HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Henrico County has approved 186 new solar-powered apartments near Chamberlayne Avenue that will reportedly be designated for low-income housing, but some in the community are unsure about this new development.
Henrico Board of Supervisors approved the “Ashley Terrace Apartments” last Tuesday night. The planning committee first approved the project back in March.
According to the proposal, the apartments will rely on solar panels for energy. But other details about the complex are still unknown, such as how many bedrooms the proposed 186 units will have and how many units will be designated for low-income housing.
The property will be built where a now-demolished Days Inn Motel once stood. The Board of Supervisors says a new development on this land it will help support the area with new opportunities.
“Staff believes the proposal supports the goals of reinvestment development in the county’s older commercial corridors and would provide newer housing opportunities in the area,” Jean Moore, the Henrico assistant planning director, said.
Another one supervisor said it’s time for a “yes, in my backyard” attitude when it comes to new development in Henrico County.
But not everyone necessarily feels the same way.
“This would never happen in Short Pump,” Lisa Walker, the vice president of the Northern Henrico Civic Association, said.
Walker says there should have been more transparency about the project and its impact in the community.
“We’ve been working with the county for more than 10 years to get that property cleaned up and improved,” Walker said. “Our concern is that they changed it from a commercial zoning to a residential. We don’t feel like that’s the best place to be putting new people and new properties.”
8News reached out to the Henrico Board of Supervisors for more details on the Ashley Terrace proposal, but the board was unavailable for comment.
