Henrico's largest residential community is about to get even bigger.

The Henrico County Board of Supervisors June 10 unanimously approved developer HHHunt's plans to expand the Glen Allen development of Wyndham by 193 housing units.

The 97 single-family homes and 96 detached condos will be built in the far northwest corner of the county, against its border with Goochland County to the west and Hanover County to the north.

The board voted 4-0, with one member absent, in favor of the plan despite concerns from some Wyndham residents who believe it will worsen traffic problems, produce homes atypical for Wyndham and tax the community's already crowded pool and recreation area.

HHHunt will build three neighborhoods as part of the plan – one with 96 empty-nester condos, and the two others with 64 and 33 single-family homes, respectively, attorney Jim Theobald said. The developer originally had planned 160 single-family homes but adjusted its proposal when Wyndham residents objected.

Wyndham's long-term plan has always included an expansion proposal and though the idea is still controversial to some, it will be compatible with the community, Three Chopt District Supervisors Dave Kaechele said.

"The overall quality and good lifestyle of Wyndham is not going to be impacted," Kaechele said.

Wyndham Foundation Board of Directors member Vincent Combs praised HHHunt's willingness to adjust its plan and listen to residents.

"They've consistently cooperated," he said. "We believe that the addition will be a wonderful and very complementary addition."

But Wyndham resident Dennis Berman, who represented an informal group of concerned Wyndham residents, criticized the developer for altering its original plan from 160 residences to 193.

The proposed homes "are not Wyndham-like," he said, citing the minimum finished floor sizes of 2,000 square feet to 2,700 square feet as being too small and not in keeping with existing homes that are 3,500 or 4,000 square feet in size.

Additionally, he said, the new neighborhoods would force an expansion of the community's pool and associated parking area, restrooms and other amenities – additions that could cost $750,000, he said. HHHunt agreed to pay the foundation $250,000 to be used for recreational amenities (likely for a pool expansion), but Berman argued that that amount would not be nearly enough to prevent current residents from footing most of the bill.

"It's going to burden our amenities and burden our pockets," Berman said of the plan.

HHHunt also agreed to pay a capital contribution of $500 per new home to the foundation – instead of the standard $400 – and has committed to provide another $100,000 in the event that expansion of the pool impacts existing tennis courts. (It will pay $50,000 if the expansion doesn't impact the courts.)

Theobald, who represents HHHunt, said that the developer had received a $148,000 bid for the construction of a new pool and said he was flabbergasted by Berman's estimated cost.

"I have no clue where that number is coming from," he said.

Theobald also noted that homes in the community often are built much larger than the minimum sizes that are proffered. Homes in the Bradfrord and Collinstone neighborhoods, for examples, were proffered at minimum sizes of 1,500 square feet to 1,700 square feet but were built significantly larger.

"Historically, the homes in Wyndham have exceeded the proffered minimums," he said.

Several residents expressed concerns that Lynwood Drive – a one-tenth-mile road that would serve as the entrance to the new section – could not handle the new traffic. But county Traffic Engineer Mike Jennings said that it could and that a traffic hump would be installed if conditions warrant.

HHHunt's original plan called for 160 single-family homes on the site and would have produced 1,600 vehicle trips per day, Theobald said. The new plan will produce 1,546 daily trips, he said.

The only intersection in the region that couldn't handle the extra traffic – Pouncey Tract Road at Nuckols Road – will receive a traffic signal from VDOT in December that should relieve congestion far in advance of the new development's arrival, he said.

Jennings dismissed the idea of making Lynwood a one-way street into the new section, saying it would be impossible to enforce such a plan and people would continue to use the street to go both directions.

HHHunt intends to begin street and subdivision construction next spring and home construction next fall, Theobald said. The first homes would be completed by the spring of 2010, with site buildout expected by 2014 or 2015, he said.

In other matters, the board approved the addition of $17.3 million to the 2008-09 budget, including $2.9 million in additional funds for fuel for county vehicles.

That amount included $1 million for school buses, $400,000 for police, $436,000 for fire, and $1.3 million for the purchase of gasoline for the Central Automotive Maintenance facility.

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