Monday night's meeting was held to solicit the input of nearby residents to determine what specific policies the Committee to Amend Round Hill's Comprehensive Plan should consider when revising the document.  The discussion generated a long list of citizen concerns as well as a list of the types of businesses residents would and would not like to see. (For more information on the meeting, see Commercial Workshop 5-3 notes.)

The following issues were discussed:

• Lighting -- both overhead lights and traffic headlights -- should not be intrusive
• Concern over the views of the development from surrounding residences; residents do not wish to look over rooftops to see A/C units, etc. and do not wish to look into loading docks, blank walls, etc.
• Flow of traffic into/out of development
• No 24-hour operations (gas stations, convenience stores) should be allowed; nothing that would have activity in late hours
• No gas stations
• No outstandingly bright white lights
• Desire for standard hours of operation; no later than 9 or 9:30 p.m.
• Lighting should be focused, capped/shielded for dark skies
• Buildings should be visually screened from residences
• Possibility of sloping rooflines to hide views of rooftop from higher elevations
• Exterior utilities should be screened from view
• Concern over noise after hours, esp. with deliveries
• Desire to limit size of "anchor store"; is it feasible not to have an anchor? Most developers will not build without an anchor
• No "big box" Wal-Mart, Home Depot size stores
• Screening should be evergreen or trees
• Discussion of pros and cons of walls, including congregation points for loiterers, graffiti, maintenance issues
• Discussion of pros and cons of pedestrian connectivity to residences; concern over amount of pedestrian traffic across front and back yards, easy accessibility for toddlers to wander into commercial area; proposed possible gazebo entrances with steps to create accessibility with visual transition from residential to commercial areas
• Buildings should be single-story or two-story townhouse style buildings similar to Purcellville's properties next to the train station
• No parking spaces should face the exterior (avoid headlights shining into residences)
• Develop setback requirements and buffer zone between residences and commercial area
• Concern over the increased traffic on Evening Star Drive; when and how will this be widened to four lanes and be transferred from HOA maintenance to VDOT?
• Town is able to limit both building footprints and height
• Desire for everyday community based shopping, not a regional draw
• No strip-mall design with large open parking areas
• Town should control grading both high and low
• Town should limit marketability from the highway (Rt 7 bypass); no big signs, no rooflines that are visible over the homes, don't block views of the mountains from residences
• No walkways along the back of properties
• Design should incorporate elements from Streetscape Master Plan (brick sidewalks, plaza, elevated crosswalks, lights)
• Design should respect the orientation of homes in respect to "punchthroughs" for pedestrian access
• There should be no exterior trash dumpsters to minimize rodent problems
• Possibility of requiring interior loading docks and trash dumpsters
• Town must update sign ordinance
• Lights should be "old town style"
• No fast-food restaurants
• Possibility of first-floor storefronts with second-floor professional office space
• Stress pedestrian access from central areas of Town
• No neon signs
• Limit height and dimensions of signs
• Preferred monument style signs, or drop down signs under canopies on stores

Comments on Business Types