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08SN0232~~tF~EI,p ~~:, ~~ti --~ ca~~'';. .v ~ ~ e,~ !' ~ ~~ ~ti, I rY~ ry ! ~;li ,~~~ t, -17 ~. J/i Ir~RGSI~1.P!!~ STAFF' S REQUEST ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION 08SN0232 Columbia Gas of Virginia, Inc. Matoaca Magisterial District 9306 West Oak River Road J~~ZnnQ rnr July 30, 2008 BS RE VEST: Conditional Use to permit an above-ground utility (propane gas tank farm) in a Residential (R-15) District. PROPOSED LAND USE: Expansion of an existing propane distribution facility consisting of above ground propane tanks within a fenced enclosure is proposed. This facility provides gas service to residences in the Eagle Cove Subdivision until such time that in-ground gas service is extended in this area. PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROFFERED CONDITIONS ON PAGES 2 AND 3. AYES: MESSRS. BASS, BROWN, HASSEN AND WALLER. NAY: MR. GULLEY. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Recommend approval for the following reasons: A. The proposed propane gas distribution facility is necessary to provide gas service to the surrounding neighborhood. Specifically, until such time that permanent in-ground gas service can be extended to the area, the above ground facility ensures adequate gas service to residences in Eagle Cove Subdivision. Providing a FIRST CHOICE community through excellence in public service B. The existing facility is currently operated on the property with no apparent adverse impact upon existing area residential development. C. The recommended conditions address land use compatibility issues between the use and area residential development and are similar to those imposed on similarly situated facilities. (NOTE: CONDITIONS MAY BE IMPOSED OR THE PROPERTY OWNER(S) MAY PROFFER CONDITIONS. THE CONDITIONS NOTED WITH "STAFF/CPC" WERE AGREED UPON BY BOTH STAFF AND THE COMMISSION. CONDITIONS WITH ONLY A "STAFF" ARE RECOMMENDED SOLELY BY STAFF. CONDITIONS WITH ONLY A "CPC" ARE ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.) PROFFERED CONDITIONS The owner and developer in this rezoning request, Columbia Gas of Virginia, Inc. (the "Developer") pursuant to § 15.2-2298 of the Code of Virginia (1950 as amended) and the Zoning Ordinance of Chesterfield County, Virginia (the "County") for itself and its successors and assigns, hereby proffers that the development of the unimproved real property (the "Property") under consideration in this rezoning request shall be developed in accordance with the following conditions if, and only if, the request submitted herewith is granted with only those conditions agreed to by the owner and applicant. In the event this request is denied or approved with conditions not agreed to by the owner and applicant, the proffers shall immediately be null and void and of no further force or effect. (STAFFICPC) 1. The attached plan dated March 31, 2008, revised June 18, 2008 and titled "Master Plan Eagle Cove Propane Tank Farm" as prepared by Townes Site Engineering shall be considered the master plan. A maximum of thirty-one (31) tanks shall be . P permute . ( ) (STAFF/CPC) 2. All mechanical equipment shall be enclosed by a minimum six (6) foot high fence, designed to preclude trespassing. (P) (STAFF/CPC) 3. Vehicular access shall be provided via a single driveway. This driveway shall be of sufficient length to provide off street parking for all vehicles servicing the propane facilities. This driveway shall be graveled or paved and maintained to minimize dust or tracking problems and to provide ease of ingress and egress. (P) (STAFF/CPC) 4. A twenty-five (25) foot buffer shall be provided along all property boundaries to include Oak River Drive. This buffer shall comply with the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance except that the extension of the driveway to serve this facility may encroach into this required buffer as generally depicted on the Master Plan. Any healthy trees that are one (1) inch in caliper or greater shall be 2 08SN0232 JUL30-BOS-RPT retained within this buffer. The buffer shall be supplemented with plant materials as necessary so as to minimize year-round views of improvements on the subject property from the adjacent properties and Oak River Drive, as determined by the Planning Department. (P) (STAFF/CPC) 5. With the exception of grass, which may be planted outside the fenced enclosure, there shall be no vegetative material permitted within ten (10) feet of the fenced enclosure. A. Tree branches that encroach into the airspace above the ten (10) foot perimeter must be cut back to meet the requirements of this condition. (F) (STAFF/CPC) 6. The area within the fence enclosure shall be graveled and maintained so as to preclude the potential for grass, brush or other vegetation from growing around the propane gas storage tanks or other equipment. (F) GENERAL INFORMATION T ,n~ati nn North line of West Oak River Drive, west of Oak River Court and better known as 9306 West Oak River Road. Tax ID 762-610-2672. Existing Zoning: R-15 Size: l .l acres Existin Land Use: Public/semi-public (propane tank farm) Adjacent Zoning and Land Use: North - A; Single family residential South, East and West - R-15; Single family residential 3 08SN0232 JUL30-BOS-RPT T TTTT ,TTTF,C This request will have no impact upon these facilities. ENVIRONMENTAL Drainage and Erosion: The subject property drains to the northeast to an intermittent stream that drains to Lake Chesdin. There are currently no known problems with the existing tank farm and none are anticipated with the development of the additional tanks. PUBLIC FACILITIES Fire ~ervice~ The Matoca Fire Station, Company Number 8, and Ettrick-Matoaca Volunteer Rescue Squad currently provide fire protection and emergency medical service (EMS). This request will have a minimal impact on Fire and EMS. Proffered Conditions 5 and 6 addresses the proximity of vegetation to the propane tanks so as to minimize the possibility of fire proximate to the tanks. Transportation: This use will have minimal impact on the existing transportation network. T ,ANn T TCF. Comprehensive Plan: Lies within the boundaries of the Southern and Western Area Plan which suggests the property is appropriate for residential use of 1-5 acre lots suited to R-88 zoning. Area Development Trends: The area is characterized by single family residences being part of the Eagle Cove Subdivision to the east, west and south or acreage property to the north. 4 08SN0232 JUL30-BOS-RPT Development History: The property is currently developed for a propane tank farm, consisting of twenty (20) 1,000 gallon tanks. According to the applicant, this use has been operating at this location since 1987. Upon the applicant's inquiry to expand this use, staff was unable to identify any record of a conditional use to permit the existing operation. It is thought that the existing facility was established to temporarily provide fuel to the then newly- developedEagle Cove Subdivision until natural gas service became available. Site Design: The applicant's plan depicts the existing facility consisting of twenty (20) 1,000 gallon propane tanks with the addition of fourteen (14) tanks, for a total of thirty-four (34) tanks. This facility would continue to be surrounded by a security fence. Underground distribution lines would carry the propane gas from the tanks to area residences. (Proffered Conditions 1 and 2) Access to this facility would continue to be from West Oak River Drive. Such access would be graveled or paved to reduce dust and tracking. (Proffered Condition 3) Buffers: The request property is surrounded by residential development as part of the Eagle Cove Subdivision or on acreage parcels. As such, buffers would be provided along all property boundaries to include West Oak River Drive to minimize the visual impact of the facility on area residents. (Proffered Condition 4) CONCLUSION The proposed above ground propane distribution facility is necessary to provide gas service to the surrounding neighborhood until such time that a permanent in-ground gas service can be extended to the area. In addition, similar facilities have been built in proximity to single family residences within other subdivisions and have had no apparent adverse impact on the neighborhood. Given these considerations, approval of this request is recommended. CASE HISTORY Planning Commission Meeting (6/17/08): The applicant accepted the recommendation. There was no opposition present. In response to concerns expressed by the Fire Department, the applicant agreed to limit the number of new propane tanks to eleven (11), for a total of thirty-one (31) tanks. 5 08SN0232 JUL30-BOS-RPT Mr. Gulley expressed concerns relative to safety of above ground tank storage and the absence of Code to require underground storage. Mr. Bass noted that the facility had been in operation approximately twenty (20) years with no safety incident and that the Fire Department was supportive of this request. On a motion of Mr. Bass, seconded by Mr. Waller, the Commission recommended approval and acceptance of the proffered conditions on pages 2 and 3. AYES: Messrs. Bass, Brown, Hassen and Waller. NAY: Mr. Gulley. Applicant (6/20/08): A revised proffered condition and master plan were submitted to address Fire Department concerns relative to number of propane tanks. The Board of Supervisors, on Wednesday, July 30, 2008, beginning at 6:30 p.m., will take under consideration this request. 6 08SN0232 JUL30-BOS-RPT S8q~D9'p2„E 83.70 __ _, / I ~ / I / I / I / I / I / •~.•`~ I / ~••' /• .•• I N~H~•• N WILT, DEAN F, ••''•'/ I ~ LGT 197 SECTIGN 6 ..~•''•' / I ••,.•~ / COLUMBIA GAS ~F VA, ~ EAGLE CAVE / LET 196 SECTION 6 GPIN 762-610-1377 ~•''• /~~ I 7nNED R-15 ""~ /~~ EAGLE CGVE ) I 1 i i i i 0 ~~ ,. o ~V V ~ ~ ` J N~~~ ~~o~ ~z,~~ d J~~ ~N<~ i ~o o~ ~ ^z N~Z ~d~ V ~ ~ /~~ GPIN 762-610-2672 "~ ~ /~, ZENED R-15 ~ ~~ a~ / ~ ~ ~ / °~ 7 ~ / ~~ ~ / ~ i PROPOSED 1000 p ~/ GALLON PROPANE / °~~' ~~~~ TANKS, 11 EACH / °Q J~ ~L~ST / Q~ , ~/ PROPOSED / ~h~ GRAVEL / ~ DRIVE / ~~ / / ~~~ / EXISTING ` ,~~ GRAVEL DRIVE ~ ;~; ~~° ~ "" TRAMMELL, DEUGLAS W. ~~: ~~~ ~,, °Q° ~ "~~° LET 195, SECTIEN 6 `b EAGLE CAVE ~.; \;~ ~\;~ ~ ~O ~~ GPIN 762-610 3560 ~. ~ ~ ~; ~ ''~~ `'~~~ ~ / ~ ZENED R-15 ..; ~ ~. ,; .~ ,•~~ ,~ `~~ ~J XISTII~6 1000 GALLON e.. .4. '°°%%. ~ ~~~ ~ PRGPAp(E TANKS ~ 20 E/ICH ~ .R,. ~ ~ _ ~~.~ ~ ~'`~ i //}~+ a \\\~~I O \\ .... /IJ ~~.F ~~. ., ~ , ., ~~~ S ~~ ~;~~ , ~ T~VV N E S SITE ENGINEERING "I 9850 Lori Road, Suite 201 Chesterfield, Virginia 23832 ASK How Phone:(804) 748-9011 Fag: (804) 748-2590 DATE: 03/31 /O8, Rev 6/18/08 EXISTING ~CHAINLINK AND WOODEN FENCE (TO 8E EXTENDED) EXISTING TREELINE MASTER PLAN EAGLE COl/E PROPANE TANK FARM 9306 WEST OAK Rl l/ER DRl l/E LOT 197, SECTION 6, EAGLE CO l/E SUBDIVISION MA TOACA DISTRICT CHESTERFIELD 08SN0232-1 TOWNES#.• 20070416 CGV#.• 07-0379951 SCALE.•