Debating ‘grapevine mortar’, zoning change
Two governing bodies of the Town of Washington met back-to-back Monday to consider applications, one for zoning changes behind Patty O’s Cafe, and another for reconfiguring the entrance of the Rappahannock Historical Society. The zoning change was granted, while the historical society’s request was denied.
The Architectural Review Board (ARB) met to consider a request submitted by the historical society to widen the opening in the stone wall that lines the front of its building on Gay Street from roughly three feet wide to about eight feet, according to the application.
At the ARB’s previous meeting, Kees Dutihl said, on behalf of the society, the alteration to the wall would make the opening and path symmetrical with the front door. No one from the historical society attended Monday’s meeting.
ARB secretary Ryan Crabbe, who introduced the motion to deny, said the “grapevine mortar wall” is a historic, contributing structure to the town, and spans an important street. He said he was concerned altering the wall would “do more harm than help.”
“I’m not sure either if there is a need to fiddle with the wall … part of the history of this is that that house moved, and that’s why the walkway isn’t centered. And by centering that, you’re losing that little aspect of history that I think should be honored by the historical society,” board member Nanette Edwards said.
In comments, board members said the request to reconfigure the opening is for aesthetic purposes only, and the current entryway is in compliance with ADA standards.
Board member Drew Mitchell recused himself from the vote because of his involvement in conceptualizing the application and in its presentation at the last ARB meeting. Member Wes Kerr, without comment, was the only vote against denying the application.
Civil engineers and attorney David Silek address the Town Council Monday and show them sketches of proposed changes to their plans for the lot behind Patty O’s Cafe. (Photo/Ireland Hayes)
Inn property rezoning
The Washington Town Council voted unanimously to approve a zoning change in the parking area behind Patty O’s Cafe from village residential to mixed use after continuing the vote last week to allow negotiations to play out with the applicant — The Inn at Little Washington — and its neighbors.
“I think we can all acknowledge that for time immemorial, and perhaps longer than that, that [property] has not been used in any way in a residential capacity or zoning. And what we’re doing … is merely recognizing how this lot has been used for as long as any of us can remember,” Mayor Joe Whited said.
The inn filed a request to change 2.105 acres behind Patty O’s, and contends that doing so would make the entire property consistent in its zoning, as the front half of the parcel is already zoned for village mixed use. Inn chef and proprietor Patrick O’Connell, who is on the Town Council, recused himself from the meeting.
Wendy Murdoch, whose property is adjacent to the inn’s lot, said after last week’s meeting and the continuance of the vote, she gave the inn a list of concerns and requests that would make her feel comfortable with the zoning change. She said after that, she never heard back from anyone about her requests.
“I know that you said to negotiate with them, which I did in good faith, and to which they have not responded,” Murdoch said. “I cannot feel that I can trust anything that happens here, and I don’t feel safe … my property is going to be extremely impacted by whatever happens in that lot.”
Murdoch added she is concerned that if the zoning changes, that opens the door for more by-right uses of the lot. “Mixed use does not address buffers, setbacks, screening, lighting, all those things that are going to impact me,” Murdoch added.
Brent Ogden, a civil engineer working on the project, said they have altered proposed plans to address the council’s concerns voiced at last week’s meeting. Inn attorney David Silek added that the concerns of neighbors were received and considered, and described how the inn’s team plans to make accommodations.
During his comments, councilmember Brad Schneider, also an adjacent neighbor of the lot, said he wanted to make it clear that the vote at hand was only to update zoning on the lot, not approve any changes or proposed projects. He said proposed plans were being shown to the public at the meeting by the inn, but they are only conceptual, and will still have to go through several votes from all bodies of town government.
“The vote is not approval to allow construction to commence on the property,” Schneider said. “This is a vote on an ordinance, zoning change, nothing more. All this will come up in subsequent meetings with submittals prepared.”
