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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201700032 Correspondence 2018-03-28,0Y 5 4•C �aY 5 Dominion y ` Engineering April 3, 2017 Margaret Maliszewski Principal Planner Albemarle County Community Development 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 172 South Pantops Drive Charlottesville, VA 22911 434.979.8121 (p) 434.979.1681 (f) DominionEng.com RE. Springhill/Townplace Suites - TM 62Z-03-2 - ARB Submission Cover Letter and Narrative Dear Margaret, This is our narrative to accompany the submission of our Final ARB Submission for the referenced project. Below, please find our written description of the work and its compatibility to the surrounding area in the Entrance Corridor. PROJECT PROPOSAL The applicant is proposing to construct a 192-unit; five -story hotel (two hotel chains within one building) with a two -level structured parking deck on the 3.7-acre property, currently zoned C-1. The proposal is a re -development of a mostly impervious site that contains the Flaming Wok, Dodson Glass, an unoccupied building, asphalt parking, and compacted gravel and soil lay down areas at the rear of the site. The redevelopment of the Flaming Wok building is not included and is considered an outparcel for this application. The western third of the property that fronts on Route 29 is designated as a Community Center in the Places29 Master Plan. The rear of the property is designated as Urban Density Residential, where the majority of the proposed hotel falls. The proposed hotel land use can be considered as a secondary use under the General Commercial Service Category. With the latest expansion of Route 29, there are no proposed expansions to Route 29 on the current Places 29 Transportation Plan. NARRATIVE The hotel building design is derived from the brand standards and styling. The architectural style is contemporary massing and detailing, using current colors and textures. All of the exterior surfaces are essentially EIFS. The style should conform with surrounding commercial architecture. The property will be a substantial building with real presence and an elegant feel for its guests. It will have a grand entry with the steel and glass porte cochere and the grounds will be well landscaped and maintained. The hotel building is set back from the Route 29 right-of-way by 240' minimum at its closest point. The view of the proposed hotel from the Entrance Corridor is obscured by this distance and by landscaping along Route 29N. Please refer to site cross-section on PS06 in the attached ARB Final Site Plan. The construction of a hotel in this location art Route 29 meets a public need. With expansions ongoing for the University of Virginia, UVA Hospital, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital and Piedmont Community College, an increasing number of out-of-town guests are planning overnight to extended stays in Albemarle County. The Page i of 4 5 Dominion y ; Engineering 172 South Pantops Drive Charlottesville, VA 22911 434.979.8121 (p) 434.979.1681 (f) DominionEng.com availability of hotel rooms at affordable prices in the area is decreasing. The concept of hotel suites also serves as suitable quarters for vacationers and business travelers on extended assignment. Further, the location of the proposed hotel within one block of the Food Lion Grocery store and Applebee's restaurant is a public benefit to provide additional money stream to flow into these establishments. The hotel is also located two blocks from the Fashion Square Mall, and hotel guests can either walk or bicycle to the mall and other nearby businesses in the Community Center. There also may be a free hotel shuttle which will assist with transporting patrons to nearby retail, restaurants and service shops. CONSISTENCY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD MODEL PRINCIPLES This site is a redevelopment project, which is inherently one of the principles of the Neighborhood Model Design (NMD) principles. The site also conforms to many of the other guiding NMD principles in accordance with the following: 1. Pedestrian Orientation The hotel site is predominantly a destination commercial use. With the attached final site plan, the developer is proposing a pedestrian friendly site design to the maximum extent possible. The following are implemented: a) 5-foot wide to 6-foot wide concrete sidewalks are provided throughout the development to provide a safe means for pedestrians to access local Community Center uses on the same side of Route 29, including Applebee's restaurant and the Food Lion Grocery Store (within one block) and Fashion Square Mall (within 2 blocks). Also a Penske truck rental facility is located adjacent to the south with convenient pedestrian access for hotel patrons who are dealing with moving into town or on fall and spring college moving days. Also, the developer is proposing to complete the sidewalk connection along from the intersection of NB 29 and Branchlands Avenue to the entrane into the Applebee's shopping center on Branchlands. b) The main access aisle into the hotel will be lined with sidewalks on both sides of the access with large shade trees and 12'-high human scale lights on either side of the road. This inviting link will connect pedestrians with the Community Center, which is on and directly adjacent to the hotel site. c) The placement of benches will provide locations where one may take a rest before proceeding to their next destination. d) Textured crosswalks will be provided as appropriate. e) A 15' cantilevered porte-cochere will be provided at the entrance lobby to provide a human scale for incoming and outgoing hotel patrons. f) The parking lot will also be equipped with landscaping to soften the "sea of asphalt" look that currently exists on this redevelopment site and encourage pedestrian movements. 2. Mixture of Uses Page 2 of 4 s 1 4"e0, 4! Dominion 172 South Pantops Drive Engineering Charlottesville, VA 22911 434,979.8121 (p) >� 434.979.1681 (f) P��,lee s DominionEng.com The site is uniquely positioned in that it has a split land -use designation, with the hotel on the Urban Residential Density use at the rear of the site and the Community Center designation at the front of the site. Based on this and the Community Center designation on adjacent developed properties, the hotel is within walking distance of compatible and complementary uses. The Center includes a variety of retail, restaurants and services that are desirable for hotel guests. The future development parcel will likely be a use that also complements the hotel. Please note the site is surrounded on all sides by commercial uses, so no buffer areas are required. 3. Neighborhood Centers The site is a redevelopment site along the 29N corridor. The existing 29N corridor in this location is complete with a variety of retail and service uses that can be accessed by walking, biking, or shuttle. This section of the NMD applies to residential development and does not apply to the proposed hotel use. The developer is proposing to close all of the onsite entrances to Route 29, and reconstruct a VDOT standard CG-13 entrance on the north side of the site. This main access provides a straight thru-way to the hotel use. Also, an interparcel connection will be provided for the adjacent future development site. Interconnections with adjacent sites are not feasible due to the existing steep slopes that surround the site on the majority of the site perimeter. Also, this site provides a backup emergency access to the site in the event that access is blocked from the north. The emergency access will be designed in accordance with the Fire Code. 6. Multi -modal Transportation Opportunities The site design for the hotel provides an interconnected sidewalk system that encourages travel by foot or by bicycle. The site also allows for safe, convenient vehicle travel in that the egress from the site is in a right-in/right-out entrance with adequate sight distance. Also, the hotel may offer a shuttle service to area retail, restaurants and services for hotel guests. 7. PArks Recreational Amenities, and Open Space The site proposes the implementation of bike racks and benches to encourage bicycle transportation and to provide rest areas for pedestrians to drink coffee, read, or enjoy the beauty of the adjacent wooded area to the north of the site. IN •. -• alp.ir.� The cross -sections of the site indicate a pedestrian -friendly human scale throughout the site. Despite the 5- story mass of the hotel building, the developer is proposing to provide a human -scale entrance lobby and porte-cochere to welcome hotel guests. This main entrance will be set apart from the secondary entrances by way of human -scale architectural treatments. Also a building egress door is located on all sides of the building where it fronts a travelway. Page 3 of 4 5 ,� Dominion Engineering 172 South Pantops Drive Charlottesville, VA 22911 434.979.8121 (p) 434.979.1681 (f) DominionEng.com Please note that two parallel parking spaces are also provided at the front of the site to give a more urban city street feel as pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles approach or leave the hotel. 9. Relegated Parkine To meet the parking needs of the site, a structured parking structure is located at the rear of the site. The parking structure parking is situated behind the hotel so that is will not be visible from Route 29. The surface parking lot is designed with landscaping around the parking islands, concrete sidewalks that are 5'- wide and 6'-wide textured crosswalks to indicate where it is appropriate to cross a vehicular travelway. 10. Redevelopment This is a redevelopment project. 11. Respecting Terrain and Careful Grading and Re -grading of Terrain The design of the site honors the constraints of steeply sloped terrain. The conceptual grading strives to match existing terrain to minimize the movement of soil. 12. Clear Boundaries with the Rural Area The site is in the center of the Development Area is located almost 2 miles from the rural area. We thank you very much for your review of this project and look forward to your thoughtful review. Please don't hesitate to call with any questions. Sincerely, Michael Ark Michael My .. . Cc: Mark Dowdy Page 4 of 4 Dominion Engineering April 3, 2017 Ms. Margaret Maliszewski Community Development — ARB Albemarle County 401 McIntire Rd Charlottesville, VA 22902 172 South Pantops Drive Charlottesville, VA 22911 434.979.8121 (p) 434.979.1681 (f) DominionEng.com RE. Springhili/Towneplace - Final ARB Submission —Comment-Response Letter Dear Margaret, Please find enclosed eight (8) sets of materials for our Final ARB submission of the referenced proejct. These plans have been updated to address your comments on the Initial Site Plan comments dated January 5th, 2016. Albemarle County Piannin - Architectural Review Board 1. Provide material and color samples for review. RESPONSE: Material and color samples have been provided with this submittal. 2. Provide a mix of shrubs in an irregular pattern to screen the dumpster from the EC street. RESPONSE: A mix of shrubs in an irregular pattern have been provided to screen the dumpster from the EC street. 3. Provide a dumpster screen detail in the site plan. Shift the parcel line or shift the dumpster location so that the dumpster is entirely on the hotel parcel after subdivision. RESPONSE: A dumpster screen detail has been provided on sheet SP14. The subdivision line has been shifted so that the dumpster is entirely on the hotel parcel. 4. Clarify on the drawings the location and appearance of the elevator penthouse and any associated equipment. RESPONSE: The architectrual floor plans show the location and appearance of the elevator penthouse, and are provided with this submission. 5. If existing trees are proposed to remain on -site or off -site in the landscape easement after construction, indicate their location, size and species on the plan. RESPONSE: A tree survey has been provided with this submittal. 6. Add trees 21/z" caliper at planting, 40' on center, along the southern side of the southern access drive. "'s a '�° Dominion Engineering fe 04� ers et'r 172 South Pantops Drive Charlottesville, VA 22911 434.979.8121 (p) 434.979.1681 (f) DominionEng.com RESPONSE: Trees have been added as requested on the southern side of the access drive. 7. Revise the plan to define the planting area for the trees to be added along the EC frontage. RESPONSE: The plan has been revised to define the planting area for the trees added along the EC frontage and in the future development parcel. 8. Increase the depth of the planting area for trees on the south side of the parking lot or clarify how the trees will thrive in the minimal planting area provided. RESPONSE: Landscape maintenance notes have been added to sheet SP9 to provide additional measures to enhance survival of trees. 9. Intersperse trees along the north side of the building, particularly at the east end, and place them to coordinate with the architectural design. RESPONSE: Trees have been interspersed to the maximum extent possible as discussed. 10. Identify on the plan the material, manufacturer and color proposed for the retaining walls. RESPONSE: The material, manufacturer and color for the proposed retaining walls have been provided with this submittal. 11. Include the standard window glass note on the architectural drawings: "Visible light transmittance (VLT) shall not drop below 40%. Visible light reflectance (VLR) shall not exceed 30%." Provide specs and a glass sample for review. RESPONSE: The window glass note has been provided on Sheet SP9. 12, Add the standard mechanical equipment note to the architectural drawings: "Visibility of all mechanical equipment from the Entrance Corridor shall be eliminated." ***Additional requirements: 1) the landscape plan shall reflect the plant size requirements in the Entrance Corridor Design Guidelines, and 2) the final site plan submittal shall include all items on the ARB Final Site Plan checklist. RESPONSE: The mechanical equipment note has been added to Sheet SP9. 2 of 3 "s c(-*,& Dominion d Engineering 172 South Pantops Drive Charlottesville, VA 22911 434.979.8121 (p) 434.979.1681 (f) DominionEng.com We trust the above adequately addresses your comments. Please let me know if you have any questions or require additional information. Sincerely, Mic E ' a-MAl."W Mich yers, P.E. 3 of 3