HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201800035 Review Comments Architectural Review Board Approval 2018-03-26COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902-4596
Phone (434) 296-5832 Fax (434) 972-4126
March 26, 2018
Maurice S. Ramey
United Bank
1265 Seminole Trail
Charlottesville, VA 22901
RE: ARB-2018-35: United Bank Landscape — Minor Amendment and LOR #1 to SDP-1998-151 Albemarle First
Bank Final Site Plan
Dear Skeeter,
We have reviewed the above -noted application for a County -Wide Certificate of Appropriateness for a minor amendment
to a site plan, as well as the corresponding Letter of Revision application.
First of all, thank you for providing the requested information delineated in the letter dated March 13, 2018, on your
revised landscape plan submitted March 19, 2018. While the information provided is helpful, its presentation would be
more effective if it were broken into two separate landscape plans. Please note that we are requesting the following
revisions to make the proposal consistent with the design criteria that apply to the County -wide Certificate at such a level
of detail as to hopefully preclude further rounds of review.
Provide two separate landscape plans:
a. One that shows all existing landscaping. In this plan:
i. Please illustrate all shrubbery on the west elevation of the building. You may illustrate the individual
shrubs or you may illustrate a mass with a label that provides all species (common and botanical
names) and quantity. The note "existing plants to remain" is not sufficient.
ii. Remove all notes and illustrations pertaining to plantings that have been removed or have not been
planted (i.e., do not exist as of March 26, 2018) vis-d-vis the approved site plan (SDP-1998-151).
iii. Provide the tabular plant list from SDP-1998-151 entitled "Plant list from SDP-1998-151."
iv. Provide a tabular plant list for the existing landscaping (entitled "Plant List Existing March 2018")
that includes: symbol; common name; botanical name; quantity; size (caliper or height); and area of
canopy calculation [see Zoning Ordinance 18.32.7.9.8 for more detail]. The difference between the
two plant lists will act as a record to illustrate the changes in the landscaping approved in the final site
plan over time.
v. Identify the honey locust in the northwest corner of the property.
b. One that shows all proposed landscaping. In this plan:
i. Please illustrate existing landscaping as either hatched, shaded, or in a lighter line weight. Note what
is to remain and what is to be removed.
ii. Illustrate and label the overhead electrical utility line the spans the northern property boundary.
iii. Crowning and pruning falls within the limits of work. Revise the limits of work lines to clarify this.
iv. Provide the standard plant health note: "All site plantings of trees and shrubs shall be allowed to
reach, and be maintained at, mature height; the topping of trees is prohibited. Shrubs and trees shall
be pruned minimally and only to support the overall health of the plant."
v. Provide a tabular plant list for the proposed landscaping (entitled "Proposed Plant List") that
includes: symbol; common name; botanical name; quantity; size (caliper or height); and area of
canopy calculation [see Zoning Ordinance 18.32.7.9.8 for more detail].
1. Provide height at planting for all proposed shrubs. Please note, as per EC Design Guideline
#35, "Shrubs should measure at least 24 inches in height" at planting.
2. As per EC Design Guidelines #18, #33, and #36, interior roads (i.e., Westfield Road) should be landscaped and
loading/service areas ("drive thru" windows are specifically referenced in #36) should be screened from the EC and/or
integrated to the site by plantings. While the presence of the overhead electrical utility may preclude the planting of
large or medium-sized trees along the northern property boundary, a hedge could be planted to further screen the
drive-thru from the EC. Therefore, staff recommends the applicant plant a single row of tall shrubs that would grow to
form a hedge on this portion of the site.
The following revisions are requested to make the proposal consistent with the Zoning Ordinance that apply to the Letter
of Revision:
1. [18.32.7.9.81. The zoning ordinance sets minimum tree canopy for commercial sites at 10%. Please provide a column
in the two tabular plant lists on the existing and proposed landscape plans that provides tree canopy calculations. The
"area of canopy" can be found in the last column of the Plant Canopy Calculations reference document.
Within 15 days of the date of this letter, please send me a letter (by email is acceptable) indicating whether you will or
will not proceed with these revisions. If you choose not to proceed with these revisions, staff will be unable to approve
your application. If you choose to proceed with the revisions, please forward me one set of revised drawings together with
a memo summarizing the revisions you've made. Your decision to make the revisions will suspend the 60-day review
period associated with your original submittal. However, I expect to complete the review of your revised proposal within
2 weeks of your re -submittal.
If you have any questions about this action, please contact me as soon as possible. I look forward to receiving your
revisions and completing this review with an approval letter.
Sincerely,
Heather McMahon, Senior Planner
434-296-5832 x3278
hmcmahon@albemarle.org
cc: ARB-2018-35 File
SDP-1998-151 File