Town of Washington officials Monday changed the zoning of The Inn at Little Washington’s planned luxury spa property but withheld ruling on the rezoning of the parking lot behind Patty O’s restaurant after hearing comments from neighbors.
The Town Council and Planning Commission hosted joint public hearings on zoning change requests from the inn for properties on Main Street. Inn proprietor and chef Patrick O’Connell recused himself.
The inn filed a request to change 2.105 acres behind Patty O’s Cafe, most of which is used for parking, from village residential to village mixed use. The inn contends that doing so would make the entire property consistent in its zoning.
Wendy Murdoch, closest neighbor to the inn’s property, said she is concerned about “enforcement and accountability” of the town’s zoning ordinance. She said as the inn expands, a “clearly articulated, long-range plan” is needed instead of “one parcel at a time.”
“That makes it very hard for neighbors to feel confident, or for the town to protect the village’s unique character,” Murdoch said.
Another resident, Joan Platt, asked if the matter could be tabled because she just got an updated site plan “a couple of hours” before the meeting. She said quickly looking at the plan, she sees a trash compactor is proposed right behind her home.
“I was a little distressed, because there’s already noise back there, but the parking lot literally
behind me with a trash compactor is a bit concerning,” Platt said.
When asked by Planning Commission Chair Caroline Anstey, civil engineer Brent Ogden said the trash compactor is planned to be relocated away from residential areas.
After hearing from residents, inn attorney David Silek said the property had been used as a parking lot since the 1950s, at one point acting as a junkyard.
“This area has been utilized for parking for much worse purposes than what is being proposed today,” Silek said.
“The inn employs quite a few individuals in this town … They have to have someplace to park,” Silek continued. “I think everybody here assembled can agree they don’t want 100 or 200 employees parking all over the streets of Washington, Virginia. If we consolidate that parking location to one area, as well as guests and guests to other businesses in the town, as well as the church, that’s a benefit.”
Although the Planning Commission recommended approval of Patty O’s rezoning, the council voted to continue it to next Monday, June 23 at 7 p.m. to allow negotiations between the inn and its neighbors to continue and hopefully achieve a resolution.
“The inn approached the two neighboring property owners about the possibility of finding some accommodation on the way forward, but that they only just started that discussion yesterday … What I would like to suggest is that we continue tonight’s meeting,” Mayor Joe Whited said. “Then on Monday night, we will meet and we’ll make a decision one way or another.”
The council accepted the commission’s recommendation of approval, and passed the zoning change for 0.44 acres from village residential to village mixed use for properties at 371 and 389 Main Street which the inn proposes as the site of its new luxury spa.
