Planning Commission, City Council Set to Meet Tuesday

 The Manassas Park City Council and its Planning Commission will have a joint public hearing Tuesday night on two separate applications that would pave the way for more than 200 townhouses north of Manassas Drive.

The public hearings are slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers at Manassas Park City Hall.

The first applicant, Lawrence K. Doll, wants to build 82 townhouses on 6.7 acres on the northwest corner of the intersection of Manassas and Andrew drives. The comprehensive plan, which is a guide for growth, designates the land for commercial uses. Doll also is asking to rezone almost an acre of agricultural zoned land to allow for mixed uses on the property. The land is bordered by Manassas Park Plaza to the east and Belmont Station townhouses to the north.

The city's planning staff recommends the approval of the application.

Doll in 1990 originally had 37.48 acres  rezoned to be developed as a mix of office, retail and townhouses. Since that rezoning, only 4 of the 10 acres marked for retail uses has been developed.  Doll wants to remove the obligation to construct more commercial in exchange for rights to build more townhouses. If the admendment is approved, Doll agrees to give the city $1.9 million in proffers to offset the costs this development will have on city services such as police, fire-rescue and schools.

Doll says the townhouses would face the road and enhance the "gateway effect" into the city. 

The other public hearing is on an application to reduce the housing density on 12 acres on the east side of Digital Drive and about 2,000 feet north of Manassas Drive. The land was rezoned in 2006 from industrial uses to mixed uses. The applicants, M - F of Manassas, J.S.C. Excavating & Land Development, M.E.B. L.L.C. and Shahin L.L.C, want to construct 126 units on the property, instead of the original 200 units.

The proposed development, Manassas Park Station II, is surrounded by townhouses to the north and west, industrial land to the south and single-family homes to the east. If the project is approved, the applicants agree to pay the city $3.6 million in proffers, including several transportation improvements totalling $70,000.

City planning staff recommended approval of the project.

Copies of the entire staff reports on these two issues can be obtained from the Manassas Park Planning Office by calling 703.335.8820.