Thursday, March 28, 2024

Application for affordable apartments on Richmond Road to be deferred

The conceptual plan for the Oakland Farm proposed development. (Courtesy James City County)
The conceptual plan for the Oakland Farm proposed development. (Courtesy James City County)

An application to build an apartment complex on Richmond Road will be put on hold for a few months.

A request to build 126 apartments in five buildings at 7581 Richmond Road will be deferred until May, according to James City County Planning Commission documents found online.

The apartments project, proposed by Connelly Development LLC, was originally scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday, but the request is now tentatively scheduled for May 2.

“The applicant received various comments from [the Virginia Department of Transportation] shortly before the public hearing as well as comments from the Commission and citizens at the initial public hearing. We believe we have addressed VDOT’s comments, but the applicant needs additional time to confirm this as well as time to coordinate with the community on issues of concern to them,” Timothy Trant, an attorney representing the applicant, wrote in a letter to the Planning Commission.

The apartments would be two-bedroom and three-bedroom units and would be for people of lower income.

The applicant said during an October Development Review Committee meeting that the rental rates would hover in between $658 for a two bedroom and $1,100 for a three bedroom.

In an October Development Review Committee meeting, county planning staff were concerned about the walkability of the site because many residents who would live there aren’t expected to have cars.

Planning commissioners and citizens during a planning commission meeting in February also raised concerns about turning into the complex from Route 60.

“All west bound traffic to access the property would need to do a U-turn and cross over Route 60. There is no turning late and the intersection is dangerous now. More turning traffic would increase the hazards,” resident Adrienne Frank said in a statement to the planning commission.

County planning staff also previously proposed a sidewalk that residents could use to walk to the neighboring shopping center, which has a Food Lion and CVS Pharmacy.

The Planning Commission is scheduled to hear the request on May 2. After the commission reviews the application, the James City County Board of Supervisors is tentatively scheduled to hear the application on June 12.

Troy Jefferson
Troy Jeffersonhttp://wydaily.com
Troy Jefferson is the city of Williamsburg and James City County reporter for the WYDaily. Jefferson graduated from Michigan State University and the University of Maryland. When he is not writing stories, he enjoys romantic comedies.

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