The Planning and Zoning Commission on July 10 approved a Level B site plan for a Verizon training facility at the Bridal Parkway campus, with conditions addressing landscaping, screening and hours of operation.
Staff described the proposal as converting an underutilized portion of the Verizon property into an accessory training area for line-worker instruction. The proposed layout shows pole arrays (26–45 feet tall) to simulate field conditions and space for about 12–16 Verizon vehicles (Fios vans and line trucks) and several small trailers for staff and storage. Staff recommended additional evergreen screening on the west edge to better buffer the adjacent Bridal Farms neighborhood and proposed removing two of the westernmost training lanes to increase separation from residences.
Applicant Todd Huntington (Langan Engineering) told commissioners the design is modeled on Verizon’s Leesburg, Va., training site and that typical on-site presence would be about 30 people at peak, with roughly 12–16 vehicles staged and 4–6 support vans. He said most trucks are off and used intermittently during training; some training exercises use vehicle power and will generate noise. He also said the building renovation adjacent to the site is a separate submittal.
After discussion, the commission approved the site plan 5–0 with conditions requiring (among other items) added evergreen plantings to reach at least 50% evergreens in the western buffer, a maximum mound slope of 4:1, and restricting on-site training activities to Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Commissioners explicitly discussed fencing options and asked the applicant to return to staff with fence details if Verizon decides a fenced storage area is needed.