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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA201300009 Review Comments 2013-09-30 �o OF.4L * J i. 7HGIN�P County of Albemarle Department of Community Development Memorandum To: Sarah Baldwin, Senior Planner From: Glenn Brooks, County Engineer Responses in Red from Steve Teets,Applicant Date: 30 Sep 2013 Subject: Stonefield, road and site plan recommendations My recommendations regarding the latest Stonefield plans are provided in the graphic below. I believe all of these have been discussed with the applicants over the last few months. I have been over some of the details with the traffic engineers, and they have numerically justified the movements as shown on their design. However, I don't feel confident in the assumptions and feel we may have more activity from the Hydraulic and Town Center side and in-between. It is also my opinion that these changes will salvage some of the functioning of the "through"road, as well as make interconnections more viable in future. So, these changes are my recommendations, as referenced by red sketched changes and the green numbers on the graphic. 1) This access needs to be prevented from blocking traffic at the entry-way from Rt. 29. The only viable way of doing this is with a median continuation which prohibits the left turn movement. It is the queuing and conflicts at this entrance which will hinder traffic from Rt. 29. Alternatively, the entrance could be removed. We have done a study that shows this does not function as a full movement intersection but it shows that a left in turn lane can be configured into the design that would not impact the functionality of the intersection. It is preliminary and we understand that it is subject to both Albemarle County and VDOT approval. That is why we would like to show the Note on the Zoning Plan "subject to final Engineering approval" That gives the County full control but also allows us to potentially put it there if we can gain such approval. 2) It is essential that this entrance be adjusted so that the lanes line up, and interference from the fuel island circulation is reduced. This requires curbed islands and medians as shown. We've designed to line up correctly and added length to the throat as requested but not quite as far"west" as you proposed. We feel the turning movements into the pump area would be degraded moving it any further west than what we show. 3) The intermediate entrance should be eliminated to preserve the functioning of this road, and the parking needs to be moved so that cars do not back into the road and entrance excessively. There are too many turning movements along this stretch to function without conflicts. After careful consideration, we agree with the elimination of the southern midblock connection and have changed the plan accordingly. We do however feel the entrance from that parking field to the main drive aisle remain. 4) This entrance needs to be moved to allow more turn lane length in both the north and south directions. This queue will be very important for traffic to, and from, the Hydraulic and Town Center side of the development, which has narrowed from 4 lanes to 2 in this direction. This positioning also allows for better site distance and safety along the horizontal curve. We humbly disagree on this one. This one we don't think makes sense. Albemarle Cody Community Development Engineering Review comments Page 2 of 3 We have traffic figures that show this works and stand by our design here. 5) The parking area needs a clear and physical difference from the entrance and road. This is important if this is to function as a road or travelway to a future road connection on Commonwealth Drive, and to improve safety. This "road or travelway"" has parking on it all the way back to Hydraulic Road. It is parallel parking through Land Bay D and it perpendicular or angled parking through the Multi-Family Land Bay E. We don't believe it needs to change its character through the final third of its distance. 6) The truck loading area needs a clear and physical difference from the travelway or road. This is important if this is to function as a road or travelway to a future road connection on Commonwealth Drive, and to improve safety. Agreed. We have flipped the access to those spaces to the drive aisle referenced in#5 above. 7) The rear store access needs a clear and physical difference from the entrance and road. This is important if this is to function as a road or travelway to a future road connection on Commonwealth Drive, and to assure site distance around the store corner,which is essential for safety. We believe we can work a striping pattern out with your department that will funnel the incidental future interparcel trip while not creating a problem with truck turning radius necessary in this area. Nair Albemarle COViTry Community Development Engineering Review comments Page 3 of 3 _® ..— Sje t. ;: 5", _--p r-- --1�---- a '_III, �1., _ k i ";/=;:;.� ----� ; is & © 13 ICI ? ' 1 I � � c I:, ,, \ — tLm `N. a Fl I ,.t ,,,1` i + Tt , `/; - I II ,— - �. - 1 { m �. j y r1 r- F5 . , 1 ,r -.� .� b ' 1:i . .:«�/ iv 1 v w— -) 1 k � _Ipp 1. � :1 2 ' G I i i I G2 ' / jtl M - �M (, N\\ .. r ilo3_,1 1;G4