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Agenda Item
19. 20-438 ZMA2019-004 Breezy Hill. PROJECT: ZMA201900004 Breezy Hill MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: Scottsville TAX MAP/PARCEL(S): 094000000001A0; 09400000000500; 09400000000600; 09400000000800; 094000000008A0; 094000000008C0; 09400000004800; 094000000048A0 LOCATION: South side of Richmond Road (US 250), east of Glenmore Subdivision between Hacktown Road and Running Deer Drive. PROPOSAL: Rezone multiple properties for a maximum of 160 residential units. PETITION: Rezone a total of approximately 84 acres from Rural Areas zoning district, which allows agricultural, forestal, and fishery uses as well as residential uses (0.5 unit/acre density), to R4 Residential, which allows residential uses (4 units/acre density) with the potential for additional units if bonus factors are applied. 160 residential units (maximum) are proposed at a gross density of approximately 1.9 units/acre and a net density of approximatly 2.5 units/acre. OVERLAY DISTRICT(S): ENTRANCE CORRIDOR, FLOOD HAZARD, and STEEP SLOPES - MANAGED and - PRESERVED. ENTRANCE CORRIDOR (EC): Yes PROFFERS: Yes COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: Village of Rivanna Comp Plan Area. "Neighborhood Density Residential (Low)" - residential uses (2 units or less/acre) and supporting uses such as places of worship, schools, public and institutional uses; and "Parks and Green Systems" - parks, playgrounds, play fields, greenways, trails, paths, recreational facilities and equipment, plazas, outdoor sitting areas, natural areas, preservation of stream buffers, floodplains and steep slopes adjacent to rivers and streams.
The traffic implications that this development would produce are a real threat to the quality of life in the Eastern part of the County. Traffic along Richmond Road (Rte. 250) is already well beyond capacity and poses a real and significant public safety issue for residents - access for police, fire and emergency services is greatly impeded, as is access to Martha Jefferson Hospital. The Breezy Hill development, in the absence of improvements to Rte. 250, furthermore, is completely contrary to the thoughtfully and carefully constructed Master Plan adopted for the Village of Rivanna. There is great opposition to this application among the residents of the Village; as a member of the Rivanna Village Citizens Advisory Council, I hear opposition to it voiced from scores of my neighbors, friends and associates throughout the area. The application should be denied until the improvements to Rte 250 are made, as per the Master Plan.
Applicants have failed to adequately address key topics related to traffic impacts on Rt 250: 1). They have never shared their traffic data for independent review; 2). They use average traffic counts vs peak thereby hiding the full impacts; 3). They promise vague technologies to improve traffic flow but have never stated what those technologies are or how they will improve traffic; 4). They argue that traffic lights at North Milton and Louisa Roads are to blame for the backups but there are many times when traffic volumes overwhelm Rt2 250 all the way into Pantops; and 5). Concurrent with the move of East Rivanna Fire Dept emergency response team into Pantops area, the impact of this increase in traffic would only further degrade emergency response times and service quality to residents of east Albemarle county.
The Master Plan sets a priority for Rte 250 road improvements before such growth should be allowed. Please honor that strategic planning by denying this request.
The traffic implications that this development would produce are a real threat to the quality of life in the Eastern part of the County. Traffic along Richmond Road (Rte. 250) is already well beyond capacity and poses a real and significant public safety issue for residents - access for police, fire and emergency services is greatly impeded, as is access to Martha Jefferson Hospital. The Breezy Hill development, in the absence of improvements to Rte. 250, furthermore, is completely contrary to the thoughtfully and carefully constructed Master Plan adopted for the Village of Rivanna. There is great opposition to this application among the residents of the Village; as a member of the Rivanna Village Citizens Advisory Council, I hear opposition to it voiced from scores of my neighbors, friends and associates throughout the area. The application should be denied until the improvements to Rte 250 are made, as per the Master Plan.
Applicants have failed to adequately address key topics related to traffic impacts on Rt 250: 1). They have never shared their traffic data for independent review; 2). They use average traffic counts vs peak thereby hiding the full impacts; 3). They promise vague technologies to improve traffic flow but have never stated what those technologies are or how they will improve traffic; 4). They argue that traffic lights at North Milton and Louisa Roads are to blame for the backups but there are many times when traffic volumes overwhelm Rt2 250 all the way into Pantops; and 5). Concurrent with the move of East Rivanna Fire Dept emergency response team into Pantops area, the impact of this increase in traffic would only further degrade emergency response times and service quality to residents of east Albemarle county.
The Master Plan sets a priority for Rte 250 road improvements before such growth should be allowed. Please honor that strategic planning by denying this request.