Eight townhouses proposed on Fontaine Avenue along future streetscape’s pathway

Almost two and a half years have passed since the City of Charlottesville began implementing a new zoning code intended to increase the number of places to live within city limits. The process has survived one legal challenge and calls are growing for the Development Code to be reformed to stop large buildings in some areas.

Meanwhile the Department of Neighborhood Development Services continues to process applications from developers seeking to take advantage of a system that allows unlimited residential density.

One such developer is FMC Investments which purchased 2400 Fontaine Avenue in June 2021 for $390,000. FMC Investments is connected to Charlie Armstrong of Southern Development.

The 0.239 acre property is zoned Corridor Mixed Use 5 in the new Development Code which could allow up buildings up to seven stories tall if the city’s affordability guidelines are met. Review the specs here.

There is currently a four bedroom house at the site that is split into two units. In early June, the firm Shimp Engineering submitted a Development Plan for a project for significantly less density.

“The applicant is proposing 8 new townhomes on 8 new individual lots,” reads a description in the permit portal. Take a look!

The portal also includes a copy of the Development Plan guidelines that has been filled out.

“The Development Plan serves as the initial zoning-compliance review and establishes five-year vesting rights under current zoning regulations,” reads this check-sheet.

Applicants cannot ask for special exceptions to the code until after a first round of comments. Reviews are to be conducted within 21 calendar days but a fourth round must be reviewed within two weeks.

NDS denied the first proposal on July 7 though this letter is not available in the permit portal. A response letter dated July 20 is in the portal. NDS asked for the second round to include a Special Exception Request related to “active-depth” as well as details on how the project would meet the streetscape requirements in the Development Code.

In response, Shimp Engineering has filed a request to modify the requirements.

“The applicant seeks to keep the existing concrete sidewalk section at approximately 4.2-ft width along Fontaine Ave,” reads the July 21 request.

One reason is that this project is in the pathway of a long-awaited infrastructure project.

“The [Virginia Department of Transportation] Fontaine Avenue/Hydraulic Road project is anticipated to deliver completed streetscape improvements along the Fontaine Ave frontage of 2400 Fontaine Ave by Fall 2029,” the request continues. “As part of that project, VDOT proposes to demolish the existing sidewalk and construct a shared-use path in its place.”

The City of Charlottesville secured funding through the Smart Scale process in 2016 but has struggled to move the project forward. VDOT assumed control and the project is now moving forward.

“The work for this improvement involves constructing a shared-use path on the south side of U.S. 29 Business (Fontaine Avenue Extended) between Westerly Avenue and the east side of Lewis Street and includes crosswalk installation at key locations,” reads VDOT’s project website. “During construction in both 2027 and 2028 from late May to mid-August, a one-way traffic pattern on Fontaine Avenue is expected to be in place.”

The July 21 also notes that the planned streetscape itself does not satisfy the Development Code’s requirements. Questions are out to the City of Charlottesville for a future story.

The project has been through the historic review process and no further action is required.

“Parcel within Entrance Corridor; however, the plan is proposing single units on individual lots, therefore no design review required,” reads an entry from Jeff Werner, the city’s preservation planner.

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