AGENDA #4
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
From: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
Subject: Concept
Plan: Chancellor’s View
DATE:
INTRODUCTION
Attached
for your consideration is an application for a Concept Plan Review. The proposed use is residential development
consisting of 24 lots on a 26-acre site that is located on the west side of Old
Lystra Road and north of Zapata Lane. Primary
access to the site is proposed from Zapata Lane. A portion of the site is accessed from Old
Lystra Road.
PROCEDURAL
BACKGROUND
On
Characteristic Threshold Triggering Council
Review
Land
Area 5
acres
Floor
Area 100,000
square feet
#
of Dwelling Units 50
dwelling units
The Town 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 discussions, we recommend that the
Council adopt a resolution (attached) transmitting comments to the applicant.
An excerpt from the Land Use Management Ordinance with a
description of the process for Concept Plans is attached as Attachment 1.
ELEMENTS OF
REVIEW
A Concept Plan is a preliminary step
toward the 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
relationship and balance 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 enhancement 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 included for Council use with this
memorandum (Attachment 2).
This Concept Plan was reviewed by the Community
Design Commission on August 20, 2003. A
summary of comments from that meeting is attached to this memorandum
(Attachment 3).
DESCRIPTION
OF THE APPLICATION
This Concept Plan application describes a
potential residential development consisting of 24 lots on a 26-acre site that
is located north of Zapata Lane. The applicant indicates that 24 dwelling units
are proposed, including three affordable units.
Primary access to the subdivision would be provided from Zapata
Lane. Proposed access for three lots
fronting Old Lystra Road would be from a common driveway on Old Lystra Road. Approximately 51 percent of the site is
reserved as recreation area/open space.
Portions of the site
have slopes in excess of 15 percent including some area with slopes in excess
of 25 percent. Development of portions
of the site may be restricted in areas where slopes exceed 25 percent. The Land Use Plan, a component of the
Comprehensive Plan, identifies this site as Low Residential, 1 unit per
acre. The site is located in the
Residential-Low Density 1 (R-LD-1) zoning district. The property is also within Town Limits, the
Urban Service Area and the Watershed Protection District with portions in the
Resource Conservation District as well. This
Concept Plan is proposed in the context of the existing zoning for the site. The property is located in Orange County and
is identified as Chapel Hill Township Tax Map 126.B.2.
A Concept Plan was reviewed by the Community
Design Commission on August 20, 2003. Community
Design Commission Summary Comments and a reduced copy of the proposed Concept
Plan proposed at that time are attached to this memorandum (Attachment 3)
The Concept Plan before the Council tonight differs
from the plan reviewed by the Community Design Commission in several respects. Some of those differences area noted below.
|
Proposed
Concept Plan |
Plan Reviewed
by Community Design Commission on 8/20/03 |
Plan
Submitted for Town Council Review |
|
Design of
lots fronting Old Lystra
Road |
Lot frontage less
than minimum standard |
All lots
comply with minimum lot frontage |
|
Residential
lots fronting Zapata Lane |
Two lots |
None- two
open space areas |
|
Reconfigured
lot lines |
See reduced
site plan with Attachment 3 |
See current
plan |
|
Open Space |
13.52 acres |
13.64 acres |
We anticipate
that this proposal will require Council approval of a Preliminary Plat for a
Cluster Subdivision.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that the Council review this
Concept Plan, receive comments from the Community Design Commission and
citizens, and adopt a resolution transmitting comments to the applicant.
ATTACHMENTS
1.
Excerpt from Land Use Management Ordinance on
Concept Plan procedures (p. 5).
2.
Work sheet for concept plan review. (p. 8).
3.
Community Design Commission Summary Comments
4.
Letter from citizen (p. 13).
5.
Concept Plan application materials (p. 15).
6.
Area Map (p. 26).
7.
Reduced plans (p. 27).
A
RESOLUTION TRANSMITTING COUNCIL COMMENTS ON A CONCEPT PLAN FOR THE CHANCELLOR’S
VIEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL (2003-10-20/R-2)
WHEREAS, a Concept Plan has been
submitted for review by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill, proposing
general development plans for a project on Old Lystra Road and Zapata Lane, called
Chancellor’s View; and
WHEREAS, the Council has heard
presentations from the applicant, the Community Design Commission, and
citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Council has discussed the
proposal, with Council members offering reactions and suggestions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the
Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council transmits comments to the
applicant regarding this proposal, as expressed by Council members during
discussion on October 20, 2003, and reflected in minutes of that meeting.
This the 20th day of October, 2003.
