HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP202200023 Narrative 2022-08-15LINES -GRADE
C I V I L E N G I N E E R I N G
MEMORANDUM
TO: Albemarle County Community Development Staff
FROM: Kendra Moon, PE
Line and Grade Civil Engineering
DATE: August 15, 2022
RE: Airport Auto at Northside Drive
Special Use Permit Application Narrative
Project Details:
Applicant: Northside Drive LLC
Engineer: Line and Grade Civil Engineering I Kendra G. Moon, PE
Name of Project: Airport Auto at Northside Drive
Short Description: Special Use Permit for Automotive Center in HI District
Proposed Site: Near Northside Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22911
Property Details:
Parcel ID Number:
03200-00-00-022MO
Short Parcel ID:
32-22M
Total Acres:
9.23
Owner:
Northside Drive LLC
Property Address:
Near Northside Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22911
Current Tenant:
None
Magisterial District:
Rio
Zoning:
Heavy Industry (HI)
Proffered:
No
ZMAs Related to Proffers:
None
Comprehensive Plan Area:
Hollymead — Places 29
Comprehensive Plan Use:
Heavy Industrial
Comprehensive Plan Use:
Light Industrial
Land Use:
Unassigned
Surrounding Uses:
Heavy Industrial to the north
Planned Development Mixed Commercial (residential, under
construction) to the east
R1 residential to the south
Vacant Light Industrial to the west
LINE i-
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113 41h St. NE; STE 100
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902
TEL: (434) 262-0169
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Airport Auto at Northside Drive
Application for Special Use Permit
August 15, 2022 1 Page 2
Site Photos:
Photo f —Aerial image of existing and proposed Airport Auto locations (Albemarle GIS)
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Airport Auto at Northside Drive
Application for Special Use Permit
August 15, 2022 1 Page 3
Photo 2 — Aerial image of subject parcel 32-22M (Albemarle GIS)
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Photo 3 — Aerial image of existing Airport Auto location on Airport Road (Albemarle GIS)
Airport Auto at Northside Drive
Application for Special Use Permit
August 15, 2022 1 Page 4
A. Background
Airport Road Auto Center has been in operation for over 50 years' at its current
location at 1791 Airport Road (TMPs 32-20D, 32-20E, 32-40, and 32A-01-OB-3). It
serves hundreds of vehicles daily performing repairs and tire sales and is one of the
few automotive centers in the area between Charlottesville and Ruckersville. It has
become apparent that the business is in need of a new location, for multiple reasons.
The site is crowded, and the disorganized nature is evidence that it was not built for
the service demand it is experiencing. The site has been in zoning violation for years
for storing vehicles on TMP 32-20F without a special use permit, indicating that the
business has outgrown its current location and is becoming a nuisance. Further, the
current parcel is designated as a Neighborhood Service Center (NS) in the
Comprehensive Plan, for which an automotive center is allowable, but the storage of
vehicles is note.
Given all of these factors, it is imperative to move the business to a nearby location so
that it can still serve the same clientele without negatively impacting the adjacent
parcels.
B. Proposal
The relocation of Airport Automotive provides the opportunity for organization and
expansion from twelve (12) service garages to twenty (20) to operate more efficiently
and decrease the amount of time vehicles are stored on site. The proposed location at
TMP 32-33M just south of Northside Drive is approximately 0.80 miles north along U.S.
29 from the current location. It is a 9.23-acre Heavy Industrial site within Northside
Industrial Park, surrounded by light and heavy industrial sites and one residential
property. Some site work has been completed in the past, including the clearing of
trees, construction of a detention pond, and construction of a 10-ft tall berm screening
portions of the site from U.S. 29. There was an approved site plan; for this site in 2001
for a commercial park to include warehouse facilities and service retail. However, the
proposed use was never built and the site has sat vacant since. Presumably the price
for this land has not been amenable to a heavy industrial use. This site lends itself well
to the needs of this automotive center given its size and location. The proposed auto
center is not anticipated to cause harm or nuisance to neighbors given the location
within an industrial park, and its relocation will alleviate the zoning violation associated
with its current Airport Road location.
'Since 1971
' Unless by exception where there are no impacts on surrounding uses and where consistent
with the character of surrounding uses, per Table LU 1 of Places 29.
' SDP200100038 —see Appendix C
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Airport Auto at Northside Drive
Application for Special Use Permit
August 15, 2022 1 Page 5
C. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
The majority of the subject property is designated Heavy Industrial in the
Comprehensive Plan, with a pipestem portion located in Light Industrial'. Surrounding
properties are designated industrial as well, though one adjacent parcel (TMP 32-22N)
is currently zoned residential'. This parcel is owned by Larry Hall, the owner of the
industrial properties just north of the subject site, including Hall's Auto Body which is
a similar use as what is being proposed. The site is located across U.S. 29 from a
Destination Center and Community Center. While an automotive center is not a by -
right use in the HI district, it is listed as a secondary use in the Comprehensive Plan for
areas around centers. This is a use that has the potential for large equipment, noise,
fumes, etc., all characteristic of a heavy industrial use.
Though an automotive center is a commercial use, it is not entirely different in
principle than the manufacturing and storage of vehicles, which are allowed by -right
in HI districts.
D. Impacts on Public Safety Facilities, Public Transportation, Public Schools, Public
Parks and Environmental Features
The impact that the relocation of this automotive center will have on public facilities
is minimal, mainly due to the close proximity of its proposed location from existing.
Impact on Public Safety Facilities:
Nearby public safety facilities include Hollymead Fire Rescue station, located off of
Airport Road. The current business is within 0.4 miles of the station, and the
proposed location moves it 0.8 miles further. No negative impact is anticipated with
this relocation as its proximity from this safety facility is decreased.
Impact on Public Infrastructure:
Water & Sewer
The water and sewer demands from automotive centers are primarily tied to the
number of employees for restroom usage. These demands are far less than
potential by -right manufacturing uses on site which use water for cooling and
other purposes in addition to employee restrooms.
'The pipestem portion does not have any buildable area as it is just over 30 ft in width, and
the use buffer from adjacent residences is 30 ft.
' The pipestem portion of the property is technically adjacent to other R1 properties, but
since there is no space for anything to be built or stored on this portion of the property, the
residences are not being considered adjacent to the proposed use.
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Airport Auto at Northside Drive
Application for Special Use Permit
August 15, 2022 1 Page 6
Public Roads and Transportation Infrastructure
The proposed relocation of Airport Auto will not significantly change its impact
on U.S. 29 since most customers currently use U.S. 29 to access the business.
There is already a right turn lane onto Northside Drive from U.S. 29 that will
facilitate peak hour turns into the site. There will be an increase on Northside
Drive traffic; however, it is not beyond the capacity of the roadway. Annual daily
trips are anticipated to increase from 600 to 800 vehicles6, still well within the
capacity of this roadway. Please see Table 1 below for the breakdown of trips to
and from the site in the peak evening hours.
Table 1. Proposed Automotive Center - ITE Trip Generation loth Edition
I ITE TRIP GENERATION (10th Edition) I
'Please rote that thh irJ.W. iSMs doffof.y one darapant avdla from REMp Geaerotbn
This site will have a positive impact on pedestrian transportation as a shared use
path is proposed along Northside Drive adjacent to the site, consistent with the
Places29 Master Plan.
Impact on Public Transportation:
The proposed use has no impact on public transportation as there is currently none
in the area.
Impact on Public Schools and Parks:
No public schools or parks exist in the vicinity, though it appears there is a plan for
one just across U.S. 29 from this site, according to the Places29 Master Plan.
Impact on Environmental Features:
As mentioned above, some site work was previously completed which involved the
clearing of trees and mass regrading. This proposed use would be located within L I N E
this cleared area, meaning no further deforestation.
In terms of potential pollution and impact on the environment, vehicle storage GRADE
inherently has the potential to leak fluids such as gasoline and oil. Vehicle fluids
associated with repairs will be collected and hauled offsite for proper disposal. In CIVIL ENGINEERING
any case, the potential detriment to the environment from this use is less than a
more intensive manufacturing use allowed by -right.
6 Based on current Airport Auto services of approximately 180 vehicles per day
Airport Auto at Northside Drive
Application for Special Use Permit
August 15, 2022 1 Page 7
The site is located within the managed steep slopes overlay district, though these
slopes were previously disturbed with the mass grading of the site and the GIS
overlay appears to be a remnant from before that time.
Impact on Adjacent Properties:
As mentioned, all adjacent properties are industrial except for one 111 property to
the south which is screened by existing vegetation. The residence is located further
west from this property, so for all intents and purposes it is not actually adjacent to
the proposed use on the site.
E. Conclusion
The relocation of Airport Auto is a net benefit to all. It fits better within the context
of an industrial park than its current location in a designated Neighborhood Service
Center adjacent to residential properties, it provides an opportunity for site
organization and for screening from the entrance corridor, and it alleviates the
existing zoning violation of the current site. The proximity of the new facility is
essential to this plan, as Airport Auto has operated in the same location for over 50
years and has a regular customer base in this area. Keeping a local business open and
thriving supports a primary objective of Economic Development'.
List of Appendices
Appendix A: Existing Conditions Plan
Appendix B: Concept Plan
Appendix C: Rivanna Commercial Park SDP200100038
Appendix D: Places29 Master Plan references
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' According to Albemarle County's Project Enable, Goal 1 is to strengthen existing business
retention and/or expansion (BRE) to help existing businesses be successful