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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSDP201500003 Review Comments Waiver, variation or substitution requirement 2015-03-02Phone 434 - 296 -5832 r �IRGIS County of Albemarle Department of Community Development 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville, VA, 22902 Memorandum To: Chris Perez From: Michelle Roberge, Engineering Department Division: Engineering Date: March 2, 2015 Subject: All Saints Chapel SDP201500003, SP201500007, and Waivers Fax 434 - 972 -4126 I have reviewed the plan for the applications noted above and offer the following recommendations for the applicant. The comments are those that have been identified at this time. Additional comments may be added or eliminated based on further review. SDP201500003 Initial Site Plan 1) Date and source the topographic information [18- 32.6.2]. All topography should be at least visually field verified by the designer within the last year. State on the plan when the topo was field verified. 2) The submitted topo appears to be flat where parking, new bldg, and travelway are shown. After conducting a site visit, the areas are not flat. Please provide more accurate topo. This will impact the site due to the following: a) Parking max grade is 5% in all direction [4.12.16(c)]. Fill appears to be needed and should be shown on the proposed grading plan. b) Section 4.12.17(a) Grade for vehicle access aisles not adjacent to parking spaces. Vehicle access aisles that are not adjacent to parking spaces, shall not exceed a grade of ten (10) percent. The county engineer may increase the maximum grade, upon a finding that no reasonable design alternative would reduce or alleviate the need and that the increase in grade would be in the best interest of public health, safety and welfare. The developer must request the waiver in writing and provide all information necessary to justify that no reasonable design alternative exists. In no case shall the grade exceed private road standards set forth in section 14 -514 of the Code. It appears the applicant will not meet the 10% max grade. I recommend the applicant revising the grading plan to reflect the possible max grade. There is an option to submit a waiver to the County Engineer. 3) Sidewalk abutting parking is 5' wide with bumper blocks. Per 4.12.6(e), bumper blocks shall be constructed of a durable material such as concrete or treated timbers. Each bumper block shall be a minimum length of six (6) feet, a maximum height of five (5) inches, and shall be securely anchored into the pavement in at least two (2) places. 4) 1 recommend the applicant provide more detail on pedestrian path, or the area between the parking and bldg. 5) 1 recommend providing a posted sign for the handicap parking space. 6) It appears the drainfield area was not included in the limit of disturbance. This will increase limits of disturbance to greater than 10,000 sf. A VSMP plan is required. SP201500007 Special Use Permit 1) 1 have no objection. Waivers Applicant is requesting a waiver for the paved surface requirement. recommend approval of gravel surface for parking and parking aisle. I also recommend bumper blocks for the four spaces facing the building since the area between the parking and the building appears to be an unpaved sidewalk. Applicant is requesting an approved parking layout on a site plan to be adjusted as a response to field conditions. It appears there is no waiver for this process. My recommendation is for the applicant to include a landscaping plan that shows trees to be preserved and trees to be cleared. Also, any revision to an approved site plan requires another review through letter of revision or amendment. Applicant is requesting a waiver for showing existing utilities. It appears the agent will need a special exceptions request. See code below. I don't recommend approval. I recommend applicant to verify that no other utilities, such as gas or electric, are in the location of the drainfield or proposed bldg. See 32.3.5. a. Exception from requirement to provide certain details in site plan. The agent may except certain details ofa site plan and any amendment to a site plan otherwise required by sections 32.5 and 32.6 as provided herein: 1. Request for exception. A developer requesting an exception shall submit to the agent a written request stating the reasons for the request and addressing the applicable finding in subsection (a)(2). 2. Finding. An exception may be approved if the agent finds that unusual situations exist or that strict adherence to requiring the details in sections 32.5 or 32.6 would result in substantial injustice or hardship. This finding shall be supported by information from the site review committee that all of the details required by sections 32.5 and 32.6 are not necessary for its review of the proposed development, and from the zoning administrator, in consultation with the county engineer, that the details waived are not necessary to determine that the site is developed in compliance with this chapter and all other applicable laws. Applicant is requesting a waiver for a datum reference. The applicant is using topography from Albermarle County GIS. Our data is provided by Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN). Datum is NAD 83 and NAVD 88. It appears the waiver is not necessary with the topo shown. However, per comment 1 under "Initial Site Plan," applicant should provide more accurate topo. recommend street, easement, travelways and walkways to be shown and dimensioned on a final site plan. Zoning will verify items are built in accordance with an approved plan. Also, the site plan will be documented and filed. Please contact Michelle Roberge in the Engineering Department at mroberge(a)albemarle.org or 434 - 296 -5832 ext. 3458 for further information.