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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB202300017 Correspondence 2023-02-07® COLLINS ENGINEERING 200 GARRETT ST SUITE K CHARLOTTESVILLE VA 22902 434.293.3719 PH 434.293.2813 F% www.collin5-engineering.com February 6, 2023 Margaret Mal iszewski County of Albemarle Department of Community Development 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, VA 22902 Cville Rio Road Apartments - ARB Submittal The Cville Rio Road Apartment Site Plan and ARB package is hereby submitted for the Architectural review. The subject parcel consists of (5) parcels recently rezoned to PRD (Planned Residential Development), including TMP 45-26A2, 45-26B5, 45-26B4, 45-26B3, & 45-26132. The applicant is proposing to construct (7) apartment buildings and a clubhouse on the property for a total of 250 residential apartment units. The 8.232 acre subject property is located along Rio Road at the intersection of Rio Road and Heritage Hall Road Most of this site is currently wooded, and there are (4) existing single family detached homes on the parcels, located along Rio Road. There is also an existing travelway across the subject property to access the Heritage Hall Nursing home on the property behind the subject parcels. There is an existing stream on the property located at the outfall of the storm pipes from Rio Road. The project site slopes away from Rio Road toward the stream. With the dense development of the property and the current slopes across the property, most of the existing trees will be impacted with the development, and the (4) existing houses on the site will be demolished. There are a number of underground and overhead utilities and easements along Rio Road which dictated elements of the site design. A lot of planning and design went into the rezoning of this property for the placement of the buildings along Rio Road, while still preserving a corridor of open space for planting and landscaping between the buildings and Rio Road that was outside of the easements and existing utilities. This landscaping area is shown on the site plan and landscaping plan and is a minimum of 10 feet in width. This area allows the installation of street trees and landscaping features along Rio Road to complement the apartment design streetscape and help the buildings blend into the background. The streetscape also includes a 10' asphalt pedestrian pathway along Rio Road within dedicated VDOT right of way. The proposed 250 unit apartment site has been designed to orient the buildings along Rio Road, Heritage Hall Road, and the amenity areas within the site. The buildings, as designed, screen a majority of the parking from the entrance corridor. Landscaping, grading, and some segmented walls help the buildings fit into the existing topography of the site. The grading of the site and positioning of the buildings allow the site to step down with the grades from Rio Road and Heritage Hall Road. The building architecture and streetscape creates an attractive front door into the development, while working the grades on the site. The apartments, which are located along the Rio Road Entrance corridor, have been designed to match the architectural elements of some of the newer development within Rio Road Corridor, such as the Northside Library. The architecture are similar in nature to the library as well as future development sites along this corridor.. Facades and articulations allow for an attractive building and streetscape along the frontage of the site, and the roollines, variations in the fagade, and balconies help break up the building massing and provide visual interest to the buildings. In addition, the apartment buildings along Rio Road have been limited to 3 stories in height to create a more walkable and inviting pedestrian corridor along Rio Road. Attached are the site renderings and perspectives along Rio Road for the project. These images help show what the development and the buildings will look like along Rio Road for this project. In the photos below are the pictures of the existing conditions of the frontage of the site along the Entrance corridor, looking East and West. Please contact me if you have any questions or require any further information. Sincerely, Scott Collins, PE Photo #1— Rio Road looking East "Jw 7 7.'�x N oil N'° r tp �- PPIFn- ...fir .-- iai CHAPTERI: NTRODUCTP V w Photo #6: Northside Library, Rio Rd. Image from Rio Corridor Plan report. Photo #7: South Range Apartments, Charlottesville