Hausrath’s plan not welcomed

City officials and Waynesboro Place representatives faced a litany of concerns and sometimes-terse questions about the proposed 42-acre development during a two-hour public information session Thursday at the Waynesboro Public Library.

This was the second of two such informational meetings held with residents living adjacent to the property, with nearly all of the 40 people in attendance last night primarily concerned about the increased traffic on Alston Court that the development would bring.

In May, the Waynesboro Planning Department received an application to rezone 40 acres of property owned by Brandon Farms South LLC (et al), in care of Bill Hausrath, a prominent real estate developer and the owner of the majority of the property – as well as another two acres owned by the Waynesboro Country Club – from single-family, residential and general business districts, to a mixed use planned unit development with proffers.

As part of the proposal, Alston Court would be extended into the proposed development, linking up with Windigrove Drive.

The proposal also includes a 12-screen movie theater, restaurants, retail and office space.

The development would generate about 9,000 daily vehicle trips in and out, about 2,000 of which would use Alston Court, city officials said.

Residents said they don’t want the increased traffic, saying it would harm what is now a quiet neighborhood.

“The damage you will be doing to my neighborhood is immense, absolutely immense, and there’s no other way to describe it,” said Al Cadaret, who lives on Brandon Circle, just off of Alston Court and also adjacent to the proposed development. He described the development as “a race to see who will ruin my neighborhood first.”

Rosemary Shimer, of Alston Court, said she was disappointed that residents there now were not as important as the ones who would move into the high-end apartments. She also said the offices that would be near her house would not have adequate barriers to keep out trash that would come from there.

“I heard you talk about how important it was to the developers to … keep that area down there private,” Shimer said to applause. “What about all of us who have lived here, loved Waynesboro, who are honest taxpayers, aren’t we as important as the people who are going to move in there?” 

Assistant City Manager Jim Shaw, who served previously as the city’s planner, said it was Hausrath’s right as the property owner to have his proposal heard and be allowed due process. He said larger policy questions were up to the City Council, and that the city staff deals with the technical issues, which every department is allowed to review and offer comments upon.

Responding to residents’ concerns, Hausrath made a personal appeal to them, telling them he’s been a lifelong resident and just wants to make Waynesboro a better place.

“I do think in the bigger picture of what we’re trying to do, this isn’t a bad plan,” Hausrath said.

Cadaret said he believes “the train has already left the track” for the development to come to fruition.

Said Councilwoman Lorie Smith, however: “I can assure you, standing here this evening, this is not a done deal.”

The proposal next goes before a joint public hearing of the City Council and Planning Commission, likely on July 13.

Alston Court resident Peggy DeSimone said the neighborhood now has become infamous with the proposal.

“In the wintertime, we have to call three – not once, twice, [but] three times to get the street plowed,” DeSimone said. “They don’t even know we exist, but now, Alston Court, we’ve got floodlights on us.”