Subject:
Title
9:30p.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Review of Conditional Use Permit Application - Annex Property 301 Center St S
Body
DATE(S) OF PRIOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF THIS ISSUE: 1/22/24 Conference Session
EXPLANATION AND SUMMARY:
The Town purchased the Faith Baptist Church building located at 301 Center St., S, referred to as the Annex, intending to use the building and grounds for public use. The Annex was used as a temporary police station until 2022. Parks & Recreation had intended to use the building for recreational programming once the police vacated the building; however, due to the condition of the building, the Town could not obtain a Certificate of Occupancy from Fairfax County to use the building for recreational use and meeting spaces.
Because the property is zoned RS-10 single-unit residential, no uses other than a single-unit home are permitted under this zoning classification without either 1) the Board of Zoning Appeals approving a new Conditional Use Permit or 2) the Town Manager’s approval of a special event use. The Town Manager has received many requests to use the Annex parking lot and other parts of the property for various events and projects and has reviewed each request on a case-by-case basis.
Town Council directed staff to conduct a study to determine the long-term use of the Annex property, which is underway. The former church building has already been demolished. At the Jan. 22, 2024, work session, the Council directed staff to move forward with a conditional use permit application for interim site uses.
Staff is seeking direction from the Town Council on the uses proposed for the conditional use permit application and which parking layout is preferred. In addition to the conditional use permit, approval of a Modification of Requirement will also be required for lot coverage, as the maximum lot coverage in single-unit residential zones is 25%, and all options exceed 25%.
In the plans attached, the area previously covered by the building will be seeded for grass and available for approved governmental uses, as specified in the permit application.
Staff worked with Land Design to develop three exhibits for Council’s review:
• Exhibit 1 shows minimal changes to the site after building demolition is complete. The front parking area would require 215 square feet of additional paving to bring the spaces in current regulations. Four ADA-accessible parking spaces would be incorporated into the revised striping of the front parking lot. The rear parking lot would be left in its current size and striped for two rows of 90-degree parking. The curved driveway would be removed, and a sidewalk would be added from the rear parking lot to the sidewalk along Center Street with a connection to the front parking lot. No trees would be affected by this design. The fenced storage area in the northwest corner of the property would expand from its current configuration by 25 feet toward the rear property line. 68 total parking spaces are provided with this layout.
• Exhibit 2 shows the same changes to the front parking lot, curved driveway, sidewalk, and fence storage area as Exhibit 1. If the rear parking lot paved area is expanded 3,105 square feet toward Center Street, three rows of 90-degree parking spaces can be striped. No trees would be affected by this design. 95 total parking spaces are provided with this layout.
• Exhibit 3 shows the same front parking lot, fenced storage area, and removal of the curved driveway as the other exhibits. The sidewalk from the rear parking lot would be straight rather than curving around a mature holly tree. If 7,670 square feet of pavement is added to the rear parking lot, 4 rows of 90-degree parking can be striped. The expanded pavement would require the holly tree to be removed. 118 total parking spaces are provided with this layout.
Attachment 4 is a staff presentation summarizing the permitted uses, proposed conditional uses, comparison of the three exhibits, and the review process for Conditional Use Permits (CUP) and Modification of Requirement.
Departmental Recommendation: Staff recommends the Council provide direction as to whether the proposed uses are appropriate for this location and which of the three proposed site layouts should be submitted with the conditional use permit application.
Finance Recommendation: Recommend Council give direction for the preferred plan for the Annex CUP.
Purchasing Recommendation: Recommend Approval.
Town Attorney Recommendation:
Town Manager's Recommendation: I recommend the Town Council direct staff to submit an application for a conditional use permit for the uses outlined in Attachment 4 for the property located at 301 Center Street South, as presented.
Cost and Financing: Staff is working on preparing cost estimates for the work proposed for each of the three exhibits. The information will be posted prior to the meeting.
Account Number: n/a
Prior Funding Approval: Annual General Budget (Year), Amendments, CIP Budget (Year), or ARPA.
Decision Needed by This date:
PROPOSED/SUGGESTED MOTION
Recommended Action
"I move to direct staff to submit an application for a conditional use permit for the uses outlined in Attachment 4 for the property located at 301 Center St S."
AND
“I further move to direct staff to include Exhibit ___ (1, 2, or 3) as part of the conditional use permit application.”
Or
Other action deemed necessary by Council.