Applicant City of Virginia Beach Public Hearing October 12, 2016 2016 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Establishing the Historic Seatack & Vicinity Suburban Focus Area (SFA) in Chapter 1, Section 1.3 Agenda Items 17 Descriptive Summary of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment The City of Virginia Beach Comprehensive Plan, It s Our Future: A Choice City, was adopted on May 17, 2016 and has been subsequently amended. The proposed amendment is the result of implementing the Agenda for Future Action in Chapter 1, Section 1.3 Suburban Area, which reads: Using a public process involving area stakeholders, study the Historic Seatack Community and vicinity area for potential designation as a Suburban Focus Area (SFA) with associated land use recommendations. A study workgroup was formed in February 2016, consisting of three Planning Commissioner liaisons, several community stakeholders and staff from the Department of Planning & Community Development. The workgroup met in the field to become familiar with the study area and met several times at the Seatack Recreation Center in Seatack. All workgroup meetings were advertised in accordance with public meeting notices for the Planning Commission and were open to the public. After drafting an area boundary for the Suburban Focus Area, a description, and set of land use recommendations, the work group presented their draft to the Seatack Community Civic League on September 12, 2016. The Civic League extended its endorsement to the workgroup without change to the draft. The detailed prosed text amendment, amending the Comprehensive Plan at pp. 1-68, 1-69, 1-96 et subseq. is attached for reference. The proposed new Historic Seatack & Vicinity Suburban Focus Area (SFA) would become SFA 9. Staff recommends approval of this amendment with the full endorsement of the Seatack Community Civic League. City of Virginia Beach Comprehensive Plan Amendment Historic Seatack & Vicinity Suburban Focus Area (SFA) Agenda Items 17 Page 1
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT Establishing the Historic Seatack and Vicinity Suburban Focus Area (SFA) in the City of Virginia Beach Comprehensive Plan, It s Our Future: A Choice City (2016, as amended) Policy Document Specifically amending the Policy Document s Table of Contents and Chapter 1, Section 1.3 Suburban Area re: Suburban Focus Areas (SFAs) October 11, 2016 THE POLICY DOCUMENT IS AMENDED AS FOLLOWS, NOTING THAT ALL NEW TEXT TO BE ADDED IS SHOWN IN UNDERLINE AND ALL EXISTING TEXT TO BE DELETED IS SHOWN IN STRIKETHROUGH. ALL MAPS TO BE DELETED AND ADDED ARE SO NOTED. Table of Contents Insert in section on Chapter 1, Section 1.3 Suburban Area, the following entry: Historic Seatack and Vicinity p. 1-68 There are 8 9 SFAs designated in the Comprehensive Plan, which can be found on the locator map on p. 1-69: 1. Shore Drive Corridor 2. North Courthouse/South Holland Road 3. Historic Kempsville Area 4. Virginia Aquarium & Owls Creek Area 5. First Colonial Medical Corridor 6. Sandbridge 7. North End 8. Military Highway Corridor 9. Historic Seatack and Vicinity 1
p. 1-69 Replace the following map: 2
Insert the following map: 3
p. 1-96 Insert new pp. 1-96 and 1-97 before the section which reads, AGENDA FOR FUTURE ACTION RECOMMENDATIONS: Suburban Area as follows: SFA 9 - HISTORIC SEATACK AND VICINITY DESCRIPTION The Historic Seatack neighborhood, located in the City s Oceanfront Resort Area, is thought to be the oldest African-American settlement in Virginia and possibly the United States. Outlined in redline on the above map, it is generally centered on the Birdneck Road corridor between Old Virginia Beach Road and Bells Road, on Virginia Beach Boulevard between West Lane and the convention center area, and along Southern Boulevard/Norfolk Avenue, and includes the area of Atlantic Park. It is bounded on the east by Lake Rudee, Owls Creek, and the Marshview Park area and on the west by the Oceana Gardens Neighborhood and the industrial and residential areas just east of NAS Oceana. The original settlement, which was once much larger extending 4
to the present day Virginia Beach Oceanfront, was formed by free men and dates back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. The area eventually took its name from the words Sea Attack, based on British warship cannons positioned just off the shoreline that fired inland during the War of 1812. A more detailed accounting of the Seatack neighborhood history is located in the Technical Report. The area shown in the black dashed line only on the above map is the area to which the Historic Seatack SFA and the following recommendations apply. Seatack is an integral part of the resort area and, while primarily a residential community with supporting religious institutions and public facilities, such as a neighborhood park and recreation center, it also includes some businesses and light industry. With the improvement of Birdneck Road, this area is now well-served by a strategically located transportation corridor. Much of the SFA is constrained by floodplain, is owned by the U.S. Government or has Navy restrictive easements, and is located within military aircraft accident potential zones (APZ-1 and APZ-2). All of it is within the highest AICUZ noise zone. New development per market trends and redevelopment with AICUZ-compatible uses for nearby NAS Oceana has occurred in this SFA over time, in some cases altering the character of this historic community. The SFA is in a flat, low-lying area in proximity to waterways and wetland areas in the Lynnhaven River system and the Owls Creek watershed. Drainage issues and recurrent flooding, especially associated with new development, have been observed which has, in some cases, negatively impacted existing residential areas. There are several significant historic and cultural landmarks in this SFA that are important to the history and progress of the neighborhood. They should be recognized and/or protected as local historic or cultural landmarks. There may be opportunities to place historical markers at some of these sites and/or have them included on the Virginia Beach Historic Register through nomination by the property owners. RECOMMENDATIONS All new or improved development must adhere to the City s AICUZ zoning and building regulations. New development should respect the historic settlement of this area and should be compatible with the neighborhood. Significant landscape screening buffers should be established between existing residential areas and new non-residential development to mitigate adverse visual and noise impacts. Maintain a careful mix of land uses as to contribute to the day-to-day life of community residents. Limit the insertion of additional self-storage uses in this area to existing industrial zonings; and limit future re-zonings for industrial uses to ensure there is minimal, if any impact to adjacent residential neighborhoods. Building design should be visually interesting, encourage greater social interaction, and provide a memorable character. Install neighborhood identification signs at neighborhood entrances/gateways. Recognize historic and cultural landmarks and sites by nomination to the Virginia Beach Historical Register or installation of interpretive historic site markers. 5
In partnership with and guidance from the Seatack Community Civic League, explore the potential benefits and regulatory impacts of delineation and adoption of a local Historic and Cultural Overlay District, if desired by the community and property owners. All new development should be designed such that site drainage and stormwater management does not negatively impact adjacent parcels. Maintain stormwater facilities and retrofit existing drainage system problem areas. New development, redevelopment, and site improvements should use porous materials for driveways, walkways and other similar surfaces, wherever feasible, to achieve a net reduction in impervious coverage. Enhance landscaping in the Birdneck Road medians where there are opportunities to do so. The Virginia Aquarium and City s Marshview Park improvement projects should provide education and recreation opportunities for Seatack residents through neighborhood outreach programs. New development and public facilities improvements should accommodate multiple modes of transportation (e.g. pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers) and accessibility needs. New p. 1-98 Insert a new p. 1-98 as follows, moving the previous section verbatim from current p. 1-96 which reads, AGENDA FOR FUTURE ACTION RECOMMENDATIONS: Suburban Area to here and with the following deletion shown in strikethrough: AGENDA FOR FUTURE ACTION RECOMMENDATIONS: Suburban Area Develop infill development guidelines as a component of the Special Area Development Guidelines: Suburban Area in the Reference Handbook. Develop tools to encourage new investment in declining commercial centers. Develop tools to assist distressed property owner associations with the preservation and maintenance of neighborhood parks and open spaces. Revise the Suburban Area section of the Comprehensive Plan as appropriate when sea level rise and recurrent flooding policies are developed and/or adopted by the City Council. To ensure that the function of Princess Anne Road is not reduced due to numerous access points within Suburban Focus Area 2.1 (North Courthouse), the City should construct all or a portion of at least two lanes of London Bridge/Drakesmile Extended. Study the area between Holly Road and Pacific Avenue, north of 32nd Street to 42nd Street (the southern boundary of North End SFA) to determine need for infill development and redevelopment policies and design guidelines. Using a public process involving area stakeholders, study the Historic Seatack Community and Vicinity area for potential designation as a Suburban Focus Area (SFA) with associated land use recommendations. 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE 2016 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY ADDING THE HISTORIC SEATACK AND VICINITY SUBURBAN FOCUS AREA WITH AREA DESCRIPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WHEREAS, the public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice so require; WHEREAS, the 2016 Comprehensive Plan included a recommendation to use a public process involving area stakeholders, to study the Historic Seatack Community and Vicinity area for potential designation as a Suburban Focus Area (SFA) with associated land use recommendations; WHEREAS, a work group composed of representatives of the Seatack Community, Planning Commission members and City staff met on numerous occasions to discuss the community, its needs and appropriate land use recommendations; WHEREAS, the work group agreed on the addition of the Historic Seatack and Vicinity Suburban Focus Area, as enumerated on the attached COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT, Establishing the Historic Seatack and Vicinity Suburban Focus Area (SFA) in the City of Virginia Beach Comprehensive Plan, It s Our Future: A Choice City (2016, as amended), Policy Document specifically amending the Policy Document s Table of Contents and Chapter 1, Section 1.3 Suburban Area re: Suburban Focus Areas (SFAs), October 11, 2016; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission at its October 12, 2016 public hearing has also recommended the approval of the attached revisions to the 2016 Comprehensive Plan. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: That the 2016 Comprehensive Plan is hereby amended and reordained to include the revisions and additions attached hereto establishing the Historic Seatack and Vicinity Suburban Focus Area. Adopted by the Council of the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, on the day of, 2016.
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: APPROVED AS TO LEGAL SUFFICIENCY: Barry Frankenfield, Director Planning Department B. Kay Wilson, Associate City Attorney City Attorney s Office CA13636 R-2 September 23, 2016 2