The Fredericksburg City Council recently held a public hearing regarding a request for a special use permit to allow the Brompton Community School to open a new elementary school at the former bed and breakfast site.
Brompton proposes a private school that would teach kindergarten through eighth grade at Braehead Manor, at 123 Lee Drive, at Lee’s Hill, part of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. The school would have 116 students and staff.
The manor, which last used as bed and breakfast in 2018 and has been on the Real Estate market ever since, would have to undergo some interior improvements such as installing exit signs, lighting, improvements to the heating system, and improving persons’
The school also plans to use a 50-space parking lot adjacent to the manor at 490 Central Road, which would act as the school’s main access point.
Braehead Manor sits adjacent to the Fredericksburg National Battlefield and sits nearby the Battlefield Industrial Park. The City Council had previously approved special use permits for the manor in 2013 and 2014 to use the manor as a bed and breakfast and an events center, respectively.
The City’s Planning Commission recommended that the Council approve the permit under several conditions.
Among those are that the path leading from Lee Drive is used for disabled students and emergency vehicles. The use and property comply with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources since the manor is of historical significance. The commission also wants only traffic signs to be installed on the grounds, that any new or modified buildings must be amended to the permit, that the school must have an approved fire service plan. The manor must be in continuous use as a school for 24 months.
There were some concerns brought up during the hearing, mainly having to do with traffic and the residents’ lack of knowledge of the school’s opening in their neighborhood.
Councilmember Matt Kelly asked about the traffic on Lee Drive, remarking how traffic on the one-way street has picked up over the years since its activation.
Vice-Mayor Charlie Frye had concerns about safety measures asking if cameras would be installed for the students’ safety due to the traffic on Lee Drive. Frye’s question was confirmed by the school’s representative Amber Dawson assuring that security cameras would be installed for the reasons the Vice-Mayor had mentioned.
Councilmember Tim Duffy remarked that while he appreciates how Brompton is trying to set up a new elementary school from scratch, they should work closely with the parks department and the surrounding neighborhood to address issues brought up by the public.
The City Council will make its final decision on the permit in January.
