The New Kent County Planning Commission voted to forward an exception request to the Board of Supervisors that would allow a proposed parking area at 9101 Boulevard Road in Providence Forge to remain gravel and waive the overlay district requirement for a five‑foot sidewalk across the property frontage. Patrick Silva, principal planner with the Department of Community Development's Planning Division, presented the staff report and recommended approval.

The exception concerns requirements in the Commerce Corridor overlay district that "all parking areas be paved with concrete, asphalt, or similar material" and that a sidewalk of no less than 5 feet "be provided across the frontage of any property," as described in the county code. Silva said the applicant is requesting the exception "to allow the proposed parking area to instead be surfaced with gravel and to waive entirely the requirement to provide a sidewalk across the site's frontage."

The request is tied to the ongoing conversion of the disused Providence Forge Hotel building to office use by Overbright Properties, NKC LLC. The applicant, William Phelps, told commissioners that permeable pavers had not been considered for this small lot and described the applicant's approach to managing runoff: "No. Not to be honest, no. It's not something that we considered. This parking lot is so small. We're actually proposing to amend the soils around the entire site to a un compacted state for stormwater," Phelps said.

Staff and environmental reviewers told the commission they saw benefits to the requested gravel surface in this specific location. Silva summarized the rationale presented by the applicant and staff: gravel was proposed to "facilitate the orderly discharge of stormwater runoff from the site" and to avoid concentrating runoff in a low‑lying area that has experienced flooding and erosion. Silva noted a historic river‑stone wall along the property's Boulevard Road frontage and said placing a sidewalk forward of that wall would require work in the state right of way and could create unsafe pedestrian conditions where the site is set back from Route 60 and bounded by CSX tracks.

Commissioners asked about alternatives and long‑term durability. Commissioner Townsend asked whether "stormwater block" or permeable pavers were considered, noting that gravel "has tendency to move on you and or either sink." Silva and staff replied that permeable pavers are an option but generally require more infiltration testing and design to meet Virginia Department of Environmental Quality specifications; staff also said the proposal includes nearly 17 cubic yards of soil amendments around the site to improve infiltration and that the stormwater calculations reviewed by staff show the plan would meet water quality requirements.

Commissioner Bennett expressed concern that an aggregate surface can be hardened later by owners resurfacing with asphalt or concrete without triggering a reexamination of stormwater controls. He proposed, and commissioners adopted as an amendment, a condition that any future paving or increase in impervious area must include stormwater management facilities. Bennett said, "I would suggest that that be a condition of the approval." Silva agreed to coordinate a plan note so the condition would remain with the approved plan and apply to future owners.

The applicant described the proposed parking material as 21A stone (a crush‑and‑run aggregate) rather than a lighter decorative stone and confirmed that ADA access would be provided: "the actual handicap spot in aisle will be concrete, and then there'll be a new sidewalk that actually connects it to the top of the building," Phelps said, with the first two parking spaces to be concrete to allow access into the office.

The commission's motion to adopt Resolution PC‑14‑25 forwarded the exception request with a favorable recommendation and the added condition on future paving and stormwater management. The recorded vote was: LaRochelle — aye; Moyer — abstain; Dr. Schmidt — aye; Johnson — aye; Dombrowski — aye; Townsend — aye; Reverend Hathaway — aye; Thomas — aye; Bennett — aye; Davis — aye. The motion passed and will be considered by the New Kent County Board of Supervisors.

The commission's action is a recommendation only; final approval of the exception, and any associated conditions, rests with the Board of Supervisors. Staff indicated it will place the agreed condition on the approved plan set so that future resurfacing requiring increased impervious area would trigger the required stormwater measures.