HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 07_SP-22-056_154 daVinci Dr_BETA Parking_memo
180 Market Street, South Burlington, Vermont 05403 | 802-846-4106 | www.southburlingtonvt.gov
TO: South Burlington Development Review Board
FROM: Marla Keene, Development Review Planner
SUBJECT: #SP-22-024 420 daVinci Drive
DATE: December 6, 2022 Development Review Board meeting
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Site plan application #SP-22-056 of Beta Technologies, Inc., to amend a previously approved plan for a
344,000 sf manufacturing and office building. The amendment consists of adding 261 parking spaces,
154 daVinci Drive.
PERMIT HISTORY
The previously approved plan for this project included #MP-21-02, a Master Plan approval for the
development of the Beta Air, LLC, complex which was proposed to be developed in four phases. The
present site plan application seeks to amend the previously approved plan for a 344,000 sf
manufacturing and office building which was approved as part of the first phase of development at this
site. At the time of the approval of Master Plan #MP-21-02, the applicant was unable to secure approval
for its proposed parking lot because the parking lot was proposed to be in front of the associated
manufacturing and office facility, and City regulations require parking to be located to the rear or side of
uses on the property. Accordingly, the applicant applied in Preliminary & Final Plat application #SD-21-
28 for the maximum amount of parking that they were able to have under those regulations, and was
approved for a parking area measuring no more than 195 feet in width and containing 41 spaces.
CONTEXT
After the approval of Preliminary & Final Plat application #SD-21-28, the South Burlington Planning
Commission and South Burlington City Council approved the adoption of Article 14.06(A)(2)(b)(viii) in
the Land Development Regulations, as well as several other amendments affecting the requirements
and procedure for review of master plans. 14.06(A)(2)(b)(viii) provides an exemption to the limits on the
placement of parking areas when that parking area is constructed to serve a building, or a portion
thereof, that is contained within the Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) of a publicly owned and
operated airport. A portion of the approved 344,000 sf manufacturing and office building that is the
principal structure on this site is located within the SIDA. As such, the applicant is requesting the
approval of this site plan amendment to allow for expansion and relocation of the proposed parking
area as pursuant to the exemption outlined above.
However, master plan approval #MP-21-02 contains the following finding pertaining to parking.
The Board finds the master plan meets 14.06B(2) but until such time as the red phase is
constructed, the applicant may only build the portion of the parking which is to the side or
rear of the existing building (3060 Williston Road) to remain until the red phase is
constructed and which is less than ½ the total building width along the street frontage, as
shown in the below illustration. This latter provision applies only to buildings or portions
of buildings which are not separated from the street by parking. The applicant must
therefore amend SD-21-28 to meet this requirement. In amending SD-21-28, the applicant
may propose additional permanent or temporary parking to the side of the building in the
blue phase.
Since the master plan finding does not allow for parking to be constructed as currently proposed, the
applicant must amend their master plan prior to seeking approval for this application #SP-22-056. Such
master plan amendment will allow the Board to modify the above referenced finding for consistency
with the current regulations, after which the applicant may proceed with this application.
Further, the applicant has appealed #MP-21-02 to the Environmental Court, which appeal is still
pending.
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Board continue the site plan application until Wednesday February 22, 2023,
which will allow sufficient time for the court to remand the master plan application to the DRB, and for
the applicant to prepare an application for master plan under the current LDR, including the amended
submission requirements, and for that application to at least begin DRB review prior to the continued
hearing.
Respectfully submitted,
Marla Keene, P.E.
Development Review Planner