Leesburg planning commission debates downtown parking rules and payment-in-lieu provisions

The Leesburg Planning Commission on July 10 spent the bulk of a work session on a proposed zoning rewrite discussing downtown parking requirements, the town's payment-in-lieu program and exceptions that allow some residential projects to buy parking rather than provide it onsite.

Commissioners heard staff review a raft of changes to development standards, including a new approach to parking that adds a ratio for more uses and, for the first time in the town's rewrite, both minimums and maximums for some land uses. Mike Watkins of the town staff said the draft retains a payment-in-lieu option limited to the H-1 Old Historic District and that the commission could provide direction on whether to keep it.

Why this matters: the payment-in-lieu (PIL) provision has long been used as a tool to encourage investment in Leesburg's historic downtown by letting some developers buy credits instead of demolishing buildings or providing on-site parking. Commissioners said the provision affects redevelopment, downtown character and whether the town will need new public parking structures in the future.

Staff described the current PIL rule and its limits. Under the draft zoning language staff showed, payment in lieu is limited to the H-1 Old Historic District and generally applies to projects within 500 feet of the town's…