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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
Meeting No. 18-98
September 16, 1998
Commissioners in Attendance: Jane Fry-Emond, Donald Boebel, Paul Douglas, Larry Giammo, William Meyer, Brigitta Mullican, Susan Hoffmann
Commissioner(s) Absent: None.
Staff Present: Kathy Mitchell, Bob Spalding, Al Stern, Susan Straus, Steve Mader
Items:
PLT98-0138, Lots 1-6, Block 18, Rockville Heights, Tamara Corporation - For a six lot subdivision at 611 Monroe Street.
Presentation of the Case: Al Stern of the planning staff outlined the extension of the hearing record and the Mayor and Council's action to approve the regional participation request and require payment of the fee. The applicant agreed with the conditions and offered to plant and save trees in addition to the 3 tree per lot required.
Public Testimony: No additional public testimony.
Commission Discussion: The Commissioners expressed support for the proposal and the recommended conditions. There also was discussion thanking the applicant for preserving trees on-site. The Commissioners also believed that a fence should be erected between other single-family houses, but accepted the applicant's offer of adding trees to the perimeter of the site. The Mayor and Council's findings were also added. There also was discussion about the potential for students to cut through and whether a fence to separate New Mark Commons was needed.
Motion: Commissioner Hoffmann made a motion to approve the application with the staff recommendations and #5 landscape screening and fencing to be provided along the edges of the property. Commissioner Douglas seconded the motion.
Vote: The Commission voted 7-0 in favor of the motion.
PRU98-019A. Great Falls Road, L.L.C. - For 126 single family detached residential homes on Great Falls Road at Monument Street.
Presentation of the Case: Al Stern of the planning staff summarized the proposal for 126 single-family detached homes including Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs) on approximately 40 acres along Great Falls Road opposite the intersection of Monument Street.
Mr. Stern described the detailed plan, highlighting additions to Bullard Park, the Rose Hill Historic site, dedication of land for Great Falls Road and a $15,000 contribution for park equipment. Details about unusual conditions were specified in the staff report.
Susan Straus, of the Public Works staff, summarized the Stormwater Management concept for the site including two stormwater management facilities. Both will be wetland marshes with 24-hour extended detention (quantity and quality). Both stormwater management facilities, will control the runoff from the Community Psychiatric Clinics development Staff has directed the engineer to combine the cuts through the bamboo to minimize tree loss. Some portions of the rear yards, however, will not drain to the facilities. Further studies will be completed to ensure that runoff leaving the site does not exceed existing conditions.
The applicant discussed the background of the case including citizen outreach efforts as recommended by the City. This resulted in agreements with the WECA and the concerned residents of Rose Hill Falls townhouse owners. The proposed plan complies with these agreements. The applicant accepts the staff recommendations. Additional fencing has been added based on recent meetings with abutting owners, including a 6-foot privacy fence along the boundary with Roxboro, and a split rail fence with a pedestrian opening along the northern cul-de-sac adjacent to Bullard's Park. The applicant also met with the townhouse residents who moved in after the original buffers were established. This resulted in a modification to the road alignment and layout of lots 35 and 36 to increase the distance between homes by 8-10 feet.
Drainage issues also were summarized. Currently there is sheet flow from this property and Chestnut Lodge that drain to Roxboro. It will decrease with the proposed development. City trash pick up and snow plowing will not be provided in the alleys.
These are the only single family dwelling MPDU's in the City and the applicant will seek to make them compatible. The market-rate homes will be in the mid-$300,000's. The Mayor and Council required a tot lot in the location shown. The applicant offered to dedicate a tot lot to the City. Burt Hall, Director of Parks and Recreation, agreed to accept it with the developer meeting City standards.
Steve Mader, City Forester, indicated that tree save becomes more detailed as the plan is reviewed. There will be a forest conservation plan that designates exactly which trees remain. Preliminary tree save area varies once the grading plan is established. The applicant will be relocating many trees. The applicant will be working to save, and in some cases relocate, additional individual trees.
Kathy Mitchell, Director of Community Planning and Development Services, and staff will look at the "tree save area" definition to make sure that it is clear about what it means at different stages.
Public Testimony: Vicky Friedman of 100 Wall Street was concerned that the tot lot is located next to homes housing patients from Chestnut Lodge. The original Wall Street location was more accessible and would link the two neighborhoods.
Joan Kline of 112 Calvert Road stated that the homes next to her should not be built since they will be within 8 feet from rear of the property line. The setback exemptions are inappropriate. Her yard floods in spots.
Jake Thornberg of 108 Calvert Road. The City has an easement for the berm. He suggested the $15,000 be used to buy the 3 residential lots behind him. It was a ballfield and could be part of the park.
Mr. Belote of 102 Aberdeen Road is concerned about utility connections. The staff indicated water, and sanitary sewers will be provided from Rose Hills Falls and Great Falls Road, and power from Falls Road. He also expressed concern about the City approving "mosquito" ponds, capacity of the ponds and how they were developed and reviewed. How will the City guarantee runoff will not be greater than it currently is?
The owner of 11 China Rose Court expressed concern about drainage during construction and the size of the buffer.
Kate Ostell of 128 Calvert Road noted that Mr. Goldstein has been very helpful. She is concerned about drainage for her neighbors. She needs to ensure that new homeowners do not affect the berms. There is a strong consensus to maintain the bamboo. She wants only one opening in the bamboo to handle stormwater management, sewer and pedestrian path through the trees. If a tot lot is HOA-owned, there should be provision for public use. Also, she would like the chain link fence along the park provided for safety during construction.
Stephanie Bonifant of 428 Winding Rose Drive was concerned about large pine trees along her property line. She wants a buffer to include the trees with a conservation easement. She wants to protect root zones during construction.
Jim Vitol of 11 Wall Street was glad to hear about an agreement between this and Chestnut Lodge for stormwater management. The agreement with the developer requires that the stormwater management concept be approved by the Planning Commission. He wants the bike path connecting Wall Street to be only 6 feet wide. This has been a good process to get citizen input. Houses on Thomas Street could be a concern depending on the type of patients living there.
Bob Bolcik of 3 Mojave Court represented West End Civic Association. He believes it will fit into the community, developers have been very cooperative. A fifteen foot buffer was very generous, as were the other items agreed to. The City is short-staffed and they are concerned that the City may not have enough staff to monitor it. There also is concern about similar names of adjacent subdivisions.
Jim Wolohan of Winding Rose Drive had been negotiating with applicant for a 30 foot buffer to be extended behind their townhouses. He assumed the tree save area meant they would remain, not be subject to grading.
Carol Star of 435 Winding Rose Drive agreed about tree save discrepencies.
Marian Hall of 529 Calvert Road voiced concern about what happens if the developer goes bankrupt.
Applicant Response: The applicant agreed to put up a fence along the panhandle and also extend it. The applicant moved the road away from the townhouses and then received a 2-page legal document from the neighbor requesting 35 feet, a day after 30 feet was acceptable; the applicant did not modify the design based on the request. Tree save areas are comparable to what was approved by the Mayor and Council. Tall pine trees on property line will remain. The applicant is willing to increase 15 foot buffer to 20 feet on lots 35-37.
Commission Discussion: The Commission discussion included concerns about stormwater management and whether drainage flow to existing homes could be addressed and whether drainage from rear yards can be handled by the stormwater management (swm) system. City ownership of the stormwater management facilities was also a concern. Staff noted that a combination of homeowner's association or Community Psychiatric Clinic would provide a better measure of control than normal, if private. Staff prefers City ownership of regional facilities. There also was concern about legal responsibilities. Staff noted that both Rose Hill Homeowners Association and Community Psychiatric Clinics are separately and fully liable if the stormwater management facilities are private regional facilities. There also was concern about setbacks in Roxboro and the panhandle of the site and about the size and design of MPDUs versus market-rate houses. The applicant indicated that the MPDU sales prices were set, MPDUs are normally sold at a loss, and that the designs were still being developed. There also is concern about the lack of rambler-style units and the history behind the tot lot location.
There were concerns about location of above ground utilities with underground transformers and the adequacy of stormwater management inspections (Susan Straus indicated that staff have been added to accommodate additional demands through the strategic plan). There also were concerns about sediment control fencing (Susan Straus indicated that in some cases a super silt fence is required, where appropriate).
The Commission wanted to change condition #7 to ensure the tot lot meets City standards. The Commission would like a courtesy briefing on compatibility of MPDUs while there is support for moving the street. The Commission did not feel more adjustments are needed near townhouses. Modify condition #5 to include MPDUs. There is concern about record plats - would like staff to go to extra lengths to protect houses from water.
Larry Giammo was concerned that there should not be single family dwelling detached MPDUs; we did not have a City master plan to guide the City on the amount of development appropriate for the site; we need a more detailed vision; and he was concerned about pace and amount of development.
Motion: Commissioner Hoffmann made a motion to recommend approval of the application with modifications to condition #7 "to be constructed by developer and City standards and owned and managed by City", and with modifications to condition #5 so that the MPDU exteriors should be consistent with market rate exteriors. Commissioner Douglas seconded the motion.
Vote: The Commission voted 5-1-1 in favor of the motion, with Commissioner Mullican voting against the motion and Commissioner Giammo abstaining.
PLT98-0144 through PLT98-0149, Great Falls Road, L.L.C. For the subdivision of land to facilitate the proposed development on Great Falls Road at Monument Street.
Presentation of the Case: The applicant offered three additional names for consideration, approval being contingent on M-NCPPC approval: Misty Knoll Way, Little Sparrow Way, and Misty Rise Way.
Public Testimony: No public testimony.
Commission Discussion: The Commission discussed the street names offered by the applicant. There also were comments regarding the similarities in the subdivision names for Rose Hill Falls and Rose Hill.
Motion: Commissioner Boebel made a motion to recommend approval of the application. Commissioner Douglas seconded the motion.
Vote: The Commission voted 5-0-2 in favor of the motion, with Commissioners Mullican and Giammo abstaining.
Bikeway Master Plan
Presentation of the Case: Burt Hall, Director of Recreation and Parks, indicated that the cost estimate is $3.7 million. The City has applied for a Federal Grant (TEA-21). We requested $800,000 for Phase I. This was supported by Senator Forehand and Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
Public Testimony: No public testimony.
Commission Discussion: No Commission discussion.
Motion: Commissioner Boebel made a motion to recommend approval of the resolution with a typographical correction on page 2. Commissioner Mullican seconded the motion.
Vote: The Commission voted 7-0 in favor of the motion.
Other items will be transferred to the next agenda.
Meeting Adjourned at 11:09 p.m.