ZMA201900018 Presentation Zoning Map Amendment 2019-12-16December 16, 2019
Crozet Sports Indoor Recreational Facility
Special Use Permit Application Narrative
Description of Proposed Project
The proposal is to permit the use of tax map parcel 055E0-01-00-000A4, within Old Trail Village
in Crozet, for the development of an Indoor Athletic and Educational Facility. The parcel is
identified as Block 19 in the approved Code of Development and Amended Application Plan for
Old Trail Village that were approved with ZMA 2015-00001 in 2016. The indoor facility will
provide the necessary resources to support the growing health, athletic, and educational needs
of the Western Albemarle school district and surrounding community.
The project proposes the following features.
• A building with a total square footage of approximately 85,000 square feet, consisting of
a first floor with approximately 59,000 square feet, and a second floor containing
approximately 26,000 square feet.
• Multi -use Turf Fields
• Multi -purpose hard courts
• Baseball and softball training areas
• Sports performance training area
• Locker rooms
• Indoor children's entertainment area/indoor play area
• Student -athlete classrooms
• Sports lounge area
• Rental space for meetings and parties (such as children's birthday parties)
• Rental space for outside services (such as Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy, Sports
Medicine)
• Administrative Offices and Boardroom
• Storage Areas (for equipment, bleachers, chairs)
• Ground floor and mezzanine seating areas
Lounge area
A potential future outdoor recreational field (multi -use field)
Proposed Programs and Services:
• Sports Facility memberships
• Rental of turf fields, hard courts, batting cages, multi -purpose rooms
• Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy, Sports Medicine, and related
• Party and Event Rentals
• Children's programming (after school, Teen, pre-school
• Sports conditioning and instruction
• Children's day camps (summer and winter break)
• Sports instructional camps and clinics
• Sports leagues
o Men's and women's basketball, volleyball and soccer
o Co-ed basketball, volleyball and soccer
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Community events
Sports tournaments, such as:
o Volleyball
o Basketball
o Lacrosse
o Field hockey
o Wrestling
o Indoor soccer
A conceptual floor plan for the facility is enclosed for reference to demonstrate how the uses
and facilities would be laid out.
Description of Old Trail Village from its approved 2016 Code of Development:
Old Trail Village differs from other more conventional suburban developments, in
that it seeks to create an entire village with opportunities for its inhabitants to live,
work, conduct business, shop and recreate. The owners and developers of Old
Trail Village understand that the development of a healthy, thriving town cannot
be forced; instead it must be allowed to naturally conform to meet the needs of its
ever -changing population. As economic, political and cultural climates change,
Old Trail Village will respond with appropriate evolution within the context of the
Code of Development. The Application Plan shows the potential development of
individual lots, buildings and parking, however these elements of the Application
Plan are illustrative only.
Specific development of lots, including the locations and dimensions of buildings,
parking, sidewalks, and street trees shall be determined on an individual basis at
the time of subdivision plat and site plan submittal and approval for each block.
The general parameters for the development of each block are contained within
the Code of Development for use as a guideline, but are not intended as specific
regulatory criteria. These general parameters will ensure the goals of Old Trail
Village are realized, while allowing flexibility for the community to evolve as
needed when markets and demands change. To facilitate this natural process,
the Application Plan provides the framework for Old Trail Village through
diagrammatic layouts of streets, sidewalks, landscape material, open space
configuration, and variations in architectural productsiplacement, while
incorporating the flexibility necessary to adapt to changing needs.
The alignments of streets, utilities and sidewalks shall generally conform to the
layout provided on the Application Plan, though it is not the intent of the
Application Plan to dictate specific street geometrics. Minor variations to the
Application Plan shall be permitted under Albemarle Code Section 8.5. 5.3.
Preliminary grading and stormwater management plans are also provided and
minor variations in the direction of flow, location of treatment facilities and
acceptable ranges in types of treatment facilities are permitted provided they are
in conformance with applicable State and County regulations. Overall, between
9, 000 and 2,200 residential units will be provided at Old Trail Village. Fifteen
percent (15%) of total residential units will be constructed as affordable units as
detailed in the proffers for Old Trail Village. Between 100, 000 and 250, 000
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square feet of combined non-residential, mixed use development is planned for
the development. The commercial use known as the Lodge at Old Trail shall not
count toward the maximum of 250, 000 square feet of non-residential
development.
The proposed development is proposed for Block 19 of Old Trail Village, as it is identified in the
Old Trail Code of Development. Block 19 is a mostly wooded parcel, approximately 9.76 acres,
adjacent to Henley Middle School and Brownsville Elementary School to the East and Western
Albemarle High School to the South. The parcel is rectangular in shape and extends deep into
the Old Trail Community.
This parcel is the optimal location to achieve our goals of serving as an extension of the ACPS
campus and providing athletic and educational services to ACPS students, private school
students, and home school students and residents in Old Trail and surrounding
communities. The proposed facility on this parcel will offer a wide array of programs and
services to meet the growing athletic, recreational, and health needs of our community. The
facility will also offer many academic program opportunities to not just student -athletes, but to all
youth in our community. Community health education seminars, classes, and programs will be
offered as part of our adult education academy as we continue to offer educational opportunities
for our entire community.
The overall character of this parcel allows for the proposed facility to be developed in a manner
that will be complementary to the Old Trail community and surrounding institutions. Preserving
the landscape buffers along Route 250, Old Trail Drive, and along the eastern parcel border
(Henley side) will aid in minimizing any visual impact of the facility from all directions. In
addition to the landscape buffer along Route 250, the edge of the building will be set back over
750 feet from Route 250, which is expected to result in minimal, if any, visibility of the structure
from Route 250.
The property is located within the jurisdictional area for public water and sewer service. All
utility connections are located adjacent to the northern edge of the parcel. A 100-foot stream
buffer to the north end of the parcel will be maintained. There is a 20-foot water line easement
to the East side of the parcel.
indoor athletic facilities, commercial recreational facilities, and community centers are uses that
have always been envisioned within Old Trail Village, and are expressly permitted within the
community. The project combines the elements of each of these uses. Although these uses
were not originally conceived to be located in Block 19, as stated in the Code of Development,
the plan is intended to be flexible and adaptable to changes in the economy and to meet the
needs of its ever -changing population. Given the County's delay in funding and building out
Western Park within the community, there continues to be a shortage of recreational amenities
and activities for residents of Old Trail Village and residents of the entire Crozet
community. The amenities and programming that this project envisions will help to bridge the
gap in the shortage of those resources until Western Park is constructed. Given this situation,
the applicant proposes, along with the Owners and Developers of Old Trail Village, to amend
the Code of Development to amend Table 4, Land Uses Allowed, to permit indoor athletic
facilities, commercial recreational facilities, and community centers in Block 19. There are
several other minor amendments that would also be required in the Code to facilitate this use in
Block 19. For example, Table 5 would be amended to reduce the minimum number of
residential units in Block 19 from 12 units to 0 units, Table 6 would be modified to establish a
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minimum building height of 60 feet for non-residential uses in Block 19, and Table 7 would be
amended to establish non-residential minimum and maximum setbacks. With the approval of
these modifications, to the Code of Development, this proposed use can be incorporated into
the community for the benefit of the Old Trail community as well as the entire Crozet and
Western Albemarle community.
The proposed development will provide an unprecedented positive impact on the Western
Albemarle community. With its strategic location adjacent to Route 250, and less than a mile
from the interstate, impacts on neighborhood streets are expected to be minimal. It is also
notable that many of the program participants are expected to live within the existing Crozet
community. The facility will serve as an amenity that is being developed in the center of
residents that will be utilizing the much -needed services in a community where they already
reside. Connecting neighborhood sidewalks and trails will also allow for an option of facility
access without the need for vehicular transportation. The location is very convenient for both
adult and youth walkers, bikers, and runners. As detailed in the enclosed Trip Generation
Memorandum prepared by EPR, PC, compared to the current residential zoning for Block 19,
the Crozet Sports Facility is expected to have a similar traffic impact on a daily and peak hour
basis. No significant traffic increases are expected during times where high traffic counts
already exist. The times of peak facility usage will be after school dismissals occur with facility
usage gradually increasing later in the day with students attending after school and adults after
work.
There is the possibility of a controlled vehicular connector road between Old Trail Drive through
this Block 19 Parcel to Henley Middle School parcel (to the East). This possible controlled
connector, in addition to establishing a vehicular access agreement with ACPS, could potentially
ease some of the traffic congestion at the 250/Old Trail Drive intersection as well as the on -site
campus congestion caused by School drop-off and dismissal. By allowing bus traffic and
pedestrian access through this new development parcel, it would help to meet the County's goal
of urban connectivity to the school system, while reducing congestion at the Old Trail
Drive/Route 250 intersection that occurs during the morning peak hour.
This proposed added land use (and suggested operation plan) would be a safer and more
compatible use with higher school traffic demand, then what is currently planned as single
family residential development. The Applicant is open to a partnership that would allow ACPS to
use a portion of Block 19 for overflow parking during school events such as Open Houses, Back
to School nights, and Graduations. This would reduce the already existing parking issues
during these school events where school parking lots are overflowing, vehicles often block or
crowd drive aisles, and vehicles are parked along 250 which is a major safety issue for the
community.
All connector trails maintained by the Old Trail Community association through the dues
structure as well as volunteer efforts from such local groups as Crozet Trails Crew who will help
to preserve the open space as part of this development. The Applicant will also work with the
Crozet Trails Crew to assist in the future maintenance and preservation of these trails.
Section 20A.1 of the Zoning Ordinance states the purpose and intent of the Neighborhood
Model Zoning District is:
"to establish a planned development district in which traditional neighborhood
development, as established in the county's Neighborhood Model, will occur. The
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county's Neighborhood Model was adopted as part of the comprehensive plan,
and is hereinafter referred to as the "Neighborhood Model. " The regulations in
section 20A encourage a development form and character that is different from
conventional suburban development by providing the following characteristics"
(referencing the twelve Neighborhood Model Principles).
The NMD is intended to provide for compact, mixed -use developments with an
urban scale, massing, density, and an infrastructure configuration that integrates
diversified uses within close proximity to each other within the development
areas identified in the comprehensive plan.
The particular uses permitted within a particular district, as well as the character,
form and density of the development, shall be derived from the comprehensive
plan, including the land use plan for the applicable development area, the master
plan for the applicable development area, and the Neighborhood Model. Density
shall be achieved with careful attention to design, as articulated in the
Neighborhood Model.
These regulations are intended to provide an applicant with maximum flexibility in
creating and implementing the general development plan and the code of
development.
The proposed project satisfies the intent of these provisions and goals as described herein.
First, it is proposed to be located within an existing NMD project that was first approved in 2005,
and has been growing rapidly in the past six years. This project is merely a modification of this
existing NMD project, that is reacting to the market needs and demand, as envision by the
approved Code of Development — the community as a whole is evolving, and the Code of
Development and planned uses are adapting to such changes.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSAL'S CONSISTENCY WITH THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The property is designated in the Crozet Master Plan for neighborhood density residential. As
stated in the Master Plan, in addition to residential uses, "non-residential uses include
institutional uses, such as places of worship, public and private schools, and early childhood
education centers (daycare centers and preschools)."
The proposed Indoor Athletic and Educational Facility is similar to an Institutional use as
described in the Master Plan. It is designed to provide the necessary resources to support the
growing health, athletic, and educational needs of the Western Albemarle school district and
surrounding community, and will be complementary to the adjacent institutional uses in Henley
Middle School, Brownsville Elementary School, and Western Albemarle High School. With
Henley and Brownsville immediately adjacent to the project site, the project will in many ways
serve as an extension of the school complex, and provide strategic opportunities for the schools
in terms of sharing space and programming, as well as shared parking and interconnection
opportunities.
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The proposed pedestrian and vehicular connection between the project and Henley Middle
School is shown on the Crozet Master Plan Land Use Plan and the text in the Master Plan
states that the road "should be built to help provide other options for cars and school buses."
With the careful siting and design of the project with the building set back over 750 feet from
Route 250, and the project's retention of the existing wooded vegetation along Route 250, the
project is also consistent with the Master Plan's Land Use Map that shows a large buffer along
the portion of the parcel adjacent to Route 250. Furthermore, by orienting the front of the
project along and toward Old Trail Drive instead of Route 250, the project supports the Master
Plan's recommendation to protect Route 250 West as a scenic byway.
The project also supports the recently adopted Economic Development Plan entitled "Project
Enable," which flows from the Economic Development Plan, which is a component of the
Comprehensive Plan. One of the referenced complementary target industries is Arts, Design
and Sports & Media. Among the Goals of Project Enable is the goal to "Seek Private Investment
to Further the Public Good." One of the objectives of that goal is to "Support development
projects that capitalize on our assets, inspiration and potential to create unique and community -
based public spaces." The proposed project furthers those goals.
Similarly, the County's Economic Development Plan includes strategy 3.d to "continue to
provide assistance to target industries providing jobs in the arts, design, sports, and media." It
further states that "businesses and industries in this sector provide jobs in specialized sectors
that use the skills of many area residents. County economic development staff should continue
to provide information on ways these companies can successfully locate and operate in
Albemarle County." Another objective of the Economic Development Plan is to "Increase local
business development opportunities, including support for entrepreneurial and startup
businesses." As a local startup entrepreneurial business that is focused on sports, the project is
further consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
Consistency with the Neighborhood Model Principles:
The proposed project is consistent with the applicable Neighborhood Model Principles as
follows:
Pedestrian Orientation: A sidewalk already exists along the entire frontage of the
Property adjacent to Old Trail Village, and that sidewalk will be maintained. The
sidewalk was recently enhanced with site lighting and landscaping by the Old Trail
developer, which significantly improves the pedestrian experience in that area. The
existing sidewalk along the frontage of the Property and on adjacent parcels under
common ownership or control provide a pedestrian connection to an extensive
pedestrian network surrounding the Property, including numerous trails and sidewalks
throughout Old Trail and connecting to other neighborhoods and services within Crozet,
including the public schools. With the proposed pedestrian connection to Henley Middle
School and Brownsville Elementary School, this network is extended and further
enhanced.
Mixture of Uses: This use continues the mixture of uses that exists within Old Trail
Village, which includes a variety of residential uses, retail, restaurants, medical and
professional offices, an assisted living facility, and other recreational uses including the
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December 16, 2019
Old Trail pool and the Golf Course, and ACAC. This proposed recreational facility will
complement these other existing uses and facilities.
Neighborhood Center: As discussed herein, the Property is in close, walkable distance
to an existing Neighborhood Center in the form of Old Trail Village Center. in addition, it
will help serve as a link between the Village Center and the three adjacent public
schools, which will strengthen the overall neighborhood center.
Mixture of Housing Types and Affordability: Old Trail Village has an extensive mixture of
housing types and affordability. All types of housing types are permitted, and the existing
approved proffers require that 15% of the units within the Village are affordable.
interconnected Streets and Transportation Networks. Old Trail Village is part of a
heavily interconnected networks of streets and other transportation networks, including a
grid network of roads, a new JAUNT commuter service, and sidewalks, and this project
will support and extend that element. With the proposal for the pedestrian and controlled
vehicular connection to Henley and Brownsville, the project will make all of Old Trail
Village even more consistent with this principle.
Multi -Model Transportation Opportunities: As noted, the project continues existing multi -
model transportation opportunities in that people can continue to travel to the Property
by vehicle, on foot, or by bicycle, and now even by JAUNT commuter bus.
Parks. Recreational Amenities and Open Space: This project would substantially expand
the range of recreational amenities to the residents of Western Albemarle. As noted
previously, given the County's delay in funding and building out Western Park within the
community, there continues to be a shortage of recreational amenities and activities for
residents of Old Trail Village and residents of the entire Crozet community. The
amenities and programming that this project envisions will help to bridge the gap in the
shortage of those resources until Western Park is constructed. And thereafter, the
project will continue to support the recreational needs of Western Albemarle as it
continues to grow in population, given its location within the designated development
area.
Buildings and Spaces of Human Scale: Although the building is large, its careful siting
within the block will enable it to maintain a sense of human scale. The preservation of
the 150-foot wooded buffer adjacent to Route 250 will substantially screen the building
from Route 250. Similarly, the retention of a vegetated buffer adjacent to Henley Middle
School, and significant vegetation along Old Trail Drive will further help to screen the
building. A just a two-story building, the relatively low building height will help balance
out its larger footprint.
Relegated Parking — The majority of the project's parking will be only minimally visible
from Old Trail Drive and adjacent parcels, due to the retention of extensive wooded
areas on the property. The Applicant investigated a building layout that would have
resulted in the parking being relegated more substantially, but such a plan would create
operational challenges in the form of requiring two separate entrances — one on the west
side of the building adjacent to Old Trail Drive, and another in the back or side of the
building if all parking is relegated — both of which much be monitored and secured by the
facility's employees. As such, the project attempts to balance the multiple
comprehensive goals of screened buildings, maintenance of vegetation and buffer
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areas, and avoiding steep slopes and stream buffers with the critical operational needs
of the proposed facility.
Redevelopment: This principle is not relevant to this application, as this is the first
development of this parcel.
Respecting Terrain and Careful Grading and Re -grading: The project has been
carefully sited to maintain existing established wooded buffers, and to avoid any impacts
to stream buffers and preserved steep slopes. It is also carefully sited on the parcel to
minimize its visibility and massing when viewed from the Entrance Corridor and Old Trail
Drive.
Clear Boundaries with the Rural Area: This principle is applicable to the Project, as
Block 19 forms a clear barrier with the Rural Area, which ends at the southern edge of
the parcel adjacent to Route 250. The Project satisfies this principle.
IMPACTS ON PUBLIC FACILITIES & PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
The proposed project has no negative impact on public facilities and public infrastructure. In
fact, the project will provide much needed support for the three adjacent public schools both in
terms of the project's services and operations, and in the form of the proposed pedestrian and
vehicular controlled connections to Henley Middle School that can serve as overflow parking
during high -traffic school events. As for transportation infrastructure, as explained in more detail
in the enclosed trip generation memorandum, the number of projected trips associated with the
project are comparable to that projected for the existing residential units that are permitted in the
block under the existing approved Code of Development. While there are projected to be more
afternoon peak hour trips with the project, the majority of those trips are not projected to occur
at the same time as the existing afternoon peak period. As noted previously, many of the
program participants will walk to the facility either from the neighborhood, or from the three local
public schools. It will also be convenient for bicyclists. Finally, it is important to note that Old
Trail Drive was designed to accommodate significantly more residential dwelling units than are
now required within the neighborhood. When Old Trail Village was originally approved in 2005,
a minimum of 1600 residential units were required, with a maximum permitted of 2,200.
Following the approval of ZMA 2015-00001 in February, 2016, the reduced minimum number of
units is just 1,000 units.
IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
The proposed project has no negative impacts on environmental features, as it preserves large
areas of woods and other vegetation, and avoids encroachment or other impacts to the nearby
stream buffers and existing preserved steep slopes that are on site.
IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT (transportation, parks, fire/rescue, and
schools)
As discussed herein, the project will not create any material negative impacts on community
facilities such as transportation networks, parks, fire/rescue, and schools. In fact, the project will
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December 16, 2019
mitigate existing challenges to the shortage of public recreational space since the County has
not yet constructed any improvements to Western Park in the 13 years following the developer's
donation of the Western Park land to the County. By constructing the Crozet Sports facility
using private funds, this project will provide significant recreational resources that are sorely
lacking in the Western Albemarle community. The project will also support the recreational
needs of the public schools in the form of its diverse and extensive programming. All of these
benefits will be provided without any material adverse impacts on traffic, as detailed in the
enclosed trip generation memorandum.
EXISTING STORMWATER MASTER PLAN FOR OLD TRAIL
The existing approved stormwater master plan for Old Trail will accommodate the proposed
use. The stormwater master plan anticipated an estimated treatment based on the original land
use and should have adequate capacity for this use. Once the new land use is factored into the
requirements and the precise sizing of that facility is established, then the stormwater master
plan will be updated to reflect the new plan. if there is additional capacity required then it will be
accommodated within the site limits of Block 19 or possibly on a future phase of the total build
out, however we do not believe there will be any future issues.
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