Agenda #2 | CONCEPT PLAN PROPOSAL

CONCEPT PLAN PROPOSAL

TO: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager

FROM: J. B. Culpepper, Planning Director

Gene Poveromo, Development Coordinator

SUBJECT: Concept Plan: “The MLKB Project” aka Northampton Terrace Apartments

DATE: October 4, 2006

INTRODUCTION

Attached is a proposal for Concept Plan review for demolition of two existing two-story multi-family buildings and construction of two five-story multi-family buildings on a 9.2-acre site. The proposal for the two proposed buildings includes 266,050 square feet of new floor area. An existing 24-unit, multi-family building containing 17,680 square feet of floor area will not be demolished. A total project floor area of 283,730 square feet is proposed for 204 dwelling units. A portion of the site is located in the Resource Conservation District. The site is located at 604 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. adjacent to Northampton Plaza and The Gables on the west and northwest, and adjacent on the north is the Town House Apartments. The property is part of the Northampton Terrace and Northampton Plaza Special Use Permit. The property is in both the Residential-4 (R-4) and Office/Institutional (OI-1) zoning districts.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On January 27, 2003, the Council enacted a Land Use Management Ordinance requiring that the Council conduct a Concept Plan Review for proposed development meeting specific land or floor area thresholds. Applications (other than in Town Center) meeting any of the minimum thresholds as shown below require Town Council review in addition to the Community Design Commission review:

Characteristic	Threshold Triggering Council Review

Land Area		5 acres
Floor Area		100,000 square feet
# of Dwelling Units		50 dwelling units

The Council has the opportunity tonight to hear this applicant’s presentation, receive a set of comments from the Community Design Commission, hear public comment, and offer suggestions to the applicant for consideration as further plans are drawn. At the conclusion of the evening’s discussion, we recommend that the Council adopt a resolution (attached) transmitting comments to the applicant.

An excerpt for the Land Use Management Ordinance with a description of the process for Concept Plans is attached.

The Concept Plan review process does not involve staff evaluation of the proposal. Review of the Concept Plan submitted is conducted by the Community Design Commission and, in some instances, Town Council, as noted above.

BACKGROUND

December 13, 1965	The Board of Alderman approved a Unified Housing Development Special Use Permit for four buildings with 202 dwelling units, and 303 parking spaces on 16 acres for Northampton Terrace.

October 9, 1967	The Board of Alderman approved a modification of the 1965 Special Use Permit. The modification authorized the addition of a seven-story apartment building with 156 dwelling units for Northampton Plaza, a portion of the 16-acres encumbered by the 1965 Special Use Permit.

November 14, 1977	A Special Use Permit Modification approved conversion of the 1967 Northampton Plaza development to 156 dwelling units for elderly housing including a new cafeteria/dining area and 40-bed infirmary for elderly residents.

October 22, 1984	The Town Council revoked the November 14, 1977 Special Use Permit Modification because the starting time stipulated as a condition of approval expired.

April 26, 2006	The Community Design Commission reviewed a Concept Plan Proposal for “The MLKB Project” (aka Northampton Plaza) for demolition of two buildings and construction of two new four-story buildings and forwarded comments to the Council.

ELEMENTS OF REVIEW

A Concept Plan is a preliminary step toward preparation of a formal development plan and application. The Land Use Management Ordinance states that design and construction of site elements should include:

Appropriate descriptions and explanations of the relationships and balances among site elements;
The relationship of the development to natural features, neighboring developments, and undeveloped land;
Access and circulation systems;
Retention of natural vegetation, minimal alteration of natural topography, mitigation of erosion and sedimentation, mitigation of stormwater drainage and flooding;
Arrangement and orientation of buildings and amenities in relation to each other and to neighboring developments and streets;
Landscaping, preservation or enhancements of vistas; and
Mitigation of traffic impacts.

The Town Council and Community Design Commission, in examining development applications, are to consider the various aspects of design, with special emphasis on whether the proposed development is consistent with the Town’s Design Guidelines, and the Goals and Objectives of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. A work sheet for review of Concept Plans is attached for the Council’s use with this memorandum (Attachment 1).

Tonight’s Concept Plan was reviewed by the Community Design Commission on April 26, 2006. A copy of the Commission’s comments from the April 26^th meeting is attached to this memorandum. The Concept Plan for review by the Council is different than that reviewed by the Community Design Commission on April 26^th. The differences are identified in the table below.

COMPARISON OF TWO CONCEPT PLAN PROPOSALS

	Community Design Commission April 26, 2006	Council October 4, 2006
Total # Dwelling Units for Development	From 74 units to 174 units	From 74 units to 204 units
Dwelling Units in 2 proposed Buildings	150	180
Density for overall Development	From 8 units/acre (74/9.2) to 18.9 units/acre (174/9.2)	From 8 units/acre (74/9.2) to 22.2 units/acre (204/9.2)
Floor Area of 2 proposed Buildings	208,000 Sq. Ft.	266,050 Sq. Ft.
Height of 2 proposed Buildings	4 story	5 story
Total Parking Spaces	323	350
Surface Parking Spaces	178	176
Underground Parking Spaces	145	174
Impervious Surfaces	175,000 Sq. Ft.	172,000 Sq. Ft.

The application materials attached to memorandum have been modified as follows:

The text has been changed to reflect the modifications listed above.
The Density Comparison Table has been modified to include the proposal from Ram Construction for developing The Residences at Grove Park (aka Town House Apartments) on the adjacent parcel.
Additional cross-sections have been provided.
Letters from neighboring property owners have been added.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL

The Concept Plan proposes to demolish two existing two-story apartment buildings which contain 50 multi-family units and construct two new five-story multi-family buildings with 90 dwelling units per building. New residential floor area is proposed for 266,050 square feet. An existing 24-unit building is proposed to remain and be donated to the Orange Community Housing and Land Trust for sale as affordable units. The 9.2-acres site is proposed to increase from 74 existing dwelling units to a total of 204 dwelling units. The proposed density of the site would increase from eight dwelling units/acre to 22.2 dwelling units/acre.

The Land Use Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Plan, identifies this site as High Residential with 8 to 15 units per acre. The site is located in the Residential-4 (R-4) and the Office/Institutional-1 (OI-1) zoning districts and the Resource Conservation District. The property is located in Orange County and is identified as Orange County Parcel Identification Number 9788-49-1242.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the Council review this Concept Plan, receive comments from citizens, and adopt a resolution transmitting comments to the applicant.

ATTACHMENTS

Worksheet for Concept Plan Review (p. 6).
Excerpt from Land Use Management Ordinance of Concept Plan procedures (p. 8).
April 26, 2006 Community Design Commission Concept Plan Summary Comments (p. 11).
Area Map (p.14).
Concept Plan application materials (p.15).
Letters from neighbors (p.24).
Reduced Plans (p. 30).