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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC_11-02-05_Meeting_MinutesMEETING MINUTES OF THE • FREDERICK COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION Held in the Board Room of the Frederick County Administration Building at 107 North Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia on November 2, 2005. PRESENT: Charles S. DeHaven, Jr., Chairman/Stonewall District; Roger L. Thomas, Vice Chairman/ Opequon District; Pat Gochenour, Red Bud District; George J. Kriz, Gainesboro District; Robert A. Moms, Shawnee District; June M. Wilmot, Shawnee District; Cordell Watt, Back Creek District; Greg L. Unger, Back Creek District; Richard C. Ours, Opequon District; Charles E. Triplett, Gainesboro District; Marie F. Straub, Red Bud District; H. Paige Manuel, Member -At- Large; Barbara Van Osten, Board of Supervisors' Liaison; and Lawrence R. Ambrogi, Legal Counsel. ABSENT ". David Shore, City of Winchester Liaison. STAFF PRESENT: Eric R Lawrence, Planning Director; Mark K Cheran, Zoning & Subdivision Administrator; Candice E. Perkins, Planner II; and Renee' S. Arlotta, Clerk. '(Due to Commissioner Light's expired term and his re- appointment not yet confirmed, he is listed as neither present nor absent for this meeting.) • CALL TO ORDER Chairman DeHaven called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. COMMITTEE REPORTS Development Review & Regulations Subcommittee (DRRS) — 10/27/05 Mtg. Commissioner Unger reported that the DRRS had two minor house - keeping items on their agenda. He said one item was to modify a misprint in Section 165 -59 (12) of the zoning ordinance and the other item was to modify the wording of Section 24 (b) of the subdivision ordinance. Transportation Committee — 11/01/05 Mtg. Commissioner Kriz reported that the Transportation Committee reviewed the Eastern Road Plan. Frederick County Planning Commission Page 1624 Minutes of November 2, 2005 -z- • He said the only suggestion that was made in the recommendation from the CPPS (Comprehensive Plans and Programs Subcommittee) was for the consideration of an interchange of Route 37 with Route. 11, so that traffic would not have to travel onto I -81 and then back do - Am to Route 11. Commissioner Kriz said the Transportation Committee recommended approval of the Eastern Road Plan and the Planning Commission will be seeing it shortly. Sanitation Authority (SA) Commissioner Unger said the rainfall report for September was less than one -half inch; he said - the flows in the plants for September were down 30% because of the low rainfall. Commissioner Unger reported that the Parkins Mill Plant will be upgraded in the near future; the goal is to raise the plant to a six mgd capacity and the cost will be approximately 32.35 million dollars. He added that the County is drawing 5.4 mgd from the quarries and from the City of Winchester. PUBLIC MEETING Master Development Plan #11 -05 of Westbury Commons, submitted by Greenway Engineering for 11 proffered age- restricted, single - family, small -lot detached dwellings. The properties are located on the • east side of Westminster Canterbury Drive, approximately 500 feet south of the intersection of Route 522 and Westminster- Canterbury Drive. The properties are further identified with P.I.N.s 53 -4 -3 -E and 53-4 - 3F in the Stonewall Magisterial District. Action — Tabled Planner Candice E. Perkins reported that this application proposes to develop 11 age - restricted, single - fancily, small -lot, detached dwellings on 3.13 acres, zoned RP (Residential Performance) District. She said the rezoning for this property was approved on February 9, 2005 with proffers. Ms. Perkins stated that with this master development plan, the applicant is requesting a waiver of the community center requirement pursuant to Section 165- 64A(1). In order to meet the requirements of the waiver, the applicant is proposing to provide two park benches and trails, which were proffered during the rezoning, and a 14 -foot gazebo. Ms. Perkins stated that the master development plan provided in the Commission's agenda packet was not current. She said the applicant submitted a revised master development plan to the stafl'yesterday which has addressed all of the issues identified in the staff's report. Ms. Perkins showed the revised master development plan on the overhead screen for the Commission members; she pointed out the sidewalks, the widened streets, and the corrected buffer details. Commissioner Unger asked the staff if the Parks and Recreation Department was satisfied that the applicant's proposal of a gazebo, two park benches, and trails would meet the required equivalent recreational value of a community center. Ms. Perkins replied that the Parks and Recreation Department has already submitted their approvals. • Frederick County Planning Commission Page 1625 Minutes of November 2, 2005 -3- • Mr. Evan A. Wyatt, with Greenway Engineering, was present to represent Harvest Communities, Inc., the owners of Westbury Commons. Mr. Wyatt reviewed the details of the revisions with the Commission members. Commissioner Gochenour was not certain that paved trails should count towards open space because of the impervious surface. Commissioner Gochenour also believed that senior citizens would much prefer a small community center for social activities, rather than a gazebo that could only be used for part of the year; she said she would be opposed to the applicant's waiver request for that reason. In addition, Commissioner Gochenour asked for a detailed description of the stormwater management for the project. In response to the request for storrwater management details, Mr. Wyatt replied that the County's engineer had requested the applicant consider assisting with the existing stormwater pond on the Canterbury Square property. He said the County's engineer wanted them to consider stormwater management designed to encapsulate the entire area. Mr. Wyatt said they have complied with this request and the applicant's stormwater management plan has been designed so the post - development storm outlet will be less than the predevelopment conditions. He added that their design will create abetter storm water drainage system than what is out there presently. Commissioner Kriz asked the applicant if he was provided a sufficient amount of time to respond to the staffs comments so these revisions could have been included in the Commission's agenda packet. Commissioner Kriz said he was disturbed by continuously having revisions come in at Planning Commission meetings that have not been included in the agenda package. He said this does not give the Commission time to see the changes prior to the meeting. Since it appeared the applicant had sufficient time to respond to the staff's • comments, Commissioner Kriz said that from this point forward, he would move to table all applications that are revised and not included in the Commission's agenda package prior to the meeting. Chairman DeHaven noted that the trail system had access to what appeared to be private driveways in three separate locations; he asked if those areas would be provided with public access easements. Mr. Wyatt replied that they would. There were no citizen comments concerning the master development plan. Commissioner Kriz stated that although all of the issues have been addressed, on a matter of principle, he would move that this master plan be tabled until the Planning Commission can receive all of the information in their agenda packet. This motion was seconded by Commissioner Gochenour. BE IT RESOLVED, THAT by a majority vote, the Frederick County Planning Commission does hereby table Master Development Plan 411-05 of Westbury Commons, submitted by Greenway Engineering, for I 1 proffered age - restricted, single - family, small -lot detached dwellings until such time as the applicant can provide the revised copies of the plan in the Commission's agenda package. C 1 Frederick County Planning Commission Page 1626 Minutes of November 2, 2005 -4- • Site Plan #21 -05 for Frederick County's 11` Elementary School to be located on Rosa Lane, which connects to Route 522 South via Justus Drive. This capital improvement project is being presented to the Planning Commission for informational purposes and no action is required. No Action Required Planner Candice E. Perkins presented the preliminary site plan for the new Frederick County elementary school to be located on Rosa Lane, which connects to Route 522 South via Justus Drive, and will be adjacent to the new Admiral Byrd Middle School. Ms. Perkins said that customarily, projects involving public facilities are brought before the Planning Commission prior to site plan approval for comments; however, no action is required by the Commission. Ms. Perkins introduced Mr. Bill Shelton with Oliver, Webb, Pappas & Rhudy, Inc., the design engineering firm, and Mr. Larry Rickard, a representative of the Frederick County Public Schools. Commissioner Thomas inquired about the number of students the school was designed to accommodate and if that number was a standard used by the school system. Mr. Shelton replied that the school was designed for 650 students. Mr. Shelton thought the 650 figure was standard; however, he anticipated that number to be increased very soon. Commissioner Thomas asked various other questions about the numbers used for design capacity; he was concerned this school was going to be opening at full capacity. Commissioner Ours asked about the site selection process and how it was determined that this • was the best geographical location to place the new elementary school. Recognizing the growth areas east of 1 -81 and the attendance zones between Senseny Road and Armel, Mr. Rickard said this location was about midway; he said this area was chosen as the most feasible and also because water and sewer were available. Commissioner Ours said that he has heard of instances, brought about by over - crowding, where children in the same family have to attend separate schools that were miles apart. He said there will be four elementary schools in southern Frederick County and he hoped it would work geographically and the attendance zones could be improved. Referring to the location of the two schools, Commissioner Wilmot commented that everyone was already aware this location was originally intended for industrial use, at least within the Southern Frederick Land Use Plan. Commissioner Wilmot recalled when the Southern Frederick Land Use Plan was put together and how diligently everyone worked to incorporate the 25% rule so that a portion of the land in this area would develop with commercial and industrial uses. She was concerned about the possibilities for conflicts there with further development. She said that if this area now goes in another direction, the County will have lost a location that was identified as a tax base. Commissioner Morris next asked Mr. Shelton to review the advantages and disadvantages of constructing campus -style school environments and if the County was likely to see more of this type of design in the future. Mr. Shelton noted that from a general planning standpoint, the campus environment is good for economies of scale and transportation and the aspect of shared parking for special events. Commissioner Straub stated that this new school was not centrally located between the Senseny Road area and Armel; she said it was 1.7 miles away from Armel and would be at least ten miles from the Senseny Road area. Commissioner Straub said that many of the school children in the Senseny Road area would be going to this school. She commented that with 10,000 houses currently in the pipeline, this school would be at • or over capacity on the day it opens. She was disappointed that nothing was being done for the areas that are Frederick County Planning Commission Page 1627 Minutes of November 2, 2005 -5- • growing so rapidly. Commissioner Straub was also disappointed that this new school was down -sized to the point where there is one girls' bathroom and one boys' bathroom for the second, third, fourth, and fifth graders. Commissioner Unger asked if the design for this school was used previously. Mr. Rickard replied this plan was a spin -off from a design they have been using for a number of years. Commissioner Gochenour had questions regarding the stormwater management; she was interested in initiating a regional watershed plan with Bufflick Run. Mr. Shelton said that on this particular site, an adjacent property owner has offered a portion of his land to construct a regional stormwater management pond, which is why a permanent stormwater management pond has not been shown on this site. Mr. Shelton said that flows from their site will be directed to a natural drainage channel which will carry drainage to a location on the adjacent property, where the owner will construct a pond. He said the agreement between the school board and the adjacent property owner specifies that the adjacent property owner will maintain the stormwater pond. Board of Supervisors' Liaison, Barbara Van Osten, asked the staff to identify the recreational facilities. She also inquired about the realignment of Papermill Road. Planning Director, Eric R Lawrence replied that there was no effort at this point to acquire cost - sharing funds for the realignment of Papermill Road because the affected property owner was not interested in participating. No action was required by the Planning Commission. • ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, S. DeHaven, Jr., Chairman Secretary • Frederick County Planning Commission Page 1628 Minutes of November 2, 2005