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HomeMy Public PortalAbout11.1.2005 Planning Board Agenda & MinutesTown of Hill �iis ®1994 Town of Hillsborough ITEM #1: Call to order and confirmation of a quorum. ITEM #2: Approval of minutes from October 6 and October 25 hearings. ITEM 43: Additions to the agenda & agenda adjustment. ITEM 94: Committee reports and updates • Board of Adjustment AGENDA PLANNING BOARD Tuesday, November 1, 2005 7:00 PM, Town Barn Parks and Recreation Board Churton Street Corridor Appointment of volunteer to serve on Strategic Plan selection committee ITEM #5: Rezoning Request from Evelyn Medlin. to correct a map error and designate approximately 2 acres Agricultural Residential instead of General Industrial on the south side of Dimmocks Mill Road (TMBL 4.38.B.10d). Action requested: Recommendation of action to Town Board ITEM #6: Zoning Ordinance text amendment to clarify sidewalk requirements for all new development. Action requested: Recommendation of action to Town Board ITEM #7: Rezoning Request & Special Use Permit modification for Oakdale Village to acquire approximately .48 ac north of the existing site to allow the development of 48 additional parking spaces for approved uses in Oakdale Village (part of TMBL 4.42.b.3a). Action requested: Discussion/Recommendation of action to Town Board ITEM #8: Annexation/Rezoning/Master Plan to authorize Owl's Wood, a mixed use development containing approximately 106 dwelling units and approximately 151,000 sf of hotel, restaurant, office, and retail uses on approximately 27.2 acres at the southeast corner of NC 86 and US 70 A (TMBL 4.40.A.9d, 10). Action requested: Discussion/Recommendation of action to Town Board ITEM #9: Annexation/Rezoning/Special Use Permit to authorize Ashton Hall, a 118 acre development on the north side of US 70 A across from the Sportsplex to contain 272 dwellings with a recreation center and 20,000 sf of office and retail uses at the western entrance (TMBL 4.37.C.21 & 4.40.B.1). Action requested: Discussion/Recommendation of action to Town Board ITEM #10: Planning Department operational analysis. ITEM #11: Adj ourn Please call the Planning Department if you cannot attend. 732-1270 extension 73 (this line is connected to voice mail) 101 East Orange Street • P.O. Box 429 • Hillsborough, North Carolina 2 72 78 919-732-1270 • Fax 919-644-2390 MINUTES PLANNING BOARD November 1, 2005 PRESENT: Jim Boericke, Matthew Farrelly (vice chair), Tom Campanella, Edna Ellis, Neil Jones, Paul Newton, Eric Oliver, Dave Remington, Toby Vandemark, Barrie Wallace PUBLIC: Scott Radway, Jim Parker, Eddie Sain, Tom Stevens, Rob Wilson, Jack Smyre, Emily Coakley, and Margaret Hauth Boericke called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and confirmed the presence of a quorum. ITEM #2: Boericke noted some typographical errors that he would share with Hauth. MOTION: Vandemark moved to approve both sets ofminutes with the corrections. Remington seconded. VOTE: Unanimous. ITEM #3: Boericke asked to add discussion of the water use model update as item 7a and the members agreed. ITEM #4: Newton reported that the Board of Adjustment reviewed two appeals, one of a staff determination about lighting trespass where the Board agreed with the person filing the appeal and one of a denial by the Historic District Commission where the Board sent the item back to the HDC for reconsideration. He said the Board also approved the Conditional Use Permit for Crazy Shots Billiards to open in North Hills. Oliver reported that the Parks and Recreation Board received an update on Riverwalk and general park signage. He noted the board passed a resolution opposing the location of news racks in parks. He said members would be presenting Hillsborough Heights Park plan to the Town Board at the November workshop. Remington reported that the Churton task force held a forum on signage. He noted there was no support for off site signage to increase visibility for out of the way businesses. He noted that there also was not much support for the DOT signage, noting it is unattractive and not visible. Hauth asked the members to designate a representative for the Strategic Plan selection committee. She said she hoped the committee would only meet once or twice the review the consultant proposals and recommend a firm. Farrelly agreed to help. Vandemark and Remington both noted a willingness to help if Farrelly was unavailable. Campanella noted he was interested in the whole process. ITEM #5: Hauth introduced the zoning map correction for the Medlin property on Dimmocks Mill Road. MOTION: Newton moved to recommend approval of the change. Oliver seconded. VOTE: Unanimous. ITEM #6: Hauth introduced the Zoning Ordinance amendment to remove district references from the sidewalk requirements. Ellis asked if there are changes to the subdivision regulations and Hauth said no, she included those provisions for reference only. MOTION: Newton moved to recommend approval of the change. Jones seconded. VOTE: Unanimous. ITEM #7: Hauth introduced the rezoning and Special Use Permit modification for Oakdale Village to add .48 acres for additional parking. Whitaker appeared for the applicant. He noted that the lighting would be of the same style, pacing and intensity as the main site. He said the drawing 11/1/2005 Planning Board Minutes Page 1 of 4 designated C5 contains the requested overall site plan, which contains no changes to utilities or driveways. He noted the proposed parking is for the convenience of restaurant patrons. Remington asked what the change in impervious surface is. Whitaker said the original site was 75% and the new is 75.2%. Ellis asked about stormwater. Whitaker said the pond has been redesigned and there is no increase in the peak flow. Farrelly asked about the innovative system discussed at the hearing. Whitaker said that in phase I of the initial plan they are using some stormwater infiltration methods rather than simple detention. He added that Commissioner Hallman asked for more on this site and Whitaker committed to investigate it. Whitaker said he cannot recommend this solution for the area being added to Oakdale Village. He said that the parking area will be 6 feet higher than the adjacent Birch Lake driveway. This makes the edge of that driveway the only place available for infiltration and the mechanism would endanger both driveway and fill area. The members discussed the proposal. MOTION: Newton moved to recommend approval of the rezoning and SUP amendment. Wallace seconded. VOTE: Unanimous. ITEM #7a: Boericke introduced the discussion of the update water capacity analysis. He expressed concern about the town continuing to approve projects when it will overextend our current water capacity. Farrelly asked about schedule delays and whether previous schedules were too aggressive. Hauth said that the schedules are often based on information provided by applicants or by best guesses by staff with knowledge of what a project has to do before connecting customers. Oliver asked whether the tables included the raising of the dam at the reservoir. Hauth said they did not, but there was a place to add the expansion in the spreadsheet. The members asked questions about rainfall models, the ability of the reservoir to fill annually and other details. Hauth said the questions were beyond her understanding of the model and suggested the Town Manager and Town Engineer come to the December meeting. The members agreed. ITEM #8: Hauth introduced the rezoning request and special use permit for Owl's Wood. Oliver noted that the plan is not consistent with the Land Use Map in the Vision 2010 plan, which designates the site as non-residential mixed use. Ellis noted her concern that the whole project is a puzzle since the existing home is still listed for lease and the site is for sale, but there is no approved plan. Jim Parker appeared for the applicant. He noted that the residential component was added to make the proposal more walkable and the owner is willing to lease the house short term while the project develops. Campanella asked for confirmation that the building layout is conceptual only and Parker said it is. Remington asked whether the driveway on US 70 will be built regardless of the Brady alignment and Parker said it would. He said the Fox Haven accommodated the same alignment that Owls Wood does. He added that DOT has indicated the driveway location is acceptable if Brady is not constructed. He said the uses were provided for traffic generation purposes. He said the owner is flexible on uses, but purposefully provided a traffic intense option. Ellis said she is concerned about the entrance near Valley Forge Road and the possibility of a gas station so close to Cates Creek. She added that Fox Haven left a corridor undeveloped for Brady rather than building it as this proposal would. She said the plan provides too many intersections with NC 86. Wallace noted her concern with water availability, traffic and that she agreed with Radway's written comments. She said she would like to recommend denial. Parker said that the traffic study 11/l/2005 Planning Board Minutes Page 2 of 4 demonstrated that improvements are needed in the area even if Owl's Wood is not built. He noted that new driveways align with existing ones for safety. Newton said his concerns are big picture ones. He said the town is getting ready to start the Strategic Growth Plan. He said this parcel is in an entranceway with existing industrial uses. He said he would like to see progress on the plan to help the town determine whether this is the type of growth it wants. He said the town needs to know what it wants before it approves more development. Remington said the location seemed flawed for both retail and residential uses and the site has poor connectivity to town. He added the project could be better with better connections to Meadowlands. Oliver suggested there should not be residential included at all. Campanella said he agreed with Newton and this project might be premature. MOTION: Campanella moved to recommend denial of the project until the Strategic Growth Plan is complete. Newton seconded. Boericke asked to add securing additional water resources as a reason for denial. Campanella and Newton both agreed. VOTE: Unanimous. ITEM #9: Hauth introduced the rezoning request and special use permit for the Ashton Hall project. She noted that some additional time was given to clarify the exact property boundaries. Jack Smyre appeared on behalf of the applicant. He said they were present to listen to comments and concerns from the members. Oliver asked how the project increased from 250 to 272 dwellings. Smyre noted that the project has always contained 272 units and the 250 was a staff estimate in the water capacity study before the project was brought in for review. He noted that they are leaving 100,000 square feet of non-residential water allocation for the additional frontage to redevelop. Wallace asked about the recreation center and whether it could be available to wider membership like the Meadowmont pool. Smyre said they would have to enlarge the pool to follow that model. He noted that membership is not automatic with a home purchase in Meadowmont. Wallace said she was concerned that Ashton Hall would not be part of Hillsborough, and opening the recreation center to wider membership would help build ties. Smyre noted that it would only be open to those who could afford the membership fees. Farrelly noted that Meadowmont has a punch card option in addition to full membership. Smyre said he would bring the idea to the applicant and provide additional information to the board. He added that he did not expect the owner to be interested. Oliver asked if there was an opportunity to reduce the number of cul de sacs. Smyre said they would look at it, but the plan is based on environmental concerns and working with the existing land form. He said they would bring a topographical map to the next meeting. Ellis noted her concern about the property line issue and her support for requiring full compliance with street standards. Campanella said that those minimum standards create a suburban form, while others may also be acceptable with the service corridors shown on the plan. He noted the plan still lacks a sense of center, but overall is not bad. He noted that environmental concerns and new urbanist design are often in tension. Remington said he agreed with Campanella. He said he has personal experience living with alleys and they help reduce auto dominance. He said the plan was an OK compromise between a grid pattern and environmental concerns. He said he had the same concern about the lack of access to the rest of town for this project as he had for Owl's Wood. Ellis said she questioned how the project would be built without clear cutting. Farrelly said he likes the density and alleys. Oliver said the neighboring owners may not be prepared for the density and supported fencing or other protection for neighboring residents. Oliver asked the entry level income for the project. Smyre said the townhomes would start at 11/1/2005 Planning Board Minutes Page 3 of 4 $150,000. Vandemark said that price normally translates to an income of $50,000 if there isn't much other debt in the household. Campanella noted the mix of types provides a wider opportunity than a standard suburban plan. Ellis noted that the trails are not handicap accessible or friendly. Wallace noted that was a town issue. Hauth noted that if the town constructs a trail, every effort is made for accessibility. Campanella noted that the sidewalk make this development more accessible than most of Hillsborough. Remington said the trail surface was ok since it was being used in more sensitive locations. Oliver asked about the driveway location and aligning with Owl's Wood. Smyre noted that the optimal location will take into consideration turn lanes for the adjacent uses too. Ellis said she had concerns about the impact to residents along US 70, tree preservation and the dumpster location. She said dispersed park options would be better. Farrelly asked why members did have the same concerns with this project that were raised with Owl's Wood about being premature in light of the Strategic Plan. Campanella said Farrelly raised a good point. Newton said he did have the same concern. Ellis noted the project could be approved by Orange County. Wallace said it was a hard choice, but she felt this proj ect was more certain. Jones asked what would happen if the project wasn't annexed. Vandemark said they town would then not be able to control the design of the project. The members discussed concerns for the current neighbors in detail. Ellis noted that the County has this area designated as 20 year transition, so there is no rush to approve a project. Wallace asked if the town needed customers to share the cost and lower rates. Hauth noted that this project provides improvements to the town system for existing customers too. Oliver asked if the town was counting on this revenue for utility improvements and Hauth said not specifically. Campanella asked how long the Strategic Plan would take and Hauth said at least one year. Farrelly asked the results of the neighborhood meeting. Hauth noted it was held in March and mainly addressed a lot of basic questions about the plan and helped the owners address specific concerns and questions to the applicants. Oliver asked how purchasing water from Durham works into the rate structure and how their restrictions would impact us. Hauth said it would depend on the contract. Wallace suggested the members could use a white board to create a common list of pros and cons for the project at the next meeting. Jones suggested some filtering mechanism so that projects that weren't in the water study or didn't meet some threshold wouldn't be reviewed. Campanella said there were 3 areas of really steep slopes he'd like the applicant to reconsider. Smyre said they would look at them, but this site also provided the opportunity for walk out basements. Campanella also asked about extending the road from the townhome through to the second access drive. ITEM #10: Hauth said that the Town is taking a detailed look at how the Planning Department operates. She asked members to complete the electronic survey she sent out. Boericke adjourned the meeting at 9:40 PM. Respectfully submitted, Ma garet A. Hauth, Secretary la !vy- to approved l l/1/2005 Planning Board Minutes Page 4 of 4