The City of Charlottesville has once again written a letter indicating they will deny a preliminary site plan for 245 apartment units to be built on undeveloped land off of East High Street. (read the letter)
Seven Development is working with Shimp Engineering on a technical plan for the project, which would require fill dirt to be imported to elevate three buildings out of the floodplain.
Shimp Engineering had submitted a third site plan on February 17. They now have until June 30 to submit a new version to address the city’s concerns. Here’s some of what’s in this latest denial:
- The applicant has acknowledged that a permit will be required to develop in the floodplain as the property is within the city’s Flood Hazard Protection Overlay District. (click here for the relevant section of City Code)
- The applicant has also acknowledged that bonds for public improvements, erosion and sediment control, stormwater management facilities must be submitted before a final site plan can be approved.
- The applicant also acknowledges that any site-related improvements must be completed before any certificates of occupancy are issued.
- The project would not be phased but would instead be built all at once.
- All landscaping must be addressed in the final site plan.
- The Water Resources Protection Administrator has a note that “the quantity and location of fill in the floodplain at 0 High Street suggests that the design engineer will not be able to demonstrate a no‐rise condition in the floodplain in public right of way, even with the development of a hydraulic model that represents proposed conditions.”
- Traffic engineer Brennen Duncan said the proposed public streets don’t satisfy the city’s Standards and Design Manual and instead would be classified as driveways that would not be accepted into the city’s secondary road system.
For more background on this development:
- Plans filed for 245 units along Rivanna River on land in floodplain, September 27, 2022
- Group plans fight against East High Street apartments, October 4, 2022
- Project to build 245 units at East High Street detailed at site plan conference, October 17, 2022
- Charlottesville denies preliminary site plan for 245 units in floodplain, November 1, 2022
- Council to consider funds for market study of land slated for apartments, February 6, 2023
- Planning Commission likely to to review 245 units planned for East High Street, March 18, 2023
Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment comes from the April 5, 2023 edition of the program. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.
