The Observer Newspapers | Commission is Scheduled to Vote on Hotel, Retail Project on July 7

June 27, 2008

Commission is Scheduled to Vote on Hotel, Retail Project on July 7

By Rebecca Plevin
Observer Staff Writer

During its work session Monday, the Planning Commission continued to discuss possible scenarios for truck delivery and general traffic flow around the proposed Diamond Properties hotel project. The developer has submitted three possible scenarios, known as plans A, B and C, and town residents, commission members and town staff have expressed their support for plans B and C. The commission is scheduled to take action on the hotel project at its July 7 public hearing.

In Plan A, delivery trucks would turn onto Lynn Street, back up about 180 feet into an alley to reach the hotel's loading dock, and then pull front-first out of the loading area. In Plan B, delivery trucks would pull front-first from Lynn Street into an alley between the hotel development and the Nachman property and then pull into the parking area behind the Pine Street shops. The drivers would then turn around to access the loading space, unload their goods, and exit front-first onto Lynn Street. In Plan C, trucks would access the loading spaces in the development's back parking lot and then exit the hotel property by driving through the rear parking lots behind in the Pine Street shops and turning right onto Monroe Street to return to Elden Street.

Commissioner Dave Swan said he would like the town attorney to advise the commission as to whether it would be feasible to approve Plan C, while maintaining the possibility of reverting to Plan B if Plan C was not satisfactory to affected downtown business owners. The town attorney's recommendation would likely be included in the staff material for the commission's July 7 public hearing, Kay Robertson, senior projects planner, said in an e-mail.

"If this solves the problem, then I'm all in support of it," Judy Downer, who owns the Herndon Clock and Watch property on Pine Street, said of plans B and C. "The hotel is so important to Herndon that if we property owners don't do something, we're going to lose it." Diamond Properties representatives have said the hotel will only require one delivery truck a week and Downer said she hopes the development's retail stores do not require many delivery trucks.

Mary Taylor, who owns Brush Strokes on Pine Street, said she supports Plan B, but she is uncomfortable with Plan C, which would require the trucks to drive behind her hair salon. She said the situation would be detrimental to the property and would disrupt business. Having trucks pass behind her store, she said, "is not what I agreed to."

Chairman Carl Sivertsen said he would like the commission to vote on the hotel proposal on July 7, and he recommended the commission create contingency plans in case the public hearing needs to be continued.