HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA201300001 Correspondence 2013-03-28Bluestone Land, L.L.C.
i82e Avon Street, Suite 2oo Charlottesville, Virginia 229o2
Phone: 434.979.290o Fax: 434-979 -0001
March 28, 2013
County of Albemarle
Department of Community Development
Attn: Claudette Grant
401 McIntire Road
Charlottesville VA 22902
Re: Waiver Housing Types and Uses — Lofts at Meadowereek ZMA 201300001
Dear Ms. Grant,
Applicant hereby requests a waiver of Chapter 18 Section 20A.8 of the Albemarle
County Code which requires (1) a mixture of at least two housing types within a
Neighborhood Model Development, and (2) at least two different general use
classifications.
Because this is an infill project with a small parcel area (2.8 +/- acres) it would be
difficult to provide a mixture of housing types on the site. In addition, other housing
types (e.g. single - family detached dwellings and townhomes) are already present within
one - quarter mile of the proposed district.
With regard to the mixture of uses, other general use classifications already
present within one - quarter mile of the proposed district accomplish the goal of a mixture
of uses within the neighborhood. These general uses include: parks /recreational (Pen
Park), institutional (Charlottesville Catholic School, Charlottesville Waldorf School) and
other residential housing types.
Your consideration of this request is appreciated. Please do not hesitate to contact
me for any additional information pertaining to the waiver request.
Sincerely,
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William N. Park
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Bluestone Land, L.L.C.
w$2i Avon 'Street, Suite 2oo Charlottesville, Virginia 229o2
Phone:434.979.29oo Fax: 434-979-0001
March 31, 2013
Mr. Ron Higgins
County of Albemarle
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Rd
Charlottesville VA 22902
Re: Parking Waiver – The Lofts at Meadowcreek ZMA 201300001
Dear Mr. Higgins:
The Lofts of Meadowcreek is comprised of 40 one - bedroom and 25 two - bedroom
apartment units respectively. We respectfully request a waiver of the off - street parking
requirement of 1.5 spaces per one bedroom unit and 2.0 spaces per two- bedroom unit by
providing 70 structured and 4 surface parking spaces. This ratio is comparable on a per unit
basis and greater on a per bedroom basis than the Treesdale Apartment development across the
street.
The parking reduction is further supported by the provision of a transit shelter at the site
for services by either JAUNT or CTS. This waiver request will not adversely affect the public
health, safety or welfare of the tenants and is consistent with multi - family design for an urban,
infill project.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request.
With kind regards,
Sincerely,
tlan!;� In'l— /
William N. Park
Manager
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April 16, 2013
Ms. Claudette Grant
Senior Planner
County of Albemarle
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Rd
Charlottesville VA 22902
Re: Lofts at Meadowcreek (ZMA 2013 - 00001)
Dear Ms. Grant:
The Lofts of Meadowcreek is a proposed development comprised of 40 one - bedroom and
25 two - bedroom loft style apartment units located on a 2.8 acre in -fill redevelopment site on Rio
Road. This plan is fully consistent with the Places 29 Master Plan, which designates the Property
for Urban Density Residential development. Enclosed is a draft proffer statement that includes a
number of proffers to mitigate the expected impact of the project. However, the statement does
not include a cash proffer for public facilities for the residential units, and we provide this letter
as explanation for why we contend that the cash proffers are neither appropriate nor applicable in
connection with this Project.
1. Credit from Treesdale Park Project Being 100% Affordable:
The Lofts at Meadowcreek is directly adjacent to Treesdale Park, and the properties are
under common ownership. One hundred percent of the units within Treesdale Park (88 units) are
affordable units. As you know, the County's affordable housing policy only requires that 15% of
the units within a rezoning project be affordable. If the policy minimums had been followed,
only 13 of the Treesdale units would have been affordable. As such, an additional 75 affordable
units were generated for which an excess "credit" was generated. It is appropriate that the
developer be able to "carry over" this credit generated from the Treesdale project to the Lofts at
Meadowcreek. The County's Housing Director indicated in his comments to the rezoning that
this would be a reasonable credit to permit.
Credit generated for 100% Affordable Units at Treesdale: 75 units
2. Credit from Treesdale Park Project Being Affordable to Individuals with Incomes
Below 50% and 40% AMI.
Furthermore, all 88 units within Treesdale Park are affordable to those individuals with
incomes even lower than the County standard of 80% Area Median Family Income ( "AMI "). 66
of the units are affordable to those individuals making 50% of the AMI, and 22 of the units are
affordable to those individuals making just 40% of the AMI. The County affordable housing
policy only requires affordable units to be affordable to those making 80% of the AMI. As such,
Treesdale generated a second substantial affordable housing credit that the developer also has the
right to benefit from. While it is more difficult to quantify the credit generated by the higher
quality affordable housing that the developer provided with the Treesdale project, it would be
appropriate at a minimum to grant the developer credit for the pre- development by -right lot yield
at the Lofts at Meadowcreek. The current zoning is R -4 Residential, which would permit 11
units by right (2.8 acres x 4 DUA = 11.2 units by- right). This is consistent with paragraph 6(e)
of the County's Cash Proffer Policy for Public Facilities, which states that "the Board may
consider development proposals that include substantial upgrades to current design/development
standards and ordinance requirements as justification for granting a credit for the pre -
development lot yield." Furthermore, by providing that 22 of the units will be affordable those
with incomes at only 40% of the AMI, the owners generated even additional credit. We believe
it would be appropriate to grant credit for an additional two units for this higher standard. We
contend that the developer's voluntary development of affordable units affordable to those
making 50% or 40% of the AMI constitutes a "substantial upgrade to current
design/development standards," over the policy requirement of 80% AMI.
Credit generated for 50% AMI Affordable Units at Treesdale: 11 units
Credit generated for 40% AMI Affordable Units at Treesdale: 2 units
Total Credit for Enhanced Affordability at Treesdale: 13 units
3. Credit for Treesdale Park 50 -year Affordability Term:
Treesdale Park is subject to an Extended Use Agreement that requires the affordable units
within the project to remain affordable for a minimum of 50 years. This is ten times longer than
the County's standard requirement of a 5 -year affordability period. We believe it would be
appropriate to grant credit for additional units for this substantially higher standard, on the basis
that this extended time period constitutes an additional "substantial upgrade to current
design/development standards." While more difficult to quantify, we propose that this
substantial increase is worth at a minimum the equivalent of 15 units.
Credit generated for Treesdale Park 50 -Year Affordability Term: 15 units
4. Credit for Lofts at Meadowcreek Providing Second Tier of Affordable Housing
The Lofts at Meadowcreek will proffer that 20% of the total units will be affordable at
the 80% AMI rate. In addition, the proffers will provide that 20% of the total units will be
affordable at the 120% AMI rate, which constitutes a "substantial upgrade to the
design/development standards" and thus generates a credit that the developer should be able to
allocate against any cash proffer for public facilities that would otherwise be due. We contend
that an appropriate credit would be one -half unit for each affordable unit at the 120% AMI rate.
Credit generated for second tier of Affordable Housing at 120% AMI: 6.5 units.
Lofts at Meadowcreek is Phase 2 of Treesdale
The Lofts at Meadowcreek is the second phase of Treesdale, and will provide a range of
housing options at various prices, to create a true mixed income community in the heart of the
County's designated development area. Both Treesdale Park Phase 1 and Phase 2 at the Lofts at
Meadowcreek will be jointly managed by the professional on -site management company that
currently manages Phase 1 of Treesdale Park, and they will benefit from shared amenities that
will further foster a sense of community among the residents. The management company is
owned by the same owners that own the property, which further enhances the sense of
community among the residents.
When considered in a comprehensive fashion with Phase 1 of Treesdale Park, the range
of affordability will cover the spectrum of 40% AMI all the way to market rate units. We
believe that the combined projects will be the first in the County to achieve this extraordinary
standard. As such, we contend that the Lofts at Meadowcreek also satisfies the policy criteria for
additional credits against cash proffer requirements contained in paragraph 6(f) of the County
Cash Proffer Policy, in that it creates a "unique circumstance." No other developer has made the
effort to create a truly mixed - income community for such a broad spectrum of income levels and
so substantially exceeds the development standards for residential communities, and so
effectively implements the goals of the County's Affordable Housing Goals and Objectives. One
final element to note is that the proffers for The Lofts at Meadowcreek provide that the
affordable units will remain affordable for a period of ten years. This is double the affordability
period of five years that is required by the County standard proffer language.
Combined with the credits already discussed above, we contend that this provides further
justification to grant full credit to The Lofts at Meadowcreek for any cash proffers for public
facilities that would otherwise be owed, as follows:
Summary: The Lofts at Meadowcreek:
Affordable Units: 13
Second -Tier Affordable Units: 13
Market Rate Units: 39
Total Units: 65
Cash Proffer Credit Allocation:
Cash Proffers on Market Rate and Second Tier Affordable Units: 52 units
Total Credits generated per paragraphs 1 -4 herein: 109.5 units
Cash Proffers Owed: 0 units
As shown, when all the generated credits are applied to what would otherwise be owed in
the form of cash proffers for the Lofts at Meadowcreek, no cash proffers are appropriately
applied to the project. In fact, credit for 57.5 additional units remain.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this information.
With kind regards,
Sincerely,
illiam N. Park
Manager