Fredericksburg Neighborhood Coalition
Mary's Landing Development

Mary’s Landing is the proposed redevelopment of 3.87 acres into 63 townhouse units and related infrastructure. The project includes the demolition of the existing structures at 2215 Fall Hill Avenue and 435 Hunter Street.  The Medical Arts Building structure at 2301 Fall Hill Avenue will remain. The site is located in the 400 blocks of Hunter Street, Elm Street, and Germania Street and includes frontages along Fall Hill Avenue and Charles Street.

List of Reasons Why the Fredericksburg Neighborhoods Coalition Urges the City to Reject the Pending Site Plan for Mary’s Landing July 9, 2024
  • The Proposed Site Plan Violates the City’s Own Zoning Ordinance – The proposed project exceeds the allowable residential density by right in the Creative Maker District – by 100%. The district only allows 8 units per acre by right and requires a developer to seek a special use permit for any density higher than that.  The developer isn’t going through this process, but seeks to bypass the regular zoning process and proceed straight to site-plan review.  This is illegal under the City’s zoning process.  The developer does have the right to build on the existing 63 lots but would need variances or other special exceptions to build on lots too small to meet the City’s minimum lot size.
  • The Proposed Site Plan Violates the City’s Own Subdivision Ordinance – The developer proposes to get rid of the existing lot lines from an 1891 plat and create 63 new lots. This constitutes a “re-subdivision” of more than 50 lots, which requires Planning Commission and City Council action.  We insist that the developer follow the same rules that other builders must follow.
  • The Process for Reviewing this Project is Seriously Flawed – This project is too big and its impacts too significant to be reviewed solely by City staff. There hasn’t been a single public notice in any news publication about Mary’s Landing, nor has there been a single public hearing before the Planning Commission or City Council.  In fact, the only “hearings” have been two meetings sponsored by the Canal Quarter Neighborhood Association.
  • The Project Does Not Fit the City’s Vision for the Creative Maker District – The elaborate zoning standards recently adopted for the Creative Maker District envision mixed-use projects where residents can live and work in the same neighborhood. This project does nothing to promote this concept.  It is just another “cookie-cutter” townhouse project that will look much like the Fredericksburg Park townhouse project on Lafayette Boulevard.
  • How Does Higher-Density Development Impact You? – With every new dwelling built in Fredericksburg, there is a cost in City infrastructure and services – police, fire, schools, roads, etc. If we were able to charge for proffers or impact fees, the total would likely be $40,000 per dwelling unit to cover the City’s added costs. Unfortunately, the Virginia General Assembly does not currently allow such fees to be charged. Therefore, we, the existing taxpayers, must absorb the infrastructure costs of new dwellings with our property taxes and other fees. That is why our taxes and utility fees continue to go up as we add more housing. Fredericksburg will grow and change in the future, but sensible growth would enable us to absorb new growth to our city gradually, so the increase does not drive out existing residents.
  • Growing to 100,000 People! – One of our city councilors stated that Fredericksburg should grow to 100,000 people. That would equate with the same density as Alexandria, VA. With growth, comes higher taxes and higher cost for houses as small houses are knocked down and townhouses are built in their place. This will drive lower-income people out of our city by making housing less affordable. The townhouses at Mary’s Landing are slated to start at $600,000. This is not affordable housing. Alexandria, Va has a tax rate of $1.11 because they require more city services as they grow. Our current tax rate is $.77. If we are taxed at the same rate as Alexandria, that would be a 44% increase in our taxes.
  • Coming to Your Neighborhood? – We do not oppose reasonable development, provided a developer goes through the normal review process, with public hearings and a Council vote. If Mary’s Landing is allowed to proceed, there is a potential for development like this in other parts of the city, without transparency and public input. Do you want this type of development in your neighborhood?
Links
Letter from Attorney Giff Hampshire (Blankingship & Keith PC) to City Attorney – Dated 6/18/24 – regarding Mary’s Landing, Fall Hill Avenue, City of Fredericksburg, Project No. SPMAJ2401-0002 (PDF)

City’s public file on Mary’s Landing

‘Lots’ of contention as residents, developersand city staff weigh in on Mary’s Landing project – FXBG Free Press – 6/22/2024 (PDF)

Attorney Contesting By Right Status of Mary’s Landing Development – FXBG Advance 6/18/24 (PDF) 

Mary's Landing Plat

fxbgcoalition@gmail.com

© Fredericksburg Neighborhoods Coalition & Simply Web Services, LLC.