Council tables vote on 750 Leesville Road rezoning and conditional-use permit after resident concerns

The Lynchburg City Council voted to table three related land-use matters involving 750 Leesville Road — an amendment to the future land use map, a rezoning from R-1 to R-3, and a conditional-use permit (CUP) to allow 88 townhomes — until the council’s first meeting in February 2025.

Staff presentation: Rachel Freischhuysen, planning staff, said the 11.73-acre property is currently zoned R-1 (low-density residential). The petitioner asked to amend the Future Land Use Map to medium-density residential and to rezone the site so it could be developed as an 88-unit townhome project. Freischhuysen said the Planning Commission recommended approval on Oct. 9 and that the city’s transportation engineer concurred with the petitioner’s traffic analysis, which concluded a dedicated left/right turn lane was not required but a right-turn taper was warranted.

Developer presentation and mitigation proposals: Developer Andy Maddox described site constraints and said his team met with nearby neighborhoods and adjusted the site plan in response to residents’ concerns. He told council the plan preserves about 20–22 feet of existing trees along the adjacent Wexford townhomes, includes a retaining wall, a new fence and an additional planting buffer (Leland cypress), and lowers building grades to reduce sightlines from neighboring units. Maddox also said site engineering showed roughly 20–25% of the runoff impacting homes behind the site originates on the developer’s parcel and that his design would redirect and detain stormwater toward Leesville Road; he emphasized, “Not only do we have to hold our water, we have to clean our water.”

Public testimony: Supporters — including immediate neighbors and property managers — told council they met with the developer and the Wexford Homeowners Association and that the petitioner had adjusted the plan in response to concerns. Opponents focused on traffic safety and stormwater. Property owner Michael Harrison said he has video evidence of a multi-vehicle crash on Leesville Road and warned: “Leesville Road is a very dangerous road as it is and is not ready for further expansion until much needed improvements are made.” A representative of Lakeland Association said the neighborhood’s lake is already sediment-filled, needs repair, and that additional runoff could increase sediment and flooding risks.

Council deliberations and action: Council members raised the project’s potential cumulative impacts on traffic and neighboring low-density neighborhoods, questioned whether the proposed townhouse density was appropriate for the R-1 context, and noted the distinction between approving a plan and funding any associated public improvements. Council Member Sheets moved to table the items to the council’s first meeting in February to allow additional work on traffic and stormwater concerns; the substitute motion was seconded and carried (tabling vote recorded as 4–2). The council then voted to table each of the three related items to the first February meeting; the tabling was recorded by roll call as carried (final tabling votes recorded as 4–2 for the initial substitute motion; subsequent procedural votes were recorded in the minutes).

Next steps: Tabling preserves the status quo zoning and postpones final action until council reconsiders the FLUM amendment, rezoning and CUP at the first meeting in February. Staff, the petitioner and neighbors are expected to continue technical discussions on stormwater mitigation and traffic improvements, and additional analyses or revised plans may be submitted to council in advance of the resumed consideration.