Loudoun County School Board Dulles North Elementary School (ES-31) CMPT 2017-0006 and SPMI 2017-0015 First Response to Referral Comments Zoning Administration Comments dated October 2, 2017 Comment 1: Pursuant to Zoning Ordinance Section 2-904(AA), a Public School, Elementary is a minor special exception use in the RC district. Be advised, if the proposed elementary public school use or accessory activities (sports fields, parking, SWM, etc.) is located within the RC district approval of a minor special exception application is required. Response: The public school use, including the SWM facility, is within the R-1 District. Comment 2: Pursuant to Zoning Ordinance Section 3-102(R), a Public School, Elementary is a permitted use in the R-1 district subject to the Additional Regulation of Zoning Ordinance Section 5-666 Comment 3: All utility distribution lines located in the RC and R-1 districts shall be place underground. [ZO 2-907(F) and 3-110] Comment 4: The Planning Commission shall review the application to determine if the public elementary school for which approval is sought is substantially in accord with the adopted Comprehensive Plan. Staff defers to Community Planning. In their referral of 9/27/17, Community Planning finds the general location, character, and extent of the proposed elementary school on the subject site is in substantial accord with the Comprehensive Plan. Comment 5: Be advised, at such time lot consolidation and/or boundary line adjustment is proposed and recorded prior to site plan approval, pursuant to General Note 3, maximum lot coverage in the R-1 district is 25%. [ZO 3-107(A)] Comment 6: Expand the CMPT-2017-0006 limits to include the off-site stormwater management (SWM) and SPMI-2017-0015 area. Although the SPMI-2017-0015 proposes to locate the SWM off-site, such off-site SWM is still part of and used by the public elementary school use. (See comment 1, above)
Response: Upon further review by Zoning staff it was determined that the CMPT does not need to be expanded to incorporate the SPMI area. The purpose of the SPMI is to modify a performance standard related to the location of SWM, not a use request. The utilization of existing central or regional facilities is allowed under the performance standards of Section 5-666 and, once upgraded, the pond will function as a SWM facility similar to other off-site SWM facilities serving other school sites. [Note: the reference to Comment 1 relates to the R-C Zoning District. The property subject to these applications is zoned R-1]. Comment 7: Amend the lot coverage under Zoning Ordinance Section 3-100 requirements from 30% Max. to 25% Max. [ZO 3-107(A)] Response: The lot coverage has been corrected (Sheet 3/Zoning Requirements) Comment 8: Remove the statement Remaining Parent Tract. With the expansion of CMPT-2017-0006 limits and General Note 3 on Sheet 1 no comment is needed. Additionally, remaining parent tract is not an appropriate statement due to the defined area involving several parcels. Response: The label remaining parent tract has been removed as recommended. Comment 9: Expand the SPMI-2017-0015 limits to include the off-site stormwater management (SWM) and CMPT-2017-0006 area. Although the SPMI-2017-0015 proposes to locate the SWM off-site, such off-site SWM is still part of and used by the public elementary school use. (See comment 1, above) Response: The school site has been identified as part of the SPMI area. See Sheet 4 of the CMPT 2017-0006/SPMI 2017-0015 Plan now labels the CMPT area as a part of the SPMI. [Note: the reference to Comment 1 relates to the R-C Zoning District. The property subject to these applications is zoned R-1]. Comment 10: Remove the statement Remaining Parent Tract. With the expansion of SPMI-2017-0015 limits and General Note 3 on Sheet 1 no comment is needed. Additionally, remaining parent tract is not an appropriate statement due to the defined area involving several parcels Response: The label remaining parent tract has been removed as recommended. Comment 11: Zoning Administration defers to Community Planning regarding Comprehensive Plan consideration Comment 12: Zoning Administration is concerned with the potential visible impacts and provided safety controls of the SWM pond. Is the proposed SWM pond a wet or dry pond? Are any safety features restricting access to public existing or proposed? Are additional plantings proposed to stabilize or screen the SWM pond? 2
Response: The final pond design, to be included in the site plan, will address overall SWM/BMP design per Loudoun County FSM and state standards, including landscaping, maintenance of the existing pond to serve as a SWM facility for the elementary school, and any required safety features. Comment 13: Zoning Administration defers to Community Planning, DTCI and/or VDOT regarding adequacy of public utilities and transportation services. Comprehensive Planning Comments dated September 27, 2017 Comment 1: Community Planning Staff finds that the general location, character, and extent of the proposed elementary school on the subject site is in substantial accord with the Comprehensive Plan, which anticipates the development of schools in Residential Neighborhoods in the Suburban Policy Area. Comment 2: The subject site is located within the voluntary greenbelt surrounding Beaverdam Reservoir and includes natural drainages, wetlands and forest cover that will be affected by the proposed project. Community Planning Staff appreciates that these resources have been identified on the Commission Permit Application and recommends that LCSB incorporate these green infrastructure elements and recommend stormwater management techniques into the design of the site plan in conformance with Plan policies. Response: The site plan for the proposed school use will comply with the Facilities Standards Manual. Green infrastructure elements including minor floodplain and wetlands will be considered and addressed as a part of site engineering. Permits will be secured from the Army Corps of Engineers and any impacts to wetlands will be mitigated in accord with the Corps requirements. DTCI, Transportation Planning & Operations Division Comments dated October 10, 2017 Comment 1: DTCI notes that no traffic study is required for a Commission Permit application. However, it is important to note that Section 5-666 of the Zoning Ordinance requires additional performance standards which schools must meet. More specifically, Section 5-666 (I) (1-5) contains, among other things, transportation related improvements and regulations which also include the requirement of the submittal of a traffic impact analysis at the time of site plan application. Specific impacts to the surrounding road 3
network resulting from the proposed public school use and necessary road improvements will be identified and evaluated at that time. Comment 2: DTCI notes that the traffic statement provided for the future offsite stormwater management facility states that the facility will be accessed via the future internal public street or via Waxpool Road. The total trip generation per year for this facility is approximately five trips. Therefore, the proposed offsite stormwater management facility would have minimal impact on the roadway network. Comment 3: As shown on the approved design plans, CRCP 2015-0004, for the Belmont Ridge Road Widening Project (Truro Parish Drive to Croson Lane), additional ROW will need to be dedicated along the east side of Belmont Ridge Road in order to accommodate the ultimate 150-foot ROW called for in Appendix 1 of the 2010 CTP. Also, building and parking setbacks should be measured from the ultimate ROW. DTCI defers further comment to the Department of Planning & Zoning. The property owner has been working with the County to provide the additional ROW for the Belmont Ridge Road Project. Building and parking setbacks have been measured from the ultimate ROW line. Comment 4: DTCI notes that Waxpool Road will need to be improved and additional ROW dedicated along Waxpool Road (section from Belmont Ridge Road traveling east to the Ashburn Tillett Drive intersection) in order to meet minimum VDOT roadway design standards. Comment 5: DTCI notes CRCP 2015-0004, Belmont Ridge Road Widening Project (Truro Parish Drive to Croson Lane), shows this section of Belmont Ridge Road as a four-lane median divided arterial roadway with left-and right-turn lanes at the future public roadway serving the school. Ten-foot wide trails along both sides of the roadway are shown on CRCP 2015-0004. CRCP 2015-0004 also depicts a left-turn lane traveling southbound on Belmont Ridge Road onto Waxpool Road, however, there is no right-turn lane traveling northbound onto Waxpool Road. DTCI notes that left- and right-turn lanes are called for at all intersections along this segment of Belmont Ridge Road per the 2010 CTP (Appendix 1). DTCI notes that a right-turn warrant analysis will need to be included in the TIS for the elementary school. Response: The traffic impact study will be provided with the road improvements plan submission for review by DTCI. 4
Comment 6: DTCI notes that Chapter 4, Pedestrian & Bicycle Facility Policies for Roadways Policy #19 of the 2010 CTP calls for bicycle and pedestrian connections on school sites as well as connections to nearby communities. DTCI understands that the Applicant will be providing a shared use path along the north side of Waxpool Road between the site entrance and Ashburn Tillett Drive, to connect with the existing shared use path which currently terminates at that location. The existing shared use path will be extended from Ashburn Tillett Drive to the proposed internal public street intersection with Waxpool Road. Comment 7: DTCI attended an on-site meeting on October 4, 2017 along Waxpool Road with nearby residents, the Broad Run District Supervisor, Loudoun County Sherriff s Office (LCSO), Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) and VDOT to discuss safe pedestrian connectivity to existing and proposed schools in the area. Topics discussed at the meeting included items such as, but not limited to, crosswalks, sidewalks, trails and signage for school children along Waxpool Road to the existing schools in the area and the proposed ES-31 school site. DTCI recommends that LCPS continue to work with all interested parties to implement appropriate pedestrian safety measures Response: LCPS is currently working with interested parties to address identified concerns. S:\Planning\Donna's Folder\Tillett - ES-31\First Reponse to Referrals\First Referral Response Oct 13 2017 ES-31.doc 5