Council postpones public hearing decision on rezoning of 10.6-acre parcel at Bonham and Old Airport

Bristol City Council voted Jan. 13 to postpone consideration of a zoning map amendment (ZMA03-2024) for a roughly 10.6-acre parcel at the intersection of Bonham Road and Old Airport Road until the council's first meeting in February.

The applicant seeks to change the property's zoning from M2C (manufacturing with conditions) to the flexible redevelopment district (FRD). Jay, planning staff, told the council the site was "approximately 10.6 acres" and that FRD would "give the applicant more options for development," including a range of commercial, light industrial and, potentially, residential uses permitted in the FRD.

Staff and other departments commented on conditions. Jay noted that deed-restrictive covenants tied to the Bristol Industrial Park are separate from zoning and would require approval by the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and the owners of the industrial park to be amended. Jay also referenced Code of Virginia sections in the staff report and summarized staff concerns: traffic impacts at the intersection would require a traffic impact analysis for any site plan, and economic development staff said rezoning without a known proposed use is not recommended because the covenants limit likely development options.

Council members pressed staff and an applicant representative for clarification on the interplay between zoning and the private covenants. Council questions included whether residential uses could be placed on the site under the current covenants ("It is not," Jay said) and what percentage of industrial-park owners must approve covenant changes (Jay: "2 thirds"). Discussion also covered historical attempts to develop the site, sewer-capacity concerns raised during prior proposals, and the city's pending Smart Scale funding application for intersection improvements.

Given the outstanding questions about the intended use, traffic impacts and the process for amending the private covenants, Councilman Farnam withdrew a motion for first reading and offered a new motion to postpone. The council voted to postpone the first-reading ordinance to the first meeting in February by unanimous roll call.