Architectural Review Board

12 June 2023 Fredericksburg Architectural Review Board 601 Caroline Street, 4th Floor Fredericksburg, VA 22401 Re: COA FY23-0030 – 400 Princess Anne Street Dear ARB Members: I am writing today to once again register my strong opposition to COA issuance for this proposal. On numerous occasions, the ARB has requested that the applicant provide a clear and comprehensive overview of height comparisons to surrounding structures. This is an appropriate request and would significantly help the ARB and the public better understand key mass and scale relationships. Much to the surprise and frustration of the public - and perhaps even members of the ARB - the applicant continues to studiously avoid making such a comparison, even citing confusion when directly and repeatedly requested by ARB members. This latest set of figures once again is not fully responsive and does not meet the necessary threshold for the necessary comparisons. The new figures rely on slanted perspectives and arbitrary, incomplete datasets, and they continue to mislead both the Board and the public. It doesn't have to be this way. We know this because the applicant has been able to effectively present height data in a clear and concise manner in earlier submissions - but only one small part of the data. As far back as the March 13 meeting, the applicant has presented a straightforward side-by side visual comparison of building heights - but notably using a cherry-picked sample of only the very tallest buildings in the area. See sheet A109, page 20 of that meeting’s agenda. Compare those cherry-picked comparisons to this new submission, which uses skewed perspectives and limits height comparison only to the adjacent Princess Anne St. property. In the earlier analysis, the applicant hand-picked tall structures as far away as the Charles Street townhomes - down the next block. In doing so, they conveniently ignored numerous smaller, more proximate structures such as the GWRC building, the Purina Tower Offices, 300 and 301 Princess Anne, 314 and 316 Frederick Street. Each of these are closer to the proposed new site than the Charles Street townhomes. These properties are not invisible and are historically significant. Why are they so carefully ignored? The new drawings also obscure the west and southwest sides. In one new drawing, a tree on the southwest corner of the site totally obscures the roofline from that angle. This conceals and minimizes the visual impact from a side of the block which would be completely dwarfed by a 40-foot-plus, 3-story-plus building. The ARB, the neighbors, and the citizens of Fredericksburg deserve a more balanced, comprehensive, and evidence-based perspective. This is an expectation that the ARB itself has established in the eyes of the public through its prior, unfulfilled requests. It is critical that the ARB once again continue this hearing until height comparisons to neighboring buildings are clearly and fully made. Sincerely, Forrest M. Wilhoit 307 Princess Anne St.