Few spoke in favor of rezoning
The City Council is split on the decision to approve a rezoning for 140 new condominium units to be built at the corner of Tudor Lane and Fairview Avenue.
It’s now up to Mayor Hal Parrish II to decide, and that won’t happen until at least Dec. 15.
The condo project, dubbed Manassas Station, is proposed by the same developer of Historic Courts of Manassas, another condo development in the city. The building, if approved, would bring more people to live in the Old Town area of Manassas.
The building would sit at the location of the former ABC Photo and Imaging Services building. The Council must decide to rezone the land that old building, now vacant for years, from an industrial use to residential. Councilman Mark Aveni motioned to deny the rezoning and received support from fellow Councilmen Andrew Harrover and Mark Wolfe. Councilmen Ian Lovejoy, Jonathan Way, and Steven Randolph voted no on the motion to deny.
The Mayor is a tie-breaking vote, but he decided to delay his vote until December. If he votes yes, the rezoning is denied, and the project dies. If no, the motion to deny the rezoning is defeated, but someone else on the Council must motion to approve the rezoning for the project to move forward.
“What a tangled web we weave,” quipped Parrish.
“I’ve heard people say it’s too big, it is urban, and it’s not proportionate to other buildings downtown,” said Councilman Jonathan Way, who is in support of the project. He said the building would bring a “blended mix” of urban and mixed uses to the Old Town area.
A public hearing on the project was continued from a City Council meeting held on Nov. 17. Few people who spoke at the City Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 24 were favor of the project.
Those opposed to the new condo building cited traffic concerns for the area as well as potential school overcrowding. Others said the building doesn’t fit with what has traditionally become known as Old Town Manassas.
Twice denied by the city’s Planning Commission, the city’s development staff approves of the project and said it fits within the master plan for the development and redevelopment of Old Town Manassas.
