[{"_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",6512781,"mediaKeyId","5085935-7fa45409dcb95ce68e27b102feced3c4","parentId",5085935,"title","Winchester planning committee pauses Side Hill rezoning after local industrial businesses raise finance and expansion concerns","audioSeconds",3914,"startMs",140000,"endMs",4054000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5085935-7fa45409dcb95ce68e27b102feced3c4&start=140&end=4054","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5085935-7fa45409dcb95ce68e27b102feced3c4/thumbnail_140000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6512781/Winchester-City/Frederick-County/Virginia/Winchester-planning-committee-pauses-Side-Hill-rezoning-after-local-industrial-businesses-raise-finance-and-expansion-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512781-6225e04c3ce8b0e6cf6062cef9c48452/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448420&Signature=c9Oxi5W2FYWG9CaVZlZ-AXTqe7Ph9HJLLIfNWLEmKcPpyOvoDAQyWDZHFUg1Bmwr1gZDUjr1UjjJP-Zhpfkya7rZtdznLk0D9z73CbriE9Yt1NBfuFIqJZKA9-FvVTUelmyURRHRD5NWoVGdvP~ekcNfEqdrwTlt1NtV1ALSbfs-kjiMfSV1ZLsFFF9hRXrZAqDUQRIt-22pwvMzdTHXMyek36d~b7wYXQCzRyKmzsk46fL-6QyIOr2LoATX7vSjRNejUS8BYf9dN3kJl1dHN2zXiAi3IBnXVQk413YPy2Zd2valW7NNRNW9~lPZJns05gx7J330H9OskmjosfsfIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Winchester","date","2025-06-26T00:00:00Z","article","The Planning and Economic Development Committee continued a city-sponsored rezoning of roughly 97 acres in the Side Hill area — the Side Hill Neighborhood Design District (NDD) rezoning — after business owners and city staff discussed how the NDD could affect existing light-industrial operations.

The committee did not vote to send the rezoning forward and agreed to revisit the item at its August meeting, asking staff to meet with affected property owners beforehand.

City planning staff told the committee the NDD is intended to \"allow a flexible mix of commercial, residential, other uses and create a focal point\" for future redevelopment in Side Hill while implementing recently approved plan changes. Staff described several accommodation options for existing M1 (light industrial) uses now mapped into the NDD, including limited by-right expansion of nonconforming uses (staff cited example expansion thresholds such as 10%), a conditional-use path for larger expansions and the option of making M1 uses permitted in specific mixed areas. Mike Ruddy said the city could revise the NDD text to apply such accommodations across all NDDs or tailor them to Side Hill.

Business representatives argued that labeling long-established industrial operations as \"nonconforming\" creates a financing and marketability problem. Tom Willis, general counsel for National Fruit (also referred to as White House Apple/National Fruit), told the committee: \"I don't really wanna use your your property as collateral because to me, it looks like maybe the city's, you know, got plans for your property that's inconsistent with what you're doing now.\" Willis said his client had asked the city to exclude its property from the NDD or, alternatively, to allow M1 uses to remain permitted and expandable \"by right and not limited.\" He described lenders' likely response to a nonconforming designation as a risk to borrowing and to corporate deals, including acquisitions.

Representatives of Winchester Cold Storage also said they want to continue operating on their current site and retain the ability to expand. John Scully said, \"we would like to be left alone and be able to do what we've been doing for a hundred years on this site.\" Peter Yates, also with Winchester Cold Storage, added that the term \"nonconforming\" carries a damaging perception: \"It's a word. It's also a perception.\"

Committee members and staff discussed compromise options. Suggestions included a targeted text amendment to the NDD that would either: (1) allow existing industrial uses to expand by a modest percentage (staff used 10% as an illustrative figure during the discussion), (2) create a conditional-use mechanism for more substantial expansions, or (3) explicitly allow existing M1 uses to remain permitted only for businesses in place as of a specified cutoff date while limiting new industrial uses.

Staff flagged implementation concerns: a change that broadly re-permits M1 uses inside every NDD could undercut the NDD's redevelopment goals in other neighborhoods. That led several committee members to favor a tailored carve-out for Side Hill rather than a citywide change. Committee members asked staff to draft language that protects existing businesses’ operational and financing needs while preserving core NDD objectives and to meet with affected property owners before returning to committee.

The committee moved to continue the rezoning item to the August meeting so staff could work with property owners and bring a draft amendment or alternative that the committee could consider.

If the committee and property owners reach agreement, staff said options include (a) rezoning the parcels now and bringing a text amendment back to define expansion allowances, or (b) holding the property rezoning until a text amendment is finalized so rezoning and the ordinance change proceed together. The committee and business representatives left the item open for further negotiations and scheduled the item to return in August.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Winchester - City Council - Planning and Economic Development Committee - 2:00 PM - Jun 26 2025 - Jun 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Planning and Economic Development Committee continued a city-sponsored rezoning of roughly 97 acres in the Side Hill Neighborhood Design District after business owners warned the change could make long‑established industrial operations \"nonconforming,\" complicating financing and future expansion.","taxTitle","Winchester City, Frederick County, Virginia","taxId",5107,"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},6512777,"PED committee forwards three permits and a subdivision recommendation, and continues Side Hill rezoning to August",1145,4495000,5640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5085935-7fa45409dcb95ce68e27b102feced3c4&start=4495&end=5640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5085935-7fa45409dcb95ce68e27b102feced3c4/thumbnail_4495000.jpg","/articles/6512777/Winchester-City/Frederick-County/Virginia/PED-committee-forwards-three-permits-and-a-subdivision-recommendation-and-continues-Side-Hill-rezoning-to-August","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512777-d186ca0a23a5a8b3e8289ef79466fdd6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448420&Signature=cyFXa4NVh4Yf1Io6xUZjHg~ySwvXCy1etze5N7aA5N5FoGuH44BlbT9IMaE-uwTx3XnWbLvwwcuLKr54FXD3EM-feH4uewi5Ys9UY9uah2iGUYEEZy452rYE4PbdwHJWSvNIHw5YJHu3kBclXm8aaXfsyxRYoniy53GZIwuttbdj~PJ6Z1rbBN7j8oUBNHILo9lxxLFpgWXwBlWKMyYB1d20XX6c4tTMtDh95sguroc~Hktch0QNI2Hx3z5p9iP5zWPlQO4ACkRF4xKYKHVGy2dJEWYGNWO1wrBEjACuLVv90ODaYOv30AXTG4Fa8NMRFMd3Mf6NXy6T25wt2OTkMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its meeting the Planning and Economic Development Committee took four formal actions: it continued the Side Hill/NDD rezoning to August, recommended approval of a conditional-use permit (CUP) for an 8-foot chain-link fence at 570 North Cameron Street (subject to conditions), recommended approval of a CUP for 30-foot non‑ornamental light poles at 1840 Amherst Street (Winchester Medical Center), and recommended approval of a preliminary major subdivision for the Linden Drive townhome project (SD-25-2).

CUP — 570 North Cameron Street (CUP-25-226): Planning staff said the proposed 8-foot chain-link fence is required by CSX along the parcel’s frontage adjacent to the railroad. Staff noted the fence meets the requirement for 25% openness. The committee recommended approval and attached three conditions: submission and approval of a zoning fence permit; the fence shall not exceed 8 feet in height in the designated area; and the approval allows the fence to be replaced in perpetuity as long as an active railroad is present. The committee’s recommendation forwards the CUP to city council for final action.

CUP — 1840 Amherst Street (CUP-25-227): Winchester Medical Center requested a conditional-use permit to install 30-foot non‑ornamental parking lot poles within the Amherst Street Corridor Enhancement District, where the standard is a 20-foot ornamental fixture. Staff told the committee the taller fixtures would match existing 30-foot poles elsewhere on campus and could reduce the total number of poles. The committee recommended approval; staff noted any future change in fixture design different from the approved CUP would be subject to further review.

Subdivision — Linden Drive Townhomes (SD-25-2): The committee recommended approval of a preliminary major subdivision creating 91 parcels (and a total of 136 dwelling units when condominium parcels are considered) on the former middle school site. Staff described coordination with public services and fire to extend a street hammerhead to accommodate trash trucks and preserve usable public park acreage; the developer’s site plan will include park improvements that the city will accept and own once completed. The committee forwarded a recommendation for final plat approval to city council, subject to staff review and final site-plan alignment.

Procedure and next steps: The Side Hill rezoning was continued to the committee’s August meeting to allow staff and property owners additional time to negotiate possible text amendments and carve-outs. The three items the committee recommended for approval will proceed to city council with committee recommendations and any required advertising for public hearings.

Summary of formal actions recorded by the committee at this meeting: 1) Continued the Side Hill NDD rezoning until August for further staff/property-owner work; 2) Recommended approval of CUP-25-226 (8-foot fence) with conditions and forward to council; 3) Recommended approval of CUP-25-227 (30-foot light poles) and forward to council; 4) Recommended approval of Subdivision SD-25-2 (Linden Drive) and forward to council for final plat action.","The Planning and Economic Development Committee recommended council approval of three items — an 8-foot chain link fence conditional-use permit, a 30-foot light pole conditional-use permit and a preliminary major subdivision — and continued the Side Hill/NDD rezoning to August for additional staff work with property owners.","actionData","errors"]

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Winchester planning committee pauses Side Hill rezoning after local industrial businesses raise finance and expansion concerns

PED committee forwards three permits and a subdivision recommendation, and continues Side Hill rezoning to August