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Home My Public Portal About07 05 2018 PC MinutesT The Town of Lees6urg in Virginia Leesburg Planning Commission Meeting Minutes July 5, 2018 The Leesburg Planning Commission met on Thursday, July 5, 2018 in Town Hall Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176. Staff members present included Brian Boucher, Shelby Caputo, and Karen Cicalese. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Chairman Babbin Members Present: Chairman Babbin, Commissioners Barnes, Faliskie, Kidder, Lanham, Robinson, and Walker. ADOPTION OF AGENDA. Motion: Commissioner Lanham Second: Commissioner Walker Vote: 7-0 APPROVAL OF MINUTES — June 21, 2018 Motion: Commissioner Walker Second: Commissioner Faliskie Vote: 7-0 DISCLOSURE OF MEETINGS None CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT None PETITIONERS None PUBLIC HEARING TLOA-2017-0004 Downtown Parking Regulations Zoning Ordinance Amendments Continued from June 7, 2018, Brian Boucher, Deputy Director, Planning and Zoning. Chairman Babbin resumed the public hearing at 7:07 pm. Mr. Boucher gave a brief overview of the proposed amendments and Planning Commission timeline. 1 Leesburg Planning Commission July 5, 2018 Minutes Public Comment Mike McLister, 109 S King Street, Leesburg, VA 20176 came forward in support of the proposed amendments as current regulations restrict the ability to have affordable housing in the downtown area. Chairman Babbin closed the public hearing at 7:14 pm and the following amendments were discussed and acted upon: 1. Reduce parking rates in the B-1 District for multifamily residential uses. • Reduce parking required for 1 bedroom units from 1.5 spaces to 1.0 spaces/unit • Reduce parking required for 2 bedroom unit from 2.0 spaces to 1.5 spaces/unit Staff supports this recommendation as initiated by Council and recommended by the Consultant Putting a cap on the number of units was proposed however, the majority of Commission members were not in favor of establishing a cap. Chairman Babbin moved that the following portion of the Leesburg Zoning Ordinance Amendments in TLOA-2017-0004 be forwarded to the Town Council with a recommendation of approval of the following on the basis that the following amendment meets the approval criteria of TLZO Section 3.2.5 and will serve the public and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Leesburg. Specifically Number 1 to reduce the parking ratios in the B-1 district for multifamily residential uses as set out in TLZO Section 11.3 specifically to decrease the 1 bedroom requirement from 1.5 spaces/unit to 1.0 space for unit and to decrease the 2 bedroom requirement from 2.0 spaces/unit to 1.5 spaces/unit. Commissioner Faliskie seconded the motion and the motion carried by a vote of 4-3. (Aye — Babbin, Faliskie, Lanham, and Walker; Nay — Barnes, Kidder, and Robinson) 2. Reduce parking rates in the B-1 District for nonresidential uses by creating a single parking standard (1.0 space per 400 s.f.) for all non-residential uses as proposed by Council. Staff does not recommend a universal standard. Instead, staff supports the following alternative: • Office: 1.0 space per 400 s.f. (Consultant recommendation) • Retail: 1.0 space per 285 s.f. (Consultant recommendation) • Restaurant Outdoor Seating: No additional parking required for up to 20 outdoor seats (New staff proposal) Chairman Babbin moved that having considered and rejected reducing the parking rates in the B-1 District for non-residential uses by creating a single parking standard, the Planning Commission adopts Staff s recommendation which reduces parking for office to 2 Leesburg Planning Commission July 5, 2018 Minutes 1.0 space per 400 s.f., Retail Sales 1.0 space for 285 s.f., and for outdoor seating for restaurants and other brew pups, etc., to exempt the first twenty outdoor seats. Commissioner Lanham seconded the motion and the motion carried by a vote of 4-3. (Aye: Babbin, Faliskie, Lanham, and Walker; Nay — Barnes, Kidder, and Robinson) 3. Amend walking distance from parking to use in H-1 District as follows: • Residential: Increase from 300 feet to 1,000 feet • Commercial: Increase from 500 feet to 1,000 feet Staff supports this as initiated by Council and as recommended by the Consultant. Chairman Babbin moved to increase the off-site parking distances as contained in TLZO Sec. 11.4.1.A.2 as follows: • Non-residential increase proposed parking availability within a walking distance of 1,000 feet • Residential increase proposed parking availability within a walking distance of 1,000 feet. Commissioner Faliskie seconded the motion and the motion carried by a vote of 4-3. (Aye: Babbin, Faliskie, Lanham, and Walker; Nay: Barnes, Kidder, and Robinson) 4. Require no parking anywhere in the B-1 District for conversion of an existing building to a non-residential use as proposed by Council. Staff does not support this proposal nor the Consultant's proposal to increase the exemption area to 1,000 feet. Instead Staff supports maintaining the current ordinance standard exemption of 500 feet from a municipal parking facility. Chairman Babbin moved that having considered and rejected the recommendation made by the Consultant, Wells & Associates, the Planning Commission instead adopts Staff's recommendation to maintain the current 500 foot radius that exempts commercial uses from providing parking in the B-1 district as set out in TLZO Sec. 11.4.4. Commissioner Lanham seconded the motion and the motion carried by a vote of 4-3. (Aye: Babbin, Faliskie, Lanham, and Walker; Nay — Barnes, Kidder, and Robinson) 5. Increase Payment -in -Lieu option for residential uses to include the entire H-1 District with a "round the block" parking study requirement and Director of Planning approval. Staff does not support this proposal. Instead Staff supports an alternative: Permit residential uses to purchase required spaces up to a maximum of 10 spaces if the site is within 500 feet of a municipal parking facility. 3 Leesburg Planning Commission July 5, 2018 Minutes Chairman Babbin moved that having considered and rejected the recommendation of Wells & Associates with respect to increasing the Payment -in -Lieu option for residential uses to include the entire H-1 District with a "round the block" parking study requirement and Director of Planning approval, the Planning Commission supports leaving this provision in the Town Zoning Ordinance as it currently stands. Rick Lanham seconded the motion and the motion carried by a vote of 5-2. (Aye: Babbin, Faliskie, Lanham, Robinson, and Walker; Nay — Barnes and Kidder) It was determined to continue discussion on the remaining items associated with this amendment to the next Planning Commission meeting to be held on July 19, 2018. SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT None ZONING None STAFF AND COMMITTEE REPORTS None SRTC REPORT Commissioner Robinson informed the Commission that the SRTC is still looking at a tremendous amount of volume from residents on the increase in traffic and the cut through in their neighborhoods due to the Waze App on mobile devices and are looking into ways to mitigate this issue through the use of speed bumps, remarked cross walks, and visually narrowing down the street size by putting in marked parking. TOWN COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT Council Member Campbell informed the Commission that the Town has a new trash contract that became effective July 2nd reducing trash service from 2 days to 1 including recycling. The Town is in a transition phase as the residents adjust to the new scheduled. New totes are expected to be delivered in mid-July to make pick up more convenient. The Council delayed their County funding request for 2019 and it is still a work in progress. This will be discussed at their August meeting. The County received a letter from the Town's Planning Department noting that at this time, the Town is not fully supporting the new Bolen Park Stadium. There are 10 items outstanding, most dealing with traffic mitigation, causing the Board of Supervisors to postpone their public hearing until September 12tH The Council also had discussion regarding bus shelters and public/private partnerships OLD BUSINESS Commissioner Robinson noted that she had heard at a number of the meetings that the BAR would like to have a Planning Commission liaison. Commissioner Kidder volunteered to be the primary liaison and Commissioner Lanham volunteered to be an alternate. FA -1 Leesburg Planning Commission July 5, 2018 Minutes NEW BUSINESS None ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM Ap oved by: jq&- Kar n Cicalese, Commission Clerk bbin, Chairman