BOS adopt amendments to Comprehensive Plan

By Katie Northcott

At a business meeting on Jan. 21, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved a comprehensive plan amendment.

The CPAM passed as part of the consent agenda with a 6-0-0-3 vote with Vice Chair Michael Turner (D-Ashburn), Supervisor Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg), and Supervisor Koran Saines (D-Sterling) absent.

According to the staff report, the purpose of the CPAM was to “address housekeeping and clean-up text amendments to provide clarity to staff, developers, and the community, as well as to integrate Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted policies related to proffer expectations for attainable housing, the Unmet Housing Needs Strategic Plan (UHNSP), alternative criteria for the Suburban Compact Neighborhood (SCN) Place Type, the 2023 Energy Strategy, and issues that arose during the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (Zoning Ordinance) Rewrite (ZOR) project.”

The amendments concerned General Plan Chapter 1- Introduction, Chapter 2 – Land Use, Chapter 3 – Natural, Environment, and Heritage Resources, Chapter 4 – Housing, Chapter 6 – Fiscal Management and Public Infrastructure, Chapter 7 – Implementation, the GP Glossary, and the GP Maps.

Most of the revisions to these sections were general housekeeping items like updates with more current information and clearer definitions of terms. 

Chapter 2 was the most heavily revised section with updates to its subsections on Quality Development, Infill and Redevelopment, Urban Policy Area, and Suburban Policy Area. There were additional housekeeping revisions, such as correcting graphics, throughout Chapter 2.

Throughout the revisions, staff added considerations for attainable housing and the Unmet Housing Needs Strategic Plan.

County staff requested that, in addition to approving the CPAM, the Board add three zoning amendments to the Department of Planning and Zoning Work Plan.

The first ZOAM is aimed at providing more flexibility for infill parcels and addressing the policy changes made to the 2019 General Plan. Infill parcels are vacant or underutilized pieces of land within already developed urban or suburban areas, targeted for new construction or redevelopment. 

County staff is aiming to support infill that does not strictly conform to zoning districts but still fits well with existing use. For example, in some circumstances, a small business like a bakery may be allowed in a residential area while a drive-thru restaurant will not be allowed.

“Supporting infill that conforms to the 2019 General Plan place types will help ensure that the County is utilizing potential infill sites most effectively and providing residential development in appropriate locations,” the staff report said.

 The second ZOAM would provide two options for single-family dwelling unit only districts by amending Chapter 9 of the GP. According to the staff report, the two options are as follows:

Option one would allow applicants to donate fully developable lots that are interspersed within a market-rate development for the equivalent number of physical ADUs that would be required. Ownership would convey to a third-party entity equivalent to a community land trust. These units would be developed by a partner and offered to families on the DHCD ADU (attainable dwelling unit) Purchase Program wait list.

Option two would allow applicants to provide land off-site for the development of ADUs as either affordable homeownership or affordable rental housing units. The land would be donated to a third party, either an affordable housing developer approved by the Zoning Administrator or an entity equivalent to a community land trust. Certain criteria would have to be met which may include providing additional units, being within a defined proximity to the market-rate development, time limits for construction, and/or neighborhood factors like poverty rate, proximity to transit, parks, community amenities, etc. 

The donated land would be assessed and valued at an equivalent amount to the required number of ADUs. If the land is valued at less than the vertical construction cost of ADUs, a cash contribution will be required.

The third ZOAM would amend certain zoning districts to allow residential uses in addition to office and/or commercial uses. Staff recommended reviewing Commercial Center – Neighborhood Center, Commercial Center – Small Regional Center, Commercial Center-Community Center, and Office Park zoning districts to see if multifamily dwellings could be allowed in these areas.

Staff recommended finding a consultant who would identify two to five underutilized buildings that would be the best candidates for conversion from office to residential.

“With an understanding of the location of the building and the potential costs of conversions, staff could research policies/incentives that could potentially help convert those uses from office to residential and bring them back to the Board for consideration,” the staff report said.