The Mount Vernon Council of Citizens' Associations
Comprehensive Plan APR Nominations

LRSP-2009-05:  Smitty’s

WHEREAS, the MVCCA is participating in the Area Plan Review 2009-2010,

WHEREAS, the Long Range and Strategic Planning Committee of the MVCCA has facilitated numerous charrettes and gathered input from community stakeholders and MVCCA members,

WHEREAS, nominations for the Area Plan Review Comprehensive Plan have been formulated,

WHEREAS, the Long Range and Strategic Planning Committee has spent the past several months reviewing the current Comprehensive Plan as applicable to the Mount Vernon Magisterial District and adjoining areas and has recommended a change nomination to that Plan for the Area Plan Review 2009-2010, such nomination containing the following features:

Smitty’s Lumberteria and Trailer Park Sites
Land Unit/Areas 3 and 6

Nomination Overview

Nomination:   Smitty’s and Trailer Parks

Location:
Smitty’s and Engleside/Ray’s Trailer Parks’ areas along Richmond Highway north of Forest Place

Vision Overview:
To create a mini- village town center, comprised of residential, office and retail space and with public/open space and landscaped native plantings near the South County Govt. Center.

Development Conditions Overview:

Current conditions:

 • 23 acres with a Smitty’s lumberteria, a large garden center (Hollywood and Vines) and two trailer parks, owned by 7 different owners.

Recommended Conditions:

• Substantial consolidation of its 14 parcels and enhancement with newer uses, including retail, office and residential.

• Retain currently-planned .35 FAR with an option to increase to a .50 FAR

• Increase proposed residential density from 8-12 dwellings per acre to 16-20 dwelling units per acre

• Retail and/or office on ground

• Upper floors to be condo-over-the-store style residential units

• Complex tapered down towards the existing residential communities

• Parking areas to landscaped and planted with native plants to buffer the community from Richmond Highway traffic and noise

• Interparcel access for pedestrian and bike traffic

• Urban-style internal town/village square/plazas to allow for creation of pleasing open gathering spaces/plazas for such things as farmers’ and landscapers’ markets, open-air cafes & gazebos.

• Market rate properties with a reasonable % of work-force housing rate units.

• LEED silver or above design standards to be encouraged.

• Transportation Demand Management guidelines sought that will encourage a rapid-bus transit station (possibly in association with nearby SC Govt. Center Complex) to ensure Service Level D or better along this section of Richmond Highway

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Co-Chairs of the MVCCA are hereby directed to prepare and submit a Comprehensive Plan change nomination which incorporates the foregoing features.

APR Nomination Form continued - Property/Owner Information