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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 17, 2021 DRB Hearing Staff Comments Final 02 17 21Eastview* at O’Brien Farm Preliminary Plat Meeting #1 February 17, 2021 *Working name of the Project for Permitting Purposes. 2 3 Presentation Overview ●Presentation reviews staff report in order. ●Each numbered staff comment is discussed. ●A number of discussion points were not enumerated but are important and are also discussed here in order. ●Screenshots and excerpts from staff report are provided. Staff report text is BLACK and RED ●Applicant text is in BLUE ●Excerpts from City Reports and Applicant Narrative are labeled throughout but may appear in black text as well with a BLUE border if provided by Applicant. ●Applicant has added emphasis to staff report comments with RED underline. Project Phasing ●Applicant is happy to discuss phasing ●Applicant would request input from the board on priorities. ●Discuss after solidifying other aspects of project. 4 Lot Coverage 5 ●Important to recognize this limitation of the R1 district. Comprehensive Plan ●Applicant has addressed these criteria in its introduction to the project and believes that the project is designed with these goals in mind. 6 ●Staff report makes reference to the project’s layout in correspondence with this map. ●Overlay is provided for reference. Comprehensive Plan 7 Transportation and Connectivity 8 9 Transportation and Connectivity O’Brien Farm Road Extension 10 Kimball/Kennedy Intersection Improvements ●Applicant did not propose to construct the intersection improvements noted at Kennedy Drive. ●Applicant would recommend that any condition required be based on projected trip counts, not the lot number or acreage of involved land. 11 Applicant Proposed Traffic Improvements: Project Narrative Page 20 12 Traffic Improvement Draft Plans Exhibit 015 Warranted But Not Proposed 13 Traffic Improvement Draft Plans Exhibit 015 14 Kimball Avenue and Old Farm Road Intersection ●Applicant is happy to work with staff to determine if a less impactful design can be found that achieves the required level of service. 15 Hinesburg Road and Old Farm Road Intersection 16 Old Farm Road Traffic Calming ●Applicant is happy to provide additional detail on the sections and plans. ●Production of this level of detail was postponed to allow for the conversations we are having now. ●Applicant will engage a professional consultant with relevant expertise to safely facilitate pedestrian and vehicle movement but believes that the findings of this Preliminary Plat are integral to the success of that design. 17 Old Farm Road Widening, Bike and Pedestrian Connections 18 Old Farm Road Widening, Bike and Pedestrian Connections ●Existing Rec Path ●Planned Continuation ●Request from Bike And Pedestrian Committee ●Planned Connection from Existing Path to Tilley Drive, Referenced in the Recreation Impact Fee Ordinance 19 Old Farm Road Widening, Neighborhood Impacts ●The addition of the path requested would require clearing and widening of Old Farm Road in the existing neighborhood of at least 20’ to allow for work to be completed. ●The impacts of this widening on neighbors would be very noticeable. 20 Old Farm Neighborhood Impacts 21 Old Farm Road Widening Neighborhood Impacts ●East side contains overhead power and easements related. ●City Ordinances did not contemplate this connection in 2014 or currently. ●A different route has been contemplated and planned for by Applicant at Eldredge Street (Now O’Brien Farm Road). ●Neighbor expectations on Old Farm Road do not include recreational path. ●Existing privately owned garages, fences, landscaping, trees and parking areas would either need to be significantly altered or removed altogether. 22 Impacts of A Recreation Path to Proposed New Development 5’ 32’ <20’ 23 Old Farm Road Parallel Parking •Applicant will engage a professional consultant with relevant expertise to safely facilitate pedestrian and vehicle movement but believes that the findings of the Preliminary Plat are integral to the success of that design. 24 Old Farm Road Sections ●Applicant is happy to provide proposed sections of Old Farm Road. ●Applicant has not yet engaged in this as it felt that it would be good to solidify the overall layout. ●Applicant believes that this could be deferred to final plat. ●Applicant will provide intersection geometry requested. ●Applicant would request that the board not provide restrictions that will limit construction, but rather would require Applicant to work with the Director of Public Works in coordinating any infrastructure work and road closures. 25 Overall Transportation Network 26 Lot 31 Configuration and Unit Access ●Applicant reconfigured its original plan in cooperation with staff to create the proposed alley layout. ●Rear yards of homes accessed from Legacy Farm will be usable and the usable rear yards will represent a significant and marketable feature. ●Changing all Lot 31 homes to Alley access would result in 25 of 67 single family homes proposed being alley access with detached garages, which is not a requirement of the zoning. ●Detached garages present a limitation to the types of users (particularly seniors and those with mobility concerns) that those homes can be realistically marketed towards. ●While we appreciate Staff’s desire to see rear loaded garages we believe we have made a significant investment in attempting to meet in the middle on a significant number of rear loaded homes while providing more conventional attached garages on others. ●We believe this is a balanced approach and hope the Board agrees.”27 Vehicular Connections to Hillside at O’Brien Farm 28 115 Vehicular Connections to Phase I Master Plan Pedestrian Easements Vehicular Connection ●O’Brien Brothers worked with the City to create and approve a master plan. ●The Master Plan presented and solidified via finding connections to future phases, both vehicular and pedestrian, which is one of the main purposes/benefits of going through the Master Plan process. Sold 29 Vehicular Connection to Phase I Master Plan ●In March of 2018, after working with the Development Review Board to approve the Master Plan, the City Council and Planning Commission at the Recommendation of City Staff and the DRB amended the Official Map of the City to specifically remove a proposed connection in the location now discussed, and to replace the connection with the connection now proposed. 30 Vehicular Connection to Phase I Master Plan 31 City ROW Does Not Extend to Lot 18 Open Space ●There is no access easement extending to Lot 18 from Hillside. ●Purple is edge of City ROW ●That easement would require approval from over 60 homeowners in the Hillside Association to deed their land to the City. ●Homes on Split Rock court are sold and owned by private residents of South Burlington who bought their homes with no easements shown in this location. ●An 18 Month permitting process including extensive back and forth with City staff, the Development Review Board and even the City Council resulted in the existing fully permitted development plan. ●This plan is now over 60% occupied or under contract and construction. Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold SoldSold SoldSold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold Sold 32 Future Connection to Tilley Drive 33 Future Connection to Tilley Drive ●Applicant has shifted the proposed through-street to the east as a benefit to the residential neighborhood planned. ●The location proposed allows for larger lots and development areas which are a pre-requisite for large commercial industrial users. ●The connection to Tilley Drive can still be made in this alternative location. ●Applicant has had preliminary discussions with the owners of the Tilley Drive property and we are in tentative agreement as to how that connection could be made. 34 Connection to Industrial Commercial Area ●In response to issues of potential future connection, applicant added a 50’ easement at the connection point discussed at Sketch Plan. ●This easements will allow for Applicant and the Board to discuss potential connections in the future as needed. ●Applicant does not believe this connection to be buildable or practical. ●This connection has a number of issues that are discussed at length in the project narrative. 35 Connection to Industrial Commercial Area: Grade Change ●The proposed roadway requires extreme fills. ●Zoning Regulations specifically require streets to be logically related to topography. ●See application narrative excerpt below. ●The proposed connection is not a logical connection specifically due to topography. ●As shown on this section through a potential road in the purple, there would be up to 15 feet of fill. Road Ground You Are Building On +/-15’ 36 Connection to Industrial Commercial Area: Grade Change 37 Connection to Industrial Commercial Lands Incompatible Use ●Applicant believes that a vehicular connection will diminish the safety and value of the planned residential neighborhood, due to incompatible uses ●The zoning regulations require a landscape buffer ●Section 13.06 is provided here for reference. ●Such a buffer is provided in the project currently. ●The layout and style of uses depicted are likely in this zoning area. ●Connecting these uses would provide a cut through for industrial traffic on a local neighborhood street.38 Connection to Industrial Commercial Lands Incompatible Use ●Permitted Uses in IC listed for reference. ●At this time any of these uses could be permitted. ●Specifically prohibited is any residential use or compatible mixed use.39 Connection to Industrial Commercial Vehicular Crossing of Planned Wildlife Corridor ●Applicant has provided two un-bisected north- south wildlife corridors in the Project. ●This is in keeping with natural resource committee recommendations (see point 3 below). ●This was informed by the process to create new environmental protection standards. See excerpt from draft zoning regulation changes below. ●The proposed vehicular connection would bisect this and remove this connector and the ability of wildlife to migrate safely across the site. 40 Connection to Industrial Commercial Comprehensive Plan ●Applicant has provided a network of connections focused on pedestrians. ●This is in keeping with the top line goal on PAGE 1 of the Comprehensive Plan. ●The requested road has no impact on bike and pedestrian traffic and only seeks to reduce travel time for vehicular commuters. ●Commuters who live within walking distance of the area discussed. 41 Connection to Industrial Commercial Area ●Applicant has provided a plan and chart of distances and times for travel both on foot and by car. ●Here shown from an origin at the center of the development travelling by car and foot to the center of the IC land. ●Walking Distance 2400 Feet ●Driving Distance 4300 Feet ●Estimated Walk Time: 8.7 Minutes ●Estimated Drive Time 3.3 Minutes ●Driving Speed 21.7 feet per second ●Reduction in Drive Time if IC Connector Road Built: Approximately 87 seconds. 42 Connection to Industrial Commercial Area ●Road construction and engineering issues that run contrary to requirements of Section 15.12 ●Road grade and banks that result in challenging development sites. ●Removal of strong landscape buffer proposed in accordance with Section 13.06 ●Connection of incompatible uses with large industrial street and traffic intersecting a small residential neighborhood. ●Reduced safety of Legacy Farm Avenue for resident families ●Bifurcation of wildlife connection corridor ●Vehicle centered design that increases impervious surface in an impaired watershed ●Sole benefit of reducing commuter vehicular travel times by 87 seconds from proposed alternate route on collector and arterial roadways designed and with capacity for all travel as demonstrated in the Project TIA. 43 Pavement Marking Plans ●As evidenced by this discussion the road network required board input before being fully refined, engineered and planned. ●With that feedback and at final plat, or sooner if required, Applicant is happy to provide these detailed plans and drawings. 44 Industrial and Commercial Lots and Easements •The access easement is provided per the requirements of Section 15.12(3)(b) of the regulations. •The Applicant is not seeking a road in this location, to preserve the integrity of the tract of land in case a single large scale user wished to develop all four areas. •This subdivision preserves that opportunity as well as the opportunity for smaller lot developments. •A ROW would forever bifurcate this land and severely limit its marketability and constructability for large industrial users. 45 Industrial Commercial Lots and Easements ●A private easement provides for the possible building orientation illustrated above, where structure is used to hide parking from view of the homes and public parks above. ●This configuration would be prohibited by front yard parking restrictions and building width ratios if a City Road were proposed as requested. 46 Industrial and Commercial Roadway ●Applicant has proposed a compliant subdivision under the zoning regulations. ●This subdivision includes the construction of a roadway. ●The zoning regulations require certain roadway characteristics, which we are happy to meet, without waiver as directed. ●The Applicant would be happy to have a time restriction placed on constructing the road, and would request five years from final plat at which point the approval to build the road would expire if not built. ●Applicant is seeking approval of this subdivision and the roadway designed and intends to construct it. ●This construction is creating an official map connection. 47 Legacy Farm Road Extension ●In conjunction with the addition of the alley configuration on Lot 31 applicant created this road in the current configuration to reduce lot coverage. ●Adding 5’ of road width would increase lot coverage about 2000 square feet and the project is currently over (and looking for ways to reduce coverage). ●Applicant would suggest that two opportunities exist to accommodate both issues. ●Removal of requirement for a sidewalk and construction of the sidewalk at a future date should the roadway be extended as anticipated to neighboring commercial. This would be when the roadway is in City ownership and coverage limitations would not apply. ●Leave roadway and sidewalk in current configuration and position homes to allow for future road widening should a connection ever occur. 48 O’Brien Farm Road East ●Applicant has located the entire cul-de-sac in the R1 District as required by the regulations. ●Zoning plan at left shows the R1 in red. The commercial 1 Limited Retail is shown in purple. ●Applicant has placed this road to allow for it to be used on both sides, preserving the efficiency of construction and making use of R1 land where larger developments are prohibited. 49 O’Brien Farm Road East ●Applicant has provided a proposal for a large city park, a large playground and a fully enclosed dog park to be constructed by Applicant for the benefit of the public at the end of this street. ●Applicant considers this a feature and a destination and the road leads to it, not past it. ●In response to the feedback of a potential and now-unknown need for connection to Legacy Farm, Applicant has provided space and would consider providing a ROW if helpful. ●Environmental and other resources prohibit extension of this road beyond where shown, or where the easement is provided. 50 O’Brien Farm Road East ●Applicant has provided a concept of a potential layout for the commercial lots. ●Applicant is happy to provide additional information on what is sketched. ●Applicant is happy to provide information that is helpful in the Board making its decision but the roadway standards of the regulations are the guide. ●Any future projects could of course modify the permitted roadway to include more parking if necessary ●To proceed with investment in the park and homes on this road some road must be approved for construction and be built. 51 O’Brien Farm Road East ●Applicant has provided architecture and digital renderings for homes proposed on O’Brien Farm Road East. ●Homes are identical to those proposed in Hillside and which were approved as the transitionary home from the Hillside residential to the Hillside multi-family areas of Phase I. ●Three-Story townhomes are used again here as that transitional element. 52 O’Brien Farm Road East Planned Homes ●Street Presence 53 O’Brien Farm Road East Planned Homes ●Phase I has built this exact Townhome with the exact retaining wall and rear yard condition planned for Eastview. ●The stone walls accent the yards and create privacy, they have been landscaped and have been a feature. ●We saw significant increase in demand for homes that had the taller wall and more privacy. ●We do not feel that the proximity or grading is problematic as this product type has seen significant market absorption and price appreciation at Hillside with identical conditions.54 O’Brien Farm Road East Amenity Phasing ●Staff has requested that Applicant work with the Board to determine appropriate phasing for the project (Comment 1). ●Applicant is happy to work with the Board on specific proposals for timing of construction of amenities as stated above. ●Depending on phase timing and the approvals issued by the Board, the specific restriction requested here (Comment 19) may or may not be acceptable or necessary. ●Applicant would suggest this specific item be discussed in the broader context of phasing and amenity construction. 55