Draft Bon Air Special Area Plan Detailed Unedited Citizen Comments Compiled from Community Meetings, Emails and Internet Form April/May 2015
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Draft Bon Air Special Area Plan Detailed Unedited Citizen Comments Compiled from community meetings, emails and internet form April/May 2015 Comment Response Raw Comment # # Unfortunately, I do not see much in this plan to address the traffic problems that exist along Buford Rd. For cars turning onto/off of Buford, the traffic can be horrendous. Particularly bad is the intersection of Rockaway & Buford but there are other problem spots as well. 1 There is nothing here to address that concern. I would have hoped to see possibly some talk 3 of adding traffic lights or turning some intersections into 4 way stops. Perhaps even banning left turns at certain intersections at certain times of day. In my mind, traffic is one of the biggest issues in this area. On the topic of sidewalks... I know it is a hot button issue. I was initially a huge supporter because it sounds like a great idea. Then I heard the amount of land it takes, and my 2 4, 17 goodness, it changed my mind. Can the trees that would have to be removed be flagged or marked in some way, so as people consider the issue they can SEE the impact? Thank you. As someone who owns property on Bannon Rd., I am not too pleased with this plan. One thing being overlooked is that there is a need for smaller one level single family residence. 3 5 Surely, someone could have developed a plan that did not destroy the established neighborhood that I reside in. I thought this plan was dedicated to preserving what we have. Instead it looks like a proposition to transform Bon Air into another Short Pump. re: Section 5. Sidewalks and 4 6, 7, 8 parks are welcomed, but condos and redesigned multi level shopping mall??? NOT HAPPY!!!!! Bon Air Special Area Plan Citizen Comments 1 Comment Response Raw Comment # # I have read most of the PDF of the plan. It is so wrong on so many levels, that I am shocked this is even being presented. So many parts of it are not only wrong, they are just horrendous. I was a long-time resident of Bon Air and just this month sold my house on Tinsley Drive to a young couple with very young children. They bought the house largely because they attend Bon Air Baptist Church and wanted to live nearby. So now you are proposing to turn their street and home into commercial property? I have forwarded information on the plan to my realtor to give to their realtor. First - turning Bannon Road into commercial property and also Tinsley Drive. How are the people on Jefferson Drive and the remainder of Bon Oaks supposed to protect themselves from the 24-hour nighttime lights on Bannon? The parking lot behind? Am I the only one who thinks that this is an eyesore and knows that it is a thieves' delight? I watch the news and know that thieves want a quick in-and-out to hit a store. As in - the parking lot on Huguenot. And where is car traffic going to enter and exit? Not on Huguenot Road - too much traffic at high speeds. Too dangerous. So off of Bannon? Which will increase traffic on the edge of the remaining residential area. I wouldn't want to live on Jefferson after this. Would you? Second - turning all of Tinsley into commercial of any sort is just sad. One woman who bought her home 5, 6, 7, 8, 5 there several years ago wrote to me about this plan "I love my home". She doesn't want to 9, 10 move, but will if your plan succeeds. So your plan is to displace current residents. Third - the picture on p. 26 of the PDF of the intersection of Buford Road and Forest Hill is bizarre. In it, there is no sunlight on the streets - no homey atmosphere. It looks like The Brick Road in "Downtown Short Pump". Where is the Victorian feel of Bon Air? Or is this a deliberate attempt to destroy the current village feel? The current strip of stores on the east side of Buford north of Forest Hill is already an eyesore. I don't object to it being replaced. But how about with something BETTER - not worse. Fourth - the whole area that now houses Buford Road pharmacy, etc. What an awful plan for that area. High rise buildings in the Victorian village of Bon Air? Now - there's an oxymoron. Fifth - high rise buildings backing up on McRae Road? UGLY. Sixth - possibly closing off one of the streets at either end of Depot Lane? Not good, unless someone likes the idea of traffic jams on Rockaway Road. Seventh - on a better note - a park somewhere in Bon Air would be nice. Also walking trails. In sum, it looks to me like you are proposing bland, soul-less urban streetscapes in a suburban neighborhood. I am not against change. Some change is inevitable. But this? Please don't foist high-rise commercial development on Bon Air. Please don't tear up current residential neighborhoods. Please. The county should stop the use of the residential home at 2015 Buford Road for running a construction business. The Hodgins children started using this home for their business after the death of their parents two years ago. I have complained to the zoning board but 6 11 nothing has happened. The house is becoming an eyesore in the heart of "old Bon Air". They are storing equipment in the side yard and have about 10 trash containers in the driveway which are all visible from Buford Road. This area is currently zoned Residential. I love being able to drop my car at BP for work and walk home. Hope a garage stays. in the meantime I wonder if the shops near pizza hut could change their dumpster situation and use the in between area for parking. And if it will be a long time til changes are made if they could all paint the shops in pleasing colors. Am hoping the crepe myrtles will not be cut 7 1 back mid bloom this year. The land management company chose to murder them last year while blooming rather than Feb. (which shouldn't be done anyway) this is all very interesting. hope to see more on thurs. thanks for high level of communication, you all are doing a good job. Bon Air Special Area Plan Citizen Comments 2 Comment Response Raw Comment # # We need to prioritize pedestrian and bike routes, particularly paths separated from the main road, which will make the neighborhood more liveable and help to increase property 8 values. Also, we need to educate people about overuse of outdoor lighting which takes 6 away the stars, wastes electricity and is actually harmful to public safety (whereas motion- detecting lights improve safety). I reviewed the Bon Air Special Area Plan. Overall, it has many good ideas however, I have concerns and questions. I fully support enhancements to increase walking, adding trees and green spaces, and putting power lines underground. I have concerns about overall cost and "vertically integrated mixed use buildings". I question the logic in idea of tearing down the existing Bon Air Elementary School and building a new school. That seems to be an 9 unnecessary expense. Where exactly would a water treatment facility be located on the 6, 8,9, 12 school property? The design for the business district puts the buildings too close to the road and I could not support buildings higher than 2 stories. If new housing is going to be added there needs to be a mix of more affordable housing with more expensive housing. It sounds like a parking deck is part of the plan - where and how high? What happens after the comment period? Thank you. Please include waste water service and the funding to pursue waste water service for all 10 Bon Air homes. Having a strong infrastructure and basic utilities are critical to long term 13 success. Lots of exciting things in the plan! Had a few concerns/comments to add: 1. Light rail through Bon Air would increase train traffic for the many residents whose properties border the tracks. The tracks are very close to yards. 2. There isn't a light planned at Buford Road and Rockaway. This is currently a big traffic problem as there's only a two-way stop sign 11 1, 3, 5, 14 (cars get backed up on Rockaway trying to turn left onto Buford). Would be great if a light or four way stop were installed. 3. The added shops along Huguenot Road will dramaticaly change the nature of the road. Don't want Huguenot to turn into Midlothian Tpke. Maybe offices instead of a commercial strip? Hello, I'd like the county administrators to consider funding wastewater connections to the county sewer lines on my street , cherrytree lane, for houses like mine and several others 12 13 that are still on a septic system. This will help increase resale home values as well as keep the creeks and river cleaner. Thanks you for your consideration. We are very concerned about our neighbors and friends who are without access to the sewer lines and the enormous costs they must incur to connect to established lines. We 13 13 truly hope that the Bon Air plan includes the extension of sewer lines to more homes. This is impacting all of us, even those of us who are already hooked up to the sewer lines.