Church leaders ready ‘for the long haul’
This story was updated at 3:21 p.m. on Oct. 16, 2024.
The Hero’s Bridge plan to build a pocket community for military veterans has hit a bump in the road: The Warrenton Planning Commission voted 3-1 on Oct. 15 to recommend that the town council reject the nonprofit’s proposal.
“This is very easily one of the most difficult cases that has come before us,” Ryan Stewart, the commission chair.
The Hero’s Bridge plan hinges on rezoning an empty lot next to Warrenton United Methodist Church.
The land is now zoned residential; the change would make it a residential planned unit development, which would allow a higher population density than single-family zoning does.
The organization hopes to build 44 single-occupant homes for veterans 65 and older.
The final decision is up to the Warrenton Town Council, and John Foote, the attorney for Hero’s Bridge Village, says it will consider the project in November. Although the council must consider the planning commission’s recommendation it does not have to follow it.
“When I look at what is proposed, the location is not, in my mind, appropriate,” Stewart said.
He said the project would have a density beyond what is recommended by the town’s comprehensive plan. The lot is zoned for 16 single-family homes.
Stewart said the project would be inconsistent with the current neighborhood and would not create pedestrian-friendly streets.
“This is not something that is suitable for any uses in Warrenton or Fauquier. It would probably be difficult up in Haymarket,” Commissioner Steve Ainsworth said. “Will we sit there and say, ‘Do we want something that is supporting this segment of society, or do we just sit with the status quo?’”
Ainsworth was the sole commissioner who voted in favor of the project.
Warrenton Town Hall was full for the public hearing. Five people spoke in favor of the project and six neighborhood residents spoke against it.
“My concern is that an individual who is denied based on status sues Hero’s Bridge, which then causes Hero’s Bridge to dissolve their nonprofit,” local resident Nancy Gatti said. “Now the neighborhood is left with something that could possibly sit empty or is sold to another company.”
Rev. Larry Davies, senior pastor of Warrenton United Methodist Church said that won’t happen.
“The church is in it for the long haul,” he said.
Church leaders have said they want to be active participants in Hero’s Bridge Village, and the church has invested over $50,000 in the project thus far. It has a tentative plan to lease the land to Hero’s Bridge for $9,750 a month.
“Could we turn it into a green space? Sure,” said Sarah Newton, the church’s executive officer, “but is that really being good stewards?”
She said the church had been looking to offer congregants an ongoing project as part of the church ministry, when it learned the veterans’ organization was looking for property.
Newton says the church sought feedback from its neighbors last fall during two events.
Even with several notices to neighbors, turnout was low for the meetings — the highest attendance being 12 residents. It was during these meetings that neighbors said they did not want proposed sidewalks, an omission that was mentioned during the planning commission’s denial.
“We remain optimistic” Molly Brooks, the Hero’s Bridge CEO told The Fauquier Times. “We feel that the town council might have a better handle on the affordable housing crisis.”
Staff writer Tate Hewitt can be reached at thewitt@fauquier.com.