Danville’s housing shortage, identified in a 2022 study, has been shrinking as the city kickstarts housing projects, though more homes are still needed. Single-family projects have been slower to materialize and harder to attract than multifamily developments.
A new single-family project might soon be underway, though. City council will consider a rezoning application that would allow for 16 separate lots on Sellers Road at its regular Tuesday meeting at 7 p.m.
The applicants, Jeffrey McDowell and James Farruggio, have purchased two vacant parcels on this road and want to subdivide the property to create separate lots to build single-family homes, according to the staff report in the meeting agenda.
The current designation for these parcels is suburban residential, which calls for a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet. By rezoning the parcels to the Old Town residential designation, which calls for a minimum lot size of 6,500 square feet, more individual lots could be created.
The planning commission recommended approval for this request at its Feb. 10 meeting with a 4-3 vote.
The 2022 housing demand analysis for Danville, compiled by Ken Danter, identified multifamily developments as the greatest housing need in Danville. That’s where most of the construction is happening.
Single-family developments are less popular for developers to pursue because of project costs.
“Anymore, it’s really hard to build a single-family house and make it quote-unquote affordable for a lot of the average people to purchase, especially with interest rates being as high as they are right now,” said Brent Cochran, a Roanoke housing developer who has worked on several projects in Danville.
McDowell and Farruggio’s proposed project could “assist with filling this need [new construction of single-family homes] and be a benefit to the city as a whole,” according to the staff report.
City staff recommends that council approve this rezoning request.
Council will also consider a special use permit for a Hyatt Studio hotel on River Street. The planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval for this request.