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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZTA200600001 Review Comments 2007-03-20ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT: ZTA 2006 -01 Country Stores; resolution of intent and draft proposal Staff: Amy Arnold Planning Commission: March 20, 2007 The Comprehensive Plan's Rural Areas Plan identifies the protection of historic, archeological and cultural resources as a guiding principle for the Rural Areas. In addition, the Historic Preservation Committee presented "Position Statement on Albemarle County's Historic Country Stores" (May 6, 2003), further prompting the Board of Supervisors to direct staff to propose ways to improve and preserve Albemarle's country stores not only as an historic and cultural resource, but as an integral part of its rural crossroads communities. The Rural Areas Section of the Comprehensive Plan states that a strong rural economy is one of the elements of the County's vision for the Rural Areas; the Rural Areas Guiding Principles encourage the support of localized rural economies and rural land uses providing rural landowners with economic viability. Currently, a large number of country stores throughout the County are either threatened or have been lost. Amending the Zoning Ordinance can help to ensure that the remaining country stores continue to play an essential role in the culture, economy, and historic legacy of Albemarle County. To support the survival and proliferation of country stores in the County, Planning and Zoning staff, in consultation with several country store owners, propose the following potential amendments to the Zoning Ordinance: 1. Revise the definition of country store included in the Zoning Ordinance; possible additions include: A single building with no larger than a 10,000* square foot foundation and shall be no more that two stories of retail / food service space, or a combination of retail / food service and office or residential space, with an attic and / or basement, falling within one of the following categories: • Existing land use and / or building either currently in operation or formerly in operation as a country store included in the County inventory of country stores and former store sites being re- established as a country store. (proposed as a by -right in the Rural Areas) • Existing building having formerly operated as a country store and included in the County inventory of existing country stores and former store sites being re- established as a use other than a country store. (Would require a Special Use Permit; site plan waivers for store site; single family residential adaptive re -use by- right with site plan waivers) • New store building and new land use, or expanded existing country store building and / or use. (Would require a Special Use Permit; full site plan review with waiver options) 2. Allow for the multiple uses within country store buildings and on parcels that currently or historically include country stores provided country store remains the primary use. 3. Eliminate the current two -year window in which a country store loses its non- conforming status when vacant or used for other purposes. (Establishes country store as a by -right use in former country store buildings or on former store sites included in the country store inventory.) 4. Revise the Zoning Ordinance requirements for required site improvements to include exceptions to accepted engineering practice and ARB guidelines that reflect typical country store paving, entrances, and minimum setbacks. Provide the option to waive site plan and Architectural Review Board review for country stores included in the County inventory of country stores. Examine the possibilities for well and septic ordinances adjusted to better serve store sites. Explore the use of alternative septic systems on size restricted sites. With these amendments the County could increase the means by which country stores are supported as viable rural businesses, integral components of crossroads communities and other localized rural economies, as a rural cultural resource, and as historic buildings and sites to be preserved. In addition to these proposed amendments, staff would also: 1. Establish an inventory to serve as a base line for identifying existing country stores and former store sites. The inventory can be amended in the future based on the recommendations of the Historic Preservation Committee and County staff to include stores and former store sites. 2. Evaluate the possibilities for adopting a program of property tax abatements for the renovation of country store buildings included in the County inventory of country stores. * The current definition of country store refers to 4,000 square feet as the maximum. At a meeting with several owners of country stores, it was suggested that the largest store in the county be used as the bench mark for total square footage allowed, including additions. An evaluation and discussion of the scale impacts of the total square footage of the largest existing country store building would need to be conducted.