Planning Board backs Eagle Landing rezoning to allow tighter side setbacks and more lots

The Rockingham County Planning Board recommended approval on Feb. 9 of a conditional rezoning for the Eagle Landing subdivision that would reduce side setbacks from 10 feet to 7.5 feet and allow an increase in lot count on a roughly 97.2‑acre tract.

Planning staff said the property — shown as part of the county’s G3 corridor in the county’s land‑use plan — is already zoned residential mix and that the proposed change would allow the developer to increase lots from about 312 to about 330, an addition of roughly 18 lots. Staff noted the rezoning is legislative in nature and the board’s vote is a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners.

Raikes Stroh of Wentworth Holdings, the applicant, described the planned homes as starter‑home product with "3 to 4 bedrooms" and typical floorplates in the mid‑range; he said construction could begin later in the year or early next year if approvals proceed. Staff said utilities and prior approvals through the technical review committee had already been obtained for an earlier iteration of the subdivision.

Board members asked whether allowing 7.5‑foot side setbacks in this subdivision would establish an unwanted countywide precedent. Staff said the change would apply only to this property as a conditional rezoning and that each rezoning would be evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis; the board noted the location sits within an area the county has targeted for higher intensity and mixed use.

A motion to recommend approval based on the consistency and reasonableness determinations in the staff packet carried with members voting in favor; the recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for final action. If the commissioners approve the rezoning, the applicant will still be required to comply with site‑plan review, permitting and any buffering or other permit conditions required during that process.