Albemarle Co. Planning Commission recommends denying rezoning request for new development on Old Ivy Road

Old Ivy Road Development(wvir)
Published: Nov. 29, 2022 at 11:45 PM EST

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Tuesday evening, the Albemarle County Planning Commission hosted a meeting that drew in dozens of public comments. One big item on the agenda was looking at the controversial rezoning of an area near Old Ivy Road. Greystar Development is planning to turn it into 525 mixed housing units.

After dozens of comments from the public, the commission voted 4 to 2 to recommend not rezoning the land. The final decision will be made by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.

“Hopefully the supervisors will have seen that we wrestled hard with this and then we liked it, the development, but we also are trying to sort of figure out a way to get the various infrastructure in place,” Planning Commissioner Julian Bivins said.

Back in June, Greystar development came up with a proposal for the residential rezoning. After a few months of edits, they returned Tuesday with a new one.

“We wanted to really highlight where the top lots are and sport courts and walking trails, clubhouses, swimming pools, and sort of the layout of where various types of housing units would be located,” Valerie Long with Greystar said.

Greystar’s original proposal was met with some pushback.

“Some of the big issues that were laid out were traffic and affordable housing that had been mentioned. And what I said then, and I still very much believe now, is that we want to be good neighbors,” John Clarkson with Greystar said.

Greystar increased the number of affordable housing units to 15%. It also said it will build a left turn lane to help with traffic congestion.

“One vehicle waiting to turn left into another neighborhood can create backups. So by having turn lanes here, these residents won’t have those same problems. We’ll avoid those,” Long said.

One public commenter, a resident of University Village, was not convinced.

“You can see what I see every day. It is ludicrous to suggest that turn lanes on a busy road are going to slow down the traffic. The only thing that that is going to do is be accident city,” the commenter said.

More than a dozen people who live in the area said the roads are already unsafe for everyone.

“This leads to harrowing encounters that are even worse when opposing vehicles and pedestrians are present simultaneously. If development happens, more walkers, runners and bikers are expected -- as well as vastly more vehicles -- and the safety issues and dangers will definitely increase,” Deborah, a resident of University Village, said.

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