Frederick Planning Commission advances Melodon Cottages and updates on site plans

The Winchester Planning Commission convened on June 3, 2025, to discuss various ongoing projects and updates within the city. The meeting began with a brief acknowledgment of upcoming committee reports and a reminder about the next three county meetings scheduled for the following days.

The commission then moved on to the status of projects currently under review. It was noted that items previously discussed by the Planning Commission were progressing well. Specifically, the right-of-way along Oak Drive received a recommendation for approval, while the right-of-way vacation on Whitlock Avenue was forwarded without a recommendation due to significant concerns raised by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee regarding its viability.

An updated site plan project status report was presented, highlighting that no new major site plans had been submitted in the past two weeks. However, a resubmittal of the Ward Plaza site plan was anticipated shortly.

One of the key projects discussed was the Melodon Cottages, a cottage housing development utilizing the cottage housing ordinance. This project, located on the unbuilt section of Frederick Avenue near Grafton, proposes 12 cottage-sized homes with a mix of one- and two-bedroom units. The developer successfully acquired ownership of six existing single-family lots, which had multiple owners, and is now moving forward with the site plan under review. This development marks the first use of the cottage housing ordinance, which has been in place for approximately 15 years.

Additionally, the commission inquired about the Mormon Tavern project, which has progressed to having an approved site plan and a land disturbance permit.

The meeting concluded with a sense of optimism regarding the ongoing developments and the potential for future projects in Winchester. The commission looks forward to reconvening in a few weeks to continue discussions on these and other matters.