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Home My WebLink AboutVA200000007 Review Comments 2000-04-04 STAFF PERSON: Amelia McCulley PUBLIC HEARING: April 4, 2000 STAFF REPORT VA-00-07 OWNER/APPLICANTS: James and Virginia Hamrick, LLC / The Hamrick Building TAX/MAP/PARCEL: 45 / 104B2 ZONING: C1 , Commercial ACREAGE: 1 .68 acres LOCATION: In The Gardens Shopping Center (900 Gardens Blvd) on the east side of Rt. 29 North, just north of Albemarle Square Shopping Center TECHNICAL REQUEST AND EXPLANATION: The applicant requests a variance from Section 4.15.12.5 to allow a wall sign to be installed 30 feet above grade, a variance of 10 feet. The zoning ordinance limits wall sign height in this district to 20 feet. The proposed sign will be located on a building under construction. It will consist of individual brass letters reading "International Black Belt Center." The building in question is a two story structure located between Taco Bell and Carmike Cinema. It will consist of seven individual condominium units. The International Black Belt Center (IBC) will occupy the second floor. RELEVANT HISTORY: The Hamrick Office site plan (amendment to The Gardens) was signed on May 13, 1999. A portion of the building is presently occupied. Some units are under construction. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION AND QUALIFYING CONDITIONS: When a property owner can show that his property was acquired in good faith and where, by reason of the exceptional narrowness, shallowness, size or shape of a specific piece of property ... or where, by reason or exceptional topographic conditions or ... condition of such piece of property, or of the use or development of property immediately adjacent thereto, the strict application of the terms of this ordinance would effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict the use of the property ... provided that all variances shall be in harmony with the intended spirit and purpose of this ordinance. This property is not of an unusual shape, extraordinarily small or steep or the like, as mentioned in the preceding characteristics creating hardship. The design of the building lends itself towards the sign placement proposed. The ordinance wall sign height restriction has created a hardship which has led to recurring variance requests. VA 00-07 2 April 4,2000 STAFF ANALYSIS: While the sign would not produce a detrimental impact on the character of the area, there is no evidence of an undue hardship based on the unique characteristics of the subject property. The difficulty results from the requirements of the ordinance itself. In this circumstance, we are obligated to revise the ordinance. Therefore, staff recommends denial of the variance. APPLICANT'S JUSTIFICATION AND STAFF COMMENT: A review of the variance criteria provided by the applicant and comments by staff follows: The applicant has submitted photographs to show that there are quite a few exceptions to this height limitation within 300 yards of the Hamrick Building Hardship The applicant comments that the variance is necessary: • It goes without saying that clear signage which reflects the location of a business, in a drive-by commercial setting, is very important. To consider another contrived location for this sign can only cause confusion and consternation for would be customers. • The proposed sign location just makes simple sense both architecturally and visually in its proposed location. • There is a clear hardship for the owner of the sign to have to place it in a location for the business that is both unclear and forced, to satisfy an ordinance that, while enacted for good reasons, does not effectively apply to this particular situation. Staff opinion is that the hardship is based on the language of the ordinance. We concur that the proposed sign location is logical based on the design of the building. Other options which would meet the ordinance are not as aesthetically appropriate. 1. The applicant has not provided evidence that the strict application of the ordinance would produce undue hardship. Uniqueness of Hardship The applicant comments that the variance in necessary: • From the photographs provided it appears that within 300 yards of the Hamrick Building there are, many exceptions to the ordinance. Many of the other offending signs are back lit or neon, as opposed to the simple brass letters proposed in this instance. A:Iva00-07.doc VA 00-07 3 April 4,2000 Staff finds that the hardship is shared generally. 2. Evidence has not been provided that such hardship is not shared generally by other properties in the same zoning district and the same vicinity. Impact on Character of the Area The applicant offers: • The signage proposed is understated and unobtrusive by any standard, and particularly in relationship to what is currently installed on the adjacent buildings. If anything, the simple bronze signage on the Hamrick Building is boon to the character of the district, by not employing neon or back lit signage. Also, by not being as aggressive in lighting of the signs, the adjacent signage on other buildings will not be competed with, in any way. • While not adhering to the letter of the sign ordinance, certainly these modest and simple brass letters do fall within the spirit for which the ordinance was created. As the applicant has illustrated with the photos, there are several signs of this height in this area. Staff is of the opinion that the proposal will not detrimentally impact the adjacent property or the character of the district. 3. The applicant has provided evidence that the authorization of such variance will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property and that the character of the district will not be changed by the granting of the variance. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Since the application satisfies only one of three criteria, staff recommends denial for cause. Should the Board chose to approve it, staff recommends the following condition: This variance is for one sign. Any additional signs (unless permitted by new ordinance language), will require amendment to this variance. A:lva00-07.doc Jo, .X. 1-1A I II I T S PRESENTED TO 24-1or _ . 4141 woo Isn VA -z000-1 COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE // /-, , 7 l ‘,......,3 ......, . . . ., . . . • . . ...‘ „ . . . ..„. ,-- International Black Belt Center • N:.' ' ... --,..........„— . . . . ? 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THE STANDARDS FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE SECONDARY owe SYSTEM OF STATE HIGHWAYS AND WILL NOT BE / o Q`,� O HILL 9•0 MAINTAINED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF O SHOPPING 1 TRANSPORTATION OR THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE. / \ THIS PROPERTY LIES IN AN AREA DPP CENTER o9 / DESIGNATED AS ZONE C (AREA OF w QF o, TMP 45 104A1 SITE \ GRAND PROPERTIES MINIMAL FLOODING) AS SHOWN ON 0 \F WOODBROOK DATA FOR CENTERLINE OF 24' MAPS BY THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY co = OJ SUBDIVISION / D B 919 P. 49 MANAGEMENT AGENCY to P '� PR/VA TE INGRESS/EGRESS AND / \ DATED: DECEMBER 16. 1980 `' UT/L/TY EASEMENT. • a 0 J THE GARDENS TMP 45-104B \ z SHOPPING THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT ON CENTER COURSE DATA: N ARDENS INVESTORS, NOVEMBER 24, 1999, I co 9. / SURVEYED THE PROPERTY SHOWN O ALBEMARLE LOT A � 'p SQUARE L 1: S65°36'15'E 110 17' 1 / . ON THIS PLAT AND THE TITLE m o� SHOPPING L2: S24°19'35"'W 57.27' �/ 30. l `/, LINES AND WALLS OF THE CENTER L3. S08°3029"E 15537' �• /6-GR p19/V PARCEL /I BUILDING ARE SHOWN HEREON FASHION L4 S08°30'29'E 42 19' .�' / 6, 6",ss, $TF /� B- ' 7 / \ \ ��\ MOLL RE VICINITY MAP 00ry� 4.44 FNT ��/ Gici,4/7- .3,3 / /� TMP 4 5 10 4 B 1\ F N T S CURVE DATA //pARDENS INVESTORS, LL TITLE RE ERENCES / / LOT B JAMES & VIRGINIA HAMRICK, LLC Cl R=38 00' 0 ` �� D.B. 1811 P 230 A=59.64' J / ' , , ,, 2 STORY BRACK ` D B 1810 P 67-71 PLAT T:37.95' O LOT D / BUILDING/ D B 1762 P 679-689 PLAT C=53 71' �� S NOT YET COMPLETED\ D B. 1601 P 265 v 65° \ \ D.B 1449 P 451 CB=S20 38'20'E / ° • / DEL TA=89°55'S0"' (:Q.- ' / TMP 45 ° 'F LOT C D B 1118 P 60-62 PLAT CENTRAL Y BANK ,• S ^ 2200 TOTAL SUBMITY D LAND �O D.B. 1123 P 133-135 PLATS C2 R=38 00" D B 1129 P 6 0 / s o LP •. v D / 1, AC. \ LOT 6 00 A:21.78' / -- ZONE C1 'O T=1120' \ h f.DMH I ,� \ 0 C:21.48' / O M ASPHALT PARKING AREA •\ , / 1— ` S DEL TA=32°50'04"" LOT E 31.00' /, o P / J•2o c� a o TMP 45-104B5 �0 / '• `') GARDENS INVESTORS, LLC LOT 5 �G� N18°53'11"E / `� o ` V S LEGEND: 19.32' TMP 45-104B4 4� .4 0 o vh LOT F ` 'O,� BURGERBUSTERS, INC. /1S65036'15' S68°18'S1"E LINE DESIGNATINGO : IRON SET �. 1 D B 1120 P 14 42.30' CONVERTIBLE LAND ✓ LOT 4 BIF = BENT IRON FOUND IF : IRON FOUND I. •S° �' a 177.75 SDMIliii �� IF CENTERLINE NF = NAIL FOUND i• ' ',. TMP 45-104B2 Si H OF 24' PRIVATE �- - - ----\ PKNF = PK NAIL FOUND N66° SH EASEMENT - - �- - - EP = EDGE OF PAVEMENT 20823., , J CONVERTIBLE LAND LP 111 IF \` +1' LWV ® WATER VALVE \ w 2j < ipp 0.9133 AC. I f FH : FIRE HYDRANT / �` '•1?' 236.3 - rillTIE. S08°30'51"E \ 411047 ' LP = LIGHT POLE / ... it / "" P g81° • �� 36 61 75.91' S SIGN / ASPHALT TRAV:1W , , `. U 9 PP = POWER POLE - - PORTION OF THOM =. LINCOLN MH = MANHOLE ' ` ` - - - PKNF WM : WATER METER TMP 61-123E CERT. NO. 1326 SMH : SANITARY SEWER MH \ ` - -- - \ RIO ASSOCIATES 24' PRIVATE INGRESS/EGRESS & LIMITED PARTNERSHIP - ,z(f,i00 SDMH = STORM DRAIN MH UTILITY EASEMENT D B. 1449 P. 451 TMP 61-123 D B 598 P 16 PLAT l I04 EXHIBIT A ALBEMARLE SQUARE 3URVE SUBDIVISION PLAT OF LOT C SHOPPING CENTER \ . PARCEL "Y" "THE GARDENS" ` \ THOMAS B. LINCOLN LAND SURVEYOR NC. , ` CHARLOTTESVILLE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT 671 BERKMAR CIRCLE ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA \ , CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22901 00 SCALE: 1" : 100' DECEMBER 8, 1999 SHEET 2 OF 2 TMODEL PB100 C \DATA9\960403PS.PRO 96-00 - 3 1 r� 't4 ;. NTERNATIONA a 12 s-rr�r: LT E - - - -- -' ----- ---- c-- _ - -- - - - Mill III�� _ a . I _ t ..- T __ HH _T Cv I = { ._ �. I ...._.-_.-.-_.-.r..-_.. ...___.._ I p r �I_ f'� - .. G' ItA I B 'r T s PRESENTED p. Q COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE o00 M � N � N W >� �o x cn L EXHIBITS PRESENTED TO !Xi On A Hot) C)r VA- WO COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE