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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB202100127 Staff Report 2021-12-14ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB-2021-127: Crozet Self Storage Review Type Review of an Initial Site Development Plan and an architectural design Parcel Identification 05600000003200 and 056000000032A0 Location 5696 Rockfish Gap Turnpike (See Figures 1 and 2.) Zoned Highway Commercial (HQ / Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner/Applicant Yousef LC / Merchants Retail Partners LLC (Andrew Lewis) Magisterial District White Hall Proposal To construct a 90,000 sf, 3-story self -storage building with associated site improvements. Context The surrounding area is a mix of residential development and wooded lots, with institutional and commercial development further west on Rt. 250. Visibility All four sides of the proposed building will be visible from the Entrance Corridors. ARB Meeting Date December 20, 2021 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski PROJECT HISTORY Three conceptual designs for a storage building were presented for review at the September 7, 2021 ARB meeting. Comments from that meeting are included in the Analysis section of this report for reference. The current proposal is similar to one of the designs presented on September 7. (See Figures 3 and 4.) ANALYSIS Gray highligh = means the guideline can't be reviewed at initial site plan stage, but recommendations can be provided for final Yellow highlight = means the guideline can only be reviewed for location/configuration at the initial plan stage Regular text = means the guideline can be reviewed at initial plan stage, can be made a condition of initial plan approval, and can be the basis for denial REF GUIDELINE ARB 9/7/21 ISSUE 12/20/21 RECOMMENDATION COMMENTS 12/20/21 Purpose; Compatibility with significant historic sites: Compatibility with the character of the Entrance Corridor; Structure design 1 The goal of the regulation of the design of development within the designated Entrance Provide an architectural Perspective images of the proposed Provide perspective Corridors is to insure that new development within the corridors reflects the traditional design that incorporates building have been provided. renderings that show the architecture of the area. Therefore, it is the purpose of ARB review and of these Guidelines, forms and features of However, they show the building as a proposed building in the that proposed development within the designated Entrance Corridors reflect elements of local historic architecture stand-alone object — not as a building surrounding context to design characteristic of the significant historical landmarks, buildings, and structures of the and is coordinated with in the surrounding context. They do clarify the scale, extent of Charlottesville and Albemarle area, and to promote orderly and attractive development the scale of the not illustrate the extent of visibility of visibility, and visual within these corridors. Applicants should note that replication of historic structures is neither surroundings. the proposed building along the impacts along both required nor desired. Provide perspective corridors. corridors. 2 Visitors to the significant historical sites in the Charlottesville and Albemarle area experience these sites as ensembles of buildings, land, and vegetation. In order to renderings to clarify the The proposed building material is Revise the architectural accomplish the integration of buildings, land, and vegetation characteristic of these sites, the scale and visual impacts precast concrete panels, some of design to incorporate Guidelines require attention to four primary factors: compatibility with significant historic of the proposed building. which are colored and stamped with forms, features and sites in the area; the character of the Entrance Corridor; site development and layout; and patterns to resemble brick and stone. materials that reflect the landsca in . Provide drawings to clarify the extent of Where the panels are not patterned to resemble other materials, they are traditional architecture of the area. 3 New structures and substantial additions to existing structures should respect the traditions of the architecture of historically significant buildings in the Charlottesville and Albemarle visibility of the proposed scored to break up the expanse of the area. Photographs of historic buildings in the area, as well as drawings of architectural building along the wall. The wall area using this Revise the architectural features, which provide important examples of this tradition are contained in A endix'T corridors. treatment is extensive. The applicant states that the building "features design to include architectural elements 4 The examples contained in Appendix A should be used as a guide for building design: the standard of compatibility with the area's historic structures is not intended to impose a rigid articulated facades with varying with greater relief design solution for new development. Replication of the design of the important historic material types including a chamfered sites in the area is neither intended nor desired. The Guideline's standard of compatibility comer element with storefront glass can be met through building scale, materials, and forms which may be embodied in and a cooper roof' to coordinate with architecture which is contemporary as well as traditional. The Guidelines allow the historic buildings in Crozet. The individuality in design to accommodate varying tastes as well as special functional treatment at the southeast comer of requirements. the proposed building follows a traditional method for emphasizing a 9 Building forms and features, including roofs, windows, doors, materials, colors and textures should be compatible with the forms and features of the significant historic buildings in the building entrance, and the patterned area, exemplified by (but not limited to) the buildings described in Appendix A [of the masonry mimics traditional building design guidelines]. The standard of compatibility can be met through scale, materials, and materials, but the overall design does forms which may be embodied in architecture which is contemporary as well as traditional. not have a strong connection to local The replication of important historic sites in Albemarle County is not the objective of these historic architecture. guidelines. Given the size and scale of the building and the proximity to the EC streets, the scoring is not expected to be sufficient to mitigate the building scale, and using patterns to resemble brick and stone rather than using the actual materials is not expected to be an effective method for establishing compatibility with local historic architecture. The length of the building is broken up with bays that include windows and colored and patterned precast. These bays are topped with a cornice that rises slightly above the main wall of the building. The bays do not appear to project beyond the main wall. As designed, they do visually break up the length of the wall, but they look like applied detail rather than true architectural forms. The applique appearance may be, at least in part, a result of the rendering program. One of the conceptual designs presented in the September 7 meeting (Figure 3) is similar to the current proposal and it shows more relief than is evident in the current drawings (Figure 4). Greater relief would be appropriate, but even with greater relief, these features do not sufficiently break down the mass of the building. Placing a special element at the chamfered comer to address the intersection is an appropriate architectural treatment, but the bay window appears uncoordinated with the other building elements, and its scale and character appear out of sync with the rest of the building. Overall, the proposed design still does not reflect the traditional architecture of the area, and the scale and mass of the building are not expected to contribute to orderly and attractive corridors. 5 It is also an important objective of the Guidelines to establish a pattern of compatible Provide an architectural The proposed building measures 260' Revise the architectural architectural characteristics throughout the Entrance Corridor in order to achieve unity and design whose form and long, 120' deep, and 37'8" tall. design with a coherence. Building designs should demonstrate sensitivity to other nearby structures within scale contribute to unity Although the southwest comer of the combination of reduced the Entrance Corridor. Where a designated corridor is substantially developed, these and coherence along the building is chamfered and changes in footprint, reduced height, Guidelines require striking a careful balance between harmonizing new development with adjacent Entrance materials break up the elevations, the substantial breaks in the the existing character of the corridor and achieving compatibility with the significant Corridors. design appears to be a simple block building form, and historic sites in the area. with applied decoration. The scale of the building is much larger than traditional buildings on the adjacent substantial changes in depth for recesses and projections along the 10 Buildings should relate to their site and the surrounding context of buildings. 11 The overall design of buildings should have human scale. Scale should be integral to the buildiniz and site design. corridors and much larger than any buildings in the immediate vicinity. walls to reduce the mass and scale of the building. 12 Architecture proposed within the Entrance Corridor should use forms, shapes, scale, and materials to create a cohesive whole. The monumental scale is highlighted by the building base that exceeds the height of the pedestrian door at the west end of the Rt. 250 elevation. The result of the design is a building that will not appear compatible with the surroundings and will not establish unity and coherence along the corridors. A combination of reduced footprint, reduced height, substantial breaks in the building form, and substantial changes in depth for recesses and projections along the walls is needed. 13 Any appearance of "blankness" resulting from building design should be relieved using Provide transparent glass The architectural elevations label the Revise the architectural design detail or vegetation, or both. in window openings. window glass as "clear". design to eliminate blankness on all sides of Changes in material and color, bays the building. with windows, and minor vertical projections are used to relieve blankness on the south and west elevations. An entry element at the southeast corner wraps to the east elevation, which also has two glass sectional doors and the brick- and stone -patterned base of the EC elevations. The east elevation, however, is lacking brick above the first floor, and the glass sectional doors appear to float in the large wall area. Because the building is built into the grade, the masonry pattern at the base of the north elevation is much reduced in height. Detailing of the wall above is limited to the scoring of the precast panels. The effect will be a blank, solid wall providing a backdrop for landscaping. Views of the northern elevation will be available from the north on the Crozet Ave. EC. 14 Arcades, colonnades, or other architectural connecting devices should be used to unify None. A single building is proposed. None. groups of buildings within a development. 15 Trademark buildings and related features should be modified to meet the requirements of See recommendations The building does not have the None. the Guidelines. above. appearance of a trademark design. 16 Window glass in the Entrance Corridors should not be highly tinted or highly reflective. None at this time. The architectural drawings note the None. Window glass in the Entrance Corridors should meet the following criteria: Visible light window glass as "clear." transmittance (VLT) shall not drop below 40%. Visible light reflectance (VLR) shall not exceed 30%. Specifications on the proposed window glass should be submitted with the application for final review. Accessory structures and equipment 17 Accessory structures and equipment should be integrated into the overall plan of Relocate the dumpster to The dumpster has been relocated to Include a detail of the development and shall, to the extent possible, be compatible with the building designs used reduce visual impacts on the northeast comer of the parking lot. dumpster enclosure in the on the site. the EC streets. A note on the plan specifies an 8'-tall enclosure with brick veneer to match plan. 18 The following should be located to eliminate visibility from the Entrance Corridor street. If, after appropriate siting, these features will still have a negative visual impact on the Entrance the building. Shrubs are proposed Add low level planting to Corridor street, screening should be provided to eliminate visibility. a. Loading areas, b. around the enclosure. screen the lift station Service areas, c. Refuse areas, d. Storage areas, e. Mechanical equipment, from view. f. Above -ground utilities, and g. Chain link fence, barbed wire, razor wire, and similar An existing lift station is proposed to securitv fencina devices. remain near the west end of the Rt. 250 elevation. Low-level planting 19 Screening devices should be compatible with the design of the buildings and surrounding natural vegetation and may consist of. a. Walls, b. Plantings, and c. Fencing. would help screen this equipment from view. No new ground -mounted equipment is shown. 21 The following note should be added to the site plan and the architectural plan: "Visibility of all None at this time. The note does not appear on the plan. Add the standard mechanical equipment from the Entrance Corridor shall be eliminated." mechanical equipment note to the site and architectural plans. 22- Lighting Not at this time. Lighting information was not Provide a complete 31 included in the initial site plan lighting plan for review. submittal. Include all proposed building- and ground - mounted lighting in the plan. Landscaping 7 The requirements of the Guidelines regarding landscaping are intended to reflect the Not at this time. Lawns and shade trees are None. landscaping characteristic of many of the area's significant historic sites which is characteristic of residential properties characterized by large shade trees and lawns. Landscaping should promote visual order in the surrounding area, but are not within the Entrance Corridor and help to integrate buildings into the existing environment of typical of commercial properties. The the corridor. portions of the site not occupied by structures or parking do not have the appearance of lawns. 8 Continuity within the Entrance Corridor should be obtained by planting different types of Not at this time. Sycamores and dogwoods are None. lant materials that share similar characteristics. Such common elements allow for more proposed along the Rt. 250 EC. flexibility in the design of structures because common landscape features will help to Littleleaf Lindens and Redbuds are harmonize the appearance of development as seen from the street upon which the Corridor proposed along Crozet Ave. These is centered. tree species are used throughout the corridors. 32 Landscaping along the frontage of Entrance Corridor streets should include the following: Add ornamental trees The Sycamores along the Rt. 250 See other landscape a. Large shade trees should be planted parallel to the Entrance Corridor Street. Such trees along the EC street frontage are proposed at 3%" caliper recommendations, below. should be at least 3% inches caliper (measured 6 inches above the ground) and should be of frontages. Consider an and are spaced at an average of 35' on a plant species common to the area. Such trees should be located at least every 35 feet on informal arrangement of center. Dogwoods in pairs and trios center. trees that is more are proposed between most of the b. Flowering ornamental trees of a species common to the area should be interspersed among consistent with the Sycamores. The arrangement is less the trees required by the preceding paragraph. The ornamental trees need not alternate one for surrounding context regimented than in the conceptual one with the large shade trees. They may be planted among the large shade trees in a less without reducing plan, but it is still fairly regular. regular spacing pattern. quantities. c. In situations where appropriate, a three or four board fence or low stone wall, typical of The Lindens along Crozet Ave. are the area, should align the frontage of the Entrance Corridor street. proposed at 3%z" caliper, are spaced d. An area of sufficient width to accommodate the foregoing plantings and fencing should closer than 35' and are grouped be reserved parallel to the Entrance Corridor street, and exclusive of road right-of-way and towards the center of that frontage. utility easements. Trees are located to frame the chamfered building comer. 33 Landscaping along interior roads: None. The planting along Brownsville Rd. Provide 16 large shade a. Large trees should be planted parallel to all interior roads. Such trees should be at least has been revised from a regular trees along Brownsville 2'/z inches caliper (measured six inches above the ground) and should be of a plant species alternating row to alternating groups Rd., 2%" caliper at common to the area. Such trees should be located at least every 40 feet on center. of trees (a mix of large shade and planting. ornamentals) and shrubs where the proposed building fronts the street. The parking lot has been extended closer to Brownsville Rd., leaving only enough space for shrubs. At the east end of Brownsville Rd., the trees have moved away from the road edge and into an irregular arrangement, maintaining required sight distance. Overall, the quantity of trees along Brownsville Rd. does not meet the requirement, though the caliper of the large shade trees does. 34 Landscaping along interior pedestrian ways: None. Sidewalks are proposed between the None. a. Medium trees should be planted parallel to all interior pedestrian ways. Such trees should parking spaces and the building, but be at least 2% inches caliper (measured six inches above the ground) and should be of a there are no pedestrian ways s ecies common to the area. Such trees should be located at least every 25 feet on center. elsewhere on site. 35 Landscaping of parking areas: Revise the plan to The parking lot has increased in size Add a large tree on the a. Large trees should align the perimeter of parking areas, located 40 feet on center. Trees provide landscaping from 7 spaces to 14. Two Willow north side of the parking should be planted in the interior of parking areas at the rate of one tree for every 10 parking along the east side of the oaks at 2V2' caliper are proposed in lot, 2%" caliper at spaces provided and should be evenly distributed throughout the interior of the parking area. parking area to minimize planting islands at the end of the planting. b. Trees required by the preceding paragraph should measure 2% inches caliper (measured visual impacts. Include access drive, and two Willow oaks are six inches above the ground); should be evenly spaced; and should be of a species common shrubs and perimeter proposed along the eastern perimeter to the area. Such trees should be planted in planters or medians sufficiently large to maintain trees spaced 40' on of the parking lot. Frontage trees the health of the tree and shall be protected by curbing. center. double as perimeter trees on the south c. Shrubs should be provided as necessary to minimize the parking area's impact on side. Except for the northern parking Entrance Corridor streets. Shrubs should measure 24 inches in height. lot perimeter where no trees are provided, the perimeter tree requirement has been met. Shrubs, 24" at planting, are provided along the parking lot perimeters. 36 Landscaping of buildings and other structures: None. The trees proposed along Rt. 250 Increase the planting a. Trees or other vegetation should be planted along the front of long buildings as necessary meet the size and quantity along the Rt. 250 side of to soften the appearance of exterior walls. The spacing, size, and type of such trees or requirements for EC frontages, but the building to offset the vegetation should be determined by the length, height, and blankness of such walls. they are not expected to be sufficient impacts of the scale of the b. Shrubs should be used to integrate the site, buildings, and other structures; dumpsters, to mitigate the size and character of building. accessory buildings and structures; "drive thru" windows; service areas; and signs. Shrubs the proposed building. In addition to should measure at least 24 inches in height. reducing the scale of the building, a Add low level plantings substantial increase in planting and all along the Rt. 250 adjusting the spacing of the trees frontage. along Rt. 250 to coordinate with building features are possible options for further mitigating impacts. The Rt. 250 street frontage has no low-level planting along the building or the stormwater facility. 37 Plant species: a. Plant species required should be as approved by the Staff based upon but Not at this time. The plants are on the various lists. None. not limited to the Generic Landscape Plan Recommended Species List and Native Plants for Vir ma Landscapes (Appendix D . 38 Plant health: The following note should be added to the landscape plan: "All site plantings of The note is on the plan. None. trees and shrubs shall be allowed to reach, and be maintained at, mature height; the topping of trees is prohibited. Shrubs and trees shall be pruned minimally and only to support the overall health of theplant." Site Development and layout; Development pattern 6 Site development should be sensitive to the existing natural landscape and should contribute Reduce visual impacts Much of the site is already developed. Revise the design to to the creation of an organized development plan. This may be accomplished, to the extent resulting from the scale Groups of mature trees currently reduce the scale of the practical, by preserving the trees and rolling terrain typical of the area; planting new trees of the building. stand in two areas of the site. They building to not overpower along streets and pedestrian ways and choosing species that reflect native forest elements; are proposed to be removed. The the setting of the site. insuring that any grading will blend into the surrounding topography thereby creating a proposed building is oriented parallel continuous landscape; preserving, to the extent practical, existing significant river and to Rt. 250 and has a chamfered comer stream valleys which may be located on the site and integrating these features into the at the intersection with Crozet Ave. design of surrounding development; and limiting the building mass and height to a scale that The layout appears generally does not overpower the natural settings of the site, or the Entrance Corridor. organized. Access is proposed off Brownsville Rd. No pedestrian 39 The relationship of buildings and other structures to the Entrance Corridor street and to other development within the corridor should be as follows: connections or open spaces are a. An organized pattern of roads, service lanes, bike paths, and pedestrian walks should proposed. It is anticipated that the guide the layout of the site. form of this three-story building with b. In general, buildings fronting the Entrance Corridor street should be parallel to the street. a 30,000 sf footprint — a large block Building groupings should be arranged to parallel the Entrance Corridor street. with relief primarily applied to the c. Provisions should be made for connections to adjacent pedestrian and vehicular surface — will visually overpower the circulation systems. site and the streetscape. d. Open spaces should be tied into surrounding areas to provide continuity within the Entrance Corridor. e. If significant natural features exist on the site (including creek valleys, steep slopes, significant trees or rock outcroppings), to the extent practical, then such natural features should be reflected in the site layout. If the provisions of Section 32.5.2.n of the Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance apply, then improvements required by that section should be located so as to maximize the use of existing features in screening such improvements from Entrance Corridor streets. f The placement of structures on the site should respect existing views and vistas on and around the site. Site Grading 40 Site grading should maintain the basic relationship of the site to surrounding conditions by Revise the design of the The shape of the stormwater facility Indicate on the plan the limiting the use of retaining walls and by shaping the terrain through the use of smooth, stormwater facility and has changed and frontage trees are material and color rounded land forms that blend with the existing terrain. Steep cut or fill sections are generally landscaping to result in a proposed between it and the street, proposed for the retaining unacceptable. Proposed contours on the grading plan shall be rounded with a ten foot minimum facility that is frilly but it is still expected to have the wall. A muted earth tone radius where they meet the adjacent condition. Final grading should achieve a natural, rather integrated into the appearance of an engineered feature. color is recommended. than engineered, appearance. Retaining walls 6 feet in height and taller, when necessary, shall landscape. A pipe from the facility connects with be terraced and planted to blend with the landscape. an existing culvert located closer to the street in the right-of-way. Include a detail of the retaining wall safety 44 Natural drainage atterns or to the extent required, new drainagepatterns) should be incorporated into the finished site to the extent possible. A retaining wall is proposed along the railing in the plan. 20 Surface runoff structures and detention ponds should be designed to fit into the natural topography to avoid the need for screening. When visible from the Entrance Corridor street, north end of the parking and dumpster Add low-level these features must be fully integrated into the landscape. They should not have the appearance area. The wall reaches almost 5' tall. landscaping in the of engineered features. A safety railing will be required. The vicinity of the stonmwater wall will be visible from Rt. 250 facility to integrate it across the parking lot. more fully into the landscape. 41 No grading, trenching, or tunneling should occur within the drip line of any trees or other None. No trees are shown to remain. None. existing features designated for preservation in the final Certificate of Appropriateness. Adequate tree protection fencing should be shown on, and coordinated throughout, the grading, landsca in and erosion and sediment control plans. 42 Areas designated for preservation in the final Certificate of Appropriateness should be clearly delineated and protected on the site prior to any grading activity on the site. This rotection should remain in place until completion of the development of the site. 43 Preservation areas should be protected from storage or movement of heavy equipment within this area. fI uCA 113 /_\ tmf) 9 N DCKIM 13 1 DI►117_V Y OR Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. The scale of the proposed building. 2. The style and character of the proposed building. 3. The use of patterned masonry. 4. The amount and depth of architectural treatments. 5. Landscaping: quantity and character relative to the building scale and building design. 6. The location and treatment of the stormwater facility. IL Staff recommends that the ARB forward the following recommendations to the Agent for the Site Review Committee: • Regarding requirements to satisfy the design guidelines as per § 18-30.6.4c(2), (3) and (5) and recommended conditions of initial plan approval: o Prior to Initial Plan approval the following items shall be resolved to the satisfaction of the ARB: None. • Regarding recommendations on the plan as it relates to the guidelines: None. • Regarding conditions to be satisfied prior to issuance of a grading permit: None. • Regarding the final site plan submittal: A Certificate of Appropriateness is required prior to final site plan approval. The following items and all items on the ARB Final Site Plan Checklist must be addressed: 1. Provide perspective renderings that show the proposed building in the surrounding content to clarify the scale, extent of visibility, and visual impacts along both corridors. 2. Revise the architectural design to incorporate forms, features and materials that reflect the traditional architecture of the area. 3. Revise the architectural design to include architectural elements with greater relief. 4. Revise the architectural design with a combination of reduced footprint, reduced height, substantial breaks in the building form, and substantial changes in depth for recesses and projections along the walls to reduce the mass and scale of the building. 5. Revise the architectural design to eliminate blankness on all sides of the building. 6. Include a detail of the dumpster enclosure in the plan. 7. Add low level planting to screen the lift station from view. 8. Add the standard mechanical equipment note to the site and architectural plans: Visibility of all mechanical equipment from the Entrance Corridor shall be eliminated." 9. Provide a complete lighting plan for review. Include all proposed building- and ground -mounted lighting in the plan. 10. Provide 16 large shade trees along Brownsville Rd., 2%" caliper at planting. 11. Add a large tree on the north side of the parking lot, 2'/z" caliper at planting. 12. Increase the planting along the Rt. 250 side of the building to offset the impacts of the scale of the building. 13. Add low level plantings all along the Rt. 250 frontage. 14. Revise the design to reduce the scale of the building to not overpower the setting of the site. 15. Indicate on the plan the material and color proposed for the retaining wall. A muted earth tone color is recommended. 16. Include a detail of the retaining wall safety railing in the plan. 17. Add low-level landscaping in the vicinity of the stormwater facility to integrate it more fully into the landscape. ATTACHMENTS Attach. 1: ARB2021-127: Crozet Self Storage Site Plan Attach. 2: ARB2021-127: Crozet Self Storage architectural drawings 11 609 .P 5fi-35A 56-15 + � n 1 56-32Ci 57j I{/\/ 56-35G _J 5756 597 81'OVbS�' 1 Y^ 56-35D 56-34 56-34E 56-3 SCCS 55-32�C J 5706 5870 5716 5680 + 5 5676 5584 5678 yy 5 6-16 �} 562 56-26E tl 5 6-32 B2 56-176 5651f 5646 Sa�;i• 502 56-32D 56-32B1 5645 s 56-2 5861 J .'. \ 562'4 56-16F fir! 17F 501--- .` 5637 5861 ' 5.805 -__-- 56-3081. 56-291 56-26F2 56-17G1 45J 482 56Y I � 56-16B ;} 56-3062 56w7 4 4J' 479 56-16E 56-31 A2 476> 1011, 56229 3-1 7 56-16C 56-31A1 Figure 1: Project location. 12 Figure 2: View of existing development at proposed site, looking west on the Route 250 West Entrance Corridor. 13 Figure 3: One of three conceptual designs presented at the September 7, 2021 ARB meeting. 14 Figure 4: The current design proposed for the Crozet Self Storage Building. 15