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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVA200300002 Other 2003-03-01 Alt cm_ ed,,,A> p /P / 11 s - Description of Request: Pi, ev , a-r w/a Pry- tG citu_th 3 ? We respectfully request a variance to regulation 4.1.3. We purchased the Covesville store on one acre(+) of land in December of 2002 with the 5? intentions of opening it back u as a cuntry store Our main emphasis will be the retailing of nti ues, art, silver, ifts & gourmet foo i ems. �` � � s We will have a special emphasis on products that are made in Virginia. " 74),,,,r,, r, ,T,;" The previous owner meticulously restored the building over a four year period, to historical specifications. She had a series of strokes & passed � ' away sometime later. She never opened it as an antique store her - � ,, 0' goal). he specia use permit has la s ie main issue, before we i.t • apply for a special use permit, is that the Covesville Post Office shares 3001 4 w; the property with the Covesville Store. For many decades, the Post tioZ Office was located inside the store. Apparently, it moved to its own building (at that time a trailer) on the otherside of the same property during the 1970's. It now resides in a respectable looking modular unit on the same spot. The post offict has one employee working at any given time. It shares the well & the septic systems'with the Covesville Store. These utilities were approved for both structures and are operating fine. After purchasing the property, we learned that, under the rules of zoning for Albemarle County, the buildings should not exist 1,03 awes as they do, on only a one acre(+) piece of land. We have about 43,606 U AI ��G. 1'5' square feetof land and zoning calls for 60,000 square feet. Our request is that the county will allow a variance so that both establishments can continue to coexist, as they have for many years. 1) The strict application of this ordinance would produce undue hardship to the Covesville Store, The Post Office, & the town of Covesville. We have negotiated a contract with the leasing company that handles the Post Office leases & beginning in November we will receive $400.00 per month for the ground lease for the Post Office. The Post Office is the center of the Covesville community. Most people who live in the village of Covesville actually go to the Post Office to get their mail & many also go there to see their neighbors. This activity should add to our customer base, when we open the store, & will further develop this property as a focal meeting place for the community. So, for us, the Post Office provides revenue that helps to offset our mortgage / overhead & it is a non-compete business draw that will be very helpful when we open the store. It will be important to our success that they are allowed to stay here. As for the Post Office, they have a Gdv(. . 4-0 haa---4,AAtt-e_ -Hero r ages viable operating structure that produces revenue & is profitable. To relocate the Post Office, would be costly & inconvenient for the Post Office. For the Town of Covesville, not having the Post Office in the village would be inconvenient for many who walk to the Post Office everyday. There is also a nice element of the rural village meeting place that will become even better when the store opens back up on the premises. 2) We believe that our hardship is not shared generally by other properties in the same zoning district & the same vicinity. This property was carved out of the larger parcel of land from the storekeeper's residence many decades ago & was meant to house the Covesville Store with the Post Office inside it. Some time later, the Post Office became structurally separate from the store with its own parking, while remaining on the same property. We think that this is probably an unusual occurrence that is not shared generally by other properties. 3) We believe that the authorization of such a variance will not be of substantial detriment to the adjacent property & that the character of the district will not be changed by the granting of the variance. The Post Office has been in its present spot since the 1970s. All of the neighbors that we have met to date, have relayed their excitement about our plans for the store & many of them are /will be involved in the process, in one way or another. By reopening the Covesville Store, we plan to bring back much of the character of Covesville. We plan to have a clean & reputable upscale business that will add to the culture & community of Covesville & be a positive attraction to Albemarle County & beyond. It is important to us and to the village of Covesville to allow the Post Office to coexist on the property with the store. Description of Request: We respectfully request a variance to regulation 4.1.3. We purchased the Covesville store on one acre(+) of land in December of 2002 with the intentions of opening it back up as a country store. Our main emphasis will be the retailing of antiques, art, silver, gifts & gourmet food items. We currently reside in the apartment portion of the Covesville Store and desire to remain living here to help offset expenses and provide added security to the store. When the store is opened, hopefully this summer, we will have a special emphasis on products that are made in Virginia. The previous owner meticulously restored the building over a four year period, to historical specifications. She had a series of strokes and passed away sometime later. She never opened it as an antique store (her goal). The special use permit has lapsed. The main issue, before we apply for a special use permit, is that the Covesville Post Office shares the property with the Covesville Store & the way we understand it, our apartment would be considered a third use. For many decades, the Post Office was located inside the store & the apartment has always either been occupied by the proprietors of the store or rented to an outside tenant as living quarters. Apparently, the post office moved to its own building (at that time a trailer) on the otherside of the same property during the 1970's. It now resides in a respectable looking modular unit on the same spot. The post office has one employee working at any given time. It shares the well & the septic systems with the Covesville Store. These utilities were approved for both structures and are operating fine. After purchasing the property, we learned that, under the rules of zoning for Albemarle County, the buildings should not exist as they do, on only a one acre(+) piece of land. We have about 43,600 square feet of land and zoning calls for 60,000 square feet per use. Our request is that the county will allow a variance so that the three uses, in two structures, can continue to coexist, as they have for many years. 1) The strict application of this ordinance would produce undue hardship to the Covesville Store, the Post Office, the Town of Covesville, & ourselves. We have negotiated a contract with the leasing company that handles the Post Office leases & beginning in November, we will receive $400.00 per month for the ground lease for the Post Office. The Post Office is the center of the Covesville community. Most people who live in the village of Covesville actually go to the Post Office to get their mail & many also go there to see their neighbors. This activity should add to our customer base, when we open the store, & will further develop this property as a focal meeting place for the community. So,for us, the Post Office provides revenue that helps to offset our mortgage/overhead & it is a non-compete business draw that will be very helpful when we open the store. Our living here also lowers our business overhead and adds needed security to the business. It would be difficult for us to justify renting another residence, when there is ample space here that was designed as living quarters. It will be important to our success that the Post Office is allowed to stay here. They have a viable operating structure that produces revenue & is profitable. To relocate the Post Office, would be costly & inconvenient for the Post Office. For the Town of Covesville, not having the Post Office in the village, would be inconvenient for many who walk to the Post Office everyday. There is also a nice element of the rural village meeting place that will become even better when the store opens back up on the premises. We have a 8 year lease that we are waiting to sign until we feel more confident that the three uses will be allowed on this property. We have been told that if we decline to sign this new lease & ask them to leave, the Postal Service will have an "Emergency Situation" to relocate & adequately serve the Covesville area. 2) We believe that our hardship is not shared generally by other properties in the same zoning district & the same vicinity. This property was carved out of the larger parcel of land from the original storekeeper's residence many decades ago & was meant to house the Covesville Store, workers/family (upstairs residence) & the Post Office inside it. Some time later, the Post Office became structurally separate from the store with its own parking,while remaining on the same property. We think that this is probably an unusual occurrence that is not shared generally by other properties. 3) We believe that the authorization of such a variance will not be of substantial detriment to the adjacent property & that the character of the district will not be changed by the granting of the variance. The Post Office has been in its present spot since the 1970s. All of the neighbors that we have met to date, have relayed their excitement about our plans for the store & many of them are/will be involved in the process, in one way or another. By reopening the Covesville Store, we plan to bring back much of the character of Covesville. We plan to have a clean & reputable upscale business that will add to the culture & community of Covesville & be a positive attraction to Albemarle County & beyond. It is important to us, the success of our business and ultimately to the village of Covesville, to allow the three named uses to coexist on the property. 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