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Home My WebLink AboutSP201300023 Staff ReportALBEMARLE COUNTY PLANNING STAFF REPORT SUMMARY Project Name: SP2013 -00023 Buck Mountain Staff: Megan Yaniglos, Senior Planner Episcopal Church Planning Commission Public Hearing: Board of Supervisors Hearing: TBD September 16, 2014 Owner(s): Buck Mountain Church Applicant(s): Julia Skare- Draper Aiden; Art S mmes Acreage: 3.75 acres Rezone from: Not applicable Special Use Permit for: Churches- Section 12.2.2 TMP: Tax Map 31 Parcel 35 By -right use: VR- Village Residential Location: 4133 Earlysville Road (Attachment A) Magisterial District: White Hall Proffers /Conditions: Yes Requested # of Dwelling Units /Lots: not DA - RA - X applicable Proposal: Request to amend the application Comp. Plan Designation: Rural Areas - plan for SP1996 -037 for an addition onto the preserve and protect agricultural, forestall, open fellowship hall of the existing church. space, and natural, historic and scenic (Attachment B) resources /density (0.5 unit /acre in development lots) in Rural Area 1. Character of Property: The property contains an Use of Surrounding Properties: Single Family existing church, fellowship hall, cemetery, Parish Residential, veterinarian office Hall, and wooded areas. Factors Favorable: Factors Unfavorable: None identified 1. No significant impacts would be created by the proposed addition Recommendation: Based on findings presented in the staff report, staff recommends approval with conditions. SP201300023 — Buck Mountain Episcopal Church Planning Commission: September 16, 2014 Page 1 STAFF CONTACT: PLANNING COMMISSION: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: Megan Yaniglos, Senior Planner September 16, 2014 TBD PETITION: PROJECT: SP201300023- Buck Mountain Episcopal Church Addition MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: White Hall TAX MAP /PARCEL: 03100000003500 LOCATION: 4133 Earlysville Road PROPOSAL: Request to amend the application plan for SP1996 -037 for an addition onto the fellowship hall of the existing church. PETITION: Churches by Special Use Permit under Section 12.2.2 of the Zoning Ordinance. ZONING: VR Village Residential- residential at 0.7 units /acre; churches by special use permit. Airport Impact Area (AIA)- Overlay to minimize adverse impacts to both the airport and the surrounding land. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: Rural Areas- preserve and protect agricultural, forestall, open space, and natural, historic and scenic resources /density (0.5 unit /acre in development lots) in Rural Area 1. CHARACTER OF THE AREA: The property contains an existing historical church and fellowship hall, as well as a Parish Hall that is used as a food pantry and other community services. The adjacent properties are single family residential with a veterinarian office nearby. PLANNING AND ZONING HISTORY: SP1996 -037- Approved special use permit for the church. DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL: The church proposes to build an addition onto the existing fellowship hall, Deese Hall (Attachment C). The addition is proposed to be 3,854 square feet that would extend to the north off of Deese Hall. No additional parking is required or proposed. The septic tank and drainfields will be relocated on site. ANALYSIS OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUEST Section 33.8 of the Zoning Ordinance states that the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors shall reasonably consider the following factors when reviewing and acting upon an application for a special use permit: No substantial detriment. The proposed special use will not be a substantial detriment to adjacent lots. The proposed addition to Deese Hall will require minimal grading and clearing, the area is already mostly clear is the site of the existing play area. Character of district unchanged. The character of the district will not be changed by the proposed special use. The addition to the existing fellowship hall will not change the character of the district. Churches are established uses within the rural areas. The applicant has submitted an architectural rendering that demonstrates the addition will match and complement the existing church and fellowship hall. Harmony. The proposed special use will be in harmony with the purpose and intent of this chapter, Religious land uses are not specifically addressed in the purpose or intent of the zoning ordinance. SP201300023 — Buck Mountain Episcopal Church Planning Commission: September 16, 2014 Page 2 However, they have generally been considered as compatible land uses in rural and residential areas, and the addition to the fellowship hall will not change or alter this use. ...with the uses permitted by riaht in the district Churches are common in the Rural Areas zoning district, and have generally been considered in harmony with agricultural land uses and with residential uses. The addition to the fellowship hall will continue to be in harmony. ...with the regulations provided in section 5 as applicable, There are no supplemental regulations in section 5 applicable to this use. ...and with the public health, safety and general welfare. No change or intensification of use is proposed. However, the Virginia Department of Transportation has required that the entrance be motified to 30 feet instead of 20 feet. This requirement can be addressed during the site plan process. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan. The use will be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan designates the property as Rural Area. The Comprehensive Plan designates the subject properties as Rural Areas emphasizing the preservation and protection of agricultural, forestal, open space, and natural, historic and scenic resources as land use options. Under the Rural Areas Section of the Comprehensive Plan allowing an addition to the existing historical church supports the following Guiding Principles: "Protect the Rural Area's historic, archeological, and cultural resources. " "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." "Protect and enhance rural quality of life for present and future Rural Area residents. " 'Address the needs of existing rural residents without fostering growth and further suburbanization of the Rural Areas." The proposed addition to the historic church addresses the needs of rural residents without encouraging suburbanization, contributing to the creation of a defacto growth area, or impacting the character of local historic, scenic, or cultural resources. SUMMARY: Staff has identified factors which are favorable and unfavorable to this proposal: Factors favorable to this request include: 1. No significant impacts would be created by the proposed addition SP201300023 — Buck Mountain Episcopal Church Planning Commission: September 16, 2014 Page 3 No unfavorable factors have been identified. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Based on the findings contained in this staff report, staff recommends approval of Special Use Permit 2013 -023 Buck Mountain Episcopal Church with the following conditions: Development and use shall be in general accord with the conceptual plan titled "Buck Mountain Episcopal Church Proposed Addition- Site, Grading and Utility Plan" prepared by Draper Aden Associates and dated June 13, 2014 (hereafter "Conceptual Plan "), as determined by the Director of Planning and the Zoning Administrator. To be in general accord with the Conceptual Plan, development and use shall reflect the following major elements within the development essential to the design of the development, as shown on the Conceptual Plan: a. Location of proposed addition 2. Virginia Department of Transportation approval of entrance. 3. Compliance with the Virginia State Department of Health. Motions: Special Use Permit A. Should the Planning Commission choose to recommend approval of this special use permit: I move to recommend approval of SP 20130023 Buck Mountain Episcopal Church with the conditions outlined in the staff report. B. Should the Planning Commission choose to recommend denial of this special use permit: move to recommend denial of SP 20130023 Buck Mountain Episcopal Church. Should a commissioner motion to recommend denial, he or she should state the reason(s) for recommending denial. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A — Map Attachment B — Applicant Justification Attachment C — Conceptual Plan SP201300023 — Buck Mountain Episcopal Church Planning Commission: September 16, 2014 Page 4