Planning commission forwards Belmont Cove rezoning with conditions after debate over unit sizes and sidewalks

The Loudoun County Planning Commission on March 14 voted to forward the Belmont Cove rezoning and associated map and concept plan amendments to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval, amended during the work session to include a commitment that at least 50% of the units be 2,600 square feet or smaller (gross floor area) and other conditions.

The application covers about 14.6 acres in the Ashburn election district and requests rezoning of roughly 8.19 acres from PD-OP (planned development — office park) to R-16 ADU to permit 78 single-family attached units. Staff presenter Darby Metcalfe outlined multiple outstanding items at the work session: staff said residential unit size remained an unresolved concern, sidewalks along all streets anticipated by the 2019 Countywide Transportation Plan were omitted in parts of the plan, and the application needed clearer delineation and proffers for "public and civic" space versus "active recreation". Metcalfe told the commission "based…