Next week, the Loudoun County Planning Commission will be asked to support the rezoning of approximately 193.7 acres from industrial to residential, in order to construct 325 single-family homes and 346 townhouses at South Riding Station, which is the remaining section of the South Riding community.
At a work session Feb. 2, county project planner Lou Mosurak said staff could not support the rezoning request because of outstanding issues including inconsistency with the comprehensive plan, and concerns with fiscal impact, transportation and schools.
The public hearing on the rezoning request is slated for Monday, Feb. 23, beginning at 6 p.m., in the Board of Supervisor's meeting room at the Government Center, 1 Harrison St. S.E., in Leesburg.
SARA HOWARD-O'BRIEN, representing South Riding L.P., referred questions to the development's Web site, www.enhancesouthriding.com, saying her client prefers not to speak to the press.
According to the Web site, South Riding Station, located between Tall Cedars Parkway and Braddock Road, consists of 194 acres, of which nearly 78 acres will remain open space. The site says the current industrial zoning is incompatible with the residential surroundings, which include Freedom High School. It also said with the rezoning, the developer will be able to create $4.4 million worth of additional South Riding enhancements, without providing additional information as to what those enhancements may be. The site goes on to say the rezoning will provide the county with more than $12 million toward schools, roads, a public library, parks and transit improvements.
IN HIS PRESENTATION earlier this month, Mosurak said staff was working with the developer to secure land for an elementary school; as well as on transportation issues. He was less optimistic, however, that concerns over the loss of non-residential land needed to provide community services and questions over a capital facilities credit for land for Freedom High School could be worked out.
In a previous rezoning case, South Riding developers dedicated land for the high school, however, the county did not guarantee it would reimburse the developer for the land. Now, the developer is using that sum, $2.6 million, as a credit toward the capital facilities contribution proffer for this project.
In addition, Mosurak said with the loss of non-residential land, the likelihood of employment, civic and other uses diminish in an area already lacking in community services.
"This would decrease the non-residential-use portion to between 60 to 70 percent. And the developer is not proffering to previous contribution levels," Mosurak said, referring to the capital facilities contributions that were increased in November.
ALSO ON THE AGENDA next week:
* Interim additions to the agricultural and forestal districts;
* Special exception request for the Inn at Stringfellow Farms, 19246 Ebenezer Church Road, in the Blue Ridge planning district;
* Modification request for the Ashbrook Commons Shopping Center, located at Russell Branch Parkway in the Broad Run planning district, sign plan;
* Special exception request for a drive through at Suntrust Bank at Lansdowne, located at the northwest corner of Lansdowne Boulevard and Riverside Parkway in Broad Run; and
* Rezoning request for 34 acres from single-family residential to planned development, to permit 16 single family detached, 62 attached duplex and 29 single family attached dwelling units at Greenfield Crossing, located in the Dulles South Area on Braddock Road about one mile west of Gum Springs Road (Route 659).