Submitted by: At the Request of the City Administrator
Submitting Department: Community & Economic Development
Agenda Section: Action
Item Title:
title
Suffrage Point Development - Detailed Site Plan 21001
end
Suggested Action:
recommendation
I move the City Council to authorize the Mayor to send correspondence to the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission regarding Suffrage Point DSP 21001. In its correspondence to the Board, the City shall convey as follows:
1. The site plan be revised to provide a pedestrian connection to the abutting property, Driskell Park, from the site at Parcel D be made to ensure pedestrian connectivity is achieved between the two sites as conditioned in 9e of the Preliminary Plan of Subdivision and that detailed site plans include crosswalks, or other mechanisms to enhance pedestrian visibility, where pedestrian infrastructure crosses vehicular infrastructure throughout the site.
2. The applicant be required to coordinate with Historic Preservation Section of Park and Planning regarding the timing for installation of signage and implementation of public outreach measures for the Suffrage Walk.
3. The applicant dedicate Parcels C and D to the City of Hyattsville for the purposes of maintaining access to existing park structures and to allow additional space for intersection improvements at Gallatin Street and the entrance to Driskell Park and that Parcel B2 be dedicated as a Public Use Easement, in which the applicant shall maintain ownership of Parcel B2, but access of the parcel shall be granted to the general public. Parcel B2 shall primarily serve to provide compensatory storage for the subject parcel, but shall be used by the public, and permitted at the City’s discretion, under a separate Memorandum of Understanding.
4. The applicant revise the site plan to include additional lighting throughout the site including low voltage and low to the ground lighting along all pathways between houses and appropriate lighting be affixed to the front and back façade of all residential dwelling units to provide additional visibility at entrances and exits to dwellings and along pathways. Exterior lighting should be similar in design to that used in the Suffrage Point upper site conform to Pepco standards so that it may be accepted into the public utility system where appropriate.
5. The City is supportive of the applicant’s request for a variance to the DDOZ standard to support deeper front porches, as the percentage is within 5% of requirements and is consistent with variances supported by the City for previous applications. Front porches as proposed in this application provide a sense of place, eyes on the street, and is consistent with housing characteristics of existing homes within the Historic District.
6. The applicant revise the site plan to provide additional plantings within the compensatory storage parcel. Landscape plantings shall be limited to native species and specifically those which survive sustained periods of inundation such as rush, panicum, swamp milkweed and Joe Pye or shrubs like Itea, silky dogwood and winterberry holly.
end
Summary Background:
The subject property is located west of 40th Place and east of Driskell Park, within the Gateway Arts District Traditional Residential Neighborhood (TRN) Character Area.
Total gross acreage of the Suffrage Point property is 8.26 acres and contains an upper site and a lower site as divided by Gallatin Street. The upper site is 3.60 acres and was approved for redevelopment through PPS 4-18001 and DSP-18005. The lower site is 4.66 acres and is zoned R-55. Previously, this site was zoned O-S (Open Space) but was rezoned through the approval of CSP-18002. Preliminary Plan of Subdivision 4-21052 for the lower site was approved by the Planning Board on June 16, 2022.
The applicant has proffered the dedication of approximately .19 acres to the City of Hyattsville for the purposes of maintaining access to existing park structures and to allow additional space for intersection improvements at Gallatin Street and the entrance to Driskell Park.
City Staff is recommending that Parcel B2 be dedicated as a Public Use Easement, in which the applicant shall maintain ownership of Parcel B2, but access of the parcel shall be granted to the general public. Parcel B2 shall primarily serve to provide compensatory storage for the subject parcel, but shall be used by the public, and permitted at the City’s discretion, under a separate Memorandum of Understanding.
The applicant requested modification to the following DDOZ Site Design Standard:
The front yard shall not have more than 20 percent impervious surface and shall not include a paved area for parking between the dwelling and the street sidewalk.
The applicant is requesting a modification to this standard to allow greater than 20 percent impervious surface in the front yards of lots 13-16 and 25-40. The lots requiring modification to the design standard are shown in yellow in Exhibit E below. These lots exceed the 20 percent impervious area maximum at 22.73 percent.
Next Steps:
The M-NCPPC Planning Board is scheduled to conduct a hearing to consider DSP-21001 on Thursday, January 5, 2023. Any recommendations adopted by the City Council at the December 5, 2022 meeting will be conveyed to the Planning Board before the M-NCPPC hearing.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
City Administrator Comments:
Recommend approval.
Community Engagement:
The applicant met with the Planning Committee on November 15, 2022, to present and discuss the detailed site plan application.
At the conclusion, the committee adopted the following comments:
The Planning Committee thanks the applicant for returning. The Committee believes the development will improve the streetscape and built environment immediately adjacent to Driskell Park.
1. The Committee supports the impervious surface variance to support the porches.
2. The Committee recommends the City requests adequate lighting along the paths and to consider the privacy of the residents along those pathways.
3. The Committee recommends paths are connected, accessible, and support a variety of users.
4. The Committee recommends that development look at options other than vinyl windows that are more sustainable and longer lasting.
5. The Committee recommends the City accepts the alleyway.
Strategic Goals:
Goal 3 - Promote a Safe and Vibrant Community
Legal Review Required?
N/A