Greene County is getting more new senior housing, trying to compete with Albemarle County and Fluvanna County. The boomers are here, so we need housing to meet their needs.
Read more in this article that was posted on http://www.greene-news.com/ the week of 12/13/07:
http://www.greene-news.com/news1.shtml
More Senior Housing
BY SUSAN GIBBS
Record Reporter
December 13, 2007
Greene will be home to 200 more senior residences, the County's Board of Supervisors decided at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, November 27.
Three members of the Board - Chairman Steve Catalano and members Jeri Allen and Mickey Cox - voted to change the zoning on 48.76 acres on U.S. Route 33 and Carpenters Mill Road from A-1 Agriculture to SR Senior Residential.
The homes, to be built by the Fried Companies, will be incorporated into its Wood Park development, which has already been approved for 400 senior residences.
"There are things that need to be worked out, but I think with this parcel being inclusive of two sections, it will actually make a better development, a well-planned development," Catalano said.
Allen said that senior residential development is "the best kind of economic development."
"With this we get property values, we get taxpayers who are, in most cases, contributing far more than they consume in the cost of the services they require," Allen commented. "We get customers for our economic development, and we get volunteers for our clubs and organizations."
Cox agreed.
But Board member Buggs Peyton, who voted against the rezoning, noted that primary access to the development would be located off of U.S. Route 33. He expressed concern about the additional traffic that road will have to bear.
"The intersection of (U.S. Routes) 33 and 29 as it exists today is almost unbearable," Peyton said.
Steve Jones, executive vice-president and chief operating officer for Fried Companies, countered that point by saying that "senior (residents) is they don't travel at peak hours."
"They're not going out in the morning to work, so they're not creating additional traffic," Jones said. "They go out at off-peak hours and typically come back in before evening."
Jones also added: "We had a traffic study done that said the additional units are negligible. There are no additional traffic problems."
Board member Patsy Morris, who also voted against the rezoning, objected to the proffers of $580 per unit offered by the applicant.
"To me $580 is … cheap for a proffer when we have other things that we need in our county," said Morris. "I'm all for the senior residential … but there's going to be an impact on our rescue and our fire (and rescue)," Morris said.
Zoning Administrator Bart Svoboda, however, pointed out that the "proffers for a single family unit is $5,771."
"If you take out the school-related portion of that, it comes to $580," he said.
Regarding fire and emergency services, Cox said, "With every county around us (helping out), I don't think that is a matter of impacting (Greene)."
Both Morris and Peyton also expressed concerns about water and sewer.
Jones reminded the Board that Fried Companies had entered into a memorandum of understanding with the County that it would help the County find water.
"We gave you rights to drill on properties that we owned or controlled. You found some … ground water wells to supplement the water source of the County. We are in the process of giving those sites to you right now," Jones said.
About sewer facilities, Jones added: "The line is not an adequate size. It would have to be upsized. As with all of our residential properties, we pay for that sewer … these 200 units will bring an additional $4 million in connection fees. That goes a long way to pay debt on the sewer treatment plant."
Peyton asked if there was a "continued increased demand for age-restricted communities."
Svoboda said: "It's today's current national trend."
According to the County Planning Department's analysis and effect of this development: "Given the climate and cultural attractions in and around our community, Central Virginia is becoming a choice location for such developments."
Jones referred to the Four Seasons development on U.S. Route 33 West when he responded: "I know Four Seasons (has) a rolling plan where they do not build a house until they've got one under contract … 76 houses are up and the clubhouse is getting ready to be … finished."
Prior to asking for a motion, Catalano said, "The point is well-taken about the proffers."
He continued: The (Capital Improvement Plan) is going to be revised … a house, $400,000 value, at a minimum, no children in it, will more than adequately cover the burden on emergency services. It's up to the body politic to make sure that they actually use the funds in the appropriate manner to fund those things."
The age-restricted units, as defined by the applicant and allowed by the County, consist of single family detached dwelling units, duplex units, triplex units, town homes, patio homes, condominiums or apartments.
No building permits for dwelling units on the property will be requested for issuance prior to June 1, 2010.
Jones said he is unsure as to when construction will actually start.
"(The development) is going to be driven by the market," said Jones. "The whole planning process takes years. We don't have a customer yet."
Karen
www.move2va.com
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