A common quote that developers use when faced with public opposition is: “If not this, then something worse.” I have seen this time and time again.
These are threats. They are stated for the intended purpose to get people to respond emotionally. When people are faced with two choices, they will pick what they perceive to be as the lesser of two evils. The developer is using this tactic to elicit support by threatening something worse.
This is what is happening right now with the proposed Riversbend rezoning. The Riversbend project is a development of 497 homes on 73 acres. The almost 500 houses is a big sticking point with citizens, School Board members, and some Planning Commissioners. The 500 houses is a huge project that will negatively impact already over-crowded schools and Main Street, which already suffers from heavy traffic.
How is a developer to deal with all the pushback? He could reduce the number of houses, and that might help. This option is very seldom taken.
Alternatively, he could induce fear and create a scenario that makes the 500 houses look like the better deal. For example, he could say:
“If they don’t allow these 500 houses, then 800 could be built there, ‘by right’ and it wouldn’t even have to go through rezoning!”
This is EXACTLY the scenario that is happening right now in our city. Decision-makers, like the Planning Commission and School Board were told that if they don’t agree to the 500 houses, that instead, the developer could come back with a MUD (Mixed Use Development) plan of 800 houses. City staff are actually confirming this for them.
The problem is that this threat of a development with 800 houses is a lie at worst or a deliberate misrepresentation at best.
The developer AND City staff, are saying this because this land is already zoned B-2, which is commercial zoning that allows MUD. Examples of this type of development include The Gallery at Godwin and Bridgeport. These are developments that offer both commercial and residential in the same development, like commercial space at the ground level and then apartments above.
There is a ratio set up in the UDO (Unified Development Ordinance) for MUD where there has to be one employee (one job created) for each housing unit built. They calculate the number of employees by taking the total square footage of the commercial space and dividing it by either 400 if it is retail space or 250 if it is office space. In order to put 800 homes at the VDOT site, they would need to build 320,000 square feet of commercial space. To put that in perspective, Bridgeport, which is quite large, is only 60,000 square feet of retail space.
They don’t have the ability to put that in this location. You don’t have to take my word for it– they already TRIED the MUD overlay district before applying to rezone.
In the above MUD conceptual plan, dated March 2025, look at what they were able to squeeze onto this space. They came up with 525 housing units and only 467 jobs, so the jobs number was too low! I don’t know how many iterations they worked with to try to maximize the housing, but they probably never even got to the 497 of the current application.
Also note, doing a MUD overlay does not absolve them from needing cash proffers for schools and roads, even if it does not need to be rezoned. At some point the developer looked at this, along with Interim City Manager Kevin Hughes, who was on the email that contained this plan (which I received via a FOIA request) and decided the best move was to rezone to RU-18.
All of this doesn’t even include the fact that no project of ANY density could be built there without the assistance of Mr. Hughes in gifting EDA (city-owned) land to the developer for use as the main entrance and exit. You can read more about this here.
So for everyone out there concerned that if the Riversbend rezoning doesn’t pass, we will be faced with 800 homes instead: don’t worry; this is a scare tactic. Shame on any and all city staff and city leadership that perpetuate this lie.