Council hears citywide capital‑impact study briefing and two Old Town pre‑applications for major redevelopment

At the Feb. 24 work session the Planning Department and outside consultants briefed council on a citywide level‑of‑service (capital impact) study, and staff presented pre‑application briefings for two major Old Town redevelopment concepts.

Capital impact study: Eric Foreman and consultants from Tishler Buys said the project will deliver an Excel‑based capital‑impact model that links new residential/nonresidential development to infrastructure needs (schools, parks, police and fire facilities, transportation) and supports calculation of "reasonable" cash proffers under Virginia law. The model will produce static per‑unit impact numbers and a dynamic tool to test rezoning scenarios. Consultants noted legal constraints (proffers must be reasonable and proportionate and funds generally must be spent within a statutory timeframe) and said an anticipated deliverable is due mid‑2026.

10340 Democracy Lane (pre‑application): City planner Claire Schweiger said the applicant is seeking a rezoning to Plan Development Residential (PDR) for a six‑story multifamily building with approximately 260–280 units, about 458 structured parking spaces and roughly 28,000 sq ft of connected open space. Staff recommended conformity with the small area plan, improvements to the Layton Hall sidewalk, a tree inventory, and relocation planning for existing office tenants. The applicant’s representative, Chris Love (Capital City Real Estate), said the existing 60,000‑sq‑ft office is about 50% occupied and trending downward.

Courthouse Plaza (pre‑application): Staff described a phased mixed‑use proposal for the Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center and adjacent parcels that would rezoned to Plan Development Mixed (PDM). Phase 1 shown in the concept would add a six‑story mixed‑use building with about 315 upper‑story residential units and 12,500 sq ft of new ground‑floor retail plus facade work on retained retail. Phase 2 would add further mixed‑use buildings and more retail; the applicant estimated a net loss of existing retail square footage on the site at full build out. Planning staff requested further analysis on pedestrian and vehicular connections, sewer capacity, signal relocation feasibility and the timing of phased work.

What council heard: A technical briefing on an impact model designed to inform policy for cash proffers and multiple developer pre‑applications that now enter the city’s review process. Council and the Planning Commission asked for clarity on height, open‑space design, retail mix and tenant relocation strategies during subsequent reviews.