Report from the “Providence Creek” Community Meeting
( 7/15/08, Hanover Co. Admin. Bldg. Brd. Rm, 7 pm)

WHAT: 63-acre wooded parcel bounded by Woodside Lane and Providence Church Rd.
PRESENTERS: The DesignForum (Richmond)

The DesignForum presented preliminary plans for developing this parcel to a small group of citizens, the county’s planning staff, developers, and an attorney. Those in favor of profiting from this development far outnumbered adjoining property owners and interested citizens.
With approximately 12 adjoining properties, only THREE adjoining property owners declared themselves. One property owner was a developer who had attempted to develop Hickory Hill 20 years ago (he owns the cornfield parcel bounded by Providence Church Road & and Rt. 54).

The generic, pseudo-village development calls for 232 housing units and they come in the familiar, cookie-cutter configuration:

110 town homes
89 single family homes
33 apartments or “live-over-stores/shops”

The design process took into consideration the preservation of wetlands and woods. Intentional green spaces were created, green space was not merely treated as what’s ‘left over’ after a parcel has been radically altered from its natural state.

Some projections:

People – with 2.6 persons per household and 232 homes, the Providence Creek “village” would become home to 603 new residents (in addition to a number of people the shops might attract).

Traffic: if you calculate at 8 vehicle trips per day (per household), Providence Creek “village” would add approximately 1,856 vehicle trips to traffic. A background traffic count was conducted over the July 4th weekend. Due to rising gas prices, there was less traffic and travel over the Fourth of July weekend. The design firm was asked if their traffic count will be reconciled to reflect this reality.

Concerns about traffic generated the greatest amount of discussion. Due to future developments surrounding the area (Hickory Hill, East Ashland, and Woodside Lane), there will be many more cars and congestion.

Concern was raised regarding the unsafe intersection where Providence Church Road and Woodside Lane converge at Routet 54. DesignForum proposed re-locating Providence Church Road so that it passes through the mixed use development and reaches Woodside, therefore a “T-intersection” would be created at Route 54.

There was no mention of work-force housing.

Filed under: "Providence Creek" Development |