Planning commission examines RM, MU and Innovation Center test cases; staff proposes density and dimensional tweaks

Planning staff walked the Leesburg Planning Commission through three zoning “test cases” on Oct. 2 — Residential Medium (RM), Mixed Use (MU) and Innovation Center (IC) — using example parcels to show how the draft rewrite’s dimensional standards, open-space and stormwater requirements would affect redevelopment yields.

Why it matters: The commission is rewriting the town zoning to implement Legacy Leesburg policy goals (infill, housing choice and context-sensitive development). Test cases showed that stormwater, open-space and tree-canopy rules materially reduce theoretical yield if dimensional standards stay as drafted; staff proposed targeted reductions in lot widths, small adjustments to setbacks and changes to mixed-use ratios to better match policy aims.

RM (Residential Medium) test case Michael Watkins, Department of Community Development planner, presented a 4-acre block in the Lowenbach (Loanbach/Lowenbach) area to illustrate how dimensional standards plus required stormwater (assumed ~10% of site), required open space (10%) and 20-year tree-canopy requirements constrain achievable housing yields. He said a simple application of 6 dwelling units per acre would yield 24 units on a 4-acre block, but after applying stormwater, open space and tree canopy allotments and lot/dimensional standards the…