CITY
OF CHARLOTTESVILLE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
MEMO
To: Fry’s Spring Neighbors
From: Brian Haluska, AICP, Neighborhood Planner
Date: 12/7/07
RE: Neighborhood Issues/Development Update
Fry’s Spring
Fontaine Research Park Rezoning – The University of Virginia Real Estate Foundation has submitted an application to the County Board of Supervisors to rezone the Fontaine Research Park to allow an approximate doubling of the density of the Research Park. This action is consistent with discussions that occurred during the preparation of the Area B Study. The concept plan submitted with the rezoning does not show the proposed Fontaine/Sunset Connector going all the way through University property. However, Mr. Sandridge has written the Mayor and indicated that the University is committed to building the connector from Fontaine to their property line that adjoins the Granger Property. At this point they only show the road as necessary to service the development, but he is committed to build an additional road to extend to the property line when the project moves forward. They have not proffered to assist with the bridge over the railroad or Moore’s Creek at this time. At the PACC Tech meeting on 10/18, there was a discussion of an alternative solution raised by the University. The PACC Tech has recommended that both alternatives be further studied. No Change.
Center/Hill Development – A rezoning request for a Planned Unit Development for the Center/Hill property has been submitted to the Planning Commission and will be considered for preliminary discussion on September 11th. No action will be taken at this meeting, but instead issues and concerns will be raised. The development shows single family homes fronting on a street that connects Center to Hill Street. We understand that the applicant intends to revise the rezoning request for public hearing by the Planning Commission and the City Council at the December 11th Planning Commission meeting. Notices will be sent if the application is received and Brian will be in touch with the neighborhood committee. The applicant has requested to meet with two Planning Commissioners prior to the public hearing. The applicant met with two Planning Commissioners prior to the December meeting deadline, but has elected to defer the public hearing until at least January to address a utility conflict.
Old Lynchburg Road – The meeting held on September 19th to again meet the team and begin discussing the needs and concerns about Old Lynchburg Road was well attended. This was the first opportunity for adjacent property owners and neighborhood residents to talk about specific issues with the design team. No Change
JPA Bridge – There was a rescoping meeting held last month with all of the VDOT design team and City staff and a subsequent meeting with the neighborhood. At this meeting, details were emphasized to VDOT to achieve the neighborhood concerns. No Change.
Huntley PUD – Jim Tolbert met with the Beyers about the application for amendment to the Huntley Planned Unit Development, along with two members of the Planning Commission. At this meeting, staff was advised by the Beyers that they no longer desire to pursue a rezoning, but instead intend to develop according to the already approved plan on this section of the site. Because they already have an approved site plan, that is their prerogative. We have emphasized to the developer that he needs to quickly submit his reforestation plan so that it can be approved and trees planted during this planting season. We have also suggested to them that the undersized street trees can be replaced without waiting on approval of the reforestation plan. The owners go to the Planning Commission on November 13th to ask approval to plant fifty 2-inch caliper trees rather than the forty 4-inch caliper trees previously agreed to. The Planning Commission approved a substitution of 60 2-inch caliper trees for the 40 4-inch caliper trees. Staff is expecting an amended planting plan from the applicant to show where the 60 trees will be planted.
Old Lynchburg Road Apartment Complex - We have been approached by the developer of an apartment complex in Albemarle County that has a small sliver of City land just across from Azalea Park. They scheduled a meeting to talk with Tony Edwards and Jim Tolbert about constructing an access to the apartment complex onto Old Lynchburg Road just across from Azalea Park. Staff has indicated to their engineers once and will continue to do so that access to a multi-family property is not allowed to be constructed on land that is zoned for single family or two-family dwellings. Staff believes our ordinance will not allow this, but Jim wanted you to be aware that there was an effort underway to try to utilize this access point. Since our last meeting, staff has determined that the road rough-in point for surveying is actually in the County, just outside the City limits. If that is where the owners decide to access the City will have no part in that approval process. However, City staff will continue to make County staff aware of our concern. No Change
Zoning Changes: NDS interns have completed the neighborhood survey of the area zoned R-2. Staff has mapped this information and are ready to meet with the three neighborhood representatives to go over the findings and formalize a proposal to the Planning Commission. Jim Tolbert and I met with Terri Dicintio and Andrea Weider to discuss in the maps on November 19th. I will be presenting the same maps at the upcoming neighborhood meeting on December 12th.
Cleveland/Highland and “The Thumb”: Staff had the pre-bid on the construction project on Cherry/Highland and on the improvements to the Cherry/Cleveland/Willard intersection on November 8th. Khadija Abdur-Rahman, our engineer, gave a start date of November 13th and completion date of December 21, 2007. Staff will do all we can to keep the contractor to this schedule. Construction has started on the Cherry/Cleveland/Willard intersection improvements.
Avon Center: This is a 43 acre commercial development in the County of Albemarle, just south of the Ridge Street neighborhood. The development would connect Fifth Street Extended to Avon Street. City staff has met with the developers to talk over the concerns the City has regarding the project, specifically regarding the traffic impact on 5th Street. This development would have an outlet to 5th street Extended via Bent Creek Road. No change.
Addendum:
- purchase and delivery status and planting schedule for the 60 trees to be installed at Huntley development – I will contact the developer and find out any information I can.
- zoning status for the new house build now on Raymond Ave. (this was discussed at the zoning meeting Terri DiCintio and Andrea Wieder had with Brian Haluska and Jim Tolbert on Nov. 19 - and he promised us he would look into it) – The house was built by right. The older house was on a parcel with two lots, and the new house was built on the unused lot. I know it is a strange configuration that we would not approve today, but it was pre-existing.
- balloting schedule for the 4th hump (Highland Ave.) and update on progress at WCC intersection and bulbouts at base of Highland – WCC is on schedule to be completed in late December. Highland/Cherry intersection should be done in the first few weeks of January. Both projects schedules are obviously subject to the weather, but are moving along according to plans. I will check with Jeanie about when the balloting for the fourth speed hump will take place.
- Update on schedule for the repairs to Crestmont Ave. where the utility poles were installed and the sidewalks were torn-up. – I haven’t heard anything more than what Jim told you in his e-mail dated November 19th, but I will hunt around and see if anyone has any new information.