RMD Properties has submitted a PUD proposal that envisions construction of a 10-story, 130-foot tall, 242-unit residential building at 2117 Ivy Road that will occupy the entire site and even overhang the sidewalk. We urge you, City Council and the Planning Commission, to deny this PUD proposal for the following reasons:   
 
·      The height, massing, and site design of the proposed PUD is completely out of scale with the adjacent Lewis Mountain neighborhood, is not compatible with UVA’s Ivy Corridor plan or other new developments along Ivy Road across the County line, and does not contribute to the quality of the Ivy Entrance Corridor which provides entry to Charlottesville’s most important cultural and historic landmarks.
·      The proposed 2117 Ivy PUD conflicts with several goals established for Charlottesville’s newly approved Comprehensive Plan, including:
o   Utilizing Small Area Plans to guide growth and development in areas likely to be redeveloped (Goal 4);
o   Coordinating the actions of large institutions and City and County governments to support regional urban form and environmental and transportation goals (Goal 5);  
o   Encouraging creative, context sensitive planning and design (Goal 6);
o   Ensuring compatibility with Charlottesville’s Entrance Corridor design guidelines (Goal 7).
·      The City’s Entrance Corridor Planning guidelines specify that new developments should “be architecturally compatible with the historic landmarks, buildings, and structures to which these routes lead” and “be compatible (in massing, scale, materials, colors) with those structures that contribute to the overall character and quality of the corridor”. --- UVA’s Ivy Corridor master plan, the first phase of which is now under construction, envisions 4 story structures along Ivy Road, 6-7 story buildings set well back from the road, and a park-like, pedestrian friendly, civic space in between designed to promote interaction with the community. The proposed 2117 IVY PUD is incompatible with that plan which will define “the overall character and quality of the corridor” and was developed with community engagement to be architecturally compatible with the historic landmarks, buildings, and structures to which the Ivy Corridor provides entry.
·      We support development of additional housing and mixed-use development in the Ivy Entrance Corridor that will enhance the “overall character and quality of the corridor” and support positive interaction with the community. The proposed 2117 Ivy PUD does not meet that test. It focuses solely on squeezing as many housing units on the site as possible.
·      If constructed as currently designed, the 2117 Ivy PUD will increase congestion at an already overtaxed intersection and will almost certainly lead to frequent accidents.
o   At rush hour, traffic on Ivy, Copeley and Ivy roads already routinely backs up for blocks. During sports and other events at the nearby UVA stadiums and arenas, Ivy, Alderman and Copeley can become completely impassable.
o   The proposed 2117 Ivy PUD design places the entrance to the building’s garage at the apex of the curve on Copeley Road, where sightlines in either direction are extremely limited. Collisions are almost certain to occur.
o   The proposed trash pickup and loading dock location will require trucks to stop on Ivy Road and back into the dock. This is an untenable design. The proposed off-street parking/vehicle waiting area is also not large enough to accommodate visitors, retail patrons, deliveries, car-service pickups, etc. without vehicles routinely overflowing onto Ivy Road, blocking traffic, and creating a hazard for pedestrians.
·      Approval of the proposed PUD for 2117 Ivy would be damaging enough on its own. It will also set a detrimental precedent for future development in the Ivy Corridor.
 
We urge the Planning Commission and City Council to deny the proposed PUD for 2117 Ivy Road. Pursuant to Charlottesville’s Entrance Corridor Planning guidelines, any revised development proposal for 2117 Ivy Road should adhere to the building height and context sensitive design principles articulated in UVA’s Ivy Corridor plan.
 
To ensure that future development along Ivy Road supports the goals of the Comprehensive Plan and enhances the “overall character and quality” of this historically significant Entrance Corridor, we request that City Council commission an Entrance Corridor Planning process for the Ivy corridor, to be conducted with active participation from area residents, UVA and the County. Goals established for that process should include:
 
·      Articulating design principles and requirements for development in the Ivy corridor.
·      Developing a comprehensive transportation improvement plan for the corridor that can safely accommodate anticipated increases in vehicular traffic while also promoting pedestrian and bicycle access through and within the corridor.
·      Review, and revise as needed, the proposed zoning and associated height, mass, setback, and other parcel development guidelines for the corridor.