HomeMy WebLinkAboutSDP201000022 Review Comments Waiver, variation or substitution requirement 2010-05-14ALg�,��
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COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 -4596
Phone (434) 296 -5832 Fax (434) 972 -4126
May 14, 2010
Scott Collins
Collins Engineering
800 E Jefferson
Charlottesville, VA 22902
RE: SDP - 2010 -22 Hollymeade Town Center Apartments- Amenity Substitution Request
Dear Sir:
Your April 26, 2010 request to substitute required recreational amenities has been reviewed. After careful
consideration by all Current Development Planners, your request for a modification of recreational
standards is not approved. The proposed substitutions would not provide amenities "equivalent" to those
required.
The ordinance permits substitutions to be approved [4.16.2.1], provided "they offer a recreational amenity
equivalent to the facilities (required), and are appropriate to the needs of the occupants." Your proposed
alternatives do not provide an equivalent level of year round active recreation. The alternative recreation
proposed makes extensive use of seasonal and passive recreation.
According to the Albemarle County Code [Chapter 18, Section 4.16], the following amenities are
required for this project:
•
20, 022 s.f. of recreation area
•
8,000 s.f. of tot lot
•
16 swings
•
4 slides
•
8 climbers
•
4 buckabouts or whirls
•
8 benches
•
1 full, or 2 half- court basketball courts
Your request offered to provide:
•
20,043 s.f. of recreation area
•
4,300 s.f.
•
4 swings
•
0 slides
•
4 climbers
•
1 whirl
•
2 benches
•
Pool and associated deck/covered pavilion/restrooms
•
Mulched trail
•
Playing field
In this case, you have requested to provide approximately one quarter of the tot lot amenities required, a
pool, a mulched trail, and a playing field.
The one tot lot proposed does not meet the minimum requirements for a tot lot. In order to be
acceptable, the tot lot proposed should contain at least one slide, and, we encourage you to
consider adding 4 more swings (for a total of at least 8, a small number of which could be
infant swings).
• The open playing field is not an equivalent substitution for the required basketball court. An
equivalent substitution would be a tennis court or sand volleyball court, for example.
The pool is an acceptable amenity, however it is only available seasonally, so consideration
must be given as to what other active recreational amenity will be available year- round.
Based on the drawings provided, neither the covered pavilion nor the maintenance and
restroom facility provide any year -round active, recreational amenity. An example of a year -
round, active amenity that is often proposed with a pool is a clubhouse that contains a weight
room. Should something like this be proposed, we would be able to determine that the pool
and clubhouse amenity substitutes at least 2 of the required tot lots to an equivalent degree
and possibly other facilities depending on the size.
Both the mulched trail and the playing field are not acceptable substitutions for active
recreation because they are passive amenities. It may be possible to get credit for the trail as
an amenity; however we would expect that it be proposed as an asphalt trail, thereby being
more accessible to more residents, and more likely to be used for active recreational
purposes. ( *Note- please consider environmental features, the water table, and feasibility of
installing an asphalt trail where the current mulch trail is proposed. Based on site visits, staff
is concerned that the location shown is not the best location for an asphalt trail.) You may
want to consider adding a few benches along the trail; per the code 8 benches are required
with the tot lots and this could be an opportunity to provide a few of those.
Please note that should you get approved amenity substitutions, you must still meet the required minimum
recreational area square footage of 20,022 s.f. The area provided in passive recreational amenities, such as
the playing field and trail, may be counted towards that requirement.
I would be happy to discuss this and any alternatives you may develop. Please contact me at your earliest
convenience if you have questions or require additional information.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth M. Marotta, Senior Planner
Zoning & Current Development