Commission debates M1 protections, expansion caps as it forwards Neighborhood Design District (Cider Hill) ordinance and comp-plan amendment

The Winchester Planning Commission on Sept. 16 advanced amendments to the Neighborhood Design District (NDD) zoning ordinance (TA-25-5) and considered a companion comprehensive-plan amendment to expand the Cider Hill NDD to include four parcels totaling about 92.78 acres.

Planning staff explained that the NDD text changes “expressly grandfather” M1 uses that existed before the rezoning and, as drafted, would allow a 10% expansion by right and up to 20% expansion with a conditional use permit (CUP). Staff described three policy paths presented to commissioners: keep the 10% by right / 20% with CUP (staff/PED option), require a CUP for any expansion above 10% (planning commission preferred compromise), or allow unrestricted expansion by right (property-owner/stakeholder option). Mr. Reddy said, “M1 uses that were in place before the rezoning are expressly grandfathered.”

Commissioners extensively debated the proper balance between protecting existing industrial/manufacturing businesses in Cider Hill and preserving the long-term vision of the Neighborhood Design District as a more mixed-use, walkable area. Several commissioners, noting that the NDD was intended to be flexible and to accommodate the area’s industrial heritage, said they wanted to support existing small manufacturers and allow room for them to grow without undue delay. Others emphasized the need for a predictable transition toward the NDD vision and questioned whether uncapped expansion would frustrate that long-range plan.

Practical considerations were discussed: the CUP application fee was noted to be roughly $575 (application + required mailings), and staff said that CUP review would provide public notice and commission oversight if used to regulate expansions beyond the by-right threshold. Commissioners discussed possible numeric thresholds (10%, 20%, 25% or 30%) and whether a temporal limit (allow expansion for a defined number of years) could provide certainty to property owners while preserving long-term planning goals. Commissioner discussion produced a range of proposals in the record: several commissioners favored increasing the by-right expansion to 20% or 25% and requiring a CUP for any expansion beyond that figure; others preferred a commission-review requirement for greater-than-10% expansions but without a fixed cap in the ordinance text.

Other edits in the NDD ordinance packet drew detailed discussion: staff described new sign regulations tailored to the NDD that aim for a “human scale” and walkability while balancing visibility along major connectors. The ordinance text also adds a CUP allowance for limestone retaining walls in certain locations and expands the list of permitted “community amenities” to include playgrounds, community gardens, picnic canopies and fire pits. Commissioners requested clearer graphics for the “core area” definition and asked staff to remove an interior-amenity floor-space requirement for small multifamily buildings. Planner Nathan said his team reviewed local examples (Hanley Crossing, Oakstone) and adjusted sign-area guidance accordingly.

The related comprehensive-plan amendment to add about 92.78 acres on the western side of Cider Hill would bring currently low-density-residential–zoned parcels into the NDD concept plan area. Christopher Myers, attorney for Winchester Cold Storage, addressed the commission on behalf of his client and stated opposition to rezoning their particular M1 property (605 North Loudoun Street), asking that the client retain M1 zoning; staff and commissioners clarified that the 92.78-acre comp-plan amendment under consideration does not include that parcel and that existing M1 uses would be recognized in the NDD text as proposed.

After substantial deliberation about thresholds and text edits, the planning commission moved to amend TA-25-5 in several ways during the meeting record: members proposed deleting the small-building interior-amenities requirement (14.3-14.2(a)) and recommending that the by-right expansion be set higher than 10% (several commissioners expressed support for a 20–25% by-right allowance with CUP review above that threshold). The commission voted on a motion recommending the ordinance text as amended (including a 25% by-right expansion and CUP review for greater expansions, and removal of 14.3-14.2(a)). The motion was seconded and carried in the recorded voice vote; staff confirmed that the amended text and the commission’s changes would be forwarded to the PED committee and City Council for consideration.

The comprehensive-plan amendment to extend the Cider Hill illustrative concept to include the western parcels also received a recommendation from the commission; staff said the newly added area is largely undeveloped land currently zoned low-density residential, and the change would guide future redevelopment and connectivity with adjacent neighborhoods.

Next steps: the ordinance text amendments and the Cider Hill comp-plan amendment will be forwarded to the City Council (and PED committee where applicable) with the planning commission’s recommended edits; staff indicated graphics and final text clarifications will be included before Council review.