By Cecilia Roberts
The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors approved a zoning amendment that would allow for construction of 192 multi-family apartments in Rockbridge County, just outside Lexington.
The development, which would consist of eight 24-unit buildings, could increase the number of housing units in the county by 2%, said Steve Hart, a Rockbridge County supervisor for Kerrs Creek.
The project would be on 12.5 acres of land in the Walkers Creek Magisterial District, west of the intersection of North Lee Highway and Northwind Lane, four miles from downtown Lexington.
The housing units are expected to complement the natural landscape of the area with colonial, craftsman-style architecture, according to the developer.
“We’re really excited to come to Rockbridge County and provide affordable and quality housing, market rate, for the community here,” said Brian McCahill, chief operating officer of Roanoke-based R.P. Fralin Inc.
In order to move forward with the project, the developer sought the zoning change from a general residential district to a mixed residential district. The board of supervisors voted 4-1 to approve the request at a meeting on March 23.
“There is certainly a need for additional housing types in Rockbridge County, and that does include multi-families,” said Chris Slaydon, Rockbridge County director of community development and zoning administrator.
Study: affordable housing would attract new residents
About 36,600 people live in Rockbridge County, and these residents make up 13,631 households, according to the 2025 Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission Regional Housing Study. Around 40% of the households in the region have low incomes, which is 80% or lower of the median income set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
For a single person, the low-income limit is $33,400 a year. For a family of four, the low-income limit is $47,700 a year.
In the past five years, there has not been a significant change in the number of households because additional housing is developed slowly and those new to the area often have difficulty finding a place to live, according to the study.
Providing additional, affordable housing for service and support workers in the county would help the local economy and help attract new residents, the study found.
The proposed development also could benefit the region by generating sales tax revenue and attracting new people to the area, according to county officials.
“There’s an opportunity there to fulfill the housing needs that were listed in the CSPDC regional housing study with regards to diversifying our housing inventory,” said Brandy Flint, Rockbridge County director of economic development.
Construction start date unknown
If the property is purchased and the building permit process is approved, the development would be built in three phases; the start date has not yet been announced.
The first phase would build the first 72 housing units and possibly pool or clubhouse amenities. The second phase would add on another 72 units and possibly another pool or clubhouse amenity. The final phase would add 48 more units.
Each of the eight buildings would be three stories and include 15 two-bedroom and two-bath units, as well as nine one-bedroom and one-bath units. The exact rent prices for the apartments haven’t been determined, but the developer estimates they would fall somewhere between $1,150 and $1,350 per month.
“We’d like to get to a price point that is more affordable for the workforce,” said Robert P. Fralin, president and chief executive office of R.P. Fralin Inc. “Providing the workforce with something we don’t believe is here right now.”
Opposition to the amendment
Supervisor Steve Hart voted “no” to the rezoning amendment, citing concerns about the sprinkler systems in the apartments and how much water they would require. He also wanted to know more about how much tax revenue the apartment complex was going to generate and how much it would cost the county.
“I’m not voting ‘no’ to apartments, I’m voting ‘no’ to not having answers,” Hart said. “I’m just trying to make sure we understand what we’re signing up for.”
The county is currently reviewing the validity of votes cast by former Supervisor Jay Lewis, after it was discovered that he had failed to take the oath of office, the supervisors said at a meeting earlier this week. But Rockbridge County Attorney John Dryden said Thursday that this zoning vote remains valid because a majority voted “yes” – even if Lewis’ vote isn’t included.
A few citizens spoke during the meeting to express their opposition to the zoning amendment and used census data to support their reasoning.
Marina Williams, of the South River District, said Rockbridge County is currently experiencing a housing surplus with 432 new housing units being added in the past 15 years, while only 61 people have moved to the county during that time. Williams also emphasized the importance of preserving historic homes and the rural character of the region.
“This proposal does not benefit our workforce, does not meet the needs outlined in the regional housing study,” Williams said. “Creates long-term infrastructure costs for taxpayers and destroys pristine land unnecessarily.”
