Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-18 Impact Analysis StatementEQUUS CAPITAL PARTNERS STONEWALL IV IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT April 12, 2018 The Applicant for this rezoning, Equus Capital Partners, Ltd, seeks to change the classification of the subject property from RA (Rural Areas) to M-1 (Light Industrial) to construct not more than 820,000 square feet of motor freight transportation and warehouse facilities as permitted pursuant to § 165-606.02 of the Frederick County Zoning Ordinance, on ±88 acres located at the end of Lenoir Drive, immediately adjacent to the Stonewall Industrial Park. Although the application is for motor freight transportation and warehouse, which are the specific terms employed in the Ordinance, as is detailed in the Comment Response Letter that is incorporated in this submission by reference, because warehouse uses differ in character, and can therefore have differing traffic impacts on the surrounding road network, the Applicant proposes to proffer to limit its use of the property to two sub -classifications of warehouse use as those uses are defined by the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE). It will construct only "Warehousing," or "High -Cube Transload and Short Term Storage," Land Use Codes 150 and 154, as they are defined in the ITE Trip Generation Manual (10th Ed), which is now the controlling edition of that Manual. These sub -classifications of warehouse use, under the new 10th Edition, generate even less traffic than was modeled in the TIA that has been submitted and reviewed by the County Department of Transportation, and VDOT, and will therefore have the same or lesser impact on the roads that service the site than was previously used to calculate traffic impact. A. THE 2035 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. The Property is outside of the Urban Development Area, being just beyond its boundary at Route 37. The proposed development of industrial land is not required, however, to be inside the UDA. As noted below, the site is within the Sewer and Water Service Area ("SWSA"), which may, and in this case does, extend beyond the UDA to promote commercial, industrial, and institutional land uses in areas where residential land uses are not desirable. The Property is planned for industrial use.1 t The County's GIS does not depict the entire site as being planning for industrial use, but only because the Future Route 37 By-pass is generally depicted at the rear of the Property. Page 12 B. SUITABILITY OF THE SITE. The Property, particularly in the area to be developed, is relatively flat, with the highest points situated near the center of the site, and near Route 37. Redbud Run courses generally along the northern to the northeastern boundary of the site. The most severe terrain is located on the western edge of the Property where it falls off fairly steeply, but that area will be undisturbed by development. The site is accessed by Lenoir Drive. There is an existing stand of trees along the western boundary of the Property that will remain undisturbed by development, and will continue to serve as a buffer between the development and properties to the west. In the event that the Route 37 By-pass is constructed, those trees will likely be lost. C. SURROUNDING PROPERTIES The properties to the north of the site are all either industrially developed or zoned and planned for industrial use, as part of the Stonewall Industrial Park, as are the small parcels directly to the east across Lenoir Drive. There is a single parcel that is sandwiched between the Property and Route 37, owned by Oscar Jenkins, which remains zoned RA, and the parcels to the west are zoned RA. GIS shows that there are subdivided lots on the land adjacent to the west that will be accessed by Glentawber Road, but those lots have not been developed. Existing Route 37 runs to the south of the site. Access to the Jenkins Parcel is shown on the General Development Plan. See below with respect to access to the Jenkins Parcel D. TRAFFIC CONSIDERATIONS A Traffic Impact Analysis has been prepared by Kittleson & Associates and has been reviewed. The conclusion of that analysis is that the traffic generated from the proposed development does not require additional mitigation, and that no off-site transportation improvements are recommended. All study intersections are projected to continue to operate acceptably assuming full build -out of the development of the Property. See, too, the Comment Response Letter that more fully explain the change in estimated trip generation from the proposed warehousing uses of the site. The Applicant proposes to dedicate right-of-way to the County for the future construction of the Proposed Route 37 By-pass. Moreover, the Applicant has re -designed the basic layout of the property so as not to preclude the construction by others, at some future date, of the slip ramps from Lenoir Drive to existing Route 37 shown on the County's Comprehensive Plan. This, too, is addressed in the Comment Response Letter. The re -design also permits the entrance into the site to be so located Page 13 that it does not interfere with, or impede, an existing easement that provides access to and from the Jenkins Property, Parcel 43-A-23. E. SEWAGE CONVEYANCE AND TREATMENT The Property is located within the Sewer and Water Service Area and there is sufficient capacity in the Opequon Water Reclamation Facility to accommodate the limited effluent to be produced from these industrial structures. Frederick Water observes that the Application does not specify the user and its needs, but that is not uncommon, and the Applicant will address these issues at final site plan. F. WATER SUPPLY The Property will be serviced by public water provided by Frederick Water which observes that the Application does not specify the user and its needs, but that is not uncommon, and the Applicant will address these issues at final site plan. G. DRAINAGE There is some floodplain on the northern to northeastern boundary of the site along Redbud Run, but it will not be disturbed during development. The site generally drains to Redbud Run, but the Applicant will comply with applicable Stormwater Management Regulations to protect that waterway. H. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL The Applicant will contract with a suitable private hauler for the removal of trash. L. HISTORIC SITES AND STRUCTURES A Cultural Resource Survey and Assessment of Glengary (VDHR #034-1099)2 has been prepared by Dutton & Associates (the "Study"). It concludes, in brief, that the home and building stock retain a moderate level of historic physical integrity and represent a good example of a Shenandoah Valley farm that retains a fairly complete complement of domestic and agricultural buildings, but that have evolved over time. As such, Glengary is still recommended as potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria A and C for significance at the local level. It also concludes that there is a single previously identified site that appears to be more discretely defined, and is focused in and around the former kitchen/servants quarter building (now demolished), which would have functioned as the immediate service space for the main dwelling. The potential for intact archaeological deposits is 2 The home site was named Glengary as long ago as 1762. The central core of the present home was built c. 1850. Page 14 present in this area. Dutton & Associates also believes that changes in the farm that occurred before the Applicant entered into discussions with the owner have significantly affected the historical context of the site. The Study has been submitted to the Historic Resources Advisory Board and the Department of Planning and Development for review and comment. Following a meeting with the HRAB on March 27, 2018, the Applicant received substantial input and has modified its Proffers to reflect the recommendations from that Board. J. IMPACT ON COMMUNITY FACILITIES As with most industrial developments, there are few impacts on community facilities with the general exception of public safety services. To that end, and as other industrial developments have done, the Applicant proposes a contribution to fire and rescue purposes based on the number of gross square feet of structure built. K. OTHER IMPACTS The applicant is aware of no other impacts that have not been addressed in this Impact Analysis.