HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 09_SD-20-30_1840 Spear St_South Village_Lot 11A_sk1
CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD
SD‐20‐30_1840 Spear St_South Village_Lot 11A_sk_2020‐
09‐01.docx
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING
Report preparation date: August 26, 2020
Plans received: July 21, 2020
1840 Spear Street Lot 11A
Sketch Plan Application #SD‐20‐30
Meeting date: September 1, 2020
Owner/Applicant
South Village Communities, LLC
P.O. Box 2286
South Burlington, VT 05407
Engineer
Civil Engineering Associates
10 Mansfield View Ln
South Burlington, VT 05403
Property Information
Tax Parcel 1640‐01840
Southeast Quadrant – Neighborhood Residential
1.70 acres
Location Map
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PROJECT DESCRPTION
Sketch plan application #SD‐20‐30 of South Village Communities, LLC to develop a newly created 1.35
acre lot (Lot 11A) with a 6,750 sf building and related site improvements for the purpose of limited
neighborhood commercial use, 1840 Spear Street.
CONTEXT
Staff has prepared a cover memo describing the context of the application along with the context of
applications #SD‐20‐29, #SD‐20‐31 and #SD‐20‐32. These comments focus on the development of Lot
11A. The proposed subdivision of land, and development on Lots 11 and 11C is discussed in staff
comments on #SD‐20‐29 and development on Lot 11B is discussed in staff comments on # SD‐20‐31.
The property owners approached the Planning Commission about an amendment to allow a commercial
element to South Village as an element that would help create a focal point for the neighborhood and
also serve the general vicinity. The request was initially broad and elicited significant community
feedback. The later request, which was translated into the current LDRs, was welcomed by residents.
The Commission wanted to retain an appropriate scale, assure that it was only available to larger
projects with master plans, and that it was designed to assure that traffic was kept on the edge of a
neighborhood rather than creating cut‐through traffic, while at the same time being designed to be
easily accessible to the neighborhood itself.
This would be the first application using this relatively new provision of the LDR.
COMMENTS
Development Review Planner Marla Keene and Planning and Zoning Director Paul Conner, hereafter
referred to as Staff, have reviewed the plans submitted by the applicant and offer the following
comments. Numbered items for the Board’s attention are in red.
A) DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS
As part of application #SD‐20‐29, the applicant is proposing to modify the boundaries of the existing Lot 11A
to become a 1.35 acre lot, which exceeds the minimum require lot size for the proposed use. Setbacks are
20 ft front, 10 ft side and 30 ft rear. This lot, as a corner lot, has no rear lot line. Front and side setbacks are
proposed to be met.
B) PUD STANDARDS
Certain PUD standards were found to be met at master plan, including those pertaining to natural
resource protection, visual compatibility, open spaces, and consistency with the Comprehensive Plan.
PUD standards that were to be reviewed for each site plan include water and wastewater capacity,
erosion prevention, access traffic and circulation, fire safety, infrastructure design, and low impact
development/stormwater.
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Staff considers water and wastewater capacity and erosion prevention should be evaluated during
preliminary and final plat for this parcel.
Access, circulation and traffic
The applicant is proposing vehicular access to the neighborhood market via a curb cut located
on Allen Road East which is proposed to be shared with the soccer field on Lot 11B and the farm
stand. The roadway is proposed to be 20‐ft wide, and be paralleled by an 8‐ft wide recreation
path. The roadway and path are proposed to have variable slopes but be as steep as 8% in some
sections.
The neighborhood market is proposed to have 35 parking spaces in two bays, which are
separated by a retaining wall. Based on the provided information, it appears there is a 14‐foot
drop between the two parking areas, making circulation between the two parking areas not
possible. The applicant has proposed one single loaded accessible parking space at the upper
lot, while the rest of the lot is double loaded, while the entire lower lot is single loaded.
The applicant is proposing sidewalks with access to the building on the Allen Road side and on
the east side.
1. Because there is limited circulation between the parking lots, because the pedestrian access from
the neighborhood is mildly circuitous, and because this neighborhood market is proposed to be
partially one story and partially two stories, Staff recommends the Board ask the applicant to
describe the function of the market, including the crosshatched areas, and then the Board should
provide feedback on access and circulation.
Staff has no concerns about traffic impacts of the project. The soccer field was approved in SD‐
09‐17 though that approval expired. The neighborhood commercial use is specifically designed
“to promote small, context‐sensitive, limited and architecturally relevant commercial uses in
walking distance to a residential neighborhood. While these uses may service a broader
geography and limited pass‐by traffic, these uses are intended to be easily accessible by
walking from the majority of the Planned Unit Development in which the use is located.”
Further discussion of the specific standards pertaining to neighborhood commercial use is
included below.
Fire Safety
The Fire Chief reviewed the plans on August 11, 2020 and indicated that fire apparatus will serve
the building from Allen Road East.
Infrastructure
The Director of Public Works, Assistant Stormwater Superintendent and a representative from
the South Burlington Water Department reviewed the plans on August 10, 2020.
The Director of Public Works expressed that the City may not regularly maintain the soccer field
access in winter therefore the road on Lot 11A should be privately owned and maintained, with
an access easement granted to the City.
The Assistant Stormwater Superintendent indicated that the applicant must treat the water
quality volume runoff using a Tier II practice, for example a sand filter underneath chambers or
similar.
The applicant should coordinate with the South Burlington Water Department as it pertains to
water line layout and metering prior to the next application for the project.
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C) SOUTHEAST QUADRANT DISTRICT
General requirements applicable to all sub‐districts pertain to height; open space and resource
protection; agricultural resources; public services and facilities; and circulation. Requirements
applicable to the SEQ‐NR pertain to block length; interconnection of streets; lot ratios; streets
sidewalks and parking including street trees and lighting; and residential design.
At this limited stage of review, the applicant has not shown a landscaping or lighting concept. Other
standards of the SEQ appear to be met or not applicable.
D) LIMITED NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL USE
Limited neighborhood commercial use is allowed within certain districts as part of a new or amended
master plan of 50 dwelling units or more. Since this is the Board’s first review of a Limited Neighborhood
Commercial use, Staff has included the applicable standards in their entirety.
B. General Standards
The proposed use shall be complimentary to and integrated within the Planned Unit Development. To
ensure this, as part of master plan approval or amendment the DRB may impose additional conditions
on the use with respect to:
(1) Traffic and vehicular access;
(2) Maximum parking;
(3) Enhanced pedestrian circulation and access;
(4) Additional landscaping to serve the use beyond minimum requirements.
Staff considers the master plan amendment required for this project should specifically include the
neighborhood commercial use and address these criteria.
C. Specific standards
(1) Location
(a) The use shall be located so as to be easily accessible to the Planned Unit Development
via sidewalks or multi‐use paths.
(b) New buildings associated with the use shall be located such that traffic is not increased
through the majority of the Planned Unit Development in which it is located. It should not divide
existing residential areas, unless the Board finds during initial master plan approval that a
central location best serves the Planned Unit Development.
(c) Hours of use shall be limited to 6 am to 10 pm.
Staff considers the proposal appears to meet these criteria.
(2) Size and Scale. The use is restricted:
(a) To one building, with a footprint no larger than 6,000 SF.
(b) To two stories or a total building height of 28 feet.
(c) To 5,000 SF GFA per use.
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(d) Uses ancillary to the proposed use which are fully below grade will not count towards
the maximum use size. Ancillary uses may include administrative office space, storage space
and mechanical space, provided they serve the principal use.
Since the building is proposed to be larger than 6,000 sf gross square footage and no information
has been provided on the size of each floor or height, Staff recommends the Board ask the
applicant how these criteria will be met.
(3) Specific use of space. The following may be permitted as part of the Limited Neighborhood
Commercial Use:
(a) Restaurant
(b) Retail sale of groceries‐ predominantly food with some related household goods
(c) Personal instruction
(d) Child care
(e) Artist production studio
Staff considers the specific use of space should be included in the next application for this parcel.
(4) Drive throughs are expressly prohibited.
No drive through is proposed.
(5) Items listed in Subsection (C)(3)(a)‐(e) may not be permitted as part of the Limited
Neighborhood Commercial Use where such uses already exist within one‐half mile of the proposed
Limited Neighborhood Commercial Use.
Staff is not aware of any of these uses existing within one half mile of the proposed use.
(6) Architectural standards. Buildings and accessory structures associated with the proposed
use shall demonstrate architectural relevance, coordinating or complimenting the residential style
of dwelling units in the area. Buildings shall follow the specific standards outlined in Section
9.10(D)(1)‐(2).
Staff considers compliance with this criterion should be demonstrated at the next stage of review.
E) SITE PLAN STANDARDS
General site plan review standards relate to relationship to the Comprehensive Plan, relationship of
structures to the site (including parking), compatibility with adjoining buildings and the adjoining area.
Specific standards speak to access, utilities, roadways, landscaping, and waste disposal.
Some of the proposed parking is not allowable because it is located nearer to the front lot line than the
building. This is not a waivable criterion and therefore Staff considers this parking must be removed.
No dumpster enclosure is shown. Depending on the anticipated use, no dumpster enclosure may be
needed, but if it is, Staff considers it should be located so as to be shielded from the road and effectively
screened, but must also be in a location accessible to the trash collection trucks.
Staff considers that the remainder of considerations relevant to these criteria are discussed elsewhere in
this document.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Board discuss the project with the applicant and conclude the meeting.
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Respectfully submitted,
Marla Keene, Development Review Planner