Fredericksburg’s Planning Commission will meet Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, to consider a request for a drive-through coffee shop at Cowan Station and review its annual land-use report, even as two major redevelopment projects on Fall Hill Avenue highlight the city’s shifting growth patterns.
Coffee Shop Planned for Cowan Station
Developer Jarrell Properties is asking to amend a previously approved Special Use Permit to allow a coffee shop drive-through instead of a bank on a 1.14-acre portion of the Cowan Station development, at Olde William Street and Route 1.
City staff say the swap will generate heavier morning traffic but fewer overall daily trips compared to a bank. The plan calls for a 1,500-square-foot building with 10 parking spaces and 22 vehicle stacking spaces to prevent backups onto Route 1.
The site abuts the College Heights neighborhood, where a landscaped buffer and noise restrictions are proposed to shield nearby residents. The name of the coffee operator has not been disclosed.
Growth Areas Under Pressure
The Commission will also review its draft land-use report and a letter outlining capital improvement priorities. The report identifies development pressure along Route 1, Fall Hill Avenue, and downtown neighborhoods, raising questions about whether schools, utilities, and traffic systems can keep pace.
In particular, Fall Hill Avenue is at the center of adaptive reuse projects that will convert aging medical facilities into housing:
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Old Mary Washington Hospital (2300 Fall Hill Avenue): Developers propose to convert the vacant complex into 242 apartments, a project that has raised concerns about parking and traffic impacts.
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Medical Arts Building (2301 Fall Hill Avenue): Built in 1956, this three-story office building could become 30 apartments under a separate proposal. City staff say the change would cut daily traffic from more than 700 trips (medical office use) to about 160 trips.
Both projects sit within the Fall Hill Avenue Medical Historic District, where city leaders have promoted redevelopment into a more walkable, mixed-use community.
Why It Matters
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For drivers: A new coffee shop could add morning congestion on Route 1, while the Fall Hill apartment projects will reshape traffic on Fall Hill Avenue.
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For residents: Buffers and zoning changes will determine how closely new projects fit with established neighborhoods.
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For taxpayers: The land-use report will influence the city’s Capital Improvement Plan, deciding how tax dollars are spent on schools, roads, and services to accommodate growth.
How to Attend
The Planning Commission meets on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at Fredericksburg City Hall, 715 Princess Anne Street. The meeting will be televised on Cox Channel 84, Verizon Channel 42, and streamed online at regionalwebtv.com/fredpc.
Residents may comment during the meeting (five minutes each) or send written remarks to [email protected] by 2:30 p.m. the day of the meeting. Written comments will be read aloud, with a total cap of 40 minutes.
