Lynchburg planning commission denies rezoning request for McVeigh Road property

The Lynchburg Planning Commission on Jan. 22 denied a petition to rezone roughly 1 acre at 1600/1602 McVeigh Road from R-1 (low-density residential) to R-3C (medium-density residential) that would have allowed construction of up to three duplexes.

Rachel (planning staff) told the commission the city’s comprehensive plan recommends low-density residential use for the site and that the surrounding area is dominated by single-family detached housing. She said the existing dwellings at 1600 and 1602 McVeigh Road date to about 1946 (approximately 1,100 square feet) and 2002 (approximately 768 square feet). The planning division’s technical review committee reviewed the petition on Dec. 3 and offered only minor comments, but the planning division recommended denial because rezoning to R-3C would not align with the future land-use map and could set a precedent for further densification along the corridor.

Amy Site, partner and principal engineer with AccuPoint Survey and Design, represented the property owners, identified in the petition as Deborah H. Dolan. Site said the owners also hold adjacent property to the north and that the intent was to create a new infill lot in the center of the two existing houses. She said all three lots currently use drain fields and would be connected to city sewer if redeveloped, and that the proposed attached housing would be designed to appear similar to single-family homes rather than conventional multiunit buildings. “We would ask that this be approved because it is R-3 directly across the street and in the general area there's a mix of development,” Site said.

Commissioners raised concerns about preserving single-family neighborhoods and the potential for incremental densification. Planning staff pointed to R-2 (low–medium density) as an alternative that would align with the comprehensive plan and would permit a single household residence to be inserted between the two existing homes without allowing duplexes.

Commissioner Tom Rogers, newly elected chair, called for a motion to deny the petition. The commission voted to approve the motion to deny; the chair announced a unanimous denial on the record, and the petition was therefore denied. “Good luck with city council. And maybe you'll be able to talk to Rachel more about it,” Rogers said after the vote.

The commission’s written record identifies the comprehensive plan and the city’s zoning districts (R-1, R-2, R-3C) as the guiding policy and regulatory context cited during the hearing. The applicant may pursue further conversations with planning staff or take the matter to city council as provided by the local review process.