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Home My WebLink AboutSD-95-0000 - Decision - 0060 Farrell StreetFINDINGS OF FACT & DECISION STATE OF VERMONT s - S _ t� 0 0 V COUNTY OF CHITTENDEN CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON Re: Findings of Fact, 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 4.77 acre parcel of land, 60 Farrell Street. The application also includes a boundary line adjustment involving approximately 8,300 square feet of land. On the 24th of January, 1995, the South Burlington Planning Commission approved the request of National Gardening Association for preliminary plat approval under Section 203 of the South Burlington Subdivision 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, and 2) a boundary line adjustment with 70 Farrell Street (Olympiad) on a 4.6 acre lot. Sketch plan was reviewed on 11/29/94. 2. 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. 3. Access/circulation: Access will be provided by a 30 foot curb cut on Farrell Street. Circulation is adequate. 4. Coverage/setbacks: Building coverage is 10.4% (maximum allowed is 30%). Overall coverage is 33% (maximum allowed is 70%). Front yard coverage is 25% (maximum allowed is 30%). 5. 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. 6. Landscaping: The minimum landscaping requirement, based on building costs, is $29,188 which is not being met. Landscaping proposed is $6,470 short of the requirement. Staff recommended that additional landscaping be proposed which would include street trees (40 feet on center) along the property frontage. The landscape plan should also be revised to show the same site improvements as is shown on the site plan. 7. Parking: This project requires a total of 209 parking spaces and 195 spaces including six (6) handicapped spaces are being provided. This is a 14 space or 6.7% shortfall. It is the applicant's position that multiple story structures become increasingly inefficient as height increases and footprint decreases. This inefficiency is the result of space being consumed by stairways, elevators and redundancy of service spaces such as rest rooms and custodial closets. It was staff's opinion that 195 spaces are adequate. 8. Traffic: The applicant prepared a Traffic Impact Evaluation for this project. It estimated that this project would generate 139 vte's during the P.M. peak hour. This is based on a 12,000 square foot general office building but application is for a 12,432 square foot building. Using the correct square footage would result in one (1) additional vte for a total of 140 vte's. 9. This study found that: 1) the Farrell Street/project access intersection will operate at LOS D through the year 2000, 2) the Shelburne Road/Swift Street intersection will operate at LOS C in the year 2000, and 3) the southbound Farrell Street movement at the Swift Street/Farrell Street intersection will soon be experiencing LOS F. 10. The applicant proposes to improve the LOS at the Farrell Street/Swift Street intersection to LOS E in 1995 by adding an exclusive right -turn lane on the Farrell Street approach. However, this approach will still reach LOS F by the year 2000 with background traffic alone. The applicant should conduct a signal warrant analysis to determine whether or not a signal is warranted now or in year 2000. 11. The impact of this project on the adjacent Eastwood residential area was evaluated. The study indicates that 12 additional vte's will pass through the Eastwood area during both the A.M. and P.M. peak hours. The study concludes that "additional project - generated traffic passing through the Eastwood residential neighborhood will be minimal and will not create an unreasonable adverse traffic congestion or safety impact". 12. The Commission was made aware that traffic volumes through the Eastwood neighborhood currently exceed recommended standards for local residential streets by up to 58% (1500 maximum vehicles/day recommended; 2,362 vehicles/day counted in 1993). 13. A copy of the traffic report was sent to Regional Planning for their comment. The Commission should have their comments prior to final plat. 14. The applicant was made aware that the road impact fee for this project is approximately $28,000 . 2 15. 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. 16. 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 no change in lot size for either property owners. This land swap is shown on the site plan and survey plat. The round swimming pool which will end up on the applicant's property will have to be removed prior to recording of the final plat since it does not meet the side setback requirement from the new property line. 17. 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 as planned. 18. Fire access lane: A 30 foot wide fire access lane located in the C.O. zone is proposed. This lane will have a gravel base and covered with topsoil so it can be covered with grass. 19. 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 may approve this increase in height if it determines that a taller structure will comply with the criteria in Section 25.113(b)(i)-(iii). The additional setbacks required under Section 25.113(c) are being met. 20. Lighting: Exterior lighting will consist of 10 pole lights with downcasting and shielded fixtures. Applicant should indicate height of pole, type of light and wattage. If building mounted lights are proposed, locations should be shown and details submitted. 21. PUD criteria: The applicant has submitted a report addressing the PUD criteria in Section 26.151 of the zoning regulations. 22. Other: --- the location map should be shown on the site plan. --- the correct street address is 60 Farrell Street. --- buildings should be labeled A and B. --- plan should indicate size and location of all HVAC equipment structures, if located on the ground. --- survey plat should be signed and stamped by the land surveyor. 3 DECISION AND CONDITIONS Based on the above Findings of fact, the South Burlington Planning Commission approves the preliminary 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 4.77 acre parcel of land, 60 Farrell Street. The application also includes a boundary line adjustment involving approximately 8,300 square feet of land, as depicted on a ten (10) page set of plans, page one (1) entitled "National Gardening Proposed New Office, Site Plan, South Burlington, Vermont" prepared by Civil Engineering Associates, Inc., dated December 1994, 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 submittal of the final plat application as follows: a) The landscape plan shall be revised to: 1) show same site improvements as is shown on the site plan and 2) show additional landscaping which shall include street trees (40 feet on center) along the property frontage. b) The site plan shall be revised to show the following: 1) location map, 2) the correct street address (60 Farrell Street), 3) label buildings A and B, and 4) indicate size and location of all HVAC equipment structures, if to be located on the ground. c) The survey plat shall be signed and stamped by the land surveyor. 4. The Planning Commission approves 195 parking spaces which represents a waiver of 14 spaces or 6.7% of the total required. It is the Commission's opinion that 195 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. 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. 4 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 conduct a signal warrant analysis of the Farrell Street/Swift Street intersection to determine whether or not a signal is warranted in 1995 and/or in the year 2000. 8. Prior to final plat, the applicant shall re-evaluate the projected LOS of the Farrell Street/Swift Street intersection utilizing the new methodology for analyzing unsignalized intersections as recommended by the VAOT. 9. The applicant shall be responsible for widening the northern leg of the Farrell Street/Swift Street intersection to accommodate northbound left -turn and right -turn lanes. Detailed plans of this improvement shall be submitted with the final plat application. 10. 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. 11. 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. 12. The applicant must submit the revised final plat application within 12 months or this approval is null and void. Chairman or Clerk South Burlington Planning Commission */V�� Date 0