Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutVA200100021 Review Comments 2001-11-13 O STAFF PERSON: John Shepherd PUBLIC HEARING: November 13, 2001 STAFF REPORT VA-2001-021 OWNER/APPLICANT: Trustees of Cove Presbyterian Church TAX MAP/PARCEL: 108/26A ZONING: RA, Rural Areas ACREAGE: 0.66 acres LOCATION: Covesville Lane TECHNICAL REQUEST AND EXPLANATION: The applicant requests a variance from Section 4.15.8, Sign regulations applicable in the RA, VR, R-1 and R-2 zoning districts. This section provides for a maximum area for a single freestanding sign of 24 square feet. The variance is necessary to erect a freestanding sign of 32 square feet for the church and a child development center. RELEVANT HISTORY: • SP-2001-019 Covesville Child Development Center, approved on August 15, 2001, allowed the Child Development Center to be established on TM/P 108/27, The Cove Presbyterian Church site. • SDP-2001-051 Covesville Child Development Center Site Plan Waiver request was approved on August 14, 2001. • SIG 2001-125 7/23/01 (temporary sign on 108/26A for the Child Development Center) • SIG 2001-137 8/8/01 (temporary sign on 108/26A for the Child Development Center) • SIG 2001-150 8/29/01 (temporary sign on 108/26A for the Child Development Center) • SIG 2001-175 10/8/01 (temporary sign on 108/26A for the Child Development Center) • VA-2001-021 PENDING The proposed sign has a message area of 32 square feet. Free standing signs in the RA district are limited to 24 square feet. The applicant has requested approval of VA-2001-021, a variance to allow this increased area of signage. • ARB -2001-019 PENDING This free-standing sign in the Entrance Corridor requires a Certificate of Appropriateness. It will be heard on by the ARB on November 19, 2001. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION AND QUALIFYING CONDITIONS: The property contains 0.66 acres and is vacant. It is zoned RA, Rural Areas and is in the EC, Entrance Corridor Overlay District. It is described as Tax Map 108, Parcel 26A, and is bound by the northbound lane of US Route 29, Route 837 and State Route 840 in the Covesville area. State Route 840, Covesville Lane is the old roadbed of State Route 29. Cove Presbyterian Church is located on the other side of Cove Lane. This request is subject to approval of SP-2001-053, a request for a freestanding sign. If that request is approved, the BZA can then consider the request to increase the message area of the sign. Staff opinion is that denial of the request to increase the message area of a sign would not create a hardship as defined by the ordinance. -2 - O 2 APPLICANT'S JUSTIFICATION AND STAFF COMMENT: A review of the variance criteria provided by the applicant and comments by staff follows: Hardship The applicant comments that the variance is necessary: • Two distinct entities, both with long names, share this space and share the sign. Lettering large enough to be read at 55 miles per hour requires more than 24 square feet in order to read "COVE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH and COVESVILLE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER." Staff is sympathetic to the applicant's request for additional message area based on the length of the names on the sign as well as the factor of the speed of the traffic on Route 29. However, it is staff opinion that denial of this request would not constitute an undue hardship as defined in the ordinance. 1. The applicant has not provided evidence that the strict application of the ordinance would produce undue hardship. Uniqueness of Hardship The applicant notes: "I know of no other examples of shared space in Covesville. Other churches are on roads with slower traffic." Staff opinion is that the ordinance limits the area of freestanding signs in the Rural Areas to 24 square feet in order that such signs are in harmony with the rural character of this district. The location of this property on Route 29, a four lane, divided highway with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour creates unique factors relating to signage. The distance from the south bound lane to the sign, the distractions of heavy traffic and the speed are not typical in the RA district. 2. The applicant has provided evidence 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: This will be an attractive monument-type sign in keeping with our status as a national historic landmark. It will enhance the community and the safety of drivers. I:IDEPT18uilding&Zoning1Staff Reports12001 staff reportslVA-2001-21Cove Presbyterian.doc IF -3 - II. 3 Staff agrees that this proposed sign will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property or to 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 this request only meets two of the three criteria, staff can not recommend approval. Should the Board find cause to approve this request, staff recommends the following conditions: 1. This approval is subject to the approval of SP-2001-053. 2. This approval is subject to the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Architectural Review Board. 3. This variance is for the construction of the free standing sign described in this file only. 1:1DEPTIBuilding&ZoninglStaff Reports12001 staff reportslVA-2001-21Cove Presbyterian.doc (E N J 1. .... _i�._. I1 ,1 CI 52001 ..I _')1 si � Y. _,.-. L e er S Are vv ki.ie rG iS ej C Lc nnc meI4) c c+ 1) . Q ► Nett�'y`' _ c ' -. 0 J 1 MI' Cove:Pre sbYt eri an: - 1- . 1 :\.- ,__,... hurc 1 ,11 T-- 1 ---1 _I1 _ _.1 HL.L.L.iJ.....�.__. .. 1 I" 1-_-t 1- I:IT: ii, or c-- JL F'',eih5tone C i' 4' 3 71L�z1� .\,c Ala — iR '•T --' i. -' V --��yG z I .'i/ /' '•30 Q 911 1,) ,S / • �� `• s C^ '. P f' ,> '%/ �� r-C S 6, l� //�/s �� �/ �4�11 99 • //'// '�/ �'I s iv j ;(840, s `�'BG�p• arCe.A 2GA /f / z� � L pso, `• v �i ,o 0cW% S 9 / ki,n I / `O 0 / SCc / S. de • 1'O� I du�0Y1 q o // c <� .I � �ebhs I �jN yP J `/ r �°� �1 /�%�Srtio1/,5o o " / 4N. �, � pf co /�? 2/ m lit h t I n �O 1 5561 /1 . ti h / % 550 �v bss)j 41s56I �g� 904, R �� -1/ Ss, / 6•` p Y 2 ' 1, '� �, N I tn t) f-�\ / W - r" DIV ,..:) / /- •565b_ V / //.,:,,./ 0 o- ��Z In ..Ito `0, /,--;-. N 108 108 109 FEET p mimmiliw E 1oe 108D 109 0 300 600 S 108 108 109 1 2 �yOM g e' e-- �y�F nLa FJ®40C1r= DATE: 3/26/01 t.l�,J c Iiti'n, r, ,— r.• THRS YAP WV COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES REVISED p n M MU► wirni NO V iyoum A oR REPREEENTAnON.EIpRESEED OR AIPLIEG. Q LS oo E N Q R l�IE ©L YI T U \st�� �1 IN FACT OR IN LAW.INCLUDING WITHOUT UP/STATION THE t1UED CHECKED: {�8(1/�O M O ��_�_' WARRANTIES OF MERCH ANTABIUTY AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE PREPARED BY:Deportment of Ploon �'lnr•,wit t,