Commission will meet Monday on proposed apartments

Published 1:02 pm Saturday, May 21, 2016

 

 

The Town of Farmville’s planning commission will meet to review a request for a conditional use permit from Farmville Associates, LLC on Monday at 9 a.m.

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The meeting — regarding the proposed 120-unit apartment complex — will be held in the Town Hall in downtown Farmville.

The permit would allow the firm to build apartments off South Main Street between Walmart and the Green’s South subdivision.

The proposed entrance of the facility — which has drawn scrutiny — is on South Main Street just south of the Milnwoood Road intersection.

A recent joint public hearing between the town council and commission drew opposition from concerned citizens regarding the $20 million Farmville Town Center project.

When previously asked if the construction of the apartments would have a positive impact on the town, Farmville Town Manager Gerald Spates said, “I don’t think there’s any question about it.”

During the hearing, residents expressed concerns regarding potential traffic hazards and undesirable location of the project.

Prior concerns about the flow of traffic in the area were raised by members of the planning commission, which prompted a traffic study by McCormick Taylor, Inc.  

Spates said the results of the study concluded an unsignalized entrance was not needed and the intersection would be able to handle the traffic.

Based on the concerns, Farmville Associates representative Will Allen said during the hearing that a proposal has been introduced to move the entrance south of the original proposal.

“The intersection to the existing road that accesses the 10-acre property is about 209 feet from the middle of Milnwood Intersection,” he said. “The proposed entrance has relocated. It’s going to shift 110 feet to the south and cross four lanes of traffic as opposed to six.”

In addition to apartment units, the Farmville Town Center would include a clubhouse featuring a community room, fitness center and management office in addition to a lounge, business center, billiard game room and picnic area on the property, according to Allen.