Warehouse District Rezoning Eyed

Over the past two nights, city officials have held informal meetings with property owners to discuss rezoning areas on the edges of downtown Fredericksburg. The changes, still in the conceptual phase, are meant to reflect urban revitalization initiatives called for in city planning documents like the Jumpstart report, the city's five-year comprehensive plan, and the Lafayette Boulevard corridor study.

The nascent rezoning initiative focuses on two areas just outside of the city's commercial downtown zone; an area of light industrial and commercial activity stretching from the Warehouse District along Lafayette Boulevard and Jackson Street past the train station to Sophia Street, and a small residential section of Caroline Street between Amelia and Lewis streets.

Richard Tremblay, economic development manager for the city of Fredericksburg, also noted that some overlay districts, such as the tourism and technology district and the arts and cultural district encompass areas of the city where businesses in either of those categories would likely have to apply for a special use permit from the city in order to set up shop.

"The city has a variety of business incentives in place that have limited utility because of the zoning restrictions within the light industrial and commercial transitional zones," said Tremblay. "There are some excellent buildings in both of these areas which would be ideal for office settings, ideally."

Both rezoning initiatives seek to expand by-right land uses, such as restaurants and retail activity, already permitted in the commercial downtown district against which both areas abut.

The Warehouse District rezoning effort would affect two pre-existing land use zones, changing the rules for the commercial transitional zone surrounding the train station and the light industrial zone anchored by the intersection of Lafayette Boulevard and Jackson Street. The commercial transitional zone only allows by-right development of offices banks and churches. The light industrial zone offers a wider number of by-right uses, ranging from artists studios, to data storage facilities, to light warehouses and telecommunication relays.

The Caroline Street rezoning seeks to merge the R8 residential zone with the commercial downtown zone. Tremblay said that the area has received interest from a number of businesses looking to relocate there, but they have balked at having to apply for a special use permit to relocate their business.

Of the four Warehouse District property owners gathered last night to learn about the potential rezoning, reaction ranged from receptive to slightly skeptical.

"I'd like to see them incorporate the light industrial and the commercial downtown zones together, that way we'd have more flexibility with our tenants," said Doug Dinsmore, one of the owners of 526 Wolfe Street, which rents studio space to local artists. "We've had a church inquire about it before, and a barber shop inquire about it before, but those uses weren't allowed."

Concerns that rezoning would negatively impact the city's light industrial sector were also raised.

"I think it's an asset to have this industrial area in town," said Matt Moyer, a property owner in the Warehouse District. "If you lose it, you won't get some of those uses back ever again."