UPDATE: In August, the applicant withdrew the rezoning request!
Thanks to everyone who helped along the way by contacting planning commissioners and board of supervisors, writing letters and sending emails, signing and sharing the petition (which received 1046 signatures. Good work!), submitting letters to the editor, and engaging our neighbors and friends. It made a difference!
Through the sustained hard work of community members, like you, the Rockland countryside will remain beautiful, rural, and will retain its historic integrity, at least for now. We will keep you posted in case the rezoning request is resubmitted.
Warren County is considering a rezoning request that, if approved from agricultural to suburban residential/commercial, will allow, by right, the proposed age-restricted 286 single-family homes in rural Rockland, an area surrounded by gorgeous and productive farmland.
The proposal is for an age-restricted housing development which is allowed, by-right, in areas zoned suburban residential. A sit-down restaurant open to the public, additional lodging units and other associated uses is planned for the 12 acres of commercial land.
This proposal also goes against the comprehensive plan:
- The area is zoned for agriculture, not dense residential development.
- The comp plan includes the goal ‘to direct future development into an efficient and serviceable form that will preserve the County’s predominately rural character’. Rezoning from ag to suburban residential and commercial does not meet this goal.
- The future land use map intends for the Rockland area to remain in agriculture.
- The area is not served by municipal water and sewer and the comp plan clearly states that dense development should be directed towards Front Royal.
Bad Precedent: Rezoning this property would set a destructive precedent –what is to keep other landowners from coming forward to create dense housing developments that are also not on town water and sewer? This is not just an issue for Rockland: the comprehensive plan must be upheld, otherwise it could make all agricultural land vulnerable.
You can read our letter of opposition here.
What You Can Do Now
Mark Your Calendar
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing Meeting
August 22 at 6:00pm
This is the last opportunity to be heard before the board. Begin crafting your 3 minute comment and plan to come to the public hearing!
Rockland has three designations acknowledging the rich history and commitment to agriculture:
- Rural Historic District – Rockland is one of only 37 such districts recognized for significant history and landscape
- Ag-Forestal District – Rockland is the oldest ag-forestal district in the commonwealth and the largest in Warren County
- Conservation Easements – landowners voluntarily gave up their development rights and agreed to permanently protect nearly 8,000 acres.
The community held an informational meeting on May 4 to discuss the rezoning and what it would mean for Rockland. Of the 100+ citizens who attended, we heard many concerns related to increased traffic problems including an increase in difficulty of emergency response, loss of the rural, historical and agricultural community, and concerns over water quality and quantity.
At the community meeting on May 4, citizens voiced their concerns and you can read our takeaways here and view the meeting presentation here. In short, Rockland is a gem for Warren County and deserves protection.
The original public hearing at the planning commission level will be July 12 at 7:00pm at the county administration building, 220 N. Commerce Avenue, Front Royal, VA 22630. Please plan to attend and make your 3-minute comment to let the planning commissioners know that you do not support this proposal.
You can also reach out to commissioners by emailing comments to Veronica Diamond at vdiamond@warrencountyva.gov. These communications will then go to the planning commissioners in their agenda packets.
To communicate with your board of supervisors, you can email them directly or send a message to Zach Henderson at zhenderson@warrencountyva.gov.
View the full application packet here.
Please note: The Front Royal VFD Fireman’s Parade is scheduled for 6:00 pm along Commerce Avenue so please plan accordingly for detours and parking.