Monday public hearings set for controversial Liberty Landing proposal, New Kent Capital Improvement Plan

New Kent’s Planning Commission is hosting separate public hearings Monday night (March 17) on the controversial Liberty Landing mixed-use development proposal and the county’s proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

The hearings are scheduled to get under way at 7 p.m. in the county administration building’s boardroom.

Liberty Landing is a commercial/residential development proposed for a 113-arce site located on the south side of Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail) near Bottoms Bridge and across from the existing Five Lakes and Patriots Landing subdivisions. Virginia Beach-based Boyd Homes (Bridgewater Crossing Inc.) is behind the proposal, which has been under consideration in the county on an on-again, off-again basis since 2006.

The developer has filed application with the county, seeking to rezone 88 acres of the site from business to R-3 multi-family residential and another 4.6 acres from A-1 agriculture to business. The remaining acres are to be designated as open and recreational space.

Boyd Homes proposes to build 190 townhouses and 260 apartments along with 200,000 square feet of business/commercial space provided the rezoning application meets with approval. Clubhouses, walking trails, and a private boat ramp on the nearby Chickahominy Rivers are also planned.

Following the hearing and discussion, the Planning Commission is charged with forwarding a recommendation for approval or denial to the county’s Board of Supervisors. Supervisors then have the final vote in the matter.

Boyd Homes, meanwhile, has capped the number of residences at 450, down from 608 proposed just over a year ago. The 200,000 square feet of business space is double the amount found in earlier proposals.

The company is proposing cash proffers of $4,500 per residential unit ($4,000 for schools, $500 for emergency services). Also on the proffer list is two acres set aside for building a fire/rescue station.

During the commission’s meeting last month, company president David S. Rudiger said apartments, to be built in three-story structures, would have no more than two bedrooms with rent falling in the $700-$1,200 range. Two-story townhouses would have up to three bedrooms, individual driveways, and attached garages with prices hovering between $150,000 and $210,000. Studio and one-bedroom apartments would meet state standards for workforce housing, he said.

Rudiger said the company’s financial analysis indicates the development could generate more than $30 million in net revenue for the county over the next 20 years. He said the project would provide $5.6 million in water/sewer fees, over $2.7 million in proffers, and $1.5 million per year in net revenue for the county “after stabilization.”

Liberty Landing, meanwhile, has its opponents who claim the development would have negative impact on the county’s already overcrowded schools and create more traffic problems on county roads. Opponents have also questioned Boyd Homes’ ability to market the development, given the present state of the economy. Some say that if built, the residential component could attract an undesirable element.

Monday night’s meeting also features a hearing on the county’s proposed $17 million Capital Improvement Plan for the next fiscal year. The overall plan actually covers the next five years and totals close to $43.6 million.

Topping the list of proposed projects for next year is $5 million for renovation work on the county’s Historic School aimed at converting the facility into an elementary school.

For an in-depth look at the proposed projects and funding sources, click on “Local News” and scroll down to the “more news” prompt at the bottom of the page and go to the story “Recommended Capital Improvement Plan for New Kent totals almost $17 million.”