HomeMy WebLinkAboutCPA200600003 Legacy Document 2007-08-31 (3)COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
PLANNING STAFF REPORT SUMMARY
Project Name: CPA2006-03/ZMA2006-019
Staff: Judith Wiegand
Willow Glen
Planning Commission Work Session:
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: NA
December 5, 2006
Owners: Dickerson Ridge, LLC
Applicant: Sugaray Two, LLC
Acreage: 23.681 acres
Requested # of Dwelling Units: 234
Proposal: Amend Comprehensive Plan
Rezone from: Rural Areas, which allows
from Industrial Service, which allows
agricultural, forestal, and fishery uses;
warehousing, light industry, heavy industry,
residential density (0.5 unit/acre) to Planned
research, office uses, regional scale
Residential District (PRD), which allows
research, limited production and marketing
residential (3-34 units/acre) with limited
activities, supporting commercial, lodging
commercial uses for a maximum of 234 units.
and conference facilities, and residential
(6.01-34units/acres) uses to Urban Density
Residential, which allows residential (6.01-
34 units/acre) and supporting uses, such as
religious institutions, schools, commercial,
office and service uses. Applicant also
wishes to rezone property as described
above.
TMP: TM 32, Parcels 49F, 49G, 491, 49J,
By -right use: Rural Areas—agricultural,
and 49K
forestal, and fishery uses.
Location: property is east of Dickerson
Road (Rt. 606) across from Charlottesville -
Albemarle Airport and approximately 1500
feet south of the intersection with Airport
Road (Rt. 649), in the Hollymead
Community.
Magisterial District: Rio
Proffers/Conditions: Not as of yet
DA (Development Area): Community of
Comprehensive Plan Designation:
Hollymead
Industrial Service and Urban Density
Residential
Character of Property: Parcels consist of
Use of Surrounding Properties: Property is
rolling topography, undeveloped except for
directly across Dickerson Road from the
three scattered residences.
airport. Other industrial property is to the north
along Dickerson. The Deerwood residential
development is to the north and east.
Property to the south is largely undeveloped,
up to the Forest Springs Mobile Home Park.
The Abington Place residential portion of the
Hollymead Town Center is a short distance to
the east on the other side of the stream.
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
Factors Favorable:
Locates residential uses near
workplaces and retail areas.
Provides 13.7% (32 of 234 units) of
affordable housing. It should be
recognized that 15% would be expected
with any residential rezoning.
Provides 17.9% (42 of 234 units) of
moderate -price housing.
Includes a mix of unit types, along with a
clubhouse and other amenities.
Is consistent with other residential uses
along the southern and eastern edge of
the site. It should be recognized that the
mobile home park on the south side may
convert to nonresidential use in the
future.
Factors Unfavorable:
Decreases the amount of industrially
designated land available now and in the
future.
Locates a residential development in an
area that will make use of surrounding
industrially designated property more
difficult since residential and industrial
uses are generally incompatible.
Complicates the Places29 Master
Planning process by changing the land
use designation before all the land use
and transportation network matters have
been evaluated—and before the public
and officials are able to comment on the
plan.
Places a residential development across
Dickerson Road from the Airport in an
area that may have a long-range negative
impact on airport expansion and/or
expansion of airport -related uses.
This development does not create a
significant amount of affordable and/or
moderate -price housing beyond what
would be expected in a typical residential
rezoning.
RECOMMENDATION: At this time, staff recommends denial of this Comprehensive Plan
amendment request.
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
STAFF PERSON: JUDITH C. WIEGAND, AICP
PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSESSION: December 5, 2006
CPA2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Comprehensive Plan Amendment/Zoning
Map Amendment
Purpose of Worksession:
To obtain direction from the Planning Commission about the appropriate land use designation for
the subject property, in the context of the County's current Comprehensive Plan and the Places29
planning process.
Proposal:
The applicant wishes to have the County's Comprehensive Plan amended and a rezoning approved
in order to construct Willow Glen, a Planned Residential Development of 234 dwelling units on a
23.681 acre site off Dickerson Road. The mix of dwelling unit types shown in the application
includes 22 single-family detached homes, 12 duplex units, 106 townhomes, and 94 apartments as
condominium units. The applicant describes Willow Glen as offering affordable, moderate, and
market -rate housing. There is also parking and open space. See Attachment A, Willow Glen: A
Unique Housing Community.
Background:
This proposal was the subject of two previous Planning Commission worksessions on February 1,
2005, and on November 22, 2005.
February 1, 2005. The Commission held a "Pre -Application Submittal" Work Session on the
Dickerson Road Affordable Housing Project. The applicant presented several scenarios and basic
concepts regarding the proposed development and asked for the Commission's guidance on the
proposed project and the process for its review. The applicant has requested preliminary review of
a potential development proposal before making application for either a Comprehensive Plan
Amendment and/or a Zoning Map Amendment. Staff asked the Commission to help the developers
identify key issues in the proposed major development (ZMA, SP, CPAs, others), prior to expending
significant amounts of money and time on a rezoning for a development proposal.
Staff laid out five questions and the Commission commented on each below:
1) Is residential development appropriate, essentially in this location, near the airport? The
Commission was generally supportive of the proposal for affordable housing, but requested the
applicant to provide additional information for future work sessions.
2) Is the loss of industrial service land in this location and within the proximity of the Airport
appropriate? The Commission expressed concern about the loss of industrial property near the
Airport, but did not agree that a residential use was preferable.
3) Is there a concern with the mix of prices and unit types within the proposal, and is there a
concern with the overall concentration of affordable housing in this area? The Commission
agreed that the need for affordable housing was well-documented and that the proposed
development did offer a number of different housing types. They did not reach a consensus on
whether there would be too much affordable housing in the area, if the proposed development was
built.
4) Should a Comprehensive Plan amendment be submitted or should this request be
reviewed through a ZMA application and review process? Does the review of this project
need to be coordinated with the development of the Northern Development Areas Master
Plan? The Commission declined to make a decision on the appropriate review procedure
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
(Comprehensive Plan amendment or ZMA review first) until additional information was provided for
future work sessions.
5) Does the Commission have any concerns with the overall design concept proposed? The
applicant agreed to provide more information about the proposed design concepts at the next work
session. The Commission raised a number of issues and questions for the applicant to consider for
the next work session.
November 22, 2005. The applicant showed a specific concept plan and reviewed the proposal,
particularly the affordable housing components of the project. The Planning Commission reviewed
and discussed the proposal and said that there were many unanswered questions related to the
applicant's mechanisms for providing affordable housing, whether the proposal met the 15 percent
target, and how it would be administered. The Commission said that the proposal should be
forwarded to the consultant to be evaluated and considered as part of the Places 29 regional
review. The specific proposal might have some influence on the direction of the study and possibly
allow the applicant to move forward and not have to wait for further approvals in the Places29
process.
The relevant portions of the minutes of these two worksessions are in Attachment B.
Comprehensive Plan Amendment Review Process in General:
Public requests for amendment to the Comprehensive Plan are initially reviewed by the Planning
Commission to determine whether the request merits further study. CPA requests are evaluated
against the criteria provided in Attachment C. If the Commission believes the request merits further
consideration, a resolution of intent to study the CPA is drafted for Commission adoption. The
Commission generally studies the proposal for 6 — 9 months, before forwarding a recommendation
to the Board of Supervisors.
Willow Glen is different because it is within the Places29 Master Plan area. Preparation of the
Places29 Master Plan is underway and is expected to be substantially complete by the end of the
current fiscal year (June 30, 2007); the County expects to have the Final Draft of the Places29
Master Plan ready to begin the review and approval process on or before that date. This planning
process involves extensive review and comment by County staff, the Virginia Dept. of
Transportation, the public, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors. When the Final
Draft Master Plan is complete, the Land Use and Transportation Framework Map will show the
results of the land use analysis and transportation modeling process. Until that time, staff is
reviewing the CPA against both the current Comprehensive Plan and the most recent version of the
Places29 Draft Preferred Framework Map (7/24/06) (Attachment E).
At the time the County received the Willow Glen CPA, staff was using the Places29 Draft Preferred
Framework Map. To provide continuity during this discussion, staff continues to use this version of
the Framework Map to evaluate the Willow Glen CPA in the context of the Places29 process.
Existing Land Use Plan Designation, Applicant's Proposed Designation, and
Places29 Designation:
The County's current Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map designates Willow Glen as Industrial
Service and Urban Density Residential. The property is bounded by Industrial Service land to the
north, Deerfield Estates and an unnamed tributary of Powell Creek to the east, Urban Density
Residential to the south (including the Forest Springs Mobile Home Park), and Dickerson Road and
the airport on the west. It is part of a larger section of the Hollymead Community which has a mix of
Industrial Service, Town Center, Urban Density Residential, Neighborhood Density Residential,
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
Institutional, and Office Service uses. The airport is the primary Institutional use, along with the Post
Office on Airport Road.
The applicant is requesting an urban density residential designation across the whole property
which would be an extension of the Urban Density Residential area in the southern part of the
property. It is important to note that the property designated Urban Density Residential to the south
(and including a portion) of the Willow Glen site was the result of a Comprehensive Plan
Amendment approved in 1992 (CPA 1990-03), specifically to permit the development of a mobile
home park. This park is intended to provide affordable housing and must remain a mobile home
park for a period of 15 years after the date the CPA was adopted (October 7, 1992).
Places29 proposes this area as a combination of Light Industrial along Dickerson Road and Urban
Density Residential closer to Deerwood Estates and the unnamed tributary of Powell Creek.
Criteria for Review:
Attachment C provides the criteria for review, which are shown in italic type below. The first
comments under each criteria will address the Willow Glen CPA in relation to the Comprehensive
Plan, then staff will discuss the CPA in relation to the Places29 Draft Preferred Framework Map.
A. The Comprehensive Plan provides a long-range guide for direction and context of the
decision-making process for public and private land uses. The Comprehensive Plan is
general in nature rather than attempting to identify specific geographic locations. The
Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan suggests the relationship of recommended
uses to general areas. Proposed amendments to the Land Use map should be reviewed
for compliance with the general plan rather than area -specific or parcel -specific requests
for a change in the recommended use. The purpose of the Land Use Map is to provide
and plan for a balance of land uses, equipped with adequate utilities and facilities, in a
comprehensive, harmonious manner. Any proposed change in the Land Use Map will be
evaluated for protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the general public rather
than the proprietary interests of an individual.
Essentially, this criteria is asking if the land use designations, both existing and proposed, provide
for a balance of uses in the community, and how the uses should relate to one another. In order to
make this analysis, staff has established an area within Hollymead which is located between US 29
(Seminole Trail) on the east, the Airport on the west, Airport Road on the north, and the Hollymead
Development Area boundary to the south (See Map, Attachment D). This area actually consists of
three sub -areas. An unnamed tributary of Powell Creek that flows east of Deerwood and the Forest
Springs Mobile Home Park until it reaches US 29 forms the western and southern boundary of the
Town Center, the first sub -area. The Town Center is oriented primarily towards US 29 and,
secondarily, towards Airport Road. Except for Deerwood, which is oriented towards and has access
from Airport Road, the property to the west of this stream forms a second sub -area that was all
Industrial Service until the CPA for the Forest Springs Mobile Home Park was approved in the early
1990s. This sub -area is oriented towards and has access primarily from Dickerson Road. The third
sub -area is the large area of Industrial Service south of the stream and the mobile home park that
stretches all the way to the Development Area boundary.
These three sub -areas are important because the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map treats them
in different ways in order to provide for the various needs of the Hollymead Community and the
County as a whole. These three sub -areas fulfill different functions—this portion of Hollymead is not
simply a large mixed-use area, as suggested by the applicant. The Land Use Map recognizes that
the mixed use area with commercial, retail, residential, and other related uses as the Town Center
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
area, distinct from other areas. The other two sub -areas have been set aside for Industrial Service
because they face Dickerson Road, are across the street from the airport, and are large enough
that they would serve many different industrial users. The two Industrial Service sub -areas are
clustered so that they may rely on one another. Buffering between industrial and other uses would
only be necessary around the perimeter of the industrially designated area, rather than around
several smaller uses.
The applicant's request for a full urban density designation would extend residential use from the
Forest Springs Mobile Home Park to Deerwood Estates, creating a large residential node across
from the Charlottesville/Albemarle airport. In isolation, making this change would increase land
designated for residential use and remove land designated for industrial service use. Making this
change in isolation—rather than as an integral part of the Places29 Master Plan process—is one of
the concerns staff has with the timing of this proposal.
Preparation of the Places29 Master Plan's Framework Map began with a review of the current
Comprehensive Plan's Land Use Map and an evaluation of the land use designations used in the
Land Use Map. Since Places29 is still in preparation, all maps and text are still in draft form and are
subject to change as consultants and staff continue to refine the plan and incorporate public
comments.
The land use designations proposed by Places29 reflect changes in industrial uses since the
Comprehensive Plan was prepared. Industrial designations proposed by Places29 and reflected on
the Framework Map include:
OFFICE/R&D FLEX – range of office types, including professional/medical, business park,
call centers; also office showroom, research & development, laboratory, and professional
service uses.
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL – light industry, research and development, research laboratories,
warehousing, contractor storage yards, and auto service commercial. Support uses include
incidental related offices, wholesale warehouses.
HEAVY INDUSTRIAL – heavy industry, heavy manufacturing, regional warehouse, bulk
warehouse, wholesale, distribution, and truck terminal.
These categories reflect the different potential impacts of various industrial uses, such as traffic,
circulation, walkability, aesthetics, and to a certain extent, noise, vibration, and fumes. Traffic
impacts may involve both the number of vehicles coming to a site and the fact that those vehicles
include both automobiles and trucks. Where heavy trucks are a significant part of the traffic to/from
a site, both access to the site and its internal circulation may be affected.
Walkability addresses the type of use and the amount of land it occupies. A walkable use would
have a larger number of employees and/or customers and would occupy a site small enough to be
a part of a Neighborhood or Center. A use that was not considered walkable would be one that
required a site larger than an acre, had few employees or customers, and generated larger truck
traffic.
The County recognizes that some uses are economically valuable and provide jobs, but are not
necessarily attractive. Uses that have fleets of equipment, stockpiles of material, and temporary
buildings need to be conveniently located, but may not be appropriate in or near a Neighborhood or
Center. Noise, vibration, and fumes are more likely with heavy industry and may be most effectively
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
handled by segregating those industries
The intent of Places29 is to incorporate as many industrial uses as possible into Neighborhoods
and Centers; only where the potential impacts of a use make it difficult to locate near other uses will
Places29 recommend separating it. Light industrial uses include such businesses as contractor
storage yards. These businesses require a minimum of several acres (so they are not walkable),
and they feature a constantly changing array of equipment and material.
The Places29 Draft Preferred Framework Map calls for a portion of the proposed Willow Glen site to
be Light Industrial and the remainder to be Urban Density Residential. The intent of the Master Plan
consultants' concept was to allow some of this area to be residential—to create a transition
between the existing residential areas to the east and south and the light industrial area adjacent to
Dickerson Road. The proposed Places29 Urban Density Residential designation might serve to
buffer the stream valley. It should be recognized that the Places29 Framework Map is still in draft
form and subject to further refinement. Staff has some reservations about splitting the area between
the two land uses. Staff has discussed the possibility of a mixed use development (residential and
industrial or other employment) with the applicant. However, the applicant was not interested in this
approach.
To allow sufficient acreage for Light Industrial uses in the Hollymead Community, Places29
proposes that the mobile home park will remain unless and until it redevelops as something other
than a mobile home park. At that time, it would revert to Light Industrial. This area, along with the
Light Industrially designated property along Dickerson Road north of Airport Road is expected to
serve the County's needs for Light Industrial property for many years. This location puts industrial
users across from the Airport and separates them from the commercial, retail, office, employment,
and residential uses that are oriented towards US 29 and Airport Road.
Placing a new residential development in the area that Places29 proposes to designate Light
Industrial may have a negative impact on the ability of industrial users to find appropriate locations
and will locate residences across from the airport.
B. The merit of Comprehensive Plan amendment requests shall be largely determined by
the fulfillment of support to the "Goals and Objectives" specified in the Comprehensive
Plan.
The current Comprehensive Plan describes the Industrial Service designation as follows:
Uses allowed within this designation include warehousing, light industry, research, heavy
industrial uses, as well as uses allowed under Office Service.
Commercial uses are allowed in this designation as a secondary use.
Residential uses may be appropriate in the Industrial Service designation if such uses
are compatible with the nearby and adjacent Industrial Service uses. Care should be
taken to insure that the impacts of the Industrial Service uses, including traffic, noise,
odors, and vibrations will not affect residential uses. Where residential uses are
provided, both vehicular and pedestrian interconnections are expected to nearby
industrial areas.
Industrial Service designation requires appropriate site size (+ 5 acres), arterial road
accessibility, water and/or sewer availability, compatibility with adjacent uses. Rail
access may be necessary.
Areas for less -intensive industrial uses may act as transitional areas between
commercial and industrial areas. Uses in these areas may not require major
infrastructure provisions. A zoning district to distinguish between general industrial and
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006 8
transitional industrial may be appropriate as an amendment to the zoning ordinance.
(page 30)
The expectation for residential uses as part of an Industrial Service area anticipates a more "high
tech" job location with residential uses relating directly to the jobs. Compatibility is key in this
circumstance.
Urban Density Residential is described as follows:
Urban Density Residential areas are intended to have a gross density of between 6.01 to 20
dwellings per acre, with possible densities of up to 34 dwellings per acre under a planned
development approach.
Urban Density Residential areas may be located within the Urban Area and Communities
only. This designation may be appropriate within Villages.
Urban Density Residential areas are intended to accommodate all dwelling types as well as
institutional uses such as places of worship, public and private schools, and early childhood
education centers including day care centers and preschools.
Urban Density Residential designations are not intended for development at densities below
6 dwellings per acre.
Developments within Urban Density Residential areas are expected to occur within the
designated range of 6.01 to 34 dwelling units per acre and, to the greatest extent
practicable, to maximize the developed density with a form in keeping with the
Neighborhood Model.
Development densities within the Urban Density Residential area should ultimately be based
on environmental criteria, road function and condition, available utilities, adjacent land uses,
and site requirements.
It is anticipated that Urban Density Residential areas will accommodate areas of non-
residential land uses on the scale of Neighborhood Service and Office Service as defined
later in this chapter.
Maintain statements in the Zoning Ordinance that site development within Urban Density
residential areas be based on standards in both the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning
Ordinance.
The key to understanding whether or not the Urban Density Residential designation is appropriate
at this location is whether the adjacent land use (the airport) is considered compatible with the
residential use. Questions to be asked are whether it can be adequately buffered or if, as proposed,
the residential use is sufficiently far from the airport itself to not be impacted by noise and
vibrations. Staff's position is that the uses cannot be made compatible, as described more fully
under Criterion D below.
The Hollymead Community Profile includes a description of the existing land uses. For "Industrial,"
the Plan states "[m]ost of the industrial development in this Community is located along Route 649
(Airport Road) and off Route 606 (Dickerson Road)." (Page 77) Thus, the Plan recognizes that most
of the industrial uses in the area south of Airport Road are located off of Dickerson Road.
While the Plan does indicate that "Hollymead is intended to be a mixed-use community that allows
people to live in close proximity to their workplace, shopping and service areas...," (the first
recommendation on page 79) as quoted in the Willow Glen application, the fourth recommendation
recognizes the need for industrial and office uses:
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
The area west of Route 29 North is intended for industrial and office uses as a large
employment area. It is expected that these uses will be "basic" employment generators and
potentially of a large scale and with an airport orientation. (page 79)
Another recommendation states that all industrial/office areas should be developed "in a highly
sensitive manner that clusters development in suitable areas and protects environmental features
through the provision of open space." (Page 79)
A third recommendation addresses the site for the Forest Springs Mobile Home Park:
The Urban Density residential area of approximately 50 acres west of Route 29 is intended
for the location of a mobile home park accommodating a minimum of 100 mobile homes.
This area is intended to provide affordable housing in the area and is intended to be
exclusively for the location of a mobile home park for a period of not less than fifteen years
from the start of development. Because of its proximity to areas designated for commercial
and industrial use, new development shall provide an effective vegetative buffer around the
mobile home park. Consideration should be given to cooperating with, and utilizing, area
human service agencies in providing support services to residents as needed. (page 80)
Both the Comprehensive Plan and the draft Places29 Framework Map stress the need for
compatibility among land uses and the creation of walkable Neighborhoods and Centers. This
proposal is compatible with existing residential uses to the east and south, but incompatible with the
Airport use to the west. Changing the designation of the proposed Willow Glen site will eliminate 23
— 30 acres of the County's existing inventory of industrial Service across Dickerson Road from the
Airport, and it will make it impossible for the Places29 Master Plan to designate the entire area Light
Industrial.
C. A primary purpose of the comprehensive Plan and Land Use Map is to facilitate the
coordination of improvements to the transportation network and the expansion of public
utilities in an economical, efficient and judicious manner. Comprehensive Plan
amendments which direct growth away from designated growth areas shall be
discouraged unless adequate justification is provided. Amendments to the boundaries of
growth areas may be considered appropriate if the request is comprehensive, proposed
to follow a logical topographic or man-made feature and is supported by adequate
justification. No Comprehensive Plan amendment shall be considered in areas where
roads are non -tolerable or utilities are inadequate unless the improvement of those
facilities is included in the comprehensive plan amendment proposal.
The proposed location of Willow Glen is in the Development Areas and is served by water, sewer,
and public streets. The site is adequately served from a road network standpoint by Dickerson
Road and the anticipated interconnection to Towncenter Drive, a future east -west road connecting
Dickerson to US 29 (portions of this road are now under construction). The County Engineer has
identified a complication with this anticipated interconnection --it will need to be rerouted to avoid a
large stormwater management facility.
The only outstanding issue relative to streets is the need for "Road D" to be realigned to avoid the
stormwater basin and to align with the planned intersection stub -out on Towncenter Drive. The
County Engineer also recommends improving the project's interconnectivity by extending Road G
(now a dead-end street) to Road D and extending Road E (a dead-end street) to Road C to create
"blocks."
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
10
There are a number of additional concerns raised by the County Engineer that can be addressed
during the review of a ZMA.
D. Proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments shall be evaluated for general compliance
with adopted County plans, policies, studies and ordinances and to determine if
corresponding changes are necessary.
It is important to understand what this development will offer if a choice is to be made between
preserving this location for Industrial Service uses (or Light Industrial uses with the Places29 Master
Plan) or changing the land use designation to permit residential development.
The proposed Willow Glen concept calls for provision of 74 affordable and moderate -price units (32
affordable, 42 moderate -price). While this may be beneficial and consistent with housing strategies,
it is at the cost of reducing the County's inventory of available industrial land located in a very good
location for industrial -type uses.
The Airport Master Plan also speaks to the type of land uses preferred in the vicinity:
Type of Growth around the Airport. Growth of any incompatible land uses, especially
residential and/or certain institutional (schools, etc.), may prove to be constraining factors to
the growth of the airport due to noise, pollution, etc. The presence of residential
neighborhoods in the vicinity of the airport puts constraints on the number of operations and
time of operation in the form of night curfews, etc. Long-range community planning will be
necessary to guide appropriate future development in the airport area. Compatible zoning is
necessary to maintain the positive relationship between the airport, the neighborhoods and
the University through increasing development and change.
Expanding the Land Envelope. In order to meet capacity demands in the future, the airport
will have to increase the length of its runways, construct new runways, or increase the
separation between runways to accommodate more operations from the present site.
Associated increases in terminal, parking and hangar areas will have to be made. All these
developments require additional land. The airport will have to look at ways to expand the
current airport envelope to accommodate capacity increases. (Airport Master Plan, 1-24)
Thus, it is important that land uses near the airport be compatible not only with existing airport
activities, but also with the potential for growth in airport facilities and related users. Maintaining
industrially designated land around the airport will provide locations for airport expansion, as well as
possible locations for related businesses, such as car rental agencies. It should be noted that the
Executive Director of the Airport Authority has indicated that he does not have a problem with the
proposed development, provided some form of notification (such as a note on plats) recognizing the
existence of the airport and potential impacts from airport operations may be present on the site.
This notification process was used for the Walnut Hills development west of the airport.
Comments regarding the affordable housing component of the proposal are addressed in the next
section.
E. Except as otherwise provided, the following conditions may be considered in the
evaluation of a request to amend the Comprehensive Plan.
1. Change in circumstance had occurred; or
County Staff recognizes that the nature of industrial uses is changing and the land requirements will
be different. This change is being addressed in the Places29 Master Plan process by
recommending revised land use designation definitions and changes to the Land Use Map (see
page 6).
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006 11
2. Updated information is available; or
The County is updating the Comprehensive Plan through the Places29 Master Plan process.
Recommendations to be included in the Master Plan will address changes in industrial land use and
any necessary changes in land use designations on the Land Use Map. The evaluation of existing
industrial uses, possible new uses, and market demands, as well as research into improved land
use categories and the appropriate distribution of those uses on the County's Land Use Map are all
part of the Places29 Master Plan process. The current status of the master plan process was given
early in this report, along with some of the preliminary findings.
3. Subsequent portions of the Comprehensive Plan have been adopted or developed;
or
The three major changes to the Comprehensive Plan since the last update in 1996 have been
adoption of the Neighborhood Model, approval of the Hollymead Town Center development, and
adoption of an affordable housing policy. Conformity with the Neighborhood Model is an area to be
addressed with a rezoning analysis, if the CPA is recommended to proceed. Impacts of approval of
the Hollymead Town Center and the affordable housing policy are provided below.
The Hollymead Town Center CPA set up a major destination for the entire County. Nearly 1.3
million square feet of nonresidential uses are expected, as well as 1680 dwellings. At present no
single-family detached housing is anticipated with the Hollymead Town Center, making Deerwood
the closest single family detached development to the Town Center. Residential uses in the Willow
Glen project area could provide additional single family detached housing for greater balance.
The applicant has stated that the primary benefit to the County from the Willow Glen CPA rests on
its relationship to the County's affordable housing policy and the provision of affordable and
moderate -price housing. The affordable housing policy was adopted on February 4, 2004. The
applicant proposes affordable housing and moderately priced units in the development in
conjunction with market rate housing in a "planned" community that has amenities. A breakdown of
housing by type is shown below:
Proposed Willow Glen Housing Units.
Unit Type
Units
Un
Aff/Modt Units*
# Affordable
# Moderate
Single-family Detached
22
0
0
Duplex Units
12
900
12
0
Townhomes A-24' wide
48
0
0
Townhomes B-20' wide
26
0
0
Townhomes C-16' wide
32
0
42
Multifamily units (as
condominiums)
94
Aff: 875
Mod: 1040
20
0
TOTAL
234
32
42
*NOTE: the square footages are given for those units in each unit type that would be classified as affordable
or moderate price. Other units of the same type are expected to be larger.
The total number of affordable and moderate price units in the proposed Willow Glen project is 74
Of these, 32 units—or 13.7 percent—would be affordable (price range: $185,000 - $195,000) and
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006 12
42 units—or 17.9 percent—would be moderate price ($220,000 - $230,000). It is important to note
that the affordable percentage is less than the 15 percent the County asks for with rezonings that
involve residential units. Only if the County agrees that 50 percent of the moderate -price units may
be credited towards the affordable requirement thereby adding 21 moderate -price units—or 8.9
percent—does the percentage of "affordable" units increase to 22.6 percent and exceed the 15
percent requirement.
The affordable units are proposed as small duplexes and small condominiums. The moderate -price
units are proposed as slightly larger townhouses and condominiums. There are a number of other
residential developments in Albemarle County that offer townhomes in the same price ranges
($195,000 - $230,000), including Sherwood Manor, Birnham Wood, Townwood, Four Seasons, and
Minor Hill, among others. In the past year, there have been several duplex units in the older
sections of Briarwood in the same price range. Similarly, condominiums are available in Hessian
Hills and other condo developments. Winridge is a residential development with sections of single-
family detached homes, duplexes, and townhomes (Minor Hill). There have even been a few single
family homes offered in Winridge in this price range during the past year. While the sizes of the
affordable and moderate -price units in Willow Glen are smaller than many available in these other
developments, Willow Glen will have more open space and amenities.
While it appears that Willow Glen is providing an "affordable community," the project would provide
32 affordable units and 42 moderate -price units that would not be provided if the area remained
designated Industrial Service or Light Industrial (with Places29). While the 32 affordable units would
be expected of any residential development, the decision to redesignate the property must be
weighed against whether provision of approximately 42 "moderate -price" units as condos or
townhouses justifies the loss of up to 23 acres of industrial land, and whether this site, adjacent to
the airport, is an appropriate location for a residential development.
4. A portion of the Plan is incorrect or not feasible; or
The Plan has guided development decisions for a decade. It is not incorrect and does not contain
infeasible recommendations. There are two points raised by the applicant that need to be
addressed. The first point is the applicant's statement:
Regarding the loss of potential industrial land inventory, the prices for industrial land have
long been driving businesses to surrounding counties. The asking price for the Willow Glen
land was no exception. Even though it does not have industrial zoning in place, its price was
still beyond that which the industrial market was willing to pay. While industrial development
creates jobs, and new industrial districts can be difficult to establish, it seems unlikely that
any industrial use will be compatible with the development that is now in place in this area.
Staff has several problems with these assertions. First, the County does not control a property
owner's asking price. The market establishes what is acceptable for residential and industrial land
values. Business development in Albemarle County appears to be thriving. Appropriately
designated and zoned land has been used/developed for small industrial users near the airport
(e.g., Dobleann Drive, Crutchfield), on Avon Street Extended, and in Mill Creek (e.g., Carolina
builders). With the current land use designations, the County expected that, when more industrially
zoned property was needed, property designated Industrial Service on the Land Use Plan would be
rezoned. One purpose of the Land Use Plan is to provide land area to meet community needs now,
and over the long term (20 years and beyond)—and to do so in an orderly manner. The intent is
not necessarily to provide the highest financial return to investors.
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006 13
Second, the fact that "new industrial districts can be difficult to establish" is the best single reason
not to redesignate this property before the County has had time to determine, through the Places29
process, how much of what type of "industrial" property should be kept in reserve to meet current—
and future—needs. As described in more detail above, Places29 is giving careful consideration in a
very public process to new industrial designations and balancing their needs with the needs of other
land uses and the transportation network.
Third, Places29 will demonstrate that many industrial uses will be compatible with a well -buffered
area designated Light Industrial that is large enough in size to accommodate several users. An
example of compatible land uses is the industrial area next to the Southern Parkway that is
adjacent to Mill Creek North. This industrial area has coexisted with the Foxcroft residential
development with minimal conflicts.
Staff does not agree with the applicant's statement that proposed Willow Glen site is surrounded by
residential development. While Deerfield is adjacent, it is well -buffered and is oriented away from
the subject property. A portion of the property designated Urban Density Residential that is between
the proposed Willow Glen and the mobile home park is vacant. The unnamed tributary of Powell
Creek cited above provides a boundary and buffer between the proposed Willow Glen site and the
Abington Place residential development that will be part of the Hollymead Town Center.
The second assertion with which the staff disagrees is:
The University of Virginia's North Fork Research Park is just to the north of Airport Road and
also fronts on Dickerson Road to the north. Quite a bit of available land remains in this
developing 500 -acre park. It would be reasonable to suggest that the research park
represents a considerable inventory of commercial and industrial opportunities.
Staff has had several meetings with representatives of the University of Virginia Foundation, the
organization that manages the North Fork Research Park. The main point made by Foundation staff
has been and continues to be that the property within the Park must be used to support the
University's and Foundation's mission. Thus, property in the Park is only available to a restricted
number of businesses; it is not available as a general "inventory of commercial and industrial
opportunities." Places29 recognizes this difference and is recommending a land use designation of
"Office/R&D Flex" for property in the Park.
5. The preparation of the Plan as required by Article 15.1-447 of the Code of Virginia
was incomplete or incorrect information was employed.
The Plan was completed and adopted in 1996, and components of the Plan have been continually
updated since its adoption. Some amendments have been made since that date to reflect changes
in circumstances, but no incomplete or incorrect information has been identified. Further review of
the Plan is taking place during the Places29 Master Plan process. The Places29 planning process
includes a significant review of the relevant parts of the Comprehensive Plan. Any changes that are
necessary will be identified, reviewed, and approved as part of the public planning process and will
be incorporated in the resulting Master Plan.
Staff does not believe that a change in circumstance has occurred that would justify this
amendment. In fact, updated information on the classification of industrial property strengthens the
need for the Industrial Service designation to ensure that sufficient land is available to serve the
County's future needs.
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006 14
Staff Conclusions:
Staff would summarize this proposal as a difficult balancing act to determine the most appropriate,
most compatible land use for this site. Staff believes that, overall, the best use for this area adjacent
to the airport is a non-residential use (industrial/office). However, previous residential development
dating back to the 1970s and 1990s has introduced residential uses to this area. The Places29
process thus far has recognized this conflict in compatibility and is considering proposing both uses
on the site. The proposal does provide for some level of affordable and moderate -price housing,
which begins to address the affordable housing objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. On balance,
staff is of the opinion that, if one use is to be designated on the property, an industrial designation
would be best because:
It would preserve over 23 acres of Industrially designated property in the County's inventory.
The area along Dickerson Road is especially appropriate for industrial users since it is
across from the airport, an advantage for some potential industrial users.
For those industrial uses that require large sites and/or are less attractive, frontage on
Dickerson Road is more suitable than frontage on US 29.
It would preserve the viability of the slightly more than six -acre Industrial Service property
north of the proposed site and just west of Deerfield. These parcels would then be more
likely to develop as industrial and not be under pressure to convert to another land use.
It will preserve some of the flexibility needed by Places29 to balance land uses and
transportation matters.
Summary:
Factors favorable to this reauest:
Locates residential uses near workplaces and retail areas.
Provides 13.7% (32 of 234 units) of affordable housing. It should be recognized that 15% would
be expected with any residential rezoning.
Provides 17.9% (42 of 234 units) of moderate -price housing.
Includes a mix of unit types, along with a clubhouse and other amenities.
Is consistent with other residential uses along the southern and eastern edge of the site. It
should be recognized that the mobile home park on the south side may convert to
nonresidential use in the future.
Factors unfavorable to this request:
Decreases the amount of industrially designated land available now and in the future.
Locates a residential development in an area that will make use of surrounding industrially
designated property more difficult since residential and industrial uses are generally
incompatible.
Complicates the Places29 Master Planning process by changing the land use designation
before all the land use and transportation network matters have been evaluated—and before
the public and officials are able to comment on the plan.
Places a residential development across Dickerson Road from the Airport in an area that may
have a long-range negative impact on airport expansion and/or expansion of airport -related
uses.
This development does not create a significant amount of affordable and/or moderate -price
housing beyond what would be expected in a typical residential rezoning.
Recommendation:
At this time, staff recommends denial of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment request.
CPA 2006-03/ZMA2006-019 Willow Glen Staff Report, December 5, 2006
15
Attachments:
A. Willow Glen: A Unique Housing Community
B. Excerpts from the Planning Commission's minutes of February 1, 2005 and November 22,
2005
C. Criteria for Evaluation of Comprehensive Plan Amendment Requests
D. Map of Comprehensive Plan Land Uses in vicinity of Willow Glen site
E. Places29 Draft Preferred Framework Map (7/24/06)