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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSD-95-0001 - Decision - 0060 Farrell StreetFINDINGS OF FACT & DECISION STATE OF VERMONT r COUNTY OF CHITTENDEN CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON Re: Findings of Fact, 1) the final plat application of National Gardening Association for construction of a planned unit development consisting of a 36,000 square foot general office/medical office building and a 12,432 square foot general office building on a 4.91 acre parcel of land, 60 Farrell Street, and 2) the site plan application of Olympiad Court Associates to amend a previously approved site plan to increase coverage by reducing the lot size and adding an access to Joy Drive, 70 Farrell Street. The application also includes a boundary line adjustment involving approximately 8712 square feet of land. On the 9th of May, 1995, the South Burlington Planning Commission approved the request of: 1) National Gardening Association for final plat approval under Section 204 of the South Burlington Subdivision Regulations, and 2) Olympiad Court Associates for site plan review under Section 26.10 of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations based on the following findings: 1. This project consists of the following: 1) construction of a 2 -story 12,432 square foot general office building and a 4 -story 36,000 square foot office building which includes 21,000 square feet of general office use and 15,000 square feet of medical office use, 2) a boundary line adjustment with 70 Farrell Street (Olympiad), and 3) amend the site plan for the Olympiad property to increase coverage by reducing the lot size and adding an access to Joy Drive. Preliminary Plat was approved on 1/24/95. 2. The applicant's development plans were modified midway through the final plat review process. These modifications included: 1) increasing the size of the 60 Farrell Street lot by 0.2 acres and reducing the size of the 70 Farrell Street property by 0.2 acres, 2) creating a second access to the 60 Farrell Street property over the 70 Farrell Street property to Joy Drive, and 3) amending the site plans for the 70 Farrell Street property resulting from the 0.2 acre reduction in lot area. 3. This property located at 60 Farrell Street lies within the C2 and C.O. Districts. It is bounded on the north by the Olympiad fitness center, on the west by Farrell Street, on the south by I- 189 and on the east by WCAX-TV studios. 4. Access/circulation: Access will be provided by a 30 foot curb cut on Farrell Street and a 24 foot access road to Joy Drive across the Olympiad property. A 60 foot r.o.w. will be provided for this purpose. The legal documents for this r.o.w. should be approved by the City Attorney and recorded prior to issuance of a zoning 1 permit. 5. The new access to Joy Drive will result in the Olympiad parcel having two (2) driveways. Section 26.103(a) of the zoning regulations states that "unless specifically approved by the Planning Commission there shall be a maximum of one driveway per lot accessing a public street". Staff did not see a problem with this additional access since it is on a different street. Circulation is adequate. 6. Coverage/setbacks: National Gardening site: Building coverage is 7.3 % (maximum allowed is 30%). Overall coverage is 36.6% (maximum allowed is 70%). Front yard coverage is 27.8% (maximum allowed is 30%). Olympiad site: Building coverage is 28.2% (maximum allowed is 30%). Overall coverage is 55% (maximum allowed is 70%). Front yard coverage along Joy Drive is increasing from 21.8% to 28.2% (maximum allowed is 30%). Front yard coverage along Farrell Street is decreasing from 30.6% to 29% (maximum allowed is 30%). 7. Setback requirements are met. Additional setback requirements are needed for the larger office building because it is 10 feet higher than allowed (see discussion on building height). This building meets the added setback requirements. 8. Landscaping: The minimum landscaping requirement, based on building costs, is $29,188 which is being met. Additional landscaping was added since preliminary plat approval which now includes Norway Maple, Juniper, White Pine, Rhododendron, Lilac, Crabapple and Arborvitae. The landscaping plan should be revised so that all landscaping information is all on one (1) sheet. 9. Parking: This project requires a total of 209 parking spaces iti7 and 195 spaces including six (6) handicapped spaces were proposed and approved at preliminary plat. This was a 14 space or 6.7% gW shortfall. The final plat has 188 spaces which represents a 21 ZO'7 space or 10% shortfall. Eight (8) spaces are shown as future spaces. Bike racks are being provided as required. 10. Traffic: The preliminary plat approval required the applicant to widen the north leg of the Farrell Street/Swift Street intersection in order to accommodate a separate right turn lane on Farrell Street. The proposed plan shows widening 11 feet on the east side in order to accommodate the right turn lane and also two (2) 5 foot bike lanes. The plan is acceptable. Staff recommended that the applicant construct all improvements as shown on the plan in order to avoid two (2) separate construction projects (i.e., improvements required for National Gardening and improvements required for bike lanes). 2 11. The applicant has met with the East Woods neighborhood since the Preliminary Plat hearing to discuss traffic in the neighborhood. The applicant has agreed to work with the neighborhood in exploring various traffic calming techniques to slow traffic down (i.e., narrowing of street at mid -block locations). The applicant and neighborhood will be going to the Council for permission to implement such traffic calming measures. 12. Due to the anticipated impact of traffic generated by this development,the applicant should be responsible for constructing "neck -down" improvements (i.e., street narrowing) or other "traffic calming" improvements in the Eastwoods neighborhood. A plan for such improvements should require approval by the City Council prior to issuance of a zoning permit. If the City Council does not approve any traffic mitigation for the neighborhood, the applicant should return to the Planning Commission for a final decision (i.e., approval or denial) on this application. 13. The applicant was made aware that the road impact fee for this project is approximately $28,000. 14. Sewer: The sewer allocation being requested for this project is 4,600 gpd. The applicant will be required to pay the per gallon fee prior to permit issuance. The applicant will also be required to pay $11.62 per linear foot of sewer line along the property's frontage. 15. Boundary line adjustment: It was discovered that the Olympiad building was partially constructed on this property. This violation will be corrected by a land swap between the applicant and the Olympiad. This land swap will result in the Olympiad building meeting the side setback requirement and the National Gardening parcel increasing in size by 0.2 acres and the Olympiad parcel being reduced by 0.2 acres. 16. Bicycle path: The bikeway which begins at UVM on Spear Street and ends at Farrell Street crosses this property along the southerly boundary. The plan shows this bikeway relocated to the south. The revised location has been tentatively approved by the City but still needs approval by AOT. 17. Fire access preliminary provide more plat spat lane: The fire access approval with approval e for garden areas. lane was modified since of the Fire Chief to 18. Building height: The smaller office building will have a 40 foot height which is the maximum allowed for a pitched roof structure. The larger office building is proposed to be 45 feet in height which is 10 feet more than is permitted for a flat roofed structure. The applicant is requesting an increase in height to 45 feet under section 25.113(b) of the zoning regulations. The Planning Commission approved this increase in height at preliminary 3 plat. 19. Lighting: Exterior lighting will consist of 13 - 250 watt metal halide forward throw with cutoff shielded lamps mounted on eleven (11) 16 foot poles. Prior to issuance of a zoning permit, the applicant must submit details and cut -sheets of all exterior building mounted lights for approval of the City Planner (preliminary plat condition #11). 20. PUD criteria: The applicant previously submitted a report addressing the PUD criteria in Section 26.151 of the zoning regulations. 21. Rubbish storage: Two (2) roofed rubbish enclosures are proposed, one (1) for each building. DECISION & CONDITIONS Based on the above Findings of Fact, the South Burlington Planning Commission approves: 1) the final plat application of National Gardening Association for construction of a planned unit development consisting of a 36,000 square foot general office/medical office building and a 12,432 square foot general office building on a 4.91 acre parcel of land, 60 Farrell Street, and 2) the site plan application of Olympiad Court Associates to amend a previously approved site plan to increase coverage by reducing the lot size and adding an access to Joy Drive, 70 Farrell Street. The application also includes a boundary line adjustment involving approximately 8712 square feet of land, as depicted on a twelve (12) page set of plans, page one entitled "National Gardening Proposed New Office, Site Plan, South Burlington, Vermont" prepared by Civil Engineering Associates, Inc., dated December 1994, last revised 3/20/95, and as depicted on a survey plat entitled "Plat of Boundary Survey and Adjustment Property of Gardens For All, Inc." prepared by Civil Engineering Associates, Inc. and dated 12/94, with the following stipulations: 1. All previous approvals and stipulations which are not superseded by this approval shall remain in effect. 2. The applicant shall post a $29,188 landscape bond prior to issuance of a zoning permit. The bond shall remain in effect for three (3) years to assure that the landscaping takes root and has a good chance of surviving. 3. The plans shall be revised prior to recording of the final plat as follows: a) The landscaping plan shall be revised so that all landscaping information is on one (1) sheet. b) The survey plat shall be signed and stamped by the land 4 surveyor. c) Revise Erosion Control Plan to correctly show proposed site improvements. 4. The Planning Commission approves 196 parking spaces, eight (8) of which are shown as future spaces and therefore will not be constructed at this time. These 196 spaces represent a waiver of 13 spaces or 6.2% of the total required. It is the Commission's opinion that 196 spaces will adequately serve the project since a significant portion of the gross square footage of the building will be devoted to stairway and elevator space and therefore will not be devoted to uses which typically generate parking demand. The eight (8) future spaces shall be constructed if determined to be necessary by the applicant. 5. For the purposes of calculating required road impact fees under the South Burlington Impact Fee Ordinance, the Planning Commission estimates that the proposed office complex will generate 140 vehicle trip ends during the P.M. peak hour. 6. A sewer allocation of 4,600 gpd is approved. The applicant shall pay the per gallon fee prior to issuance of a zoning permit. 7. The applicant shall be responsible for widening the northern leg of the Farrell Street/Swift Street intersection in accordance with the plan entitled "National Gardening Farrell St. Right Turn Lane, Site Plan", dated 2/95. This work shall be completed prior to occupancy of the first office building. 8. The Planning Commission approves a building height of 45 feet above average pre -construction grade for the large office building. It is the Planning Commission's opinion that the requirements of Sections 25.113(b) and (c) are adequately met. 9. All exterior lighting shall be downcasting and shielded and shall not cast light beyond the property line. Any change in lighting shall be approved by the City Planner prior to installation. Applicant shall submit, prior to issuance of a zoning permit, details and cut -sheets of all exterior building mounted lights for approval by the City Planner. 10. Prior to issuance of a zoning permit, the applicant shall reimburse the City $11.62 per linear foot of frontage for the 1976 sewer line extension. 11. This approval is conditioned on a maximum of 15,000 square feet of medical office use. Any increase of medical office use above the 15,000 square foot limit shall require planning commission approval. 12. The final plat plans shall be recorded in the land records 61 within 90 days or this approval is null and void. The plans shall be signed by the Planning Commission Chairman or Clerk prior to recording. 13. Due to the anticipated impact of traffic generated by this development, the applicant shall be responsible for constructing "neck -down" improvements (i.e., street narrowing) or other "traffic calming" improvements in the Eastwoods neighborhood. A plan for such improvements shall require approval by the City Council prior to issuance of a zoning permit. If the City Council does not approve any traffic mitigation for the, neighborhood, the applicant shall return to the Planning Commission for a final decision (i.e., approval or denial) on this pp". ion. /- eha±rman--or Clerk South Burlington Planning Commission Date C