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Home > Government > Boards and Commissions > Planning Commission > 1999 > Staff Reports > CPD98-002Q
City of Rockville Planning Commission

CITY OF ROCKVILLE PLANNING DIVISION

STAFF REPORT

February 12, 1999

SUBJECT:

Detailed Application for Comprehensive

Planned Development CPD98-002Q:

Applicant:
King Farm Associates
8330 Boone Boulevard
Vienna, VA 22182

Date Filed: November 25, 1998

Property Location: King Farm/Redland Boulevard Retrofitting

(See Attachment A)

REQUEST:

The applicant seeks Detailed Plan approval to allow reconstruction of Redland Boulevard between Gaither Road and Piccard Drive. Currently, Redland Boulevard exists in a configuration that is incompatible with the proposed design concept for the King Farm, this reconstruction will involve construction of landscaped medians, left turn bays, a Class I bikeway, crosswalks, and landscaping.

PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION:

CPD95-0002, Concept Plan Application for Comprehensive Planned Development approved by Mayor and Council, July 8, 1996.

CPD96-002A through CPD98-002P, Detailed Plan Applications for Comprehensive Planned Development for Phases I, II, and III of the King Farm development, all approved by the Planning Commission.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

Approval, subject to the following conditions:

1. Submission, for approval of the Chief of Planning, of eleven (11) copies of the site plan, revised according to Planning Commission Exhibit A, to show the following:

  1. Relocation of portions of eight foot Class I bike path on north side of Redland Boulevard to existing sidewalk alignment to create continuous/linear bike path between Piccard Drive and Gaither Road.
  2. Addition of four new bus shelters and pads, bus stops, and four foot sidewalk connectors near Gaither Road and to serve the new office building (CPD98-002N). Provision of new four foot sidewalk connectors at existing bus stop locations.
  3. Show all existing features of Redland Boulevard, including medians, turn lanes, guardrail, etc. Show property line between adjacent office site and Pond 3.
  4. Show median break for PEPCO (PCI site) approximately 460' west of Gaither Road. Show median break for "F" Office Site entrance approximately 1050' west of Gaither Road.

2. Submission, for the approval of the Department of Public Works, of the following detailed plans, studies, and computations.

  1. Plans for stormwater management, sediment control and storm drainage for adequate conveyance of stormwater, all with computations and any proposed easements.
  2. Street construction plans and grade establishment plans for all streets (if required), including transitional roadway sections, special geometric treatment at intersections, traffic signals, street lighting and landscaping.
  3. Meet SWM requirements for any imperviousness associated with this application that was not incorporated in previous final SWM approvals.
  4. Sediment control plans for all disturbed areas.
  5. All detailed engineering plans must be on 24" by 36" mylars and be at a 1" = 30' scale. All public improvements to be submitted on City base sheets.

3. Mill and overlay existing Redland Boulevard within the limits of this project, i.e.,   between Piccard Drive and Gaither Road as approved by the City's Director of Public Works.

4. That bonds be posted and permits obtained from the Department of Public Works, as necessary.

5. Submission, for the approval of the Planning Commission, of a record plat application including all required easements and maintenance agreements, as well as dedication of all right of way to the City of Rockville.

6. Install any new traffic signal conduits needed within the work limits of this plan and coordinate location of paver crosswalk at Piccard Drive with Department of Public Works. Modify traffic signal at Piccard Drive if necessary.

7. Existing guardrail on the north side of Redland Boulevard must be made bike compatible and shall be a minimum of 42 inches high.

8. Choice of street trees within utility strip and required root barrier system on north side of Redland Boulevard, between Class I bikeway and curb, must be coordinated with City Forester.

9. That street light poles match poles used on Redland Boulevard between MD 355 and Gaither Road.

ANALYSIS

Background

In July of 1996, the Mayor and Council approved Concept Plan Application CPD95-0002, thereby authorizing development of the 430-acre King Farm as a major mixed-use development containing up to 3.2 million square feet of office space, 3,200 housing units, and 125,000 square feet of neighborhood retail space. The tract is in the O-3, Restricted Office Zone, where a Comprehensive Planned Development is a voluntary optional method of development. See Attachment B for overall CPD site plan.

This Detailed Application is the seventeenth to be filed by the developer for the King Farm project. This application is similar to CPD96-002D approved on December 11, 1996 retrofitting Redland Boulevard between MD 355 and Gaither Road and CPD98-002M approved on May 20, 1998 retrofitting Gaither Road between Redland Boulevard and King Farm Boulevard.

Property Description

This phase of the development consists of approximately 2,100 linear feet of roadway between Gaither Road and Piccard Drive adjacent to Phase III of the King Farm project. This portion of Redland Boulevard was constructed in the mid-1970s by Montgomery County, but came under the jurisdiction of the City of Rockville when the property was annexed in 1995.

Proposal

This phase of the development allows the reconstruction of approximately 2,100 linear feet (.40 mile) of existing Redland Boulevard. The 80 foot right-of-way will contain a four-lane road with center median strip, landscaping, and Class I bikeway. The existing sidewalk on the south side of Redland Boulevard will not change. An eight foot Class I bikeway will replace the existing sidewalk on the north side. Road width will generally be 50 feet with four 11 foot lanes and a six foot landscaped median. See Attachment C showing Type D Residential Street cross section. Most of the median will contain shrubs although a variable width median of 10 feet to 20 feet at the turn lane approaches to Piccard Drive and Gaither Road provides enough space for some trees. Street trees are also to be planted between the Class I bikeway and curbline on the north side of Redland Boulevard.

Several median breaks are planned to allow vehicles to/from One Curie Court, the "F" Office Site, and the PEPCO (PCI) site. Two traffic signals currently serve this section of Redland Boulevard at Piccard Drive and Gaither Road. No other traffic signals are foreseen at this time.

One of the intents of retrofitting Redland Boulevard with a landscaped median and slightly narrower lanes is to slow down vehicular traffic which averages approximately 10,000 to 12,000 vehicles per day.

Forest/Tree Preservation and Landscaping

No trees will need to be removed to construct this phase of the development if the Class I bikeway is constructed along the existing sidewalk alignment. Choice of street trees for this portion of the development must be consistent with the street tree master plan.

Transportation

Construction of all on-site streets, sidewalks, bikeway, traffic signals, and associated landscaping will be the responsibility of the applicant. No "off-site" transportation improvements are included or required for this phase of the development.

Any traffic signal improvements needed as a part of this application at Redland Boulevard and Piccard Drive are the responsibility of the applicant.

STAFF COMMENTS

Most of the suggested changes and corrections noted in the conditions of approval are technical in nature. Some adjustments to the alignment of the Class I bikeway may be necessary to accommodate the placement of street trees. These adjustments will be approved by the City Forester and Department of Public Works.

CONCLUSION

The application is in substantial conformance with the approved Concept Plan approved by the Mayor and Council as part of the review of CPD95-0002 for this area of the site. Thus, with the conditions of approval noted above, staff recommends approval of the Detailed Application CPD98-002Q of the King Farm development.