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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201400075 Review Comments Minor Amendment 2014-07-02ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB- 2014 -75: Rhett's Grill Review Type Building Permit Parcel Identification 045B1- 06- 00 -001B0 Location 2315 Seminole Trail, on the east side of Rt. 29, at the north end of Seminole Lane, just south of the south fork of the Rivanna River, at the west end of the westernmost building in the Riverside shopping center Zoned Highway Commercial (HC) /Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner /Applicant Jefferson Equity Partners LLC & Oak Hill Partners LLC /Rhett Craddock Magisterial District Rio Proposal To build a pergola over an existing deck, to rebuild the deck railing, and to add string lights on the pergola. Context The site is located at the end of the building in the northwest corner of the shopping center adjacent to Rt. 29 and the Rivanna River. The deck is located approximately 100' from the paved edge of the EC street. Visibility The deck and pergola are visible from the Rt. 29 Entrance Corridor. When traveling northbound, the structure is visible for a distance of approximately 900', beginning at the Floors r Us site, although it is not very noticeable at this distance. Southbound, the deck and pergola are visible beginning at the south end of the bridge over the Rivanna. Visibility in both directions could increase slightly when the leaves are off the trees. ARB Meeting Date July 7, 2014 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski PROJECT HISTORY In 1992 the ARB approved the construction of a deck at this site for the Charlottesville Aquatics company. Conditions of approval included wood lattice to screen the void beneath the deck, and trees and shrubs surrounding the deck. (See Attachment A.) The pergola that is the subject of the current proposal was constructed without a permit. The applicant has since applied for the permit, and ARB approval is required prior to building permit approval. At the June 2, 2014 ARB meeting, staff asked the ARB for direction on the pergola. Potential issues identified were: the need for staining the wood, and ordinance regulations related to the string lights. ANALYSIS REF GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION Structure design 1 The goal of the regulation of the design of development The ARB approved a deck at this The pergola and new wood within the designated Entrance Corridors is to insure that location in 1992. The pergola that has elements of the deck/railing new development within the corridors reflects the been recently added is consistent in shall be stained. The stain traditional architecture of the area. Therefore, it is the material and scale with that deck, color shall be a shade darker purpose of ARB review and of these Guidelines, that although the older wood has aged to a than "natural" and shall blend proposed development within the designated Entrance darker shade and the new wood is with the brick wall. Corridors reflect elements of design characteristic of the brighter and more noticeable. Together, significant historical landmarks, buildings, and structures the deck and pergola are small in of the Charlottesville and Albemarle area, and to comparison to the building and the promote orderly and attractive development within these overall shopping center. The wooden pp g corridors. Applicants should note that replication of elements don't have a strong historic structures is neither required nor desired. relationship to other architectural 3 New structures and substantial additions to existing features of the building; the walkway structures should respect the traditions of the architecture along the building is composed of brick of historically significant buildings in the Charlottesville and metal and the wooden deck and and Albemarle area. pergola have more of a residential than 5 It is also an important objective of the Guidelines to a commercial character. establish a pattern of compatible architectural characteristics throughout the Entrance Corridor in order to achieve unity and coherence. Building designs should The applicant prefers a "natural" stain demonstrate sensitivity to other nearby structures within for the wood, which would likely the Entrance Corridor. Where a designated corridor is darken the color only slightly. An substantially developed, these Guidelines require alternate color could blend more with striking a careful balance between harmonizing new the brick wall. development with the existing character of the corridor and achieving compatibility with the significant historic sites in the area. 9 Building forms and features, including roofs, windows, doors, materials, colors and textures should be compatible with the forms and features of the significant historic buildings in the area, exemplified by (but not limited to) the buildings described in Appendix A [of the design guidelines]. The standard of compatibility can be met through scale, materials, and forms which may be embodied in architecture which is contemporary as well as traditional. The replication of important historic sites in Albemarle County is not the objective of these guidelines. 10 Buildings should relate to their site and the surrounding context of buildings. 11 The overall design of buildings should have human scale. Scale should be integral to the building and site design. 12 Architecture proposed within the Entrance Corridor should use forms, shapes, scale, and materials to create a cohesive whole. 13 Any appearance of "blankness" resulting from building Blankness is not a characteristic of the None. design should be relieved using design detail or deck or pergola. vegetation, or both. Lighting 22 Light should be contained on the site and not spill over Four strings of bulbs are installed on An electrical permit is required onto adjacent properties or streets; the pergola. Each string contains 15 bulbs. The bulbs are 11 -watt for the string lights. 24 Light levels exceeding 30 footcandles are not appropriate for display lots in the Entrance Corridors. incandescent, 63 lumens each. Lower light levels will apply to most other uses in the Incandescent light is typically Entrance Corridors. perceived as white light. This level of illumination is below the ordinance 29 The following note should be included on the lighting plan: "Each outdoor luminaire equipped with a lamp threshold for requiring full cutoff that emits 3,000 or more initial lumens shall be a full fixtures, and at 11 watts, the bulbs are cutoff luminaire and shall be arranged or shielded to not expected to produce glare. No reflect light away from adjoining residential districts lighting plan has been submitted, but and away from adjacent roads. The spillover of excessive spillover and excessive light lighting from luminaires onto public roads and levels are not expected from the property in residential or rural areas zoning districts proposed string lights. shall not exceed one half footcandle." The catalog information for the string 23 Light should be shielded, recessed or flush - mounted to eliminate glare. All fixtures with lamps emitting 3000 lights states that they are appropriate lumens or more must be full cutoff fixtures. for both residential and commercial applications and they give a nostalgic, 25 Light should have the appearance of white light with a warm soft glow; however, a consistent appearance ambient feeling to the environment. throughout a site or development is required. The applicant has indicated that the Consequently, if existing lamps that emit non -white wall lights installed in the deck area are light are to remain, new lamps may be required to to be removed, and the string lights will match them. provide less illumination than the wall lights do. 28 In determining the appropriateness of lighting fixtures for the Entrance Corridors, the individual context of the site will be taken into consideration on a case by String lights have not previously been case basis. proposed in the Entrance Corridors. They are not representative of historic architecture and they do not increase the compatibility of the overall shopping center with the historic architecture of the area. However, given their intensity and distance along the EC that the lights would be visible, they are not expected to have a significant impact on the EC. Landscaping 7 The requirements of the Guidelines regarding Although the pergola increases the Fill in the Rt. 29 frontage landscaping are intended to reflect the landscaping mass and visibility of the addition on planting with trees and shrubs characteristic of many of the area's significant historic the side of the building, the pergola is coordinated with the existing sites which is characterized by large shade trees and consistent with the deck in material, frontage planting. Replace the lawns. Landscaping should promote visual order within scale and character. The addition of the tree that has been removed. the Entrance Corridor and help to integrate buildings pergola does not appear to generate the into the existing environment of the corridor. need for landscaping beyond that required with the ARB's original 8 Continuity within the Entrance Corridor should be obtained by planting different types of plant materials approval. that share similar characteristics. Such common elements allow for more flexibility in the design of structures The ARB's landscape condition for the because common landscape features will help to original deck approval couldn't be met harmonize the appearance of development as seen from exactly as written because there is the street upon which the Corridor is centered. insufficient planting area available 36 Landscaping of buildings and other structures: a. Trees or other vegetation should be planted along the around the deck. Shrubs and a tree front of long buildings as necessary to soften the were planted north of the deck, along appearance of exterior walls. The spacing, size, and type the wall of the building. A landscape of such trees or vegetation should be determined by the bed is located to the south of the deck. length, height, and blankness of such walls. It contains small plants and a b. Shrubs should be used to integrate the site, buildings, smoker /grill. Mature trees and shrubs and other structures; dumpsters, accessory buildings and are located in the grass strip between structures; "drive thru" windows; service areas; and Rt. 29 and the travelway just west of signs. Shrubs should measure at least 24 inches in the deck. One tree appears to be height. missing from the north end of the grass strip, and there is a gap in the planting that generally aligns with the deck. Overhead utilities are located in/near this area, but additional planting may be possible. Filling in the gaps of the tree and shrub frontage planting would provide a more consistent appearance along the corridor and would more completely integrate the deck and pergola into the surroundings. Four potted plants are being trained to grow up the posts at the deck and onto the pergola. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. Should the wood be stained? If so, what color? 2. Are string lights appropriate for the EC? 3. Does the addition of the pergola generate the need for additional landscaping? Staff recommends approval with the following conditions: 1. Submit a landscape plan for review showing the Rt. 29 frontage planting filled in with trees and shrubs coordinated with the existing frontage planting, and a replacement for the tree that has been removed. 2. The pergola and new wood elements of the deck/railing shall be stained. The stain color shall be a shade darker than "natural" and shall blend with the brick wall. 3. An electrical permit is required for the string lights. TABLE A This report is based on the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name Drawing Date/Revision Date - Lighting catalog cut sheets: Bulbrite Outdoor String Light - - Wood stain color chart - - Photos of completed pergola construction - ATTACHMENT A COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE Department of Zoning 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, Virginia 22901 -4596 (8041296-51375 May 19, 1992 Fred Von Lewinski Charlottesville Aquatics 2335 Seminole Trail, Suite 100 Charlottesville, VA 22901 Re: ARS- P(sDP) -92 -19 Charlottesville Aquatics Tax Map 45B1 Parcel 06 -1B Dear Mr. Von Lewinski: The Albemarle County Architectural Review Board at its meeting on May 18, 1992 reviewed the above noted site plan. The Board recommended the following: 1) A certificate of appropriateness will be granted for the deck adjacent to the building subject to the following: a) The merchandise displayed on the deck is limited to patio furniture displayed in a natural way, stacking or storage of excessive merchandise will not be allowed. b) Any future ordinance revisions that allow additional signage on this site shall be waived; the existing deck and display of merchandise shall be considered ample signage for the site. ARB- P(SDP) -92 -19 May 19, 1992 Page 2 C) Trees and shrubs should be added to surround the deck. Wood lattice shall be added to the deck to shield the posts and void beneath the decking. To provide continuity, the trees should continue down the expanse of wall along the building edge parallel to Route 29. These should be shade trees 2 1 /211 caliper ( or whatever size is practical) spaced 301 on center. The shrubs should be planted around the deck to integrate the deck and the building. 2) The pool and deck surrounding the pool display be denied. Please submit a site plan indicating the improvements on the site, exiting and proposed. This shall include the conditions and recommendations as noted above. If you have questions please call me. Sincerely, Marc�J,,eph Design Planner MJ cc: Yolanda Hipski Tim Lindstrom Wendell Wood 7