Planning commission endorses Link Apartments rezoning, secures municipal parking pledge

The Harrisonburg Planning Commission voted to recommend that City Council rezone a cluster of parcels behind City Hall — commonly referred to as the Lindsay Funeral Home property — from R-3 to B-1C to allow the proposed Link Apartments, a six-story mixed-use development that the applicant proffers would include up to 265 dwelling units, a parking garage, and at least 2,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.

Todd Ray, land-use counsel for the applicant, said the rezoning follows goals in the city’s comprehensive plan and the Downtown 2040 plan to increase residential density close to the city center and to support downtown businesses. Ray said the development team negotiated voluntary proffers on architecture, transportation, parking and park access and emphasized that staff and city departments have thoroughly reviewed the proposal.

Key proffers and project features described to the commission include: - A maximum of 265 dwelling units, with a minimum of 25% of units configured as studios or one-bedroom units and a cap of 40% of units as four-bedroom units (the applicant explained many four-bedroom units would be four-bedroom/ four-bathroom suites commonly marketed to students). - A minimum of 2,000 square…