AGENDA #3

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

From:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

Subject:       Concept Plan: Montclair Estates

 

DATE:             April 23, 2003

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Attached for your consideration is an application for a Concept Plan Review.  The proposed use is residential development consisting of 16 lots on an 11-acre site that is located north of Culbreth Road, immediately west of the Southbridge neighborhood and east of the recently approved Morgan Estates Subdivision.  Access to the site is proposed from Culbreth Road and Westbury Drive.

 

 

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 developments 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 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 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.

 

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.

 

This Concept Plan was reviewed by the Community Design Commission on October 29, 2002.  A summary of comments from that meeting is attached to this memorandum.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLICATION

 

This Concept Plan application describes a potential major subdivision consisting of 16 lots on an 11-acre site that is located north of Culbreth Road, immediately west of the Southbridge neighborhood.  The applicant indicates that 20 dwelling units are proposed.  Twelve of the lots would contain single family dwellings and four lots would contain a single family dwelling with an accessory apartment.  Access to the subdivision would be provided from Culbreth Road and Westbury Drive.  

 

Development of portions of the site may be restricted by slopes in excess of 25 percent.  The Land Use Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Plan, identifies this site as Low-Density Residential (1 to 4 units per acre).  The site is located in the Residential-1 (R-1) zoning district.  The property is also within Town Limits and the Town’s Urban Service Area.  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.17A.

 

A Concept Plan was reviewed by the Community Design Commission on October 29, 2002.  Community Design Commission Summary Comments and a reduced copy of the proposed Concept Plan proposed at that time are attached to this memorandum (Attachment 2).

 

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 in the below table.

 

Proposed Concept Plan	Plan Reviewed by Community Design Commission on 10/29/02	Plan Submitted for Town Council Review
Total No. of lots	12	16
Total No. of Units	12	20
No. of Single Family Dwellings	12	16
No. of Single Family Dwellings with Accessory Apartments	0	4
No. of Units Complying with Housing Floor Restrictions	0	4 (750 sq. ft accessory Apts.)
Open Space	1.51 acres	1.26 acres

 

 

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.      Community Design Commission Summary Comments October 29, 2002 (p. 8).

3.      Concept Plan application materials (p. 11).

4.      Area Map (p. 19).

5.      Reduced plans (p. 20).

 

 

A RESOLUTION TRANSMITTING COUNCIL COMMENTS ON A CONCEPT PLAN FOR THE MONTCLAIR ESTATES PROPOSAL (2003-04-23/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 Culbreth Road, called Montclair Estates; 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 April 23, 2003, and reflected in minutes of that meeting.

 

This the 23^rd day of April, 2003.