Brought to you by Scott P. Rogers, Funkhouser Real Estate Group, 540-578-0102, scott@HarrisonburgHousingToday.com
Brought to you by Scott P. Rogers, Funkhouser Real Estate Group, 540-578-0102, scott@HarrisonburgHousingToday.com
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
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Two parcels totaling 6.6 acres might soon be home to six-story mixed use building to include:
- 10,000 square feet of retail or professional service space on the main level
- (90) four bedroom apartments
- (5) two bedroom apartments
- (5) one bedroom apartments
- A total of 100 apartments with 375 bedrooms
Here's a map more clearly showing the surrounding properties...
City staff recommends approving the development, noting that...
- there are already multi-family developments in close proximity to this property
- multi-family development of this property is supported by the City's Land Use Guide
- the development seems to be compatible with existing single-family, duplex and townhouse development given restrictions from building within 100 feet of the neighboring Woodland Subdivision
At the Planning Commission meeting, owners of some of the neighboring properties expressed concerns...
- increased traffic
- increased flooding
- more student housing adjacent to owner occupied neighborhoods
- the existence of a buffer to Woodland Drive but not to Foley Road
- concern of more student housing
The Planning Commission recommended denial of three of the four requests from the developer. They recommended that City Council not rezone the property, not allow more than 12 units in a building on the property and not allow the building to be more than four stories or 52 feet -- though they did recommend that City allow non-residential uses in a building with R-5 zoning, though that would require the property to be zoned R-5.
So -- City staff supports the proposed development and the Planning Commission does not. Next up -- City Council!
When City Council met earlier this month they ended up holding off on a vote as to whether to allow for this development, since one of the members of City Council (George Hirschmann) was not present. They will meet today to review the requests again and to potentially vote on whether to approve them.
