New Townhouse, Development Rules Head To Fredericksburg Planning Commission

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Changes intended to accommodate new types of townhouse development and revise several of Fredericksburg's urban design standards will go before the Planning Commission during a public hearing Wednesday, Sept. 23.

The proposed Unified Development Ordinance amendment would change regulations governing single-family attached homes and the city's Form-Based Code, including allowing as many as 16 stacked townhouse units on one lot in areas where Form-Based Code standards apply. City planning staff is recommending that commissioners send the changes to City Council with a recommendation for approval.

The Planning Commission meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, 715 Princess Anne St. The ordinance amendment, known as UDOTA FY27-02, is the only new public hearing listed on the commission's Sept. 23 agenda.

Changes Target Stacked Townhouses, Form-Based Code

A central part of the proposal involves "two-over-two" or stacked townhouses, where homes are arranged vertically as well as side by side. The city's existing ordinance already includes stacked townhouses within its definition of single-family attached housing, but planning staff said the current regulations do not reflect how these projects are typically designed and built.

Under existing rules, a traditional townhouse or vertical stack of two units generally sits on an individual lot. Staff said developers elsewhere more commonly place an entire row of stacked townhouses within one larger lot, which can make it easier to accommodate mechanical equipment, maintenance areas and other shared site features.

The proposed ordinance would allow up to 16 units on one lot when stacked townhouses are built in an area governed by a Form-Based Code. Each dwelling would still have to meet the city's street-frontage requirements.

Other proposed changes would reduce minimum lot sizes for single-family attached housing in the R-8 and R-12 residential districts and for certain building types governed by the Form-Based Code.

The amendments also would change design requirements. Building elevations facing formal open spaces would have to meet transparency requirements similar to those applied to street-facing elevations. "Park" would be added to the types of formal open space recognized by the Form-Based Code, and the city's definition of public and private parks would be updated.

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Another provision would create an optional development standard allowing some flexibility in minimum building setbacks next to alleys or open spaces.

City Council discussed potential changes to townhouse and Form-Based Code standards during a June 23 work session and formally initiated the ordinance amendment Aug. 25. According to planning staff, the changes grew out of recent development reviews and interest in bringing additional housing types, particularly stacked townhouses, to Fredericksburg.

Planning staff also examined whether the city should reduce parking requirements for attached homes. A review of eight recent or approved townhouse developments found that all provided more parking than the ordinance required. Staff therefore recommends monitoring existing requirements, including recently approved parking reductions near the Fredericksburg train station and FXBGO! Central, before considering another reduction.

The Planning Commission can make a recommendation on the ordinance amendment, but final action would rest with City Council.

The commission also is scheduled Wednesday to discuss its draft Status of Land Use Annual Report. Staff is recommending that commissioners finalize and transmit the annual report and Capital Improvement Plan recommendations to the city manager and City Council.

Residents may speak during the ordinance public hearing. Written comments must include the writer's name, address and ZIP code and be received by the city's Community Planning and Building Department by 2:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting.