Chapman asks for O St. to be extended from 21st St. to Hatcher Ave.

Because COVID-19 legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly in June 2020 extended expired site plans, the Vineyard Square project in Purcellville can continue until at least July 2022.

The Old Town Purcellville project, located on 21^st St., is approved for six stories and 40 condo units—even though multi-family isn’t an allowed use in the C-4 District. No comprehensive plan amendment or zoning amendment was applied for when the extension was approved.

At the Oct. 7 Planning Commission meeting in the citizen comment portion of the meeting, Casey Chapman, one of the owners of Vineyard Square, asked for the Town to consider extending O St. from 21^st St. to Hatcher Ave. He needs O St. extended—at the Town taxpayers’ expense—to dump the traffic from his development onto Hatcher Ave.

Chapman said, “I just want to understand the Planning Commission’s view of the idea of an O Street connection between 21^st Street and Hatcher Avenue, and if it will be addressed in any of the discussions. Does the Town have any interest whatsoever of seeing that road go through?”

Chair Nedim Ogelman said the Planning Commission was not focused on transportation issues as it was reviewing the Historic Overlay District.

At the Oct. 12 Town Council meeting, Chapman again came before Council in the citizen comment section asking again about the O St.extension onto Hatcher Avenue.

Said Chapman, “I brought it up to the Planning Commission last week and am just going to ask the Town Council here tonight: Does this Council or the Town have any interest…with the O Street connection between 21^st Street and Hatcher Avenue?”

He asked for the Town Council and the Planning Commission to take a look at O St., and let him know what they plan to do.

Chapman said that adding O St. “will create the ability to have that block and flow.” He asked if the Town was just going to sit on it and do nothing at all.

Addressing Chapman, Purcellville Mayor Kwasi Fraser said, “From my perspective as mayor I do not see the need to build any more streets in the Town of Purcellville. Streets invite traffic, so if you are asking me about O Street, I envision forests and streams.”

Chapman responded, “I heard your comment you would like to build trees.”

Fraser said, “O Street—trees and streams.” Chapman asked, “You don’t believe some streets would relieve traffic?”

Fraser answered, “We are taking the road to environmental sustainability. So my focus in this Town as Mayor is to look at things that would be environmentally sustainable to our citizens, our residents. I do not see concrete as a way to go.”

Council Member Stan Milan said, “If you look at the traffic on Hatcher and 21^st Street … it’s a traffic jam … On the east side of Hatcher there’s no sidewalk there so people walking have to walk into the street. So traffic, safety, and the welfare of the citizens is greatly impacted …The traffic is getting worse and worse.”