Despite some opposition voiced during a public hearing Wednesday, the Williamsburg Planning Commission has voiced its support for removing parking in Merchants Square in favor of an open green space for pedestrians.
The commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of three different resolutions that would allow Goodwin Square to come to fruition, including allowing construction of the plaza and a reduction in parking.
The issue will now move on to City Council for a final vote.
More than 50 people attended the meeting Wednesday. More than two-thirds of the public speakers voiced opposition to the proposed plaza.
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation first presented a second round of plans for a pedestrian plaza in the P3 lot in June.
Conceptual plans for the public plaza include brick- or cobble-paved sidewalks, multiple pedestrian access points, an irrigated lawn, “interactive fountain” similar to a splash pad, outdoor seating, a public restroom building, a temporary video wall and expansion of existing outdoor restaurant seating, according to agenda documents.
“We believe a downtown, pedestrian friendly, entertainment and event space with curated, consistent, scheduled and regular experiential and cultural opportunities will invite increasing numbers of local, regional, and visiting audiences to shop, dine, linger, and explore all of downtown Williamsburg,” Colonial Williamsburg Vice President of Real Estate Jeffrey Duncan wrote in a letter to Planning Director Carolyn Murphy.
Colonial Williamsburg’s winter ice rink could also occupy the space if the plaza is constructed.
“It fits nicely into the center of Goodwin Square,” Duncan said.
Duncan added Colonial Williamsburg is looking to receive grant funding from the Tourism Development Fund for the project. The recipients of those funds are expected to be discussed by the grant committee next Friday and presented to City Council in September.
Planning Commission Chairwoman Elaine McBeth said Goodwin Square is a top contender for the grant funding.
A handful of public comment speakers — most of whom were younger residents with families — agreed the project could improve resident and visitor experience in downtown Williamsburg.
“I think that the plan for the Goodwin plaza is a fantastic way to make the downtown area even more vibrant and family friendly,” said Amy Quark, a downtown resident and mother.
Previous application
While Colonial Williamsburg’s previous application for a similar project — which was withdrawn in December — received some backlash for a 12-foot-wide television screen in the square, the new application still includes a mention of a “video wall.”
The Planning Commission voted last November to recommend approval of the foundation’s previously-proposed project, but without the video wall.
The commission recommended the foundation be limited to video wall to 75 cumulative days each year for only three days at a time. The wall can not be used for advertising.
The application will go before City Council for approval or denial.
RELATED STORY: Restrictions aim to preserve downtown parking, but CW could still remove spots in P3 — only with City Council’s blessing
If approved, Colonial Williamsburg estimates applications, permitting and construction could begin in early January 2020 and last about four months.
Preserving parking
Parking in downtown is an age-old issue discussion for the City of Williamsburg.
Rusty Bryant, owner of R. Bryant Ltd. at 429 Duke of Gloucester St., has been in Merchants Square for 48 years. He said he’s concerned reducing parking could further hurt his business more than declining visitation to Colonial Williamsburg already has.
“We are dependent on the parking lot,” he added.
In the letter, Duncan said there are 4,316 parking spaces in downtown. The pedestrian plaza project would remove just 40 of those, and leave eight. There would be handicap parking spaces.
The city has had parking-related agreements in place with Colonial Williamsburg for decades to keep private lots open to the public.
P3 is one of four parking lots in Colonial Williamsburg leased by the city for public parking purposes. Other leased lots include P2, P3, P4 and P5
Next steps
For the pedestrian plaza to come to fruition, City Council must approve three things — and all three.
The first issue is an amendment to the current B1 zoning district to include a definition of “private plaza” as a use allowed in the zoning district. Unless a use is specifically listed for the district, it is not allowed.
The second issue concerns a special use permit to create the private plaza.
The third is the special use permit that would allow Colonial Williamsburg to reduce the parking. The city has an ordinance that requires all existing parking lots to keep all of their existing spaces unless City Council grants a special use permit to reduce parking.
City Council will discuss the matter, have a public hearing and vote at a future meeting.
