There is still no anticipated start date for North Pointe, a major development in Albemarle County that was approved seven years ago.
But this week, the Albemarle Planning Commission recommended approval of minor changes to the proffers that were included as part of the August 2006 rezoning.
“We need to get through this process [first],” said attorney Valerie Long, who represented Great Eastern Management Co. before the commission Tuesday.
“There’s a lot of permitting and designing to be done,” she added.
North Pointe could see as many as 893 residential units on 269 acres on the eastern side of U.S. 29 near the Charlottesville Regional Airport. The project also will include up to 700,000 square feet of commercial space.
Great Eastern is not seeking changes to the code of development or requesting additional units. Long said the amendments are “extremely limited” — designed to get the proffers up to date.
For instance, the original language called for two lots for a library and a school to be dedicated to Albemarle County by the end of 2010. However, the project went dormant during the economic slowdown.
“Due to slow and changing market conditions, developing the subject property has been difficult,” said county planner Claudette Grant.
Great Eastern is now requesting to dedicate the land by the end of 2016.
Commissioner Bruce Dotson wondered whether the library proffer was necessary, given that the county is moving ahead with a new Northside Library on West Rio Road.
“Would this just be a far-north library, or would it be just a small library?” Dotson asked.
Wayne Cilimberg, director of planning for the county, said that county planning documents envisioned an additional facility.
“In Places29, there is a potential for a more-northern library, but it could end up functioning for other public purposes,” Cilimberg said.
Long said her client still wants to dedicate some land for some public purpose.
“We have not proposed a change,” Long said.
No date has been set yet for when the North Pointe matters will go before the Albemarle Board of Supervisors.
