Subject:
Title
Work session on proposed amendments to conditional use permit and modifications of site plan requirements related to proposed changes to the site for Green Hedges School, located at 415 Windover Avenue NW in the RS-12.5 Single-Family Detached Residential Zoning District
Body
BACKGROUND SUMMARY:
The Green Hedges School parcel is situated in northwest Vienna on 187,268 square feet (4.3 acres) of land adjacent to Windover Avenue NW, Nutley Street NW, and Lewis Street NW. The property is zoned RS-12.5. It is located outside of the Windover Heights Historic District. The existing facility is comprised of several buildings: the administrative center (or Kilmer House), the Rice Arts Center, a general-use field, a house used as the residence by the Head of School, an educational garden, and Kilmer Hall.
The subject property is situated amidst single-family residential dwellings that also have RS-12.5 zoning. The only exception is a 190-foot section of the Vienna Commons townhouse development with RMU zoning. This section is located on the southwest side of Nutley Street, NW, directly opposite the entrance driveway to the private school.
The school has been in Vienna since 1955, with its first Conditional Use Permit (CUP) approval in 1964. There have been subsequent amendments to the CUP. Under the current CUP, the school has a maximum permitted enrollment of 190 students and a maximum permitted employment of 42 employees.
The Planning Commission last had a work session with the applicant on May 11, 2022. The minutes from that session are included as an attachment.
OVERVIEW:
On behalf of Green Hedges School, the applicant Sara Mariska of Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C., has requested a work session with the Planning Commission to discuss the proposed conditional use permit and modifications of site plan requirements applications. The proposed improvements to the school site include the addition of a new gymnasium, a new athletic field, new playgrounds, the demolition of several smaller buildings (including the residential house currently located along Nutley Street NW near the Nutley Street driveway entrance), and the modernization of Kilmer Hall. A concept plan for proposed improvements is included, including proposed phasing. The school also requests an increase in the permitted number of students and staff.
To achieve these goals, the applicant is also proposing modifications to site plan requirements, which are 1) to permit an increase in lot coverage, 2) the right not to build otherwise required sidewalks (but to contribute to an escrow account), and 3) to be permitted not to provide otherwise required on-site loading space.
The Planning Commission’s tasks for these parallel applications are to develop two recommendations: 1) to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) on the conditional use permit, and 2) to the Town Council on the modifications to site plan requirements.
The purpose of work sessions are for the Planning Commission to learn more about the proposed project and for the applicant to receive any feedback that may affect their final submission. No decisions regarding the recommendations may be made during this work session. In addition, there is no public testimony during work sessions.
Once the applicant has received feedback and resubmitted the application materials for formal review, the Planning Commission will formally review the submission at a regular meeting. The Chair, in her discretion as Chair, has indicated to staff that the Planning Commission will receive public input before moving towards its recommendations. Dates for these next steps will be established once the applicant has submitted their final application submission for review.
ATTACHMENTS:
01 - Green Hedges - PC Work Session Presentation 02.22.24
02 - Planning Commission Minutes 05.11.2022
03 - Relevant Code Sections