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Yancey Community Center
PLANNING COMMISSION
JULY 17, 2018
Thank you Mr. Chair, and good evening members of the commission. This is a review
consistency with the comprehensive plan for the proposed County use of the former
Yancey Elementary School as a community center, in accordance with Section 15.2-
2232 of the Code of Virginia.
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Purpose
Consideration of whether the general location, character, and extent of a proposed public facility
are in substantial accord with the adopted Comprehensive Plan.
The Commission's action is only related to the appropriateness of the site for the proposed
public use, and is not an action or recommendation on whether the facility should be funded
and/or constructed.
It is reviewed by the Planning Commission, and the Commission's findings are forwarded to the
Board of Supervisors for their information; no additional action is required of the Board.
You may know this as "2232 review" from the state code requirement, but the purpose
of this review is to consider whether the general location/character/extent of this
proposed public facility are in substantial accord with the Comprehensive Plan. The
scope of the review and action by the Commission is limited to the appropriateness of
the site for the proposed use, and your findings will be forwarded to the Board of
Supervisors for their information.
Background
Benjamin Franklin Yancey Elementary School
opened in 1960 in Esmont, serving the
community until its closure by the Albemarle
County School Board in May 2017.
On September 25, 2017, the building was
transferred from the School Board to the
Board of Supervisors for future use as a
community facility.
Community engagement has been ongoing,
including an appointed Yancey Transition
Advisory Committee.
Yancey Elementary operated for 57 years in the Esmont community before its closure
by the School Board and transfer to the Board of Supervisors in 2017, with the intent to
use the building as a community facility. The School Division continued to maintain and
operate the building and grounds at a reduced operating mode for the remainder of FY
2018, supporting near -term uses during the transition period. As a part of the
transition, a Transition Advisory Committee was appointed, and meetings have been
going throughout 2017 and 2018. The most recent community meeting was held on
June 30tn
Site Context & Character
Designated Rural Area in Rural Area 4
of the Comprehensive Plan
Zoned Rural Areas
7.02 acres, located on the east side of
Porters Road/Rt. 627, 1500' south of
Irish Rd/Rt. 6.
Surrounded by primarily low -density
residential and rural area uses
Simpson Park is directly across the
street
The site is designated Rural Area in the Comprehensive Plan, and Zoned Rural Areas.
The parcel is just over 7 acres, located on the east side of Porters Road, 1500' south of
Route 6. The primary structure is the—28,000 gross square foot elementary school
building containing a gymnasium, media center, cafeteria, and classroom spaces. The
building is served by well & septic system.
The surrounding properties are primarily low -density residential and rural area uses,
and Simpson Park (a county park) is located directly across Porters Road from the
School.
Proposal
Space Programming
Short-term and hourly rental of "shared' spaces
Dedicated spaces available for long-term leasing
Users & Activities
Public (Parks & Rec, County/Schools departments, citizen
committees e.g. Yancey Transition Advisory Committee(
• Community Agency Partners (e.g. JABA, PVCC)
• Private (member organizations, businesses, privateem...,
• Potential "tarfet"activities- community garden, farmers'
market, yoga exerciseclasses,etc.
Administration
Parks & Recreation:"shared"/hourly rental spaces
Facilities& Environmental Services:long-term leased
spaces, building maintenance and routine custodial
services
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The Community Center proposal follows the Long -Term Use Framework for the Yancey
Community Center that was endorsed by the Board in March. The facility will have a
mix of short-term rental, or "shared" spaces to be administered by Parks & Recreation,
as well as dedicated spaces available for long-term leases to be administered by
Facilities and Environmental Services. The space plan can be seen at right, with the
shared spaces in green, dedicated in blue, and other undetermined/available spaces in
yellow.
The Center anticipates a range of users & activities, including public users (such as
Parks and Recreation; County and Schools departments; and citizen committees such as
the Yancey Transition Advisory Committee), community agencies such as JABA or PVCC,
and private organizations or businesses.
Analysis of Conformity
GROWTH MANAGEMENT POLICY
Promote the efficient use of County resources
through a combination of:
• Protecting the elements that define the Rural
Area:... and
o Promoting the Development Areas as the place
where a variety of land uses, facilities, and
services exist and are planned to support the
County's future growth, with emphasis placed on
density and high quality design in new and infill
development.
STAFF COMMENT
The proposal uti lies an existing structure. No
new construction or expansion is proposed.
Reuse of existing structures removes pressure to
build new structures for community use, which
helps protect the Rural Areas.
This use does not promote new residential
development, but helps meet the needs of
existing residents.
Moving into the conformity of this request with the Comprehensive Plan, the County's
Growth Management Policy, which I'll read in part, aims to promote the efficient use of
County resources through a combination of: protecting the elements that define the
Rural Area, and Promoting the Development Areas as the place where a variety of land
uses, facilities, and services exist, and are planned to support the County's future
growth.
Although this proposal is located in the Rural Area and not the Development Areas,
[read staff comment]
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Analysis of Conformity
RURAL AREA OBJECTIVE 5 STAFF COf
"Recognize and support
crossroads communities, which
serve as rural -scale community
meeting places and provide
opportunities for residents to
take part in community life."
Objective 5 of the Rural Area chapter of the Comprehensive Plan aims to: [Read] This
objective refers primarily to the crossroads communities identified in the 2003 Survey
of Historic Crossroads Communities, although it notes that others may be appropriate
for a future designation. The Esmont community was not explicitly identified in this
survey, but shares a number of characteristics which staff believes makes this an
appropriate measure for the conformity of this proposal.
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Although it lacks the crossroads "center" of many communities identified in the survey,
this community contains a number of small-scale public uses, including the Yancey
School, Simpson park, post office. The red stars indicate other quasi -public institutions
including churches and the Oddfellows' Hall which is home to the JABA Senior Center.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Esmont Post Office in a former bank, former
schoolhouse and other buildings still visible, Porters' Precinct: New Green Mountain
Church, Oddfellows' Hall (JABA operates Senior Center), Brown's Market, Yancey
Elementary, Simpson Park, New Hope Baptist Church
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And because pictures are always fun, here are historic photographs of Esmont. On the
right, you can see an undated photo from Esmont High School, a segregated school
which opened in 1904, versus Yancey Elementary, which was established in the same
location in 1960.
Analysis of Conformity
RURAL AREA OBJECTIVES
"Recognize and support
crossroads communities, which
serve as rural -scale community
meeting places and provide
opportunities for residents to
take part in community life."
STAFF COMMENT
• Although not an explicitly identified crossroads
community in the 2003 Survey, Esmont is a
historic and significant rural community within
Southern Albemarle of a comparablescale and
containinga collection of small-scale public uses.
• Maintainingthe Yancey Elementary School
buildingas a community meeting place and
center for community life will support the
Esmont community and its existing residents.
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Analysis of Conformity
COMMUNITY FACILITIES GOAL STAFF COMMENT
'Albemarle County's facilities and This proposal allows for the reuse of an existing
facility and the recovery of associated costs
services will be of high -quality wherever possible, as discussed in Objective 1.
and delivered in an
environmentally responsible and
cost-effective manner."
The overall goal for the Community Facilities chapter is [read].
This proposal allows for the reuse of an existing facility and the recovery of
associated costs wherever possible, as discussed in Objective 1.
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Analysis of Conformity
COMMUNITY FACILITIES OBJECTIVE 1
"Continue to provide public
facilities and services in a fiscally
responsible and equitable
manner."
Strateav Is, Give priority to Wittiest and services that address
emerrggeencWy needs, health and safety concerns, end provide the greatest
coslLenetit reFo la the population served.
strata Id: Continue to locate related or complementary services and
aci t—if�es pother when possible and when ether goals othe
Comprehensive Plan can be at.
Strata h:Prior rothe disposal of any eristin8 but obsolete facilities
an s ns, etermine the value of maintaining [clam for potential reuse
by ether services and facilities.
STAFF COMMENT
o This proposal maintainsan existing public facility
for residents in a geographically isolated area of
the County.
• A mix of complementary services potentially
including exercise classes, senior programming,
and office access for police officers will facilitate
the provision of health and safety services.
^ Facility fees will be minimal and will be set for
"cost recovery of operations, and facilitating
access to excess County capacity".
[Read objective 1.] Three selected strategies focus on prioritizing health and safety
needs, as well as cost -benefit ratios for the population served; locating complementary
services or facilities together; and reusing obsolete facilities.
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Summary
FACTORS FAVORABLE:
The proposed use would support an established
rural community and its existing residents by
providing services without encouraging new
residential development in the Rural Area.
The proposed use would provide public facilities
and services in a fiscally responsible and
equitable matter.
The proposed use at this subject property does
not appear to be contradictory with the
Comprehensive Plan, and would support and
advance goals, objectives, strategies, and other
policies contained in the Plan.
NO UNFAVORABLE FACTORS WERE FOUND.
Staff recommends that the
Commission find the location,
character, and extent of the proposed
Yancey CommunityCenterfacility, and
use thereof, to be in substantial
accord with the County's
Comprehensive Plan, for the reasons
identified as the favorable factors in
the staff report.
Possible Motions
SHOULD THE COMMISSION FIND THE
PROPOSALINSUBSTANTIAL ACCORD:
I move to find the location, character,
and extent of the Yancey Community
Center public facility and public use
thereof, as proposed, to be in
substantial accord with the
Comprehensive Plan for the factors
identified in the staff report.
SHOULD THE COMMISSION FIND THE
PROPOSAL NOT IN SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD:
I move to find the location, character,
and extent of the Yancey Community
Center public facility and public use
thereof, as proposed, to not be in
substantial accord with the
Comprehensive Plan (state reason(s)
for non-compliance with
Comprehensive Plan].
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