1990 Comprehensive Plan

JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE VA 177/TYLER AVENUE CORRIDOR AREA

Introduction
Shared Future Land Use Map
Joint Review
The City of Radford's Goals for the Corridor
Montgomery County's Goals for the Corridor

INTRODUCTION

In 1991, Montgomery County and the City of Radford jointly asked the New River Valley Planning District Commission (NRVPDC) to study the VA 177/Tyler Avenue Corridor Area. The study area covered approximately 2,700 acres in Montgomery County and the City of Radford located primarily in the upper Connellys Run watershed. The Corridor Area is shown on the Future Land Use map (attached Figure 1).

The Corridor Study Area involved landowners, planners, economic development leaders, utility providers, and the general public. It recognizes the VA 177/Tyler Avenue Corridor Area as a growth area where the extension of public utilities will provide important economic opportunities. The Corridor Area Study provides a framework for future development that allows existing uses to continue and allows the expansion of residential and commercial uses without encroachment on one another. It also uses the open and highly visible character of the Corridor Area to its advantage while preserving key features and insuring that buffers are established between incompatible uses.

The Corridor Area Study was completed in June 1992, and presented to Montgomery County and the City of Radford. A comprehensive agreement was entered into, entitled Route 177 Corridor Agreement dated March 1, 1993, which incorporates the Corridor Area Study. The Route 177 Corridor Agreement took full force and effect on June 30, 1993. Pursuant to Section 6.3(a) of the Agreement, this Joint Comprehensive Plan was adopted by Montgomery County and the City of Radford.

The VA 177/Tyler Avenue Corridor Area is one area where there is a clear need for multiple land uses to exist harmoniously. Today, VA 177/Tyler Avenue is an increasingly heavily traveled highway that passes through pastureland, by single-family homes, and individual business. Ready access to Interstate 81, proximity to industries and institutions in the City of Radford, and commuting patterns make the VA 177/Tyler Avenue Corridor Area a desirable business location. These same qualities, plus the area’s scenic appeal make it a desirable location for residences. As the City and County grow, there will be considerable pressure from both residential and commercial development in the Corridor.

It is important to realize that development pressure exists in the Corridor today. Several highway-oriented businesses have been built or expanded in the last several years at Interchange 109. Several subdivisions have been platted for single-family home development in this same period. A church and a hospital have proposed locating in the Corridor.

The results of the Virginia 177/Tyler Avenue Corridor Effort have been incorporated into the following Goals and Objectives.

SHARED FUTURE LAND USE MAP

Two maps from the VA 177/Tyler Avenue Corridor Study are made a part of this joint comprehensive plan. The Future Land Use Map (attached Figure1) illustrates the mix of land uses anticipated in the corridor area. The changes required to achieve this land use pattern will not occur overnight, but rather will take place over time as public improvements and private investment compliment each other in the corridor. Necessary public improvements include the extension of utility lines, road improvements, stormwater management and other future projects.

The Entrance plan (attached Figure 2) limits entrance locations onto VA 177 to those shown on the plan map except where a variance is approved for a special entrance situation. Frequent curb cuts for individual residential and commercial entrances slow traffic. Fewer planned entrance locations allow the large acreage tracts found along VA 177 to fully develop without impeding traffic flow along this important arterial road.

Both the Future Land use map and the Entrance Plan assume the following:

• Anticipate commercial development at Interchange 109 and along nearby sections of VA 177 and Lovely Mount Drive. This growth should take place through planned developments that consist of more than stripping of the existing road frontage.
• Recognize three areas that are suitable for high intensity developments. High intensity uses permitted with a special use permit include light industry, residential development over four (4) dwelling unit per acre, hospitals, and health care complexes.
• Incorporate an entrance and intersection plan for the corridor frontage parcels.
• Recognize that residential development in this area should be through the Planned Unit Development (PUD) District and Cluster Development rather than conventional subdivisions. Therefore, implementation will necessitate amendments to the Zoning Ordinance.

JOINT REVIEW

Both the City and County must provide for joint review of zoning issues and development plans by a joint site Review Committee (County)/Development Committee (City). This activity was specified in the Route 177 Corridor Agreement. Joint review is central to the effective implementation of the remaining recommendations, and achievement of the future land use patterns illustrated in the attached figures.

THE CITY OF RADFORD’S GOALS FOR THE CORRIDOR

Achieving the successful implementation of the cooperative planning effort initiated by the City and Montgomery County in the VA 177/Tyler Avenue Corridor Area will require the City of Radford to undertake the following.

FUTURE LAND USE PLAN

Modify the Future Land Use Plan in the City’s portion of the Corridor to reflect the central concepts agreed upon by the City and County, like the location of commercial and residential development, the need for measures to reduce the number of future entrances constructed in the Corridor, and application of the planned unit development concept in the Corridor setting.

PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE

Take necessary steps to provide water and sewage capacity to the County portions of the Corridor. Storm water management in the Corridor should be pursued jointly through the following special actions

• Formation of a joint board of City and County officials to address storm water issues.
• A detailed engineering analysis should be undertaken of the regional storm water management alternatives, set priority of regional construction projects, and determine what specific on-site storm water containment requirements are appropriate.

The process of developing public works projects should involve the public and be accomplished in an efficient and attractive manner. Public projects should meet or exceed the standards set for private development and public projects should act as models for landscaping, adherence to the planning process, environmental awareness, and fiscal responsibility.

ZONING ORDINANCE

Modify the Zoning Ordinance to include districts that include the provisions outlined in the Expansion Overlay and Planned Unit Development Districts.

• Recognize that planned unit development will be the structure through which ultimate development under the Future Land Use Plan will be achieved along VA 177/Tyler Avenue and in other portions of the City and take appropriate steps to insure that the City is able to adequately guide and facilitate such developments.
• The Zoning Ordinance should be modified to incorporate provisions for acceptance of voluntary proffers by developers including off-site improvements. Such proffers should reflect City objectives; in the Tyler Avenue Corridor these would be:
  1. Management of storm water.
  2. Safe and efficient traffic flow.
  3. Reservation of areas suitable for public facilities.
  4. Development of water distribution and sewer collection capacity.

SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE

The Subdivision Ordinance should promote adequate internal circulation and interconnect with adjacent developments. The Subdivision Ordinance should provide for cluster subdivisions.

The City of Radford should review the effectiveness of the actions taken to meet these goals. Where, the measures taken can be applied to other portions of the City and achieve desired impacts, the City should consider doing so.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY’S GOALS FOR THE CORRIDOR

Achieving the successful implementation of the cooperative planning effort initiated by the City of Radford and Montgomery County in the VA 177/Tyler Avenue Corridor Area will require the Montgomery County to undertake the following.

PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE

The expansion of public water and sewer services in the corridor area by the PSA will be in accordance with the terms of the Route 177 Corridor Agreement between Radford, Montgomery County, and the PSA.

Stormwater management for the corridor area also requires a coordinated approach. Potential actions for consideration by Radford and Montgomery County include:

• Formation of a joint city/county board to address storm water issues on Connellys Run including both the east branch and the west branch.
• Undertake a detailed engineering analysis of the watershed to evaluate stormwater management alternatives (such as higher on-site retention/infiltration standards, in-steam measures, regional detention, etc.), to set priorities for regional construction projects and to determine what specific on-site stormwater containment requirements are appropriate.

EXPANSION AREA OVERLAY DISTRICT

Develop an overlay district in the Zoning Ordinance that would apply to the entire 177 Corridor Urban Expansion Area. This urban expansion area covers approximately 2,200 acres in the county. The overlay district would establish specific development standards relating to:

• Entrance and Street Design: Limit entrance locations onto VA 177 in accordance with the Entrance Plan (Figure 34) in order to preserve effective traffic flow. Provide a variance procedure for special entrance situations. Establish minimum right-of-way widths and construction standards for collector streets off of VA 177.
• Protection of Steep Slopes and Water Features: Provide special consideration in the development process of areas with a slope of 25 percent or greater and areas within 50’ of free flowing streams and impoundments.
• Landscaping Plans: Provide landscaping within the front setback and buffer yard areas.
• Outdoor Lighting: Limit lighting during hours a business is closed to that necessary for site security.
• Signag : Integrate signage into the site and the site landscaping.
• Utility Placement: Locate utilities underground with certain exceptions.

The intent of the overlay district is both to establish flexible standards and to establish a plan review process through which the developer works with the county to maintain the quality of the corridor area. Similarly, it is expected that County projects will also meet or exceed the standards set for private development. Public projects should act as models for landscaping, signage, adherence to the planning process, environmental awareness, and fiscal responsibility.

PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (PUD)

Develop a new district in the Zoning Ordinance that would apply in the 177 Corridor Urban Expansion Area. The PUD concept would allow the negotiation of site specific standards in exchange for the use of measures that mix land uses, insure adequate open space, and maintain community amenities. The PUD approach would:

• Create a new zoning district that encompasses residential, commercial, or light industrial development.
• Provide for the use of the PUD concept on smaller size parcels.
• Designate lands on the zoning map for future development as PUD’s. However, existing low intensity uses like agriculture and family subdivisions would continue by-right.

CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT

Revise the existing Cluster Development overlay district in the Zoning Ordinance in order to provide sufficient retention of open areas for both passive and active use to insure that the residents and the community benefits.