ARB forwards Avon Street extended 21-unit site plan to site-review committee with landscape conditions

The Albemarle County Architectural Review Board on May 19 forwarded staff recommendations supporting the initial site plan for a proposed 21-unit residential subdivision on the west side of Avon Street Extended, conditioned on a revised landscape plan and confirmation from any easement holder for an overhead power line.

Staff presented ARB2025-101 (906–1920 Avon Street Extended) as an application for a 21-unit development composed of primarily detached units and stacked townhome-style multifamily units set back from the entrance corridor; the property currently contains two residences and several outbuildings. The board voted to forward the revised staff recommendations to the site-review committee with three specific amendments addressing the landscape submission and potential utility easement constraints.

Planner Margaret (Albemarle County staff) told the board that the original submittal lacked required landscape detail and showed a sanitary line in a 20-foot frontage easement that would push street trees farther from the corridor. She said the applicant provided a revised plan the morning of the meeting that shifted the easement west and provided a six-foot planting zone that “is a big improvement,” though potential conflicts with an overhead power line remain.

Justin Shipp (engineer) and Richard Price (architect/designer) represented the applicant remotely. Shipp said individual lots would include small stormwater bioretention cells and that the applicant intends to provide required street trees and plantings in the bioretention areas. He discussed options for tree placement given the existing overhead power line: either plant smaller trees closer to the sidewalk or move required street trees upslope where the sanitary easement had been moved.

Board members generally supported the revised approach to the easement and street trees while leaving selection of species and exact placement to the applicant and staff coordination. At the meeting the board amended staff recommendations to (1) accept the revised layout presented on May 19, 2025 as an acceptable approach, (2) require the plan be revised per the landscape plan submitted that day, and (3) require confirmation from the easement holder if an overhead power-line easement exists that the proposed landscaping is acceptable. The motion to forward the recommendations was moved and seconded and passed on recorded vote.

Frank Stoner (ARB member) moved to forward the recommendations with the listed amendments; the roll call recorded aye votes from members present. The forwarding action does not by itself approve final architecture for the multifamily units; the applicant will submit a future ARB submittal for the multi-family buildings and staff will continue to review landscaping details and any utility-easement constraints before site-review committee final action.

The board also noted that some detached units present rear or side elevations to the entrance corridor; staff and the applicant stated they would use landscaping and bioretention plantings to soften those elevations. The action forwarded the item to the site-review committee rather than constituting full ARB approval of final architecture.

The board recorded no public comments on the item at the meeting.