Two zoning proposals by Walk2Campus Properties and local residents Robert and Sherry Martin, which would have led to the development of at least one new student apartment complex, were tabled during the Town of Farmville's Planning Commission meeting on Sept. 27, according to Planning Commission Vice Chair John Miller.
Town Manager Gerry Spates said he proposed to table the rezoning requests because town officials want to review their comprehensive plan.
“We just felt that with all the concerns that the residents had, that we should re-look at our whole zoning ordinance and look at our comprehensive plan and just make sure that what we’re doing is going to be compatible with that plan,” Spates said.
According to Miller, the Martins submitted a letter to Spates on July 28, requesting to rezone their property. Then, Walk2Campus sent a letter to Spates on Aug. 1 requesting the same for some of their properties.
Two days before submitting the request, the Martins presented their plan to build a five-story apartment complex that could house an estimated 190 students on their property, according to the July 26 Planning Commission meeting minutes.
Spates stated rezoning the properties had zero cost; instead, tax revenue would have increased if the student complex was built, Spates said.
“We would have probably gotten more revenue from not only personal property tax and real estate tax but also from water and sewer tax fees,” said Spates.
Walk2Campus Farmville property manager Michelle Donnelly stated Walk2Campus wanted the same zoning consideration as the Martins.
“As a company that owns a lot of properties in that same area, we wanted the same opportunities,” Donnelly said.
Green Properties owner Charlotte Green said Walk2Campus CEO Matt King jumped on the Martins' request to rezone their property.
“It makes sense,” said Green. “If the Martins want to get it then he also wanted to get it.”
In response to the proposals, a group of Farmville residents organized to form, Farmville: This Place Matters, in opposition of the rezoning and removal of a town ordinance commonly called the density law to build the complex.
According to Spates, the density law allows for ten units per acre. By removing the density law, the town council would set any density restrictions.
“If they were to remove the density law, which that’s actually what they’re proposing is just to remove it, that would mean that in any residential district from R1 to R5 anybody could put up any kind of large apartment structure because there would be no density limitations,” said Longwood professor Julie Ross, a member of Farmville: This Place Matters.
According to Spates, Farmville has four business zones and six residential zones that range from and R1 to and R5. Each of these zones have certain restrictions, with R1 being the most restrictive and R5 being the least.
According to Ross, the biggest step in combating the proposals involved spreading the word and informing citizens about what the possible zoning changes meant.
“We quickly realized that people didn’t know that this was coming,” Ross said.
Ross stated while the tabling of the proposals was a step toward the group's goal, both the Martins and Walk2campus have yet to withdraw their proposals.
“Until those proposals are denied or withdrawn, the issue is not dead,” Ross stated.
According to Spates, the proposals don't need to be withdrawn as they are tabled.
“We’ve taken them off of our agenda, and they are going to have to be re-submitted,” Spates said.
Spates said the new comprehensive plan could take 12 to 18 months to complete.
“We need to take a look at our zoning ordinance," he said. "It hasn’t been updated in a long time and we need to see if we need to make some changes to those zones."
Spates stated the public could help develop the comprehensive plan. Ross said Farmville: This Place Matters plans to help as well.
“We are certainly going to monitor the progress of that to make sure the comprehensive plan looks very closely at zoning," said Ross.
Spates stated the comprehensive plan may eliminate the proposals when it's finished.
Spates said, “Depending on what the zoning ordinance comes back and says, when they do the final, whether or not the project would still be a viable project in this zone."
The Martins wanted to rezone some of their properties at the intersection of Oak, Appomattox and High Streets in order to allow the construction of their proposed five-story apartment complex, capable of housing around 195 students.
Property owners Robert and Sherry Martin requested the town to rezone a portion of their land at the intersection of Oak, Appomattox and High Street on July 28, hoping to build a five-story apartment complex to house college students.
