Board approves Madison Homes plan for 32 units on Gallows Road

The Board of Supervisors voted on Oct. 27 to approve a rezoning application for a 32-unit housing project on Gallows Road.

Madison Homes will build 32 single-family detached homes on an eight-acre parcel located across from Woodburn Elementary School. To clear space for the new construction, 11 existing houses on the site will be demolished. The development plan removes nine curb cuts, leaving the neighborhood with a single point of access on Gallows Road.

Residents of nearby neighborhoods did not object to the housing itself, but they voiced strong concerns about traffic safety. The area features a crosswalk with a flashing light in front of the school, yet vehicles frequently fail to stop for pedestrians. Advocacy groups, neighborhood associations, and the Woodburn PTA had urged the county to defer the vote until the developer agreed to fully fund new traffic signals.

Instead of a full payment, Madison Homes will make a one-time cash contribution of $50,000 toward the signals. The Gallows Road Transportation Study, scheduled for release by the Federal Highway Administration by the end of the year, recommends two synchronized, three-way signals at Aston Street and Hemlock Drive. Funding for those signals is not yet secured, and installation is expected to take several years.

Supervisor Andres Jimenez acknowledged the residents' frustration during the board hearing. "Those concerns are legitimate, and I understand the frustration residents feel about the pace of transportation improvements," Jimenez said. He stated he would advocate for prioritizing this section of the corridor when the study's recommendations return to the board.

The new development includes a 10-foot-wide trail along Gallows Road, new private roads and sidewalks, and a stormwater facility on the southwest corner. The facility is designed to handle a 100-year storm event.