HomeMy WebLinkAboutSDP200800086 Review Comments Waiver, variation or substitution request 2008-07-01From: Judith Wiegand
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 2:25 PM
To: 'Long, Valerie'
Cc: Wayne Cilimberg; Glenn Brooks; Francis MacCall; Amelia McCulley
Subject: Willow Glen Variations Requested
Valerie,
I am working with other staff members on the variations requested for the Willow
Glen project. At this time it appears that there will be no problem approving 10
of the 15 requested variations. Comments on the other five are given below.
First, concerning variation o, the change from three phases to nine. Staff
would like to be sure, before we approve the change in phasing, that all those
working on Willow Glen understand that each phase has to have at least 12%
affordable units in it and that, at the completion of each phase, at least 15%
of the total number of units constructed so far must be affordable. The reason
staff is concerned about this is that three of the proposed phases (4, 5, and 6)
include only unit types that are not described as affordable. Staff is aware
that phasing of site plans is not necessarily the same as the phasing approved
with the rezoning. So, we wished to provide this reminder. If you have any
clarifications or additional information, please feel free to send it to me.
Staff is willing to recommend approval of this variation, but would feel more
comfortable doing so with reassurance from Willow Glen that the affordable
housing proffer will still be met.
Second, the County engineer has raised questions about four other proposed
changes:
a. On the northwest boundary of the property off of Road "E" (shown as
Trudeau Court on the proposed Site Plan), the Applicant would like to remove one
of the three proposed buildings (labeled F) which contains 16 dwelling units. In
place of the deleted building, the Applicant will increase the size of "The
Quad" green space and add additional parking spaces. The Applicant will also be
removing the parking area shown on the Application Plan to the east (between the
remaining two buildings and the Deerwood Neighborhood). The other two buildings
in this area will remain (these buildings are shown as buildings E and F on the
Site Plan) although the number of units in each will increase from 10 to 12.
The County engineer indicates that the turnraround on Trudeau Court is not
adequate. It needs to be adjusted.
h. Remove the small pond (considered to be a "forebay ") shown on the
Application Plan west of Road "D" /Shannon Glen Court.
The County Engineer states that removal of this pond on the west side of Shannon
Glen Court (Road D) appears problematic. It appears to leave this drainage area
with a 'bio- Swale' instead of the pond in the original rezoning. Such a swale is
not equivalent, as the swale is likely to have more maintenance and design
issues, it may be difficult to get adequate bottom width, and it will have
lot -to -lot maintenance, easement, and drainage problems. The area in which the
swale is proposed is expected to be an area for residents' storage, landscaping,
decks, patios, and so on.
i. Decrease the size of the larger pond in the southeastern area of the
project to preserve the existing stream channel.
The County Engineer states that the reduction in size of the primary stormwater
pond must be evaluated in more detail with the final WPO plan. It is not clear
that this change is equivalent to the size pond that was approved with the
rezoning.
n. Add a small pond between Road "D" /Shannon Glen Court and the end of
Road "G " /Tempelhof Court to accommodate the stormwater on the south side of the
project area.
The County Engineer states that the proposed additional bio- detention pond
appears redundant. It is close enough to units to have maintenance issues and
this area drains to the larger pond anyway. This significantly reduces the value
of the additional pond.
Staff cannot recommend approval of these last four variations at this time. We
need additional information or changes to the site plan. Also, we would
recommend not approving the other variations until these four are resolved in
case resolution of these four require changes to another part of the plan.
Please call or e -mail if you have questions.
Judy
Judith C. Wiegand, AICP
Community Development & Planning
Albemarle County
401 McIntire Road
Charlottesville, VA 29902
434 - 296 -5832, x. 3438
jwiegand @albemarle.org