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Woodland Heights Development Approved

A Richmond City Council committee gave tentative approval Tuesday to a proposed development in the Woodland Heights neighborhood despite residents' objections.

This is the second time the permit request has come to council. In January, numerous residents complained to City Council that the request was completely different than what the developer first said he'd build; went against the master plan; and that they had not been properly informed about the development.

The property includes 700 Cowardin Ave., 701 W. 19th St., 705 W. 19th St., 715 W. 19th St. and 1701 Stonewall Ave., south of the river near the Lee Bridge.

After trying to meet with residents briefly at the time, the developer ended up withdrawing his special use permit request in March.

The new request includes several changes made at the request of neighbors, according to city planner Roy Benbow and Andrew M. Condlin , an attorney with Williams Mullen who represents the developer.

The differences include reduced buildings heights, more parking options and smaller units.

Though some nearby neighborhoods support the developments, discussions with residents in Springhill and Woodland Heights came to a halt, Condlin said, after the developer refused to reduce the number of units from 200 to 100.

According to Condlin and Benbow, that property has three different types of zoning -- industrial, commercial and residential -- that already allows (by right) for 200 units, but has different restrictions and requirements for each. Therefore, the special use permit would allow the developer to build a more attractive development.

The handful of residents in attendance at Tuesday's land use, housing and transportation committee meeting repeatedly shook their heads in disagreement with the assessment that the developer already had a right to build 200 units there.

The proposed development would be a four-story high-rise building marketed as luxury condos, but if the condos don't sell, then they could be rented in the $910 to $1,600 price range, Condlin said.

That rental option is part of residents' fear that the units don't sell or rent at such a price, lease terms and rates could be reduced to allow college students, Section 8 and other transient residents.

They also criticized the traffic study, saying it wasn't accurate.

Residents also told the committee that the sheer size of the project was a problem, telling committee members that the development would be larger in footprint than the Library of Virginia, larger than a city block and twice the size of the Manchester Courthouse.

But councilman Marty Jewell (5th), whose district the project is in, and committee members Kathy Graziano (4th) and Doug Conner (9th) said the project would be a great improvement for that area, which is considered a gateway to the city.

"I have a very difficult time with this development because I hear the concerns of the residents," said Graziano, who is chairwoman of the committee. "I live across the street from a by right development and it's not always an easy thing. There was no conversation with anyone.

"At least, this special use permit gives you some control. The way (that area) looks today is a detriment to your neighborhood."

Graziano and Conner recommended the permit request go before the full council while committee member Ellen Robertson (6th) said she would withhold her decision until she had time to meet with the developer to answer further questions.

The permit request will go before council at its June 9 meeting.

The committee was also slated to hear from the Mayor L. Douglas Wilder administration on its progress with residents regarding the new trash can fine ordinance, but no one from administration showed up.

The ordinance, which went into effect May 1, fines residents $50 a day through their utility bill if they put their trash and recycling out too early or leave it out too long. City residents are required to remove their trash and recycling bins by 7 a.m. the day after pickup, and are not allowed to set their trash out for collection before 4 p.m. of the previous day.

The mayor, who didn't initially veto the paper five months ago, filed an ordinance asking council to repeal the ordinance because it was "an unlawful use of the city's taxing authority."



The administration believes its repeal ordinance speaks for itself, and any further work needs to be done by council, according to Wilder press secretary Linwood Norman .



"The ordinance on $50 daily fines for receptacles was introduced by Councilman Tyler. Times are tight, and we don't need another unfair burden on the taxpayers," the mayor said in a statement.

"As mayor, I am asking council to repeal their action because these fines are excessive and represent an additional another form of taxation that our citizens do not want."

Graziano said her inclination was to strike the paper, but Jewell spoke against such action. Jewell, who's not on the committee, said the committee should delay the paper to the next meeting.

Graziano said she would be happy to continue the paper, but that she hoped the administration would get together and work with residents to come to an agreement.