The Planning Commission approved Oct. 4, 6 to 0 with commissioner Bill Tirrell absent, an ordinance that will amend part of the Herndon Town Code zoning ordinance.
Grayson P. Hanes of Reed Smith LLP, proposed the amendment for his client Atlantic Reality, to allow for warehouse and storage facilities to be used in the Planned Development-Industrial Park (PD-IP) district, along with a dwelling unit on site.
The amendment was made to the section of the Town Code that deals with "permitted and permissible principal uses and structures," and requests that any business wanting to build a dwelling unit on the property has to get the approval from the town for a conditional use permit.
Henry Bibber, director of community development for the town, sent out a memorandum to the commission trying to answer some of the concerns it brought up in the Sept. 20 work session.
The memo describes the benefits of the proposed amendment as well as explains the area in question and the current usage of the PD-IP district.
Bibber explained that the area currently supports light and medium industrial, "quasi-industrial" uses that are related to the town. Because a conditional use permit will be required for the development of any warehouse or storage facilities on the land, Bibber said the town staff believes any construction will be appropriate and compatible with the existing buildings in the area because the town ultimately has to approve the permit.
ALSO WITH the requirement of a conditional use permit, the town can add safeguards and limits to the proposed developments, including health, safety and public welfare provisions. The conditional use permit will also give the town the ability to decide what design elements can and cannot be used in construction.
In the staff report, they recommended the passing of the amendment, adding, they speculate Atlantic Reality will seek to rezone the land between the Sunset Business Park and the Fairfax County Parkway. By doing this, it can obtain a conditional use permit and move toward the development of a self-storage facility.