Planning commission recommends Fredericksburg move Jeremiah Community supportive‑housing project to city council

The City of Fredericksburg Planning Commission on Oct. 23 recommended that City Council consider a package of approvals for the Jeremiah Community, a permanent supportive‑housing development proposed by MICA Ministries and partners.

Staff told commissioners the proposal includes four linked applications: a comprehensive plan amendment to permit a vacation of right‑of‑way and a transect boundary change; a zoning map amendment to rezone 25.92 acres from R2 Residential to Planned Development Residential (PDR); a special‑use permit for institutional housing to allow 189 units; and a request to vacate 1.289 acres of unbuilt right‑of‑way on Rothman Road and Bakersfield Lane. Staff recommended the commission forward the comp‑plan amendment, rezoning and special‑use permit to council subject to acceptance of the applicants’ proffers and phasing plan.

MICA’s director, Megan Cotter, described the project as consolidated permanent supportive housing with on‑site support services, a community center and a health clinic. Cotter said the design reduces travel time for case managers and permits coordinated services that are now delivered in scattered sites. ‘‘It costs $35,000 to leave someone on the street and do nothing,’’ Cotter said, adding that she estimated about $12,000 to place an individual into housing and provide supports.

Key proffers and site commitments offered by the applicant include:

- Phasing narrowed from four to two phases and a requirement that no residential occupancy be permitted in phase 1 until the community center is constructed on the property and ‘‘prepared to make available’’ the list of supportive services described in the proffers; the applicant said a temporary structure may house the center for the project’s first 40 units. - A minimum of 25% open space on site (staff cited 8.72 acres of open space, including roughly 3.5 acres of formal open space). - A 50‑foot buffer around a northern wetland and proffers to minimize disturbance around steep slopes (staff noted about 6.78 acres of steep slopes exist in the rezoning area). - Internal roads will be privately maintained 20‑foot all‑weather roads designed to fire marshal standards; the fire marshal has reviewed the concept and is comfortable with the proposal.

Public testimony was mixed. Sam Shukas, housing and community health program director at the George Washington Regional Commission, told commissioners the project would markedly improve the region’s ability to serve people experiencing homelessness by consolidating units and services. Several faith‑based and community leaders urged approval, and a Marine veteran testified in support, noting veterans make up an outsized share of Fredericksburg’s unhoused population.

Opponents said the site and surrounding Bragg Hill neighborhood are ill‑suited to host 189 institutional units. Ann Little and a written submission from Frank and Maureen Wittick cited concerns about density, resident selection criteria, comparisons to other models such as Eden Village (Springfield, Mo.), and that nearby counties were not contributing funding.

Commission discussion focused on two questions: whether the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning provide an appropriate framework for institutional housing, and whether the proffers are sufficiently precise to ensure supportive services are available at occupancy. Some commissioners said the city needs clearer, code‑level guidance about ‘‘institutional housing’’ uses before endorsing large projects; others said the applicants had addressed staff concerns and that the commission’s role is to forward a recommendation with requested clarifications.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the hearing):

- Comprehensive plan amendment: commission recommended approval and will forward the amendment to City Council (staff recorded the commission recommendation as 4–1 in favor, allowing staff to refine draft language consistent with the commission’s direction). - Zoning map amendment (ZMA FY 2046) and Special Use Permit (SUP FY 02/2002): commission recommended approval subject to staff‑recommended proffers and phasing (recorded recommendation 4–1 in favor). - Vacation of right‑of‑way (vacation of 1.289 acres of undeveloped Rothman Road/Bakersfield Lane ROW, BAC2405‑002, GPIN cited): commission recommended approval to City Council (recorded on the record as 5–1 in favor).

Next steps: The items will be transmitted to City Council for public hearing and final action. The Planning Commission record contains the staff presentation, the applicant’s proffers and the public testimony read into the record; City Council will review those materials and the commission’s recommendations.