Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSD-23-15 Sketch Plan - Supplemental - 0850 Hinesburg Road (8)APPLICATION NARRATIVE FOR SUBDIVISION SKETCH PLAN REVIEW 850, 900, & 950 Hinesburg Road October 17, 2023 The following information has been prepared by Trudell Consulting Engineers, Inc. Existing Conditions: This project site involves a single 10 acre parcel with three (3) existing residential homes occupied by siblings of the Wright family. The parcel is located along Hinesburg Road. There are three (3) existing driveway curb cuts off of Hinesburg Road to serve the three residences. Except for mature trees around the existing buildings, the majority of the site to the east is moderately easterly sloping lawn area. The site also contains an old farm silo repurposed as a cell tower. Verizon, T-Mobile, and V-Tel all have leases to place transmitters on the silo, as well as having access to the silo and equipment at the base of the silo, and access over the existing northernmost driveway. The three residences are currently served my municipal water services, and individual on-site wastewater disposal (septic) systems. However, a municipal sewer main runs parallel to and along the easterly property line of the site, just over the property line on lands of Landrum (Lane Press site). There is a 20’ wide sewer easement along this sewer main, with the westerly sideline of the easement sharing the easterly property line of the subject parcel. Proposed Project This application seeks approval for the creation of three (3) lots to each encompass one of the three existing single-family homes, and eight (8) additional new residential lots. This project is classified as a major subdivision. The Land Development Regulations also require that a “Civic Space” lot be part of a major subdivision. As a result, the 12th lot in this subdivision is for a civic space for use by the 11 lot owners. This lot is anticipated to be used as a shared garden space as an amenity to the proposed residential lots. The size of the civic space (1 acre) is based on being10% of the buildable area, with the calculations shown on the Sketch Plan. It is anticipated that lot #12 would be co-owned by the owners of the 11 residential lots. The project is located in the Industrial-Open Space (IO) zoning district. Single family dwellings are a permitted use in this district. For this zoning district, the residential density is 1 dwelling unit per 3 acres. With this density, and a project parcel size of 10 acres, only 3 lots, plus a civic space lot are permitted. However, with the passage of Vermont Act 47, Bill S100, the density of dwellings on a parcel served by municipal sewer and water can be 5 dwelling units per acre. An excerpt from the bill follows: “(12) In any area served by municipal sewer and water infrastructure that allows residential development, bylaws shall establish lot and building dimensional standards that allow five or more dwelling units per acre for each Sketch Plan October 2023 Page 2 of 4 allowed residential use…” It is for this reason we are able to propose 11 lots, as this property is served, in our opinion, by municipal sewer and water. The following narrative is in support or our assertion that this project is “served” by municipal sewer and water: Sewer- As described above, there is a municipal sewer main running parallel to, and just easterly of the easterly property line of this parcel. In an email from Marla Keene dated 6/30/2023 to the applicant she writes: “I heard back from our attorney today that the City did in fact accept the sewer easement in this location, so you are allowed to connect to it (pending any technical issues which we would review when an application to connect was submitted)”. Furthermore, the City Sewer Ordinance defines the Sewer Service Area, in part, as follows: “Sewer Service Area - That area of the City that is within 200 feet horizontally from existing municipal collection lines and manholes, excluding the City Center Sewer Service Area…”. Since a portion of the project parcel falls within this 200’ sewer corridor, it is therefore in the sewer service area, and as a result, can be “served” by municipal sewer. Municipal Water- An existing municipal water main runs along the east side of Hinesburg Road, and the three existing dwellings on the project parcel currently are connected to, and are served by this water main. As a result, we conclude that this parcel is served by municipal water given that it already is. Proposed Access to lots A new private roadway is proposed as part of this project to serve the new lots. Additionally, and as suggested by Marla Keene, a future road right of way is also proposed from the proposed road loop to the Burlington Properties LTD parcel is also proposed, even though this is a commercial use. We will request a discussion with the DRB regarding the pros and cons of such a connection between a small isolated residential development to a large scale commercial use. The proposed street type is a narrow neighborhood street with 11’ wide lanes, curbing, and sidewalk on one side of the street. The design vehicle is a passenger car. Zoning The project is located in the Industrial-Open Space (IO) zoning district. Single family dwellings are a permitted use in this district. This project is proposed as a “General PUD” as outlined in Table 15.C-1 of the LDR. Sketch Plan October 2023 Page 3 of 4 Waivers The following waivers are requested: Waiver to Table C-2 Area, Density and Dimensional Requirements: Maximum Density of 1 DU/3 acres – This waiver is requested to increase density in accordance with Act 47 to up to 5 DU’s/acre. A denser project increases the number of dwellings in the local housing market, and is more efficient in terms of infrastructure and promotes a clustered, compact, pedestrian friendly neighborhood with looped road and sidewalks with a pedestrian connection with Hinesburg Road. Reduction of lot size below 3 acres. This waiver is requested to increase density in accordance with Act 47 to up to 5 DU’s/acre. A denser project increases the number of dwellings in the local housing market, and promotes a more efficient design, compact, clustered, pedestrian friendly neighborhood. Front, side, and rear yard setbacks. Given the increased density allowed with Act 47, smaller lots are proposed, thereby making the current standard setbacks disproportionally large compared with the lot sizes. Waiver to Section 15.A.16 Blocks and Lots C. Lots(9)- A waiver is requested from the lots being rectangular in shape. Given the desire to increase density, and the need to provide a loop road, some of the proposed lots have somewhat irregular shapes, but are generally rectangular but without 90 degree angles and parallel sides. Section 15.C.01A.(2) authorizes the DRB to modify the Land Development Regulations in association with PUD review in support of more efficient, compact, walkable, and well planned forms of residential neighborhoods. Natural Resources Level 1 Resources- The project parcel is not covered by Level 1 Resources including the Habitat Block Overlay District or the Habitat Connector Overlay District. Hazards- The South Burlington City Map Viewer indicates that a small area of the southeast corner of this property is overlain with a wetlands advisory layer. However, a field reconnaissance performed by a TCE wetlands ecologist verified that no wetlands exist on the project parcel. There may or may not be wetlands to the east on the adjoining property, but TCE did not have permission to enter Sketch Plan October 2023 Page 4 of 4 upon the adjoining property. As a result, to be conservative, the sketch plan depicts 50’ wetland buffers on the project parcel starting from the easterly property line in two locations where previously wetlands were found by TCE during work on the adjacent property to the east. These buffers fall entirely within the civic space lot. For the purpose or calculating “buildable area” for this site, the wetlands buffers were taken into account when calculating the “civic space” lot area requirements. This calculation is shown on the Sketch Plan.