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Existing Zoning:
Refer to the attached Zoning Map for the Morrisville and its environs.
The map marks the properties that are currently zoned Rural
Residential (RR-2; 1,468.62 acres), Residential (R-1; 838.44
acres), Neighborhood Commercial (C-1; 26.2 acres), Highway
Commercial (C-2; 41.15 acres) and Industrial (I-1; 39.30 acres).
Without deleting floodplain acreage, and considering existing homes,
soil/drainfield and other associated development constraints, the
hypothetical number of homes could total 1,488.
Using the 2000 Census ratio of 2.75 people per unit, that
housing total could yield a population of 4,092 people.
To provide some perspective, the Bealeton Service District
has over 1,200 acres planned for residential development, while
the Morrisville Area has over 2,300 acres zoned for residential
uses. This amount of
service district styled residential zoning and acreage is not
representative of a rural village area.
Chapter 7 (Land Use Plan – Villages & Settlements) of the
Comprehensive Plan:
The
Village
of
Morrisville
, as represented in
Chapter 7 of the Comprehensive Plan, is located predominantly
southwest of Route 17, and does not include any of the latter
referenced RR-2 zoning. It
needs to be noted that this Comprehensive Plan chapter has not
been updated since 1987, and the
Village
of
Morrisville
plan element reflects a
historic density similar to that in Bealeton and Marshall.
The plan promotes a density greater than existing zoning
within the Village. The
Planning Commission will be initiating the review and update of
this chapter in 2003.
Residents in this area and other similar locations continue to request
that the historic design, character, restricted development scale
of these villages and settlements must be preserved. The update of the
referenced chapter becomes more time critical as the County
incrementally initiates and completes the requisite historic
survey requirements, which will result in the addition of 21
villages and settlements to the National Register of Historic
Places and the Virginia Landmarks.
Village Scale & Proffer Policy:
The Dyson property is bordered by
Brook Store Drive
and
Morrisville Road
, and it abuts three lots
with homes which are also zoned C-1.
Across the street and to the northeast of the applicant’s
property is the
Morrisville
United
Methodist
Church
, a fixture within the
community since 1850, although it moved from its historic
location, just south of this tract in the 1880’s.
Near the church property is the former site of the
Morrisville
Teacher
Training School
, which was one of the
first public schools in
Virginia
to provide a secondary
education.
The proposed rezoning from C-1 to R-1 would result in 5 lots, including
a 11.62-acre lot, which includes an existing home and farm
buildings. As part of
the Proffer Statement, the applicant has proffered to deed
restrict the residual 11.62 acres from any further subdivision.
The resulting overall project density is one lot per 3-acres.
That subdivision is more in keeping with the existing
residential properties in the immediate vicinity, accents the
center location of the historic portion of the Village with open
space and vistas of the rural community, and is proposed at a
density scale far more in keeping with the Village’s historic
development.
The Board of Supervisors adopted its Proffer Policy on
October 21, 2002
.
There are times when a residential rezoning application
will occur outside the service districts and not fit the normal
review parameters. This
application has proposed a downscaling of use more compatible with
existing and historic development patterns.
The referenced proffer policy allows the Board of
Supervisors to consider other unique aspects of such projects when
assessing its capital impacts on schools and other basic
facilities.
Paragraph B,
Methodology and Policy Terms of the Proffer Policy, provides
direction for these situations.
The following item in that section explains some of those
circumstances; the underlined portion represents a proposed
refinement currently being considered by the Board of Supervisors,
which provides further clarification:
4.
Fauquier
County
will continue to consider any unique circumstances about a
proposed development that: (i) mitigate the development’s
projected impact on public facilities; and (ii) create a
demonstrable reduction in capital facility needs; and (iii)
provide for the preservation of
Fauquier
County
’s historic features and rural viewsheds, including but not
limited to, our villages and settlements.
Unique circumstances may include, but not be limited to,
participation in regional road projects and , affordable
housing projects, or proposals that protect historic or rural
landscape elements.
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