11SN0236
CASE MANAGER: Jane Peterson
July 19, 2011 CPC
July 27, 2011 BS
STAFF’S
CPC Time Remaining:
REQUEST ANALYSIS
100 days
AND
RECOMMENDATION
11SN0236
Bon Secours Richmond Health System
Midlothian Magisterial District
Southeast corner of Midlothian Turnpike and Watkins Centre Parkway
REQUEST: Conditional use planned development approval to permit exceptions to Ordinance
requirements relative to signs in a General Industrial (I-2) District.
PROPOSED LAND USE:
Freestanding project identification and directory signs for the Bon Secours St. Francis
Watkins Centre campus are planned. Conditional use planned development approval is
requested to permit two (2) freestanding project identification signs in addition to the two
(2) permitted by current Ordinance standards and to allow directory signs internal to the
project that exceed the number and height limitations of the Ordinance.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS SCHEDULED TO HEAR THIS CASE AT THEIR
MEETING ON TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2011. STAFF WILL ADVISE THE BOARD OF THE
COMMISSION’S ACTION AFTER THEIR MEETING.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommend approval of one (1) additional freestanding project identification sign, being the
proposed sign located on Midlothian Turnpike, and exceptions to on-site directory signage.
Recommend denial of an additional freestanding project identification sign at Watkins Center
Parkway and the East/West Road intersection. These recommendations are made for the following
reasons:
A. The proposed project sign on Midlothian Turnpike would improve campus
identification and facilitate project access from this arterial, and is consistent in scale
with area project identification signage along this corridor.
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B. The current sign standards of the Ordinance provide adequate identification of
this project along both Watkins Center Parkway and the East/West Road.
Additional identification at this intersection would result in the over-concentration
of signage along these corridors.
C. The proposed directory signs would be located internal to the campus, thereby
having no visual impact upon the public road corridors.
(NOTE: CONDITIONS MAY BE IMPOSED OR THE PROPERTY OWNER(S) MAY
PROFFER CONDITIONS.)
PROFFERED CONDITION
The property owner and applicant in this case, pursuant to Section 15.2-2298 of the Code
of Virginia (1950 as amended) and the Zoning Ordinance of Chesterfield County, for
themselves and their successors or assigns, proffer that the property under consideration
will be developed according to the following proffer 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 proffer shall immediately be null and void and of no further force or
effect.
1. Master Plan. The Textual Statement dated July 1, 2011 shall be the Master Plan.
(P)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Location:
The request property is located in the southeast corner of Midlothian Turnpike and Watkins
Centre Parkway. Tax IDs 715-710-8053 and 9433; 716-710-2626.
Existing Zoning:
I-2 with conditional use planned development
Size:
16.4 acres
Existing Land Use:
Office (under construction)
Adjacent Zoning and Land Use:
North - I-2 with conditional use planned development; Commercial
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South and East - I-2 with conditional use planned development; Vacant
West - I-2 with conditional use planned development; Office or vacant
UTILITIES
Public Water and Wastewater Systems:
The applicant is cautioned that the proposed signage must not be placed so as to conflict
with the existing public utility lines or their easements on this site.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING; AND PUBLIC FACILITIES
This request will have minimal impact on these facilities.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT):
The location of signs adjacent to Virginia primary right-of-way (U.S. Route 60) is subject to
the VDOT permitting requirements and to the Virginia Code – 33.1 – signs. A complete set
of plans showing sign locations and configurations shall be provided to VDOT for review
and approval prior to installation.
LAND USE
Comprehensive Plan:
The subject property is located within the boundaries of the Route 288 Corridor Plan,
which suggests the property is appropriate for regional employment center use.
Area Development Trends:
The subject property and surrounding area properties, were zoned as part of a proactive
zoning case initiated by the Board of Supervisors for a mix of commercial, office and
industrial uses. Properties to the north are developed as Westchester Commons at Watkins
Centre and the Shoppes at Westchester, a mix of retail, office and hotel uses. Properties to
the west are developed for office/bank use or remain vacant. Vacant properties to the south
and east are zoned for office and light industrial uses.
Zoning History:
On February 22, 2006 the Board of Supervisors, upon a favorable recommendation by the
Planning Commission, approved the rezoning of a 786 acre tract to General Industrial (I-
2) with conditional use planned development to permit a mix of commercial, office and
industrial uses along the north and south lines of Midlothian Turnpike, between Route
288 and Huguenot Springs Road (Case 06SN0191). The subject property was included in
this zoning as part of Tract F located at the interchange of Route 288 and Midlothian
Turnpike and representing the eastern gateway to the proposed regional employment
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center. This tract is limited to uses permitted by right or with restrictions in the Light
Industrial (I-1) District plus a medical clinic.
On December 16, 2009 the Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to Case
06SN0191 to permit setback reductions for parking and/or drives from Midlothian
Turnpike, Watkins Centre Parkway and the East/West Road. (Case 10SN0152)
On-site Directory Signs:
Currently, the Ordinance permits one (1) on-site directory sign at each vehicular entrance
into a non-residential campus. These signs must not be legible from the exterior of the
campus and are limited to twenty (20) square feet in area and eight (8) feet in height. The
applicant proposes six (6) on-site directory signs at a height of 11.5 feet and an area of
fifteen (15) feet (Textual Statement 1.B). These signs are identified as the “Secondary
Vehicular Directionals” (SVD’s) on the “Sign Location Plan” and elevation (reference
Attachments 2 and 4). These additional signs are proposed to assist the general public in
navigating through the campus, consisting of three (3) buildings, and would be located
internal to the project.
Permitted Project Identification Signs:
Currently, where a project fronts along two (2) major arterials, a freestanding project
identification sign is permitted on each major arterial provided each sign is installed so as
not to be legible at the same time from any one (1) direction. Each sign is permitted to be a
maximum of fifty (50) square feet in area without changeable copy and fifteen (15) feet in
height. The applicant proposes the location of one (1) freestanding project identification sign
at each project entrance on Watkins Centre Parkway and the East/West Road. These signs
are identified as the “Campus Identification Pylons” (CIP’s) on the “Sign Location Plan”
and elevation (reference Attachments 2 and 3).
Additional Project Identification Signs:
Midlothian Turnpike
Where a project fronts on three (3) major arterials, the Ordinance does not permit
additional freestanding project identification signage on the third arterial. The
applicant proposes an additional project identification sign on Midlothian Turnpike.
This sign is identified as the “Main Campus Feature” (MCF) on the “Sign Location
Plan” and elevation (reference Attachments 2 and 5). This proposed sign measures
100 square feet in area and twenty (20) feet in height, consistent in scale with the
Westchester Commons project sign located directly across Midlothian Turnpike
(Textual Statement 1.A.1). This additional sign would facilitate project identification
along this major arterial, prompting vehicular traffic to move into the turning lanes
at Watkins Centre Parkway.
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Watkins Centre Parkway at the East/West Road
An additional project identification sign is also requested at the intersection of
Watkins Centre Parkway and the East/West Road. This sign is identified as the
“Ceremonial Entrance Feature” (CEF) on the “Sign Location Plan” and elevation
(reference Attachments 2 and 6). This proposed sign measures ninety-eight (98)
square feet in area and 9.3 feet in height (Textual Statement 1.A.2). Given the
proposed campus identification along each of the three (3) arterials that encompass
this development, staff is of the opinion that this fourth freestanding sign results in
an over-concentration of signage along these corridors.
CONCLUSION
The one (1) additional freestanding project identification sign proposed on Midlothian Turnpike
would improve identification given the unique location of this campus along three (3) major
arterials. Further, the proposed exceptions for internally-located directory signs would help visitors
navigate through this campus without impacting public corridors.
The additional freestanding project sign proposed at the intersection of Watkins Centre Parkway
and the East/West Road represents a duplication of identification covered by each of the three (3)
signs along the three (3) corridors along which the project fronts, resulting in an over-concentration
of signage.
Given these considerations, staff recommends approval of exceptions 1.A.1 and 1.B of the Textual
Statement, permitting the “Main Campus Feature” along Midlothian Turnpike and the internal
campus directory signage. Staff recommends denial of exception 1.A.2 of the Textual Statement for
the proposed “Ceremonial Entrance Feature” at Watkins Centre Parkway and the East/West Road.
CASE HISTORY
Staff (6/21/11):
If the Planning Commission acts on this request on July 19, 2011 the case will be
considered by the Board of Supervisors on July 27, 2011.
The Board of Supervisors, on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 beginning at 6:30 p.m., will take under
consideration this request.
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TEXTUAL STATEMENT
July 1, 2011
This is a request to permit exceptions to ordinance requirements for signage on approximately
16.4 acres of land (Tax IDs 716-710-2626, 715-710-8053 and 715-710-9433) (the “Property”).
1. The following signs shall be permitted in addition to those signs permitted by the Zoning
Ordinance. The location of these signs shall be as generally depicted on the plan entitled
“SLP Sign Location Plan” prepared by FMG Design Inc. dated May 13, 2011 and further
described in the “Bon Secours St. Francis Watkins Centre Signage & Wayfinding
Analysis” dated June 30, 2011:
A. Two (2) project identification signs:
1. One (1) Main Monument Sign (MCF) not to exceed 100 square feet in
area and twenty (20) feet in height.
2. One (1) Ceremonial Entrance Feature (CEF) not to exceed 100 square feet
in area and 9’4” in height.
(Note: These signs are in addition to the two (2) permitted project
identification signs depicted on the plan and analysis as “Campus
Identification Pylon” (CIP))
B. Six (6) Onsite Directory Signs (SVD), each of which shall be limited to fifteen
(15) square feet in area and twelve (12) feet in height provided such signs are
located internal to the project, not along the public roads and not legible outside
of the project.
2. The final sign design, colors and materials shall be substantially consistent with the
elevations dated June 30, 2011 and July 5, 2011, titled “St. Francis Watkins Centre
Midlothian, Virginia Environmental Graphics Program” and prepared by FMG Design
Inc.
BON SECOURS – RICHMOND HEALTH SYSTEM,
a Virginia non-stock corporation
By:______________________________________
James W. Theobald, Attorney-in-Fact
Date: July 1, 2011
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