FREDERICKSBURG, VA — The Fredericksburg Planning Commission voted 7-0 Wednesday to recommend a collection of zoning changes prompted by legislation passed this year by the Virginia General Assembly.
The proposed Unified Development Ordinance amendment addresses manufactured homes, temporary wireless structures, solar facilities, battery storage, data-center site assessments and off-street parking requirements. The state requirements took effect July 1.
City Council initiated the amendment process July 14 and will have the final say on adopting the changes. Parking near the city's transit facilities generated much of Wednesday's discussion and the only public comment during the hearing.
The state legislation limits how much off-street parking Fredericksburg can require for residential development within a half-mile of the Fredericksburg train station and the FXBG GO! central bus station.
Within those areas, the city could require no more than one parking space per dwelling for single-family homes, two-family homes and townhouses. Multifamily and mixed-use residential developments could be required to provide no more than half a parking space per dwelling.
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The law also requires localities with populations of more than 20,000 to establish an administrative process through which projects outside the designated transit areas may seek at least a 20% reduction in parking requirements.
Fredericksburg already has an alternative parking-plan process that allows the zoning administrator to approve reductions when an applicant provides information showing that a development needs fewer spaces than the ordinance would otherwise require. The city's proposed amendment would add a reference to the state requirement to that process.
Hamilton Palmer, a Caroline Street resident, told commissioners the parking changes could have "unintended consequences." He asked the city to study how the reduced minimums could affect existing on-street parking, sight distances at intersections, commercial parking demand and the potential need for additional public parking.
Commissioner Stuart Penninger later asked whether staff should conduct a parking analysis. Chair David Durham said such a study would be reasonable but should be pursued separately because it would not change the state-mandated limits contained in the proposed ordinance.
Staff also clarified that the new requirements would not change residential density limits. Existing parking exemptions, shared-parking provisions and alternative parking reductions could not be stacked to produce multiple reductions for the same project.
The amendment would treat qualifying manufactured homes no more restrictively than site-built single-family homes in zoning districts that permit such homes.
To qualify, a manufactured home would have to be converted to real property, receive a certificate of occupancy within five years of its manufacture date and be placed on an individual lot. Historic-district regulations would continue to apply.
Zoning Administrator Kelly Machen said the city's existing definitions of manufactured, mobile and modular homes are confusing and effectively prevent some of those housing types. The amendment would revise the definitions and remove the separate definition of a mobile home.
The commission also discussed whether preapproved building plans could encourage smaller and potentially less expensive homes. Staff said preapproved plans are one option that could be considered as part of the city's forthcoming housing study, particularly for accessory dwelling units.
Another portion of the amendment would establish standards for temporary wireless communications structures. The regulations address permit requirements, height, how long structures may remain and removal after an approval expires.
New data-center provisions would require a site assessment before the city approves a rezoning, special exception or special-use permit for a data center. The assessment must include a sound study addressing residences and schools within 500 feet of the proposed property.
Penninger raised concerns about whether a sound study would reflect noise from backup generators during periods of high energy demand. Machen said nonemergency generator use would be included in the city's noise requirements, while emergency generator operation is treated differently.
Later in the meeting, Machen said sound studies must be completed and certified by an engineer. The city could commission its own study if residents reported excessive noise or officials questioned a facility operator's findings, she said.
The amendment also would require certain solar facilities generating at least 1 megawatt to be considered through a special-exception process in agricultural, commercial, industrial or institutional districts unless they are otherwise permitted by right.
Battery energy-storage systems would be permitted as accessory uses with approved solar projects, provided their capacity does not exceed the solar facility's generating capacity.
Commissioner Thomas Johnson moved to recommend approval of the amendment. Penninger then requested that staff revise a reference from "the historic district" to "a historic district" and ensure that procedures for future rezonings involving the Technology Overlay District comply with state law. Commissioner Jane McDonald seconded the motion.
Johnson, Penninger, McDonald, Durham, Vice Chair Carey Whitehead, Secretary Dugan Caswell and Commissioner Joseph Winterer each voted for the recommendation.
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