The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutTMP200600004 Legacy Document 2007-07-16COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AGENDA TITLE: AGENDA DATE: SOCA South Fork Soccer Park Expansion — Request to April 11, 2007 amend the Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA) Jurisdictional Area ACTION: X SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Request for a public hearing to amend the Jurisdictional Area Boundary to provide sewer service to Tax Map 46, CONSENT AGENDA: Parcel 22 and 22C located adjacent to the SOCA South ACTION: Fork Soccer Park on Polo Grounds Road. (Attachment A.) STAFF CONTACT(S): ATTACHMENTS: Yes Messrs. Tucker, Foley, Davis, Cilimberg, Benish, Arnold LEGAL REVIEW: Yes REVIEWED BY: INFORMATION: INFORMATION: BACKGROUND: The applicant is requesting an amendment to the ACSA Jurisdictional Area to designate a 10.00 acre (approximate) portion of Tax Map 45, Parcels 22 and 22C for sewer service to provide service to a proposed expansion of the existing SOCA South Fork Soccer Park (SP2006-08). The proposed expansion includes a new building containing an indoor soccer arena (33,920 sq. ft.), club offices, rest rooms, concession facilities, and locker rooms (5,400 sq. ft.). The facility is to be used by SOCA for club purposes only. Parcels 22 and 22C are designated for limited sewer service at this time. The limited service designation as approved by the Board only allowed sewer service to be provided to the SOCA's South Fork Soccer Park as defined in the concept plan approved with the Special Permit for that use. Since that action, the South Fork Soccer Park site has been subdivided off of the original parcels, and is now located entirely on Parcel 26C1. Therefore, the limited service designation on the current Parcels 22 and 22C does not allow any additional sewer service to be provided to the parcels. Parcel 22C is bounded by the Rivanna River to the south, the existing SOCA facility and floodplain to the west, single family residences on large wooded tracts to the north and the railroad tracks near the edge of a residential subdivision to the east. (Attachment A) Parcel 22 is recessed into the northwest corner of parcel 22C and includes a small residence. The expanded SOCA facility is proposed to be located on a 10 acre portion of a reconfiguration of the northernmost areas of parcels 22 and 22C. (Attachment B). Parcels 22 and 22C are located within Comprehensive Plan Rural Area 2 in the Rivanna Magisterial District. The adjacent properties to the north and southwest (across the S. Fork Rivanna River) of these parcels are located in the Development Areas and are designated for both water and sewer service. The properties to the east and northwest (between Polo Grounds Road and the S. Fork Rivanna River) are not within the Jurisdictional Area for water or sewer service. (Attachment B). STRATEGIC PLAN: Objective 2.2: Increase the quality, supply, and protection of the County's water resources. DISCUSSION: The Utilities section of the Comprehensive Plan `Defining Public Water and Sewer Service Areas' (page 129) includes the following basis for recommendations about proposed changes to the Jurisdictional Area outside of the Development Areas: "Only allow changes in jurisdictional areas outside of designated Development Areas in cases where the property is: (1) adjacent to existing lines; and (2) public health and/or safety is in danger." The Public Water and Sewer section of the Land Use Plan states that the County should: "Discourage the utilization of central water and/or sewer systems or the extension of public water and sewer into the Rural Area except in the cases where public health and safety are at issue. Rural Area development will be served by individual water and septic systems only (central water facilities are considered wells, springs or other systems capable of serving three or more connections. Central sewer facilities are considered systems consisting of drain fields or septic tanks capable of serving three or more connections)." The applicant has requested sewer service for these parcels due to the character of the soils on-site, which are comprised largely of fill material and are not suitable for septic systems. Therefore, the soils cannot support a septic system adequate to serve the facilities as proposed in SP2006-08. The request for sewer service to the proposed SOCA facility expansion on Parcels 22 and 22C is not due to an existing danger to public health or safety because the site is largely undeveloped at this time. Therefore, staff finds that this request is not in conformity with the policies noted in the Utilities and Public Water and Sewer sections of the Comprehensive Plan for the provision of sewer service outside of the designated Development Area. However, should the Board approve the proposed expansion of the existing SOCA facility (SP2006-08), staff would recommend that the Board amend the jurisdictional area designation for Tax Map 46, Parcels 22 and 22C to provide sewer service to the new facility. This alternative recommendation is based on the existing soil conditions which cannot support a septic/drain field system adequate to serve the level of development proposed. If the use is to be permitted on this site at the scale proposed, the use will need to be provided with public sewer service to ensure for public health and safety. For background purposes, the current limited sewer service designation was approved to allow the provision of permanent bathroom facilities to serve the now existing soccer fields and, more recently, a 1,000 square foot office trailer for SOCA on adjacent Parcel 26C1 only as approved under SP2006-14. The existing storage/concession/bathroom building and SOCA office trailer are adjacent to existing sewer lines, the floodplain of the Rivanna River and adjacent steep slopes. The topographic conditions on the site would have necessitated locating any septic fields up hill from the existing building/trailer, away from the floodplain. Gravity disposal of effluent is preferred over pumping uphill; the inclusion of a pump as part of the disposal system increases the possibility of mechanical failure. Allowing for public sewer to the soccer park eliminated the possibility of a public health threat from effluent contamination resulting from a failed septic system pump. Staff also notes a past action taken to provide water and sewer service for a church on a portion of this parcel, then Tax Map 46, Parcel 22 (now 22, 22C, and 26C1). In 1992, the Board of Supervisors approved a Special Use Permit (SP1990-35) for the Covenant Church of God to construct a church building on Parcel 22 with an 800 seat sanctuary. The proposed church was larger by 300 seats than any other proposed or existing church in the Rural Areas at that time. The same issue of consistency with the County's policy for extending water and sewer service was present with the church proposal and identified by staff as part of that review for public service. The Board of Supervisors approved (2/12/92) an amendment to the ACSA jurisdictional area boundary to include the church site (Parcel 22) for water and sewer service, limiting service to only the church building as approved under SP1 990-35 for the Covenant Church of God. The proposed church site was comprised of 10.3 acres and located partially in the same area as the proposed SOCA expansion (Attachment B, inset). This previous jurisdictional area amendment to provide service to the church site is no longer in effect, having been modified by the subsequent ACSA amendment providing limited sewer service only to the approved SOCA field facility. BUDGET IMPACT: The cost for extending service to this site will be the responsibility of the applicant. RECOMMENDATIONS: The request for sewer service to the proposed SOCA facility expansion on Parcels 22 and 22C is not due to an existing health or safety threat. Therefore, staff finds that the requested use is not in conformity with the policies noted in the Utilities and Public Water and Sewer sections of the Comprehensive Plan for the provision of sewer service outside of the designated Development Area. No verification of endangerment to public health and safety has been provided. Based on this information, staff does not recommend approval of this request and does not see a necessity for this to proceed to public hearing. If the Board approves the proposed expansion of the existing SOCA facility (SP2006-08), staff would recommend that the Board set a public hearing to consider amending the jurisdictional area designation for Tax Map 46, Parcels 22 and 22C to provide limited sewer service to the SOCA soccer complex as approved under SP2006-08. ATTACHMENTS A - SOCA amendment, location B - SOCA amendment, proposed parcel reconfiguration, ACSA JA, DA/RA, Covenant Church proposed location