[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6294174,"mediaKeyId","2522082-55f20391d0453b3bc2971eb5a641544c","parentId",2522082,"title","Planning Commission votes 4-1 to forward floodplain ordinance update to City Council","audioSeconds",2043,"startMs",412000,"endMs",2455000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522082-55f20391d0453b3bc2971eb5a641544c&start=412&end=2455","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522082-55f20391d0453b3bc2971eb5a641544c/thumbnail_412000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6294174/Lynchburg/Campbell-County/Virginia/Planning-Commission-votes-4-1-to-forward-floodplain-ordinance-update-to-City-Council","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6294174-387770890110353ccb244e405fb147cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142669&Signature=FFGxKCHol5jDb-YM4-48D9hyoQD91XJjO3ZKUCzVvWXqK~PuWZIi1AcOttyhHTA3v9rwgjmf8UXKyN0O9Pje~vphL~YDbXpxbzY4HoLFhBzLuxtoFQvcHMh9yiuwJop6Xy5WkAXBi6Lc0dMv4c0uv7W-vR0JWA-mJoZsUhdUxjPhlrOZShRBmDZ9W8OCVO5il8iB2~buuE5aAJw~lcCLoe2znP3OJESzaAw10qKeDWe49HE5QdqfwrHuhhUEXJLHNVKSGNRQFbXww4tVP3PuG9C8O70~KiSbNK~-xcC-Ncv6ivG9Zzi9fgzEM0sto2RWbLowv3ZWadPcXuT0VkDGMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lynchburg Virginia","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","Planning Commission members voted 4-1 on Feb. 12 to forward a staff-initiated update to Lynchburg's floodplain ordinance to City Council for further consideration and a March public hearing.

Erin Hawkins, Lynchburg's floodplain manager with the Department of Water Resources, told the commission the update was prepared with the Departments of Community Development, Water Resources, Economic Development and the City Attorney's Office and reviewed by outside counsel and state and federal agencies. \"As Rachel mentioned, this is a city initiated, STISI staff initiated update to the ordinance, and it was done, in conjunction with, the Departments of Community Development, Water Resources, Economic Development, and the City Attorney's Office as well,\" Hawkins said.

Why it matters: staff said the draft aligns the city ordinance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) model ordinance and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) minimum requirements, and therefore preserves Lynchburg's NFIP compliance. The revisions also contain two substantive proposals staff highlighted: (1) allow the underlying zoning uses to continue for certain preexisting structures located within the floodway to permit adaptive reuse (but not expansion or new construction); and (2) raise the residential freeboard requirement from 12 inches to 18 inches above the base flood elevation for new or substantially improved structures.

Hawkins said there are no mapping changes attached to the ordinance before the commission. She noted FEMA has signaled it will update floodplain maps in many communities, including Lynchburg, and that separate public outreach and an additional mapping process will follow later in 2025. \"There is no mapping change, so we are not changing any physical boundary of any of the flood plain mapping at the city,\" Hawkins said.

Scope and technical changes: staff described most edits as administrative to match the model ordinance. On adaptive reuse, Hawkins said the change \"allows the underlying zoning uses to occur for that structure\" where a preexisting building lies within a designated floodway, but it \"doesn't allow the structure to be expanded and it doesn't allow any new construction to be added to the parcel.\" On freeboard, Hawkins said staff recommends increasing the minimum finished floor elevation for new or substantially improved residential structures from 12 inches to 18 inches above the water-surface elevation, and that the change is consistent with DCR and FEMA recommendations.

Public comment: two surveyors and residents spoke during the hearing. Amy Seipp of AccuPoint Surveying and Design thanked staff for draft language that she said would help downtown redevelopment while retaining FEMA protections. Retired land surveyor Doyle Allen said he supported the ordinance generally but opposed raising freeboard above the federal minimum, saying surveyors and applicants typically reference the federal standard when preparing Letters of Map Amendment (LOMAs).

Next steps and timing: staff said the ordinance will go to a City Council work session on Feb. 25 and is scheduled for a Council public hearing on March 11. The commission's vote was to forward the ordinance; the formal adoption decision will be made by City Council.

Votes at a glance: The Planning Commission voted to forward the ordinance to City Council; the motion passed 4 to 1.

Ending: Staff emphasized the update was intended primarily to maintain NFIP compliance and that the city will return with more information once FEMA publishes public notice of upcoming mapping changes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lynchburg Planning Commission 2-12-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning Commission members voted 4-1 on Feb. 12 to forward a staff-initiated update to Lynchburg's floodplain ordinance to City Council for further consideration.","taxTitle","Lynchburg, Campbell County, Virginia","taxId",3745,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6294169,"Planning Commission approves West Point rezoning petition 4-1 despite staff concerns about traffic and proffer language",6482,2456000,8938000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522082-55f20391d0453b3bc2971eb5a641544c&start=2456&end=8938","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522082-55f20391d0453b3bc2971eb5a641544c/thumbnail_2456000.jpg","/articles/6294169/Lynchburg/Campbell-County/Virginia/Planning-Commission-approves-West-Point-rezoning-petition-4-1-despite-staff-concerns-about-traffic-and-proffer-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6294169-d9437082731238b9760fb6436d865a3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142669&Signature=U~YepJIZbPCHRBZzq0cDDiKleq6he4fKWha8Dp1Gbvuv8o-yHU~Yj71DirEi1Vz-pEY7~Afz6-4LXClN6DNdKCxLjOhOdxKiyz9RcXnGD3ePsC4XX5~YwvR7bG7In4emABUex8k0CWAhZWeWHLxAK09mMnayGXTpO3SaPANPt0uTa-uBkRdZU9rH8dK6maHqnUh7gTMcNemf-uqb3bheFTASMKkvb~nMpgAweZGZAWpSMImfxDkjmtZmKUdBxfFGW7G3BNYuHaOrrf-PH-bx8BTGEM4WZ8i0ECL5IoxhHtDYJnGxczWryoFWrCpsJM9yzSglO8GeQlqNlG3CyaUWfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lynchburg Planning Commission voted 4-1 on Feb. 12 to approve a petition from JAM 89 LLC and Langley Land LLC (branded as \"West Point\") to amend the future land use map and rezone approximately 53.33 acres along Wigginton Road to allow up to 750 residential units.

Planning staff recommended denial. Staff's report said the petition would change the future land use from low/medium density residential to high density residential and rezone parcels currently in I-3, R-2 and R-3C to R-4C with conditions to permit up to 750 total units. The staff analysis flagged traffic and proffer deficiencies: the petitioner's traffic study projects 4,923 new daily residential trips related to the development, which would roughly double current daily traffic on the Wigginton Road corridor (VDOT 2022 baseline ~4,100 trips), and the proposed proffers were described by staff as vague and potentially asking the city to shoulder a large share of mitigation costs.

What proponents said: Chris Langley, the project developer, described the proposal as a workforce and homeownership solution. He told commissioners West Point would deliver 750 homes \"to own\" and argued higher density is needed to raise Lynchburg's homeownership rate. Local speakers who supported the petition said they needed options to purchase new, low-maintenance homes; Brandon Parr said homeownership enabled him to build a local business and keep employees in Lynchburg. Elevate Communities partners and engineer Trent Warner presented proffers and traffic mitigation plans and said the timing for an existing major state interchange project offered alignment with the development's schedule.

What staff and opponents said: Planning staff summarized the petition and proffers and recommended denial, noting concerns that proffers 4'6 attempted to commit the city and other developers to future improvement costs and that proffer language used terms like \"approved units\" that staff said could be difficult to enforce. Opposition speakers emphasized traffic safety and response-time concerns on narrow, winding stretches of Wigginton Road, the lack of sidewalks and shoulders, and backups at the US-501/Old Forest Road intersection. Jason Galula, representing more than 100 residents, said peak-period backups sometimes force motorists to wait \"5 to 6 light cycles, each light cycle taking about 3 minutes,\" and warned additional traffic could lengthen emergency response times.

Traffic and mitigation: The petition's traffic study identified two significant hotspots: (1) the Wigginton Road/Old Forest intersection, where certain turning movements degrade in build scenarios and where the petitioner proposed extending a turn lane or adding taper; and (2) the US-501 southbound ramp intersection, where left-turn movements could degrade and where the study recommended a signal or roundabout. The petitioner proffered to study traffic again after 375 units are approved (half-build) and to contribute a pro rata share to improvements; staff described that approach as vague and potentially placing an outsized funding obligation on the city. City staff and the developer discussed an existing $77 million interchange improvement program (VDOT/city) with a projected construction window that overlaps the applicant's schedule; engineers said that larger project does not fully eliminate the developer's mitigation responsibilities.

Project details and proffers: The petition seeks to develop 750 units consisting of 600 condominiums, 75 townhomes and 75 patio homes (developers also provided conceptual layouts with lower counts); proffers include unit-count limits, sales-only requirement, building height limits, and several traffic-related commitments. Staff noted conceptual layouts were not proffered and the petition included language allowing the developer to change layouts based on market demand.

Commission action: After extensive public comment and staff presentation, a Planning Commission member moved to approve the petition as submitted; a second followed and the motion passed 4-1. Staff recommendation for denial was noted in the record. The commission's approval forwards the petition to City Council with a favorable recommendation; Council will make the final rezoning decision.

Ending: The commission's vote moves a controversial, large-scale residential rezoning forward in Lynchburg despite staff concerns on traffic mitigation language and enforceability of proffers. City Council will receive the petition and the record for its consideration.","The Planning Commission voted 4-1 to approve a petition to amend Lynchburg's future land use map and rezone roughly 53.33 acres on Wigginton Road to allow up to 750 residential units. Staff recommended denial, citing traffic impacts and vague proffers; developers and several residents argued the project would expand homeownership options.","actionData","errors"]

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Planning Commission votes 4-1 to forward floodplain ordinance update to City Council

Planning Commission approves West Point rezoning petition 4-1 despite staff concerns about traffic and proffer language