HomeMy WebLinkAboutZMA201800005 Review Comments Zoning Map Amendment 2018-08-03vjRGI13SQ`
COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902-4596
Phone (434) 296-5832 Fax (434) 972-4126
August 3, 2018
John C. Wright, P.E. — Bohler Engineering VA, LLC
28 Blackwell Park Lane, Suite 201
Warrenton, VA 20186
jwright&bohlereng com / (540)-349-4500
Mike Sweeney — PT Hotel LLC
2000 Ware Bottom Spring Road
Chester, VA 23836
michael(&shaminhotels.com / (804)-777-9000
RE: Review Comment Letter #1 / ZMA-2018-00005 (Pantops Hotel — State Farm Boulevard)
Mr. Wright and Mr. Sweeney:
Members of Albemarle County staff and our partner agencies have reviewed your application
materials for Zoning Map Amendment ZMA-2018-00005, which requests approval of an
Application Plan for an existing planned development district to allow the development of a 130-
room hotel on Tax Map Parcels #78-64 and #78-65.
Review comments are provided below, organized by Department, Division, or agency. Community
Development Department (CDD) staff believe the various review comments should be addressed
through a resubmittal of application materials, prior to scheduling a public hearing with the
Planning Commission. However, you have the right to request a public hearing without revision
and resubmittal, or to otherwise determine your course of action (please see the attached "Action
After Receipt of Comment Letter" document for detailed information).
As always, CDD staff remain available to provide assistance and discuss this comment letter, and
any other aspect(s) of your applications, at your request.
Planniniv
The following CDD-Planning review comments are organized as follows:
How the proposal relates to the Comprehensive Plan
The Neighborhood Model analysis
Additional Planning comments
Page 1 of 12
Comprehensive Plan:
Comments on how your project conforms to the Comprehensive Plan will be provided to the
Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors as part of the staff report that will be prepared for
the work session or public hearing. The comments below are in preparation for the Planning
Commission review, and may change based on direction from the Commission and/or with
subsequent submittals.
The property is located on Tax Map Parcel #78-64 and #78-65, which are within the Neighborhood 3
(Pantops) Comprehensive Plan Area within the Development Area. The future land use designations
for these properties, as specified in the Pantops Master Plan ("Master Plan"), is as follows:
Urban Mixed Use —
The front portions of these parcels along State Farm Boulevard are designated "Urban Mixed Use"
which envisions (future) "retail, commercial services, office, and a mix of residential types based
on the Urban Density land use category. This mixed use land use category is expected to have
equal parts of residential and commercial uses."
Parks —
The rear portions of these parcels are designated "Parks" which envisions (future) "public and
semi-public parks, greenways, and more active recreation areas."
Page 2 of 12
In summary, the proposed hotel is consistent with the Urban Mixed Use future land use
designation. In general, the proposal does not develop or otherwise utilize the majority of the areas
of the subject property(s) designated for (future) "Parks" use(s).
Proposal —
The proposal is to develop a 130-room hotel on two undeveloped parcels. The project proposal and
application plan provide additional details.
Neighborhood Model:
In 2001, the County adopted the Neighborhood Model. The Neighborhood Model was
developed to guide the "form" of development. The Neighborhood Model recommends that
the Development Areas and new development have these characteristics:
12 Principles of the Neighborhood Model:
1. Pedestrian Orientation
2. Neighborhood Friendly Streets and Paths
3. Interconnected Streets and Transportation Networks
4. Parks and Open Space
5. Neighborhood Centers
6. Buildings and Spaces of Human Scale
7. Relegated Parking
8. Mixture of Uses
9. Mixture of Housing Types and Affordability
10. Redevelopment
11. Site Planning that Respects Terrain
12. Clear Boundaries with Rural Areas
General comments on how well the proposed development meets the principles of the
Neighborhood Model are provided below. More detailed comments may be provided at a later date
if changes are made and/or after more detailed plans are provided.
Pedestrian Principle met.
Orientation • Sidewalk and two crosswalks are proposed to provide safe, convenient
pedestrian connection to the sidewalk along State Farm Blvd.
• Sidewalks are also proposed around the entirety of the structure.
Principle Not Met.
• Street trees and other landscaping should be provided between the front
property line and the curb/front drive aisle.
• The applicant has discussed potentially providing a low architectural wall or knee
wall along a portion of the property's frontage, to contribute to a sense of spatial
enclosure and to enhance the pedestrian orientation of the development (without
bringing the primary structure any closer to the ROW). However, no such feature
is proposed or provided on the application plan.
Page 3 of 12
Mixture of Uses
The land use designation of Urban Mixed Use anticipates a mixture of residential and
commercial uses in this area including retail, office, and service. A hotel would
contribute to a mixture of uses in this area.
Principle is met.
Neighborhood
The development relates to the employment centers of State Farm Insurance and
Centers
Martha Jefferson Hospital. Proposal includes sidewalks and crosswalks from the front
hotel entrance designed to contribute to safe, convenient pedestrian connectivity
between the proposed hotel and nearby neighborhood centers in both directions of
State Farm Boulevard.
Principle is met.
Mixture of Housing
This principle is not immediately applicable - the proposed project is a hotel.
Types and
Principle is not applicable.
Affordability
Interconnected
The application plan provides a future interparcel connection to TMP #78-66 (to the
Streets and
southwest) to allow for future interparcel vehicular access and connectivity.
Transportation
Principle is met.
Networks
Multi -modal
Bicycle racks on the site could support and advance the use of alternative
Transportation
transportation modes, primarily in support of hotel employees and potentially in
Opportunities
support of visitors/tourists.
Principle is not met.
Parks, Recreational
Portions of the rear areas of these two parcels are designated as "Parks" in the
Amenities, and Open
Pantops Master Plan. No commitment is made to support or advance this component
Space
of the future land use plan. However, the application plan proposes minimal
disturbance or development of these managed steep slopes with the "Parks" future
land use designation; the large majority of these managed steep slopes would remain
undeveloped.
In connection with ongoing County efforts to update the Pantops Master Plan, staff
ask the applicants to consider the feasibility of reserving or dedicating (future) public
access through the edge of the development to the area designated for "Parks" future
land use in the rear of the subject property(s).
Principle is partially met.
Page 4 of 12
Buildings and Space
When applied to this proposed project on the subject properties, this principle should
of Human Scale
be embodied by: a building situated close to, and having a spatial relationship with,
the public ROW; a building with an articulated facade and non -monumental massing;
and parking spaces relegated to the sides and rear of the building.
The proposed sixty (6o) foot building height (with no front stepbacks, as shown on
the rendering presented to the Pantops CAC on 7/23/2018) would likely be
overwhelming to the public ROW if the building footprint was located within the
maximum front yard setback (30'). However, the application plan shows the building
footprint set back between 75' and 85' from the front property boundary. This
combination of (proposed) setback and (proposed) height and (proposed) massing
(no stepback) prevents the building from creating an imposing or overwhelming
presence along the public ROW.
Importantly, please note that the proposed building footprint location and massing
are not compliant with the maximum front setback requirements or with other
applicable Zoning Ordinance requirements (and are not otherwise properly
addressed through this ZMA application) - see "Additional Planning Comments" #1
and #2, below.
Additionally, the applicant has discussed potentially providing a low architectural
wall or knee wall along a portion of the property's frontage, to contribute to a sense
of spatial enclosure and to enhance the pedestrian orientation of the development
(without bringing the primary structure any closer to the ROW). However, no such
feature is proposed or provided on the application plan.
Principle is partially met.
Relegated Parking
As noted in the project proposal dated 6/18/2018, the application plan was revised
(in response to staff comments made in connection with the pre -application meeting)
to eliminate some parking between the primary structure and the public ROW.
Specifically, the application plan dated 6/18/2018 retains four (4) universal access
spaces and seven (7) additional spaces on the "hotel side" of the front drive aisle; but
the parking spaces originally proposed on the opposite side of the front drive aisle
(closer to State Farm Boulevard ROW) were eliminated, to allow the hotel to be sited
closer to the street. Staff acknowledge this compromise.
Principle is partially met.
Redevelopment
The subject properties are currently undeveloped.
Principle is not applicable.
Respecting Terrain
The rear portions of the parcels contain Steep Slopes (Managed) as well as a small
and Careful Grading
portion of Steep Slopes (Preserved) overlay districts. No preserved steep slopes are
and Re -grading of
impacted. The proposal does not impact or disturb a significant portion of these
Terrain
managed steep slopes, and terraced retaining walls are proposed for the portion
which is disturbed.
Principle is generally met.
Clear Boundaries
The subject properties are not adjacent to a Rural Area boundary.
with the Rural Area
Principle is not applicable.
Page 5 of 12
Additional Planning Comments:
1. Stepbacks: A front stepback is required for the proposed structure per County Code Chapter 18
("Zoning Ordinance") Sections 25A.6, 21.4, and 4.20(a); however, no stepback is shown,
annotated, or otherwise described or identified on any of the application materials.
More specifically, the proposed building height of sixty (60) feet is permissible; however,
County Code Chapter 18 ("Zoning Ordinance") Sections 25A.6, 21.4, and 4.20(a) require that
the structure have a minimum front stepback of fifteen (15) feet beginning with the fourth floor
or any story beginning at a height more than forty (40) feet above ground level, whichever is
less, unless a different regulation is established by the ZMA application plan.
With the submittal of this ZMA application plan, you have the ability [pursuant to Z.O. Section
4.20(a)(6)] to propose different stepback parameters for the structure(s) on the subject
property(s) which, if approved, would replace the stepback requirements that are otherwise
established by Zoning Ordinance Sections referenced above.
However, as noted above, no such information is provided to demonstrate compliance with the
applicable stepback requirements; and no such modification or deviation from the stepback
requirements established by County Code are explicitly requested with this ZMA proposal.
Therefore, the proposal should be revised and resubmitted (either by complying with the
stepback requirements, or by proposing to establish an alternative stepback requirement) prior
to being taken to the Planning Commission for a public hearing.
2. Setbacks: The proposed primary structure is subject to minimum setback requirements and
maximum setback requirements per Zoning Ordinance Sections 25A.6, 21.4, and 4.20(a).
The proposal appears to comply with the applicable minimum setback requirements ("10 feet
from the right-of-way or the exterior edge of the sidewalk if the sidewalk is outside of the right-
of-way; for off-street parking or loading spaces, 10 feet from any public street right-of-way.").
However, the proposal appears to not comply with the applicable maximum setback
requirements ("30 feet from the right-of-way or the exterior edge of the sidewalk if the
sidewalk is outside of the right-of-way... ").
With the submittal of this ZMA application plan, you have the ability [pursuant to Z.O. Section
4.20(a)(6)] to propose different setback parameters for the structure(s) on the subject
property(s) which, if approved, would replace the setback requirements that are otherwise
established by Zoning Ordinance Sections referenced above.
However, as noted above, it appears that the location of the building footprint relative to the
front property boundary appears to not comply with the applicable maximum setback
requirements; and no such modification or deviation from the applicable maximum setback
requirements established by County Code are explicitly requested with this ZMA proposal.
Therefore, the proposal should be revised and resubmitted (either by complying with the
setback requirements, or by proposing to establish alternative minimum and/or maximum
setback requirements) prior to being taken to the Planning Commission for a public hearing.
3. Viewshed and Visibility: The proposed hotel's height (60') and location (topographically
prominent site) create concerns about impacts to viewsheds from State Farm Boulevard and
from other locations in Pantops, as well as potential impacts to the viewshed from Monticello.
Staff strongly recommend that this proposal include direct coordination with the Thomas
Jefferson Foundation to understand what concerns (if any) the Foundation has, and to discuss
potential mitigation techniques (as may be applicable). Any coordination with the Thomas
Jefferson Foundation should occur with Ms. Liz Russell at lrussellAmonticello.org.
Page 6 of 12
Staff also request and strongly recommend that the applicants provide some type of visual
analysis of the proposed hotel (as viewed from multiple locations along State Farm Boulevard,
and as viewed from multiple locations within the Pantops neighborhood), as requested by
members of the Pantops Community Advisory Committee during the community meeting on
7/23/2018. This type of visual information would be very helpful in the County's evaluation of
this proposal, and specifically in determining the appropriateness of the proposed height,
massing, and location.
4. Review Process: Staff believes the questions, issues, and concerns identified in this comment
letter should be addressed through revision and resubmittal of the proposed application plan and
project narrative, to demonstrate compliance with County Code requirements or to otherwise
demonstrate a commitment to addressing and mitigating the potential impacts associated with
these questions, issues, or concerns.
5. (Advisory) Additional Future Permitting Requirements: If this ZMA application is approved,
the proposed hotel development would be subject to approval of a Site Plan and Water
Protection Ordinance (WPO) Plan / VSMP Plan.
Engineering:
The following CDD-Engineering review comments (below) were provided by County Engineer
Frank Pohl, P.E., C.F.M. on 7/10/2018; the County Engineer has indicated that these review
comments can be addressed at the site plan and VSMP review process.
1. VSMP permitting will be required [through the preparation and submittal of a Water Protection
Ordinance (WPO) Plan application, separate from the Site Development Plan application].
2. Consider discharging stormwater at one of the rear corners to avoid piping under 4 retaining walls.
3. Consider providing interparcel connection to TMP 78-63.
Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA):
The following comments (below) related to engineering have been provided by Richard Nelson,
P.E. on 7/18/2018:
• No Objection.
Albemarle County Fire & Rescue:
The following comments (below) related to engineering have been provided by Deputy Fire
Marshall Shawn Maddox on 7/16/2018:
1. VSMP permitting will be required [through the preparation and submittal of a Water Protection
Ordinance (WPO) Plan application, separate from the Site Development Plan application].
2. Consider discharging stormwater at one of the rear corners to avoid piping under 4 retaining walls.
3. Consider providing interparcel connection to TMP 78-63.
Action after Receipt of Comments:
After you have read this letter, please take one of the actions identified in the attachment "Action
After Receipt of Comment Letter."
Page 7 of 12
Resubmittal:
If you choose to resubmit, please use the attached form. There is no fee for the first resubmittal.
The resubmittal date schedule is provided for your convenience.
Notification and Advertisement Fees:
Prior to scheduling a public hearing with the Planning Commission:
$ 406.00 = Cost for newspaper advertisement
$ 215.00 = Cost for notification of adjoining owners (minimum $200 + actual postage/$1 per owner
after 50 adjoining owners)
$ 621.00 = Total amount due prior to Planning Commission public hearing
Prior to the Board of Supervisor's public hearing, payment of the newspaper advertisement for the
Board hearing needed.
$ 406.00 = Additional amount due prior to Board of Supervisors public hearing
$ 1,027.00 = Total amount for all notifications. Fees may be paid in advance. Payment for both
the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors public hearings may be paid at the same time.
Additional notification fees will not be required unless a deferral takes place and adjoining owners
need to be notified of a new date.
Please contact me if you would like to set up a meeting to discuss this comment letter or any other
aspect of your proposed project, or to share any questions or requests for assistance you may have.
My phone number is (434) 296-5832, x. 3088, and my email address is tpadalinokalbemarle.org.
Sincerely,
Tim Padalino, AICP
Senior Planner
Planning Services
Page 8 of 12
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ACTION AFTER RECEIPT OF COMMENT LETTER
Within 30 days of the date of this letter, please do one of the following:
(1) Resubmit in response to review comments
(2) Request indefinite deferral
(3) Request that your Planning Commission public hearing date be set
(4) Withdraw your application
(1) Resubmittal in Response to Review Comments
If you plan to resubmit within 30 days, make sure that the resubmittal is on or before a
resubmittal date as published in the project review schedule. The full resubmittal schedule may
be found at www.albemarle.org in the "forms" section at the Community Development page. Be
sure to include the resubmittal form on the last page of your comment letter with your submittal.
The application fee which you paid covers staff review of the initial submittal and one
resubmittal. Each subsequent resubmittal requires an additional fee. (See attached Fee
Schedule.)
(2) Request Indefinite Deferral
If you plan to resubmit after 30 days from the date of the comment letter, you need to request
an indefinite deferral. Please provide a written request and state your justification for requesting
the deferral. (Indefinite deferral means that you intend to resubmit/request a public hearing be
set with the Planning Commission after the 30 day period.)
(3) Request Planning Commission Public Hearing Date be Set
At this time, you may schedule a public hearing with the Planning Commission. However, we do
not advise that you go directly to public hearing if staff has identified issues in need of resolution
that can be addressed with a resubmittal.
After outstanding issues have been resolved and/or when you are ready to request a public
hearing, staff will set your public hearing date for the Planning Commission in accordance with
the Planning Commission's published schedule and as mutually agreed by you and the County.
The staff report and recommendation will be based on the latest information provided by you
with your initial submittal or resubmittal. Please remember that all resubmittals must be made
on or before a resubmittal date.
Page 9 of 12
By no later than twenty-one (21) days before the Planning Commission's public hearing, a
newspaper advertisement fee and an adjoining owner notification fee must be paid. (See
attached Fee Schedule) Your comment letter will contain the actual fees you need to pay.
Payment for an additional newspaper advertisement is also required twenty-two (22) days prior
to the Board of Supervisors public hearing. These dates are provided on the attached Legal Ad
Payments for Public Hearings form.
Please be advised that, once a public hearing has been advertised, only one deferral prior to the
Planning Commission's public hearing will be allowed during the life of the application. The only
exception to this rule will be extraordinary circumstances, such as a major change in the project
proposal by the applicant or more issues identified by staff that have not previously been brought
to the applicant's attention. As always, an applicant may request deferral at the Planning
Commission meeting.
(4) Withdraw Your Application
If at any time you wish to withdraw your application, please provide your request in writing.
Failure to Respond
If we have not received a response from you within 30 days, we will contact you again. At that
time, you will be given 10 days to do one of the following: a) request withdrawal of your
application, b) request deferral of your application to a specific Planning Commission date as
mutually agreed to with staff, or c) request indefinite deferral and state your justification for
requesting the deferral. If none of these choices is made within 10 days, staff will schedule your
application for a public hearing based on the information provided with your original submittal or
the latest submittal staff received on a resubmittal date.
Fee Payment
Fees paid in cash or by check must be paid at the Community Development Intake Counter. Make
checks payable to the County of Albemarle. Do not send checks directly to the Review
Coordinator. Fees may also be paid by credit card using the secure online payment system,
accessed at http://www.albemarle.org/department.asp?department=cdd&relpage=21685.
Page 10 of 12
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY SP # or ZMA #
Fee ?unount $ Date Paid By who? Receipt # Cklt BY:
Resubmittal of information for Special Use Permit g P or���'��
Zoning Ma Amendment
PROJECT NUMBER: 2MA • 2ot$' 00001T PROJECT NAME: FAR-PP5 4ML (STAS FWgAA BWD)_
❑ Resubmittal Fee is Required ❑ Per Request Resubmittal Fee is Not Required
TM FA'WrAQr fiKw
Community Development Project Coordinator Name of Applicant Phone Number
1
Signature Date 8 Signature Date
FEES
Resubmittal fees for Special Use Permit -- original Special Use Permit fee of $1,075
❑ First resubmission
FREE
❑ Each additional resubmission
$538
Resubmittal fees for original Special Use Permit fee of $2,150
❑ First resubmission
FREE
❑ Each additional resubmission
$1,075
Resubmittal fees for original Zoning Map Amendment fee of $2,688
First resubmission
FREE
❑ Each additional resubmission
$1,344
Resubmittal fees for original Zoning Map Amendment fee of $3,763
❑ First resubmission
FREE
❑ Each additional resubmission
$1,881
❑ Deferral of scheduled public hearing at applicant's request -- Add'] notice fees will be required
$194
To be paid after staff review for public notice:
Most applications for Special Use Permits and Zoning Map Amendment require at least one public hearing by the Planning Commission
and one public hearing by the Board of Supervisors. Virginia State Code requires that notice for public hearings be made by publishing
a legal advertisement in the newspaper and by mailing letters to adjacent property owners. Therefore, at least two fees for public notice
are required before a Zoning Map Amendment may be heard by the Board of Supervisors. The total fee for public notice will be
provided to the applicant after the final cost is determined and must be paid before the application is heard by a public body.
MAKR CHRCICC TO CCHTNTV nlW AI ARMARr.F./PAVMF.NT AT C"MMr1NITV nUVRr.CIP1NRNT r nITNTRD
Preparing and mailing or delivering up to fifty (50) notices
$215 + actual cost of first-class postage
Preparing and mailing or delivering each notice after fifty (50)
$1.00 for each additional notice+ actual
cost of first-class postage
D Legal advertisement (published twice in the newspaper for each public hearing)
Actual cost
(minimum of $280 for total of 4publications)
County of Albemarle Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, VA 22902 Voice: (434) 296-5832 Fax: (434) 972-4126
1 /24117 Page 1 of 1
Page 11 of 12
Albemarle County, Virginia
2018 Submittal and Review Schedule
Special Use Permits and Zoning Map Amendments
Resubmittal
Schedule
Resubmittal Dates
Comments to applicant
for decision on whether to
proceed to Public Hearing
Payment Due for Public
Hearing Legal Ad
Planning Commission Public
Hearing Date*
No sooner than
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Tuesday
Dec 18 2017
Jan 17
Jan 26
Feb 20
Wednesday, Jan 3
Jan 31
Feb 9
Mar 6
Tuesday, Jan 16
Feb 14
Feb 23
Mar 20
Jan 29
Feb 28
Mar 16
Apr 10
Feb 05
Mar 7
Mar 16
Apr 10
Tuesday Feb 20
Mar 21
Mar 30
Apr 24
Mar 5
Apr 4
Apr 6
May 1
Mar 19
Apr 18
Apr 27
May 22
Apr 2
May 2
May 18
Jun 12
Apr 16
May 16
Jun 1
Jun 26
Apr 30
May 30
Jun 1
Jun 26
May 7
Jun 6
Jun 15
Jul 10
May 21
Jun 20
Jun 29
Jul 24
Jun 4
Jul
Jul 13
Aug 7
Jun 18
Jul 18
Jul 27
Aug 21
Jul 2
Aug 1
Aug 10
Sep 4
Jul 16
Aug 15
Aug 31
Sep 25
Jul 30
Aug 29
Aug 31
Sep 25
Aug 6
Sep 5
Sep 14
Oct 9
Aug 20
Sep 19
Sep 28
Oct 23
Tuesday Sep 4
Oct 3
Oct 5
Oct 30
Sep 17
Oct 17
Oct 19
Nov13
Oct 1
Oct 31
Nov 9
Dec 4
Oct 15
Nov 14
Nov 20**
Dec 18
Oct 29
Nov 28
Dec 21
Jan 15 2019
Nov 5
Dec 5
Dec 21
Jan 15 2019
Nov 19
Dec 19
Dec 21
Jan 15 2019
Dec 3
Jan 2 2019
Jan 4 2019
Jan 29 2019
Dec 17
Jan 16 2019
Jan 25 2019
Feb 19 2019
Jan 72019
Feb 62019
Feb82019
Mar 52019
2019 Dates are tentative; shading indicates a different year
*Public hearing dates have been set by the Planning Commission; however, if due to unforeseen circumstances the
Planning Commission is unable to meet on this date, your project will be moved to the closest available agenda
date.
"Off -date to accommodate holidays.
Dates in bold italics fall on a Tuesday due to a holiday.
Page 12 of 12