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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZB-91-0000 - Decision - 1233 Shelburne RoadPLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON RE: APPLICATION OF LOCHMORE ASSOCIATES AND ALEXANDER LEWIS This matter came before the South Burlington Planning Commission pursuant to the provisions of Section 19.10 and 11.50 of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations and Section 204 of the South Burlington Subdivision Regulations on application of Lochmore Associates and Alexander Lewis, hereinafter "Applicants" for approval to: 1) construct a 17,000 square foot office/retail building; and 2) construct a 103 room hotel in conjunction with an existing planned commercial development consisting of office, retail, hair salon and restaurant use, 1233 Shelburne Road as depicted on an 11 page set of plans, page one entitled"Lakewood Commons, U.S. Route 7, South Burlington, Vermont, Survey Plat," prepared by Trudell Consulting Engineers, Inc, and dated 10/5/90 and last revised on 11/29/90. The Applicants were present at all of the public meetings. Based upon the evidence submitted at the meetings and as part of the application the Planning Commission hereby renders the following decision on this application: FINDINGS OF FACT 1. Lakewood Associates Property Management, Inc. and Alexander Lewis are the record owners of the land which is the subject of this application which is commonly known as Lakewood Commons located at 1233 Shelburne Road. 2. This property is presently developed with five (5) commercial buildings consisting of office, retail, hair salon and restaurant uses. This property is in a Commercial 1 District. 3. By their application the Applicants seek approval to construct a 17,000 sq. ft. office/retail building and a 103 room hotel with associated parking and landscaping. 4. Access to the development would be via a 24 foot wide ingress only driveway off Shelburne Road which narrows to 14 feet just before it enters the parking area. The extra width is to provide a parking lane for use of the project directory. The curb cut for this driveway would be wide enough to accommodate turning movements of large trailer trucks. The site can also be accessed via 3 other curb cuts on Shelburne Road which primarily serve Al Lewis Motors. A fourth curb cut serving the Lewis Motors property will be closed as part of this project. Along Holmes Road there are two curb cuts which can provide access to this development. The easterly curb cut primarily serves the car dealership while the westerly one provides access to a driveway which directly serves the new development and fire station. This access is for both ingress and egress. Aisle widths meet City standards. 5. The entire development requires 484 parking spaces by standard. 397 spaces are proposed representing a shortfall of 87 spaces or 18%. All outside parking stall dimensions and aisle widths meet minimum requirements. Details of the 56 space parking garage underneath the proposed hotel were not submitted. A revised parking study for this project was conducted by Resource Systems Group. It was the study's conclusion that the "total number of parking spaces planned for the Lakewood expansion is more than adequate to meet peak parking needs." 6. Total building coverage for the entire project will be 18.3% (maximum allowed by ordinance is 30%). Total overall coverage will be 62.3% (maximum allowed by ordinance is 70%). 7. The minimum landscaping requirement for this project is $27,500 and this requirement is being met. 8. This project requires a sewer allocation of 16,609 gallons per day. Sewer capacity at the Bartlett Bay Treatment facility is unavailable at this time. The project would have to be placed on a waiting list until such time as treatment capacity is available. 9. The height of the proposed hotel building would be 45 feet. 10. The stormwater drainage plans have been evaluated by Wagner, Heindel and Noyes. It is their conclusion that the stormwater management goals of the Planning Commission will be met. 11. Pursuant to Section 11.504 a. of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations, the Planning Commission has specified that the following intersections shall have a "C" level of service (LOS): Allen Road & Shelburne Rd.and Green Mountain Dr. and Shelburne Rd. According to a traffic study entitled "Traffic Impact Review of L & M Park" prepared by Resource Systems Group and dated Nov 21, 1989 "the Allen Road and Green Mountain Drive intersections both had poor LOS of F and D respectively." The proposed expansion will result in an additional 151 vehicles trips during the PM peak hour. This increase in trip generation will worsen the LOS at these intersections. 12. Several Planning Commission members have observed the stacking of north bound vehicles on Shelburne Road in the center lane waiting to enter the Lakewood Commons project. This stacking results in the blocking of south bound traffic wishing to make a left turn into Imperial Drive. 13. Several owners of property within the Lakewood Commons project have testified that they have observed parking problems in the front of the project and around Jake's Restaurant because the parking spaces are not conveniently located to where the parking demand is being generated. 14. The access point for this project on Shelburne Road is located approximately 160 feet north of the Imperial Drive - Shelburne Road intersection. CONCLUSIONS 1. Table I of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations requires that this entire development have 484 parking spaces available. Since the applicants will only be providing 397 parking spaces representing a shortfall of 87 spaces or 18%1 the Planning Commission concludes that the parking requirements will not be met. 2. Section 18.112 of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations requires that the maximum height for all structures shall be no more than 35 feet. The Planning Commission may approve an increase in height for a structure up to 45 feet in the Cl and other Districts if it determines that the building will meet certain standards. The Planning Commission concludes that the proposed 45 feet high hotel will relate aesthetically with existing buildings, will not detract from scenic views, and will allow for greater retention of green space. The Planning Commission further concludes that the Applicants will be in compliance with Section 18.112. 3. Section 11.504 a. of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations requires that "those intersections specified by the Planning Commission, shall have a 'C' level of service... or better, at the peak street hour, including the anticipated impact of the fully developed proposed PCD." The Planning Commission concludes that since the level of service for the Allen Road and Green Mountain Drive intersections are presently F and D respectively the requirements of Section 11.504 a. are not being met and the situation will worsen with the addition of 151 additional vehicles trips during the PM peak hour. 4. Section 11.504 d. (5) of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations requires that the design of the project access address "... left -turn stacking lanes." Since it has been observed that there presently exists an inadequate left -turn stacking lane into this development and no improvements have been proposed, the Planning Commission concludes that Section 11.504d.(5) is not being met. 5. Section 11.505b. of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations requires that parking areas provide convenient access to building entrances. It has been observed that current parking areas are not conveniently located to where the current demand is located. The proposed uses will increase parking demand in the areas of concern, and it is the Commissions' opinion that the proposed parking layout does not adequately address this situation. The Planning Commission concludes that Section 11.505b. is not being met. 6. Section 11.504d.(2) of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations requires that the design of the project access address the alignment of access points with existing intersections. Since the Shelburne Road access to the project will be located approximately 160 feet to the north of the Imperial Drive -Shelburne Road intersection, the Planning Commission concludes that this access point is not aligned with an existing intersection so therefore the Applicants are not in compliance with Section 11.504 d.(2). 7. Section 417d. of the South Burlington Subdivision Regulations requires the Planning Commission to evaluate any proposed major subdivision, according to the standard that the development "will not cause unreasonable highway congestion or unsafe conditions with respect to use of the highways, existing or proposed." Due to the increase in trip generation which will worsen the LOS at the Allen Road and Green Mountain Drive inter- sections, the inadequate left -turn stacking lane into the project and the non- alignment of the project access point with the Imperial Drive intersection, the Planning Commission concludes that this proposed major subdivision will cause unreasonable highway congestion and unsafe conditions with respect to use of the highways, existing or proposed. DECISION Based on the above Findings of Fact and Conclusions, the Planning Commission makes the following decision: The Planning Commission hereby denies the Applicants' request to: 1) construct a 17,000 square foot office/retail building; and 2) construct a 103 room hotel, for the following reasons: a) The application does not meet the requirements of Table I of the zoning regulations. 484 parking spaces are required and only 397 spaces are being provided. b) The application does not meet the requirements of Section 11.504 a. of the zoning regulations. The specified Allen Road and Green Mountain Drive intersections have level of service of F and D respectively. I c) The application does not meet the requirements of Section 11.504d.(5) of the zoning regulations. There presently exists an inadequate left -turn stacking lane which will be made worse with the construction of the proposed commercial buildings. d) The application does not meet the requirements of Section 11.505b. of the zoning regulations. Parking areas are not located so as to provide convenient access to building entrances. e) The application does not meet the requirements of Section 11.504d. (2) of the zoning regulations. The project access point on Shelburne Road is not aligned with the Imperial Drive -Shelburne Road intersection. f) The application does not meet the requirements of Section 417d. of the subdivision regulations. The project will cause unreasonable highway congestion and unsafe conditions with respect to use of the highways, existing or proposed. Dated at South Burlington, Vermont, this " day of 1991 Chairman of Planning Commissio