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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSD-18-23 - Supplemental - 1505 Dorset Street (2)CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD 994765 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING Report preparation date: July 13, 2018 Plans received: June 11, 2018 1505 Dorset Street Sketch Plan Application #SD-18-23 Meeting date: July 17, 2018 Owner/Applicant Engineer Dorset Meadows Associates, LLC O'Leary Burke Civil Associates 44 Park Street 13 Corporate Dr. Essex Junction, VT 05452 Essex Junction, VT 05452 Propertv Information Tax Parcel 0570-01475, 0570-01505 SEQ Zoning District- Neighborhood Residential, SEQ Zoning District- Village Residential, SEQ Zoning District- Natural Resource Protection 71.91 acres .ocation Map 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION Sketch plan application #SD-18-23 of Dorset Meadows Associates, LLC to subdivide two existing parcels totaling 71.9 acres and developed with one single family dwelling into approximately 126 lots for the purpose of a 164 unit residential planned unit development. The planned unit development is to consist of 113 single family homes, 18 units in 3 unit multi -family dwellings, 32 units in two-family dwellings, and one existing single family home, 1505 Dorset Street. PERMIT HISTORY The Project is located in the Southeast Quadrant. The proposed development will be required to seek Master Plan approval within six months of the final sketch plan hearing. The development will be subject to subdivision standards, site plan standards, and the Southeast Quadrant standards, including design review. COMMENTS Administrative Officer Ray Belair and Development Review Planner Marla Keene ("Staff") have reviewed the plans submitted on 6/11/2018 and offer the following comments. CONTEXT The Project is located in the SEQ Neighborhood Residential, Village Residential, and Natural Resource Protection Zoning Districts. A portion of the property is located within the Dorset Park View Protection District. There are significant areas of wetlands within the Natural Resource Protection portion of the property, as well as limited wetlands and a stream along the border between the VR and NR districts. Topography is gently sloping with low areas around the wetlands and the highest areas between the wetlands and at Dorset Street. The purpose of the Southeast Quadrant is to encourage open space preservation, scenic view and natural resource protection, wildlife habitat preservation, continued agriculture, and well -planned residential use. The design and layout of buildings and lots is intended to create neighborhoods and a related network of open spaces consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. In support of these goals, the Southeast Quadrant is eligible for transfer of development rights. By purchasing the development rights of another parcel, effectively protecting it from development, an applicant may develop between four and eight dwelling units per acre. Further, development within the Natural Resource Protection district is prohibited when acreage outside that district exists on the same parcel, which is the case here. Staff considers this sketch plan application an opportunity for the applicant to present their overall concept and vision to the Board. Staff has reviewed the Project on an overall basis, but notes herein are limited to big picture items. The applicant will be meeting with DPW, Fire, Stormwater, and Police on July 24. A. Dimensional Requirements and Density: The Project consists of approximately 71.9 acres. Based only on the areas within each zoning district, the maximum density for the project is 267 units (including purchase of TDRs). The project as proposed will 2 need to purchase 78 TDRs, representing the protection of approximately 65 acres, from the surrounding area to construct the 164 unit development as proposed. The applicant is proposing a combination of 26, 28 and 34 foot wide roads, with sidewalks on one or both sides separated by 7 to 8 foot wide vegetated median strips. Roads will accommodate parking on one or both sides depending on location. Staff notes that parking is not required on local streets within the SEQ- VR or SEQ-NR zones. 1. Staff considers the roadway concept is generally sound though some adjustments may be warranted to parking to reduce the amount of pavement. Staff recommends the Board discuss with the applicant limiting parking to adjacent to homes, and consider periodic bump outs for street trees and to reduce perceived drive width. The Project is located in the Dorset Park view protection Zone D. Staff has reviewed the approximate topography relative to the Dorset Park baseline and believes that the view protection zone is less restrictive than the height standards of the district, which limit pitched roof heights to 28 to 35 feet depending on unit count and district. Therefore homes that are the maximum height within the project area will not adversely impact the views protected by the view protection districts. Based on submitted materials, it appears the applicant will be requesting a waiver of side setback requirements from 10 feet to 5 feet, but will not be requesting waiver of front or rear yard setbacks. B. Street Standards The applicant is proposing three dead end streets. Staff considers all three appear to meet the requirements of Section 15.12 Standards for Roadways, Parking and Circulation and of the Article 9 Southeast Quadrant standards pertaining to street layout. Two of the streets are proposed to be constructed to an adjacent parcel to allow for future connection. The third serves as the rear -loaded alley for four two and three family homes, which front on Nowland Farm Road. The Public Works Director reviewed the plans on July 6, 2018, and advises that the Project will require a traffic study evaluating the proposed impacts. He also advises that the proposed roadway connection to Nowland Farm Road, since it cannot be aligned with Old Schoolhouse Road, may need to shift west to allow greater distance from the Dorset Street intersection. 2. Staff recommends the Board require the applicant to provide a traffic study addressing these concerns as part of the master plan application. The applicant has provided a location for a future connection to Dorset Street at the approximate mid- point of the property. This is the same location as the existing driveway. Staff considers this to be an important connection, because without it, there will be no east -west connection on Dorset street for the half mile south of Nowland Farm Road. Staff recommends the Board require the applicant to retain the existing driveway in it's current configuration to retain wetland crossing rights. Staff further recommends the Board request the applicant permit this connection as a city street with the City and with the state wetlands program as part of this project. 3. Staff recommends the Board request the applicant to construct a road using the existing wetland crossing at the existing driveway location as part of this development. 3 C. Natural Resource Protection The proposed development includes one wetland crossing. A State wetland permit will be required for Conditional Use Determination by the Vermont DEC. Three areas are designated on the submitted site plan as stormwater treatment areas. The Stormwater Section reviewed the provided plans on 7/9/2018 and considers that the areas reserved for stormwater treatment appear small and wishes to remind the applicant that drainage lines to be conveyed to the City require a 20-foot wide easement, and that maintenance access will be required for all stormwater treatment practices. D. Public Facilities, Parks and Open Space Section 9.07 provides specific standards relating to park design in the Southeast Quadrant, which the proposed project must meet. The applicant is proposing a variety of open space types within the development, including two linear features at the rear of homes, one open green with views of Camels Hump, and one natural wooded area in the NRP district. The site is also designed to respect wetland buffers, resulting in an open space corridor between the bulk of the development and Dorset Street. Finally, the design incorporates a north to south recreation path connecting Nowland Farm Road to the southern property line. 4. Staff generally supports the open space concept for the development, and recommends the Board review the configuration of the open spaces and parks with the applicant, and discuss how the open spaces will be designed encourage residents to access them and how they will be protected from becoming part of the yards of adjacent homes. Staff recommends the Board provide direction on what, if any, additional information they would like to see submitted as part of the master plan. E. Building Orientation and Design Sections 9.08 and 9.09 of the LDRs lay out particular standards related to the orientation of housing, mix of housing styles, setbacks, and parking/garages. Staff inferred from the submitted sketch plan that the proposed housing units will have entrances facing a public road —a requirement of the regulations. The materials required for sketch do not require an applicant to submit sufficient information to evaluate the other Residential Design standards of the LDRs. The current proposal shows a variety of housing types (single, two, and three family) and the materials required for sketch do not require an applicant to submit sufficient information to evaluate whether there will also be a mix of housing styles (ex: ranch, cape cod, colonial, etc.). 5. Staff recommends the Board remind the applicant to review the Residential Design requirements and recommendations of Section 9.08(C) and 9.09(C) prior to future stages of the review process. 6. Staff recommends the Board discuss with the applicant their intended mix of housing types throughout the development. F. Lot Ratios Section 9.08(A)(4) states that lots "shall maintain a minimum lot width to depth ratio of 1:2, with a ratio of 1:2.5 to 1:5 recommended." The proposed lots for the single family homes appear to meet this standard. The two and three family homes are located on shared lots and do not meet this standard. Staff supports a waiver for this. 12 G. Energy Standards Staff notes that all new buildings are subject to the Stretch Energy Code pursuant to Section 3.15: Residential and Commercial Building Energy Standards of the LDRs. H. Phasing The phasing plan must take into consideration the LDR's prohibition on greater than 50 units accessed via a single access point. 7. Staff recommends the Board require that applicant submit their proposed phasing plan as part of the master plan application. RECOMMENDATION 8. Staff recommends that the Board discuss the issues identified herein with the applicant and consider continuing the hearing to allow further discussion once the applicant has met with the technical review committee. Respectfully submitted, 9 Marla Keene, Development Review Planner 5