HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP201200012 Staff Report 2012-08-15ALBEMARLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
STAFF REPORT
Proposal: SP201200012 Regents School of
Staff: Christopher P. Perez
Charlottesville
Planning Commission Public Hearing: August 21, 2012
Board of Supervisors Hearing: TBD
Owners: Christian Aid Mission
Applicant: Regents School of Charlottesville
Acreage: 12.5 acre parcel, SP to cover approximately 4
Special Use Permit for: School of Special Instruction
acres of the site.
(Chapter 18 Section 23.2.2(6))
TMP: 05900- 00- 00 -023G1
By -right use: CO Commercial Office —offices,
Location: 3045 Ivy Road Charlottesville VA
supporting commercial and service; residential by
special use permit 15 units /acre
Magisterial District: Samuel Miller
Conditions: No EC: Yes
Proposal: Request a special use permit for a school of
DA - RA - X
special instruction in an existing building. With limits of 60
students and 9 staff
Requested # of Dwelling Units: 0
Comp. Plan Designation: Rural Area 1 - Rural
Areas — preserve and protect agricultural, forestal,
open space, and natural, historic and scenic
resources/ density (0.5 unit/ acre in development
lots)
Character of Property: The property is developed with
Use of Surrounding Properties: Surrounding
four existing buildings and related parking. (Attachment A)
properties are commercial uses, and single family
residential uses.
Factors Favorable:
Factors Unfavorable:
1. None
1. The use is consistent with the Land Use Plan.
2. Provides an alternative school option for people
who live and work in the area.
3. The use is being located in an existing
underutilized/ semi vacant building. No new
structures are being built.
4. There are no anticipated detrimental impacts on
adjacent property resulting from the proposed use.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of SP201200012 Regents School of Charlottesville with
conditions.
Regents School of Charlottesville (RSC)
Planning Commission Public Hearing August 21, 2012
STAFF PERSON: Christopher P. Perez
PLANNING COMMISSION: August 21, 2012
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: To Be Determined
SP201200012: Regents School of Charlottesville
Petition:
PROJECT: SP201200012/ Regents School of Charlottesville
PROPOSAL: Request a special use permit for a school of special instruction in an existing building on
a 12.5 acres parcel, under Chapter 18 Section 23.2.2(6) of the zoning ordinance. No structures
proposed. The school will have limits of 60 students and 9 staff
ZONING: CO Commercial Office — offices, supporting commercial and service; residential by special
use permit (15 units /acre)
ENTRANCE CORRIDOR: Yes
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: Rural Area 1 - Rural Areas — preserve and protect agricultural, forestal,
open space, and natural, historic and scenic resources/ density (0.5 unit/ acre in development lots).
LOCATION: 3045 Ivy Road Charlottesville VA
TAX MAP /PARCEL: 05900- 00- 00 -023G1
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: Samuel Miller
Character of the Area and Adjoining properties:
The subject property is located at 3045 Ivy Road. The surrounding area is primarily developed
with commercial uses, and single family residential uses. North of the property are railroad
tracks that run behind the property and separate the adjacent residential development of
Farmington Subdivision from the subject property. To the East are two commercially zoned
properties. To the South is Route 250, Ivy Road. To the West is Broomley Rd and across the
road is another commercially zoned property.
Specifics of the Proposal:
The property is zoned CO - Commercial Office. The Christian Aid Mission complex is comprised
of four buildings and associated parking on 12.5 acres. The complex includes the old Christian
Aid Mission's Administration Building which is being proposed for the Regents School of
Charlottesville. The building is a two story building with a basement. The basement is currently
used by Charlottesville Korean Church on Sundays; the two above ground floors are currently
unoccupied except for two small offices used by The Business of Prayer on the 1 st floor. The
other three (3) buildings in the complex are each 2 stories; the Fellowship Hall is being used as
a church, the Church Annex, and the Guest House is used as a parsonage building for the
guests of the church (Attachment A).
The school will be for up to 60 students (grades K — 8t") and approximately 9 staff members.
The school day will begin at 7:45am and end at 4pm, Monday — Friday. Teachers and the
administrator arrive at 7 :45am, students arrive between 8 :00am — 8:15am, kindergarteners are
picked up at 12:15pm, the remaining students leave at 3pm, and the teachers leave at 4pm.
For school lunches students will pack their own lunches, no food will be cooked onsite. Recess
and Physical Education classes will be conducted at the northwest corner of the property in a
large grassy field with parameters defined by a heavily wooded buffer area between the field
and the railroad tracks and Broomley Rd (see Attachment A). Recess and PE classes will be
staggered for various grades between the hours of 10 :00am and 1 :OOpm.
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Regents School of Charlottesville (RSC)
Planning Commission Public Hearing August 21, 2012
Applicant's Justification for the Request:
Regent School of Charlottesville is a non - profit classical secondary school founded in August
2010. Over the past 2 years the school has increased enrollment and has outgrown its current
location and needs a larger facility to fulfill its mission. The applicant wishes to relocate to the
underutilized administration building described above which contains 14 rooms and 8
restrooms.
Planning and Zoning History:
SDP2008 -15 Christian Aid Mission Verizon Tier II PWSF — Deferred
SP2004 -19 Christian Aid Mission Alltel PWSF— Withdrawn
SDP1992 -052 Christian Aid Mission Administration Building Major Site Plan Amendment
— site plan for the Administration Building. Building was built in 1995.
SDP1988 -094 Christian Aid Mission Major Site Plan Amendment — site plan for Guest
House Relocation and Garage addition, and deceleration lane/ entrance upgrades.
SDP1979 Christian Aid Mission Site Plan — site plan for Fellowship Hall, Annex, and Guest
House.
Conformity with Comprehensive Plan:
The Land Use Plan designates this area as Rural Area (Rural Area 1). The land uses supported
by the Rural Areas chapter of the Comprehensive Plan include agriculture, forestry, and
conservation. This chapter also outlines the vision and goals for the Rural Areas, and
recommends that land uses be small -scale and consistent with traditional rural scales. As
stated in the chapter, "Ensure that the scale and scope of any new use is consistent with the
existing infrastructure and character of a Crossroads Community... without any requirement for
upgrade or expansion of infrastructure ". The proposed school of special instruction constitutes
a small -scale use in keeping with a traditional rural scale since a 60 student maximum is
proposed. Furthermore, the school proposes to utilize an existing building and the amount of
students proposed does not require any upgrades to the existing entrance, septic, or building,
and therefore would not require an upgrade of the existing infrastructure. This site while
located in the Rural Area is located along a section of Route 250 which consists of old
commercial development and zoning which dates back to the 1960's prior to Comprehensive
Planning in the County.
Staff Comment on SP2012 -00012 - Request for a School of Special Instruction in
the CO Commercial Office District
Section 31.6 of the Zoning Ordinance below requires that special use permits be assessed as
follows:
Will the use be of substantial detriment to adiacent Droaerty?
The school of special instruction is not expected to be of substantial detriment or
impact to adjacent property. The Christian Aid Mission's Administration Offices were
located in this building for many years prior to reducing operations and vacating the
building. Staff is not aware of any major conflicts created by the school. The location of
the existing building is on a corner lot bound by railroad tracks to the rear of the
property which separates the use from a residential development, Route 250 to the
front of the property, and commercially zoned property to the East and West of the
property. Parking is located onsite and is adequate for the amount of students and staff
proposed for this use. VDOT has confirmed that the proposed school will not
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Regents School of Charlottesville (RSC)
Planning Commission Public Hearing August 21, 2012
significantly impact traffic on Ivy Road, as the school will be limited in size to 60
students and 9 staff. The activities of the school will also not impact residential
properties given the distance of the school from neighboring residences and the
separation provided by wooded buffers which surround the property.
Will the character of the zoning district change with this use?
The character of the district is not anticipated to change with the addition of this use in
the existing building. This use will occupy interior space within the existing building. In
many ways the school will operate in a similar manner as an office would operate
within the building.
Will the use be in harmony with the purpose and intent of the zoning ordinance?
The CO zoning district is intended for commercial uses; however, schools of special instruction
are allowed by special use permit, if sited appropriately. This use utilizes an existing building
which can safely and adequately accommodate the proposed school, the property has
adequate parking for the use, the septic has been assessed to be adequate for the number of
students and staff, and VDOT has determined that the existing entrance is adequate for the
proposal. The school would not negatively impact the CO zoning district as schools of special
instruction are allowed by special use permit in this zoning district.
Will the use be in harmonv with the uses permitted by riaht in the district?
This area contains a mix of existing commercial development and residential
development. School of special instruction uses are allowed in the CO district with a
special use permit. This use is compatible with the existing uses in the area and uses
permitted by right in the district.
Will the use comply with the additional regulations provided in Section 5.0 of this
ordinance?
There are no additional regulations which apply to school of special instruction.
Will the public health, safety and general welfare of the community be protected if the
use is approved?
The public health, safety, and general welfare of the community are protected through the
special use permit process which assures that the proposed use is appropriate in the location
requested. Various applicable reviewing agencies and departments have reviewed the
proposal and all approve the use of this building as proposed.
The Building Official has approved the existing building for use a school. The Fire and Rescue
Department has also inspected the building and has approved the building to be used as a
school.
All parking will be provided onsite. The use requires 15 spaces. The Zoning Administrator has
determined there are enough spaces onsite, notably the complex has a minimum of 54
spaces, and can accommodate 15 spaces for the school use (Attachment A).
The Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA) has approved the plan and has
indicated that the site is served by public water and private septic system.
The Health Department has stated that the current septic system is sufficient for the
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Regents School of Charlottesville (RSC)
Planning Commission Public Hearing August 21, 2012
proposed school with 60 students and 9 teaching staff.
VDOT has confirmed that the site's existing left and right turn lanes at the entrance are
adequate for the projected traffic. The amount of students proposed would generate
57AM peak hour trips and would not go over any VDOT thresholds. The site entrance
also has adequate sight distance.
There are no apparent safety concerns with the proposed use. The public health, safety, and
general welfare of the community are protected through the special use permit process which
assures that the proposed uses are appropriate in the location requested.
Summary:
Staff finds the following factors favorable to this request:
1. The use is consistent with the Land Use Plan and current zoning.
2. Provides an alternative school option for people who live and work in the area.
3. The use is being located in an existing underutilized/ semi vacant building. No
new structures are being built.
4. There are no anticipated detrimental impacts on adjacent property resulting from
the proposed use.
Staff finds the following factor(s) unfavorable to this request:
1. None
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends approval of SP 201200012, Regents School of Charlottesville with the
following conditions:
1. The school is limited to the existing administrative building and grounds, as
shown on the concept plan (Attachment A). All parking for the facility shall be
located in spaces designated on the concept plan as P1, P2, and P3. Any
additional buildings or other site changes beyond those shown on the approved
site plan for SDP1992 -052 titled "Christian Aid Mission Administration Building"
prepared by William W. Finley and date approved July 14, 1994 require an
amendment to this Special Use Permit.
2. Maximum enrollment shall be 60 students.
3. All students shall be over the age of 2 '/z years old.
4. Hours of operation for the school shall be between 7 :45 a.m. to 4 :00 p.m., except
that occasional school - related events may occur after 4:00 p.m.
5. No food preparation is permitted onsite without an amendment to this Special
Use Permit.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A — Survey 1/ Concept Plan
Attachment B — Aerials (3 sheets)
Attachment C — Parking Areas (2 sheets)
Attachment D - Zoning Tax Map Parcel View
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Regents School of Charlottesville (RSC)
Planning Commission Public Hearing August 21, 2012