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1977-07-20AJuly 20, 1977 (Afternoon) An adjourned meeting of the Beard of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held on July 20, 1977, beginning at 4:00 P.M. in the Board Room of the County Office Building, Charlottesville, Virginia; said meeting being adjourned from July 13, 1977. Present: Mrs. Opal D. David and Messrs. Lindsay G. Dorrier, Jr., Gerald E. Fisher, J. T. Henley, Jr., F. Anthony Iachetta and W. S. Roudabush. Absent: None. Officers present: Attorney. Guy B. Agnor, Jr., County Executive and George R. St. John, County Agenda Item No. 1. The meeting was called to order at ~:00 P.M. by the Chairman, Mr. Fisher, who announced that he had received a letter f~om the Department of Agriculture, F.H.A signed by Joseph W. Newbill. Mr. Newbill stated that if the community is su.ffering from drought, it may be eligible for F.H.A. emergency assistance which may be used for correcting almost any drought related community water system inadequacy. HoweYer, the grants must be obligated by September 30, and projects completed by November 30. He asked if the County had any project which could be completed in that ~time frame. Mr. Agnor said no. Mr. Fisher noted that he had been receiving reports that the Meriwether Hills water system is having problems, and he asked ~or a report from the County Engineer about connectin the new well. Mr. Fisher said he had talked to Mr. Agnor on Tuesday about private water systems and the reservoir and the effect of the drought on s~me. The Rivanna Authority does not feel it is a matter of immediate alarm, but when he drove up to the headwaters, so many streams are dry that he is concerned about the future months. The State Water Control Board has said that in ~normal years, a drought does not appear until about Labor Day. He asked M~. Agnor if he feels there is adequate water stored if no rain is received to cover the peak period around the first of September. Hr. Agnor said yes, but all supplies are diminishing except the South Rivanna Reservoir and Totier Creek Reservoir. Totier Creek is still running over the dam~ The South Rivanna is not running over the dam, but the water level is not dropping. The consumption of water is way down for comparable periods of time, and this is hard to expl The Rivanna Authority felt this might possibly be because of the rate adjustment that is just beginning to show its effect. There is also th~ p~.esalibility that people are more conscious of all forms of energy savings and are saving water also. Agenda Item No. 2. Discussion: Hydraulic Road Project. Mr. Dan Roosevelt, Resident Highway Engineer, was present. He said that last fall he had asked for guidance on improvemei of Hydraulic Road as to what the County wanted in the way of sidewalks, etc. The Board .had asked for sidewalks along Hydraulic Road from Route 29 to Rio Road, on both sides, and a hike trail from Georgetown Road to the Albemarle High School property. He redrew the plans accordingly. If the sidewalks are included on both sides it would require a 66-foot wide right-of-way. When this 66-foot right-of-way was super-imposed on the existing ground he was concerned about the amount of damage that would be caused around Westgate Apartments and the single-family homes on the opposite side of the road up to Georgetown Road and slightly west. The original alignment shown on the plans placed most of the roadway on the Westgate Apartment side of the road and took little property from the single-family homes across the street. So much of the improvement~was on the Westgate side that about twenty-five parking spaces would be eliminated. Mr. Roosevelt said since his first review of the plans, he has checked site plans for Westgate and found that when the site vlan was approved, it was determined that there was room on the property for eighteen additional parking spaces. He feels the cost to the County and to the Highway Department to come through this parking arena greater than either would want to bear. He searched for an alternative alignment that would reduce the overall damage and also split the damage between Westgate Apartments and the properties on the other side of the street. He therefore rec~ommends t~at the sidewalk be eliminated on the side of the road in the area of the private homes across from Westgate and that one sidewal~ only be placed on the Westgate side of Hydraulic Road. By eliminating the sidewalk on one side of the road, it reduces the right-of-way by three and ene-half feet. The centerline can then be shifted about ten feet along the tangent that runs in front of Westgate Apartments and about six feet on the tangent that runs beyond Georgetown Road. Thes two tangents can be tied together with a curve about the same length as that shown on the fir plan. A revised plan showing these changes and the curb and gutter line, th~ cut and fill slope limits is what is being presented to the Board to review today. Mr. Fisher asked what cost would be associated with holding the present alignment on the Westgate side of the road. Mr. Roosevelt said the costs for right-of-way acquisition are spl between the Highway Department and the County. The Highway Department will determine how muc right-of-way is needed for the road without sidewalks. They will then determine the price th~ should be offered for each i~d±vidual property based on the right-of-way. Then, they will go back and super-impose the additional right-of-way needed for sidewalks and hike trails and make a second appraisal. The second appraisal is then subtracted from the first appraisal an the difference is the County's cost. The wider the right-of-way the greater th~ damage, and this high-priced damage will be the ~ounty's sha~e. Mr. Roosevelt said a closer look at the original right-of-way line is needed before the Board decides on what it has heard so far. Moving the line actually brings the ce~terline of the new road back onto the centerline of th~ existing road. The previously proposed alignment had the new centerline running on the edge of the pavement on the Westgate Apartment side, which means that nearly all of the improvemen~ was on that side of the road. There are areas along the original alignment where the curb an~ gutter sits near the edge of the existing pavement and areas where the original proposal did not use all of the existing right-of-way on the private homes side of the road. There was additional r~ght-of-way the Highway Department could claim as its own that would not be affected by these improvements. Mr. Fisher asked the net effect on parking in Westgate if the new proposal is accepted. Mr. ~oo~eva~t sa~d ~t will reduce ~arkin~ bv about eleven s~aces and since the~ can ~ick u~ in. ts s t t July 20, 1977 (Afternoon) purchasing additional land. Mr. Roosevelt said he personally feels that the cost of paying for these parking spaces will be more expensive than paying for the right-of-way that runs across the front yards of the single-family properties. Mr. Fisher said he was concerned about taking further right-of-way from the single- family homes whose existence created little need for this improvement. He understands the recommendation that there be only one sidewalk, but is concerned about moving the alignment.- further over onto the single-family homes. Dr. Iachetta said he has great sympathy for the siHgle-family owners who pre-dated all of the high density development on the other side of the road. They are not nearly as able to pick up and move as other people might be. The impact on them seems severe under the circumstances. Mr. Roosevelt said the Board should be aware of how much impact there is on these single-family homes and how much impact there wou~ be if the line is shifted. On Mr. Scott,s property, the original &lignment d~d~not ~ful!y us~ the dedicated right-of-way. There is a twenty-five foot dedicated~.right-of-way across the front of these properties, and the original alignment did not fully use this right-of-way. The new alignment does, and in some places goes beyond this with the cut and fill slopes. He did not feel the Highway Department will need additional right-of-way, but will need an easement in order to tie the roadway back in. Mr. Roudabush asked the setback on the closest houses to the road. M~. Roosevelt said the closest house is Mr. Scott's. He has about a thirty-foot setback. The house next to him is also very close; thirty-one to thirty-two feet With the exception of the first house, and the Griffith property, the revised alignment will take no additional trees over what the original alignment took. Mr. Roudabush asked how far behind the curb and gutter the right-of-way will be. Mr. Roosevelt said it will be three feet if the sidewalk is eliminated and six and one-half feet if the sidewalk is kept. Mr. Henley said the property behind the single-family homes is zoned as high density. That traffic should be channelled on sidewalks without using the property in front~of these homes. Mr. Tucker said most of that property will not have access to Hydraulic, but will be using Commonwealth. Mr. Henley said he would prefer Mr. Roosevelt's revised plan. An unidentified gentleman from Great Eastern Management Company said that what Mr. Roosevelt had said today seemed to be even-handed. He personally was not ~ware of where they would put any additional parking spaces for Westgate. Dr. Iachetta asked if he was' satisfied with having a ~idewalk on just one side. The gentleman said the sidewalk traffic seems to be from the kids going to school and he felt that one sidewalk would be adequate. Mr. Fisher was reluctant to give up the second sidewalk because he felt it would be needed at some time in the future. Mr. Roudabush said when the Board reviewed the pt&m~laat year that sidewalks would be necessary on both sides of the road. He went along with the suggestion in order to see cost figures. Dr. Iachetta said Mr. Roosevelt's proposal seems to be a reasonabl~ compromise. It will do less damage and be less expensive. Mr. Roosevelt said everyone must realize that there will be ~amage. What the department has tried to do by changing the line is to divide the damage more equitably. By eliminating a Sidewalk on one side, the damage has been reduced overall to the smallest possible amount. There is a second problem ~ith the plans and that is at the Hop-In ~tore. The Board's original resolution called for sidewalks and also a twelve-foot wide bike trail from Georgetown Road to the Albemarle High School property. This bike trail runs across the parking lot in front of the Hop-In store. As originally shown on the plan, the proposed right-of-way at on~ point would be within fifteen feet of the store. With cut slopes the improvement would be about eleven feet from~the front wall of the Hop-In store. Drivers pull into the front of t~ sto~ and that is not the way the parking was to have been arranged. When the site plan for the Hop-Zn store was approved, it showed a line which was ~oted as "future right-of-way provided by Virginia State Highway Department" Some consideration was made at that time fo~ future right-of-way needs for the Oepartment, but with the addition of a sideWalk and a bike trail, this pushes the proposed line about twelve feet beyond the line shown on the site pla~ Also, the site plan shows a gas pump, but it was noted that the gas pump would be moved at tk expense of the owner, so this does not enter into the problem if the improvement can be kept inside of the line toward Hydraulic Road. In order to do this, and have sidewalks on both sides of the roads, the roadway was shifted six feet at this point and the bike trait eliminated. If the Board agrees that the bike trail be eliminated, and that two sidewalks be placed, then the second sidewalk can be started right at Georgetown Road with the improvement staying inside og%ha line on the east side, shift the road six feet, and ending up with all damage still being in the area indicated for such on the site plan as apProved. Mr. Roosevelt said in his opinion, the Department and the County would owe the Hop-Zn store nothing for relocation of the gas pump. Mr. Fisher said this is the first time the County has had to consider implementation of a biketrail. Mr. Roudabush asked if the road can be shifted enough to allow for a sidewalk on both sides of the road. Dr. Iachetta asked if ~t would be possible to acquire the right-of-way for the sidewalk and not construct the sidewalk. Mr. Roosevelt said if sidewall space is desired, the full cost of the additional of right-of-way is the County's cost and one-half of the construction cost. Dr. Iachetta asked if the road can be constructed, not purchase any right-of-way, and the County require future developers to build the sidewalk. Mr. Tucker said this is possible when there are road plans available, but if neither the vertical or horizontal alignment are known, a developer will not know where to put the sidewalk~ Mr. Roudabush said there is already enough development in the area so that sidewa] would be fragmented in this way. The Board might as well buy the right-of-way from Georgetown Road to Albemarle H~gh School, since there are developable tracts th~. Mr. Roosevelt said the Board had passed a resolution asking the Highway Department to develop plans showing sidewalks all the way through this area on both sides of the road and to show a bike trail from Georgetown Road to the High School. He now requests the Board to change their instructions so that the alignment changes which he has recommended may be followed. If the Board still wants a bike trail and sidewalks as originally requested, then he would recommend that the Board order use of the original alignment as shown ©n the original plan. Mr. Fisher asked for a consensus on giving up sidewalks on the north side of Hydraulic between Route 29 North and Georgetown Road. Mr. Roosevelt said he was not thinking about Route 29 North, but was thinking more from Solomon Road to the Logan property and through the intersection to Georgetown Road. The Board concurred in this recommendation. Z79 July 20, 1977 Afternoon) Mr. Roudabush asked if this meant the sidewalk would be installed in front of the undeveloped property on the north side commencing with Georgetown Road. Dr. Iachetta felt tn construction should be eliminated wherever it can be on the north side. He did not feel it was logical to eliminate a sidewalk where there are people already living and put it where there are no people. He felt the County should acquire the right-of-way and then require the developers to put down the pavement. Mr. Roudabush said it would make more sense to put the sidewalk all the way through on the left hand side west of the road, purchase the right-o way on the other side and have the land available for sidewalks as the land develcps~ Mr. Fisher said the other part of the question is the bike trail~ Mr. Roudabush asked if there would be any way the County could come through the Georgetown Green common area behind the Hop-In store. Mr. Tucker said the topography in that area is too bad. Mrs. David said some people in Canterbury Hills had mentioned a route the children use by going across country to the schools and not going along Georgetown Road. Mr. Fisher said there will be more people in the area in the future and it is absurd to drop the bike trail at this time. Dr. Iachetta asked if there is any way to have the bike trail in front of the store. Mr. Agn said he believed that is the County had to pay damages for the right-of-way shown on the Hop- In store property, the County w~uld come close to buying the store. Mr. Roosevelt said the road improvement would take three parking spaces from the Hop-In store and the bike trail would take two more. In effect, the County would be paying for two parking spaces. Mr. Agno asked how close the right-of-way w~uld come to the building. Mr. Roosevelt said under the original alignment, it would be thirteen to fifteen feet from the edge of the bike trail to t edge of the building. Under the revised plan it would be twenty-one feet, with an eight foot sidewalk in that section. Dr. Iachetta felt the Board should delay any decision on the bike trail until the Planning staff can investigate alterations. Mr. Fisher asked if the bike trail could be built using existing utility easements and commonly-owned property of George- town Green so as to loop-behind the Hop-Zn store and come back on the road near the High School. Dr. Zachetta said the Planning staff might also look at another route which avoids Georgetow. o_~oad al~q~e~h~. Mr. F~her asked if a bike trail can be built not following a roadway,/~n ~e Coun~ s~keway~n do not follo~ ~xisting roads. As far as maintenance is concerned, a p~licy will have to be developed as to who will maintain these trails. Mr. Fish said the Board would delay answering this part of the question today. Mr. Roosevelt said he has shifted the line in order to bring the sidewalk, curb and gutt inside of the line shown on the site plan for the Hop-In store. He asked if regardless of th bike trail the sidewalk is to stay on the roadway side of that line. The Board concurred. ~r. Iachetta then offered motion to accept Mr. Roosevelt's recommended realignment of Hydraulic Road with the elimination of sidewalk and its right-of-way on that stretch from the Logan property around to the intersection of Georgetown Road, but on that side to acquire the right-of-way and not build the sidewalk. In turn to put the sidewalk along the entire length of the south side, that is the apartment side around~he school property, and to leave the bike path question open to further study. The motion was seconded by Mr. Roudabush and carried by the following recorded vote. AYES: NAYS: Mrs. David and ~essrs. Dorrier, Fisher, Henley, Iachetta and Roudabush. None. Mr. Fisher noted he'~had received a letter signed by the principal and assistant principa] a~ Jack Jouett School stating that they would like to have something done to Hydraulic Road. At 5:3~ P.M., Mr. Fisher requested an executive session to discuss property acquisition and legal matters. Motion to this effect was offered by Mr. Roudabush, seconded by Dr. Iache and carried by t~he following recorded vote. AYES: NAYS: Mrs. David and Messrs. Dorrier, Fisher, Henley, !achetta and Roudabush. None. At 7:30 P.M., the meeting reconvened and immediately adjourned. Chai~n r r ~a