A few months after the James City County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of an affordable housing complex in Toano, the application is back in the spotlight.
The James City County Board of Supervisors will have a public hearing on the proposed 126-unit apartment complex, located at 7581 Richmond Road, Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the County Government Center Board Room.
The Oakland Pointe project is the only public hearing scheduled for the Tuesday meeting, although there are several other items on tap under the consent agenda.
On Dec. 5, following an hours-long public hearing, the Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend the project’s approval to the Board of Supervisors.
The recommendation for approval was contingent upon the Board of Supervisors also approving an easement with the application. The easement would ensure affordable housing would be made available through the development, as well as accommodations for increased traffic in the area, water conservation measures, a sidewalk down Richmond Road, certain building certifications and a nutrient management plan.
RELATED STORY: Planning Commission recommends approval of Oakland Pointe Apartments
Oakland Pointe
The application to build Oakland Pointe Apartments has garnered both support and opposition since it was first proposed in 2017.
While the county has identified the need to increase affordable housing — and created a task force to tackle the issue — some residents say the negatives outweigh the positives.
Residents have voiced concerns with increased traffic at an already busy intersection, as well as a negative fiscal impact on schools and emergency services.
A James City County Planning Department report indicated the apartment complex could generate 887 additional vehicle trips in the area each day, as well as have a $463,425 annual negative fiscal impact because of its drain on county resources, such as area schools.
Many of those in opposition live in the surrounding neighborhoods, including Oakland Estates, a neighborhood behind the property Oakland Pointe is proposed.
Some residents from elsewhere in the county oppose the application in an effort to keep James City County rural.
Oakland Pointe, if approved, will be built by Connelly Development LCC, a South Carolina-based developer that specializes in affordable housing. For Oakland Pointe, Connelly Development has sought low-income housing tax credits offered by the federal government.
Consent agenda
- Grant award for Virginia E-911 Services Board PSAP Education
- Grant award for Commonwealth’s Attorney, the Virginia Domestic Violence Victim Fund – $56,824
- Contract award for emergency management plans and exercises
- Contract award for JCC Croaker Library HVAC and boiler replacement – $150,190
- Contract award for James City County Recreation Center renovations
- Contract award recommendation for accounting/budget/purchasing software system
The full agenda for the Feb. 12 meeting can be found on the James City County agenda website.
