(Danville) — A judge is weighing a request to throw out a rezoning approved last year by Danville City Council in the west end of town.
Christopher M. Winslow, the lead attorney representing Jean Vernon is asking a Circuit Court Judge to issue an injunction halting development of a large housing project in the Country Club West area. Chris Vail and Brent Cochran with Sycamore Development are planning two projects behind Riveroak Church of God.
The first is a 40 million dollar apartment project on fourteen acres fronting West Main. That would create 204 units in 17 buildings, with 326 parking spaces, a clubhouse, an indoor pool and vehicular storage.
The second calls for 24 single-family homes on ten acres. But neighbors are worried the development density is too high—and that it would make an already-busy traffic corridor worse.
Vernon’s lawsuit claims Council approved the rezoning without providing proper public notification. Specifically, they claim the only sign promoting the public hearing was put behind a guardrail and was hard to see. “The City’s procedures are very clear, a sign(s) must be visible from the road and not in the public right of way,” Vernon says.
She also claims Council failed to take other factors into account like contaminated soil that had been recently dumped on the development site, and the presence of bald eagle nests nearby.
Attorneys representing the city of Danville say Vernon lacks any standing to sue. But Vernon disagrees. “We continue to oppose the rezoning of 1700 West Main Street for 204 apartments. We pray the Court will make the City re-start the whole process,” Vernon says.
Pittsylvania County Circuit Court Judge Stacey Moreau is hearing the case. She will make a ruling at a later date.
PHOTO COURTESY MELVIN VERNON