Thumbs up for Roseland Largest rezoning ever is recommended for approval By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER Dave Anderson (left) and Casey Sowers, partners with GBS Holdings, Ltd., passed yet another hurdle last week when the planning commission recommended the board of supervisors approve rezoning for Roseland. The Chesterfield Planning Commission broke with its usual courtesy last week and overrode the objections of Matoaca Commissioner Wayne Bass to recommend the Roseland rezoning by a 4-1 vote. Most of the 1,395 acres is in Matoaca District, and the commission usually follows the lead of the home commissioner. But this time fellow commissioners were silent when Bass motioned that the Roseland rezoning be denied. A vote on the denial couldn't be taken because there was no second with Bass hanging his head dejectedly. Later, his peers complimented the work he did on the rezoning case. In a telephone interview after the vote, Matoaca Supervisor Marleen Durfee said, "What surprised me was that there were five or six deferrals given [by the commission] without the bat of an eye, but when Mr. Bass requested a deferral [for Roseland], it wasn't granted. One would have to ask why." The rendering above shows what Roseland might look like. Supporters of Roseland said privately they believe Durfee, who was elected on a platform of slowing down residential growth, isn't ready to vote on such a large case. Over the next 20 years, Roseland could produce 5,140 homes, 400 smaller carriage homes and 1.5 million square feet of office and retail at the intersection of Woolridge Road and Route 288. Developers Dave Anderson and Casey Sowers of GBS Holding, Ltd. expressed frustration at the prospect of another delay and refused to agree to a 60-day deferral requested by Bass. Last month, Bass said he wanted to wait until the fate of Senate Bill 768 was decided, but that legislation dealing with impact fees has since been tabled until next year. Bass last week acknowledged that "it's a good case…[and] citizens want politics put aside for better planning." He wanted the deferral so New Urbanism standards and adequate public facilities could be established and a revised Upper Swift Creek Plan (USCP) could be adopted. But Bermuda Commissioner Sam Hassen said none of those "would affect the case." "It would be a mistake to rule on the case before the USCP is approved," agreed Dick Guthrie of Hands Across the Lake. Midlothian resident Mike Harton wanted the USCP adopted before the Roseland rezoning and criticized commission Chairman Russ Gulley for speaking favorably about the case to the Richmond Times-Dispatch before the commission vote. "My comments were altered and misrepresented by the editorial staff of the daily paper," replied Gulley. Midlothian High School student Scott Riley opposed the rezoning, saying more new homes aren't needed in today's real estate climate. He proposed more energy efficient homes that use solar technologies. Anderson told the commission each of Roseland's 11 housing types "will be built using green standards." The planning staff recommended approval and so did many of the speakers during the public hearing. "It's not right to delay the development for another revision of the Upper Swift Creek Plan," insisted attorney Carrie Coyner, who isn't representing Roseland. "If Roseland doesn't set the bar high enough, I don't know who will," said Amy Satterfield, executive director of the Village of Midlothian Volunteer Coalition. "There isn't enough justification…for stringing [the developer] along. Hear this case tonight." "Time is money, and this delay is ridiculous," added businessman Jay Lafler. In earlier meetings residents of nearby Charter Colony had turned out to oppose the rezoning. After a series of meetings, those residents were apparently satisfied since none spoke during the public hearing. Roseland officials agreed to only have three-story buildings adjacent to Charter Colony and move the planned hotel further away from their homes. Following citizen comments, there were some testy exchanges between Bass and Anderson as the commissioner tried to poke holes in the case. Bass requested a larger elementary school to serve 900 students instead of the proposed 775 students offered by Roseland. About 30 percent of the acreage in Roseland will be for open space, and the developer is paying $86.7 million in proffers for roads, schools and other services. Cloverleaf Mall On a unanimous vote, the commission recommended Chippenham Place be approved by the board of supervisors next month. The rezoning case proposes 520 mostly multifamily homes at the former Cloverleaf Mall site without cash proffers. Those proffers would have generated $4.3 million. The county has also pledged millions of dollars to fund a Community Development Authority to build the internal road network, but Budget and Management Director Allan Carmody said the amount of funding hasn't been determined yet. The Chesterfield Economic Development Authority is expected to purchase the remaining 45 acres underneath the mall in May for $7.37 million. Crosland, the North Carolina company that's partnering with the county on the redevelopment project, will reimburse Chesterfield $16.5 million at a later date for the entire 83-acre site. County officials have been in negotiations with Crosland for more than six months in part because Dan Gecker, formerly the chairman of the planning commission and now as vice chairman of the Chesterfield board, has insisted the county get a better deal. The number of residential units has dropped from 750 to a maximum of 520. "There is much less ability for Crosland to do residential," acknowledged attorney John Easter, who represents Crosland. The amount of retail and office space has also increased from 200,000 square feet to "planning for 400,000 square feet," though Crosland can reduce that amount if market conditions aren't supportive. A very large Kroger will anchor the retail portion, and some residential will be over top of first floor stores and offices. The county also specified quality design standards including a main street focal point, landscaping, streetscaping and outdoor lighting. The public hearing for the case began at 12:20 a.m. last Wednesday. All three speakers - including the Gateway Association and the Chesterfield Business Council - endorsed the project. The former mall is now vacant since the remaining tenants left almost a month ago. The mall is expected to be torn down later this year. Bermuda District Hassen received the support of the commission for denial of two rezoning cases on Jefferson Davis Highway. Developer George Emerson wanted to tear down the Flippo's Trailer Park with 61 trailers on 16 acres north of Route 288 for either a commercial or residential development. He wanted commercial but wasn't sure the market would support it, so he also wanted approval for 275 multifamily homes as a backup. "This sets a bad example for the revitalization of the Jefferson Davis corridor," Hassen said. The planning staff also opposed the case because of inadequate setbacks, security issues by the police department and not conforming to the comprehensive plan. The commission also opposed 273 condominiums on 40 acres in the southeast quadrant of Route 288 and Jefferson Davis Highway. Hassen called the Rolling Ridge LLC proposal "incompatible," even though the Jeff Davis Association, the Bensley- Bermuda Rescue Squad and planning staff supported it. Four nearby residents spoke in opposition to the rezoning and didn't like that up to 35 percent of the homes could be rental properties. The homeowners' association would have to monitor the numbers of rentals in addition to overseeing the clubhouse and pool. The property is zoned R-7, and development attorney Jim Theobald said denial of the rezoning would mean building 106 singlefamily homes instead and the loss of $3.1 million in proffers.