WILLIAMSBURG PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Wednesday, The regular monthly meeting of the Williamsburg Planning Commission was held on Wednesday, at 3:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Stryker Building, 412 North Boundary Street, Williamsburg, Virginia. CALL TO ORDER and ATTENDANCE First Vice-Chairman Bill Kafes called the meeting to order. Present in addition to Mr. Kafes were Commissioners Demetrios Florakis, Christopher Connolly, Dan Quarles, Greg Ballentine and Sarah Stafford. Chairman Sean Driscoll was absent. Staff members present were Planning Director Reed Nester, Deputy Planning Director Carolyn Murphy, Zoning Administrator Rodney Rhodes, City Attorney Christina Shelton and Secretary Donna Scott. MINUTES Ms. Stafford moved that the minutes for the July 17, 2013 meeting be approved as submitted. Mr. Ballentine seconded the motion which carried by roll call vote of 6-0. Recorded vote on the motion: Aye: Kafes, Connolly, Florakis, Quarles, Stafford, Ballentine Nay: None Absent: Driscoll CONSENT AGENDA None PUBLIC HEARINGS None OPEN FORUM First Vice-Chairman Kafes opened the Open Forum portion of the meeting encouraging comments from the audience on any topic. He noted that this will be the only opportunity at this meeting for members of the audience to address the Commissioners. There being no comment the Open Forum was closed. SITE PLANS AND SUBDIVISIONS PCR #13-028: Request for Riverside Healthcare Association, Inc. for approval of a Development Plan for public streets and private alleys, public utilities (water and storm sewer) and associated grading for Quarterpath at Williamsburg, 1451 Quarterpath Road. This project will provide street, alley and utility access for the Aura at Quarterpath apartment project at 3950, 4050 and 4150 Battery Boulevard. The Commission approved the Development Plan with contingencies by a vote of 6-0.
Page 2 SPR #13-010: Aura at Quarterpath/3950, 4050 and 4150 Battery Boulevard New apartment project (3 buildings, 227 apartments). The Commission approved the Site Plan with contingencies by a vote of 6-0. Mr. Nester said that the two above-noted related cases will be reviewed simultaneously, but voted on separately. Mr. Nester gave a brief history of the development noting that the Aura at Quarterpath Apartments will be the first non-hospital development proposed for the Riverside property known as Quarterpath at Williamsburg. There are two parts to the 227 unit Aura at Quarterpath Apartments proposed for 3950, 4050 and 4150 Battery Boulevard: (1) the Development Plan for the street and utility improvements proposed by Riverside Healthcare Association, Inc., and (2) the Site Plan for the apartments proposed by Bonaventure Realty Group. The Development Plan for North Village Green Area will provide the public infrastructure needed to serve the proposed Aura at Williamsburg Apartments. The land to the rear of the apartments is slated for future development as townhouses on individual lots, and detailed plans for the public streets, private alleys and public utilities will be submitted in conjunction with the Development Plan for the townhouses. The private alley to the rear of the apartment lots is 20 feet wide and will provide additional access to the apartment parking lots as well as to the future townhouse lots. The primary stormwater management facility for Quarterpath at Williamsburg is Tutter s Neck Pond and a temporary detention area is also provided east of the future Redoubt Road. Quarterpath at Williamsburg has 272.59 net acres. Based on a density of five dwelling units/net acre, 894 dwelling units are allowed in the 178.85 net acres in the ED District. In addition, 468 dwelling units could be allowed in the RS-2 District north of Tutter s Neck Pond (93.74 net acre) with a rezoning to PDR or with a special use permit for a cluster subdivision. The total dwelling units permitted for Quarterpath at Williamsburg is 1,362. Zoning Administrator, Rod Rhodes, presented the site plan for the four-story apartment buildings that will have 227 dwelling units (70 one-bedroom, 125 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom units). The 227 apartment units comprise 25.4% of the dwelling units allowed in the ED District section, therefore, 667 additional dwelling units can be built in the ED District section. Parcel 1 (Lot 3 on the Development Plan) consists of 3.0 acres and will be developed with one 112 dwelling unit apartment building. It will provide 188 parking spaces with 153 on-site and 35 off-site along the adjoining streets. Although bicycle parking facilities are not required in the Zoning Ordinance, there are eight bicycle parking spaces provided, including two at an entrance on Road D. Parcel 2 (Lot 2 on the Development Plan) consists of 4.12 acres and will be developed with two apartment buildings with a total of 115 dwelling units. The Zoning Ordinance requires 193 parking spaces and 214 will be provided with 173 spaces on-site and 41
Page 3 off-site along the adjoining streets. There are 14 bicycle parking spaces provided including two at an entrance on Road D. The City requires at least 20% of the gross lot area in the ED District to be landscaped open space and the proposal provides approximately 25%. The landscape plan meets all site plan requirements. In addition to the restrictions on residential density, the ED District also limits the amount of property used exclusively for residential use to not more than 40% of the gross area of land in the ED District. The Aura at Quarterpath Apartments use 7.84% of the gross land area available for exclusive residential use, leaving 83.64 gross acres that can be devoted exclusively to residential use. Aura at Quarterpath is not located in a Corridor Protection District, so approval of the building architecture by the Architectural Review Board is not required. Mr. Nester said that adequate pedestrian facilities need to be provided to enable residents safe and easy access to the Quarterpath Shopping Center on one side and the hospital on the other side. Ms. Stafford noted that there is already a sidewalk from the hospital to Rt. 60 which provides access if someone wanted to go to the nearby 7- Eleven store. In response to Mr. Kafes question, Mr. Nester said the alleyway will be built as part of the development plan because it will provide interconnections to the parking lots for the apartments as well as rear access to future townhouses. Going up from Village Green is a public street with parallel parking on both sides which initially will be built between Village Green and the alley. He added that to the right of Building 1, a short piece of public street would go alongside the apartments. This would need to be completed before certificates of occupancy are issued. Mr. Nester pointed out that another reason the streets are needed is the parking requirements in the ED District allow on-street parking that abuts the properties to be counted as part of their parking. The reverse angle parking along Battery Boulevard could be counted, the parking north of Village Green is counted toward the required parking and there are about two or three parking spaces that would be counted toward the Building 1 parking. Also, the street to the right of Building 1 is needed to get access into the rear parking lot. For Buildings 2 and 3 the primary access is directly from Battery Boulevard. Mr. Kafes pointed out that the only thing before the Commission today is from the alley south and Mr. Nester added that these are the public facilities, although the alley is a private alley, on the development plan that are needed specifically to serve the apartments. Mr. Ballentine asked if the parking spaces required and the figures that were quoted include the angled parking spaces on Battery Boulevard and Mr. Rhodes said they do. Mr. Ballentine asked if it is anticipated that once it is fully developed and the commercial side across from Village Green, there could be vehicles parked permanently in the angled parking on Battery Boulevard. Mr. Rhodes responded that they could provide parking space for tenants in the apartments, but Mr. Ballentine asked if the angled spaces are supposed to meet the needs for the commercial lots across the street. Mr.
Page 4 Nester noted that any commercial lots across the street that abut the angled parking spaces could count the spaces at that lot plus the provision of some additional spaces in parking lots. He said the theory is for a type of shared use parking so it is expected that the people living in the apartments on the first floor or with entrances near the front of the building probably would be using those parking spaces along Battery Boulevard. Those spaces may be vacant during the day that could be used by businesses and business spaces could be vacant in the evening. Mr. Nester said that when the Economic Development Parking District was set up this was done intentionally to allow the on-street parking to be counted to lessen the total number of spaces being provided and lessen the amount of hard surface pavement. Mr. Ballentine responded that he understands the benefit to the developer of the apartments, but do we anticipate that there could be an issue with people parking in the angled spots somewhat permanently, particularly the spots the commercial sites would like to use? Mr. Nester responded that he thinks it would basically work itself out. There will not be reserved spaces there and the way the ordinance is set up it does provide a workable situation for parking. Ms. Stafford noted for clarification that the angled spaces can only be counted for one purpose so since they are being counted for parking for the apartments, the commercial buildings will only count the angled spaces on the south side; the spaces never get double counted. Mr. Nester confirmed this and added that the spaces can only be counted that directly abut your property. In response to Mr. Kafes question, Mr. Nester said hourly limitations on parking is not addressed at this point. There are no plans at this point to create something like two hour parking. All the spaces along Battery Boulevard are in the City right-of-way, the City has regulatory authority over those spaces and could put regulations on them, although having two hour parking in front of an apartment building is not very workable for the apartment building residents. Ms. Stafford noted that people who want to park a car permanently, could park in the lot in the rear of the building. Mr. Nester noted that the City does have the flexibility to impose parking regulations along Battery Boulevard should that become necessary in the future. There being no additional discussion, Mr. Kafes called for a motion. PCR #13-028: Ms. Stafford moved that the Planning Commission approve the Development Plan for the Village Green North Area, contingent upon resolving engineering details to the satisfaction of City staff and the following: 1. Completion of the following prior to the issuance of any land disturbing or building permits for the project: a. Obtaining coverage under the Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). b. Obtaining approval for the water mains from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). c. Obtaining the required state and federal regulatory approvals for stormwater management prior to beginning work on the Development Plan, unless an acceptable interim stormwater management plan is approved by the City
Page 5 Engineer. 2. Completion of the following prior to the acceptance of the streets and utilities by the City: a. Dedication of easements for the water main and the public storm sewer lines. b. Certification by a licensed professional engineer that the water mains, stormwater management facilities and public storm sewer lines have been constructed in accordance with the approved Development Plan. c. Provision of as-built plans. Mr. Connolly seconded the motion which carried by roll call vote of 6-0. Recorded vote on the motion: Aye: Kafes, Connolly, Florakis, Quarles, Stafford, Ballentine Nay: None Absent: Driscoll SPR #13-010: Mr. Ballentine moved that the Planning Commission approve the Site Plan for the Aura at Quarterpath Apartments, contingent upon resolving engineering details to the satisfaction of City staff and the following: 1. Completion of the following prior to the issuance of any land disturbing or building permits for the project: a. Obtaining coverage under the Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). b. Obtaining the required state and federal regulatory approvals for stormwater management prior to beginning work on the Site Plan for the Aura at Quarterpath Apartments, unless an acceptable interim stormwater management plan is approved by the City engineer. 2. Completion of the following prior to the issuance of any certificate of occupancy: a. Certification by a licensed professional engineer that the construction of the infrastructure is in accordance with the approved site plan. b. Provision of as-built plans. c. Construct the sidewalks and on-street parking spaces adjacent to the development along the north side of Battery Boulevard and the Village Green, and along Road D and the west side of Road C. d. Completion of the construction of the multi-use path on the north side of Battery Boulevard from the end of the sidewalk near Quarterpath Road to Redoubt Road. e. Completion of the sidewalk on the north side of Battery Boulevard between the Redoubt Road crosswalk and the sidewalk in front of Parcel 2, or construction of a temporary hard-surfaced sidewalk approved by the City Engineer. f. Completion of the sidewalk on the north side of Battery Boulevard from the sidewalk in front of Parcel 1 to Commonwealth Avenue, or construction of a temporary hard-surfaced sidewalk approved by the City Engineer. Ms. Stafford seconded the motion which carried by roll call vote of 6-0.
Page 6 Recorded vote on the motion: Aye: Kafes, Connolly, Florakis, Quarles, Stafford, Ballentine Nay: None Absent: Driscoll OLD BUSINESS -- None NEW BUSINESS -- None OTHER INFORMATION ITEMS Information Items received by Planning Commission members: Report from City Council Planning Department Monthly Report Monthly Financial Statement There being no additional business the meeting was adjourned at 3:55 p.m. William O. Kafes, First Vice-Chairman Williamsburg Planning Commission PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 18, 2013 2013 Comprehensive Plan Implementation Design Review Guidelines PCR #13-029: Revision of the City of Williamsburg Design Review Guidelines and associated changes to the Official Zoning Map - Architectural Review Districts. The Design Review Guidelines provide guidance to the Architectural Review Board and to property owners in the Architectural Preservation and Corridor Protection Districts. In conjunction with this revision, three changes are proposed to the Architectural Review Districts map: the Crispus Attucks subdivision (400-422 Harriet Tubman Drive) is proposed to be changed from the Architectural Preservation AP-2 District to the Architectural Preservation AP-3 District, properties along Richmond Road in the Arts and Cultural District (727-1220, 1233, 1233A and 1305 Richmond Road) are proposed to be changed from the CP Corridor Protection District to the Architectural Preservation AP-3 District, and properties at 1209 and 1229 Lafayette Street are proposed to be changed from the Architectural Preservation AP-3 District to the CP Corridor Protection District. PCR #13-031: Amend the Zoning Ordinance by revising the regulations for visual obstruction on corner lots [Sec. 21-612]. The proposed regulation will be based on the actual physical characteristics of the intersection.