Planning Commission recommends special‑use permit for 40‑unit supportive housing at 1812 Erickson Ave

The Harrisonburg Planning Commission on April 9 voted to recommend approval of a special‑use permit allowing Market Commons LLC (Valley Housing Trust) to build two three‑story buildings with 40 efficiency or one‑bedroom units at 1812 Erickson Avenue, forwarding the application to City Council for final consideration on May 13.

The proposal is for a nearly two‑acre parcel identified as Tax Map Parcel 115 C 6 in the B‑2 General Business District. Staff described the project as permanent supportive housing (PSH) intended to serve people with vouchers who reportedly cannot find landlords in the local rental market. Staff recommended approval with a set of conditions and asked that the applicant provide a sidewalk or shared‑use path between Erickson Avenue and the adjacent Walmart property; the commission voted to approve the special‑use permit as submitted by the applicant, with staff’s recommended condition as amended and a requested extension of the time period to establish or diligently pursue the permit from 36 to 48 months.

Staff told commissioners the development plan calls for two three‑story buildings, 20 units each, with the development plan governing future engineered site plans. The applicant offered five self‑imposed conditions summarized in the staff presentation: (1) limit dwelling units to efficiencies or one‑bedroom units; (2) provide a minimum of 0.5 off‑street parking spaces per dwelling unit; (3) limit buildings to three stories;…