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Planning staff urge economic-priority mapping while commissioners debate mixed-use transition near Route 60
Summary
Staff presented Citizens Working Group recommendations to prioritize industrial and gateway-business land along Route 60 and other growth areas; commissioners pushed for more mixed-use 'economic opportunity' transitions near existing neighborhoods and flagged VDOT/transportation and parcel-assembly constraints.
Planning staff reviewed past and proposed future land-use maps and the Citizens Working Group's recommendation to strengthen the county's commercial/industrial tax base. The presenter said the strategic plan aims for an 85/15 residential-to-commercial tax base, while staff estimated the county currently sits near a 93/7 split.
Staff outlined land-use-category changes between the 2010, 2019 and 2021 maps: village residential and village center areas were scaled back in later iterations while commerce/commerce-center, gateway business, industrial and an 'economic opportunity' category were introduced or expanded. The presenter said these changes concentrate employment uses along Route 60 and within special-study growth areas.
Staff identified economic-priority parcels in the East Growth District (the CWG report cited roughly 2,850 acres) and flagged large adjacent tracts — a 650-acre parcel near the approved data center and a 232-acre parcel — as potential light-industrial candidates if owners and infrastructure permit. The presenter also noted the presence of many small industrial parcels near Oakbridge that are commercially zoned but remain vacant or held by one owner, limiting near-term development.
Commissioners asked whether some gateway-business parcels near Holly Hills ought to be converted to 'economic opportunity' (a mixed-use transition) rather than strict economic priority. "Why wouldn't you use economic opportunity as another bridge between all commercial up at 60 and larger residential outside of the growth area?" one commissioner asked. Staff responded that economic-priority designations aim to reserve land for long-term employment uses while economic opportunity allows mixed uses and a residential component.
Commissioners also raised transportation and VDOT capacity concerns: several said VDOT review and road capacity have constrained earlier attempts to add village centers along Route 60, and staff acknowledged that VDOT consultation will be part of future project-level reviews.
Staff proposed a Unified Development District (UDD) tool — a single, flexible master-planned zoning district for growth areas — to simplify approvals for mixed-use master plans, including light industrial, retail and residential components, with required buffering and design standards.
Staff and commissioners agreed no map changes were adopted at the workshop; commissioners encouraged additional mapping alternatives that increase buffer/mixed-use transitions near existing neighborhoods. Staff will draft clarifying notes and continue the discussion at a follow-up workshop (tentatively Dec. 10 at 3 p.m.).
