HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP201200008 Legacy Document 2012-08-30I IRGI V �\
ALBEMARLE COUNTY PLANNING
STAFF REPORT SUMMARY
Proposal: SP201200008 Daylily Preschool
Staff: Joanne Tu Purtsezova
Planning Commission Public Hearing:
Board of Supervisors Hearing:
September 11, 2012
October 10, 2012
Owner: Mountain Plain Baptist Church
Applicant: Daylily Preschool
c/o Margaret Willis
c/o Elizabeth Claman
Acreage: 2.34 acres
Special Use Permit for:
10.2.2.7 Day care, child care, or nursery
facility
TMP: 05700 -00 -00 -02600
By -right use: RA Rural Areas - agricultural,
Location: 4281 Old Three Notch'd Road
forestal, and fishery uses; residential density
(0.5 unit /acre in development lots
Magisterial District: White Hall
Conditions: Yes EC: No
Proposal: Request for special use permit
Requested # of Dwelling Units: 0
amendment to increase maximum number
of children from 10 to 20 in private
preschool located within existing Mountain
Plain Baptist Church, but not affiliated with
Church
DA: RA: X
Comp. Plan Designation:
Rural Areas in Rural Area 3
Character of Property: Daylily Preschool
Use of Surrounding Properties: single -
currently operates in the Mountain Plain
family residential and cemetery
Baptist Church, which consists of two
buildings, a small outdoor play area, and
parking
Factors Favorable:
Factors Unfavorable:
1. The use is consistent with the
1. The Building Official can only
Comprehensive Plan /Rural Area
recommend approval with new
Plan.
conditions attached, as outlined below.
2. The proposal provides a day care
2. The Health Department can only
option for people who live and work
recommend approval with new
in the area.
conditions attached, as outlined below.
3. No detrimental impacts to adjoining
properties are anticipated.
4. The renovations to the interior of the
building, which are required for upper
floor daycare occupancy, will
enhance the site.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of SP201200008, Daylily Preschool
with conditions.
SP- 2012 -008 - Daylily Preschool
Planning Commission: September 11, 2012
STAFF PERSON: Joanne Tu Purtsezova
PLANNING COMMISSION: September 11, 2012
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: October 10, 2012
SP201200008: Daylily Preschool
Petition:
PROJECT: SP201200008 Daylily Preschool
PROPOSED: Request for special use permit amendment to increase maximum number of children
from 10 to 20 in private preschool located within existing Mountain Plain Baptist Church, but not
affiliated with Church
ZONING CATEGORY /GENERAL USAGE: RA Rural Areas - agricultural, forestal, and fishery uses;
residential density (0.5 unit /acre in development lots)
SECTION: 10.2.2.7 Day care, child care or nursery facility
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE /DENSITY: Rural Areas in Rural Area 3 - Preserve and protect
agricultural, forestal, open space, and natural, historic and scenic resources /density (0.5 unit /acre in
development lots)
ENTRANCE CORRIDOR: No
LOCATION: 4281 Old Three Notch'd Road, at intersection of Brown's Gap Road (Rt. 680) and Seven
Hills Lane
TAX MAP /PARCEL: 05700 -00 -00 -02600
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: White Hall
Character of the Area and Adioining properties:
The subject property is located at 4281 Old Three Notch'd Road and is used by both Mountain Plain
Baptist Church and Daylily Preschool. Two buildings, a small outdoor play area, and adequate parking
(5 delineated spaces with bumper blocks and an additional gravel parking area) are existing. The
surrounding area is primarily rural single - family residential. Mount Plains Cemetery is located just past
the intersection of Old Three Notch'd Road and Browns Gap Turnpike.
Background:
The property is zoned RA, Rural Areas. The Mountain Plain Baptist Church and associated parking are
currently located on this property. Along with the church, Daylily Preschool also currently uses the
property, but is not affiliated with the church. The initial request of the applicant was to amend SP -2009-
022 to increase the maximum enrollment from 10 to 23. During the review process, the applicant
modified the request to a maximum enrollment of 20. 2 teachers and 1 teaching assistant (3 staff) will
supervise 20 children. The school will continue to be open from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Mondays
through Fridays. SP- 2009 -022 previously allowed for parents to drop off their children after 8 AM and
pick up their children by 1 PM. However, the Health Department is currently only able to recommend
approval of the site to be used for 4 hours per day, Mondays through Friday, due to the requested
increase in maximum enrollment.
Applicant's Justification for the Request:
Daylily Preschool currently operates on the lower floor of the Sunday School building only. The
applicant is requesting to operate on both floors of the Sunday School building and increase the
maximum enrollment of Daylily Preschool to 20 children. The Building Official can only recommend
approval of lower floor daycare occupancy unless required improvements are made to the upper floor
[Attachment C]. The teacher /child ratio will be six or seven children to one teacher. The hours of
operation will be 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM. The ages of the children will be 16 months to five years old. Prior
to improvements being made to the upper floor, the applicant would like to have up to 17 children (state
cap for Social Services) on the lower floor (Phase 1). Once improvements are completed as required by
SP- 2012 -008 - Daylily Preschool
Planning Commission: September 11, 2012
the Building Official, the applicant intends to have 17 children on the lower floor and 3 children on the
upper floor (Phase II).
The applicant has provided the following description and justification.
Daylily Preschool will continue to play an essential role in the community because it will prepare
children socially, cognitively, and physically for kindergarten. The children will still learn reading, art,
math, science, and social skills in a safe, nurturing environment. They will be actively involved in small
group learning centers and instruction on a daily basis. A reading specialist will individualize instruction
and implement the children's lessons on a daily basis.
The intention is to continue to serve the children in the Western Albemarle community. The school will
still operate from an existing building with no exterior building or parking lot changes planned. A
preschool in Western Albemarle helps reduce the traffic from the Crozet area to Charlottesville.
Planning and Zoning History:
SP- 2009 -022 Daylily Preschool — Approved 02/10/2010 — maximum enrollment of 10 children
Conformity with Comprehensive Plan:
The Land Use Plan designates this area as Rural Areas in Rural Areas 3, which aims to preserve and
protect agricultural, forestal, open space, and natural, historic and scenic resources /density, at a
density of 0.5 unit /acre in development lots. This proposal is generally in keeping with the
recommendations from the Comprehensive Plan for the Rural Areas. One relevant element of the
Comprehensive Plan is the vision for the Rural Areas, which states:
"Rural citizens supported by community meeting places, a basic level of services, and rural
organizations and other cultural institutions at traditional rural scales, with opportunities to take
part in community life and decisions. "
Furthermore, a Guiding Principle for the Rural Areas states:
"Recognize in the policy development that all of the following defining principles are
important to the Rural Area:
• Address the needs of existing rural residents without fostering growth and further
suburbanization of the Rural Areas"
The location and scale of the proposed use is consistent with the Rural Area Vision and guiding
principles. Daylily Preschool will continue to serve those who live and work in this rural area.
Staff Comment on SP20120008 — Request for a Amended Daycare Use
in the RA, Rural Areas:
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 adjacent property?
The increase in maximum enrollment from 10 to 20 children is not anticipated to have
detrimental impacts to adjacent properties. Potential traffic implications are present at the fork
at Browns Gap Turnpike and Old Three Notch'd close to Seven Hills Lane. However, the
current traffic volume in the area is low. A traffic analysis to address traffic and safety concerns
may be required in the future, should a request to further increase enrollment at this site be
submitted.
Will the character of the zoning district change with this use?
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SP- 2012 -008 - Daylily Preschool
Planning Commission: September 11, 2012
The character of the district is not anticipated to change with the increase in maximum
enrollment. The request is consistent with the rural character of the area, as no changes to the
exterior of the building are proposed. This use will mostly occupy interior space within the
church and will continue to operate as it does currently in this building. Daylily Preschool
currently operates on the lower floor of the building only. The Building Official has indicated that
daycare occupancy of the upper floor of the building may only be permitted if all required
improvements are accomplished [Attachment C]. Fire and Rescue staff shares the same
concern, and is requiring a fire inspection of the upper floor also. The previous Fire and Rescue
condition from SP- 2009 -022 only required inspections at the discretion of the Fire Marshall,
since use was limited to the lower floor of the building.
Will the use be in harmony with the purpose and intent of the zoning ordinance?
The current daycare use is in harmony with the Rural Areas and the modified daycare use and
accompanying increase in maximum enrollment is anticipated to continue to be compatible with this
area.
Will the use be in harmony with the uses permitted by right in the district?
The request is consistent with the rural character of the area. Planning staff previously
evaluated the daycare use for compatibility with the uses permitted by -right in the Rural Areas
and found it to be compatible. The current request is also compatible.
Will the use comply with the additional regulations provided in Section 5.0 of this ordinance?
There are no additional supplementary regulations applicable to this use.
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. Although there are no immediate safety concerns stemming solely from the
proposed increase in maximum enrollment, Engineering staff has recommended that the
entrances and parking be formalized to create a safer situation. The proximity of the skewed
intersection in the public road may become a problem if traffic increases significantly in this
area.
Based on current traffic volumes and the level of use requested by the applicant, VDOT staff
has provided no objections and Engineering staff has not determined the recommended
improvements to be necessary at this time. So, the applicant has elected not to provide a traffic
analysis at this time due to cost constraints. Should the applicant seek to further amend the
special use permit conditions in the future, a traffic analysis may become necessary, and these
improvements to access and parking may be warranted.
Health Department staff has expressed concerns regarding water and septic capacity, but
agrees that a maximum of 20 students and 3 staff can be reasonably accommodated. Health
Department staff has stated that they must review any further requests for modifications to the
use, as concerns with water and septic capacity may grow with an intensified use.
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SP- 2012 -008 - Daylily Preschool
Planning Commission: September 11, 2012
Summary:
Staff finds the following factors favorable to this request:
1. The use is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan /Rural Area Plan.
2. The proposal provides a day care option for people who live and work in the area.
3. No detrimental impacts to adjoining properties are anticipated.
4. The renovations to the building, which are required for upper floor daycare occupancy, will
enhance the site.
Staff finds the following factor(s) unfavorable to this request:
1. The Building Official can only recommend approval with new conditions attached, as outlined
below.
2. The Health Department can only recommend approval with new conditions attached, as outlined
below.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends approval of SP- 2012 -008, Daylily Preschool with the following conditions:
1. Development of the use shall be in general accord with the conceptual plan titled "Special Use
Permit 200900022 Daylily Preschool," prepared by the County of Albemarle, signed by the
applicant and dated December 4, 2009, and amended by the applicant and re- submitted on July
2, 2012 under SP201200008 (hereafter "Conceptual Plan "), as determined by the Director of
Planning and the Zoning Administrator. To be in general accord with the Conceptual Plan,
development shall reflect the following major elements within the development essential to the
design of the development:
• Location of buildings and preschool
• Location of parking area and entrance to be used for the preschool
• Relation of buildings and parking to the street
• Site access including pick -up and drop -off locations and circulation
as shown on the plan.
Minor modifications to the plan which do not conflict with the elements above may be made to
ensure compliance with the Zoning Ordinance.
2. The maximum enrollment shall not exceed 20 children.
3. The number of staff (teachers /teaching assistants) to supervise the children shall not exceed 3.
4. The hours of operation for the preschool shall not begin earlier than 8:30 A.M. and shall end not
later than 12:30 P.M. each day, Monday through Friday.
5. The use shall not operate without the required licensure by the Virginia Department of Social
Services, as required by Section 5.1.06 of the Zoning Ordinance.
6. The stairway enclosure and smoke detector installation improvements noted in the Building
Official's letter of July 19, 2012 shall be accomplished prior to the start of Phase II (upper floor
occupancy).
7. No portion of the building shall be used without Fire and Rescue approval.
8. No more than five children under the age of 2 -1/2 years are permitted.
9. No food preparation is permitted on -site.
10. No washing of clothes is permitted on -site.
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SP- 2012 -008 - Daylily Preschool
Planning Commission: September 11, 2012
Planning Commission Motion
A. Should the Planning Commission choose to recommend approval of this special use permit:
Move to recommend approval of SP- 2012 -008, Daylily Preschool, with conditions as stated in
the staff report.
B. Should the Planning Commission choose to recommend approval of this special use permit:
Move to recommend denial of SP -2012 -008, Daylily Preschool. Should a commissioner
motion to recommend denial, he or she should state the reason(s) for recommending denial.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A — Vicinity Map
Attachment B — Conceptual Plan, dated December 4, 2009 and amended July 2, 2012
Attachment C — Building Official's Letter, dated July 19, 2012
Attachment D — Board of Supervisors Action Letter, dated February 19, 2010
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SP- 2012 -008 - Daylily Preschool
Planning Commission: September 11, 2012