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 feet of commercial space at street level. - At least 400 structured parking spaces to serve residents and visitors, with a separate memorandum of understanding (MOU) reserving up to 65 parking spaces for municipal and public use (the MOU language was proffered; exact operating terms to be determined with the city). - Proffers to extend Paul Street between Main and Liberty streets, provide sidewalk and pedestrian connections to City Hall and a planned downtown park, and grant easements for back-of-stage access to the park. - Sustainability-related commitments including rough-in for solar panels, at least 10 level-2 EV charging stations and indoor secure bicycle parking.

Staff said the applicant submitted a traffic impact analysis (TIA) that Public Works accepted in March 2025. The TIA modeled several intersections around the site and concluded that delays and queuing would increase only minimally under the study assumptions and that none of the changes warranted mitigation to be solely borne by the development; staff also noted the TIA assumed completion of the city’s planned Liberty Street reconstruction project (staff noted roughly $14 million in grant funding for the Liberty Street project and an anticipated construction window in 2027–2028).

On school impacts, staff reported the city used Weldon Cooper Center generation rates to estimate student generation. Under that methodology, staff said the 265-unit development would be expected to generate an estimated 88 K–12 students in the Keister Elementary attendance zone; for context, staff said Urban Exchange (194 units) currently generates three elementary students under the same methodology.

Commissioners asked questions about parking access, the 65-space municipal reservation and how the proffers and concept plan would be enforced during site-plan and building-permit review. The applicant’s attorney and project team said the ground-level municipal parking would sit at the entrance level of the parking structure and be available for City Hall employees and members of the public during specified hours; the exact operating details were to be finalized in the MOU. Commissioners also raised concerns about the proposed four-bedroom “by-the-bedroom” units and whether the building would primarily attract students; the applicant said a mix of students and non-students is expected and that the building would be professionally managed.

Todd Ray summarized the project as consistent with downtown policy goals. “The rezoning represents a logical extension of the existing Downtown B-1 Central Business District,” Ray said. He also noted the applicant’s financial projection that the site could produce substantial assessed value and property tax revenue compared with its current zoning.

Vice Chair Finnegan moved to recommend approval of the rezoning as submitted; the motion was seconded and the commission voted by roll call with all members present recorded voting aye. The recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for a public hearing (staff identified August 12 as the anticipated council date).

Votes at a glance - Rezoning: multiple parcels for Link Apartments (R-3 to B-1C) — Motion: approve recommendation to City Council; Mover: Vice Chair Finnegan; Seconder: Council member Dent; Outcome: favorable recommendation to City Council (unanimous among members present).

Next steps The proffers and the concept plan will be read together by staff during site-plan review; the MOU governing the municipal parking allocation and finalized details of the Paul Street extension, Liberty Street coordination and park easements will be subject to subsequent agreements and technical review by Public Works and other city departments.