Notes from the Round Hill Town Council Meeting of 2/19/04 pertaining to the proposed Woodgrove Village
  • First and foremost, the Town is planning on holding a public input session devoted to this development. The suggested date is Tuesday, March 2 (assuming there are no conflicts on the Town calendar). The council expects this to be a lengthy meeting and will hope to formulate a response to the proposal based on the consensus gathered at the public meeting.
  • Apparently, the Round Hill Area Management Plan (RHAMP) allows for consideration of "two bumps up in density" of the property in question if certain criteria are met. By-right, the property allows for one unit per acre. A single bump would bring it to 1.7 units per acre; a second bump would allow 2.3 units per acre. (In their proposal to the county, Richmond American says it plans to develop the property a density of 2.5 units per acre, which they claim to be consistent with the Revised General Plan and the RHAMP.) (NOTE: Upon review of the RHAMP, the 2.5 figure is correct.)
  • The criteria for consideration of "density bumps" include reserving a certain percentage of land as open space and contributing property or facilities for municipal use.
  • Apparently, the developer may purchase land that is not contiguous to the developed area and use those acres to factor into the calculations of the open space percentages.
  • Within Richmond American's proposal to rezone to PD-H3, the developers are asking for a number of modifications to the county's zoning ordinance.
  • The Town is not in the position to oppose development outright. They are obligated to provide water and sewer for the by-right number of homes (44).
  • Under the RHAMP, the Town can propose conditions that must be met before the developer can increase density to 1.7 or 2.3 units/acre (which over 44 acres would be 76 or 101 homes, respectively). The public session will be used to help the Town decide what those conditions should be.
  • Richmond American has asserted to the county in its justification of zoning change application that the modifications are being requested in order "to provide for a seamless extension of the development pattern of the Town of Round Hill." Many of the modifications are related to lot sizes and setbacks. Are these modifications in fact in keeping with the development pattern of the Town?
  • During the course of the upcoming public meeting, objective arguments will be listened to over sentimental ones. One way or another, the pastures and cows will be gone. The Town must determine what level of development is acceptable and what the Town can reasonably demand in return.

Notes compiled by Kim Ramsey for Round Hill on the Record