Virginia debates rezoning Midway parcel

VIRGINIA—The Virginia City Council Tuesday voted 5-2 to begin the process to rezone a piece of property north of the former Midway Motel.

Councilors Julianne Paulsen and Liz Motley, who voted against, favored sending the matter back to the Committee of the Whole for further discussion. An earlier motion to do that failed by the same 5-2 vote.

Community Development Coordinator Jenny Bourbonais said the request to rezone from R1 to R3 came from the property owner for some economic development moving forward. R1 allows for single family dwellings, while R3 could allow for multiple family residences or units. Depending on what’s proposed, some limited commercial or mixed use could be allowed, she added, but it would still be residential.

Paulsen, however, preferred getting an overall plan for the city’s property and how they should be developed. She would like to see that plan first before the city starts rezoning parcels.

Mary McReynolds, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, told the council the rezoning came up because there were developers interested in the parcel owned by John Fedo. Outside of the zoning, “the parcel is developer ready,’’ she said, with sewer, water and electric.

Councilor Steven B. Johnson was on board with starting the rezoning process. Three times last year people came to the council wanting to build multi-family homes that would raise the tax base and would lower taxes and distribute it more evenly, he said.

He found it ironic that the city is arguing about taxes going up and the levy going up, while the council is doing nothing at all to encourage residential development in the city. “Every time someone comes here, we throw roadblocks in their way.’’

Rezoning the site to R3 leads to a public hearing, Johnson stated, and quicker redevelopment of the property.

“I’m not here to create a roadblock,’’ Paulsen said. The council originally asked for maps and an overall plan, but that has not been done.

Mayor Larry Cuffe Jr. also said he was against moving the discussion back to the Committee of the Whole. The city will still have control over that property if it’s rezoned, he said, and the parcel could potentially go back to R1 after the public hearing.

“Changing zoning just moves the project along’’ and provides options moving forward, Cuffe added.