|
Update:
The Board of
Supervisors held its most recent work session on this item
on October 9, 2008. A public hearing on this item was also
held on October 9, 2008, and the public hearing was closed.
Minor corrections have been made to the amendment since that
work session, and the illustrations of the boulevard concept
have been simplified.
Topic
Description:
This
amendment (Attachment 1) identifies areas within the
Bealeton Service District that are appropriate for a mix of
uses.
In the
current Comprehensive Plan, town center design principles
are generally called for throughout the Bealeton, Opal and
Remington Service District. The Bealeton Town Center is
specifically targeted as a mixed-use area. To further this
mixed-use concept, areas planned for commercial land uses
have been re-evaluated for a mix of uses, including
residential development. Specifically re-evaluated were the
areas identified on the Bealeton Service District Land Use
Plan for Town Center (#2), Commercial Office (#1) and
Institutional/Office (#4). It is now proposed that Area #1
be designated as Commercial Office/Mixed Use and Area #4 be
designated as Institutional/Office/Mixed Use (Attachment 2).
Land use category #2 (Town Center) is
the existing retail center of Bealeton. This text amendment
anticipates the redevelopment of this area with a
traditional town form, including a grid street network.
Vertically integrated, mixed-use buildings are encouraged in
this area and should be two to three stories in height.
Residential units may be located over commercial or other
ground level, non-residential uses. Other residential
options for this area include live-work units and
multi-family structures.
Land use
category #1 (Commercial Office/Mixed Use) and land use
category #4 (Institutional/Office/Mixed Use) should contain
a dominant presence of commercial uses. A variety of office,
retail, service and institutional uses should be included,
with a particular emphasis on institutional uses in category
#4. Residential uses could include a combination of
residential units over commercial uses, live-work units,
townhouses or multi-family units, with small lot single
homes at the outer edges.
The
proposed text also includes town center principles for
Bealeton Town Center. Some of these are contained in
Section 1 of the Bealeton, Opal and Remington Service
District Plan and include pedestrian orientation; a
rectilinear pattern of blocks and interconnecting streets
and alleys; and parks and open spaces. Other town center
principles included in the proposed text include a mix of
uses within buildings; sidewalks to accommodate activities
such as outdoor dining; and focal points such as civic
buildings, square, park, monument, sculpture, etc.
No changes to the service district boundary are proposed
with this amendment.
Planning
Commission Action:
On April 24,
2008, the Fauquier County Planning Commission unanimously
recommended approval of a version of this text amendment.
The version of this amendment recommended for approval by
the Planning Commission placed a greater emphasis on land
use category #2 (Town Center). The Planning Commission
viewed category #2 as the true town center of Bealeton.
Planning Commissioners did not want retail development in
land use categories #1 and #4 to compromise the retail
vitality of category #2. |