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By DAN TELVOCK
A developer is proposing 950 homes and almost 1 million square feet of office and retail space on the banks of Ni River near Massaponax High School in Spotsylvania County.
Luck Stone and its partners call it Ni Village, which is on two parcels totaling about 330 acres.
On the east side of U.S. 1 would be a campus-style employment center, south of the high school.
Behind this property is Luck Stone's Massaponax quarry. Operations have been suspended because of the economy. Luck Stone representatives said they expect the closing to be temporary.
Luck Stone still operates and will expand mining at its other Spotsylvania quarry off Smith Station Road.
Luck Stone, which owns 22 plants throughout Virginia, will have its final community meeting on the project at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Massaponax High. The rezoning application has not been filed with the county.
The two parcels are zoned for light and heavy industrial use.
This area is what the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors calls the Jackson Gateway. The county comprehensive plan, which is a guide for growth, targets this area for industrial uses, technology and job centers, but not homes.
John Pullen, vice president of Luck Development Partners, said Ni Village would be a place of inspiration where people can enjoy nature, recreation, in a development they live and work in.
"The goals, desires and passion of the community, county and region have guided our creative energies in envisioning Ni Village," he said.
Spokesmen for Luck Stone said the development would showcase special stormwater drainage techniques and other environmentally sound applications.
The housing units and commercial space has increased as Luck Stone has worked on the plans after community meetings in April 2008 and one in August.
At the April 2008 community meeting, Luck Stone representatives told the audience that the project would have about 690,000 square feet of office and retail with 655 residential units.
Eileen Dahlstedt, general manager of Luck Development Partners, said the county doesn't have a true mixed-use ordinance, so they cobbled together different zoning categories to make this project work. When asked why the number of homes has increased, she said the zoning category they are using allows for up to 950 homes.
Luck Stone is partnering with local residents and members of the Committee of 500 political action committee to develop trails that eventually would lead to several historical attractions in Spotsylvania.
A 5K trail would be built within the development, Dahlstedt said. The trails could be designed to follow the Ni River and eventually link to the Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Court House battlefields.
"That is a group of amazing citizens who have a passion for trails, and the mission is to create trails and linkages to existing trails in the county, and way down in the future link those trails to adjacent counties," Dahlstedt said.
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com
| Luck Stone will have its final community meeting on its Ni Village rezoning request in Spotsylvania County at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Massaponax High School. |
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