City Council agrees to waiver for driveway

WILLIAMSBURG — Quinn Wolfe, of BW Rentals, asked the Williamsburg City Council last week for a waiver on the size driveways.

Williamsburg City Manager Aaron Sandersfeld said BW Rentals is building townhouses on North Street near Jones Drive. Each garage is 21-feet wide, said Wolfe, meaning the driveways would be wider than permitted by city code.

The Council agreed to the variance for the driveways but declined to grant a waiver for putting in a sidewalk. Wolfe pointed out that a sidewalk in front of the residences won’t have anything to connect to because there are no sidewalks near the property. The closest sidewalk to the west is across North Hampton Drive.

City Attorney Eric Tindal said city code requires a sidewalk in front of every property, though sometimes that’s not feasible. Sometimes in subdivisions the installation of sidewalks is delayed until lots are sold and construction is finished. That makes sense because construction equipment would damage the sidewalks, Tindal said.

That’s not the case here, said Tindal. In this case, putting in the sidewalk could lead to other property owners adding sidewalks and connecting them to this one.

“You’ve got to start someplace,” said Williamsburg City Councilman Tyler Marshall. “I would really love to see us get more sidewalks and trails [for children].”

Wolfe offered a compromise. “We do understand that safety concern,” said Wolfe. BW could put in a sidewalk on the east side of the property, and the city could put a crosswalk in line with the intersection of North Street and Jones Drive.

Right now children cross at a driveway on North Street on the north side of the BW property.

“I think it makes sense to tie in the school area,” said City Councilman Jeff Steinkamp.

Tindal recommended that if council members waive the sidewalk requirement they do it for a year and see where students cross the street. He said they’ll cross where they are crossing now regardless of where the crosswalk is.

If they are crossing on the east side, that’s where the city should put the crosswalk. If they are crossing at the driveway on North Street they will continue to cross there even if the city puts a crosswalk farther east, Tindal said.

Wolfe said BW will pour the sidewalk as required by city code. Then the city can decide where to put a crosswalk.