HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA200700012 Executive Summary 2007-11-07COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
AGENDA TITLE: STAFF:
ZMA 2007- 12 Blue Ridge Cohousing REBECCA RAGSDALE
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST:
Request to rezone 6.157 to PRD Planned
Residential District for a mixed housing
development
STAFF CONTACT(S):
Cilimberg, Ragsdale
LEGAL REVIEW: YES
AGENDA DATE:
November 14, 2007
ACTION: X INFORMATION:
CONSENT AGENDA:
ACTION: INFORMATION:
ATTACHMENTS: YES
OWNER/APPICANT:
Martin & Barbara L. Schulman owners; Blue Ridge Cohousing LLC (Z. Peter Lazar) applicant;
Community Housing Partners (David Jones) & Gay and Neel, Inc consulting
BACKGROUND:
A public hearing was held on this rezoning at the Planning Commission on October 9, 2007 and the
Commission recommended denial of the rezoning and accompanying private street request and
waivers of curb, gutter, sidewalk, and street trees. This motion for denial was based the following
outstanding issues:
o Stream buffers- The required 100' stream buffers appeared to be impacted by grading.
o Park View Drive- The applicant had not provided documentation to demonstrate permission
to allow upgrades to Park View Drive to accommodate this proposed development.
o Park View Drive/Route 240 Intersection- VDOT's requested sight distance had not been
confirmed nor had necessary easements been obtained at the intersection of Park View
Drive/Route 240.
o Emergency Access Provisions- The application plan did not reflect emergency access
provisions and it had not been verified with Fire Rescue that the plan could be approved as
shown without significant redesign to meet Fire Rescue requirements.
o Stormwater Management -Workable concepts for stormwater management were not
demonstrated on the application plan.
o Proffers- Proffers submitted for the Planning Commission public hearing were inadequate to
address the impacts of the development on public facilities as expected by County policy,
either through the provision of standard cash proffers or otherwise through cash, land or in-
kind improvements. Off-site road improvements were also not included in the proffers.
DISCUSSION:
The applicant submitted revised proffers and an application plan following the Planning Commission
meeting on October 19, 2007. (Attachments A -Proffers, B -Application Package, D -Application Plan)
The applicant has requested that the Board of Supervisors review the Private Street Request and
denial of the waiver of curb, gutter, sidewalk, and planting strip requirements of the Subdivision
Ordinance. The property is not designated for water and sewer service in the Albemarle County
Service Authority Jurisdictional Area (ACSAJA) so a concurrent application for amendment to the
ACSAJA has been submitted with this rezoning.
' The acreage has been corrected since the Planning Commission public hearing.
ZMA 2007-012 Blue Ridge Cohousing & Waivers
BOS November 14, 2007
ZMA 07-12
The applicant has provided for preservation of stream buffers on the revised application plan,
documentation of permission to make upgrades to Park View Drive, and addressed sight
distance/easement issues at the intersection of Park View Drive and Route 240 to the satisfaction of
VDOT. Emergency access provisions have now been specified on the application plan and Fire
Rescue has indicated that it appears access for their equipment will be sufficient. Proffers have been
revised to address the substantive issues that contributed to the recommendation of denial from the
Commission, including the provision of the standard cash proffer in accordance with County Policy.
The applicant revised stormwater management concepts on the application plan since the
Commission public hearing. The County Engineer has reviewed and commented on the new
concepts for bioretention filters at four locations on the property, as shown on sheet 4 of the
application plan and as illustrated on Page 32 of the application package. These basins would be
located around the perimeter and behind the residential units; they are conceptually designed to be
30-34 inches in depth. (Attachment B -Application package, Attachment D -Application Plan) It
appears as though the proposal would meet technical criteria. However, as discussed with the
applicant prior to their resubmittal, the Board should be cautioned that the placement of these
facilities in the yards of future residents will likely be a nuisance. In a conventional subdivision with
individually held lots, this would not be good practice according to the County Engineer, and would
not be recommended for approval. The applicant is of the opinion that the careful design of these
bioretention filters, education of future residents, and the common property ownership will forestall
any complaints.
Private Street Request & Waivers
The applicant has submitted a request to allow Parkview Drive to remain as a private street based
on Section 14-233 of the Subdivision Ordinance, and this request also includes waivers of the curb,
gutter, sidewalks, and planting strip requirements of Section 14-222. Park View Drive is currently a
private street, with undeveloped property adjacent to the road on the west side. The request is to
allow the existing road to remain private with Blue Ridge Cohousing making the upgrades necessary
to serve their development only. In the future, if the adjoining properties submit development
applications, this issue would be revisited with those applications. At the time of the Commission
public hearing, there was a lack of information as to what authority the applicant would have to make
changes to the road and whether or not it could be upgraded to a public road. The Commission did
not specifically discuss the waivers and private street request, but recommended denial of those
along with the recommendation of denial for the rezoning.
The Subdivision Ordinance specifies criteria for approval of a private street under Section 14-233
and the criteria is followed by staff comment below.
1. The private street will be adequate to carry the traffic volume which may be reasonably expected to be
generated by the subdivision.
The private street will be improved to carry the additional traffic generated by Blue Ridge
Cohousing to the satisfaction of the County Engineer.
2. The comprehensive plan does not provide for a public street in the approximate location of the proposed
private street;
The Crozet Master Plan does not make recommendations regarding Park View Drive and does
not show it is an improved public street on the master plan.
3. The fee of the private street will be owned by the owner of each lot abutting the right-of-way thereof or
by an association composed of the owners of all lots in the subdivision, subject in either case to any
easement for the benefit of all lots served by the street;
The current owners of the property already participate in the established private road
maintenance agreement. With the development of the Blue Ridge Cohousing property, the
agreement will be revised to reflect Blue Ridge Cohousing participation and its increased share of
the costs.
ZMA 2007-012 Blue Ridge Cohousing & Waivers
BOS November 14, 2007
4. Except where required by the commission to serve a specific public purpose, the private street will not
serve through traffic nor intersect the state highway system in more than one location; and
Park View Drive is an existing private street that intersects a public road in two locations, at Route
240/Three Notchd Road to the south and intersects with Thurston Drive to the north. Thurston
Drive is primarily accessed via Route 810/White Hall Road and terminates just east of its
intersection with Park View Drive.
5. If applicable, the private street has been approved in accordance with section 30.3, flood hazard overlay
district, of the zoning ordinance and other applicable law.
This is not applicable.
Staff finds that the criteria has been sufficiently met to allow the development to be served by a
private street.
Sectionsl4-410 H & I set forth design standards for curb and gutter in the development areas.
Section 14-4101(2) contains the findings that must be made to support a modification of these
requirements. The applicant is upgrading an existing rural section and making improvements to
serve the development only, to its property line. Since this road transitions to the Rural Area and the
applicant is working with in the existing 50' easement established for Park View Drive, staff can
support a curb and gutter waiver for Park View Drive with this rezoning. However, future rezonings
may be expected to make further upgrades to the road, including to an urban section.
Sections14-422 A -D of the Subdivision Ordinance set forth the requirements and design standards
for sidewalks and planting strips, which specify that a 5' concrete sidewalk and 6' planting strip
should be provided on both sides of a street, with the planting strip between the curb and sidewalk.
The applicant has proposed to provide an 8' multipurpose path along the eastern side of Park View
Drive. For the reasons stated above in supporting the curb and gutter waiver, staff supports the
waiver of sidewalks and planting strips on both sides of Park View Drive, with the provision of the 8'
multipurpose path on Park View Drive.
Building Separation
In accordance with Section 8 of the Zoning Ordinance which allows waivers, the applicant is
requesting a reduction in the 30' building separation required as part of a PRD Zoning District:
19.8 BUILDING SEPARATION
Except as otherwise provided in section 4.11.3, whether or not located on the same parcel, there
shall be a minimum of thirty (30) feet between main structures. This provision shall not apply to
structures built to a common wall. (Amended 1-1-83)
The Building Official has reviewed this request and can support it if a minimum of 10' building
separation between the single family and single family detached units is provided and a minimum of
15' between the multifamily units. This separation appears to be provided between buildings on the
application plan. The waiver of the 30' building separation requirement can be supported to the
distances supported by the Building Official.
Albemarle County Service Authority Jurisdictional Area (ACSAJA) Amendment
A request to amend the ACSAJA has been submitted with this rezoning. The ACSAJA designations
for the two properties included in this rezoning are shown on Attachment C. TMP 56-67A, which is
the majority of the project area, is designated water service to existing structures only, and TMP 56-
67B is designated Limited Service. If the Board approves this rezoning, staff asks that the public
hearing for the ACSAJA amendment to allow full water and sewer service to the property be
scheduled in December.
ZMA 2007-012 Blue Ridge Cohousing & Waivers
BOS November 14, 2007
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The applicant has addressed outstanding issues that led to the Commission's recommendation for
denial of the application and waivers. Should the Board find the applicant's approach to stormwater
management acceptable, staff recommends:
o Approval of ZMA 2007-12 with the attached application plan dated October 19, 2007 which
reflects approval of a waiver of the Building Separation requirements of Section 19.8, and
proffers dated October 19, 2007
o Approval of the Private Street request for Park View Drive
o Approval of waivers of Sections14-410 H of curb/gutter requirements
o Approval of Sections14-422 A & D of the planting strip and sidewalk requirements
o A public hearing date be set in December for an amendment to the ACSAJA map
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Proffer Statement Blue Ridge Cohousing, dated November 6, 2007
B. Blue Ridge Cohousing application, revised October 19, 2007
C. Albemarle County Jurisdictional Area Map
D. Proffered Application Plan, titled "Blue Ridge Cohousing Application Plan", prepared by
Gay and Neel, Inc, revised October 19, 2007
ZMA 2007-012 Blue Ridge Cohousing & Waivers
BOS November 14, 2007
ZMA 2007-012 Blue Ridge Cohousing & Waivers
BOS November 14, 2007
Original Proffer X
PROFFER FORM
"Blue Ridge Cohousing"
Date of Proffer Signature: November 14, 2007
ZMA # 2007-00012
Tax Map Parcel- 56-67A and 56-67B (Portion)
6.15 Acres to be rezoned from RA to PRD
in accordance with the Application Plan of Blue Ridge Cohousing dated
June 25, 2007 and resubmitted and revised September 11, 2007 and October 19, 2007
Pursuant to Section 33.3 of the Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance, the Owner hereby voluntarily
proffers the conditions listed below which shall be applied to the property, if rezoned with the offered
plans approved for development. These conditions are proffered as a part of the requested rezoning
and the Owner acknowledges that the conditions are reasonable.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The Owner shall provide four (4) residential dwelling units as affordable housing for sale. The four (4)
units shall be comprised of one or more of the following unit types: single-family attached housing,
single-family detached or multi -family condominiums. The Owner or his successor in interest reserves
the right to achieve the four (4) affordable units in a variety of ways, utilizing the above mentioned unit
types alone or in combination as outlined below. The first subdivision plat or site plan for the Property
shall designate the four (4) lots or units, as applicable, that will, subject to the terms and conditions of
this proffer, that will be the affordable units as described herein. The Owner shall convey the
responsibility of constructing the affordable units to any subsequent purchaser of the subject property.
The current Owner or subsequent Owner shall create units affordable to households with incomes less
than eighty percent (80%) of the area median income, such that housing costs consisting of principal,
interest, real estate taxes and homeowner's insurance (PITT) do not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the
gross household income, provided, however, that in no event shall the selling price of such affordable
units be more than sixty-five percent (65%) of the applicable Virginia Housing Development Authority
(VHDA) sales price/loan limits for VHDA's first-time homebuyer programs provided that the selling
price shall not be required to be less than One Hundred Ninety Thousand Four Hundred Dollars
($190,400) at the beginning of the 90 -day identification and qualification period referenced below. The
Owner or his successor in interest may provide down payment assistance in the form of secondary
financing to reduce the costs to the homebuyer, so that the resultant first mortgage and housing costs
remain at, or below, the parameters described above. All financial programs or instruments described
above must be acceptable to the primary mortgage lender.
A. For Sale Affordable Units. All purchasers of for -sale affordable units shall be approved
by the Albemarle County Office of Housing or its designee. The Owner shall provide the County
or its designee a period of ninety (90) days to identify and pre -qualify an eligible purchaser for the
affordable units. The 90 -day period shall commence upon written notice from the Owner that the
units will be available for sale. This notice shall not be given more than one hundred twenty (120)
days prior to the anticipated receipt of the certificate of occupancy. If the County or its designee
does not provide a qualified purchaser during this ninety (90) day period, the Owner shall have
the right to sell the units without any restriction on sales price or income of purchaser(s);
provided, however, that any units sold or leased without such restriction shall nevertheless be
counted toward the number of affordable units required to be provided pursuant to the terms of
this proffer. If these units are sold, this proffer shall apply only to the first sale of each unit.
Nothing herein shall preclude the then -current Owneribuilder from working with the County
Housing Department prior to the start of the notification periods described herein in an effort to
identify qualifying purchasers for affordable units.
The County shall have the right, upon reasonable notice and subject to all applicable privacy laws,
to periodically inspect the records of the Owner or any successors in interest for the purposes of
assuring compliance with this proffer.
B. County Option for Cash In Lieu of Affordable Units. If at any time prior to the County's approval
of any preliminary site plan or subdivision plat for the subject property which includes one or
more for -sale affordable units, the Housing Office informs the then -current owner/builder in
writing that it may not have a qualified purchaser for one or more of the for -sale affordable
dwelling units at the time that the then -current owner/builder expects the units to be completed,
and that the County will instead accept a cash contribution to the County to support affordable
housing programs in the amount of Nineteen Thousand One Hundred Dollars ($19,100) in lieu of
each affordable unit, then the then -current owner/builder shall pay such cash contribution to the
County prior to obtaining a certificate of occupancy for the unit that were originally planned to be
affordable units, and the then -current owner/builder shall have the right to sell the units without
any restriction on sales price or income of the purchasers.
2. CASH PROFFER
The Owner or his successor in interest shall contribute a total of $286,200 cash to the County for the
purpose of mitigating impacts from this development. The cash contribution shall be used for
transportation improvements, schools, libraries, fire and rescue, parks or any other public use
serving Neighborhoods 4 & 5 as identified in the County's adopted capital improvements program.
A. Contributions shall be payable as follows:
i. For new market rate attached townhome/condominium units: $11,900 each for 14 units
payable prior to or at the time of issuance of the building permit for each unit.
ii. For new market rate attached multifamily units: $12,400 each for 4 units payable prior
to or at the time of issuance of the building permit for each unit.
iii. For new market rate detached single family units: $17,500 each for 4 units payable
prior to or at the time of issuance of the building permit for each unit.
B . Annual Adjustment of Cash Proffers. Beginning January 1, 2008, the amount of each cash
contribution required herein shall be adjusted annually until paid, to reflect any increase or
decrease for the preceding calendar year in the Comparative Cost Multiplier, Regional City
Average, Southeast Average, Category C: Masonry Bearing Walls issued by Marshall Valuation
Service (a/k/a Marshall & Swift) (the "Index") or the most applicable Marshall & Swift index
determined by the County if Marshall & Swift ceases publication of the Index identified herein.
In no event shall any cash contribution be adjusted to a sum less than the amount initially
established by these proffers. The annual adjustment shall be made by multiplying the proffered
cash contribution amount for the preceding year by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be
the Index as of December 1 in the year preceding the calendar year most recently ended, and the
denominator of which shall be the Index as of December 1 in the preceding calendar year. For
each cash contribution that is being paid in increments, the unpaid incremental payments shall
be correspondingly adjusted each year.
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TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS
A. Park View Drive Improvements. In order to mitigate traffic impacts resulting from the Project,
the Owner shall design and construct to standards established by the County Engineer, in the
location shown on the Application Plan of Blue Ridge Cohousing, Sheet 6 of 7, dated June 25,
2007, last revised October 19, 2007, (hereinafter, the "Application Plan") a private road upgrade
of Parkview Drive. The improvements as shown on Sheet 4 of 7 includes an eighteen (18) foot
wide paved road and an eight (8) foot wide bike trail adjacent to the road. Construction of all
improvements required by this Proffer shall be completed and accepted by the County Engineer
prior to the issuance of the first Certificate of Occupancy for new dwellings.
B. Intersection Improvements to Park View Drive/Route 240. The Owner shall design and
construct to Virginia Department of Transportation road standards, an intersection that meets
the requirements for road intersections as stated in VDOT's Road Design Manual - Subdivision
Street Guide, in the location shown on the Application Plan, Sheet 6 of 7. Construction or
installation of all improvements required by this Proffer shall be completed and accepted by
VDOT prior to the issuance of the first Certificate of Occupancy for new dwellings.
Signatures of All Owners Printed Names of All Owners Date
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