Stafford Supervisors Approve New Age-Restricted Residential Development
The Arbors at Stafford will rent to those aged 62 and up making 60% of the area median income.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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Stafford supervisors on Tuesday approved a new age-restricted, multi-family residential development to be constructed off South Campus Boulevard and Old Potomac Church Road in the Aquia district.
The Arbors at Stafford will encompass 170 one- and two-bedroom apartments in a three-story building, with residency restricted to those age 62 or older.
Supervisors approved Marlyn Development Corporation’s request to rezone about 8.5 acres from office to age-restricted residential use and a conditional use permit to increase density from 15 to 20 dwelling units per acre.
Attorney Charlie Payne, representing the applicant, said the apartments will rent to families making 60% of the area median income, or between $60,000 and $80,000 per year.
The rent will be $1,500 for a one-bedroom unit and $1,750 for a two-bedroom unit, Bryan Straub, president of Marlyn, told supervisors.
Amy Taylor, principal planner with the county’s planning and zoning department, said the project will not impact public utilities, parks, schools, or transportation.
The developer is proffering $772 per unit—for a total of $131,000—for a public safety facility, as well as scheduled shuttle transportation services for residents to major retailers, grocers, and pharmacies during regular business hours Monday through Friday, and to special events outside of regular business hours on occasion.
The developer is also proffering $50,000 to support transportation improvements along Old Potomac Church Road, or towards other transportation projects “in the immediate area.”
Aquia district supervisor Monica Gary said she visited a Marlyn development in Culpeper with Falmouth representative Meg Bohmke. She said the project is "very important for our community” and noted that it gets closer to the 3,190 multifamily units envisoned for the Courthouse Targeted Development Area, which includes Downtown Stafford.
Payne said “roughly 426 [multifamily units]” have been approved in the area, and the Arbors project will add 170 to that.
Bohmke said she supports the project because the county “needs senior housing,” but added that she’s not happy that it will be so close to the data centers to be constructed at the Potomac Church Tech Center.
Crystal Vanuch, Rock Hill district representative, was the only supervisor to vote against both the rezoning request and the conditional use permit for the Arbors project at Tuesday’s meeting, without explanation.
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