Council approves proffer changes on FRLP’s 149-acre residential project

Town Planning Director Jeremy Camp, at far left, goes over power point of proposed FRLP proffer changes on a 320-residential unit project on town’s eastside. Photos/Roger Bianchini

FRONT ROYAL – At it’s meeting of Monday, February 12, by a vote of 4-0 the Front Royal Town Council approved proposed changes to the proffer package on Front Royal Limited Partnership’s initial residential development plan. That plan would allow construction of as many as 320 residential units on 149 acres on the town’s east side. John Connolly made the motion to approve, seconded by Gary Gillespie. Eugene Tewalt and William Sealock joined in making the vote unanimous by those present. Councilmen Meza and Morrison were absent.

The involved project is not to be confused with FRLP’s second and larger proposed development on 604 acres in the vicinity of Mary’s Shady Lane off Happy Creek Road, also on the town’s east side. That larger parcel was brought into the town limits in a friendly 2014 annexation process with Warren County. The 604 acres has a maximum build-out of 818 residential units, though actual numbers will be approved, likely in phases during future rezoning applications. Original plans also call for commercial and recreational components, as well as road infrastructure.

The original proffer package on the 149-acre parcel already in the town limits was negotiated in 2010. The bulk of the proposed changes, which were recommended for approval by the town planning commission on November 15, remove “dollar for dollar credits” offered to the developer by the Town, in exchange for removal of some cash proffers offered to the Town by the developer. The changes are essentially viewed as a balancing act – or a “push” as it’s called in gambling circles.

FRLP principal David Vazzana, yellow shirt, and project consultant Bill Barnett to his right, at the Dec. 4 work session.

Of the proposed changes as a whole, following December 4 work session discussion Town Planning Director Jeremy Camp told Royal Examiner, “The existing proffers have some degree of balance between credits the Town pays FRLP and cash proffers paid to the Town by FRLP. Both the credits and cash proffers are proposed to be removed and FRLP would simply build what they are required to by Town Code and pay the County their cash proffer towards schools. Proffers related to impacts on the public school student population are not affected at all.

Specifics

Among changes are:

· The addition of per-unit cash proffers designated for costs of the new police headquarters;

· Elimination of cash proffers toward construction of Leach Run Parkway;

· Widening of a proposed on-site trail;

· Elimination of Energy Star Certification requirements for the units.

Among the deleted credits are: tap fee payments over $10,000; land value costs on both right-of-way for the access road to the property and piece of land along Shenandoah Shores Road needed for future road improvements in the vicinity of the development; and on engineering and construction costs associated with Phases 2 to 4 of an East-West connector road running through the property, if the Town follows through on construction of Phase 5 of that road.

The town planning director previously explained to Royal Examiner that that latter road-associated credit could equal or exceed all of FRLP’s proposed cash proffers. He also noted that removal of the tap fee credit locks FRLP into paying the going rate on tap fees, a rate currently in the vicinity of $15,000.

“Under the proposed proffers, FRLP would still be obligated to build and dedicate ROW for the portion of the access road (east-west connector) on their 149 acres,” Camp told Royal Examiner in December, adding, “As proposed, the rest of the road would be addressed with (development) of the future 604 acres.”