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Board denies conditional use permit for 159-unit apartment project north of Central Crossing
Summary
The Board voted to deny a conditional use permit for a 159-unit, mostly one-bedroom apartment complex (CP-4-2022) on King William Road after residents raised privacy, lighting and noise concerns and supervisors said the site may not be the right fit.
The King William County Board of Supervisors voted to deny a conditional use permit (CP-4-2022) for a proposed 159-unit multifamily development on King William Road, opposite King William Rec Center and north of Central Crossing.
Planning staff briefed the board that the site is zoned R-1 but the comprehensive plan designates the parcel for commercial uses; the applicant, represented in the hearing by Mark Baker, proposed a single L-shaped three-story building with clubhouse, pool and 238 parking spaces. The applicant told the board the design had been revised since planning commission review — reducing the number of buildings from five to one, lowering unit count (the applicant said the final proposal is 159 units, a majority one-bedroom), increasing building setbacks and retaining or enhancing tree buffers.
Several nearby homeowners who back directly onto the site spoke in opposition. Jessica Budd and Chris Budd said the proposed three-story structure would sit on higher ground and overlook backyards, reducing privacy and increasing noise from vehicles, balconies and a clubhouse. They asserted the existing topography would require regrading and likely require removal of mature trees that currently provide screening. Other speakers stressed light pollution from parking-lot and building lighting and the proximity of parking spaces to rear house windows.
Supervisors expressed concern about density, potential impacts on emergency services and schools, and the proximity of a three-story building immediately adjacent to long-established single-family lots. The planning commission had failed to reach a recommendation (a 2–2 vote with one abstention), sending the application to the board with no recommendation. After discussion, the board voted by roll call to deny the conditional use permit.
The developer and staff said the design changes were intended to respond to neighbors’ concerns, including a double row of evergreen plantings, a six-foot perimeter vinyl fence, and a commitment to an emergency-response plan to be reviewed by the planning department and fire chief at site-plan stage. With the board’s denial, the applicant would need to submit a substantially different plan to be reconsidered.
The case has been in review since 2022 and drawn repeated neighbor comment and multiple revisions.
