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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976-02-10AFebruary 10, 1976 (Afternoon Meeting) Adjourned from February 4, 1976 An adjourned meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held on February 10, 1976, at 3:30 P. M. in the Board Room of the County Office Building, Charlottesville, Virginia; said meeting being adjourned from February 4, 1976. Present: Mrs. Opal D. David and Messrs. Lindsay G. Dorrier, Jr., Gerald E. Fisher, J. T. Henley, Jr., F. Anthony Iachetta, and William S. Roudabush. Absent: None. Officers present: County Executive, J. Harvey Bailey; Director of Planning, Robert Tucker; and members of the Albemarle County Planning Commission. The meeting was called to order by the Chairman. Mr. Fisher noted that he had received, late last night, a letter from Delegate James B. Murray, stating that the hearing on the sign amortization bill would be held in Richmond this afternoon. The County Attorney has gone to represent the County at that hearing. No. 1. Continuation of discussion of review of the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Fisher said the Board had decided, last year, not to work on adoption of a zoning ordinance and map until work on review of the Comprehensive Plan is completed. Appropriate amendments are being incorporated into the present Zoning Ordinance. The Board may also wish to incorporate several commercial zones as recommended by the Planning Commission. However, at this time, review of the Comprehensive Plan is an urgent matter since this plan must be reviewed once every five years. He then called on Mr. Robert Tucker, who read the following memo into:~he record: "February 10, 1976 Over the concern of the review of the County's Comprehensive Plan the Planning Staff offers the following comments. We wholeheartedly concur with members of the Board who feel that public work sessions concerning the goals for future development within various sections of the county should be initiated by county representatives promptly. This should be accomplished prior to the commencement of the comprehensive ~lan~r~is~. Citizen participation and input is the basis, or should be the basis, for any comprehensive plan. To carry out these work sessions the staff recommends that committees made up of one member of the Board of Supervisors, two Planning Commissioners, and one staff member be established to meet with the citizenry in those areas set forth below. The Board member and Planning Commission member would be responsible for those meetings within their magisterial districts when possible. The possible areas within which these meetings could be held are as follows: Scottsville Elementary - Scottsville and immediate surroundings Yancey Elementary - Southwest Scottsvi!le District Walton Middle School - Middle Scottsville District Piedmont Community College or Stone Robinson Elementary - Northern Scottsville District and Lower Rivanna Keswick Community Center - Keswick and Route 22 North Stony Point Elementary - Stony Point and Route 20 North Broadus Wood Elementary - Earlysville and area north and west, including Free Union, Boonesville, Advance Mills White Hall Community Center - White Hall; area surrounding, including Mountfair and South on Route 810 Henley Middle School - Crozet, Greenwood, Batesville and areas surrounding Red Hill School - area surrounding and Route 29 South Meriwether Lewis or Murray Elementary - Ivy and area surrounding Jack Jouett School - Jack Jouett and Charlottesville Districts These committees would actually be a 'listening' board in which the public would be invited to express their opinions - pros and cons - on the existing comprehensive plan and what, if anything, should be reviewed in more depth or revised or improved upon, etc. The public comments offered concerning the plan would provide the basis for establishing the County's goals and objectives which in turn would provide a guide for ~he plan's review. In response to the question concerning who shall prepare the plan, the staff is still of the opinion that due to the existing daily work load of the planning staff, it would be impossible for the staff to undertake the Comprehensive Plan review and complete its preparation during this calendar year. To hire additional qualified planners, just for one year,-~wm~td be extremely difficult. To contract with several consultants for various sections of the plan would, in our opinion, be unwise and very difficult to coordinate those findings later into a constructive, meaning- ful plan. It should be understood that while this process is termed a 'review' of the Comprehensive Plan, all of the background data and studies prepared for a community's first master plan must again be addressed. The reason for this is that trends and data are constantly changing. Finally, it is our opinion that the review of the plan should begin immediately, in hope that the final draft could coincide with the findings of the Betz Environmental Engineer's Study. In order to accomplish this, a competent planning consultant should be employed as soon as possible. Possible Schedule of Events March 1-31 April 15 - Meetings held with public by Goal Setting Committees. Select consultant The consultant should be selected February 10, 1976 (Afternoon Adjourned from Feb. 4, 1976 May 1 June 1 July July 15 September 15 October 15 - Planning Staff completes its background data. - Consultant completes and presents economic study to Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors (Joint Meeting). - Consultant presents preliminary plan and recommendations to Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors (Joint Meeting). - Consultant solicits public input on preliminary plan and recommendations (several meetings). - Consultant presents recommendations after citizen input to Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors (Joint Meeting). - Public Hearing (Joint Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors Public Hearing)." Mr. Fisher said the Board recognizes that it is the responsibility of the Planning Commission to accomplish review of the Comprehensive Plan. However, since the Board will be adopting the Plan when it is finished, the Board is now asking for suggestions on how this review should be accomplished. Mr. David Carr, Chairman, Albemarle County Planning Commission, said it would be ~ - difficult for all members of the Planning Commission to attend the meetings as stated in Mr. Tucker's memo. However, one staff person should attend each meeting, so that person would hear everything and then report comments accurately to the Planning Commission. Mr. Carr said he feels that when the consultant presents the preliminary plan, it wil~ be sent back to the Planning Commission for further work. Mr. Fisher said if review of the Comprehensive Plan is sent to the public without presenting some basis for the review, there will be no substantative input. He suggested that the existing plan could be used as a starting point for suggestions. Mr. Carr felt this would also be appropriate. In recent planning for changes in the zoning ordinance, it was decided to make all changes and deliver the completed document to the public. He now knows that this was an error. Without some preplanning for these area meetings, they will be time consuming and not productive. Mrs. David suggested that a list of questions be drafted, handed out at these meetings and reactions to same requested. Mr. Fisher said discussion at the local meetings should be directed to how the plan relates to that particular area of the county. But ~here ~re general policy questions which must be addressed by the Board. A major item is the population' projection which will be used. If the 200,000 figure of Rosser Payne used in the present plan is changed to 90,000 as estimated by the State Office of Planning, there will be big differences in densities, areas, land uses, utilities, schools, etc., to be considered. The Board must also make a decision about clusters, which are a major part of the present plan. Mr. Carr said the present plan grew out of a multiplicity of problems; one being annexation. The cluster concept was fathered by annexation. It is a good idea and he would like to see it promoted since it is a basic way to save the community. However, there are a lot of people who disagree on this question. The cluster ~oncept is based on a centralized utility system. Clusters have to have some form of public utility. If the County is not going to approve private sewer systems and private water systems, and is not going to produce a network of utility lines, then the cluster concept is not viable because the County would not be able to support these clusters. Mr. Fisher said it is apparent that all of the utility lines called for in the 1972 four-party agreement establishing the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority will be built. The State Water Control Board will have control over pahkage sewage plants. There are a lot of utility systems based on the present plan and work on these has been accomplished over the last five years. This should be recognized in the discussion of what will be done with the plan. Mr. Carr said the utilities for the North Rivanna cluster have already been constructed. Hollymead, which is the center of that cluster, will eventually be built. Mr. Fisher said the two questions which need to be answered are on population and the cluster concept. He feels the plan should be tied to shorter periods of time, possibly in five-year increments to show how things will develop in an orderly way. Also needed is a capital improvements~ plan. The capital improvements program outlined by Rosser Payne has been wiped out by inflation and it was never amended to actual population changes. It has never been a physical planning document. Mr. Carr said when the Comprehensive Plan was adopted five years ago, there was great emphasis placed on stating that the plan was to be used only as a guide. He 'said the Planning Commission needs more than a guide. That is one reason a highly qualified person is needed to work for Albemarle County on this review. Mr. Fisher said the County Attorney has repeatedly advised this Board that the Comprehen plan was never just a guide, although it may have been adopted with that disclaimer. It has always been more than just a guide. That is one reason why the plan needs to be revised and up-dated. Mrs. Ellen Cradock, a member of the Planning Commission, said she hopes the Board will make a policy decision on water and sewer servic~~ for the clusters. The Planning Commission continuously receives applications for planned unit developments and the Planning Commission can make no definitive decisions since they do not know whether private water and sewer systems will be allowed in the County. Mr. Carr said the Planning Commission does not understand the Board's position on private water and sewer systems. Dr. Iachetta asked if the experiences of the past with respect to private water supplies, suggest that the County has always gotten into trouble by approving same. Mr. Carr said at one time, the ground rules for creating private water systems were lax and it created bad situations. In the last few years, the Board has established a policy of one February 10, 1976 (Afternoon Meeting) Adjourned from February 4, 1976 Q35 Roudabush said the State is developing stricter guidelines for operation of private water systems. They have come out with a book of instructions for public waterworks operators. People operating both public and private water systems will have to be licensed by the State. They will be trained by the State Health Department. The plans for such private water systems will have to be approved by the State Health Department and it is a very complex procedure. Dr. Iachetta said he feels problems arose because initial water supplies were adequate but eventually the water table was pumped down. He believes the Board and the Planning Commission have an obligation to the citizens when allowing these systems to be established. Central sewage can be accomplished through package treatment plants. Plants of this type may be approved now by the State Water Control Board if they lie east of the South Rivanna River Reservoir. Mr. Fisher said the Board must assume that the facilities outlined in the original contract of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority will be built. Construction of these facilities will alleviate some problems and will also serve some of the clusters if the clusters are developed. Location of these facilities has been~.~ased on the present Comprehensive Plan. The major policy question to be addressed by the Board is continuation of the cluster concept. Mrs. Craddock said the Board must decide if planned communities will be allowed to proliferate and if these planned communities will be encouraged to use public utilities so the public utilities willlpay for themselves. Mr. Fisher said the Board must decide whether or not planned communities and residential planned neighborhoods will be approved outside of the clusters. The present Zoning Ordinance requires that PUD'S be in an A-1 zone. Creating e~t~s~n zones where utilities can be developed and ~so~amcomrag±ng~ concentrations of people outside of those clusters creates a conflict. Mr. Carr said he had heard Dr. Iachetta say recently that zoning in Albemarle County was enacted without much preplanning. He was a member of the Planning Commission at the time, and feels that statement is true. In the first Zoning Ordinance, a lot of pictures were drawn (zoning map) which raised questions as to whether or not that many pictures should be drawn. He said the same thing can be done with the Comprehensive Plan. A lot of pretty pictures can be drawn, but the governing body needs to know if this is what the people want and 'if this ~s what the electorate can administer. Mr. Fisher said he did not know what standard the Planning Staff, Planning Commission, or the Board of Supervisors would use to evaluate applications if they could not be correlate~ to a physical plan and location in somew~y~ Mr. Tucker said any comprehensive plan must be generalized. The zoning ordinance then takes over to implement that plan. The zoning map shows the property lines, etc. He feels that the plan is a guide and if it is too specific, it is no longer a comprehensive plan. The question at this time is whether or not the Board is happy with the existing plan. He is not personally happy with the population figures. He likes the five-year concept and feels this is realistic. Some of the presen~ errors in zoning might be corrected however there are things the County must learn to live with, such as the zoning on Route 29 North. It is not practical to try and correct that situation at this point. Dr. Iachetta said if the Board decides the County will have to live with the situation on 29 North as presently shown, then the plan will have to be reviewed from a different approach. ~ The present use of 29 North,~if allowed to continue, will make this a disaster area within five years. There are two separate problems in the master plan; one is an area which is under an extreme growth pattern and will continue to be so. That area deserves a different approach on the short term in opposition to what might be done in outlying areas. He said the government serves people by providing services which the citizens cannot provide for themselves. He has been thinking about service districts including the tax structure to finance the services required in those districts. Mr. Carr said he agrees with the problems defined. However, there need to be some ground rules developed to deal with the problem, or the County will have a flustered consultant. Mr. Fisher said the Board must recognize that continued commercialization of Route 29 North will destroy that r~ad as a major transportation corridor. The roal must either be protected by ~m~hods ~os~ble or am alternate transportation route~mu~t'.~~nned. Continued development on that highway over the next ten to 15 years is incompatible with its~ use as a prime transportation corridor. Mr. Henley said this is not the only place in the County that this type of development has occurred. Mr. Roudabush said there are lots of things that can be done to help correct the problem. When Carrsbrook Subdivision was planned, there was a connection into Woodbrook Subdivision planned. No one has ever forced that connection to be made. Plans for Woodbrook also included a connection to the Branchlands property. It is not all the fault of the Comprehensive Plan, but a failure to carry out day to day planning. Mr. Fisher said he has been concerned about lower cost housing. The County has a responsibility to encourage housing for all segments of the population. Mr. Carr said the Planning Commission made attempts to address that problem in the proposed zoning ordinance, but they struck out. It is a difficult problem. Mr. Roudabush said when F. H. A. finances housing they encourage the stripping of houses up and down county roads. He feels they should be encouraged to subsidize trac~s of lands entirely. Mr. Fisher said this was a problem for him in dealing with the large-lot proposal in the proposed zoning ordinance last year. It was brought to his attention that this would drive up the cost of housing and do nothing for the lower income people. Mr. Henley said that the Board had "ordinanced" land for low-income peoPle out of existence. Mr. Carr said the Planning Commission will again present to the Board the problem of mobile homes. Neighboring counties have taken steps to stop the proliferation of mobile homes and mobile home owners are now being attracted back into Albemarle County. Mrs. David said the discussion which has occurred during the last hour is what needs to be done at the suggested~mee~i~gs. ~T~S~-~ight help people ~understand what the problems are and how different groups of p~ople are working~n~pposing directions. She has written February 10, 1976 (Afternoon) Adjourned fr~om Feb. 4~ 1~_~ Mrs. Fran Martin said everyone seems to b~e in favor of citizen participation but cannot decide how it is to be used. The~experlence of many citizens w~th the Zoning Ordinance last year embittered them~because they~had spent many hours working on suggestions and these were not considered or used. She felt a place should be found for the League of Women Voters, Citizens for Albemarle, etc., who would have a different role in helping ~_~ with the review of the Comprehensive Plan. She said the Board needs to utilize talents developed in the community instead of ignoring these talents. Mr. Fisher noted that the question of whether or not there will be local meetings should be resolved. Ail Planning Commission and Board Members present concurred that these meetings should be carried out. Mr. Dorrier then offered motion that public hearings ~O~be ~held in the various districts with members of the Planning Staff, Planning Commission and the Supervisors on the question of revision ~f the Comprehensive Plan be scheduled as soon as possible; the+dates~ ~,.~ to be agreed upon later, and~the, rep~rt of Mr. Tucker dated 2/10/76 be accepted as a guide for conduct of these public meetings. The motion was seconded by Mr. Henley and carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: NAYS: Mrs. David and Messrs. Dorrier, Fish~r, Henley, Iachetta and Roudabush. None. Dr. Iachetta then offered motion authorizing the Chairman to establish a committee composed of three members of the Planning Commission and two members of the Board of Supervisors for the purpose of seeking and engaging a consultant for review of the Comprehens Plan. This committee is to receive a proposal and make a recommendation on same to the Board of Supervisors. The motion was seconded by Mr. Roudabush and carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: NAYS: Mrs. David and Messrs. Dorrier,' Fisher, Henley, Iachetta and Roudabush. None Mrs. David said that at some future time the Board should give consideration to the suggestion made by Mrs. Martin for inclusion of citizens in the review of the Campr~he~sive Plan. No. 2. Report-911 Emergency Telephone ~S~y~s~em...This item was ordered carried over to February 12, 1976. ~ At 5:40 P.M., motion was offered by Dr. Iachetta, seconded by Mr. Dorrier, to adjourn this meeting. The motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: Mrs. David and Messrs. Dorrier, Fisher, Henley, Iachetta and Roudabush. NAYS: None ve