Construction of "Vista Ridge" could help mark the rebound of the housing market in Augusta County. But the first step is a public hearing Wednesday night, to give neighbors a chance to weigh in on the proposed development of 755 apartments, duplexes and houses.
A Virginia Beach developer wants to invest some $110 million, and bring more than 100 construction jobs over the build-out schedule of at least five years.
The Augusta County Board of Supervisors would have to give the project a green light by rezoning 86 acres of land, along Barterbrook Road just south of Staunton. Most of it is rolling pasture land, bordered by stately homes on large lots. But it's actually on the county's land-use maps as an Urban-Service Area, where Augusta aims to channel most of its future growth.
Developer Boyd Homes originally planned more than 1,000 units, some of them apartments that would have been built right next to neighboring houses.
"It really wasn't conducive to the environment," recalls Supervisor David Karaffa, whose Beverley Manor District includes the Barterbrook property. "So we sat down and worked with them for many months to get things shifted around."
The result is Vista Ridge, a mixed-use development of 85 houses, 270 duplexes and 400 high-end apartments.
"He has included some amenities such as a clubhouse, swimming pools that weren't necessarily a requirement of the county code," says Augusta Economic Development Director Dennis Burnett. "But (it's) something that he has offered to make it sort of a community feel, and help market the product."
At the county's urging, the Boyd development places those apartments near Interstate 81 on the south end of the property. Duplexes would be located on the western edge, near an existing apartment complex. Single-family homes would be built along Barterbrook Road and on the northern side of the property, closest to neighboring houses.
"We've really done what we could to make sure that not only is the project a success, but that it also impacts the neighbors as little as possible," says Karaffa.
The county supervisor believes public schools will be able to handle the gradual influx of children, and Barterbrook should accommodate the added traffic. The developer will pay for any Virginia Department of Transportation recommended improvements to the nearby intersection with Frontier Drive.
Last week the Augusta County Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend approval of the rezoning.
