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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSDP201400060 Correspondence 2014-09-18 Christopher Perez From: Christopher Perez Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 1:42 PM To: 'psaternye @wwassociates.net; rumberger @wwassociates.net Subject: RE: Farmington &Open space Plan Attachments: Site_Plan_=Amendment_Application.pdf Paty, See my responses to your emails below. http://www.albemarle.org/albemarle/upload/images/forms center/departments/community development/forms/ Comprehensive_Plan/NATURAL_RESOURCES_&_CULRURAL_AS SETS_17_Open_Space_Planning.pdf The Open Space and Critical Resource Plan is what I'd be looking at(see above link), specifically with regard to Biological resources; Historic and archaeological sites; Agricultural and forestry lands; and Scenic roads and streams. The GIS would facilitate identification of resources on a County-wide basis in the RA. The only layer that shows anything for this area is the critical slopes you are proposing to disturb which do not appear to be a part of a large system of slopes related to a water body, mountain or other resource of interest. Also, to answer your other question. 1. The number of days you would be reviewing it in Community Development. 2. (Assuming it doesn't have to go before the Planning Commission first) How many days from Staff approval to the date it would be before the Board of Supervisors. 3. Is there a date that if we submitted the request letter by it would save us some time in the schedule? —Once you resubmit and provide the critical slopes waiver request,pay the fee, and provide all the required information, Engineering and Planning will review the resubmittal within 14 days. Your critical slopes waiver request should be reviewed in that time frame too; however, I know Engineering staff is pretty backed up on reviews, so it may take Engineering a little longer to complete their review. Max Greene is the Engineer working this site plan. He is currently on vacation and will not return till the 23rd of this month. Once Engineering and Planning actually complete their review of the critical slopes waiver request, then Planning staff can put it on the appropriate agenda to schedule it for Action. Let's assume we'll be recommending approval of it,then it goes to the BOS. Thus we'd put it on the BOS consent agenda. Based on the resubmittal date of Monday, 9-22-14, and 14 days to review, the earliest we could have it on the agenda is November 5th Consent Agenda. If it's on the Nov 5th consent agenda that means Planning staff would have to have the special exception staff report written and to the County Attorney's office by October 17. The October 8jh BOS meeting is not possible be the staff report for this would be completed and sent to Legal by 9-19-14. I was trying to find this information on line but didn't see links for Waiver requests or Special Exceptions. Attached is the application for a minor amendment which contains the box to check off for"relief from conditions of approval; modification or waiver of requirement. In this case a Special Exception. Also, the review fee is $425 is required. Christopher P.Perez I Senior Planner Department of Community Development(County of Albemarle,Virginia 401 McIntire Road I Charlottesville,VA 22902 434.296.5832 ext.3443 From: Paty Saternye [mailto:psaternye awwassociates.net] Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 5:25 PM 1 To: Christopher Perez Cc: rumbergerwwassociates.net Subject: Farmington &Open space Plan Chris, I ended up having one question in reference to the Critical Slopes Waiver after all. For the information we will be giving for the "Loss of aesthetic resources" portion of waiver request(4.2.5(a)1)we would like to state that the County's"Open Space Plan" does not describe any significant features in our project area of Farmington. However, I'm having a real hard time finding this information through your website. In the Comprehensive Plan, in the "Open Space Planning" section,there is mention of a separate document called the "Open Space Plan" but I can't find it. Also in the "Open Space Planning" section there is a link to a map. However,the map is not legible. Can you help me find whether our portion of Farmington is considered to have significant features and also how I can find this information for myself in the future? Thanks, Paty Saternye Associate/ Senior Planner irM ENGINEERS SURVEYORS PLANNERS ASSOCIATES Office Phone: 434.960.7635 Main: 434.984.2700 Fax: 434.978.1444 3040 Avemore Square Place Charlottesville,VA 22911 psaternye@wwassociates.net www.wwassociates.net www.facebook.com/WWAssociatesInc 2 IENGINEERS SURVEYORS PLANNERS ASSOCIATES September 18,2014 Chris Perez, Senior Planner County of Albemarle Department of Community Development 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville,Virginia 22902 Re: The Farmington Country Club Southside Improvements Minor Site Plan Amendment Critical Slopes Waiver Request WWA Project No.214045.03 Dear Mr. Perez: Farmington Country Club is submitting this waiver of Chapter 18, Section 4.2 of the Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance to allow disturbance of existing critical slopes to facilitate development of the project known as "Farmington Country Club Southside Improvements". The subject parcel is identified on the County tax maps as parcel 60E, Parcel 2-1 (the"Property"). This project consists of expansion and renovation of the existing grill and restaurant area and expansion of golf storage and retail space. The current men's locker room will be demolished and replaced with a two story structure consisting of a children's space and new locker rooms adjacent to the pool. In addition,the lower parking lot south of Tennis Road will be expanded. Associated site and infrastructure improvements consist of expansion of the existing restaurant, addition of a children's play area, expansion of the existing parking lot, and stormwater management quantity and quality (BMP) controls. The Site Plan Amendment depicts the existing critical slope locations and those that are to be disturbed. The following table summarizes the critical slope characteristics of the project site area. Total Area of Project Site 2.63 acres (100%) Total Area of Existing Natural Critical Slopes 0.00 acres(0.00%) Total Area of Existing Man Made Critical Slopes 0.21 acres(0.08%) Total Area of Critical Slopes 0.21 acres(0.08%) Total Area of Disturbed Existing Natural Critical Slopes 0.00 acres(0.00%) Total Area of Disturbed Man Made Critical Slopes 0.21 acres(0.08%) Total Area of Disturbed Critical Slopes 0.21 acres(0.08%) 3040 Avemore Square Place•Charlottesville,VA 22911 Telephone(434)984-2700 •Fax(434)978-1444 Charlottesville•Lynchburg The five (5) health, safety and welfare provisions of Section 4.2, Chapter 18 of the Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance will be addressed as follows: 1. Rapid and/or large scale movement of soil and rock. Construction of the site will require on-site earthwork operations to eliminate the manmade critical slopes. The area disturbed will be stabilized with the erosion control measures shown on the site plan amendment. The erosion control plan stabilization measures include: • silt fence • sediment trap • diversion dikes • stabilization mats • inlet/outlet protection • temporary/permanent seeding With these type measures in place, there will not be a risk of rapid or large scale movement of soil and rock. 2. Excessive stormwater runoff. The increased runoff generated by the new improvements will be controlled by the proposed SWM/BMP facility. The facility will attenuate the project site runoff and release below the pre-developed runoff rate, such that excessive stormwater runoff will not occur. Erosion and sediment transport will be minimized or prevented as discussed in Item 1. 3. Siltation of natural and man-made bodies of water. The proposed SWM/BMP facility that will be constructed on-site will provide water quality, stabilization and water quantity measures that will prevent the discharge of silt into the downstream waterways or adjacent properties. 4. Loss of aesthetic resource. With the exception of critical slopes, there are no significant features on this site. All critical slopes in the project area are man-made. Although existing vegetation and trees will be removed to accommodate the project,the site plan construction documents comply with landscaping requirements set forth in the Zoning Ordinance and there will be a net increase in plantings after completion of the project. 5. Greater travel distance of septic effluent. The project is served by public water and sewerage facilities,therefore the issues associated with septic/drainfield systems are not applicable to this request. 3040 Avemore square Place•Charlottesville,VA 22911 Telephone(434)984-2700•Fax(434)978-1444 Charlottesville•Lynchburg Page 2 of 4 Interpretation of Section 4.2.5(a)3 Section 4.2.5(a)3 allows the Board of Supervisors to consider and act upon requests to waiver the restrictions for disturbing critical slopes upon finding the following (in per): a. Strict application of the requirements of Section 4.2 would not forward the purpose of this chapter or otherwise serve the public health, safety or welfare. Granting the waiver will not be detrimental to the public's health, safety or welfare in that the project will ensure that none of the health, safety or welfare concerns will be compromised. Through utilization of sound engineering measures and techniques in designing the project,the potential adverse impacts to disturbing critical slopes can be mitigated. b. Alternatives proposed by the developer or subdivider would satisfy the intent and purpose of Section 4.2 to at least an equivalent degree. The engineering alternatives proposed by the applicant and as discussed previously will satisfy the intent and purposes of Section 4.2 at least to an equivalent degree in that the adverse impacts generally associated with disturbing critical slopes are not expected to be incurred. It should be noted that the project may contribute to the improvement of the watershed due to the addition of stormwater runoff BMP/water quality controls. c. Due to the property's unusual size, topography, shape, location or other unusual conditions, excluding the proprietary interest of the developer or subdivider, prohibiting the disturbance of critical slopes would effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict the use of the property or would result in significant degradation of the property or adjacent properties. No naturally occurring critical slopes will be disturbed with the proposed improvements. The largest area of man-made critical slopes to be disturbed with this site plan borders the majority of one side of the existing parking lot. The slope was created as part of the golf course driving range. Prohibiting disturbance of the critical slopes in that area would necessitate expansion of the parking further from the buildings that the parking lot serves and therefore making it less accessible. 3040 Avemore Square Place•Charlottesville,VA 22911 Telephone(434)984-2700•Fax(434)978-1444 Charlottesville•Lynchburg Page 3 of 4 d. Granting the modification or waiver would serve a public purpose of greater import than would be served by strict application of the regulations sought to be modified or waived. Granting the waiver would enable the applicant to address pre-existing issues. A BMP facility will be installed as part of the project, providing water quality for drainage areas that currently are not treated. In addition, some of the existing man-made critical slopes will be replaced with grading that is not as steep. Therefore the modifications made in this site plan will reduce the velocity of the stormwater runoff. Conclusion Based on the above considerations, granting a waiver to disturb critical slopes is not to the detriment of the public's health, safety or welfare or to the environment. No natural critical slopes will be disturbed. Erosion and sediment control measures will stabilize and control the area during construction. The proposed BMP/water quality facilities will better protect the watershed. The majority of the existing man-made critical slopes will become flatter, which will reduce the velocity of the stormwater runoff. If there are any questions, or if additional information is needed, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, WW Associates, Inc. John Beirne,P.E. Senior Project Engineer 3040 Avemore Square Place •Charlottesville,VA 22911 Telephone(434)984-2700•Fax(434)978-1444 Charlottesville•Lynchburg Page 4 of 4