HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP200800065 Legacy Document 2009-03-04COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
PLANNING STAFF REPORT SUMMARY
Project Name: SP2008 -65 Tandem Friends
Staff: Eryn Brennan
School Mobile Classroom Unit
Planning Commission Public Hearing:
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing:
March 10, 2009
To be determined
Owner: Tandem School
Applicant: Bill Vincent, Business Manager
Acreage: 24.508
Special Use Permit: Private Schools
18.13.2.2 of the zoning ordinance
applies to this proposal. Amendment to
SP2007 -53.
TMP: 91 -2A
Existing Zoning and By -right use:
Location: 279 Tandem Lane, approx. 350
R -1 Residential - 1 unit/acre
feet west of the intersection with Mill Creek
Dr.
Magisterial District: Scottsville
Conditions or Proffers: Yes
DA (Development Area): Neighborhood 4
Requested # of Dwelling Units: N/A
Proposal: Construct a temporary mobile
Comprehensive Plan Designation:
classroom unit in the northeast corner of parcel.
Institutional — schools, universities and
colleges and ancillary facilities, and public
facilities and utilities
Character of Property: The 24 acre property
Use of Surrounding Properties: The
is largely undeveloped, but contains several
property is surrounded by institutional uses
school buildings and playing fields.
to the north and west and residential uses to
the east and south.
Factors Favorable:
Factors Unfavorable:
1. The addition will continue to provide
1. Staff has not identified any unfavorable
expanded educational opportunities
factors.
to the community.
2. There will be no detrimental impacts
to surrounding properties.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of this Special Use Permit, with conditions.
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PC March 10, 2009
Staff Report Page 1
STAFF PERSON:
PLANNING COMMISSION:
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
ERYN BRENNAN
March 10, 2009
TBA
SP 2009 -65 TANDEM FRIENDS SCHOOL CLASSROOM TRAILER ADDITION
PETITION
PROJECT: SP 200800065 Tandem Friends School
PROPOSED: Temporary classroom trailer in northeast corner of parcel.
ZONING CATEGORY /GENERAL USAGE: R -1 Residential - 1 unit/acre.
SECTION: 18.13.2.2 Private Schools.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE /DENSITY: Institutional - schools, universities and
colleges and ancillary facilities and public facilities and utilities in Neighborhood 4.
ENTRANCE CORRIDOR: No
LOCATION: 279 Tandem Lane, approx. 350 feet west of the intersection with Mill Creek Dr.
TAX MAP /PARCEL: 09100- 00- 00- 002A0.
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: Scottsville
CHARACTER OF THE AREA
The school site is located on Tandem Lane near Monticello High School. It consists of 24.5 acres
and the school is laid out in a campus -type setting. The Upper School building, Community Building,
Middle School building, and Math and Science Building are clustered around a courtyard area in the
northeast portion of the site. An outdoor and indoor basketball court and parking lot are located in
the southern portion of the site, and two soccer fields are located along the west parcel boundary.
The area surrounding the site to the north and northeast is designated Institutional in the Land Use
Plan. Monticello High School and its subsequent parking lots, baseball field, and track are located
north of the site, and to the west is the Monticello Fire Rescue Station. The area northeast and south
of the site is zoned R -1 and designated Urban Density Residential in the Land Use Plan. Several
attached single - family residential units are located northeast of the site. The land to the south is
mostly undeveloped at this time, with the exception of a few single - family residences. Please refer to
the attached location maps for more information (See Attachment A and Attachment B).
SPECIFICS OF THE PROPOSAL
The Tandem Friends School is requesting a Special Use Permit to locate a temporary mobile
classroom unit north of the existing Upper School in order to accommodate additional classroom
space. The 20'x 64' classroom unit is being donated to Tandem Friends School. There are currently
5 buildings with 97 parking spaces on the site, and the mobile classroom unit is not intended to be a
permanent structure.
The 1,280 square foot modular wood classroom unit has an occupant load of 194, and will sit on a
concrete block foundation. The modular unit will be located approximately 30' northwest of the
Upper School. Current Development has indicated that a walkway from the entrance of the unit to
the path circumscribing the Upper School will be required. The modular unit will be used solely for
additional classroom space during normal hours of operation. The school is not increasing the
number of enrolled students.
PLANNING AND ZONING HISTORY
The Tandem Friends School property is currently zoned R -1 Residential. The School moved into an
existing 19th century farmhouse on their site in 1972. In 1996, SP 96 -6 was approved to allow
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Staff Report Page 2
construction of a 10,000 square foot Community Hall building on the site. In that same year, SP 96-
25 allowed an increase in the total enrollment and on -site staffing from 177 to 200 persons, and SP
96 -49 allowed the construction of a 15,000 square foot Field House /Gymnasium. SP 97 -53 was
approved to allow the construction of a 14,000 square foot Math and Science Building, with the
condition that enrollment and on -site staffing would be limited to 260 persons.
CONFORMITY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Land Use Plan
The property is located in Neighborhood 4 of the Development Area and is designated Institutional
in the Land Use Plan. As determined by previous land use applications (SP 96 -06, SP 96 -25, SP 96-
49, and SP 97 -53), use of the property for a private school is consistent with this institutional land
use designation, which includes public and private schools. The addition would continue to provide
expanded educational opportunities to the community and is appropriate in this location.
Neighborhood Model
The Neighborhood Model describes the more "urban" form of development desired for the
Development Areas. This special use permit request is for a temporary classroom trailer addition to
a private school, and staff has determined that of the 12 Principles of the Neighborhood Model, only
two apply to this particular application:
Pedestrian Orientation - While sidewalks exist on Mill Creek Drive, there are no pedestrian
facilities connecting Tandem Friends School to Mill Creek Drive. However, the proposed building will
be required to connect via sidewalks to other buildings on the site, thus furthering pedestrian
orientation within the school complex.
Redevelopment- This application constitutes further redevelopment of the site without intensifying
the use of the site.
STAFF COMMENT
Staff will address each provision of Section 31.2.4.1 of the Zoning Ordinance as follows:
31.2.4.1: Special Use Permits provided for in this ordinance may be issued upon a
finding by the Board of Supervisors that such use will not be of substantial detriment to
adjacent property,
The 20' x 64' mobile classroom unit would serve to support existing activities more efficiently.
Tandem Friends School and the parcels to the south are zoned R -1 Residential (See Attachment
B). To the north, the site is surrounded by R -15 Zoning, and the area to the east is zoned Planned
Residential Development. The uses permitted by right under R -1 Residential include temporary or
mobile facilities for public uses such as schools, offices, parks, and playgrounds. Therefore, the
mobile classroom unit is not expected to have any impact on adjacent properties and the use is
considered compatible with adjacent uses.
that the character of the district will not be changed thereby and
The proposed classroom unit would constitute only a minor site development change. The unit is
covered with wood cladding and would be screened from public view by existing trees and
vegetation. Therefore, the classroom unit is consistent with the character of the site and surrounding
district.
that such use will be in harmony with the purpose and intent of this ordinance,
The classroom unit will support existing educational activities on the site, which is a use
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Staff Report Page 3
permitted in the zoning ordinance and previously granted on four different occasions by Special
Use Permit.
with uses permitted by right in the district,
Private schools are permitted by Special Use Permit in areas zoned R -1 Residential, as they can
provide support for by -right uses, most particularly residential. This mobile classroom addition to a
previously approved private school is consistent with the uses permitted in this district.
with the additional regulations provided in section 5.0 of this ordinance,
There are no additional regulations in section 5.0 that address private schools.
and with the public health, safety and general welfare.
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.
The Building Official has verified acceptability of the mobile unit for use as a classroom and the Fire
Marshall offered no objection to the proposal.
In a memo dated January 9, 2009, the Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA) indicated that
the site is adequately served by water and sewer and that no plans are required.
No additional traffic is anticipated as this addition will not increase enrollment or staffing at the
school.
SUMMARY:
Staff has identified the following factors favorable to this application:
1. The addition will continue to provide expanded educational opportunities to the
community.
2. There will be no detrimental impacts to surrounding properties.
Staff has not identified any unfavorable factors to this application.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Based on the findings contained in this staff report, staff recommends approval of Special Use
Permit 2008 -65 Tandem Friends School Classroom Trailer Unit, with the following conditions:
The development of the use shall be in conformity with the concept plan entitled,
"Tandem Friends School Campus Plan Study Site Plan," prepared by VMDO Architects,
and dated 12/4/08 as determined by the Director of Planning and the Zoning
Administrator. To be in conformity with the plan, development shall reflect the following
major elements within the development essential to the design of the development,
including:
• Building Orientation
• Building Size
• Location of the Buildings
• Limits of Disturbance
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. Additional buildings or increase in total enrol Iment/staffing may only be authorized by a
new special use permit;
3. Total school enrollment and on -site staffing shall be limited to 260 persons.
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ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A —Aerial Map
Attachment B — Zoning Map
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