Albemarle County Planning Commission
October 3, 2006
Work Session:
ZMA 2006-008 Berkmar Business Park (Signs #88, 89)
PROPOSAL: Rezone 4.61acres from R-6 zoning district which allows residential uses and up to 6 units per acre to PD-MC Planned Development Mixed Commercial which allows large-scale commercial uses; and residential by special use permit (15 units/ acre). No dwelling units are proposed.
PROFFERS: No
EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE/DENSITY: Regional Service - regional-scale retail, wholesale, business and/or employment centers, and residential (6.01-34 units/acre) in Neighborhood One.
ENTRANCE CORRIDOR: No
LOCATION: Along the east side of Berkmar Drive between Woodbrook Drive and Hilton Heights Drive north of Planet Fun.
TAX MAP/PARCEL: Tax Map 45, Parcel 112 and Tax Map 45, Parcel 112E
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: Rio
STAFF: Sean Dougherty
Mr. Dougherty summarized the staff report. (See Staff Report)
Nate Cunningham, of Stonehaus Development, represented the rezoning request.
In summary, the Planning Commission held a work session on ZMA-2006-008, Berkmar Business Park with a focus on staff’s review and proposed changes to the application plan and accompanying narrative regarding adherence to the Neighborhood Model principles. The Commission was asked to affirm staff’s findings for use, layout, transportation, interconnections, open space, amenities and redevelopment of the adjoining parcel or provide alternative direction. The Commission discussed staff’s recommendations regarding the rezoning request and provided comments and suggestions to the questions posed in the staff report as follows:
It was the consensus of the Commission that they would like to get the uses defined and to make sure that the uses are modeled in the traffic study. The Commission was particularly interested in the applicant establishing the proffered uses and the level of retail proposed.
It was the consensus of the Commission that they liked the direction that the applicant is going with the proposed rezoning for Berkmar Business Park. The applicant needs to commit to providing a corner treatment along the interconnecting street. If they continue to have the sea of parking in front of Planet Fun and have the control over that, they might have the right to do anything that they want by right now commercially, but it will affect the Commission’s decision on whether they should grant a rezoning on this property. But, the applicant can do a lot more than they have done and proposed.
It was the consensus of the Commission that considerations should be given to proffers that relate to transit and focusing in on making the site transit ready in so far as possible.
5. Question for the Commission: Should the applicant ensure that a public street will be provided at this location in the future?
It was the consensus of the Commission that they would like to ensure that a public street will be provided at this location in the future acknowledging the difficulties, but to work with others to get that completed because it is going to be necessary. Provisions for its construction should be provided in this rezoning. The Commission asked staff to provide written comments from VDOT on their commitment.
6. Question for the Commission: Should the applicant commit to providing for amenities in this non-residential development?
It was the consensus of the Commission that they were in favor of the expansive use of bio-filters, but that some sort of commitment should be made to the outdoor amenity serving this use.
It was the consensus of the Commission that the rezoning for parcels 45-112 and 45-112E should affect the design on the adjoining parcel.