Petersburg delays decision on special-use permit for proposed assisted‑living facility at 36 West Fillmore Street

The Petersburg Planning Commission on Tuesday deferred action on a request to operate an assisted‑living facility at 36 West Fillmore Street and the City Council moved to shorten the period for the commission’s review, sending the matter back for further work and a report to council in October.

The item drew more than two dozen public speakers — some urging approval to expand senior housing options in the city and others saying the site is inappropriate for the proposed use and pointing to past regulatory problems at the location. Planning staff and the applicant said the facility will seek licensure from the Virginia Department of Social Services and that the owner has completed about $1.8 million in renovations to the roughly 22,000‑square‑foot building on about 1.3 acres.

Planning staff said the owner, SP 13 Properties LLC, seeks permission to operate an assisted‑living facility with up to 60 beds in the RB (office‑apartment) zoning district. The planning memorandum and staff presentation noted the property’s historical use as a senior care facility, the city comprehensive plan’s designation of the area as a “historic core neighborhood,” and the code requirement…