MEETING
COMMENCED 7:05 P.M. 1/03/2006
SPECIAL MEETING w/
Steve Blaine (245-3423 sblaine@leclairryan.com), lawyer for Hunter Craig to discuss Biscuit Run Development. Also present: Scott Collins, Kirsten Munz–Timmons Group–land
development planners (295-5624).
If you need information or have comments about Biscuit
Run, contact Claudette Grant, Albemarle County Senior Planner 296-5832 x 3250
cgrant@albemarle.org. If you
want updates from Joe Cantu, please send your email address to David Robinson
(david@birchstudio.com).
Steve Blaine gave an
overview. The development name
will be Biscuit Run. Density will
be up to 6 units per acre which is in alignment with Albemarle County’s Master
plan. The community will be
pedestrian friendly – will include lots of walking trails and
sidewalks. The “neighborhood
model” will be used – there will be many small shops in central areas
– coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, etc. No plan for any big box stores. There will be a mixture of single-family homes, town homes,
and apartment complexes. The total
“Biscuit Run project” accompanies almost 920 acres, of which 300 acres will be
undeveloped green space. There
will be a 72-acre park and a 25 acre site which may used for an elementary
school in the future. Steve provided a copy of the “Biscuit Run Neighborhood
Model District” plan – a 60-page document, to Joe Cantu.
Q: What buffer will
be left between the MCS and the new Biscuit Run project? A: 50 feet, although this stops
short of 1-2 houses on Hidden Ridge Road will have single family homes that
back up directly to their back yard.
One homeowner from Hidden Ridge expressed concern about this, which was
greeted with applause from the audience.
Overwhelmingly the homeowners of MCS feel that the currently planned
border is insufficient.
Specifically, we would like the border to be about 250 feet to preserve
the walking trail and the grove of Beech trees, which is several hundred years
old.
Q: Will there be
connecting road between MCS and Biscuit Run? A: As of now, Biscuit Run has designed their streets
so that option will be possible.
The county master plan calls for connecting streets in their development
model, but as of now Biscuit Run did not include a proffer for a connector.
Response from
MCS: Only 1 person from MCS wanted
a connecting road, one was indifferent, and approximately 70 people were
against a connecting road into our neighborhood. One resident voice concerned that our roads in MCS are not
sufficient to support additional traffic on Stoney Creek Drive.
Q: What about
drainage – several homeowners from MCS expressed concern that all
single-family home construction along Stoney Creek Drive will drain into MCS
and into our pond. Most residents
from MCS supported the concept of not granting easements to Biscuit Run to
provide a larger buffer for MCS.
A: From the land
planner – Scott Collins, the land drains south and no easements will be
required for drainage as nothing drains into MCS. Several MCS disagree with this statement.
Q: What water and
sewer infrastructure will Biscuit Run provide? From where?
A: Water from Rivanna Water and Sewer authority, Sewer – along
biscuit run.
Q: What part of
construction will begin first – commercial areas or residential? A: Mostly residential first.
Q: Will there be a
connector street between Old Lyncburg Road and Route 20. A: Yes, but not a high volume
street – it will pass through commercial areas. The county’s plan currently calls for a connector between
southern hills parkway and Old Lynchburg road, but according to engineers this
may not be feasible.
Q: What will the traffic impact be on Avon
Street? A: We expect a
significant increase in traffic on this road and we expect improvements will
need to be made to Route 20 and Old Lynchburg Road.
Q: Why is the Biscuit Run development
(high density housing, streetlights, etc.) so contrary to the vision of MCS
– which was billed as being “a community with nature”? MCS residents are concerned about light
pollution and noise pollution, as well as preserving our views of forests. A: We will try to design lights
to be directed down. We are
sympathetic to your concerns about noise and view changes.
Q: What is the total number of units
expected to be built? A:
2500 to 4900 units, which may change based upon actual development issues
– hill slopes, water and sewer issues, etc. This is down from the original estimate of 5000-7000
units. No specific number of
single-family homes.
Q: How high will the largest buildings
(apartments) be? A: Four
stories.
Q: What is the time frame for
construction? A: Zoning will take 6 months. Site development/plan will likely take
another 18mo – 2 years, thus it will be 2 years before the first house
will be built. The total time
frame of the project is projected to be over the next 17 years.
Q: In which region of the Biscuit run plan
will the building start? A:
Unknown.
Q. According to the county planner, there
have been variances applied for.
What does this mean?
A: I don’t know what the specific variances are.
MEETING ENDED,
8:09p.m.
Summary of MCS
concerns presented to the Biscuit Run Development Group:
1. We would like as big of a border
between MCS and Biscuit Run as possible.
Save the trail and the Beech trees!
2. We would not like to have any cut
through streets connecting MCS and Biscuit Run. No extra traffic in MCS!
3. Please minimize any effect on our
community with respect to noise, lights, and views. We would like to keep MCS a community with nature.
Note to MCS
residents: Please email Sally
Thomas – Board of Supervisors.
sthomas@albemarle.org, if you have any questions about this project or
want to express your concerns or be kept up to date. Next county planning commission meeting – Feb 7th,
at the county office building.
Note from the
Board – we appreciate the large turnout for this meeting – please
consider becoming more involved with the MCS Board of directors to help with
issues such as these! All Board
members are volunteers and we all would like extra help to care for our
neighborhood. Thanks!
Directors
and ARCC: *=present Homeowners:
*Joe Cantu President
293-5191 jacantudc@yahoo.com 73
homeowners were present for this meeting - the
V-Pres largest
turnout for a MCS meeting in the last 5 years!
Farrell
Vangelopoulos Treasurer 984-4990 ivyinn@adelphia.net
*Mark Lepsch Secretary 296-4359 mal6f@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu
Jenny
Commins Social 295-7586 jennycommins@hotmail.com
*Megan
Raymond At
Large 979-5457 megan.raymond@mail.mcgill.ca