City aims to oust grandfather zonings at 3 locations 

Manassas officials have initiated three rezonings to properties that were built in the 1980s.

• The first rezoning, REZ #2020-01, is Beauregard Square Shopping Center in Downtown, where Olde Town Sports Pub is located. 
• The shopping center is requesting to remove an outdated regulation that forces at least 25% of the center to contain office space.

The other two rezonings are both requesting to rezone from their previous Heavy Industrial zonings. Heavy Industrial is supposed to be used for things like “outdoor storage yards or industrial uses that really have significant impact,” Arcieri explained.

• REZ #2020-02, Godwin Business Park, located near the Landing at Cannon Branch, requested “to rezone from I-2, Heavy Industrial to I-1, Light Industrial,” Arcieri said. Arcieri explained that since this was built in a flex warehouse space it is appropriate for zoning in I-1 – manufacturing employment.
• REZ #2020-03, Commerce Corner, located at the intersection of Liberia Avenue and Euclid Avenue, requested to rezone from I-2, Heavy Industrial to B-4, General Commercial, “because it’s along a busy commercial corridor,” Arcieri explained, saying that General Commerical zoning is typical for shopping centers along Liberia Avenue.

Why it matters: City leaders want to make sure zoning rules meet the current land-use needs of businesses. 

• “There’s not much [heavy industrial land] left in the city, obviously,” Arcieri said. “So both of these shopping centers want to go to a more appropriate zoning district that matches how they’ve been built.”

In 2016, Manassas made updates to its zoning ordinance, so now these properties are getting caught up with the current code.

• Matt Arcieri, Planning and Zoning Manager for the city, explained that the owners of some properties that are operating under older zoning are submitting written requests for the city to change zoning rules.  
• “… the underlying land-use regulations will be updated to be current with our current codes. It’s a housekeeping process that we initiated recognizing that some properties might benefit from the newer zoning codes.” Arcieri explained.

Any allowed use or business that is there now can stay, Arcieri explained, but the city will start eliminating grandfathered uses and start going to the correct zoning district. 

 

• Even though Commerce Corner was zoned like heavy industrial, Arcieri explained that it’s not operating that way anymore- there’s a grocery store there and a restaurant there. “That’s why they want to update their zoning regulations,” Arcieri said.