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September 17, 2003 BS
REQUEST:
STAFF'S
REQUEST 'ANALYSIS
AND
RECOMMENDATION
03SN0303
Swift Creek AssOciates, L.P.
Matoaca Magisterial'District
South line of Hull Street Road
Amendment to Conditional Use Planned Development (Case 87S 134) relative to
signage,
PROPOSED LAND USE:
This amendmem will
permit two (2)-freestanding signs that identify both
residential and nonresidential tenants within a mixed use project.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROFFERED CONDITION ON
PAGE 2.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommend apProval for the following reasons:
The current sign standards of the ZOning Ordinance do not adequately address the
needs of this project that, as a-result of topographical conditions, lacks visibility
from HUll Street Road.
Bo
The Proffered Condition would restrict the size, number and location of such
signs that are permitted by the Ordinance, but WOuld allow flexibility in the copy
on each sign to identify residential and nonresidential tenants.
Providing a FIRST CHOICE Community Through Excellence in Public Service
(NOTE: CONDITIONS MAY BE IMPOSED OR THE PROPERTY OWNER '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 CONDITION
The property owners and applicant in this rezoning 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 development of the property under
conSideration will be developed according to the follOwing proffers if, and only if, the rezoning
request submitted herewith is granted with only those conditions agreed to. by the owners and
applicant. In the event this request is denied or approved with conditions not agreed to by the
owners and applicant, the proffers shall immediately be null and void and of no further force or
effect.
(STAFF/CPC)
Freestanding Signs. Under the terms of this CUPD, there shall be no more
than two (2) freestanding signs identifying residential and nonresidential
tenants and projects, and such signs shall not exceedone hUndred (100)
square feet in size or twenty (20) feet in 'height. The aforesaid signs shall
be in lieu of the mixed use identification sign and nonresidential
community sign that would otherwise be permitted under the zoning
ordinance, but shall not affect Other signage permitted under the zoning
ordinance.
(NOTE: All other conditions of Case 87S134, as amended by Cases 00SN0280 and 02SN0283,
shall remain in effect.)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Location:
South line of Hull Street Road, west 'of Commonwealth Centre Parkway. Tax IDs 732-
674-3945; 732-675-1337 and 8246; 732-676-9406; 733-676-1943; 734-675-0754; 734-
676-1227 and 735-675-1076 (Sheet 16).
Existing Zoning:
0-2 and C-3 with Conditional Use Planned Development
Size:
168.8 acres
2 03 SN0303-SEPT 17-BOS
EXisting Land Use:
CommerCial and vacant
Adiacent' Zoning and Land· Use:
South
East
West
C-2, C-4 with Conditional Use:Planned Development, and A and R-7;
Commercial, vacant or public/semirPublic (Water treatment plant)
A, R-7 and~ R-9:, Single family residentialor vacant ~
C-4 with Conditional Use Planned' Development, I-1 with Conditional Use
planned Development and R,9; MUlti-familY residential or Vacant
A and R-7; Single family residential.or vacant
UTILITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC FACILITIES
.The requested amendment will have-nO impact on these facilities.
LAND USE.
COmprehensive Plan:
Lies within the boundaries of the Upper Swift Creek Plan which suggestS the property is
appropriate for regional mixed' use.
AreaDevelopment Trends:
Propertiesto the nOrth are zoned NeighborhoodCommer¢ial (C-2), Residential (R-7) and
AgricUltural (A) and Regional Business (C-4) and 'are developed for commercial and
retail uses, publiC/semi-public uses (water treatment plant) or are vacant. Properties to
the south :are zOned AgricUltural (A) and Residential 0~-7 and R-9) and.are occupied by
single', family dwellings or are vacant. Properties t° the east are zoned Residential (R-9)
and developed as apartments or zoned Regional: BUsiness (C-4), as Part. of the
Commonwealth Center project, although currently vacant. Properties to the west are
Zoned AgricUltural(A) and Residential (R-7) and are vacant or occupied by.single family
dwellings as part of the Mockingbird Hills :SubdiVision development. Commercial
'~. development isexpected to continue adjacent t0 the intersection of Routes 360 'and 288
with office, light '.industrial and high density residential uses along the periphery of this
commercial core providing the transition to adjacent development.
Zoning :History:
On November 25,'.1987, the Board of Supervisors, upon favorable recommendation by
the Commission, approved rezoning from AgricUltural (A), Residential (R-12) and Office
· Business (O) to Office Business (O) and Community Business (B-2) with Conditional
Use Planned Development on 191 acres located along the south line of Hull Street Road,
eaSt of its interseCtiOn with Ronte 288 (Case 87S137). A mixed use development to
3 03SN0303-SEPT17-BOS
include office,' 'commercial, light industrial and multifamily residential uses was
proposed; Condition9 or. this case required that signs-comply with the. Corridor Overlay
District Standards, with the ability to erect two '(2)'additional freestanding signs 'for a
regional shoppingmall only.
On October 25'~ 2000;. the.Board of Supervisors, upon a favorable recommendation 'by the
Commission,. approved an amendment-to Conditional Use Planned Development (Case
87S134): relative to the Textual Statement, tract.deSignations, Master Plan, uses, internal
road netwOrk and:required conditions. The original sign condition ofCase.87S134 was
not affected 'by this amendment.
On August 28, 2002;.the ~BOard of Supervisors, upon a favorable recommendation by the
CommissiOn, approved:an amendment to Conditional 'Use Planned Development (Case
87St34) relative' to signs (Case 02SN0283). ~Specifically, this amendment allowed
signage to comply with current Ordinance. requirements.
Site Design:
The request property'lies within an Emerging- Growth Area2 Development of the site
must conform to the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance and conditiOns 'of Case
87S134, as amended by Cases 00SN0280 and 02SN0283, which address 'acCess, parking,
landscaping, architectural treatment, setbacks, buffers, utilities and screening of
dumpsters and loading areas~
Signs:
Signs for the site are currently regulated by Ordinance requirements. With-respect to
identification along Hull Street Road, the.Ordinance currently permits one (1) mixed use
sign of 100 square feet in. area and .twenty (20) feet in height to identify the name of the
overall project aswell as the names of the residential and nonresidential components of
the .project but not individUal tenants. The Ordinance' also permits a second freestanding
nonresidential community' sign of 100 square 'feet in area and twenty (20) feet in. height
identifying the name(s) of nonresidential tenants only.
The applicant has requested that, in lieu of the mixed use sign and the nonresidential sign,
two (2) signs, each not exceeding 100 square feet in area and twenty (20) feet in height,
be permitted on Hull street Road to identify both residential and nonresidential tenants.
At the time of sign permit review and approval, staff will allot the area permitted on each
of the two (2) signs for each individual project within the larger project, based upon a pro
rata share of. the acreage occupied by the individual project of the larger project. For
example, if the commercial project occupies fifty (50) percent of the overall project, staff
will allow the commercial project fifty (50) percent of the overall square footage of each
freestanding sign. As an alternate method, staff will allow a reallocation'of sign area
based upon agreements between property owners provided some signage is available for
each category of uses (i:e., office, industrial, residential) and/or each residential project.
4 03 SN0303-SEPT 17-Bos
:~:. :DeVelopment on the subject property is locatedabove the road grade .of Hull Street Road.
.:;~. This topOgrap~cal change is unique to this deVelopment as it affords little to no visibility
~ ot3 st°re'.'fronts and building-mounted si~ge 'for individual commercial tenant
..... : ' identification from this corridor. -In addition, the'residential portion of this project, which
~ :' ;is lOcate&adjacent to Swift Creek, could potentially occupy as much as two,thirds (2/3)
- ": of this development's acreage without any visual exposure to Hull Street Road. This
.- ~. :-. request would permit flexibility in the Content :of the two (2) permitted signs-to provide
~ adequate identification of both residential and nonresidential tenants along Hull Street
i.:) Road withOut increasing-the height, number or area limitations for these freestanding
~ .signs as established by the Ordinance. (Proffered Condition)
CONCLUSIONS
:iThe' regulations identified~.in the County Sign Ordinance' are designed, in part, to :promote
--.m~i~im legibility 0fsigns andto prevent their over, cOncentration as well as ~Xc~Ssive height,
b~i ~d'are~t. ~ese:st~tndards~ hoWever, do not adeqUa~elyaddress the needs.Of this project
that, as a result oftopographiCal; conditions, lacks visibility.for its individual tenants from Hull
. - StreW:Road. The Proffered COndition would' restrict the.size, nmnber and location of such signs
:to./~t;permitted by Ordinance but would permit the copy on each sign to identify residential and
nonrosidential, tenants.
Given these considerations, approval of this request wouldbe appropriate.
CASE HISTORy
Planning Commission Meeting (8/19/03):
The applicant accepted the recommendation. There was:no opposition present;
On motion of Mr. Stack, seconded by Mr. Cunningham, the Commission recommended
approval of this request and acceptance of the Proffered Condition on page 2.
AYES: Unanimous.
:The Board of Supervisors, on wednesday, September 17, 2003, beginning at 7:00 p.m., will take
under-consideration this request.
5 03 SN0303 -SEPT 17-BOS