Commission wants to end age-restricted housing
By Greg Pearson
 

Members of the Chesterfield Planning Commission will soon recommend eliminating age-restricted housing in zoning cases. Age-restricted zoning would only be allowed for marketing purposes when it meets federal and state requirements.

The planning staff agrees. "We will be recommending that you not accept age-restricted housing," concurred Planning Director Kirk Turner.

If the recommendation is accepted by the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors, developers will pay a maximum school proffer of $5,331 per unit. Currently, developers don't have to pay the proffer on projects designed exclusively for the 55-plus market.

The change comes because Chesterfield officials don't want to enforce a zoning requirement that would force occupants who are younger than 55 living in age-restricted housing to move out. They also voiced concerns that some senior housing was built where it shouldn't be - away from nearby shopping and medical offices.

Chesterfield estimates that by 2010 about 76,000 residents (23.5 percent) will be ages 55 and older. In 2000, seniors represented 17 percent of the population.

Security proffers

Planners are already negotiating with multifamily developers to meet the increasing security needs of their developments. Staff will present the details during an August 15 work session. Apartments, condominiums and townhouses would be affected.

Each developer is being asked to submit a security plan that calls for better design and a mandatory action plan that's implemented when police make a specified number of calls to the community. During the zoning process, staff is recommending deadbolts on doors and reviewing balconies and landscaping.

Management or the community association could be required to hire off-duty police officers for security. One alternative is having a police officer live and work some hours in the community in return for free rent.

According to Captain Mike Spraker of the Chesterfield Police Department, crime becomes a problem when apartment vacancies occur. Three apartment complexes in the county are currently exceeding what police consider reasonable.

Upper Swift Creek

The commission again delayed a decision on the Upper Swift Creek Plan, causing frustration among some commissioners. The plan sets limits for runoff to protect the Swift Creek Reservoir and helps determine how much commercial and residential development should be allowed in northwestern Chesterfield.

The commission asked the county to coordinate with Powhatan County since part of the watershed is there and affects the phosphorous that drains into the reservoir. Chesterfield has signed an agreement that allows Powhatan to take 500,000 gallons of water daily from the county after Powhatan extends a water line.

The commission and staff are in agreement that future developers will have to build ponds to control runoff or use credits from offsite. The commission is scheduled to be briefed next month on water quality issues. A briefing on land use will occur in September followed by a review of the revised plan in October.

Courthouse Road

Final details of the Northern Courthouse Road Community Plan are expected to go to the planning commission on August 15, but Russ Gulley (Clover Hill district) and Dan Gecker (Midlothian district) still want planning staff to make modifications to the plan. The commission hopes to hold community meetings during September.

The plan covers from just south of Midlothian Turnpike to almost Hull Street Road and increases the amount of commercial and multifamily development in the area.

"The staff is recommending heavy commercial uses at Courthouse and Reams roads including drugstores and convenience stores which conflicts with the transportation department," said Gulley. "Because of the high volume of traffic, transportation wants lower traffic generation - possibly low intensity office uses."