Winchester committee forwards Cider Hill rezoning, text changes and comprehensive-plan update after industry concerns

The Planning and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday recommended approval of a package to create the Cider Hill Neighborhood Design District, amend NDD zoning language and update the city's comprehensive plan map for the area.

The committee voted to forward three linked items: a text amendment to the NDD regulations (O-2025-27) that clarifies how existing industrial (M1) users are treated, a city-initiated rezoning of 97 parcels to the NDD (O-2025-17), and a comprehensive-plan amendment (R-2025-37) that would add certain vacant parcels west of the existing district to the Cider Hill concept. The motions carried after extended public comment and discussion among committee members and staff.

The action matters because it changes how longstanding industrial businesses in the northern part of Winchester may expand, while putting a planning framework in place for future redevelopment in a corridor the city identifies as a redevelopment catalyst.

During public comment, Christopher Myers, an associate land-use and zoning attorney with Walsh Colucci representing Winchester Cold Storage, asked the committee to note his client's opposition to any rezoning of its property at 605 North Loudoun Street and to the proposed comprehensive plan change affecting that site. "Our client desires to retain its ability to expand and intensify its use without restriction or obtaining a conditional use permit," Myers said.

David Gummer, identified in the record as CEO of National Grid, told the committee he and other industrial property owners do not want to be constrained by the NDD's proposed growth limits. "We would like to not be included in any of this rezone," he said, pressing staff and the committee for clarity on the objective of the proposal and for fewer limits on growth. Phil Glaze, owner of Glaze Apples, warned the committee that anticipated assessment increases if nearby land redeveloped could harm small agricultural and packing operations: "Our agriculture business there cannot afford, tax increases such as that," he said.

City staff and the planning commission framed the package as an attempt to balance the NDD's long-range neighborhood vision with protections for existing industrial operations. Planning staff reviewed several options: the city-sponsored approach had initially proposed a 10% expansion allowance by right with up to 20% by conditional use permit (CUP); the planning commission recommended a 25% expansion by right, with greater expansion subject to a CUP. Committee discussion ranged from supporting an unrestricted buy-right option for existing M1 uses to accepting the planning commission's 25% standard.

After debate, a majority of the committee accepted a staff amendment recommended by the chair and moved to forward the text amendment revised to allow current M1 uses to continue "by right" under the NDD rather than treating them as nonconforming. That motion was described in staff presentation as effectively removing growth caps in the ordinance as drafted for the affected M1 parcels; staff said the exact draft language and an adoption date would be prepared for council.

The committee also discussed financing tools and how the Neighborhood Design District could be paired with targeted tax-increment financing (TIF) to fund infrastructure in the district without raising the city's general tax rate. Staff explained TIF revenues would be dedicated to the defined project area for infrastructure improvements and observed that the mechanism is intended to limit generalized tax increases.

On the comprehensive plan amendment, planning staff said the proposal merely adds a concept-plan graphic for roughly 14 acres west of the existing NDD to reinforce a long-standing expectation that those vacant LR-zoned parcels are suited for lower-density residential development and potential civic uses; the amendment would not rezone property or change current LR zoning by itself.

Committee members repeatedly emphasized the desire to avoid harming existing businesses while preserving the city's long-term redevelopment vision. One committee member asked staff to ensure that any final ordinance language would allow flexibility for established industrial operators to invest and grow while preserving the city's ability to realize the NDD's redevelopment objectives.

The items will now go to the full City Council for public hearings and final decisions. Planning staff said they would provide corrected ordinance text (including a fix to a typo that still referenced 10% where the planning commission recommended 25%) and a council packet that shows the core-area mapping and the refined grandfathering language for M1 uses.

Votes at a glance (related to the NDD package): The committee voted to forward O-2025-27 (text amendment) with a recommendation for approval amended to allow M1 uses by right; it voted to forward O-2025-17 (rezoning of 97 parcels) with a recommendation for approval; and it voted to forward R-2025-37 (comprehensive-plan amendment) with a recommendation for approval. On each motion the minutes record "Aye" and "That motion carries." No roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.

What happens next: Staff will prepare final ordinance language and supporting maps for City Council, schedule public hearings and advertise the proposals. Council will consider the text amendment, rezoning and comprehensive-plan change in later meetings.