Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Residential Density topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission debates possible density increases for Jolina Court as Select Board readies June 2 hearing
Summary
Commissioners discussed scenarios the Select Board might request — raising base density to 24 units/acre (≈72 units) and adding bonuses to reach up to 90 units — and debated outreach, traffic and height implications ahead of the Select Board’s June 2 meeting.
The Richmond Planning Commission spent substantial time on May 21 discussing residential density scenarios for the Jolina Court project after the Select Board asked the commission to revisit density and height limits.
Chair summarized what the Select Board signaled at its recent meeting: an interest in higher residential density and possibly raising building heights. Commissioners reviewed options including increasing base density to 24 units per developable acre (which would bring the project total to roughly 72 units) and combining that change with the commission’s proposed residential density bonus to permit up to 30 units per developable acre (about 90 units total).
Commissioners and staff outlined practical implications. “If we allowed them to go up to 30 units per developable acre, then they would be able to put a total of 90 units in their whole project,” the Chair said while illustrating unit allocations between building one and two. Staff noted the developer (Buttermilk) may prefer certainty for financing; others warned higher density could require increases in building height or footprint and could affect traffic.
Public engagement and timing were central to the discussion. Several members urged posting an informational notice on Front Porch Forum to let residents know the Select Board will consider density on June 2; others cautioned against publicizing speculative figures before the Select Board issues formal direction. The commission also discussed whether the Select Board would leave the public hearing open for further testimony or close deliberations after the June 2 meeting.
Safety and technical constraints were noted: staff reported the fire department has signaled it can accept heights higher than 35 ft provided fire and safety standards are met; the commission also said it is obtaining a legal opinion on height and other zoning ambiguities.
Why it matters: changes to density and height would materially affect the scale of new housing in the village, traffic impacts at the Bridge/Railroad intersection and the financing timetable for developer projects. The Select Board’s June 2 meeting is the next public step for direction.
Next steps: the Select Board will discuss residential density on June 2; the commission will await the Select Board’s direction and prepare revised zoning language as requested.
