HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP201800004 Correspondence Special Use Permit 2018-05-21Special Exceptions Written Narrative
The Peabody School — Amendment to Existing Plan
INTRODUCTION
May 21, 2018
The Peabody School (the "School") is the owner of 1232 Stoney Ridge Road, Tax Map Parcel 076M1-
00-00-01500 (the "Property'). The School has been operating a private school on the Property since
shortly after the County approved a special use permit for a private school in January, 1997 (SP 1996-
46). The conditions of approval of SP 1996-46 limited the School's enrollment to 140 students, which
was thought to be ambitious at the time. 140 students contemplated one class of each grade from
Kindergarten through Eighth grade. The school grew more than expected, and with the addition of two
preschool classes, requested amendment of the original special use permit to allow 70 additional
students, for a total of 210 children. On May 8, 2013, the Board of Supervisors approved Special Use
Permit SP2012-00030 (the "2013 SUP") to expand maximum enrollment to 210 students.
Description of the Property:
TMP
Acreage
Existing Use
Zoning
Comprehensive Plan Designation
076M1-00-
00-01500
5.09
Private
School
Planned Unit
Development
Industrial
The School currently enrolls the maximum 210 students, from 150 families. To accommodate a modest
expansion, with these special exception requests, the School also requests an amendment of the 2013
SUP to allow an increase in enrollment of 30 students, to a total of 240, and to allow the construction of
additional educational and recreational space. Currently, the School operates partially out of temporary
trailers, located in the area shown as "Existing Classroom To Be Removed" on the Illustrative
Renderings enclosed with the special use permit amendment application, and encompassing
approximately 4,700 square feet. The School proposes to replace the existing trailers with a permanent
one story building that would include several classrooms, a fine arts studio, science lab/maker space,
and a library/media center, totaling approximately 7,195 square feet. In addition to the replacement of
the existing trailers, the School proposes adding a small stage or amphitheater area adjacent to the
proposed new building and on the existing field area. The existing field area is labeled as "Existing
Playfield Area' on the special use permit amendment Concept Plan and the amphitheater is labeled as
"Proposed Amphitheater" on the Concept Plan. The amphitheater is intended to serve the School's
enrolled students and will not provide space for any additional special events outside of the School's
customary annual school -related events. The new additions will mirror the architecture and design of
the gym that was recently approved with the 2013 SUP and constructed soon thereafter.
NEW SPORTS COURT
In addition to the above proposed modifications to the School, it is also proposing a new sports court in
the interest of providing a complete campus experience for its students. Given the constraints of the
limited space of the Property, the proposed location of the sports court modestly encroaches upon the
area designated as "open space' on previous subdivision plats and applicable zoning application plans
(ZMA 1995-00019 and ZMA 1996-00021). The original subdivision plat was recorded in the early 1990s
and is enclosed with this application. Also enclosed are the 1993 and 2013 subdivision plat
amendments.
Pursuant to Section 8.5.5.3 of the Albemarle County Zoning code, the School requests a variation from
the subdivision plats and zoning application plans referenced above. Section 8.5.5.3(a)(6) states: "The
director of planning is authorized to grant a variation from the following provisions of an approved plan,
code or standard:... (6) minor land disturbance including disturbance within conservation areas."
The minor encroachment of the sports court into the open space area does not have any adverse
impacts on the Property or surrounding community. In addition, the School will mitigate any potential
impact of the loss of open space by providing additional landscaping around the court as well as using
permeable surface materials on the court. While the addition of the sports court will result in the
disturbance of 2,178 square feet or 0.05 acres of managed slopes, the disturbance will be carried out
consistent with the design standards for disturbing managed slopes contained in Section 30.7.5 of the
Albemarle County Zoning Code.
The factors listed below are those listed in Section 8.5.5.3(c) for when the director of planning is
authorized to grant a variation:
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
As stated in the Written Narrative of the special use permit amendment application, the Property is
designated Industrial on current land use maps in the Comprehensive Plan. While private schools are
not typically encouraged in such areas, the School has been operating since the late 1990s and has
been approved several times (SP 1996-46 and the 2013 SUP). The sports court will allow the School to
provide an enhanced experience to its students without adversely impacting the area and is therefore in
keeping with the existing conditions and prior approvals.
No Increase in Approved Development Density or Intensity of Development
No increase in density in being requested. The intensity of the private school use will not increase with
the construction of the sports court. The court is intended to serve only the students enrolled in the
School.
No Adverse Impact on Timing and Phasing of Development or any other Development in the Zoning
District
The applicable Planned Unit District (PUD) that the School is part of includes an area commonly known
as the Mill Creek Industrial Park, which has been complete for some time and therefore the addition of
the sports court will have no impact on the timing and phasing of development in this district.
Does Not Require a Special Use Permit
The sports court is an accessory use of the School and therefore no additional special use permit is
required.
General Accord with the Purpose and Intent of the Approved Application
As stated earlier, the School began operations in the late 1990s and has been approved several times
for modest amendments. The Mill Creek Industrial Park includes industrial uses such as Builders
FirstSource, FedEx Shipping Center, Moore's Electrical & Mechanical, as well as institutional and
commercial/service uses such as Bright Beginnings Preschool across the street and All Things
Pawssible, a dog daycare facility, further north along Stoney Ridge Road. The School is consistent with
these adjacent uses, in satisfaction of the purpose and intent of the approved application. The sports
court will only modestly encroach upon the open space area, which is 1.92 acres total, encompassing
38% of the Property. Therefore, a substantial amount of open space would still be reserved and the
School will mitigate any loss of open space through the use of permeable surface materials on the court
and the addition of landscaping.
NEW ACCESS FROM SOUTHERN PARKWAY
The School also proposes adding an exit -only access point from its internal driveway to Southern
Parkway. Currently, the internal driveway is designed where parents enter the site from Stoney Ridge
Road and then circulate through one of the two internal circular loops and then exit at the same location
as the entrance. By adding an exit -only accessway onto Southern Parkway, some vehicles would not
have to double back to the entrance. This would enable traffic to flow out of the site more efficiently and
avoid congestion on Stoney Ridge Road. The additional access would also provide improved access for
emergency response vehicles.
The addition of the Southern Parkway exit would conflict with the 60 -foot buffer established by the
original subdivision plat and zoning application plan applicable to the Property. The buffer was reduced
to 10 feet by the 2013 SUP and enclosed 2013 subdivision plat amendment. We believe the minor
disturbance of the buffer for this egress is appropriate and warranted given the benefits such access
would provide to the traffic flow of the School. Therefore, the School also requests a special exception
from the 10 -foot buffer for the installation of the exit -only accessway onto Southern Parkway.
Pursuant to Section 8.5.5.3 of the Albemarle County Zoning code, the School requests a variation from
the subdivision plats and zoning application plans referenced above. Section 8.5.5.3(a)(6) states: 'The
director of planning is authorized to grant a variation from the following provisions of an approved plan,
code or standard:... (5) minor changes to street design and street location... (6) minor land disturbance
including disturbance within conservation areas."
The factors listed below are those listed in Section 8.5.5.3(c) for when the director of planning is
authorized to grant a variation:
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
As stated earlier, the Property is designated Industrial on current land use maps in the Comprehensive
Plan. While private schools are not typically encouraged in such areas, the School has been operating
since the late 1990s and has been approved several times (SP 1996-46 and the 2013 SUP). The
proposed egress only access onto Southern Parkway will allow the School to further mitigate any
potential traffic impacts, benefiting the surrounding community and reducing the risk of congestion.
No Increase in Approved Development Density or Intensity of Development
No increase in density in being requested. The intensity of the private school use will not increase with
the encroachment of the 10 -foot buffer and construction of the egress only access onto Southern
Parkway.
No Adverse Impact on Timing and Phasing of Development or any other Development in the Zoning
District
As stated earlier, the applicable PUD created the Mill Creek Industrial Park, which has been complete
for some time and therefore the addition of the proposed access will have no impact on the timing and
phasing of development in this district.
Does Not Require a Special Use Permit
The proposed access does not require a special use permit.
General Accord with the Purpose and Intent of the Approved Application
As stated earlier, the School is consistent with adjacent uses, in satisfaction of the purpose and intent of
the approved application. The proposed access onto Southern Parkway will only modestly encroach
upon the 10 -foot buffer. The modest encroachment into the buffer is worth the benefit of increased
efficiency of traffic flow, which would reduce the risk of congestion.
Enclosed:
Subdivision Plat entitled "Subdivision Plat Parcels 1 Thru 14, Mill Creek Industrial Park, Mill Creek,
Albemarle County, Virginia, dated November 17, 1989, last revised May 30, 1990, prepared by R. W.
Ray, R. O. Snow & Associates, Inc., and recorded in the Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk's Office in
Deed Book 1102 at page 722.
Sheets 5 and 7 of Subdivision Plat entitled "Revised Parcel 5, Mill Creek Industrial Park, dated February
19, 1993, last revised September 8, 1993, and recorded in the Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk's
Office in Deed Book 1342, at page 242.
Easement Plat Showing Existing 60' Undisturbed Buffer Hereby Reduced to 10' Buffer Located on
Revised Parcel 5, mill Creek Industrial Park, Mill Creek, Scottsville Magisterial District, Albemarle
County, Virginia," dated November 5, 2012, last revised March 7, 2013, prepared by Roger W. Ray 7
Associates, Inc., and recorded in the Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk's Office in Deed Book 4481,
at page 568.
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