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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-21 Impact Analysis 1 APPLICANT / CONTACT: WICKSHIRE INDUSTRIAL LLC C/O MR. EDWARD PODBOY 2318 RIVIERA DRIVE VIENNA, VA 22181 EMAIL: epodboy@wickshiregroup.com OWNERS: JGR THREE LLC ET ALS HOCKMAN INVESTMENTS LLC GOVERNOR’S HILL LLC ONE LOGISTICS PARK WINCHESTER SHAWNEE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT FREDERICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA REVISED 02/09/2020 PREPARED BY: CONTACT: CHRIS STEPHENSON 4501 DALY DRIVE CHANTILLY, VA 20151 703-262-1900 IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT 2 ONE LOGISTICS PARK INTRODUCTION This report has been prepared for the purpose of assessing the impact on Fredrick County by the proffered rezoning of a 277.22 acre assemblage identified as Tax Map Parcels: 64-A-83, 64-A-83A, 64-A-84, 64-A-85, 64-A-86, & 64-A-87. The subject property is located on the south side of Millwood Pike (U.S. Route 50) and on the north side of the Winchester Regional Airport. The 277.22-acre assemblage is currently zoned R4, Residential (Planned Community District). This application proposes to rezone the 264.72 acre of the assemblage to M-1 (Light Industrial) and 12.5 acres to B-2 (General Business) Districts with up to 2,995,600 square feet of building area. This application seeks to change the current residential zoning designation to provide land uses that are light industrial and general business in nature which are more appropriate given the immediate existing / surrounding uses. To further support this effort, the property is also within the limits of the Airport Support Area where residential development is not desired. Successful entitlement will allow the property will be marketed / developed with any of the allowed and conditional uses as permitted by the respective zoning districts. Those types of uses supports the business development focus goals of the Comprehensive Plan while benefiting the community by offering viable economic development opportunities. BASE INFORMATION LOCATION: FRONTING ON THE SOUTHSIDE OF MILLWOOD PIKE (US ROUTE 50 EAST) AND THE NORTH SIDE OF WINCHESTER REGIONAL AIRPORT. MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: SHAWNEE DISTRICT PROPERTY ID #’S: 64-A-83, 64-A-83A, 64-A-84, 64-A-85, 64-A-86 & 64-A-87 CURRENT ZONING: R4 (RESIDENTIAL PLANNED COMMUNITY DISTRICT) CURRENT USE: VACANT PROPOSED ZONING: M1 (LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT) 264.72 AC B2 (GENERAL BUSINESS) 12.5 AC TOTAL PROPOSED SF: 2,995,600 SF TOTAL REZONING AREA: 277.22 AC 3 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The One Logistics Park Winchester rezoning application is within the Senseny/Eastern Frederick Urban Area Plan per the 2035 Comprehensive Plan. Previous approvals on the properties have designated the west side of the project as intended to be General Business and Industrial Transition uses. The properties on the east side are currently intended to be high density residential (12-16 units/acre). The entire assemblage is within the Sewer and Water Area (SWSA) and approximately 115 acres are within the Urban Development Area (UDA). The application is also within the limits of the Airport Support Area. The 2035 Comprehensive Plan identifies the subject properties with a commercial/transition and residential land use designations. While the requested M1 (Light Industrial) District is generally inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan, it should be noted that the proposed change of use is consistent with the land use plan that was in effect prior to the Governors Hill rezoning. This area is also within the limits of the Airport Support Area, where residential development is not desired for properties in this area This proposal supports the intended business development goals envisioned by the County for this area. It will increase the employment potential as encouraged by the 2035 Comprehensive Plan and provides more complimentary uses adjacent to the Winchester Regional Airport. It would also remove residential zoned land from the Airport Support Area where it is currently discouraged. Together these elements help support the future airport expansion and establishment of commercial and industrial land uses on the subject parcels. SUITABILITY OF THE SITE The subject parcels do have environmental features such as flood plain, wetlands, and steep slopes. These features are minimal when compared to the entirety of the 277-acre assemblage. Through well thought out site planning, and engineering practices, land disturbance will be limited in accordance with applicable regulatory standards. Flood Plains The 277.22-acre portion of the subject property does contain areas of flood plain (Sulphur Springs Run) as demonstrated on FEMA NFIP Map #51069C0219D, Effective Date September 2, 2009, as well as information from the Frederick County GIS Database. No proposed buildings will be located within the limits of the flood plain. A floodplain study or alteration will be processed with Frederick County and FEMA for improvements within the floodplain, as required. 4 Wetlands The National Wetlands Inventory Map identifies five wetland features on the site, all of which are man-made ponds. Any disturbance will be limited in accordance with applicable regulatory standards. More detailed environmental investigation will be completed prior to the site plan and construction process. Any wetland impacts that are required will be processed to comply with all County, State and Federal regulations. Soils and Steep Slopes Per the Soil Survey of Frederick County, Virginia, and the Frederick County GIS Database, the parcels subject to this application contain nine soil types within the limits of the application. The following soil types are present: • 1B Berks Channery Silt Loams 3-8% slope • 1C Berks Channery Silt Loams 8-15% slope • 3B Blairton Silt Loams 2-7% slope • 9B Clearbrook Channery Silt Loams 2-7% slope • 36 Pits, Quarries, and dumps • 41B Weikert-Berks Channery Silt Loams 3-8% slope • 41C Weikert-Berks Channery Silt Loams 8-15% slope • 41D Weikert-Berks Channery Silt Loams 15-25% slope • 41E Weikert-Berks Channery Silt Loams 25-35% slope The existing soils onsite are generally suitable for site construction provided the proper drainage, grading and sloping are maintained during and after construction. The existing soil characteristics and any implications for site development are manageable through the site engineering and construction processes. Steep slopes (areas of 50% slope or greater) exist along the frontage of the site and adjacent to four ravines that drain the site to Sulphur Spring Run. Some disturbance of these areas may be necessary to implement the project grading and stormwater management systems. Surrounding Properties NORTH • U.S Route 50 (6 lanes, median divided public road) • Existing residential (more than 500’ away) • Zoned: RP (Residential, Performance District) 5 SOUTH • Winchester Regional Airport • Future expansion / site access planned through subject area EAST • Existing light industrial / commercial uses • Zoned: M1 (Light Industrial District) WEST • Existing Army Corps of Engineers Facility • Zoned: B2 (General Business District) TRANSPORTATION The One Logistics Park Winchester project will be served by a transportation network designed and constructed to accommodate automobile and truck traffic safely and efficiently. The roadway network incorporates the general route location to extend Coverstone Drive as a collector road from Millwood Pike to the existing road adjacent to the Sheriffs east of Prince Frederick Drive. The external road system serving the site is comprised of Millwood Pike (Route 50/17 East), Prince Frederick Drive (Route 781), Coverstone Drive, and Pendleton Drive. Millwood Pike is a four-lane major arterial roadway, Coverstone Drive is proposed as a two-lane major collector and Prince Frederick Drive is a two-lane minor collector road. Pendleton Drive is a two-lane local roadway connecting to the east which provides alternative access to Arbor Court and Victory Road (Va. Rte. 728). The regional roadway network was planned as part of the Governors Hill approvals through 2013, which supported residential, office, and commercial activities with Coverstone Drive planned as a four-lane divided roadway, and off-site improvements at Millwood Pike intersections at Prince Frederick Drive and Sulphur Springs Road. The proposed land use plan significantly reduces the site traffic potential of the property by removing the residential use component and focusing on general industrial uses as recommended in the County Comprehensive Plan, with the general industrial uses, and ancillary commercial use in one land bay adjacent to the Millwood Pike/Coverstone Drive/Inverlee Way intersection, the anticipated site Daily trips at build-out are reduced from over 46,000 Vehicles per Day (VPD) under existing zoning with the Governors Hill uses to approximately 17,600 VPD, or a reduction of over 60 percent. With the significant trip reduction, the on-site public roadway network maintains the ultimate R-O-W for the four-lane extension of Coverstone Drive, but phases the construction to provide the link connection as a two-lane road with turn lanes and widening at Millwood Pike for a four lane section with a raised median. The applicant has maintained off-site turn lane improvements at Costello Drive/Prince Frederick Drive intersection as well as off-site road contributions and trip thresholds in the proffers. However, the 6 biggest change in the development with the employment uses is to establish the initial construction of Coverstone Drive as a through road to provide public street access. The transportation improvement program proffered with this application will improve existing off-site transportation shortfalls identified within the TIS prior to the inclusion of the proposed development impacts to the transportation network. The implementation of this program will occur in Phase A of the development, as specified by the Proffer Statement (see attached). The transportation proffers included with the application mitigate all impacts of the proposed rezoning, by providing the ultimate R-O-W for the public street network and building improvement to service the subject uses. A traffic impact study (TIS) is under preparation for this application using the current updated land use plan and extensive VDOT coordination on the technical scoping. Using trip generation figures from the latest edition of I.T.E. Trip Generation Manual, the TIS projects that the proposed development will reduce vehicle trips greater than 60% from the commercial uses assumed in the transportation studies from the RZ#10-08 rezoning approval. The TIS further includes additional study area roads and intersections from the Governors Hill rezoning study to reflect the regional improvement programmed by VDOT west of the site at the I-81 interchange. The study also provides the initial on-site traffic operations for Coverstone Drive at the proposed site entrances to verify turn lanes, which provide guidance for future site plan reviews. Based on the traffic forecasts, we anticipate the proposed Coverstone Drive two-lane section with turn lanes will adequately support the build-out of the property with the general industrial uses, as well as accommodate through traffic. The improvements also include the extension of a shared use path along Coverstone Drive with the site build-out to provide pedestrian linkages. The transportation network does include phasing for the local street, by connecting Pendleton Drive to Coverstone Drive extended. The local network supports additional access to the adjacent Airport and provide alternative access to the existing employment uses adjacent to Arbor Court. The Pendleton Drive connection will not be completed until Phase 2 activities, so as not to overload the existing roads. Additionally, the applicant is preparing the signal justification for the proposed US Route 50/17/Inverlee Way/Coverstone Drive intersection. The study for the location is provided consistent with the previously approved proffers for the intersection and the current VDOT guidance to assess alternative intersection configurations for new signal locations. Previous approved proffers required signalization when warranted. The analysis is accelerated to verify geometry. The significant reduction in proposed site trips, the proposed commitment with the updated proffers to provide the ultimate R-O-W, and construction of Coverstone Drive from US Route 50/17 (Millwood Pike) to the existing segment of Coverstone Drive east of Prince Frederick Drive (Va. Route 781) will support the subject site with employment uses. 7 SEWAGE CONVEYANCE & WATER SUPPLY The proposed change in zoning of the property is expected to result in a reduction to overall impact to the water demand and the sanitary sewer discharge. This is a result of the change in use from the higher demands of planned residential use to the proposed light industrial development. Sanitary sewer service will be provided by Frederick Water via an existing 8” sewer line that ties into the 12” sewer main located on the south side of Millwood Pike along the frontage of the site. This infrastructure will be expanded pursuant to Frederick Water requirements to serve the entire site and enable gravity flow to the existing main (where possible). A pump station or grinder pumps may be required to serve the buildings proposed on the east side of the property. Water is currently served by a 12” water main which currently extends through the central portion of the site. This water main will be rerouted, as necessary, with the final engineering associated with the site development. This infrastructure will be expanded pursuant to Frederick Water requirements. Sufficient water capacity exists to serve the domestic and fire protection demands of the project. The proposed land uses have a maximum sanitary estimated flow of about 390,000 GPD based on +/- 277 acres of light industrial land use. A preliminary computation is as follows: Estimated Flow = Area * Estimated employees/acre * Flow/employee Estimated Flow = 277.22 acres * 40 employees/acre (per section 3.2.A of Frederick Water Standards and Specifications) * 35 gallons/employee (Table 3 of the SCAT Regulations 9VAC25-790-490) Estimated Flow = 388,108 GPD ~ 390,000 GPD Actual water and sewerage flows will be determined at the time of final site engineering. SITE DRAINAGE The rezoning of the subject property will not result in significant changes to the existing site drainage patterns. The site generally drains north to Sulphur Spring Run via several pronounced drainage divides. It is anticipated that stormwater BMP’s and dry ponds will be implemented to meet local, state and federal stormwater development requirements. Stormwater design along with erosion control practice will mitigate adverse stormwater discharge impacts. Design of temporary and permanent facilities will be provided with final engineering and will comply with all County, State and Federal regulations. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL The rezoning of the subject property from residential to proposed light industrial uses will not result in an increase of solid waste and therefore will not adversely affect the County’s disposal facilities. Solid waste from the project will be collected and deposited in the Frederick County landfill following via private carrier(s) contracted by the individual users. 8 HISTORICAL SITES AND STRUCTURES The Senseny/Eastern Frederick Land Use Plan does not identify the subject properties with any known historic sites or structures. The proposed rezoning will not create negative impacts associated with any historic resources and prior to approval of first site plan a Phase 1 Archaeological Investigation will be conducted. IMPACT ON COMMUNITY FACILITIES The rezoning of the subject properties to the M1 and B2 districts will have a positive impact on the community by generating economic diversity though the creation of employment opportunities. This application will expand the commercial tax base while allowing for the continuation of a lower residential tax rate. In addition, this project would lessen the demands/impacts on County and community facilities such as schools and parks that would have been typically generated if the properties were to be developed under the current zoning. Impacts to the transportation network will be mitigated by the proffered transportation improvements as specified in the pending proffers. Any visual or nuisance impacts on the surrounding property are being taken into consideration. The property will be developed in a manner that is logical, efficient and minimizes land disturbance to greatest extent possible. Helping with the mitigation efforts, is a commitment to providing an additional 50’ to the required full-distance buffer adjacent to Route 50. Tree save opportunities have been incorporated where possible. The combination of the additional buffer setback, landscape requirements and tree save together help to mitigate impacts on the Route 50 viewshed.