5 Board of Supervisors Gary F. Snellings, Chairman Laura A. Sellers, Vice Chairman Meg Bohmke Jack R. Cavalier Paul V. Milde, III Cord A. Sterling Robert Bob Thomas, Jr. October 14, 2015 Anthony J. Romanello, ICMA CM County Administrator MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: Stafford County Planning Commission J SUBJECT: SUB15150656; Courthouse Manor, Preliminary Subdivision Plan ATTACHMENTS: 1. Location map 2. Copy of proposed preliminary subdivision plan 3. Application 4. Resolution R15-16 5. VDOT approval letter dtd 9/16/15 6. Historical Commission approval letter dtd 6/9/15 ISSUE: The Planning Commission is to consider an application for a preliminary subdivision plan for Courthouse Manor, prepared by Charles Fitzgerald, Jr., Bowman Consulting Group, Ltd. BACKGROUND: Applicant/Owner: Craig George 8401 Greensboro Dr., Suite 450 McLean, VA 22102 Date of Application: April 21, 2015 Time Limit: January 7, 2016 Tax Map Parcel Nos.: 30-78 and 30-136 Location: Size of Parcel: North side of Courthouse Road, west side of Dent Road, and south of Hope Road 33.45 acres 1300 Courthouse Road, P. O. Box 339, Stafford, VA 22555 0339 Phone: (540) 658.8600 Fax: (540) 658.7643 www.staffordcountyva.gov
Memorandum to: Stafford County Planning Commission October 14, 2015 Page 2 of 5 Zoning: R-1, Suburban Residential (w/ conditions R15-16) Number of Lots: 75 Utilities: Staff Project Manager: Election District: Public Water and Sewer Andrea K Hornung, AICP Aquia COMMENTS: This preliminary subdivision plan proposes 75 single-family residential cluster lots on Tax Map Parcel Nos. 30-78 and 30-136, zoned R-1, Suburban Residential, as approved by the Conditional use permit dated March 17, 2015 for increased density not to exceed 2.25 dwelling units per acre. Proposed Courthouse Manor preliminary subdivision plan is 33.45 acres with an approved density of 2.24 dwelling units per acre. It is located within the Courthouse Area Redevelopment (RDA) Plan, and the Courthouse Small Area Plan, designated areas of the Comprehensive Plan. The property is located within the Urban Services Area (USA), being served by public water and sewer utilities. There will be 10.05 acres of passive recreational facilities in the form of open space including a tot lot. Stafford Elementary School is located to the west, a church located to the south, and single-family residential development located to the east and north. The proposed preliminary subdivision plan is surrounded by property zoned R-1, except A-1, Agricultural zoned property to the southeast. A conditional use permit, pursuant to Resolution R15-16 (Attachment 4), was approved March 17, 2015, with several conditions related to street buffers, transportation, easements, stormwater management, sidewalks, fire sprinklers, a sewer force main, fencing, and a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) contribution. Condition 22 that states a PDR contribution of $400,000 shall be contributed to the program will be satisfied prior to construction plan approval. The Courthouse Manor preliminary subdivision plan was reviewed at the May 27, 2015 Technical Review Committee (TRC) meeting. The applicant and engineer were present, provided written comments, and discussed all issues regarding review of the plan with representatives from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and various county agencies. The property is currently vacant with a majority of the site wooded. Approximately 32 acres of wooded area would be removed as a result of this proposal. A preliminary jurisdictional determination, made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, concluded that there are no wetlands or streams located on the property. The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) identifies the northern area of the property as located within the land route taken by the Continental, French, and Crown forces during the Revolutionary War, to and from the siege of Yorktown, August 1781 to July 1782. There are two archaeological site records listed with DHR. The required Phase I Cultural Resource Study was completed which satisfies Condition 10 of the conditional use permit. The Stafford County Historical Commission (SCHC) approved the Phase I conducted by Circa-Cultural Resource Management, LLC in a
Memorandum to: Stafford County Planning Commission October 14, 2015 Page 3 of 5 letter dated June 9, 2015 (Attachment 6) and noted that no further testing is needed for these sites and development. The Phase I survey showed Site 1 as having vertical and horizontal archaeology integrity as well as cultural stratigraphy. If the site cannot be avoided, the SCHC recommends a Phase II archaeological investigation be completed for this site. While not required, the applicant indicated that a Phase II study will be complete on Site 1 (circa 1830 s house site) formerly located in the southwest port of the property near Courthouse Road and provided to the County at the submission of the construction plan. Current Zoning Map
Memorandum to: Stafford County Planning Commission October 14, 2015 Page 4 of 5 Aerial Location The plan reflects a 6-foot wide sidewalk that will be constructed by the applicant to connect the development to the existing sidewalk network at Stafford Elementary School through an open space area adjacent to Lot 1. This satisfies Condition 16 of the conditional use permit. A tot lot, depicted in the graphic with the red square on the following page, will also be provided in the same area. The School Division requested an additional pedestrian 15-foot wide access easement at the north end of the development, at Lot 15, near the baseball field which satisfies Condition 17 of the conditional use permit as shown in the graphic on the following page.
Memorandum to: Stafford County Planning Commission October 14, 2015 Page 5 of 5 Tot Lot School Access Easement A 17.5-foot modified transitional buffer (with a fence) is shown along the western property line with Stafford Elementary School. A 35-foot transitional buffer is required between the proposed development and the existing church property to the south. County Code permits the buffer width and the number of plant units to be reduced by 50% if a 6-foot tall privacy/opaque fence is located within the buffer yard. Board on board fences shown throughout the development satisfies Condition 19 of the conditional use permit. The preliminary subdivision plan shows a 20-foot wide buffer between the residential lot lines and the proposed northeast Courthouse Bypass Road right-of-way, consisting of a double row of evergreen trees, in accordance with Condition 2 of the conditional use permit, which states that buffering should be required along major arterial and collector roads to limit road noise in residential areas. Additionally, a screening-buffer, consisting of a double row of evergreens, would extend between the northern property boundary and Tax Map Parcel Nos. 30-79 and 30-79B to the north as well as between the proposed development and Tax Map Parcel No. 30-130A.
Memorandum to: Stafford County Planning Commission October 14, 2015 Page 6 of 5 The screening between the future bypass road and Lot 43 is also shown as a 20-foot landscaping buffer. A variable width landscaping buffer is also shown adjacent to the R-1, residential lots west of the proposed Northeast Courthouse Bypass. The proposed Bypass is shown as a future 60-foot right-of-way. The construction timeline for the future bypass is uncertain and is not included in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the County or VDOT. The proposed development will have access with Dent Road and Courthouse Road via the proposed Bypass and separate entrances on Dent Road and Courthouse Road. Per VDOT s request, the proposed right-in/right-out on Courthouse Road will be designed to reduce the ability to make a left turn into the site. The proposal received approval for access to Dent Road, which currently has an unposted speed limit. The applicant conducted a Dent Road Speed Study (Study), dated June 10, 2014, which determined an appropriate speed limit of 30 mph. VDOT reviewed the study and found the analysis acceptable for purposes of sight distance for a proposed street connection. There is also an inter-parcel connection to Tax Map Parcel No. 30-79 identified between Lots 16 and 71 to the north. These access points are depicted in the schematic below as red squares. Points of Access The applicant is dedicating 30 feet of right-of-way along Hope Road, and 55 feet from the centerline on Courthouse Road, both of which are required by County Code Sec. 22-167. The applicant is also dedicating 25 feet from the centerline on Dent Road. This dedication satisfies Conditions 12, 13, and 14. The applicant is dedicating a 60-foot right-of-way along the eastern property line, together with the necessary construction easements (25 feet west and 15 feet east of the right-of-way), for the proposed northeast Courthouse Bypass Road (Bypass Road), as called for in the Comprehensive Plan. The Bypass Road is referenced directly and indirectly in several elements of the Comprehensive Plan, including the Courthouse Area Redevelopment Plan, the Courthouse UDA Small Area Plan, the Transportation Plan, and the Economic Development Strategic Plan. Conditions 4, 12, 13, and 14 are satisfied by showing these dedications and easements on the preliminary subdivision plan. The Courthouse Small Area Plan identifies the road as a two-lane collector facility. The applicant s engineer prepared an impact analysis for this segment of roadway which verified the current two-lane configuration with turn lanes could accommodate future local traffic in this area. VDOT provided comments stating that in order to function as a bypass, four lanes plus turn lanes would be the minimum required, with a large proportion of Route 1 through-traffic utilizing the roadway.
Memorandum to: Stafford County Planning Commission October 14, 2015 Page 7 of 5 The land designated as Open Space Parcel E appeared to constitute an improper spite strip according to VDOT. After further discussion, it was determined that the open space parcel may need to be acquired by the County as part of the right-of-way design, future planning, construction, and acceptance of the road. In accordance with Condition 3 of the conditional use permit, the applicant shall not clear the Open Space Parcel E except as reasonably required for implementing Condition 12. County regulations for Stormwater Management limit the amount of the peak discharge of stormwater runoff. Discharge of phosphorous for quantity and quality control from a developed property s water run-off shall be equal to or less than what was generated prior to any grading or development of the property. Water quantity and quality will be achieved utilizing a storm drainage system consisting of curb and yard inlets connected to an underground pipe network, collecting runoff and conveying it to an extended detention pond. Additional BMP will utilize infiltration basins to be treated and/or detained and released at acceptable rates. Condition 11 for stormwater management will be satisfied once the construction plan is approved. Conventional stormwater will be utilized in lieu of low impact development (LID) because LID is more suitable for large lot subdivisions where natural drainage divides and times of concentration are able to be approximated or maintained. Almost all of the impervious area will be captured by the ponds and BMP facilities. The rear of the homes, which are currently uncontrolled, will be directed to the streets and captured or over-compensated within the stormwater management facilities. Staff believes this plan is in compliance with all requirements of the Stafford County Code and the approved conditional use permit. Staff notes that Ordinance O15-20 which precludes the use of buffer areas to be used for required open space was adopted on August 18, 2015. The CUP was approved five months prior to the ordinance change. Two conditions of the permit require establishing buffers or open space to act as a buffer. Staff believes that the CUP approval and subsequent cluster concept plan approval would prevail as a vested right provided that the applicant continue to diligently pursue approval of the project. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the Courthouse Manor preliminary subdivision plan. JAH:akh Attachments (6)
SUB15150656; Preliminary Subdivision Plan COURTHOUSE MANOR Produced by the Stafford County Department of Planning and Zoning 540-658-8668 P.O. Box 339 Stafford, VA 22555 Attachment 1 Page 1 of 1 H O P E R D H O P E R D D R P ER S EV ER E H O P E R D H O P E R D S O M ER SET L N H O P E R D RO LE S L N H O PE RD LOVELACE LN M O U R N IN G D O V E D R STAFFO RD AVE 30-136 30-78 LI TLE RO CKY RU N LN å STAFFORD E.S. Training 13 C O U R T H O U S E R D DENT RD RID G E D R å 1 AQUIA CREEK DENT RD A U S TIN 95 ñ v _ STAFFORD E.S. å C O U R STAFFORD T HOU SE R D å å H O P E R D 0 180 360 720 Feet Produced: 9/22/2015 Data layers are compiled from various sources and are not to be construed or used as a "legal description." Data layers are believed to be accurate, but accuracy is not guaranteed. ±
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