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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/7/2004 - MinutesROANOKE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 7, 2004 Present: Ms. Martha Hooker Mr. Steve Azar Mr. Rodney McNeil Mr. Gary Jarrell Mr. Arnold Covey Mr. Paul Mahoney, County Attorney Ms. Janet Scheid, Secretary Mr. David Holladay Mr. Chris Lowe Mr. Tim Beard Mr. John Murphy Mr. Anthony Ford Mr. Doug Chittum, Director of Economic Development Ms. Susan Carter, Recording Secretary Guests: Mr. Charles Hofer Mr. Tim Thornton, The Roanoke Times Ms. Pam Berberich Mr. Alexander Boone Ms. Melody Williams Mr. Len Boone Mr. Bob Flynn Mr. Ron Booth Mr. Pete McKnight Mr. Andy Kelderhouse Ms. Annie Krochalis Mr. Jim Woltz Mr. Dave Robbins Ms. Frankie Robbins Mr. Kevin Barnes Absent: Mr. Al Thomason WORK SESSION: Session opened at 4:00 p.m. by Ms. Hooker. Approval of Agenda Mr. Azar moved to approve the agenda as amended. Motion passed 4-0. 1 Approval of Minutes Mr. Azar moved to approve the July 20, 2004 PCWS minutes. Motion passed 3- 0. Ms. Hooker abstained. Mr. Azar moved to approve the August 3, 2004 PCPH minutes. Motion passed 4-0. Approval of Consent Agenda Mr. Azar moved to approve the October 5, 2004 Consent Agenda. Motion passed 4-0. Discussion of PC Procedure Mr. John Murphy reviewed his memo regarding information submitted by the petitioner during public hearings which has not previously been presented to staff for evaluation. Ms. Hooker stated the commission may need assistance from staff regarding determination of which items are of major importance. She expressed concern regarding delaying the hearing for a minor item. Mr. Jarrell stated each instance may need to be handled on an individual basis. Ms. Scheid provided examples of major issues. Mr. McNeil stated they need staff expertise. He stated if the information has not been incorporated into a written report, the petition should be postponed. Mr. Azar stated if necessary he is in favor of continuing the petition. He stated it is important not to rush judgment of each case. He stated they need to look at the total project in order to provide a smooth transition of their analysis of information to the Board of Supervisors. Ms. Scheid stated staff will draft a policy for the commission to review at their next meeting. She stated this policy would be given to the petitioner when they submit their application. Discussion of Comprehensive Plan Mr. Chris Lowe explained the issues regarding the Stormwater Management section. Mr. McNeil asked about retention ponds. Mr. Lowe stated both on-site ponds and regional ponds will be used for stormwater management. Mr. Covey explained financing methods for large projects. Mr. Covey stated some localities place the funding issue on a bond referendum for citizen vote. All commissioners present indicated they were in agreement with the contents of this section. Mr. Ford presented a brief history of the Transportation section of the Comprehensive Plan. He provided an overview of the 1-81 and 1-73 corridors. He reviewed each portion of the outline. Mr. Azar requested information about the Six Year Road Plan. Mr. Covey explained VDOT's planning process. Mr. Mahoney explained the steps which are necessary prior to placing projects out to bid. Mr. Azar asked about the length of time until improvements are made to a road which is on the Six Year Road Plan. Mr. Covey noted the amount of time is dependent upon the availability and the allocation of funds. Mr. McNeil inquired about level of service designations. Mr. Ford explained the designations. Mr. McNeil suggested the Community Plan should be linked to the level of service. K Mr, Ford stated they could recommend the developer make improvements to a road prior to development of area. Mr. Mahoney stated if a level of service provision is made in the Community Plan, the county would have a legitimate basis to deny a rezoning request. Mr. McNeil recommended addressing this issue in the Comp Plan. Mr. Ford stated VDOT and the Director of the Department currently can request a traffic study. He is requesting the Traffic Engineer also be allowed to request a traffic study. Mr. Azar requested holding off on the Transportation section until more research has been completed on this issue. Mr. Doug Chittum, Director of Economic Development, reviewed the Economic Development section. He noted there is a misconception regarding the amount of developable land available. He stated Virginia has a relatively small amount of land to develop compared to other states. He stated the Board of Supervisors would like the ratio of real estate taxes to be 75% residential/ 25% commercial; he stated the current ratio is 86%114%. He stated most future developments will directly impact the Blue Ridge Parkway and/or residential areas. Ms. Scheid suggested creating objectives and strategies in order to mitigate issues with neighborhoods and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Ms. Hooker noted a single solution may not remedy all development issues. Mr. Chittum stated his department will support rezonings if the proposed land use is a good fit for the property. Mr. McNeil asked where rezoning and development guidelines would be placed in the Comp Plan. Ms. Scheid stated cross-over guidelines would be in both Economic Development and Growth Management. The commissioners agreed that this section requires some additional refining. Ms. Scheid requested that the Economic Development and Transportation revisions be completed by the next PCWS on September 21St Ms. Scheid reviewed the Utilities section. She stated the main change to this area is the development of the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA). Ms. Hooker inquired about private wells. Ms. Scheid noted wells would be considered a growth management issue since they are private. Mr. McNeil requested a copy of the WVWA Capital Improvement Plan. Comments Mr. Andy Kelderhouse, President of F & W, Inc., stated developers paid over $2 million in connection fees to Roanoke County. Ms. Hooker stated these fees are often passed on to the buyer of the property. Mr. Kelderhouse stated the 75125 ratio is unreachable. He stated it would be necessary to double current retail property in order to reach the 75125 ratio. Mr. Len Boone, Boone, Boone and Loeb, stated development is dependent on supply and demand. He stated the Board of Supervisors need to realistically re- evaluate their goals regarding development. Mr. Chittum stated the 75125 ratio is a goal. Mr. McNeil asked if any development has been turned down. Mr. Boone said none have been denied but it has been used against the industry. Ms. Annie Krochalis stated development of property should not be a goal. She stated commercial development up against the Blue Ridge Parkway and residential areas is in disagreement with citizens' desires. She stated the Planning Commission should represent citizens and not only the developers. She stated not all citizens want growth. Mr. Chittum stated his department supports those who want to exercise their right to develop property appropriately. Site Viewing The meeting was adjourned for site viewing at 5:30 p.m. 4 PUBLIC HEARING: Mr. Thomason called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Ms. Hooker gave the invocation and led the pledge of allegiance. Public Hearing to receive public comments on a proposal to adopt a revised Community (Comprehensive) Pian for Roanoke County, Virginia. The proposed Community Plan is comprised of both text and maps. Once recommended by the Planning Commission and adopted by the Board of Supervisors, the plan will serve as a general guide for a long range use and development of all land within Roanoke County. The proposed plan has been prepared in accordance with guidelines contained in Sections 15.2- 2223 and 2224 of the Code of Virginia, and Section 30-8-1 of the Roanoke County Zoning Ordinance. (Continued to October 5, 2004) 2. The petition of Pinkerton Properties, LLC to rezone 6.15 acres from R1 Low Density Residential District to R3 Medium Density Multi Family District in order to construct townhouses, located at the northerly end of Byron Road, Catawba Magisterial District. Mr. Chris Lowe presented the staff report. Mr. Lowe stated proffers should be signed by the petitioner within the next week. Ms. Hooker asked about proffers. Mr. Lowe explained the proffers and discussed the proposed fencing and stormwater pond. He stated the stormwater will be running at a lesser rate after the development of the stormwater ponds than it is currently running. Ms. Hooker asked about the expected increase in traffic if the property was developed R1. Mr. Lowe stated that Mr. Anthony Ford, Roanoke County Traffic Engineer, stated more children generally live in R1 areas and this generally creates more vehicle trips per day. Mr. McNeil asked if the road would be public or private. Mr. Lowe stated the petitioner has not decided on the type of road for the development. Mr. Ed Natt, Esquire, spoke representing the petitioner. He stated approximately 40 residents attended the Community Meeting. He stated generally most comments were positive. He stated they incorporated some of the citizens' suggestions into the revised plan. He stated the plan is in conformity with the Comprehensive Plan. He stated that if the property was developed as R1 then more families would live there and this would generate more traffic. He stated that runoff from this development would be decreased from existing conditions. He stated additional screening would shield the Murphy's home from cars as they enter the development. He stated existing trees would be used as landscaping. He stated the former Montclair Swim Club would be used for stormwater management. He stated homes will be in $160,000 range. He compared setback requirements for R1 and R3. Mr. Tim Whitt, 2628 Embassy Drive, stated he has had water in his basement when the sewer has backed up. He expressed concern regarding traffic. Mr. Natt explained access points to the area. Mr. Giles Gilley, 2818 Emissary Drive, expressed concern about the stormwater ponds. He stated the proposed screening is nice. He stated the area has a history of flooding. Mr. Craig Dickerson, 2817 Emissary Drive, stated the area has a stormwater runoff problem. He stated he represents approximately 100 area citizens. He stated the rezoning does not conform to the purpose of the current zoning. He stated 12-13 homes on these lots in the current R1 zoning would be more appropriate. Mr. Timothy Murphy, 5628 Ambassador Drive, stated although no one likes development, this rezoning is better than single family homes. He stated issues such as buffering and streetlights have been worked out with the developer. He stated this type of development would add fewer children to the schools. Ms. Dorisa Thompson, 2748 Diplomat Drive, stated she has two small children. She stated it is difficult to believe single family dwellings create more traffic. She expressed concerns with expected traffic. Mr. Gerald Curtis, 2826 Embassy Drive, stated the former Montclair Swim Club created increased traffic. He expressed concern regarding stormwater. He expressed concern regarding increased traffic and speeding. He stated the Roanoke County Police Department does not respond to their calls. He stated the developer is proposing this type of development in order to make an increased profit. He stated that the neighborhood should not be penalized. Mr. Alvin Rodeck, 2834 Emissary Drive, expressed concern about mosquitoes in the stormwater ponds to be located near his home. He stated single family homes would be more appropriate since the surrounding area is R1. Ms. Heather Ashley, 2608 Embassy Drive, spoke in favor of the R3 zoning. She stated retired residents would create less traffic. She also stated grandparents would be more careful driving near children. Ms. Diana Morehart, 5719 Deputy Drive, expressed concern regarding the impact on schools. She stated the bus stops are already full. She stated increased traffic would be harmful to the area. 6 Mr. Natt stated the owner of the property by right can currently develop the property for 19 single family homes. He stated the traffic and stormwater issues have been addressed. He noted the developer will be required to post a bond for stormwater management ponds. He stated the petitioner will be leaving much of the land in its natural state and the proposed development will offer greater buffering and less traffic. Ms. Hooker asked if street lights are proposed. Mr. Natt deferred to staff. Mr. Lowe stated if it is developed as a public road, VDOT will decide. He stated if it is developed as a private road, the county will decide. Ms. Hooker asked about the responsibility of stormwater pond maintenance. Mr. Natt stated a homeowners association would be formed to maintain ponds as part of the amenities offered. He stated the developer will be required to post bond to insure ponds for a specific amount of time. Mr. Azar noted the development, including the proposed proffers would assist in improving stormwater issues, traffic issues, and providing more buffering for the area. Mr. McNeil asked if the developer agrees with the proposed proffers. Mr. Natt affirmed the petitioner is in agreement with the proffers. Mr. McNeil asked how many units potentially could be built with R3 zoning. Ms. Scheid stated 70 units could be built under R3 zoning. Mr. Natt noted the proffers state the site plan shall conform to the Master Development Plan dated August 20, 2004 developed by T.P. Parker & Son. Ms. Hooker then made the motion to recommend approval of the rezoning with the following conditions: 1. The property will be developed in substantial conformity with the "Revised Townhouse Development August 20, 2004, Proposed 28 Townhouses Proposed Zoning R-3, 6.15 Acres", prepared by T.P. Parker & Son attached hereto. 2. Wherever possible, existing vegetation shall be preserved and incorporated into the buffering requirements. Screening and buffering in that area of the development adjoining Tax Map No. 036.19-01-12.00 shall utilize Type (A) Buffer, Option 2 with an eight (8) foot vinyl screening fence instead of the six (6) foot screening required. AYES: Hooker, Azar, McNeil, Jarrell NAYS: None ABSENT: Thomason FINAL ORDERS The petition of Double D Mini -Mart, Inc. to obtain a Special Use Permit to operate a car wash, located at 7443 Williamson Road, Hollins Magisterial District was approved by the Board of Supervisors at the Public Hearing on August 24, 2004. FA 2. The petition of Pinkerton Properties, LLC to rezone 7.83 acres from R1 Low Density Residential District and C2C General Commercial District with Conditions to R3 High Density Multi Family District in order to construct townhouses, located at the northerly end of Bryon Road, Catawba Magisterial District. (Continued to September 7, 2004) 3. The petition of Pinkerton Properties, LLC to obtain a Special Use Permit to construct a major utility service (stormwater management pond), located at 2820 Byron Drive, Catawba Magisterial District. (Withdrawn by petitioner) 4. The petition of Jerry Douglas Kidd, Inc. tla Brookside Auto Sales, to obtain a Special Use Permit to conduct recreational vehicle sales, located at 6718 Williamson Road, Hollins District was approved by the Board of Supervisors at the Public Hearing on August 24, 2004. 5. The petition of Virginia PCS Alliance, LC dba NTELOS, to obtain a Special Use Permit to construct a telecommunications facility, located at 7401 Barrens Road, Hollins District was approved by the Board of Supervisors at the Public Hearing on August 24, 2004. 6. The amended petition of George Golf Design, Inc. to obtain a Special Use Permit to develop and operate a golf course on 362 acres and rezone 115 acres from AG -3, Agricultural to AR, Agricultural Residential, located at 3687 Pitzer Road, Vinton Magisterial District was continued to September 14, 2004. 7. The petition of Barry M. and Janet B. Fitzgerald to rezone 4.514 acres from 12 Industrial District to R1 Low Density Residential District in order to construct single family dwellings, located at 5132 Poor Mountain Road, Catawba Magisterial District was approved by the Board of Supervisors at the Public Hearing on August 24, 2004. 8. The petition of Star City Comics and Games to obtain a Special Use Permit to operate a commercial indoor amusement facility located at 5728 Williamson Road, Hollins Magisterial District was approved by the Board of Supervisors at the Public Hearing on August 24, 2004. Citizen Comments Mr. Bob Flynn, spoke representing the Roanoke Regional Homebuilders Association (RRHBA). He expressed concern regarding the implementation of a building restriction based on inadequate public facilities. He noted the Virginia General Assembly and Senate have voted down a bill which would have allowed localities to prohibit development based on inadequate roads. He also expressed concern regarding the legality of implementing such an ordinance. He stated this type of restriction sends the wrong message. Ms. Hooker requested E:3 staff research the legality of passing such an ordinance, reporting back to the commission with the findings. Ms. Scheid stated she will consult with Mr. Paul Mahoney, County Attorney regarding this issue Mr. Flynn suggested tying the Transportation goals with Growth Management Section. Update On Status Of Community Plan Revisions Ms. Scheid noted the commissioners have completed their review and revisions on the Stormwater Management and Utilities sections of the Comp Plan. She stated Transportation and Economic Development sections should be ready for review at the PCWS on September 21St. She also requested commissioners review the Chronology of the Comp Plan Revisions included in their packets. She requested they provide feedback to staff on the process. Comments of Planning Commissioners and Planning Staff None. None. There being no additional business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:04 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, _r ., .. a. •yrs: Approved: i" a I Secretary, Roanoke County Planning Commission 9