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Board denies rezoning sought to protect historic Monte Vista house; adjacent landowners and preservationists clashed
Summary
The board voted to deny a request to rezone a 5‑acre parcel containing the Monte Vista historic house from M‑1 to RA, after testimony from preservation advocates and adjoining industrial property owners; vote was 6‑1 to deny.
The Frederick County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 11 denied a request to down‑zone a 5‑acre property on Valley Pike that includes the 1883 Monte Vista residence, a property listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
County planning staff presented the request, which sought to change the parcel from M‑1 (Light Industrial) to RA (Rural Areas) with the stated goal of preserving the historic home in situ. Miss Peloquin, planning staff, said the property’s history and its listing on the National Register were factors in the application.
Speakers were sharply divided. Alexandria Von Hill, a partner with Foundation Data Centers, said the current M‑1 zoning is integral to a planned adjacent data‑center project and that rezoning would create buffer requirements that could make neighboring industrial parcels unusable for their planned purposes. Karen Beck Herzog of Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park urged preservation, describing Monte Vista’s national historic significance. John Goode, an owner of adjoining industrial property, warned that denial of industrial zoning on a parcel that has been zoned M‑1 since 1975 would materially harm adjacent property owners and future industrial development.
After discussion of buffers, conditional use implications and possible preservation easements, Supervisor Jewell moved to deny the down‑zoning. The motion passed on a roll call: Leiero Aye; Lockridge Aye; Vice Chair Aye; Wells No; Dunn Aye; Jewell Aye; Chair Aye. The chair announced that the down‑zoning was denied.
The decision leaves the property in its current M‑1 classification. Board members and staff discussed preservation options such as historic easements as an alternative path to protect the house without changing the parcel’s zoning classification.
