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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCPA200900003 Legacy Document 2009-09-16COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE STAFF REPORT SUMMARY Project Name: CCP 2009-003, Meadow Creek Staff: David Benish, Chief of Planning Sewer Interceptor Upgrade Planning Commission Meeting: September 22, Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: N/A 2009 Owners: Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority Applicant: Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority Acreage: NIA Y Rezone from: N/A Special Use Permit for: NIA Other: Compliance with Comprehensive Plan Review for the replacement and upgrade of the Meadow Creek Interceptor TMP: Various Proffers/Conditions: NIA Location: Development Area, Neighborhood 2 By -right use: Properties are zoned for industrial, Magisterial District: Rio commercial, or residential uses Requested # of Dwelling Units: N/A DA X RA Proposal: To construct two pump stations and Comprehensive Plan Designation: sewer line (force main) to replace the Camelot Development Area (Hollymead and Piney Sewer Treatment Plant. Mountain Development Areas). Character of Sites: For the portion of the upgrade Use of Surrounding Properties: For the portion within the County, the sites are adjacent to Meadow of the upgrade within the County, the uses are Creek and its floodplain and are primarily wooded. primarily residential and open space Factors Consistent with the Comprehensive Factors inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan: Plan: • Consistent with Comprehensive Plan Clearing of existing vegetation within the policies to serve Development Areas with easement will occur to install adequate public sewer service. replacement lines • Improvements are needed to provide adequate service to existing and future development within Neighborhoods 1 and 2. • Improvements will address capacity, maintenance, access and environmental issues. • The project is a replacement and upgrade of an existing sewer line; no substantial change to the location of the interceptor. • The replacement and upgrade of sewer lines is an expected, necessary, and inevitable life cycle step for this type of infrastructure RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission find the Meadow Creek Interceptor Upgrade consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Staff Person: David Benish Planning Commission: September 22, 2009 CCP 2009-003 -- Review for Compliance with the Comprehensive Plan (Va. Code 15.2- 2232), Meadow Creek Sewer Interceptor Upgrade Purpose of Review: A Compliance with the Comprehensive Plan Review (or "2232 Review's is required by the Code of Virginia and considers whether the general location, character, and extent of the proposed public facility are in substantial accord with the adopted Comprehensive Plan. It is reviewed by the Planning Commission and the Commission's findings are forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for their information. No additional action is required of the Board. Applicant's Proposal: The Rivanna Water and Sewer Service Authority is partnering with the City of Charlottesville and the Albemarle County Service Authority to upgrade the existing Meadow Creek Sewer Interceptor which runs along Meadow Creek within the City and County. The interceptor is a large diameter sewer line that serves most of the City of Charlottesville and the northern Urban Area of the County (Neighborhoods 1 and 2). According to RWSA, currently there are capacity, maintenance, access, and environmental issues with the existing line. The existing Meadow Creek Interceptor is susceptible to breakage due to age and undersized capacity. Due to urbanization of the area surrounding Meadow Creek, the character of the stream has changed, which causes erosion around the pipes and unsightly conditions. There has been increasing storm water infiltration, which stresses already at -capacity pipes and creates the need to chemically and physically treat rainwater in the same manner as sewage. This adds to the cost, use of chemicals, and additional nutrient discharge back into the environment. The project will replace the old pipes and add capacity to the interceptor needed to serve existing and future development in the City and the County's Urban Area Neighborhoods (1 and 2). Additional facts about the existing line and the proposed project: • Approximately 4.5 miles of existing interceptor is to be replaced, which was originally built in the 1950's. • Approximately 1 mile of the interceptor upgrade is located in the County. • The existing interceptor consists of 21 -inch to 36 -inch clay pipe, claytile-lined concrete pipe, and ductile iron stream crossings. • The new lines will be 30 -inch to 48 -inch pipe. Aerial stream crossings will be eliminated. Approximately 50 percent of the total new interceptor line will be replaced in the same location as the existing line. Almost 100 percent of the new line located in the County will be replaced in the same location as the existing line. Permanent easement will be 40 feet in width. Replacement landscaping (as per a landscape plan) will be provided along the outer 10 feet on both sides of the permanent easement (a total of 20 feet of the 40 foot easement will be landscaped). Locations and Character of the Site/Area: Two sections of the interceptor project are located in the County. One section runs from just east of the Norfolk Southern Railroad to just east of the Rio Road (See Map, Attachment B). This area is located near the Meadow Creek Parkway and linear park area. The line runs south and east and crosses Rio Road near its intersection with Melbourne Road. The stream valley in this area is primarily wooded. The Rivanna Trail Foundation has established a trail along this section of the stream. Mostly residential development is located in the general area, but most of the homes are located some distance away from the stream or on higher elevations above the stream valley. The second area is an approximately 1000 -foot length of the stream and interceptor located adjacent to the Brookmill development, which is located off of Greenbrier Drive, just east of the Senior Center (see Map, Attachment C). The interceptor line is located under the fill slopes near the yards of some of the homes that are located adjacent to the stream. This portion of the stream valley is primarily wooded or is an extension of the yards and open space related the Brookmill development. The Rivanna Trail Foundation has also established a trail in this area. Staff Comment: The following Comprehensive Plan goals, general principles are applicable to this project: Land Use Plan, Facilities Planning section of the Comprehensive Plan - Goal: Strongly support and effectively implement the County's growth management priorities in the planning and provision of transportation infrastructure, public facilities and public utilities. • Land Use Plan, Utilities Section of the Comprehensive Plan - General Principle: Serve Urban Areas, Communities and Villages with public water and sewer. Prohibit private central water and/or sewer facilities within County Development Areas. (Land Use Plan- Public Water and Sewer, P. 114). Staff comment: Residents of the County expect high quality facilities and services. It is recognized that the provision of such facilities and services significantly affects the location, timing, and extent of development and serves to permit and encourage growth to take place within the designated Development Area. This proposal ensures that adequate sewer capacity is available within the Meadow Creek Interceptor to serve the existing and future development in the City and the northern Urban Areas in the County, which supports the Comprehensive Plan's growth management policies. • Land Use Plan, Neighborhood 2 Profile Recommendation: - Retain open space areas in the Meadow Creek floodplain, the area along the proposed Meadow Creek Parkway corridor, the lake and stream system north of Rio Road in the Woodbrook, Carrsbrook, and Northfields areas, and along the Rivanna River floodplain. Staff comment: For the portions of the interceptor located in the County, the upgraded sewer interceptor line will be located in the same location as the existing interceptor. Since the interceptor was constructed in the 1950s, substantial vegetation has been established within the easement for the interceptor. Installation of the new lines will require the clearing of most of the existing vegetation within the easement area. A landscape plan has been developed for the 40 -foot easement. Sub -canopy trees and shrubs will be replanted along the outer 10 feet on each side of the easement. The middle 20 feet will be in ground cover/grasses/vegetation that will be periodically mowed. This configuration is needed to avoid tree root intrusion which can damage pipes and to provide necessary access to the line. Existing trails will be reinstalled within the easement area. In the Brookmill development, the existing interceptor line is located under the edge of the fill area for some of the lots that are located along Meadow Creek. In this area, the new pipes will be installed using a "pipe bursting" method of installation. Pipe bursting is a trenchless method of replacing buried pipelines without the need for a traditional construction trench. "Launching and receiving pits" replace the trench needed by conventional pipe -laying. An expanding device is introduced into the defective pipeline through a launching pit. As it travels through the existing pipeline it breaks the pipe into many small pieces, pushing the pieces into the surrounding soil (or out to the receiving pit). The new pipe is attached to the back of the expanding device, replacing the line immediately. Using this method, no significant grading or clearing will be necessary near this residential area. Natural Resources and Cultural Assets section, Public Uses and Ecologic Values Objective: Maintain the integrity of existing stream channels and networks for their biological functions and drainage. Protect the conditions of state waters for all reasonable public uses and ecologic functions. Restore degraded streams and wetland systems where possible. Staff comment: Erosion control and management measures will be used to mitigate temporary impacts to the stream during construction. Over the long term, the project will benefit stream quality through the avoidance and elimination of water quality impacts from infiltration and seepage issues related to the existing aged lines. Installation of the new line will address current erosion issues around existing pipes related to shifts in the creek over time. Summary: Staff has identified the following positive aspects of this proposal consistent with the Comprehensive Plan: • The project is consistent with Comprehensive Plan policies to serve Development Areas with adequate public sewer service. • The improvements are needed to provide adequate sewer capacity to serve the City and County's Urban Area (Neighborhoods 1 and 2). • The project is a replacement and upgrade of an existing sewer interceptor line and there is no substantial change to the existing location of the interceptor in the County. • The project will address capacity, maintenance, access and environmental issues related to the operation of the existing sewer interceptor, including infiltration and potential seepage issues. • Replacement and upgrade of the sewer lines is a necessary and inevitable process in the life cycle for this type of infrastructure. Staff has identified the following unfavorable aspect of this proposal as it relates to its consistency with the Comprehensive Pian: • Cutting/clearing of vegetation and grading will take place with installation of the interceptor line. However, the project includes replanting of trees/shrubs within the easement for the interceptor to mitigate this impact. Staff opinion is that general location, character and extent of the proposed upgrade to the Meadow Creek Sewer Interceptor is in substantial in accord with the adopted Comprehensive Plan. Recommendation: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission find the proposed upgrade to the Meadow Creek Sewer Interceptor project in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. Attachments: A -- Location Map B — Meadow Creek Interceptor "Contract A" Area (map) C — Meadow Creek Interceptor "Contract B" Area (map) IMS rA L m rr� V Q 4 Q d: O E R m 1 C Ln m L IRE [/� V .amu � 4 _ r� 1 ..r{� •f �Y- 1 — Y �a5 cn CA . �• � j y� 1 tiI�VVI S' 1�/Tt�� /�� {J Y4Sf i tel• � i f} � f�� • - r�jj� IIS 1 ] bL . , I r � � 4 A a t 0 a t N.Wall ;