The City Planning Commission of the City of Charlottesville passed a proposal yesterday to rezone several Downtown districts and limit the height of buildings in the area, a decision that could affect off-Grounds housing options for University students.
The proposal divides the Downtown area into three districts: the Downtown Corridor, the Water Street Corridor and the South Street Corridor. The West Main Street Corridor leading up to the Downtown Mall will be split into separate north and south districts.
Under the new measure, the Downtown, Water Street and West Main Street South Corridors will be limited to a maximum height of 70 feet, or five stories. Buildings on the West Main Street North Corridor can be constructed no higher than 60 feet. Any buildings planned to be above the limits will require a special-use permit to be approved by the City's Planning Commission.
University Architect David Neuman, a non-voting member of the Commission, added that even if special-use permits were granted, there are unlikely to be many proposed construction plans. He noted that a contemporary, air-conditioned high-rise building usually incorporates 12 stories, effectively ruling out the construction of high-rise and apartment buildings in the Downtown area, which could affect University students.
The Downtown Development Committee, which wrote the proposal, explained that height limits were included with the goals of creating a dynamic street life and pedestrian-friendly environment and encouraging economic activity and development, all while preserving the special historic character of the area.
"We want to help preserve the vital business area and we want to prevent the height of new structures from overwhelming the area," Downtown Development Committee member Kay Slaughter said, "We carefully looked at all the characteristics of the districts. This was not in any sense an arbitrary decision."
Committee member John Matthews also supported the current proposal.
"We have the opportunity now to bring forth a vision: a vital, active, people-oriented street and district that the entire community can benefit from," he said.
Although the proposal passed, several community members at the public hearings questioned the practicality of the proposal and whether it would truly bring economic development.
"A 70-foot height is impractical," Charlottesville resident Keith Water said. "For [residential] buildings greater than four stories, two additional stories would not justify the additional construction costs to be shared by fewer residents."
Despite opposition to what some considered excessively low height requirements, the Commission anticipates development and growth in the area. Some members of the Commission expressly noted their willingness to approve special-use permits.
"Individual properties could definitely warrant a special-use permit," Commission member Michael Osteen said. "But of course they'd have to be detailed plans"
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