HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA202100013 Other 2022-03-03Southwood Phase 2
Rezoning Application Narrative
ZMA 2021-00013
Project Description
Southwood Charlottesville, LLC (the "Owner") and Greater Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity (the "Developer,"
and collectively with the Owner, the "Applicant") proposes to amend the approved Phase 1 rezoning (ZMA 2018-
003) for Southwood mobile home park in order to redevelop the entirety of the park. Phase 1 consisted of
greenfield parcels and this amendment would include the property where the existing mobile homes are located.
This amendment, Southwood Phase 2 ("Phase 2"), proposes to rezone the following parcels from R2 Residential
to Neighborhood Model District (NMD).
All of the parcels are designated in the Comprehensive Plan and the Southern and Western Neighborhoods
Master Plan (the "Master Plan") for Urban Density Residential with up to 34DU/acre within a mixed -income,
mixed -use development. A Center designation is shown in the Master Plan in the general area near the entrance
of Hickory Street and Old Lynchburg Road.
The Applicant is proposing to continue the form, density, and uses that were approved in Phase 1 with this
second phase. Phase 2 is planned within the project's existing mobile home park where development will occur
in phases (referred to as "Areas" in the plan) so as to limit the impact to the existing residents. The resident
planners who designed and wrote the Code of Development for Phase I have provided input in this next phase
that the form, density, and uses established with Phase I should continue into Phase 2.
The revised Code of Development establishes dwelling units for a mixture of incomes and uses and provides
the opportunity to continue the informal services offered within the community into occupations or even small
business ventures.
Application Plan and Code of Development
A proposed Application Plan prepared by Timmons Group dated October 18, 2021 and Revised Per County
Comments on February 21, 2022 (the "Application Plan") and Code of Development prepared by Habitat for
Humanity dated February 21, 2022 (the "COD") are enclosed with this Application. The Project proposes up to
1,000 dwelling units including single family detached, single family attached, and multi -family units, for a gross
density of 10.7 DUA across the entire 93.33 acres.
The Project also proposes a maximum of 60,000 square feet of non-residential use, primarily concentrated within
the Neighborhood Center Special Area, Neighborhood Mixed Use, and Urban Density Mixed Use areas but also
permitted with smaller footprints within the blocks designated Neighborhood Density.
The Application Plan identifies a continuation of blocks from Phase 1 into Phase 2. These blocks correspond
with the uses, form, and densities outlined in the COD and as shown on the Block Density Plan. The Application
Plan also includes potential areas for vehicular ingress and egress into the block areas. It is anticipated that the
existing road network will serve these blocks and be upgraded to Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
road standards. The green space, recreational amenities, and trail network have been identified on the
Application Plan and in detail within the COD.
Surrounding Area
Southwood is located along Old Lynchburg Road, just south of the City of Charlottesville where the four lane
divided street transitions to a two-lane rural road. The property is within the County's designated development
area. It is surrounded by a mixture of residential and institutional/ public uses and shares its southern and eastern
property lines with Biscuit Run Park.
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designations
The Project is located within the Southern and Western Neighborhood's Master Plan area. The Master Plan's
Future Land Use Map designates all of the Property as Urban Density Residential and also includes a Center
designation near the entrance of Hickory Street with Old Lynchburg Road.
The Property is outlined in yellow on the image below from the County GIS Comprehensive Plan layer. The map
further below is from the Master Plan's Future Land Use Map.
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In addition to the Urban Density Residential designation, the Master Plan states the following regarding the
Center designation and redevelopment of Southwood:
Figure 19:
Southwood Mobile Home Park
9. The Southwood (Figure 19) Center contains the existing
Southwood Mobile Home Park which contains
approximately 1500 residents, 342 mobile homes of
various ages and states of repair, a Boys and Girls Club
facility, and many children. It is recommended for Urban
Density Residential development.
Redevelopment of the Southwood Mobile Home Park
should be as a mixed -income, mixed use community. A
mixture of housing types for different income levels is
expected. A retail and/or services area should be
provided for the neighborhood. The proposed Southern
Connector road
Figure 20-. Avon Street Extended project is also a
part of the planned future development. At this time,
Habitat for Humanity is planning for the redevelopment
of the mobile home park as a mixed -income, mixed -use
community. During the planning stage, opportunities may
exist for the County to partner with Habitat for Humanity
to help request grant money, significantly improve and
expand the regional inventory of affordable housing, tie
into the transportation network throughout the area, and
if Habitat for Humanity is able to exchange land owned
by the State for Biscuit Run State Park, obtain land to
add to the County inventory of playing fields.
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The Master Plan further designates Southwood as a Priority Area and states the following regarding Priority
Areas as well as Southwood itself:
Priority Areas
Priority areas are places where significant development is currently underway, future development
is to be directed, and investment in public improvements is programmed or recommended. They
have been established to help guide the locations for public investments and other decision making.
These priority areas ore especially important in providing guidance on land use decisions. While
decisions regarding private development proposals and investment should not be based solely on
these priority areas, decisions on development proposals should be made with an understanding of
where public investments are being focused.
Land use decisions should be consistent with priority areas established in the Development Area
Master Plans. The County may find it inappropriate to approve new rezoning or special use permit
requests outside of the designated priority areas if planned facilities are not in place to support
the proposed project and the existing neighborhoods. To be approved, projects outside of priority
areas will need to provide significantly higher levels of improvements to ensure that adequate
infrastructure and services are available to the area.
Southwood Site — site is the existing Southwood Mobile Home Park. This area contains mobile
homes of various ages and states of repair, a Boys and Girls Club facility, and many children.
It is recommended for Urban Density Residential development with a neighborhood Center.
Redevelopment of the Southwood Mobile Home Park should be as a mixed -income, mixed use
community. A mixture of housing types for different income levels is expected. The
neighborhood center should be provided for neighborhood supporting commercial uses. The
proposed Southern Connector road project is also a part of the planned future development.
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
The proposed community is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's designation of Urban Density Residential
with a Center and Parks and Green Systems. Urban Density Residential contemplates an average density of
6.01-34 dwelling units per acre ("DUA"). At up to 1,000 units across the entire 93.33 acres the Project density
is 10.7 DUA, within the recommended range of the Comprehensive Plan. The net density of the Project is
approximately 15 DUA, based on 65.61 acreage available outside of environmental features and areas
designated as Parks and Green Systems, which is still within the recommended density range of the
Comprehensive Plan. Existing R-2 zoning would permit approximately 187 dwelling units (not including any
bonus density), whereas the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map calls for over 6 DUA, up to 34 DUA. Objective
5 of the Development Areas chapter of the Comprehensive Plan is to "promote density within the Development
Areas to help create new compact urban places." Therefore, it will further the goals of the Future Land Use Plan
of the Master Plan by providing up to 1,000 dwelling units (including affordable units) close to employment areas
and on an existing transit line.
The Center designation and supporting language within the Master Plan specific to Southwood, recommends a
mixed -use community, and that a retail and/or services area should be provided for the neighborhood. Phase 1
included 50,000 sq ft of non-residential, however only a maximum of 10,000 sq ft may be built within that Phase.
Phase 2 is proposing up to 60,000 sq ft of non-residential which will address the recommendations of the Master
Plan to provide a mixed -use community and a retail and services area for the neighborhood. It is anticipated that
these uses may include a childcare center, community center, Boys and Girls Club, incubation space for resident
businesses, and other commercial office and retail uses.
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The areas designated as Parks and Green Systems in the Master Plan have been included in the proposed open
space block areas and will not be impacted. As required by the NMD regulations, at least 20% of the project area
will be set aside as open space, to include amenity areas. The COD further outlines the amenities to be provided
in Phase 2.
Affordable Housing:
In July 2021, Albemarle County adopted an updated housing policy called "Housing Albemarle." The policy
includes 12 key objectives which will help the County achieve its housing goal of providing safe, decent, and
sanitary housing, available to all income and age levels, located primarily within Development Areas, and
available equally to current and future residents. The Project Application Plan includes within the Code of
Development, a statement that a minimum of equal or greater to 227 residential dwelling units will be affordable
to households making at or below 80% of the Area Median Income which is consistent with the Housing
Albemarle plan. Additionally, the application includes a proffer holding an additional parcel for the development
of a minimum of 60 Low Income Housing Tax Credit rentals for a period of time. Added together the 287
affordable units represent 57% of the total number of units at minimum build out and 29% at maximum buildout.
It is worth noting that these 287 units will be additive to the 207 affordable units being built in phase I of the
Southwood project for a total of 494 new affordable units being added to the local inventory. Although Habitat
proffered 15% affordability in phase I, it is delivering 62%. Habitat's sole mission is to create and preserve
affordable housing and will look for opportunities to perform above the minimums whenever financially feasible
in phase II as well. The project also aligns with several of the plan's objectives: Increasing the Overall Housing
Supply, Preservation of Existing Housing and Communities, Fair Housing and Community Equity, and
Sustainable Communities.
Other elements of the Comprehensive Plan that Southwood Supports:
From the Development Areas Section of the Comprehensive Plan:
Objective 2: Create a physical environment that supports healthy lifestyles through application of the
Neighborhood Model Principles
Strategy 2e: Continue to approve mixed -use developments that are in keeping with the
Neighborhood Model and Master Plans.
Strategy 2f: Continue to promote centers as focal points for neighborhoods and places for civic
engagement.
Strategy 2g: Through Master Plans and rezoning approvals, ensure that all Development Areas
provide for a variety of housing types and levels of affordability.
Strategy 2o: Promote redevelopment as a way to improve and take advantage of existing
investment in the Development Areas
Strategy 2r: Promote use of Development Area land up to the boundary with the Rural Area. Do
not require transitional areas between the Rural Area and Development Areas.
Objective 4: Use Development Area land efficiently to prevent premature expansion of the Development
areas
Objective 9: Match infrastructure availability and capacity with new development, especially in Priority
Areas.
Strategy 9b: Make decisions to approve new development with an understanding of where public
investments are being focused. Give priority to approving rezonings and special use permits that are
consistent with priority areas established in the Development Area Master Plans.
Consistency with the Neighborhood Model Principles: See Code of Development Page 6
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Impact on Public Facilities and Infrastructure: See Code of Development Page 7
Impacts on Environmental Features: See Code of Development Page 8
Historic Resources: There are no known historic resources on the Property.
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