parking requirements without it. However, in many instances providing all required parking in individual residence garages and driveways often leads to parking issues in the development. Consideration of including some on - street parking, perhaps on one side of some roads may help to address this in the future. ✓ Off-street parking has been added to the plans. COD, Section IV, Table D, Note 5 states a minimum of 1 parking space per 4 townhouse units shall be provided for guest parking. 4. The County is preparing to adopt a new Housing Policy which will be occur prior to this application coming before the Board of Supervisors. The attached comments from the Albemarle County Housing Director include comments for both the current policy and the proposed policy. It would be staffs recommendation that you conform to the updated policy to reduce the chance of an unfavorable recommendation. ✓ Comment noted. 5 additional affordable housing units have been added to provide 20 % affordable housing units. Page 1 Section 18-33.18 (B) Application Plan Comments: 1. Page Z-105 shows grading and VDOT ROW over top of an existing gas line and easement. Permission from the gas company will be required and assurance of the safety of that grading plan will be required in future application related to the development of this property. This is for information only at this time but staff wants you to be aware of any potential issues that may arise in the future. ✓ Enclosed is a copy of the e-mail from Ben Zienty, with Columbia Gas, stating that the proposed grading over the gas line is acceptable. 2. The existing drainage easement identified on Z-102 does not appear to be accommodated in the Concept or Grading Plans (Z-104/105). This will also need to be addressed in the future applications for this development. ✓ The existing drainage easement will be vacated as part of the subdivision approval process. 3. Sheets Z-104/105 show a pedestrian path connecting from Capella Rd into the Green Space near Parkside Dr. What is this proposed to be connecting to? ✓ This pedestrian path was to provide access to the Green Space. It has been relocated to provide Green Space access off the end of Altair Road. Section 18-20A.5 Code of Development Comments 1. Section III Table C. only identifies Amenity 3 with playground equipment, but Sec. 4.16.2.1 states: "One tot lot shall be provided for the first 30 units and for each additional 50 units...". This would likely require a minimum of 2 tot lots in the development. ✓ Tot Lot 2 has been added to Amenity 2. Tot Lot 1 is located in Amenity 3. 2. Section V #5. States that Frontage Improvements along Route 240 shall include a 5' bicycle lane, curb and gutter. VDOT requires a minimum of 4' from the edge of the gutter pan. The width of the gutter pan is not shown on the typical section included in the Application Plan but it is generally more than 1'. Staff recommends rewording this to say a minimum of 4' from the edge of the gutter pan and considering doing perhaps slightly more than the minimum required to improve cyclists' comfort as this is a heavily trafficked roadway with higher speeds. ✓ The typical section has been revised to show 4' from the edge of gutter. 3. Section VI. Please see the Housing Director's comments on the application's Affordable Housing proposal. This project will be before the Board after they have approved the new Housing Policy and the application should address those changes. ✓ Comment noted. 5 additional affordable housing units have been added to provide 20% affordable housing units. Section 18-33.22 Proffer Statement Comments 1. Affordable Housing: Please see the Housing Director's comments on the application's Affordable Housing proposal. This project will be before the Board after they have approved the new Housing Policy and the application should address those changes. ✓ Comment noted. 5 additional affordable housing units have been added to provide 20% affordable units. Page 2 2. Greenway Dedication to the Public. Greenway and Stream Buffer. First sentence makes no sense. Who dedicates these areas? Maybe should say "...are hereby dedicated..." or "...upon request by the County are hereby dedicated...". ✓ The language has been revised per Rebecca Ragsdale comment. 3. Financial Contributions. A. I think the intent is to pay these sums for each single-family lot. $3000 for each single-family detached lot and $2500 for each single family attached lot. Please clarify. ✓ Proffer 4.A has been revised as suggested. Page 3 Zoning — Rebecca Ragsdale CODE OF DEVELOPMENT Single family attached is proposed but for clarification and flexibility, the use category should be updated consistently with how it is listed in other places in the ordinance: o Semi-detached and attached single-family dwellings such as two-family dwellings, triplexes, quadraplexes, and townhouses, provided that density is maintained, and provided further that buildings are located so that each unit could be provided with a lot meeting all other requirements for detached single-family dwellings except for side yards at the common wall. ✓ Note 4 has been added as requested. • Wherever residential uses are listed, Home occupation, Class A must be listed BR. ✓ Comment addressed. • Public uses should be listed BR all blocks. It is listed as N in Block 7. ✓ Comment addressed. A Country Store is a specifically defined term (below) in the ordinance and is a use permitted in the RA Zoning District. It may still be added as a use to a NMD code of development. Confirm the use as defined is what is intended. If so, a note should be added to the Code of Development that the Country Store shall not be subject to the regulations of Section 5.1.45. If not, other retail uses may be added. o Country store. "Country store" means a store whose primary use is to offer for sale a wide variety of retail merchandise. ✓ Note 5 has been added as requested. • Temporary construction uses and public uses must be BR in all blocks. ✓ Comment addressed. Table B-Note 6 does not represent gross density, but net density for the project. Gross density is 4.62 dwelling units per acre. ✓ Note 6 has been revised as requested. Page 6- Table D- Setbacks. Relegated parking, such as a setback for garages behind the building fagade is not provided. It is not required but is typically in codes of development to address the Neighborhood Model principles. o Add 18' setback for garages. ✓ A line has been added to Table D for Garage setback. The front property lines are 1.4' from edge of sidewalk, so a 17' minimum setback is required. o Parking requirements of Section 4 must be met. The range of spaces listing in the table does not include guest parking. To avoid confusion at future stages of approval, either update the calculations to comply with the ordinance or remove them. ✓ Note 5 has been added to specify a minimum of 1 parking space per 4 townhouses must be provided for guests. Page 4 PROFFERS • Proffer 3 — The proffer language as proposed should not be accepted as it could not be enforced as written. Greenway dedications cannot be made via an application plan. They can be labeled for future dedication but a subdivision plat and deed of dedication are the final mechanisms for conveyance. Staff would be happy to help provide sample language, if requested. An example previously provided is below. ✓ Proffer 3.B Dedication of Greenway Area has been revised. • Proffer 4- Financial Contributions —For ease of administration and consistency with state law, this proffer language should be rewritten. Staff is happy to provide examples of previously accepted proffers that contain that language upon request. ✓ Proffer 4 has been revised. Page 5 Planning — Daniel Butch 1. On the concept plan, provide and label the proposed 5' sidewalk and 5' bike lane along Route 240 in accordance with VDOT standards. ✓ Z-104: Labels for the 5' sidewalk and bike lane have been added. 2. Provide bicycle/pedestrian connection from internal network to the dedicated public Green Spaces 1 & 2 for the recommended planned greenway. ✓ Z-104: Sidewalk is shown from the end of Altair Road to the Green Spaces. 3. For future reference, refer to the VDOT Road Design Manual Appendix B-1 for appropriate street trees within planting strips adjacent to sidewalks or shard use paths. ✓ Comment noted. Page 6 Architectural Review Board — Margaret Maliszewski 1. An easement will be required for the portion of the Rt. 250 landscape buffer described as "maximum 10'-wide in Block 4," which is adjacent to the minimum 10'-wide portion of the buffer in Amenity 1. ✓ Comment noted. 2. Revise the spacing of street trees from 40' to 35' in note 5 on page 7 of the Code of Development for consistency with Entrance Corridor Design Guidelines. ✓ Note 5 on page 7 of COD has been revised as requested. Page 7 Housing — Stacy Pethia (If approved after the adoption of the Proposed Housing Policy) Proffer 1: Affordable Housing • Proffer 1 states that the affordable units may be provided as either for -sale units or rental units; however, only the for -sale option is discussed under this proffer. If the developer intends to reserve the right to offer affordable units for rent, please add a subsection discussing this option. ✓ Proffer 1.0 has been added for Affordable Rental Units. • The proposed housing policy recommends the percentage of affordable units to be provided increase from the current 15% of total residential units to 20% of total residential units. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider adopting the proposed housing policy on June 16, 2021. ✓ 5 additional affordable housing units have been added to provide 20% affordable units. Proffer IW: For -Sale Affordable Dwelling Units • Remove the phrase beginning with, `such that housing costs consisting of' through to `maximum sales price/loan limit for firsts -time homebuyer programs'. ✓ Phrase has been removed. • Replace with, `in no event shall the selling price for such affordable units be more than sixty-five (65%) of the applicable federal HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) Homeownership Value Limits'. ✓ Phrase has been added. Proffer 1(B): Role of County Community Development Department • The Housing Planner has re -merged with the Office of Housing as of April 1, 2021. Replace all references to County Community Development Department with County Office of Housing. ✓ All references to County Community Development Department replaced with County Office of Housing. Consider adding language that after the initial 90-day qualification period, if no income - qualifying purchaser has been identified, the developer may market the affordable for -sale units to local non-profit affordable housing providers. This is simply a suggestion to be added at the discretion of the developer. ✓ Case "(W) a local non-profit affordable housing provider does not purchase the unit," has been added to Proffer I.B. • The proposed housing policy recommends affordable for -sale units have mechanisms in place to keep the units affordable for a minimum of 40 years. ✓ Not Applicable. Code of Development: VI. Supplementary Regulations — Residential Uses and Affordable Housing VI. 1: • The proposed housing policy recommends the percentage of affordable units to be provided increase from the current 15% of total residential units to 20% of total residential units. The Page 8 Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider adopting the proposed housing policy on June 16, 2021. ✓ 5 additional affordable housing units have been added to provide 20% affordable units. VI.2: • Language should match that of Proffer 1(A) and 1(B). ✓ Language has been revised as requested. VI.3: • Net rent should include an allowance for tenant paid utilities. Utility rates are set by Virginia Housing (formerly VHDA) and can be found here: https://www.vhda.com/BusinessPartners[HC VPAgent/Pages/HC V UtilityA]lowanceSchedulesfor VA.aspx ✓ Allowance for tenant -paid utilities now included in net rent. • The proposed housing policy recommends For -Rent Affordable Dwelling Units be affordable to households less than equal to 60% AMI. ✓ Comment addressed. • Rents for affordable dwelling units shall not exceed the area median income times the applicable factor per unit size. ✓ Not applicable • The proposed housing policy recommends affordable rental dwellings units have mechanisms in place to keep the units affordable for a minimum of 30 years. ✓ Not Applicable VIA: • The proposed housing policy recommends the percentage of affordable units to be provided increase from the current 15% of total residential units to 20% of total residential units. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider adopting the proposed housing policy on June 16, 2021. ✓ 5 additional affordable housing units have been added to provide 20% affordable units. Page 9 Parks & Recreation — Tim Padalino 1. ACPR recommends that the proposed greenway trail within the Conservation Area be constructed by the owner/developer; and be designed and built to Class B — Type 2 "high -maintenance pedestrian path" per the Trail Standards in the Albemarle County Design Standards Manual; and be constructed, inspected, and accepted prior to owner/developer's dedication of Conservation Area to the County for public use. ✓ The Owner/Developer have decided they will not construct the Greenway trail. The trail shall be constructed by others after the Greenway has been dedicated to the County. Page 10 Department of Transportation — Adam J. Moore Land Use 1. A VDOT Land Use Permit will be required prior to any work within the right-of-way. The owner/developer must contact the VDOT Charlottesville Residency Land Use Section at (434) 422-9399 for information pertaining to this process. ✓ Comment noted. Page 11 RWSA — Dyon Vega General Comments 1. Please include RWSA easement with DB and PG on all relevant sheets. ✓ A recorded easement could not be located. General Comments 1. RWSA requires trees to be out of easement. The current tree buffer zone appears to be within the RWSA easement. ✓ A recorded easement could not be located. 2. Please include easement and show RWSA 16" DI WL on this sheet. ✓ A recorded easement could not be located. 3. RWSA is concerned with the proximity of the back of the houses and decks being built to close to the zone of influence of the WL. ✓ The RWSA water waterline is approximately 20' from proposed townhouse property lines. In addition, the County is requiring the side of the townhouse facing Route 240 be the fronts of the units so decks will not be allowed on these units. Please let me know if you need additional information. Sincerely, Timothy Miller, P.E., L.S. Principal Page 12