HUNT CLUB FARM Agenda Item D1 Page 1

D1January 8, 2014 Public Hearing

APPLICANT:

HUNT CLUB FARM

PROPERTY OWNER:

HUNT CLUB A-1-A, LLC.

STAFF PLANNER: Kevin KempREQUEST: Modification of a Conditional Use Permit approved by the City Council on July 8, 2008. ADDRESS / DESCRIPTION: 2388 London Bridge Road GPIN: 24058121850000 24059002180000 24059141550000 24059006070000

ELECTION DISTRICT: PRINCESS ANNE

SITE SIZE: 45.5 acres

AICUZ: >75 dB Ldn 70-75 dB Ldn

In 1991 and 2000 Conditional Use Permits were granted for outdoor recreational use on the site, including hayrides, birthday parties and a corn maze. In 2004 a Conditional Use Permit was granted for a holiday display for visitors to the site between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. In 2006 the conditions were modified to include additional activities in a new barn facility. A one year duration on the approval was imposed due to concerns of the impact of activities on adjacent properties. In 2007 a modification was granted to lift the one year limitation. In 2008 a Conditional Use Permit was granted for a commercial recreation and entertainment facility for two particular events at the site, The Halloween Event lasting from October 1st through October 31st, and the Winter Wonderland Event lasting from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. The applicant now requests a modification to the conditions that were approved by City Council in 2008 in order to expand the range of agriculturally related events held on site. Included in this request for a Modification of Conditions is the Halloween Event/ Fall Harvest Fair, the Winter Wonderland Event, the Easter Egg Hunt, Summer Farm Camp, the Petting Farm, the

BACKGROUND / DETAILS OF PROPOSAL

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ability to hold other agriculturally related events (public and private), and horseback riding lessons. A detailed description of each request is as follows:

The Halloween Event will remain the same as it has been operating for several years; however it will now include the Fall Harvest Fair as well. This will extend the duration of the event from the last week in September until the first week in November. Hours of operation will be 10 a.m. until 11 p.m. and ticket sales will stop at 9:45 p.m. Activities will include: Halloween themed attractions such as a haunted hayride, outside DJ and music, a Ferris wheel, carnival rides, inflatable amusements such as a moon bounce, food and event vendors, daytime hayrides, a petting farm, pony rides, retail pumpkin sales and other miscellaneous agriculturally based activities.

The Winter Wonderland Event will remain as approved by City Council on July 8, 2008. This event will run between Thanksgiving and December 31st. The hours of operation are 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. Activities will include: light displays in the petting farm and front field, Winter Wonderland Barn, bonfires, pony rides, inflatable amusements, kiddie rides and food and event vendors.

The Easter Egg Hunt will be held annually on Easter weekend. The hours of operation are 9

a.m. until 6 p.m. Activities include: Easter egg hunt, carnival games, pony rides, inflatable amusements and food and event vendors.

The Summer Farm Camp is held each year from the beginning of June until the end of

August. This is a 10-11 week camp that introduces children to a variety of agricultural activities. The hours of operation of the camp are 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. There will be no more than 50 children that attend the camp per week.

The Petting Farm will be open all year from 9 a.m. until dusk. Activities include: animal

exhibits, farm tours, birthday parties, field trips, pony rides and horseback riding. In addition to the specific events listed above, other agricultural and entertainment themed

public events that create a higher volume of traffic will be held on the weekends and limited to two events per month. These events will not be open past 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 9 p.m. on Sunday. No event will begin before 9 a.m. Examples of such public events include a Renaissance Fair, War of the Wings, Touch-A-Truck and Zombie Wars.

Other agricultural and entertainment themed private events will have the same hour

limitations as the public events. These events typically generate less traffic. Examples of such additional private events are birthday parties, company picnics and military family picnics. These events will use the existing facilities and will occasionally bring in temporary tents and amusements such as inflatables.

Horseback riding lessons will be available on site. A majority of the lessons will be associated

with the Summer Farm Camp; however the applicant is requesting the ability to provide lessons to the public for a fee on a year around basis.

A majority of the activities included in these events will be outdoors. Additionally, on site there is a pole barn at the front of the property and an open air greenhouse. The applicant has a building permit to construct a bathroom facility that will meet all applicable City codes. There is a small gravel lot located at the front of the site. For larger events that require additional parking, the open field to the west of the main entrance will be used. The applicant will follow the same parking plan that was approved by City Council on July 8, 2008, and is included in the request as condition 9 and 10.

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EXISTING LAND USE: Rural Commercial SURROUNDING LAND USE AND ZONING:

North: Rural residential / AG-1 Agricultural District South: London Bridge Road

Single-family dwellings / R-10 and R-20 Residential District

East: Single-Family dwellings / R-5D (PDH-2) Residential District

West: Rural residential / AG-2 Agricultural District NATURAL RESOURCE AND CULTURAL FEATURES:

There are no known significant natural resources on the site. The site does possess some cultural interest since it is one of the few remaining agricultural complexes north of the Green Line.

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan identifies this site as being mostly in the Suburban Area with a small north/west portion of the site located within the Special Economic Growth Area 3 Oceana South (SEGA 3). The general planning principles for the Suburban Area focus on preserving and protecting the overall character, economic value, aesthetic quality of the stable neighborhoods, and reinforcing the suburban characteristics of commercial centers and other non-residential areas that comprise part of the Suburban Area. Achieving these goals requires that all land use activities either maintain or enhance the existing neighborhood through compatibility with surroundings, quality and attractiveness of site and buildings, improved mobility, environmental responsibility, livability, and effective buffering with respect to type, size, intensity and relationship to the surrounding uses (pp. 3-1, 3-2). Regarding SEGA 3 recommendations for this area, no additional residential uses are recommended withint the SEGA 3 and the City supports development and redevelopment that is consistent with AICUZ provisions (p. 3-32).

MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN (MTP) / CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP): London Bridge Road is a four-lane minor suburban arterial. There are currently no CIP’s for this section of London Bridge Road. The master transportation plan indicates a future right-of-way width of 100-feet containing a divided highway with bike path.

TRAFFIC: Street Name

Present Volume

Present Capacity Generated Traffic

London Bridge Road

27,592 ADT 1(2012)

28,200 ADT 1 (Level of Service “C”) - 30,600

ADT 1 (Level of Service “D”)

Existing Land Use- Cannot be determined

Proposed Land Use- Cannot be determined

LAND USE AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

IMPACT ON CITY SERVICES

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1 Average Daily Trips

WATER: This site currently connects to city water. There is an existing 10” city water line on London Bridge Road and an existing 8” city water line on Weybridge Drive. The existing 5/8” meter (City ID #95058864) and the existing 1” meter (City ID #95049592) can be used or upgraded to accommodate the proposed development.

SEWER: This site lies within two (2) pump station service areas, #643 and #606. There is an existing 8” city gravity sanitary sewer main on Weybridge Drive. The site currently utilizes a private force main and connects to city sanitary sewer within pump station service area #606. Analysis of Pump Station #606 and the sanitary sewer collection system is required to ensure future flows can be accommodated.

The Hunt Club Farms provides a unique amenity as it is one of the few active agricultural properties remaining in an area of the City that has predominately been overtaken with suburban development. For years this property has held agriculturally related events for the purpose of education and entertainment. Several Conditional Use Permits have been granted to accommodate these events. Additionally, the applicant has been acquiring Special Events Permits several times each year. This application requests to extend the scope of activities permitted under the previous use permits and subsequent modifications to include: the Halloween/ Fall Harvest Event, the Winter Wonderland Event, the Easter Egg Hunt, Summer Farm Camp, the Petting Farm, as well as other agriculturally related events throughout the year, both public and private. Also included in this application is the request to teach horseback riding lessons, mostly associated with the Summer Farm Camp. This request is generally consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s land use policies for the Suburban Area and SEGA 3-Oceana South. Additionally, the proposed uses are compatible with the AICUZ Ordinance for both the over 75 dB Ldn and 70-75 dB Ldn noise zones. The events that generate high volumes of traffic will use the same parking plan that was approved by City Council for the Halloween Event in 2008. This is mainly applicable to the Halloween/ Fall Harvest Event running from the last week of September through the first week in November. The primary ingress/egress is located on London Bridge Road toward the middle of the site. During high traffic times, an additional exit is used to access London Bridge Road at the west of the site. Additionally, during times of high traffic volumes a uniformed police officer, as well as traffic attendees employed by Hunt Club Farms, will direct traffic. In order to minimize the impact of these events on the surrounding neighborhoods, the approved plan should be continued, and as such conditions 10 and 11 are recommended. A majority of the agriculturally based activities offered at Hunt Club Farms are outside; however there is also a pole barn and open air greenhouse that will be used. Additionally, the applicant is currently constructing a bathroom facility that will tie into City sewer and meet all applicable City codes. The existing Farm Store located at the front of the lot will continue to be used in the same capacity as specified in the Conditional Rezoning approved in 1992. Staff recognizes the impact that larger public events held at Hunt Club Farms may create adverse conditions for adjoining residential properties. As such Condition numbers 8 and 9 are recommended to address when larger events can be held, the hours of operation and the frequency of such events. Events

EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION

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open to the public or events that generate high traffic volumes or loud noise volumes should be limited to Friday evening through Sunday. Except for those events specifically addressed in the following conditions, there should be no more than two such events per month. Staff recommends approval to this request with the conditions listed below.

1. The activities for the Halloween Event and Fall Harvest Fair shall be operates as depicted on the submitted exhibit “HARVEST FAIR EVENT ACCESS PLAN”, dated January 18, 2008, which has been displayed to the Virginia Beach City Council and is on file with the Virginia Beach Department of Planning. Any expansion beyond those limits depicted on the Plan shall require additional review and approval of a modification of these conditions to be granted by the City Council.

2. The Halloween and Fall Harvest Fair Events shall be in operation from the last week in September through the first week in November. The hours of operation shall be 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

3. The activities for the Winter Wonderland Event shall be operated as depicted on the submitted exhibit “HOLIDAY DISPLAY EVENT”, dated October 17, 2007, prepared by Gallup Surveyors and Engineers, Ltd. Said plan has been exhibited to the Virginia Beach City Council and is on file in the Virginia Beach Planning Department.

4. The Winter Wonderland Event shall be in operation from Thanksgiving Day until December 31st. The hours of operation shall be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

5. The Easter Egg Hunt Event shall be in operation on the Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend. The hours of operation shall be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

6. The Summer Farm Camp shall be in operation from the first week in June through the last week in August. The hours of operation shall be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

7. The Petting Farm hours of operation shall be 9 a.m. to dusk.

8. No Event shall be in operation before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, or in operation before 9 a.m. or after 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, except as specified in other approved conditions.

9. A certified police officer and certified traffic monitor shall assist with traffic control at all events.

10. A posted ‘one-way’ sign and ‘stop’ sign shall remain posted throughout the duration of each event.

CONDITIONS

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NOTE: Further conditions may be required during the administration of applicable City Ordinances and Standards. Any site plan submitted with this application may require revision during detailed site plan review to meet all applicable City Codes and Standards. All applicable permits required by the City Code, including those administered by the Department of Planning / Development Services Center and Department of Planning / Permits and Inspections Division, and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, are required before any uses allowed by this Use Permit are valid. The applicant is encouraged to contact and work with the Crime Prevention Office within the Police Department for crime prevention techniques and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) concepts and strategies as they pertain to this site.

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AERIAL OF SITE LOCATION

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PROPOSED SITE LAYOUT

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PROPOSED SITE LAYOUT- HARVEST FAIR EVENT

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ZONING HISTORY

# DATE REQUEST ACTION 1 07/08/2008 Conditional Use Permit (Outdoor Recreation) Approved 2 10/23/2007 Modification of Conditions Approved 11/14/2006 Modification of Conditions Approved 04/12/2005 Subdivision Variance Approved 10/22/1991 Conditional Use Permit (Recreation and Amusement facility) Approved 01/28/1985 Conditional Use Permit (Addition to a Kennel) Approved 3 11/09/2004 Conditional Use Permit (Commercial Recreational facility) Approved 04/12/1992 Change of Zoning (AG-2 to B-2) Approved 4 06/25/2002 Conditional Use Permit (Horse Breeding) Approved 5 05/23/2000 Conditional Use Permit (Outdoor Recreation) Approved 6 08/25/1992 Conditional Use Permit (Truck rental) Denied 7 12/20/1982 Conditional Use Permit (Country Inn) Approved

ZONING HISTORY

1 2 3

4

5

6

7

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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT