HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP201000004 Legacy Document 2010-04-27STAFF PERSON: Sherri Proctor
PUBLIC HEARING: Tuesday, April 6, 2010
STAFF REPORT: SP- 2010 - 004 —Mill Creek Business Park Off -Site Sign
PETITION: Shenandoah's Pride LLC (property owner) and Dr. Brad Spano (applicant)
petition the Board of Zoning Appeals to issue a special use permit for an off -site
advertising sign in accordance with Section 4.15.5(a)(1) of the Albemarle County Zoning
Ordinance. The property is zoned PUD, Planned Unit Development and EC, Entrance
Corridor.
APPLICANT'S PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting approval for a freestanding
monument sign on tax map 77, parcel 11 D2 to serve the Mill Creek Business Park
development located on parcel 76M1 -12A. This sign will replace the existing Mill Creek
Business Park sign originally permitted in 1990 that is presently in the location proposed
for the new sign. The new monument sign will house interchangeable panels to display
the uses within the industrial park, with a square footage of approximately 18.5 square
feet. The existing base will be used and the new sign will be less square footage than the
existing sign.
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY: The parcel is located on the
northwest intersection of Avon Street Extended and Southern Parkway. The parcel is the
location of the Shenandoah's Pride Dairy. The boundary along Avon Street Extended is an
existing buffer consisting of shrubs, serving as a substantial buffer for the existing dairy.
The property slopes down toward Five Springs Rd., causing the buildings in the park to be
even more obscure from Avon Street Extended.
CHARACTER OF THE AREA: This site is located in a Planned Unit Development with this
portion being the area designated for Commercial /Industrial use according to the
application plan approved by ZMA1995 -15 The parcel is bordered by Avon Street
Extended to the east, Southern Parkway to the south, warehouse /office uses along the
west and, and The National Guard Armory on the north. The residential portion of the Mill
Creek Development that is located adjacent/ across from Southern Parkway consists of a
mixture of single family, duplex and townhouse units. Across Avon Street Extended is the
South Side Shopping Center.
REASON FOR REVIEW: Section 4.15.5 provides that off -site advertising signs are
permitted by special use permit in any underlying district. The authority to administer signs
by special use permit is granted to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Among other
considerations, the Board must "find that the issuance of a special use permit is necessary
because an on -site sign would be ineffective to communicate its message off -site because
of topography or vegetation."
PLANNING AND ZONING HISTORY: The property was rezoned from R -1, Residential to
PUD, Planned Unit Development with ZMA1995 -15 to create a mix of residential,
commercial and industrial uses. The sign that currently exists at this site is the subject of
VA1989 -100 which granted the variance to provide relief from 4.15.3.5 which restricted
identification signs to 2 square feet and 20.8.6 which required would have required a 50
foot setback from Southern Parkway and Avon Street Extended. The variance of 18
square feet was approved, allowing the current 20 square foot sign and the setback was
reduced to 8 feet. The sign was installed within the sign easement for the identification
sign. The additional signage that is located on the existing sign has been placed
throughout the years without the appropriate permits.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan defines this area as Industrial
Service in Urban Area ( #4). Avon Street Extended is an Entrance Corridor.
STAFF COMMENT: The Zoning Ordinance, Section 4.15.5, is written to discourage off -
site signs and generally to limit signage to the minimum necessary to provide for the
primary goals of signage. Off -site signs have been considered appropriate when
topography or some other factor prevents an on -site sign from being visible. Even though
topography is not the issue in providing an on -site sign for the development, the
topography of the site inhibits the ability to identify the businesses that are located in the
development. As one approaches the intersection, only homes and vegetation are
immediately visible from the road.
The Section 4.15.1 provides four goals that signs are to meet: (1) To promote the general
health, safety and welfare, including the creation of an attractive and harmonious
environment; (2) Protect the public investment in the creation, maintenance, safety and
appearance of its streets, highways and other areas open to the public; (3) Improve
pedestrian and vehicular safety by avoiding saturation and confusion in the field of vision
that could otherwise result if such signs were not regulated as provided herein; and (4)
Protect and enhance the county's attractiveness to tourists and other visitors as sources of
economic development.
It is staff opinion that the location of a sign for the Mill Creek Business Park is consistent
with the intent of the sign ordinance. It will serve public safety by assisting motorists
searching for the Park to identify the turnoff that provides the most direct route to the
complex. Currently, the existing sign serves this purpose; without it, travelers along Avon
Street Extended would not be aware of the businesses which are located in the Industrial
Park.
Pursuant to Section 31.2.4.1 of the Ordinance, the Board also must find that the use will
not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property, that the character of the district will
not be changed thereby and that such use will be in harmony with the purpose and intent
of this ordinance, with the uses permitted by right in the district, and with the public health,
safety and general welfare. Again, there is an existing sign at this location. The sign does
not create any hazard, will not create a detriment to adjacent property, and will not change
the character. The sign and landscaping at the base is well established. The applicants
plan to trim some of the overgrown material, but do not intend to change or remove
landscaping.
Staff opinion is that this request meets all of the above. This sign is subject to the approval
of the Architectural Review Board, but preliminary comments provided by ARB staff
indicate that the sign as proposed meets the ARB Design Guidelines.
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of this special use
permit with the following conditions:
The area of the proposed free standing sign, advertising the businesses located in
the Industrial Park shall be limited to an aggregate total of 24 square feet.
2. The sign shall receive approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness from the ARB or
staff, including any additional landscaping and /or lighting.
Attachments:
A- Elevation of proposed sign
B -Site plan showing the location of proposed sign