BY KATIE THISDELL

Walgreens could be coming to southern Stafford County.

The pharmacy chain is asking the county for a rezoning at the intersection of White Oak Road and Cool Spring Road.

A public hearing will be held before the Planning Commission at 7:30 tonight, followed by public hearings on the Stafford High School rebuild and Chichester Park.

The proposed Walgreens would be 14,550 square feet with a drive-through window at the rear. The entrance would be off White Oak Road.

Proffers include construction of a sidewalk and crosswalk to connect to Deacon Road. Much of the 4.27-acre property had been graded during road improvement work.

The store would have a brick facade with an aluminum roofing feature above the entrance.

The property is being considered for urban commercial (B-2), but is currently zoned light industrial (M-1), which is for large-scale business and industry activities.

The applicant, Area Development Group Inc. of Richmond, also told county officials a second commercial building could be built in the future. No specific use has been identified, but county documents say it could be a fast-food restaurant with a drive-through window.

The closest Walgreens locations include two in Spotsylvania County, one in Culpeper County, and several in Manassas and Woodbridge.

OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS

Stafford's Planning Commission will also take up two conditional-use permits.

The first involves the height of the rebuild of Stafford High School, off Enon Road.

The new school will be built on a 115-acre tract next to where the existing building stands.

The maximum allowed height is 35 feet, and the School Board is asking the county for a conditional-use permit to increase that.

Built in 1975, the 287,836-square-foot high school is over capacity, with 1,933 students.

The school complex has three parking areas, six playing fields and a driver-education area. The height of the existing building is 38 feet.

The permit would allow for a 65-foot height on 4.2 acres of the site.

Plans for the new three-story building call for a total of 274,561 square feet, located where some existing fields and tennis courts are now.

Also up for public hearing is a conditional-use permit to allow lighting up to 80 feet tall at Chichester Park, 45 feet taller than currently allowed.

Located next to Stafford High School and bordering northbound Interstate 95, the 38-acre site is undeveloped. The permit would apply to just 3 acres.

Park plans include five diamond fields, picnic shelters, playground, 261 parking spots and a future 12,000-square-foot building.

Lights would not be used after 11 p.m. and would be directed only onto the fields.

Katie Thisdell: 540/735-1975
Email: kthisdell@freelancestar.com