The former site of a Colonial Williamsburg archaeological investigation might become the location for new homes.
Documents submitted to the City of Williamsburg Planning Commission show Colonial Williamsburg is attempting to have a portion of a 10,089-square-foot lot on 320 and 316 Scotland St. rezoned to a medium density single family detached residential zone.
Julius Dell is under contract with Colonial Williamsburg to purchase part of the land. Dell intends to subdivide the two lots into two new lots of different sizes and widths to build a single family dwelling at 320 Scotland St., according to the documents.
Building on that lot would mean more than just changing the zoning. Certain aspects have to be considered before work on the lot can even begin, including changing the current comprehensive plan designation, according to documents from the planning commission.
In 2013, the comprehensive plan designation stated the property was part of the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area. This means it is part of a location “established to preserve, protect and maintain the distinctive character and historic importance of the restored area,” according to planning commission documents.
But the proposed comprehensive plan designation is to create areas for single family detached residences with up to five dwelling units per acre.
“The category is intended to promote the development of affordable detached housing on small lots located within master planned, neo-traditional styled subdivisions,” according to documents.
But the area isn’t just any regular piece of land. The lots’ history can be tracked back to 1716 when Robert King, a York County carpenter, was issued the deed. Following King’s death the property changed hands multiple times, and was eventually bought by Joseph Prentis Sr. in 1782.
Prentis’s records suggest there was extensive gardens on the property, which later became the subject of an archaeological investigation.
The two lots were once the site of an archaeological investigation from 1983-1984 and then again in 1995. The investigation explored separate parts of the lots, including Prentis Corner, located at the corner of Scotland and Nassau Streets, and the “contested property,” an L-shaped parcel that separated the lot from Prentis Corner.
Documents show the primary purpose of those investigations was to identify the Prentis family cemetery, of which there was evidence in the 1810 deed, as well as any remains of the garden.
However, those investigations did not yield the desired results and failed to find evidence of the cemetery. Although, there were several garden features identified as well as three drainage ditches, all of which maintained features that could be traced to the 18th and 19th centuries.
An investigation on the contested property showed evidence of a cemetery that was in use from 1790 until the third quarter of the 19th century, according to documents from the planning commission.
A 1995 survey revealed the area holds high research potential and “it was recommended further testing of the lot to determine the integrity and nature of the archaeological deposits before any ground disturbance to the site.”
However, no work on such research has been done since then.
But the high potential for research means the land must undergo a phase II-style archaeological assessment, which includes a variety of tests, before any work can be done on the site, according to the documents. If the tests show there to be continued research potential, then an archaeological evaluation of the property must be performed.
A public hearing on the proposed comprehensive plan amendment and the rezoning will be on April 17 at 3:30 p.m. at the Stryker Center.
Joseph Straw, spokesman for Colonial Williamsburg, and Carolyn Murphy, director of planning and codes compliance for the City of Williamsburg, did not immediately respond for comment.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated the land had been sold to Julius Dell. However, documents from the City of Williamsburg show Dell is under contract to purchase the property at 320 Scotland Street from Colonial Williamsburg.
