Update as of 01/13/2025:
On January 7th the City of Fredericksburg posted a
document outlining the proposed amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and Comprehensive Plan related to Technology Overlay District (TOD). City Council will have to decide whether or not to initiate the public hearing process for the proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, the UDO, and the Zoning Map by referring these items to the Planning Commission for their consideration. If approved, the proposed process would include a public input session on January 22, 2025 with both the City Council and Planning Commission attending in addition to subsequent public hearings. The City continues to move forward with its aggressive timeline with a final vote on the TOD planned for February 25th, 2025.
After meeting with FOR staff in December the City has included in the UDO draft regulation amendments several commitments including:
1. Prohibition of the use of potable water for permanent industrial cooling. Any water used for industrial cooling will come from reclaimed water supplied by the City’s wastewater treatment plant.
2. incentives for when stormwater best management practices are designed to a 2% storm compliance (50-year storm) and all volume and nutrient treatment occurs on-site without the purchase of off-site credits.
3. Extensive buffer screening requirements requiring the use of native trees and shrubs. The use of existing vegetation (tree canopy) is also allowed and encouraged.
We continue to encourage the City to conduct a public outreach session where residents can ask questions and to require the potential developer to disclose the water usage required for any industrial cooling.
The issues surrounding power transmission routes and infrastructure will be discussed later in 2025 when the power feasibility study is received from Dominion. This stands to be a significant issue.
We encourage all interested parties to come out on:
• January 14 – Joint Work Session City Council and Planning Commission, 5:30pm.
Regular Session to follow at 7:30pm with proposed initiation of UDOTA and Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Council Chambers, City Hall, 715 Princess Anne Street.
• January 22 – Joint Meeting with the Planning Commission and City Council – Public Input Session, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Planning Commission Regular Session to follow, Council Chambers, City Hall, 715 Princess Anne Street
• February 12 – Planning Commission Public Hearing, 6:30pm-8:30pm, Council Chambers, City Hall 715 Princess Anne Street
• February 25 – City Council Public Hearing, 7:30pm, Council Chambers, City Hall, 715 Princess Anne Street
