Planning Commission

1500 Gateway City of Fredericksburg Case Number RZFY23-01 Application Overview • GPIN #’s 7769-93-9151, 7769-94- 7825, 7779-02-1758, and 7779-03- 1528 • Property consists of approximately 86.6159 acres located between Route 3 and Cowan Boulevard, along the I-95 interchange • Request to rezone from Planned Development – Medical Center (“PD- MC”) to Planned Development – Mixed-Use (“PD-MU”)  Small Area Plan Purposes • Property is located within the City’s Small Area Plan 3 to include Transects 4 and T-5W T-4 encourages higher density residential uses to support the vision of a workplace urban center T-5W encourages higher density workplace environment, including high quality office/institutional tenant of commercial and light industrial space • Project consists of the following: Up to 242,000 square foot of commercial retail/restaurant uses, office and flex industrial space Up to 648 residential units: o 163 – Single Family Attached Units o 182 – 2 Over 2 Units o 303 – Multi-Family Units • Overall density of 648 residential units on 85.59 acres is 7.6 units to the acre, which is consistent with the T-4 General Urban Transect under the City Comp Plan (8-16 units per acre and 16/30 units SFA/MF) Generalized Development Plan Economic Development Approximately $219 million investment Estimated $244 million in gross City tax revenues and net $95 million over the first 30 years or on average $3.1 million annually Addition of 1,949 jobs during construction Anticipates 1,325 permanent jobs at full buildout Total annual incomes to generate approximately $222 million in salaries. Proffers  Over $2.3 million in Cash Proffers  $1,821,775 for Schools  $1,207,666.68 for MFA and 2/2 Units ($2,547.82 per unit)  $614,110.35 for SFA Units ($3,469.55 per unit)  $394,574.15 for Public Safety  $435.05 per MFA and 2/2 Unit  $487.55 per SFA Unit  $922.03 per 1,000 Gross Square Feet of commercial retail & restaurant space  $412.88 per 1,000 Gross Square Feet of commercial office space  $553.59 per 1,000 Gross Square Feet of flex/industrial space  Provide a 10’ wide multi-use trail along Gateway Blvd., connecting Plank Road with the existing trail along Cowan Blvd.  Provide 5’ wide sidewalks along parking lots to provide internal pedestrian circulation throughout the development.  Reservation of a pedestrian bridge access connection to be built by others  Preservation of open space in Land Bays J & K  School Proffers Municap report is dated May 2022, but did utilize the City’s student generation factors • Report is currently being updated to reflect unit mix changes Project is anticipated to generate 210 total students Proffers focus on middle school student generation given the City is planning to build only a new middle school and school bus impacts relating to same Projecting to generate 43 middle school students and the prorata cost share nets (using City formula just for middle school) $1,821,775.00 or approximately $3,470.00 per townhome and $2,258.00 per multifamily unit. Amenities Pool and Clubhouse Pocket parks Pedestrian trails and integrated sidewalk connections  Transportation Study Areas • Plank Road (Route 3) and Gateway Blvd/Ramseur St. (Signalized, Gateway Blvd Ext will replace Ramseur ST. With the future extension of Gateway Blvd.) • Plank Road (Route 3) and I-95 NB Ramps (Signalized) • Plank Road (Route 3) and Mahone Street/Altoona Drive (Signalized) • Plank Road (Route 3) and Westwood Shopping Center /Greenbrier Shopping Center (Signalized) • Plank Road (Route 3) and Woodlyn Drive/Huntington Hills Lane (Signalized) • Plank Road (Route 3) and Westwood Drive/Westmont Drive (Signalized) • Carl D. Silver Parkway and Cowan Boulevard/Central Park Boulevard (Signalized) • Cowan Boulevard and Preserve Lane (Unsignalized) • Cowan Boulevard and Snowden Hills Boulevard (Signalized) • Cowan Boulevard and Hospital Drive/Manor Drive (Signalized) • Gateway Boulevard Extension and Mahone Street (Future Intersection) • Cowan Boulevard and Gateway Boulevard Extension (Future Intersection) • Gateway Boulevard Extension and Ramseur Street Relocation (Future Intersection) • Gateway Boulevard Extension and Internal Connection #1 (Future Intersection) • Gateway Boulevard Extension and Internal Connection #2 (Future Intersection) Transportation Improvements  Improvements at the entrance near Gateway Blvd. and Plank Road intersection. Eastbound approach improvement consisting of one additional left turn lane; Northbound approach improvements of restriping the existing lanes to include two dedicated left turn lanes and one thru/right lane; and Southbound approach improvements consisting of constructing one exclusive left turn lane, one left/thru lane, one right/thru lane, and one exclusive right turn lane.  Improvements at the entrance of Gateway Blvd. and Cowan Blvd. intersection. Northbound approach improvements consisting of one exclusive left turn lane and one exclusive right turn lane; Westbound approach improvement consisting of extending the existing median; and Eastbound approach improvements consisting of a 200’ right turn lane with a 100’ taper and reconstructing the left turn lane to accommodate the Gateway alignment. Transportation Improvements  Extend and construct two lanes of Gateway Blvd. from Cowan Blvd. to Plank Road  Dedication of right-of-way along Gateway Blvd. to allow for four lane road (equal to a total of a 100 feet of right of way)  Improvements for the extension of Gateway Blvd. during various phases of Project: Northbound approach to Cowan Blvd. that includes 100’ left turn lane with 100’taper and a 100’ right turn taper for interparcel connection within complex; Southbound approach to Plank Road that includes 100’ left turn lane with 100’ taper; and Northbound approach to Plank Road that includes 100’ left turn lane with 100’ taper and a 100’ right turn lane with 100’ taper Transportation Questions?  1500 Washington Avenue Mary Washington Lodge #7. Pitt Street Right-of-Way Vacation #8A. Special Use Permit Request to Allow a Museum Planning Commission 2022 November 09 1842 Slaughter Map of Kenmore General Improvements as of January 2022 Topography per GIS 2022 2022 Proposed Boundary Line Adjustment and ROW Consolidation Plat PROPOSAL • The Fredericksburg City has agreed to a Letter of Intent to transfer 1.36 acres to the Washington Heritage Museums (WHM), a non-profit entity that owns and operates three other museum properties in the City. • The 1.36 acres contains the: • 1789 grave of Mary Washington and Meditation Rock • Early 19th Gordon family cemetery (owners of Kenmore, a nearby 18th house built by Betty Washington Lewis [daughter of Mary Washington] and Fielding Lewis • 1893 Mary Washington monument • 1896 Caretaker’s Lodge with its ‘Connecticut Room’ display space • Eskridge Oak, transplanted in 1937 from the property of George Eskridge, Mary Ball Washington’s guardian) • WHM would take on the caretaker responsibilities and re-establish appropriate exhibits in the Connecticut Room. • WHM would use the balance of the Lodge for its two-person staff. THE PARAMETERS • The proposed property to be transferred is zoned R-2, which allows ‘Museums’ with a Special Use Permit • The proposed property contains the platted, but unbuilt right-of-way for Pitt Street • City Council will be asked to vacate the Pitt Street ROW, with a recommendation from the Planning Commission that vacating this portion of Pitt street would be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. RECOMMENDATIONS • Special Use Permit Recommend to City Council approval of a SUP for a Museum at 1500 Washington Ave with the following conditions: • 1.The Special Use Permit is applied to the 1.3644-acre parcel (GPIN 7779-86-7032) shown on a plat prepared by Chad Lewis Webb, dated October 14, 2022 and to the structures existing on this date. • 2.Hours of operation are limited to 9 am to 5 pm seven days a week with not more than six special events per year allowed with a Temporary Use Permit. Such special events shall be limited to 5 pm to 10 pm. The Zoning Administrator shall apply conditions on the Temporary Use Permit to protect the residential character of the neighborhood. • 3.The use shall commence within 24 months of the date of adoption of this resolution. The use is permitted only so long as it continues and is not discontinued for more than 24 months (per City Code section 72-22.6). • Vacation Recommend to City Council approval of the vacation of Pitt Street as such request is in substantial accord with the City’s 2015 Comprehensive Plan, as amended. NEXT STEPS: Assuming Planning Commission action tonight, the Pitt Street Right-of- Way vacation request and the Special Use Permit request will be forwarded to City Council for a public hearing on December 13. 1500 Gateway Boulevard Zoning Map Amendment OVERVIEW – Zoning Map Amendment - Project Site - Existing Zoning - Comprehensive Plan Designation - Proposed Zoning - Analysis - Staff Recommendation --- Receive Public Comment and Defer Action Until December 14. Project Site - 4 parcels totaling 85.6 Acres - Adjacent to Route 3, Cowan Boulevard, Interstate 95 - Vacant and wooded. Sensitive environmental features are present in the eastern corner of the main site and are prevalent north of Cowan where Smith Run flows through the site. - Adjacent to the Vermont Ridge project – a City owned 11 acre open space with Civil War features. Existing Zoning - Zoned Planned Development – Medical Center - Zoning, General Development Plan, and Proffer Statement were set up for the proposed Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Clinic. The Clinic located in Spotsylvania County. - The proffers include a required minimum 35% of medical use on the site, other commercial uses, and up to 92 residential units. - The proffers included dedication of the right-of-way for “Future Gateway Blvd” but did not include the construction of the road if the VA Medical Clinic was built on the site. Comprehensive Plan Designation - Environmentally Sensitive Areas of the Site are designated T-1 “Preserved Open Space”. - Western Portions of the Site Adjacent to Interstate 95 are designated T-5W “Area-Core Workplace”. - Eastern Portions of the Site Adjacent to the Great Oaks and Governors Row Neighborhoods are designated T-4 “General Urban”. Comprehensive Plan Designation - Small Area Plan included “Future Notes on T-5W Development and Adjoining T-4 in Area 3” - Provided a sample From Based outline for the project with an employment center west of Gateway Boulevard and a transitional residential area on the north and east of the site. - Three established goals: • “Maximize the highly visible and easily accessed, large property on I-95 to attract a high quality, office / institutional or a developer of commercial space to Fredericksburg. • Create an integrated, walkable community with planned relationships, connections, and open spaces to elevate the potential neighborhood experience. • Maximize the development value of the property, while considering and respecting its context, including the use and size of neighbor parcels.” Proposed Zoning - Requested zoning is Planned Development – Mixed Use. - The project maximums are: - 648 residential units (163 single family attached units, 182 “two over two” attached units, and 303 multifamily units). - 242,000 square feet of non-residential use (220,000 square feet of flex warehouse / office and 22,000 square feet of general retail and office). Analysis – T-5W Transect - The PD-MU requires a 75% to 25% gross floor area minimum use mix. - The applicant has proposed a 12.31% use mix with 87.69% of the land as residential. - The PD-MU requires a phasing plan where a maximum of 75% of residential use may be built prior to the development of a minimum of 25% of the non-residential. - The applicant has proposed that 90% of the residential use be permitted prior to the development of a minimum of 10% of the non-residential land use. - These uses are arranged in low density single story buildings with parking that would require a special exception to exceed the maximum parking amounts. - The total amount AND the minimum required non-residential land use should be increased in order to obtain compliance with the T-5W Transect. Analysis – T-5W Transect - 91 % of the non-residential land use is “flex warehouse / flex office.” - The compatibility of these uses in a “mixed- use” project depends largely on their architectural compatibility with the adjacent residential and traditional commercial uses. - As proposed, “warehouse and office buildings” are only required to have one entrance per block potentially resulting in inactive facades. - Building material standards should be provided for the commercial buildings AND. The building type standards should require shorter building widths and / or more active elements along the commercial building fronts to avoid inactive areas that are incompatible with a mixed-use project. Analysis – Capital Impacts Source Total Capital Impact Study $11,878,496 Proffer Statement $2,298,049.35 Difference $9,580,446.65 The applicant provided a proffer analysis related to the amount of the cash proffer they have proposed. The applicants proffer analysis has been forwarded to Tischler Bise (author of the City’s Capital Impacts Study) for review and comment, which is forthcoming. Analysis – Utility Capacity • There is sufficient water capacity for the use and the applicant proposes to provide a waterline connection through the site from the pipeline along Route 3 to the pipeline along Cowan Boulevard. • This project’s sanitary sewer flows into the Smith Run Interceptor then the Lower Hazel Run Interceptor to the Waste Water Treatment Plant. The City has identified several undersized segments of pipe within that path that will need to be upgraded to handle the flows coming from this site. • The City is working to identify the improvements necessary to provide sufficient capacity for anticipated growth with the purpose of creating a pro-rata share utility improvement program. Analysis – Stormwater Treatment • Stormwater from the site discharges towards Smith Run. • Pond “D” is a regional stormwater facility downstream along Smith Run with limited throughput. • The applicant will attenuate the 100 year storm on- site to mitigate any impacts on Pond-D Analysis – Transportation Network - The Comprehensive Plan envisions Gateway Boulevard as a 4 lane facility. The applicant proposes to build two lanes. If the applicant increases the amount of non-residential use proposed to comply with the T-5W transect it is likely 4 lanes will be required. - Based on the TIA, roundabouts at the internal intersections AND at Cowan Boulevard provide superior levels of service at intersections and should be implemented. - No sidewalk is currently proposed along the west side of Gateway Boulevard. - Preserve Lane / Cowan Blvd. intersection degraded to LOS F in the traffic model with the construction of the project. Applicant should propose mitigation for this impact. Analysis – Open Space - Land Bay K to be preserved. - Land Bay J to be preserved other than development of storm water treatment. - Providing access to the Vermont Ridge project from Gateway Boulevard. - Well sited formal open spaces, though the GDP states that substantially less formal open space is required than under the PD- MU ordinance. - Need more definition on the treatment, improvement of the “formal open spaces” to ensure they meet the standards. Analysis – Transitional Zones - Transitional “Building Type” needs additional clarity --- it is currently permitted to include 200 foot wide, 4 story tall multifamily buildings. - Buffer between Great Oaks and Land Bays B and C needs attention. The existing stream channel would be a natural buffer if preserved. - A sound wall is shown between residential use and Interstate 95, but no detail, standards, or timing on when it would be built are included. These things should be added to the proffer statement. Staff Recommendation - Staff Recommendation --- Receive Public Comment and Defer Action Until December 14. Caitie Finlayson 1105 Great Oaks Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22401 Dear City Council Members and Mayor Greenlaw, I am writing in regards to the proposed rezoning request by Ideal Realty at 1500 Gateway Boulevard. I live at 1105 Great Oaks Lane and so this rezoning plan would directly impact our neighborhood and our street specifically. I am excited that the concept plan submitted by the applicant includes numerous community green spaces and that the Gateway Boulevard extension includes mixed-use trails – a much needed addition to this area of the city. I do have several concerns however. First, when a plan was submitted to possibly locate a VA Hospital on this tract, the plan included an evergreen tree buffer along the edge of the tract that would back up to properties along Great Oaks Lane. Does this application include such a plan? If not, can the city amend the plan to include a similar tree buffer? I know this was a significant area of concern when the VA plan was proposed and residents, and city council members, seemed to support an expanded evergreen buffer. I think Great Oaks residents would again be more supportive of the proposed plan if a tree buffer was put in place. Secondly, this plan includes 648 residential units. What is the expected impact going to be on our city’s schools and how is the council going to plan for this influx of students? I assume this development will be zoned for Hugh Mercer, so if these added residential units leads to a significant increase of students enrolled at Hugh Mercer, this school is going to be over capacity quickly. I appreciate that the city is funding the construction of a new middle school, which will enable us to have an additional elementary school, but I would just like to know more about what is the actual expected enrollment increase and how that increase is going to be accommodated. As always, I appreciate your time! Received for 11/09/2022 Planning Commission Meeting