Cloverleaf Mall, Roseland top commission's agenda

The Chesterfield County Planning Commission will take up two of the most controversial zoning cases in recent history at its meeting on Feb. 19. On the agenda are rezonings for the redevelopment of Cloverleaf Mall, known as Chippenham Place, and Roseland, the mega, mixed-use development at the intersection of Route 288 and Woolridge Road.

Chippenham Place

After weeks of negotiation with North Carolina redevelopment firm Crosland, the Chippenham Place project will be reviewed again by the commission before being forwarded on to the county board for possible approval.

The mixed-use project will replace Cloverleaf Mall at the intersection of Midlothian Turnpike and Chippenham Parkway when the mall is torn down later this year. Chippenham Place calls for around 540 homes - mostly multifamily - and at least 200,000 square feet of retail anchored by a new Kroger on the 83-acre site. The county revision calls for office/retail development on 14 acres where the mall's theatres used to be. Residential units could occupy space above that first floor of commercial space.

The number of residential units was reduced from 750 last month after some county leaders felt the proposal included too much housing, especially in a location many consider to be a gateway to the county.

The mall's few remaining tenants have been notified Cloverleaf will close at the end of this month.

The purchase of the remaining 45 acres underneath the mall also appears to be on track after the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority agreed last month to pay owner Millmar Partnership $7.37 million for the property. The county will probably close on that land in May.

Crosland is expected to reimburse the $16.5 million the county spent to purchase the entire Cloverleaf Mall tract.

Roseland

The commission is also expected to again take on Roseland, the largest residential rezoning in the county's history. As proposed by developer GBS Holding Ltd., Roseland at build-out would include 5,140 homes, 400 smaller carriage homes and 1.5 million square feet of office and retail on 1,395 acres.

The case was remanded back to the commission at the county board's first meeting of the year in January. The remand was not unexpected since it was the first meeting for four new members on the board.

Despite its size, the Roseland proposal has garnered little criticism, partly because the developer has pledged to use smart growth techniques that would minimize the community's environmental impact. Several officials in the county have said they would prefer one big zoning case rather than several smaller ones in order to better control financial support for infrastructure, such as roads and schools.

The only real opponents have been some residents from nearby Charter Colony, who have complained they do not want commercial development abutting their properties.

Roseland's developers have met with numerous nearby communities and groups to educate them on the proposal and get their blessing.

Speak out

The Chesterfield County Planning Commission will hold public hearings on the Cloverleaf Mall and Roseland cases at its meeting on Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Public Meeting Room, 10001 Iron Bridge Rd.