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Planning staff previews Sept. 16 agenda: variance requests, 375‑unit proffer adds 7% attainable housing
Summary
Planning Administrator Caitlin Alcock briefed council on 11 items for the Sept. 16 agenda, including a subdivision variance, sign and nonconformity requests, and a proffer modification for 375 multifamily units that adds a 7% attainable‑housing commitment for at least 10 years.
Caitlin Alcock, the city's planning administrator, briefed Virginia Beach City Council on 11 items scheduled for the Sept. 16 agenda, summarizing staff recommendations and Planning Commission actions.
Alcock described Item 1, a subdivision variance request for a parcel at 970 Whitehurst Landing Road in District 1 that was improperly created by deed in 1968 and has a 10‑foot lot width where the code requires 75 feet; staff reported no opposition and the Planning Commission recommended approval.
Item 2 would allow relocation of a legally nonconforming freestanding BP sign at 1689 Laskin Road; the sign exceeds ordinance limits for height and face area and the applicant requests a reduced setback because a portion of the property was acquired for a road project. Public Works staff confirmed the proposed location presents no infrastructure or visibility issues and the Planning Commission recommended approval on consent.
Item 4 is a modification of proffers for a proposed multifamily project at 1276 Baker Road (a previously briefed item). Alcock said the applicant added a proffer that 7% of the 375 units would be designated as attainable housing for households earning up to 100% of area median income; that designation would last at least 10 years. The Planning Commission recommended approval after the applicant added the proffer.
Alcock also summarized three conditional‑use permit requests for short‑term rentals, noting some prior zoning complaints and one letter of opposition raising concerns about affordable‑for‑sale housing and parking. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the STR requests on consent for two and on the regular agenda for one.
Other items include a text amendment to Article 24 (Western Campus Overlay District) to allow a 10‑foot minimum ground floor height for residential buildings in Pembroke SGA, and a floodplain ordinance amendment to permit administrative variances for FEMA‑defined functionally dependent uses while clarifying appeal procedures and grandfathering rules.
Alcock briefed council on an appeal of the Historical Review Board's denial of an after‑the‑fact certificate of appropriateness for a six‑foot white vinyl privacy fence in the North Landing Estate subdivision; HRB denied the request because the Historic and Cultural District design guidelines prohibit vinyl fencing. Council discussed potential requirements for removal and replacement and legal appeal options.
Alcock said staff had not received opposition for many items and that the Planning Commission recommended approval on most items. The items will appear on the Sept. 16 council agenda for formal consideration.
