[EyesOnIvy] "Mr. Sanford, we share your concerns."

[Brian Wheeler]

I made the comments below when the Faulconer preliminary site plan first
came before the Planning Commission in 2003.  In this presentation, I
highlighted Jack Sanford's concerns about mixing big trucks and children.
Mr. Sanford is President of Faulconer Construction.  He was testifying
before the Board of Supervisors in July 2002 about how "his two daughters
were almost killed... by a dump truck hauling out of Albemarle County into
Orange County, as they were on the way to school."

Mr. Sanford, we STILL share your concerns.

Brian Wheeler


Comments to the Albemarle County Planning Commission
February 4, 2003

Let me start by saying we need you to retain authority for final review of
this site plan, should it go forward.  Something of this magnitude can't be
delegated to staff before you have seen the certified engineer's report
which may describe what Faulconer REALLY has in mind for this site.  Please
reject all of the applicant's waiver requests.  
Our school has been asking important questions about this project since May
2001.  Many of them have not been answered.  I realize you and the BOS get
lots of questions and concerns from parents on all sorts of issues.

For example, at the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors meeting this past
July, a concerned parent testified about the safety of his children who were
endangered on the way to school by a large dump truck carrying asphalt.

He said, and I am quoting the minutes here, "his two daughters were almost
killed recently by a dump truck hauling out of Albemarle County into Orange
County, as they were on the way to school.  He believes it is a serious
safety issue for the traveling public that these trucks are put on the road
with large loads hauling across the county..."
That parent was Jack Sanford, President of Faulconer Construction.  The
parents of Murray Elementary, and all the families in Ivy would like to say,
"Mr. Sanford, we share your concerns."

Mr. Sanford questions authority when HIS children are at risk.  Tomorrow,
our children could be at risk at risk.  Murray Elementary has questions that
haven't been answered.  At each step, parents are told, "That will be
addressed in the next phase of the review."  We have asked primarily about
noise, water pollution and traffic.  Amelia McCauley responded on 9/11 2001:
"Safety and environmental concerns are more appropriately considered during
the site plan review."
This site plan has now received preliminary review.  Do you have that
information?  NO!

Now staff says wait for the certified engineer's report in final site plan
review.  The only things that get close scrutiny are those ordinances that
Faulconer needs waivers for: parking, one-way traffic, critical slopes.  The
community would like to officially request that the rest of the zoning
ordinances not be waived!  Is there any mention of Code Section 4.14
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS related to industrial districts?  No, wait for the
certified engineer's report, prepared by, yes Faulconer.

What about traffic?  Staff says ".existing road conditions are not optimal,
however, the County does not have the authority to require off-site road
improvements."  Maybe you don't have the authority to require Morgantown be
widened and strengthened by Faulconer, but you, not VDOT, do have the
authority to say Faulconer's use is not compatible with this site.  Quoting
Code Section 26.12.1, the County has to evaluate whether Faulconer's
activities would present "minimum hazards to vehicular and pedestrian
traffic" on Morgantown and Tillman Roads.  The County has to ensure that
"pavement widths and strengths of both internal and external roads shall be
adequate to accommodate projected traffic generated from the district."
These assessments are required to be done for all future occupants of an
industrial district.  The plain meaning of these words is clear.  

You can't wear blinders because the Zoning Administrator and the County
Attorney believe Faulconer is destined to have their new heavy industrial
storage and maintenance facility on this site.  This use is totally
incompatible with Morgantown Road and completely flies in the face of what
the County intends in the current Comprehensive Plan.  What it had in mind
was companies like Mailing Services of Virginia, Smith Time (a watch
manufacturer), and MusicToday.com.
This site is different than Faulconer's current site.  Their use is going to
be different.  Murray is on a downstream well.  Murray shares a road with
this site.  This is not Agnor Hurt, which is on public water, different
roads and which is protected by major elevation differences from Faulconer's
current site.  Please listen to the people.