CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH/PARKS & RECREATION Agenda Item 5 Page 1

5October 10, 2012 Public Hearing

APPLICANT & PROPERTY OWNER:

CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH /

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS &

RECREATION

STAFF PLANNER: Carolyn A.K. SmithREQUEST: Floodplain Variance to renovate and expand the existing public parking lot at Little Island Park. ADDRESS / DESCRIPTION: 3820 Sandpiper Road GPIN: 24328118560000

ELECTION DISTRICT: PRINCESS ANNE

SITE SIZE: 122.05 acres

AICUZ: Less than 65 dB DNL

The Virginia Beach Department of Parks and Recreation, in coordination with the Department of Public Works, is proposing a three-phase Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project to: increase parking capacity of a 600-space parking lot, pedestrian safety, connectivity and accessibility; and, to install a pervious paving system. Phase 1A of this project, the addition of a third lane along a portion of Sandpiper Road, was completed in May 2012. As Phases 1B, 2 and 3A and 3B propose improvements outside of the right-of-way, it was determined during construction plan review that a Floodplain Variance is required, as the entire site is within the Floodplain Subject to Special Restrictions (Section 5B.5(c)). The current variance request applies to Phases 1B, 2, and 3B only. Specifically, Phase 1B consists of a new entrance and attendant booth and 133 new parking spaces. These new spaces will add to the existing 600 parking spaces at the site. All new parking spaces, along with the existing 600-space parking lot that requires replacement, are proposed to be constructed with a pervious paving system. Phase 2 consists of a new bathhouse, a 288-space renovated parking lot and the replacement of the existing Public Works maintenance area lot located at the south end of the park. The maintenance area is proposed with a separate entrance off of Sandpiper Road to reduce conflicts between park users and large equipment. Public Works and Public Utilities use this lot as a staging area for sand and debris that

SUMMARY OF REQUEST

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is removed from rights-of-way and other public spaces throughout the Sandbridge community after a storm event. Phase 3A consists of a renovated 344-space parking lot. A portion of Phase 3A is currently owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia, and at this time, the Commonwealth is not a party to this request. Phase 3B consists of a renovated 264-space parking lot. EXISTING LAND USE: Public parking lot for beach access to Sandbridge beach SURROUNDING LAND USE AND ZONING:

North: • Multifamily dwellings / B-4 Business District South: • Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge / District East: • Atlantic Ocean

West: • Sandpiper Road • Little Island Park • Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

NATURAL RESOURCE AND CULTURAL FEATURES:

The site is located within the Southern Watersheds Management Area and within the 100 year floodplain. The existing improvements are landward of the primary coastal sand dunes and no disturbance of these regulated dunes is proposed. Across Sandpiper Road is Back Bay.

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan designates this area of the City as Suburban Area – Suburban Focus Area 6 – Sandbridge Community and contains policies to guide and protect the overall character, economic value, and aesthetic quality of the stable neighborhoods in the Suburban Area as well as SFA 6. The Sandbridge community is a stable, low-density, single-family community. It is located on a barrier island and sandbar between the Atlantic Ocean and Back Bay that extends from the Navy’s Dam Neck Fleet Combat Training Base on the north to False Cape State Park to the south. One of the recommendations for SFA6 relevant to this request is “additional public parking and day use facilities should be provided to serve day visitors.” The Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan, adopted November 18, 2008, and adopted by reference as part of the 2009 Comprehensive Plan, contains recommendations for the Courthouse Planning Area portion of the plan’s Central Section. Included is the Little Island Signature Park improvements with the recommendation to update and implement the master plan for this park and provide low-impact and sustainable solutions to renovations of its supporting infrastructure.

IMPACT ON CITY SERVICES No impact to City services is anticipated.

LAND USE AND PLAN INFORMATION

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Section 5.B.8 of the Site Plan Ordinance states: “No floodplain variance shall be granted by the Council unless it finds that:

1. Such variance will not create or result in unacceptable or prohibited increases in flood heights,

additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, nuisances, fraud or victimization of the public.

2. The granting of such variance will not be detrimental to other property in the vicinity. 3. The circumstances giving rise to the variance application are not of a general or recurring nature. 4. Such circumstances arise from the physical character of the property or from the use or

development of adjacent property and not from the personal situation of the applicant. 5. The granting of such variance will not be in conflict with any ordinance or regulation of the city.”

Section 5B.8 (f) provides additional guidance in the evaluation of floodplain variance applications. The Section notes, “No variance shall be granted by the Council unless the following performance standards are met:

1. Filling shall be limited to the smallest volume and area possible. 2. Floodplain storage capacity shall be mitigated at a one-to-one ratio of storage capacity created

for area filled to ensure no net loss of storage occurs as result of filling. 3. All floodplain mitigation shall be located on the project site and shall be located contiguous to the

existing floodplain. 4. The general characteristics and functions of the floodplain shall not be adversely affected. 5. Wetlands protection and buffer area requirements set forth in section 7 of the Southern

Watersheds Management Ordinance (Appendix G) are met or a variance there from is granted.” As the entire site is within the 100-year floodplain, no on-site mitigation is possible. However, mitigation is only necessary when flood storage is lost and no reduction in storage is expected with this request. In fact, the figures show that the amount of “cut” to construct the improvements is greater than the amount of “fill.” In terms of the floodplain, this equates to no net loss of floodplain storage as a result of the improvements. The concept plan depicts drive aisles and the parking spaces constructed with a pervious paving system, such as Turfstone™. These pavers are blocks that allow turf to grow in the voids and permit rainwater to be filtered back into the soil naturally and gradually. Through the design of the parking lot, stormwater will be infiltrated as much as possible; however, no stormwater management is required as the site’s total imperviousness is below the 16 percent threshold. As the parking lot will be almost entirely pervious, any stormwater carrying toxins and sediment from the parking lot will be infiltrated and filtered through the sandy soil. In addition, stormwater would have to travel approximately 600 feet before it would ever enter either the Atlantic Ocean or Back Bay. The park property across Sandpiper Road exists at elevation six feet, higher than the parking lot by two feet. The parking lot actually sits in a hole, in a floodplain, and is surrounded by higher elevations to the west (Sandpiper Road and Back Bay marsh) and to the east (sand dunes, the beach and the Atlantic Ocean). Also, according to the site engineer, water from Back Bay has never crossed Sandpiper Road and flooded this site. Based on this fact and the elevations of the site, the parking lot would likely only be impacted by floodwaters during an extreme storm event where the Atlantic Ocean breaches the dune line. Finally, the Comprehensive Plan identifies Little Island Park as a great amenity in need of updating and expansion and states that improvements should be made using “sustainable solutions.”

EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION

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Due to the design of the parking lot, the surrounding elevations and topography, the soil composition of the site, and the distant possibility of floodwaters reaching the parking lot, staff recommends approval of this variance request with the condition below.

CONDITIONS

When Phases 1B, 2 and 3B are constructed, the parking lot shall be in substantial conformance with the exhibit entitled “Little Island Parking Lot Improvements, Proposed Conditions,” prepared by LandStudio, PC, dated 8/1/12. A separate Floodplain Variance will be required for the Phase 3A improvements, if a variance is determined to be necessary prior to construction.

NOTE: Further conditions may be required during the administration of applicable City Ordinances. Plans submitted with this rezoning application may require revision during detailed site plan review to meet all applicable City Codes and Standards. 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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SITE LAYOUT WITH PHASING

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EXISTING SITE CONDITION

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PROPOSED SITE CONDITION

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SITE SURVEY

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ZONING HISTORY # DATE REQUEST ACTION 1 05/11/04

11/28/00 07/09/96 05/07/66

MOD CUP (community boat dock) CUP (community boat dock) CUP (motel, restaurant, camp, marina, boat facility)

Granted Granted Granted Granted

2 04/08/85 CUP (recreational boating facility) Granted

1 2

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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT