AGENDA REQUEST

Owners/Applicants:

Board of Supervisors Meeting Date:

 

Beulah Setti, Beulah Troiano, & Pierre Setti, Jr., Owners, and Bruce Leinberger, Danforth Homes, Applicant

 

March 10, 2005

Staff Lead:

Department:

 

Charles A. Floyd, Senior Planner

Community Development

 

Magisterial District:  Lee

 

PIN:

Service District:  Remington

Numerous

 

Topic:

 

Rappahannock Landing: Preliminary Plat PPLT05-LE-018, Lee District

 

Topic Description:

 

The applicant is seeking Preliminary Plat approval to divide approximately 44.4 acres into eighty (80) single-family residential lots of ±5,411 to ±10,693 square feet in size.  The property is split zoned between Residential-4 (R-4) and Residential-1 (R-1), with all of the development clustered within the R-4 portion of the property, with fifty (50) percent open space provided.  A copy of the Preliminary Plat is attached. 

 

The proposed subdivision is located in the Remington Service District of the Fauquier County Comprehensive Plan, and is designated for Low Density Residential and Park/Open Space. The subdivision will be required to have both public water and sewer service, with water service from the Town of Remington and sewer service from the Fauquier County Water and Sanitation Authority (WSA). 

 

This parcel is a portion of the site of the Battle of Rappahannock Station, which occurred on November 7, 1863, during the Civil War.  Part of the battle took place on property that is currently developed as Wankoma Village, which is an adjoining townhouse subdivision. 

 

The parcel is approximately 44.4 acres split zoned R-1 and R-4.  There is ±24.52 acres of R-1 zoned property, and ±19.25 acres of R-4 zoned land.  All adjacent properties to the north are located within the Town of Remington, with some Townhouse zoning to the northwest.  Parcels to the east are zoned R-4 with a small commercial component (C-1).  Lee Highway (Route 15/29) constitutes the western boundary of the parcel, with the Rappahannock River to the south.

 

Section 9-7 of the Subdivision Ordinance requires that "…all preliminary plats approved by the Planning Commission shall be referred to the Board of Supervisors at its next regularly scheduled meeting…If the Board takes no action on the preliminary plat referral, the preliminary plat shall be deemed approved in accordance with the actions of the Planning Commission."

 

Location:

 

As depicted on the location map, the parcel is located at the terminus of Freemans Ford Road south of the Town of Remington and Wankoma Village Subdivision, in Lee Magisterial District.   The Rappahannock River comprises the southern boundary of the property.

 

Location Map

 

Historic Resources:

1.      Pending Virginia Landmarks and National Register Designations.  The Department has been working with Maral Kalbian on historic area designations for 21 villages and settlements countywide. The following six communities have officially made both National Register and Virginia Landmarks listings through this effort: Ashville, Atoka, Delaplane, Morgantown, New Baltimore and Rectortown.

 

The County and its Architectural Historian, Maral Kalbian, have completed the Historic Area survey (including 83 homes and business buildings) which encompasses the oldest section of the Town of Remington.  It includes a remarkably intact 19th century commercial center that contains a significant collection of architecturally distinguished dwellings, mercantile buildings and institutional structures. The Department of Historic Resources conducted its public hearing for the Remington Historic Area on Tuesday, March 1st, at the Margaret M. Pierce Elementary School. It now is being formally considered at both the state and federal levels for Virginia Landmarks and National Register designation.  This effort was to assist also in the Heritage Tourism effort on the part of the Town and County.

 

2.      Battle of Rappahannock Station (November 7, 1863).  Confederate Major General Jubal Early was tasked with defending the bridgehead at the Rappahannock River (U.S. 15/29 Business) at Rappahannock Station (now Remington) from the attack of Federal Major General John Sedgwick.  The engagement covered much of Remington and its environs, as well as the area south into Culpeper County.  The bridge and its protective bridgehead was an integral part of General Robert E. Lee’s strategy to defend the Rappahannock River line.  The Confederate forces lost the engagement. The summary information regarding the battle and map is available in the Department of Community Development for review.

 

3.      Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report (1993) completed for the National Park Service.  The study focused on 384 battlefield sites and divided them into four basic priority levels:  (a)  Priority I:  Critical Need for Action (e.g., Brandy Station, Cold Harbor, 2nd Manassas, Petersburg, and Wilderness); (b)   Priority II:  Battlefields with opportunities for comprehensive preservation (e.g., Berryville, Buckland Mills, Cross Keys, Hampton Roads, and 1st Deep Bottom); (c)  Priority III:  Battlefields needing some additional protection (e.g., Appomattox Courthouse, Crater and 1st Manassas); and (d)  Priority IV: Fragmented battlefields (e.g., Front Royal, New Market, and Rappahannock Station).

 

The Priority IV are classified as having lost/poor integrity battlefields and given the lowest priority in funding.  As stated in the Commission report:

 

“Because of the number and extent of battlefield sites, because of the practical limitations in current Federal, state, and local budget policy, because land use regulation responsibilities are state and local responsibilities, and because the great majority of Civil War battlefield land is in private hands, a public/private partnership approach to battlefield preservation is virtually the only credible structure available at this time through which leadership can act.”

 

The Commission also indicated that: (a) it did not wish to downplay the importance of local preservation efforts at poor condition or lost battlefields where worthwhile elements and features remain; (b) protection of some poor condition/lost sites may be justified in conjunction with other community land preservation objectives, such as parks, wetlands and recreation area; and (c) such sites be incorporated into local preservation and heritage tourism and planning.

 

4.   Rappahannock Land Preliminary Subdivision.  The Town of Remington and Wankoma Village cover large expanses of the engagement site on the north side of the Rappahannock River. No previous effort to preserve this area from subdivision has occurred in the past. However, the applicant for the referenced preliminary plat has offered to dedicate to the County for open space/park purposes over 53% of the project land to the Rappahannock River and construct access or contribute access funds, and that is reflected in the Planning Commission’s conditions for approval.  This action represents a major contribution consistent with the Remington Service District Plan, as well as preserving a portion of the engagement area for the first time.

 

The County currently does not have budgeted funds reserved for any additional site acquisition. It needs to be noted that the PEC is reviewing the feasibility of acquiring a limited number of future platted lots in Rappahannock Landing subdivision to expand the preservation/park area and allow for public viewing of the engagement area and historic markers/monuments to be placed.

 

Requested Action of the Board of Supervisors:

No action is necessary, unless a majority of the Board wishes to consider this preliminary subdivision application.  On February 17, 2005, the Planning Commission voted to approve the Rappahannock Landing Preliminary Plat, subject to the conditions noted below:

 

1.      The Final Plat shall be in general conformance with the Preliminary Plat entitled "Rappahannock Landing" dated December 23, 2004, signed by James R. Ashley on 12-28-04 and received in the Planning Office on December 28, 2004, except as modified by these conditions.  This approval is for a maximum of eighty (80) residential lots. 

 

  1. The applicant agrees to abandon Lots 46 & 47 as shown on the Preliminary Plan entitled “Rappahannock Landing” dated December 23, 2004.  The applicant also agrees to provide access to the open space via one of the two following options:

 

·        Construct a 20-foot gravel road from Business Route 15/29 along the existing Hord Avenue right-of-way (40-foot width) and existing Bridge Street (20-foot width) to the open space through abandoned lots 46 & 47. 

OR

 

·        Contribute $150,000 to River Access Improvements if the County finds a preferred alternative means of access.

 

The applicant agrees to either build the road or contribute the funds within 12 months of recordation of the Final Plat. 

 

The applicant shall dedicate approximately 23.70 acres to the County for the purposes of providing a Rappahannock River Park as indicated in the County’s Comprehensive Plan.  The dedication will account for all open space requirements associated with this subdivision as required in Zoning Ordinance Sections 2-309 and 2-406.

 

  1. The applicant agrees to stub utilities to the park location.

 

  1. The applicant will not be responsible for construction of any infrastructure associated with the proposed park site except the construction of the proposed access road, and as mentioned above in Condition of Development Number 3, if option 1 identified above is triggered.

 

  1. The applicant will be granted drainage easements, if necessary, across the proposed park site as required by the County Engineers Office to convey storm water from the developments required facilities to an adequate outfall.

 

  1. The applicant may make revisions to the Preliminary Plat to save sections of the Battlefield area or if the lots located in swales must be relocated.

 

  1. Pursuant to Section 7-603 of the Fauquier County Zoning Ordinance, a landscape plan shall be submitted with the construction drawings for approval.

 

8.      No fill in the floodplain at the location of Landing Drive and James Madison Street shall be allowed without Special Exception approval.

 

  1. All offsite sewer easements shall be recorded prior to Final Construction Plan approval. 

 

10.  The sight distance profile should be indicating 500 feet of sight distance in both directions for a 45 mph speed limit.  There also appear to be areas where the line of sight extends outside of the right-of-way and will require a sight distance easement.

 

11.  No information was provided regarding the area adjacent to PIN Map 6887-07-1253 and 6887-07-0353 that appears to be an easement or right-of-way that shall be eliminated.

 

12.  Indicate on the typical section of Business 15/29 improvements that the existing lane shall be widened to 12 feet.  Dimension the right-of-way from centerline to right-of-way line.  In accordance with Road Design Manual GS-2 standard, the shoulders shall be paved 8 feet wide.

 

13.  The right-of-way shall be shown the full length of the frontage improvements to ensure all of the work is within the right-of-way.

 

  1. Several of the utility crossings are still being shown crossing the roads at an angle rather than perpendicular; however, this shall be addressed with the Final Construction Plan.

 

  1. Road typical sections shall be determined at the time of Final Construction Plan by Fauquier County and the Virginia Department of Transportation.

 

16.  All applicable State and Federal permits shall be filed with the first submission of the Final Construction Plans.  This includes the COE/DEQ wetlands permits.

 

  1. The County recommends that no below-grade basements be constructed on soils with high water table due to wetness unless the foundation drainage system of the structure is designed by a licensed professional engineer to assure a dry basement and preclude wet yards and recirculation of pumped or collected water.  Unless, in the opinion of the County Engineer, the topography of the lot in relation to the overlot-grading plan precludes grading the site to drain the basement to daylight, all basements shall be designed to gravity daylight without assistance from mechanical means.  All discharged water (mechanical or gravity) must be conveyed to the subdivision stormwater collection system and discharge through the stormwater management facilities.  Drainage easements, where necessary, shall be placed on the final plat.  A note shall be placed on the final plat stating, “Basements are not recommended in mapping units 1A, 2A, 3A, 8A, 14B, 171B, and 178B.  Basements in these mapping units are subject to flooding due to high seasonal water tables.  Sump systems may run continuously, leading to possible premature pump failure.”

 

  1. Evidence that adequate fire flow exists shall be required with the first submission of the Final Construction Plan.  This shall be based on the standards of the Office of Emergency Services.

 

  1. A detailed overall overlot-grading plan shall be required prior to Final Construction Plan approval.  The plan shall show where any sump pumps will discharge.

 

  1. Although the contour lines are not clearly marked in the northeast corner of the property, it appears that the 100-year floodplain from Tinpot may be higher than shown.  It is recommended that no portion of any lot be within the 100-year floodplain.

 

  1. There shall be 20-foot wide access easements to all SWM/BMP facilities.  The access road shall be an all weather surface that is accessible at all times and will not require fill or an impervious surface in the floodplain.

 

  1. Landscaping shall not be placed in utility or site distance easements.

 

  1. The toe of the embankment and all drainage structures shall be 25 feet from the property lines.  (See Chapter 3.01 and 3.07 of the Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook)

 

  1. Houses shall not be located in swales.   These lots are 12, 16, 17, 10, 43, 44, 45, 46, 37, and 38.

 

  1. There shall be no fill in the floodplain associated with roads, trails, lots, SWM/BMP facilities or any other use without a Special Exception.

 

  1. A Virginia Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) needs to adjust the Type I Soil Map soil lines) or (needs to adjust the preliminary soil map with revisions onto the Final Construction Plan.  This shall be done in the field and checked for any additional soils information to be added to the Final Construction Plan.

 

  1. A signature block shall be placed on this plat for the CPSS to sign which states:

 

Preliminary Soils Information Provided by the Fauquier County Soil Scientist Office via a Type I Soil Map (1"=400') Dated October 25, 2004.

 

This Virginia Certified Professional Soil Scientist has field reviewed and adjusted the preliminary soil information onto the final plat (1"=?') and certifies that this is the Best Available Soils Information to Date for Lots 1-?.

 

 

Va. Certified Professional Soil Scientist                                    DATE

CPSS #3401-            

 

 

  1. Interpretive information from the Type I soil report for each mapping unit shown on the above Final Construction Plan shall be placed on the same sheet as the soil map.  Also a Symbols Legend shall be placed on the Final Construction Plan to identify spot symbols.

 

  1. This final soil map shall be filed in the Building Department to be used exclusively for obtaining soils information for this proposed subdivision.

 

  1. Two copies of this final soil map with CPSS signature shall be submitted to the Soil Scientist Office before Final Plat approval is made.

 

  1. The final signature sets shall require original CPSS signature. 

 

  1. These statements under Home Sites and Road Construction shall be placed on the same sheet as the final soils map.

 

·        The County recommends that no below grade basements be constructed on soil mapping units 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 14B, and 178A due to wetness unless the foundation drainage system of the structure is designed by a Virginia Licensed Professional Engineer. The foundation drainlines should be daylighted for gravity flow on all structures.

 

·        Foundations placed in soil mapping units that show a moderate, high, or very high shrink-swell potential in the most recent Interpretive Guide to the Soils of Fauquier County, Virginia will require a geotechnical evaluation in order to determine proper design.

 

 

ATTACHMENT:

 

Preliminary Plat