[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING OF THE FRONT ROW PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER THIS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER, THE 21ST, 2022.
MS. POTTER, COULD YOU GIVE US A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? GERMAN MERCHANT HERE.
COMMISSIONER WELLS HERE, VICE CHAIRMAN NER.
UH, WHILE WE'RE DISCUSSING OUR ROLE, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER WHO IS ACTUALLY A, UH, WAS ON THE COMMISSION BEFORE ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
SO, UH, MR. GLENN WOOD, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UH, ON THIS, UH, DELIBERATIVE BOND AND GAINING ONE.
WE'RE ALSO LOSING ONE TONIGHT.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, MR. JOSH INGRAM, UH, RAN FOR TOWN COUNCIL THIS PAST NOVEMBER AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN HIS CAMPAIGN.
SO TONIGHT WILL BE HIS LAST NIGHT AS A PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER.
SO, JOSH, WE CERTAINLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU AND, UM, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO GOOD THINGS FOR YOU FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL.
[3. ADDITION/DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA]
UH, LITTLE BIT OF, UM, HOUSEKEEPING TO DO HERE.UM, I'VE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT WE DO HAVE TWO ADDITIONS TO ADD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS ARE TO ADVERTISE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE WILL DISCUSS, UH, THOSE ITEMS ON THE, UH, JANUARY 4TH WORK SESSION.
THE TWO ITEMS THAT THE PLANNING DIRECTOR HAS REQUESTED TO BE ADDED TO THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ADVERTISE FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND THE N V R, UH, REZONING THAT WAS PULLED FROM OUR, UH, PUBLIC HEARING FOR TONIGHT.
UH, BUT THEY WISH TO RESCHEDULE THAT FOR JANUARY.
SO WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THAT AT THE JANUARY 4TH MEETING.
UM, I WILL NEED A MOTION TO ADD THOSE TWO ITEMS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADDING THESE TWO ITEMS TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, HEARING NONE.
THE ITEMS ARE ADDED TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM OUR NOVEMBER 16TH, 2022 REGULAR MEETING, AND FROM OUR NOVEMBER THE 30TH, 2022 SPECIAL MEETING.MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 16TH, 2022, AS WELL AS THE SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 30TH, 2022.
UH, COMMISSIONER NER, UH, MS. POTTER, YOU GIVE A ROLL CALL ON THIS, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER WOOD EPSTEIN CHAIRMAN MERCHANT? YES.
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE A, UH, UH, PART OF OUR AGENDA WHERE WE ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENTS IF YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT FOR A SPECIFIC PUBLIC HEARING.
WE WILL HANDLE THAT LATER IN THE MEETING WHEN WE, UH, CALL FOR THAT SPECIFIC ITEM, UH, TO BE DISCUSSED.
THIS PARTICULAR SECTION OF OUR AGENDA IS FOR ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING ON ANY, UM, ISSUES THAT SHOULD COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK, UH, REGARDING ANY OTHER, UH, ITEM OF BUSINESS OTHER THAN WHAT IS ON IRE, UM, UH, SCHEDULE FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, UH, NOW IS THE TIME TO COME FORWARD.
SECOND CALL FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS IN GENERAL.
THIRD AND FINAL CALL SAYING NONE.
[6. CONSENT AGENDA]
BUSINESS TONIGHT WILL BE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.CONS CONTAINING THREE ITEMS. UH, THE FIRST ONE BEING APPLICATION NUMBER 22 0 4 94, BARBARA SAMUELS.
A REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A GROUND FLOOR DWELLING AT 4 37 SOUTH ROYAL.
THE OTHER TWO ITEMS ARE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND THE THIRD ITEM BEING THE RESCHEDULED NV R UM, REZONING REQUEST.
[00:05:01]
SO WE HAVE THESE THREE ITEMS. UM, IF, UH, WE CAN HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT CONSENT.A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND ON MR. WOOD, UH, MS. POTTER, YOU GIVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THE CONSENT.
SO THESE THREE ITEMS WILL BE ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS AT OUR JANUARY THE FOURTH WORK SESSION TO BE ULTIMATELY, UH, HOLD THE HEARING ON JANUARY THE 18TH, WHICH IS OUR REGULAR MEETING IN JANUARY.
[7. PUBLIC HEARINGS]
NEXT AGENDA ITEM WILL BE NUMBER SEVEN, PUBLIC HEARINGS.UH, BEFORE WE DO GET INTO, UH, CITIZEN COMMENTS ON OUR PUBLIC HEARING, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, UH, A FEW COMMENTS AND, UH, WHAT WE EXPECT OF THOSE THAT PARTICIPATE IN, IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, THE ORDER TONIGHT, UH, AS IN, UH, EVERY WEEK WHEN WE HOLD A SPECIAL HEARING OR A SPECIAL USE HEARING OR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANY USE IN, IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, WE WILL START OFF WITH THE STAFF REPORT OF WHICH EITHER THE PLANNING DIRECTOR OR STAFF WILL UPDATE US, UH, ON THE APPLICATION.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATION.
UH, THEN WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, CLOSE THAT SESSION OR SECTION OF IT.
WE WILL THEN, UH, DISCUSS THE APPLICATION AS A PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION, AND THEN WE, UH, SOMETIMES WILL HAVE TO DISCUSS THE ACTUAL MOTION, BUT THAT'S THE ORDER OF OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE SPEAKING TONIGHT THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HELD AND STAFF HAS HELD MULTIPLE PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS REGARDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, TONIGHT WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR IS YOUR FINAL COMMENTS.
UM, EITHER YES, YOU LIKE IT, YOU DON'T LIKE SOME OF IT, OR TELL US WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE OF IT.
BUT IT IS NOT A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION.
TONIGHT'S, WE, WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR FINAL INPUT ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AS WELL AS THE OTHER SPECIAL USE ITEMS BEFORE US.
SO PLEASE DIRECT ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, DO NOT ADDRESS STAFF, UH, THE APPLICANT OR OTHER AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
UH, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, UM, FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP OR THAT WE, UH, RECOGNIZE AND COME FORTH TO SPEAK.
UH, PLEASE HAVE YOUR COMMENTS CONCISE, UH, TO THE POINT.
AND PLEASE TRY TO BE NO LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES IN YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES TO GO OVER.
AND I WANT THIS TO GO AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, AND PLEASE REMEMBER THAT, UH, TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS CONFINED TO MATTERS GERMANE TO THE BUSINESS OF THE COMMISSION AND TO THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, KIND OF LIKE THE PUBLIC DISCLAIMER ON A, ON A SOFT DRINK BOTTLE, ISN'T IT? UH, OUR, OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT IS APPLICATION NUMBER 22 4 44, WHICH IS A SPECIAL REQUEST, UH, OR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO ALLOW A SHORT TERM RENTAL AT 3 0 9 EAST PROSPECT STREET.
UH, STAFF, COULD YOU BRING US UP TO DATE ON THIS APPLICATION? UM, APPLICATION 22 4 44 SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED FOR SHORTT TERM RENO AT 3 0 9 EAST PROSPECT STREET.
THE ZONING DISTRICT IS R THREE.
IT IS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THE APPLICANT ATTENDS TO RENT THE ENTIRE HOME.
UH, THE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 2022.
THE SITE IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE OF TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 1 51.
UH, THEY'RE ASKING FOR, UH, THREE BEDROOMS, UH, NO MORE THAN SIX OCCUPANTS, AND THEY HAVE THREE OFFSITE PARKING SPACES AVAILABLE.
AND THE APPLICANT HERE IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
[00:10:01]
THANK YOU.JOHN, WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO SPEAK? WELL, TH THIS IS A PERIOD WE ALLOW, IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A STATEMENT, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO IT.
WELL, WE MAY, WE, WE MAY CALL YOU UP LATER ANYWAY, SO, SO, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE MATTER BEFORE US.
IS THERE ANYONE THERE WAS NOBODY SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS? IS, IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? SECOND CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SEEING NOBODY, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED AT THIS TIME.
PLAINTIFF COMMISSION MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR THE APPLICANT REGARDING THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL REQUEST? UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A QUESTION, UH, OF THE APPLICANT.
UH, MY, MY NOTES EARLIER SAY THAT YOU, AND HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
MY NOTES FROM WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS EARLIER, UH, INDICATE THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU WILL BE OCCUPYING THE RESIDENTS TWO WEEKS OUT OF EVERY MONTH, I THINK AT LEAST.
SO THAT'S, YEAH, HOPING PROBABLY A COUPLE DAYS, A FEW DAYS A WEEK THAT I CAN RENT IT OUT, GET SOME MONEY, BUT THE REST OF THE TIME I WILL LIKE TO BE ABLE TO FREELY COME AND GO.
SO IT'LL, IT'LL BE A COMBINATION OF YOU, YOU BEING THERE A LOT OF THE TIME.
AND SO THERE'LL BE GOOD COMMUNICATION BETWEEN YOU AND THE NEIGHBORS YEAH.
ON THE WEEKEND AND ON DURING THE WEEK, HOPEFULLY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? NO FURTHER COMMENTS.
UH, CHAIR, WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM.
WELL, MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, I WILL MOVE TO, UH, UM, UH, RECOMMEND APPLICATION 22 0 44 4, UH, TO THE TOWN COUNCIL.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, APPLICATION NUMBER 20 24 44.
MS. POTTER, WOULD YOU PEACE OF KIND TO CALL A ROLL CALL ON THIS VOTE? VICE CHAIRMAN MARSH? YES.
SO WE WILL, UH, SUBMIT A, UM, OR FORWARD WITH THIS TO TOWN COUNCIL WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE MEETING DATE FOR TOWN COUNCIL? WOULD THAT BE THE FIRST OR THE THIRD? MONDAY OF JANUARY? UH, I BELIEVE IT'S JANUARY.
OKAY, SO YOU, YOU, YOU'LL BE NOTIFIED WHEN, WHEN IS GOING TO THE COUNCIL.
NEXT, NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS NUMBER 22 0 4 54.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW SHORT-TERM RENTAL LOCATED AT 3 0 2 BLUE RIDGE AVENUE.
UH, STAFF, COULD YOU BRING US UP TO SPEED ON THIS APPLICATION? APPLICATION 22 4 54 SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A SHORT TERM RENTAL AT 3 0 2 BLUE RIDGE AVENUE.
IT IS ZONED R THREE RESIDENTIAL.
IT IS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THE AFRICAN INTENDS THE, UH, TO RENT THE ENTIRE HOME.
THE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 2022.
THE SITE IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH TOWN CODE 1 75, 1 51.
THEY HAVE AVAILABLE, UH, THREE OFFSITE PARKING SPACES IN THE DRIVEWAY, UH, THREE ROOMS, UH, WITH NO MORE THAN SIX OCCUPANTS.
AND THE APPLICANT IS, IS HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME POINT? YES.
HI, I'M TABITHA LUKI, UM, 3 0 2 BLUE RIDGE AVENUE.
I LOVE THE HOUSE AND, UM, I ACTUALLY BOUGHT IT FOR MY PARENTS BECAUSE MY GRANDPARENTS LIVE HERE AND STILL AROUND.
AND SO WE'RE JUST GONNA RENT OUT THE THREE UPSTAIRS
[00:15:01]
BEDROOMS WHILE THEY ALL ARE GONNA BE ON THE MAIN LEVEL BEDROOM.SO THEY'RE GONNA BE THERE MOST OF THE TIME IN AND OUT.
SO SOMEBODY'S ALWAYS GONNA BE THERE OR CLOSE BY.
AND THEN WE HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS HERE ALSO.
IS THIS BETTER?
AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN A HEARING TO THE PUBLIC.
IF THERE ARE ANY PERSON HERE TONIGHT THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS APPLICATION, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THIS APPLICATION? SECOND CALL.
SEEING NO SPEAKERS, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR THE APPLICANT AT THIS POINT? UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I DO HAVE, UH, QUESTION ABOUT THE APPLICATION FOR THE BEDROOMS AND THE PARKING.
UH, I NOTICED THAT THE APPLICANT, I BELIEVE, HAD SCRATCHED OFF AN, AN INITIAL, UH, CHANGES FROM EIGHT TO SIX ON THE PEOPLE, AND THEN FROM, I BELIEVE, TWO TO THREE ON THE PARKING.
IS IT, IS THAT CORRECT? I'M ASK OR, WELL, IT WAS FOUR BEDROOMS, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA DO THE THREE BEDROOMS. SO TWO, SO SIX PEOPLE.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WAS, THAT STAFF WAS CLEAR WITH THAT.
AND THEY'RE, WE'RE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE.
UH, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT AT THIS STAGE? UM, AND AM I CLEAR IN UNDERSTANDING YOU THAT THIS IS GONNA BE AN OWNER OCCUPIED? CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR THE HAPPEN CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT 2 2 0 4 5 4 4 SHORT TERM RENTAL LOCATED AT 3 0 2 BLUE RIDGE AVENUE.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? MS. POTTER, WOULD YOU BE SOKIND TO GIVE US A ROLL CALL? VICE CHAIRMAN NER? YES.
WE WILL FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THEY WILL, UH, HAVE THEIR HEARING ON IT, AND YOU'LL BE NOTIFIED OF THAT DATE AND TIME.
THE NEXT ITEM FOR PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
UM, ITEM C, WHICH IS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, TONIGHT, AGAIN, AS I SPOKE EARLIER, IS A CULMINATION OF, UM, MULTIPLE MEETINGS OF A YEAR LONG EFFORT TO, UH, TO GLEAN PUBLIC INPUT AS TO WHAT OUR CITIZENS ARE LOOKING FOR IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS OUR BUSINESS LEADERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS.
UM, AT, AT THIS TIME, UH, LAUREN, OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR, HAS A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, LET ME SEE IF I KNOW THIS GOING.
I WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF KIND OF WHAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS AND KIND OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UM, BUT BASICALLY THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER HERE IS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS THE GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR, UM, MAKING DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS IN THE TOWN.
THIS IS, THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE FORCE OF LAW.
THAT WOULD BE OUR ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES.
AND THE TWO, UM, THEY, THEY BASICALLY BOOKEND TOGETHER.
SO AT THIS POINT OF THE PROCESS, WE HAVE REWRITTEN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, THE NEXT STEP WILL BE THE REWRITING OF THE, UH, ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE.
UM, AND THE LAST TIME THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS ADOPTED AND UPDATED COM IN ITS ENTIRETY WAS 1998.
STATE CODE REQUIRES THAT WE REVIEW THE DOCUMENT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND I BELIEVE SINCE 1998, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL AMENDMENTS, BUT NO COMPREHENSIVE REWRITE.
UM, AND CLEARLY IN THE 25 YEARS SINCE THE LAST PLAN WAS APPROVED, A LOT HAS CHANGED.
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES, UH, THE ECONOMY'S CHANGED VICE VERSA.
[00:20:01]
JUST TRYING TO BRING THE PLAN, UM, INTO MODERN DAY.UM, AND THE REASON WE ARE WRITING THE SUBDIVISION AND ZONING ORDINANCE, UH, WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS THAT, THAT THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE ARE HOW THE COMP PLAN COMES INTO FRUITION.
AND I PUT TOGETHER A QUICK TIMELINE.
THIS STARTED BACK ACTUALLY IN AUGUST OF 2021.
THE TOWN SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH SUMMIT ENGINEERING.
AND IN OCTOBER WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING WITH TOWN COUNCIL.
THERE WAS A LEADERSHIP FORUM, AND THEN IN NOVEMBER WE HAD KICKOFF MEETINGS AT THE TOWN PAVILION.
WE HANDED OUT BUSINESS CARDS WITH QR CODES, GIVING THE CITIZENS ACCESS TO A WEBSITE.
AND THAT HAD A SURVEY THAT WE HAD OVER 300 RESPONSES TO, UM, CITIZENS JUST FILLING OUT QUESTIONS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU, WHERE DO YOU SEE FRONT ROYAL IN 30 YEARS? UM, IN DECEMBER, WE ENDED UP CLOSING THE, UM, SURVEY AND WE ISSUED THE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT.
SO THAT PROVIDED STAFF COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALL OF THE SURVEY RESULTS.
UM, AND THEN WE HELD VISIONING EXERCISES AND OFFICIALLY RELEASED THE RESULTS THAT ARE, UM, IN THE, UH, LOCATED IN THE APPENDIX OF THE CURRENT PLAN.
IN MAY, WE HAD PUBLIC OPEN HOUSES.
WE HAD TWO DAYS OF PUBLIC OPEN HOUSES AND THE DRAFT FUTURE LAND USE MAP, AND THE DEVELOPMENT POLICIES WERE ISSUED TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND TOWN COUNCIL FOR THEM TO REVIEW.
FAST FORWARD TO JULY, THE DRAFT, THE FIRST DRAFT WAS RELEASED, AND THIS WAS GIVEN, UM, THIS WAS PUT OUT INTO THE PUBLIC AT THIS POINT.
IT WAS ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE, AND IT WAS GIVEN TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEN WE STARTED TAKING THAT DRAFT, UM, MEETING WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, REALTORS, DEVELOPERS, UM, CIVIC GROUPS TO TRY AND GET ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK THAT WAS DEEMED NECESSARY.
AND THEN WE CAME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF CHANGES IN EDITS FOR SUMMIT AND STAFF AND SUMMIT.
WE RELEASED A NEW DRAFT IN OCTOBER.
AND THEN, UM, I BELIEVE THERE IS ANOTHER ITERATION OF CHANGES IN MID-NOVEMBER.
WE HAVE ADVERTISED, UH, FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING PER STATE CODE.
UM, AND WE ARE READY TO, IF PLANNING COMMISSION DECIDES, THEY MAY, UM, CERTIFY AND APPROVE THIS PLAN AND RECOMMEND IT GO TO COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEN AFTER THIS, AFTER TONIGHT, THAT'S WHEN STAFF AND SUMMIT BEGIN WORK ON THE ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THIS DOCUMENT BE CERTIFIED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO THAT BEING WRITTEN SO THAT THEY, THEY WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN ON ANOTHER.
AND THEN I'LL GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF HOW THIS IS ORGANIZED AT THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT, LIKE, THE CORE OF THIS PLAN IS THE VISION.
AND THIS VISION STATEMENT WAS DEVELOPED FROM THE SURVEY RESULTS, THE EXISTING VISION THAT WAS IN THE 98 PLAN, I BELIEVE.
AND PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A WORK SESSION TO COME UP WITH THE VISION WE SEE HERE.
AND THAT IS THE TOWN OF FORT ROYAL WILL BE A PLACE RESIDENTS ARE PROUD TO CALL HOME.
IT WILL SERVE THE DEEDS OF ALL CITIZENS BY PROMOTING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND ENCOURAGING HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENT WHILE PRESERVING ITS SMALL TOWN CHARM.
AND THIS WILL BE AN, AN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY THAT PROTECTS ITS NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO FROM THE VISION, WE EXTRAPOLATED THESE BIG IDEAS.
SO THAT IS PRESERVE OUR HISTORY AND CREATE MORE OF THE CHARM WE LOVE FOR, FOR ROYAL TO BE A LIFELONG COMMUNITY, YOU WANT THIS TO BE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, WHERE YOU CAN RAISE YOUR CHILDREN HERE, THEY CAN GROW UP, THEY CAN COME BACK AND HAVE A GOOD JOB AND AGE IN PLACE, UM, THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL ACCESS, UH, FOR ROYAL IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE, UM, NATURAL AMENITIES THAT MANY PLACES DON'T.
UM, AND THEN IT'S FURTHER BROKEN DOWN INTO CORE TOPICS.
AND SO THESE ARE THE SMALL TOWN CHARACTER TOURISM, HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, RESPONSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNANCE, RELIABLE UTILITIES AND SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, AND HOUSING SUSTAINABILITY.
AND IN THE PLAN, WE TOOK THOSE CORE TOPICS AND PAIRED THEM UNDER THE APPROPRIATE THEME.
[00:25:01]
AND THEN OUTLINED, UM, NOPE, SORRY, LET ME GO BACK.AND FROM THERE WE KIND OF, WE OUTLINED, UM, OBJECTIVES, GOALS, STRATEGIES FOR EACH THEME.
AND THEN THE REMAINDER OF THE PLAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO 15 PLANNING AREAS.
AND THOSE HAVE OBJECTIVES, UM, AND STRATEGIES.
THERE ARE CHALLENGES, UM, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EACH OF THE ZONES.
AND THAT, UM, THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS PLAN.
SO AT THIS POINT, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO, OKAY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK, UM, HER AND HER STAFF, UH, SPEND A LOT OF HOURS PUT INTO THIS.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT THERE YET, BUT WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO THE END OF THE TRAIL ON THIS.
UH, WILL BE GOING TO COUNCIL SOON.
UH, BUT, UH, FOR TONIGHT, I'M WANT TO HEAR FROM, FROM YOU GOOD PEOPLE, AS ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE DOCUMENT.
AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S HITTING IN, IN THE DIRECTION THAT, THAT, THAT YOU THINK IT SHOULD GO.
I WOULD POINT OUT THERE ARE HAVE BEEN VARIOUS, UH, ADDITIONS OF THE COMP PLAN FLOATING AROUND.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NOVEMBER, THE 30TH, UH, DATE TO BE SO THAT WE'RE ALL SPEAKING ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO WITH WITH THAT DONE, I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FRONT ROYAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER SIGNED UP TONIGHT IS MR. JOHN LUNDBERG.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I URGE THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND TO THE TOWN COUNCIL THAT DID ADOPT THE FIRST FRONT ROYAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WRITTEN IN 24 YEARS.
IT'S AN EXCELLENT PLAN WRITTEN FROM UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LAUREN KOSKI, THE TOWN'S NEW DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING, HIGHLY PRAISED AND MANY QUARTERS FOR THE QUALITY OF OUR WORK SINCE BEING HIRED A LITTLE OVER 16 MONTHS AGO.
HOWEVER, IN MY VIEW, IT'LL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UNLESS THE TOWN COUNCIL HAS THE WILL AND WHEREWITHAL TO SOLVE THE RAILROAD CROSSING PROBLEMS AT SHENANDOAH SHORES ROAD AND HAPPY CREEK ROAD.
UNTIL THAT PROBLEM IS SOLVED, NO REZONING SHOULD BE APPROVED, THAT ALLOWS HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION.
FOR YEARS, FRONT ROYAL HAS RECOGNIZED BUT NOT ADDRESSED THE RAILROAD CROSSING PROBLEM.
AS A RESULT, THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THAT PART OF FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED FOR YEARS TO UNCONSCIONABLE DELAYS AND SAFETY RISKS.
AS NINE TRAINS A DAY FROM THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY, PERIODICALLY PAST THAT INTERSECTION, TRAINS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO STALL AND BLOCK THAT INTERSECTION FOR HOURS.
WHEN I SAY THE SERIES PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR YEARS, BUT NOT IGNORE, BUT IGNORED, I AM REFERRING TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN FOR THE LEECH RUN PARKWAY THAT INCLUDED A BRIDGE OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS THAT CONNECTED THE PARKWAY TO SHENANDOAH.
NOT MANY ARE AWARE THAT AN OVERPASS WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN OF THE PARKWAY THAT OPENED IN 2017.
BUT BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGAN, THE OVERPASS WAS NIXED BY LOCAL OFFICIAL AS BEING TOO EXPENSIVE.
ONE OF THE ALL TIME PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH DECISIONS IN WARREN COUNTY HISTORY, THE BRIDGE WAS SCRAPPED, AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE QUOTE SIMPLY KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
THE PROBLEM FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND NOT PART OF TOWN IS THIS THEIR LANDLOCK.
WHENEVER THE INTERSECTION IS BLOCKED, NUMEROUS APPOINTMENTS, CLASSES, AND IMPORTANT MEETINGS ARE MISSED.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, HELP IS NOT ABLE TO GET INTO OR OUT OF THAT AREA.
IF MEDICAL OR LAW ENFORCEMENT EMERGENCIES OR A FIRE OCCURS.
FRONT ROYAL IN WARREN COUNTY, LAND NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION IS RIPE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
BUT HOW CAN IT EVER BE DEVELOPED IF IT EXACERBATES AN ALREADY HORRIFIC TRAFFIC PROBLEM? FRONT? ROYAL MAYORS AND TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT AN OVER FASTED OR MAYBE A TUNNEL ARE THE ONLY FEASIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THIS LAND BLOCK PROBLEM.
HOPEFULLY, NEW LEADERS ELECTED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL THIS YEAR WILL HAVE THE WILL AND POLITICAL SKILL THAT PAST
[00:30:01]
LEADERS SEEM TO LACK TO LOCATE FUNDING TO SOLVE THE RAILROAD CROSSING PROBLEM.IN CLOSING, I RECOMMEND IN THE STRONGEST TERMS POSSIBLE THAT NO PIECEMEAL REZONING ALLOW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION UNTIL AN OVERPASS OR A TUNNEL PERHAPS IS DISCUSSED, ANALYZED, AND HOPEFULLY APPROVED.
BUILDING MORE HOUSES NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE LANDLOCK ISSUE, WILL TURN TODAY'S HORRIFIC TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC PROBLEMS INTO AN UNMITIGATED DISASTER.
THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY IS CURRENTLY RUNNING NINE TRAINS A DAY THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION.
COULD THAT NUMBER INCREASE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF THE NUMBERS EVER GO UP AND BUSINESSES AND RUN, AND, UH, RESIDENTS IN THAT PART OF TOWN ARE STILL LANDLOCKED, IT INDEED WOULD BE AN UNMITIGATED DISASTER.
I HAVE COPIES OF MY REPORT OR IF I TALK HERE THIS MORNING OR EVENING FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. SCOTT LLOYD.
COULD I, COULD I APPROACH AND
UH, SCOTT LLOYD, UH, A AS FAR AS I KNOW, I THINK I'VE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN EVERY PHASE OF THE, OF THE, UM, PLANNING PROCESS, UH, FROM THE BEGINNING KICKOFF AND TO ALL THE PLANNING, UM, ARE THE INTERVENING EFFORTS.
AND SO BASICALLY I'VE JUST BECOME, UH, INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC FIRST AS A, AS A COUNCILMAN, AS A, AS A PRIVATE BUSINESSMAN.
UH, JUST THE CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT AND DOING IT PROPERLY IN THE BEST WAY AND, AND MAKE, AND MY COMMENTS ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ARE THAT IT'S AN EXCELLENT DOCUMENT.
I THINK THAT, UH, LAUREN'S, UH, SHOULD BE, UH, LAUDED FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE ON IN CONJUNCTION WITH SUMMIT.
I THINK THAT THE NARRATIVE PORTION DESCRIBES A REALITY THAT IS SOMEWHAT OUT OF SYNC, HOWEVER, WITH THE, UM, WITH THE MAP PORTION.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ILLUSTRATE, AND I'VE ONLY GOT A FEW MINUTES, I'M HAPPY TO EXPAND, AND I DID IN WRITTEN COMMENTS SUBMITTED EARLIER TODAY.
BUT WE HAVE AN ILLUSTRATION HERE OF BASICALLY THE PROBLEM THAT I WANT TO TURN EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS THE, THE PROBLEM POST WORLD WAR II DEVELOPMENT HAS US LIVING IN ONE PLACE AND WORKING AND DOING OUR BUSINESS IN ANOTHER PLACE.
AND THIS IS, I'M NOT SURE IF I'M USING THIS PROPERLY, BUT OKAY, THIS IS OUR CURRENT REALITY.
AND IF I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE A POINTER.
OH, YES, I DO, BUT YEAH, I DON'T THINK, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S WORKING.
SO BASICALLY IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK OUT TO THE, TO THE AGRICULTURAL PARTS AND, AND THE, AND THE, AND THE PARTS THAT ARE RESIDENTIAL NOW, AND, AND THOSE ARE IN YELLOW, BROWN, AND GREEN.
AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, THE RED PARTS AND YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR DAILY LIFE.
IF YOU'RE LIVING IN TOWN, BASICALLY AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, YOU'RE HEADING FROM ONE OF THOSE YELLOW PARTS IF YOU LIVE IN THEM TO ONE OF THOSE RED PARTS.
AND SO WE'RE LIVING THAT REALITY THAT'S IN THAT, UH, PREVIOUS, UH, SLIDE THERE.
AND I THINK THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOES FAR TO ADDRESS THE, THIS PROBLEM.
AND, AND IF IT DIDN'T, THEN WE WOULD JUST HAVE MORE AND MORE CONGESTION IN THAT RED CORRIDOR AND, UM, UH, LEADING TO, UH, INCREDIBLE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AND SO ON.
THIS IS OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, BUT IT STILL RETAINS SOME OF THIS PROBLEM.
AND SO I, I DON'T HAVE THE, THE BENEFIT OF A POINTER, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THESE, IF YOU LOOK AT THESE AREAS HERE, THESE AREAS HERE, YOU HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF LIVING AND WORKING HERE AND MAYBE, UH, GOING, GOING TO WHERE YOU NEED IN THIS PORTION.
[00:35:01]
THIS PORTION HERE, THIS PORTION HERE, THEY'RE STILL BEING REQUIRED TO GO HERE, HERE AND OR HERE OR DOWN TO JOHN BARS FOR THE MIXED USE PORTIONS IN ORDER TO GET THEIR DAILY BUSINESS DONE.AND SO I THINK THAT WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT LIKE, LIKE DO A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, THINKING, AND I'VE GIVEN EVERYBODY A CHECKLIST.
THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE TIME REMINDER, GIVEN EVERYBODY A CHECKLIST TO GO THROUGH.
IT'S, IT'S BY, UH, UH, AUTHOR AND PLANNER, LEON QUEERER, WHO IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON A PROJECT WITH, WITH ME IN, IN TOWN.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER, AND IT'S WORTH SPENDING AT LEAST 30 DAYS, UH, AS TO WHETHER WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS, IS A POLYCENTRIC, UH, APPROACH.
AND SO WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF UNHEALTHY, UH, SUBURBAN HERE, AND WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF, OF HEALTHY, UH, UH, URBAN, UH, DEVELOPMENT HERE.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE MORE BY HAVING MULTIPLE CENTERS WHERE PEOPLE CAN BASICALLY WALK AND GET TO THEIR OFFICE, WALK AND GET TO, UH, LOAF OF BREAD, WALK AND GET, UM, THE DAILY NEEDS AND NOT HAVE TO NECESSITATE THE, UH, UH, GETTING IN A CAR FOR EVERYTHING.
UM, AND SO THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF A CONCEPT OF FUTURE, UH, DEVELOPMENT FOR WASHINGTON DC BUT THE, THE, WHAT I'M PROPOSING AS AN ALTERNATIVE IS THE SAME, IS TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE AND ASK OURSELVES WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE, UH, A WAY TO, UH, UH, CONSTRUCT, UH, ZONING DISTRICTS PLANNING OR YEAH, ZONING DISTRICTS THAT CREATE A POLYCENTRIC, UM, FUEL FOR THE TOWN.
AND I THINK LONG TERM, THERE'S EXTRA 30 DAYS TO CONSIDER THAT THAT MIGHT LEAD TO SOME, UH, SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD HAVE REAL RESULTS FOR THE DAILY LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE LIVING HERE, UH, IN, IN THE FUTURE.
SO, UH, THIS IS A, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE'RE ENGAGING IN.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S MR. LLOYD.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S, UH, ANY NEED TO, TO RUSH IT.
SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS TAKE ANOTHER LOOK, UH, CONSIDER THESE PRINCIPLES.
I'VE GOT PLENTY MORE INFORMATION TO, TO SHARE.
UM, I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS SINCE APRIL AND VARIOUS FORUMS, AND I THINK THAT, UH, UH, THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT TO, TO RUSH AND NOT CONSIDER.
I DON'T HAVE ANY HANDOUTS, BUT I CAN DRAW A NICE SMILEY FACE AND HAND IT TO YOU IF, IF THAT HELPS.
UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE, OH, OH, SORRY.
MY NAME IS LEWIS MOTON, 1132 KESLER ROAD.
UM, PRETTY MUCH, I JUST WANNA SAY NICE WORK DONE.
THE OLD PLAN WAS FILLED WITH THE MANY DOCUMENTS YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
UM, I LIKE HOW WE WERE INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY, OR, WELL, THE COMMUNITY WAS INVOLVED AND I GOT, GOT TO PUT, PUT MY 2 CENTS IN HERE AND THERE.
UM, MAY MY WISHLIST ITEMS ARE IN THERE.
UH, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE WHAT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE FULL PLAN UNTIL AFTER I WROTE, UH, TO I I, I WAS TALKING WITH SOMEBODY ELSE ABOUT ALL MY WISHLIST ITEMS, AND THEN THEY START RECOMMENDING ME TO THE PLAN.
UM, I, I AM, UH, I, I DRIVE AN ELECTRIC CAR AND A HYBRID CAR.
I LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
I SAW A LOT ABOUT THE TREES GOING IN THERE.
UM, AND WE CAN'T SOLVE ANY, EVERY PROBLEM, BUT WE CAN AT LEAST MOVE FORWARD.
I'D LIKE TO BE A PART OF IT IF I CAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER THAT HAS SIGNED UP, MR. CHRIS ANDERSON.
THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO START OFF A MEETING, ISN'T IT? IT'S FINE, I GET IT FREQUENTLY.
UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS ANDERSON.
I LIVE AT 1312 FARM VIEW ROAD IN LERAY, VIRGINIA.
I AM THE, UH, PAGE AND WARREN COUNTY COORDINATOR FOR ALLIANCE FOR THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
AND OUR MISSION IS THAT THE ALLIANCE FOR THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY INFORMS AND ENGAGES PEOPLE TO PROTECT THE NATURAL RESOURCES, CULTURAL HERITAGES, AND RURAL
[00:40:01]
CHARACTER OF OUR REGION.WITH THAT IN MIND, I APPRECIATE THE FRONT ROYAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD GUIDING DOCUMENT.
UH, I PARTICIPATED IN THE OPEN HOUSES AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS AND THINK THAT, UH, SUMMIT DID A VERY GOOD JOB SOLICITING PUBLIC INPUT, AS DID THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR FRONT ROYAL.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, FRONT ROYAL IS PROJECTED TO CONTINUE TO GROW BY 2,233 PEOPLE IN THE NEXT TWO DECADES.
UM, SO GROWTH IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
I THINK THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES A GOOD JOB OF BALANCING SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GROWTH WHILE PROTECTING THE NATURAL RESOURCES.
UM, OVERALL, I THINK THE PLAN IS GOOD AND I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT IT AND, UM, RECOMMEND ADOPTION, UH, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE GOOD COMMENTS MADE THIS EVENING, AND ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE MADE BY THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, BUT IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER? COME FORTH AND BE RECOGNIZED, SIR, OR IT IT, OKAY.
JUST WORK BEFORE YOU CLOCK STARTS, HUH? UH, MICHAEL SHOTTON, UH, 3 0 5.
WILLIAM VINCENT ROAD, BENTONVILLE, VIRGINIA.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED TO SAY.
I JUST WANTED TO BE PRESENT AND SUPPORT VOICE, MY SUPPORT FOR THE PLAN.
I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT I'VE READ THROUGH IN THE PLAN, UM, IT'S DESPERATELY NEEDED, UM, TO, AS, AS LAUREN MENTIONED TO, TO BRING THINGS UP TO DATE.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SPECIFIC THINGS THAT I, I CAN'T EVEN RE YOU KNOW, BRING THEM UP, REGURGITATE ANY OF 'EM NECESSARILY TO A POINT.
BUT I, I AM, AS A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OR ACTUALLY THE COUNTY, I, I RECOGNIZE THE TOWN AS THE BEATING HEART OF THE COMMUNITY AND AS FRONT ROW GOES, THE REST OF WARREN COUNTY GOES.
AND I VERY, VERY MUCH HOPE THAT YOU ALL ADOPT THE PLAN.
AND I'D LOVE TO START SEEING THE TOWN HEAD IN THE DIRECTION OF THE GUIDANCE, UH, OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND, AND VERY WELL DONE TO THE TEAM THAT PUT IT TOGETHER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT ON THIS MATTER? COME FORTH.
JONATHAN LASH, 1137 KESSLER ROAD.
UH, HADN'T BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO REALLY BE ACQUAINTED WITH THE PROCESSES GOING ON, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I GOT IT WHEN I HEARD ABOUT IT.
UH, THE ONLY THING THAT CAME TO MIND, AND I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, UH, WE'RE VERY HAPPILY SITUATED, UH, WITH A CORNFIELD IN BETWEEN US AND THE RIVER.
IT'S A DRIVING DOWN THE HILL, YOU SEE THE MOUNTAINS AND IT'S JUST, JUST A GREAT PLACE TO BE.
UH, BUT ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS MENTIONED THAT THERE'S A MERCURY PRESENT IN THE WATER.
[00:45:01]
IF THAT'S TRUE.I DON'T KNOW WHAT LEVEL IT IS, BUT I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING FOR THIS, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANET, THERE'S, IF THERE'S A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN BE MITIGATED.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S IN THE WATER WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, BUT, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD URGE, UH, YOU TO CONSIDER, UM, SOME MEANS OF REDUCING IT.
UH, MY GRANDCHILDREN, I WOULD HAVE LIKE TO GO DOWN AND GET IN THE WATER, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T DONE MUCH LATELY CUZ IT'S COLD.
BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME FORTH.
UH, MY NAME IS MARSHALL FUDGE.
I LIVE AT THREE TED OAK RIDGE COURT HERE IN TOWN.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1977, SEEN, UH, A LOT OF, UH, MISTAKES MADE OVER THE YEARS, BUT I'VE ALSO SEEN A LOT OF GOOD THINGS MADE OVER THE YEARS.
UH, I'M A MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT THIS POINT.
WE PUT A LOT OF, UH, EFFORT AND ATTENTION INTO THIS PA PLAN.
THE, UH, THE LAST YEAR OR SO, WE'VE MADE ALL THE MEETINGS AND, UH, A LOT OF THE, UH, PEN AND PENCIL MARKS ON THOSE BIG MAPS WERE OURS.
UM, I THINK WE GOT A GOOD PLACE TO START WITH THIS PLAN, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT MOVE FORWARD IN THE COUNCIL.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? PLEASE, COME FORTH.
TELL YOU WHAT, JUST LEAVE THAT AT THE PODIUM INSTEAD OF EVERYBODY COMING UP HERE.
JUST SIGN IT OVER THERE, PLEASE.
I JUST, UH, I'M EILEEN HILLARY.
I LIVE AT 1394 RIVERVIEW SHORES.
IT'S IN THE COUNTY, BUT I COME IN AND OUT OF THE CITY ALL THE TIME IN TOWN RATHER.
AND I REALLY WANNA JUST SECOND WHAT JOHN LUNDBERG, OUR FIRST SPEAKER SAID ABOUT THE FLYOVER.
AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE, IF IT'S NOT IN THIS PLAN TO HAVE PUT THAT IN THE PLAN.
SEEMS LIKE WHETHER YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE MONEY OR NOT, WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS EVENTUALLY.
WELL, YOU GO AND YOU PUT THE LOW WATER BRIDGE UP AND THEN YOU FIND OUT, WELL, WE WENT WITH THE CHEAPER VERSION AND NOW WE'VE GOTTA GO BACK AND SPEND MORE MONEY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANNA DEVELOP THEIR LAND, I UNDERSTAND THAT OUT, OUT ALONG SHENANDOAH SHORES ROAD, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE FOR THEM, HOW, HOW IS THAT GONNA WORK? WE'RE GONNA HAVE TRUCKS.
AND I SAW A HUGE, UH, SEMI TRYING TO MAKE THE TURN THERE ONTO RIVERVIEW SHORES THE OTHER DAY, AND ALL THE TRAFFIC HAD TO STOP.
BUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN WE MULTIPLY THAT BY, YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE TRAFFIC, UH, FROM BUILDING FROM THE, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, UH, HOUSING OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUT IN.
AND NO ONE IS SAYING THEY SHOULDN'T DO THAT, BUT WE'RE SAYING WE HAVE TO HAVE THE ROADS THERE FOR IT.
AND RIGHT NOW IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF YOU WAIT, THERE'LL BE HOUSES THERE AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A MORE EXPENSIVE, UH, LESS COST EFFECTIVE, UH, UH, ROUTE.
SO, I'M SORRY I WASN'T PREPARED EITHER, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CON CONFIRM THAT JOHN GAVE AN EXCELLENT POINT AND I HOPE YOU CONSIDER IT AND GO BACK AND WORK THAT INTO YOUR PLAN BEFORE YOU PASS IT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? COME FORTH,
[00:50:12]
I HAVE TWO QUICK, UH, POINTS I WANTED TO TOUCH UPON, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, THE, THE, SORRY, DAVE, COULD YOU, I'M SORRY, MENTION YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
UH, DAVID VA FAULK COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
UM, COUPLE ISSUES, TRAFFIC, THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I'LL START WITH, UM, WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY CLEARLY THAT CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, I PROBABLY WON'T MAKE ANY FRIENDS BY SAYING THIS, BUT, UH, YOU AND I, CHAIRMAN MERCHANT, I'VE DISCUSSED THE TOWN'S WATER AND SEWER BUSINESS AND HOW THE BUSINESS HAS BEEN RUN THROUGH THE YEARS.
I THINK THAT, UM, THE TOWN SHOULD CONSIDER EXTENDING THE WATER LINES TO AREAS OF THE COUNTY THAT, UH, HAVE, UM, E COLI IN THEIR WELLS THAT HAVE FAILING, UH, SEPTIC SEPSIS SYSTEMS THAT HAVE, UH, THAT HAVE RESULTED IN, UH, UNSAFE DRINKING WATER CONDITIONS, UH, IN SOME AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
I'M NOT ADVOCATING OPENING THOSE AREAS UP NECESSARILY FOR DEVELOPMENT.
I AM, UM, I AM POINTING OUT THAT THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES OF, UH, OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT, UH, GIVEN THE CARS TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY, UH, OF THE AREAS SURROUNDING FRONT ROYAL.
UM, THIS WOULD HELP THE RIVER AND, UH, MAYBE PEOPLE WANT IT, MAYBE PEOPLE DON'T.
I HAVE HEARD CITIZENS SPEAK IN THE PAST, UH, THAT HAVE HAD SIGN CONFEDERATE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR GROUNDWATER WELLS.
UH, THE SECOND ISSUE I WANTED TO TOUCH UPON, UH, IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, PAGE 21 OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, DRAFT SHOWS THE LAND THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1985.
UH, I'VE GONE BACK, I'VE REVIEWED THE 78 ANNEXATION AGREEMENT, WHICH, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE COURT ORDERED THE PROPERTY TO BE USED AS INDUSTRIAL USE.
THAT'S 600 ACRES, PREDOMINANTLY THE NORTHEAST AREA, UM, NORTHEAST PLANNING AREA.
UH, WITHIN THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN, UH, IN 1999, THE TOWN AND COUNTY ENTERED INTO THE 5 22 VOLUNTARY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
IF, WHEN I READ THROUGH THOSE DOCUMENTS, UH, IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE INTENT OF THAT AGREEMENT WAS THAT EVERYONE WILL BE OPERATING ON A FAIR PLANE FIELD AS FAR AS INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, WITHIN THE 5 22 CORRIDOR.
THE 5 22 CORRIDOR AGREEMENT HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN INTERPRETED SUCH THAT, UM, IT IS A FAIR PLANE FIELD FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN 5 22 BECAUSE THEY PAY ADDITIONAL TAXES.
BUT IT IS NOT A FAIR, UH, PLAIN FIELD FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY PAY DOUBLE WATER, SEWER WATER AND SEWER TAP FEES, BUT THEY DO NOT PAY WHAT THEY WOULD PAY IF THEY WERE LOCATED WITHIN THE TOWN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO, UH, THE MAP THAT IS ON PAGE 21 OF THE COMP PLAN.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE LAST 20 YEARS IN TOWN, UM, AND THE MOST RECENT TOWN FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THE TOP 10 EMPLOYERS, UH, WITHIN, WITHIN THE COUNTY, UH, OF THE TOP TEN SEVEN ARE LOCATED, UH, IN WARREN COUNTY.
THE SIX OF THEM ARE ON THE QUARTER AND THEY PAY TAXES.
THE THREE EMPLOYERS THAT ARE WITHIN THE TOP 10, UH, IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE TOWN ARE THE ACTUAL COUNTY ITSELF, VALLEY HEALTH AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND SO NONE OF THOSE EMPLOYERS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE TAX BASE.
UH, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE THIRD ISSUE I ADDRESSED, UM, IN MY SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO THE COMMISSION EARLIER IN THE DAY.
I APOLOGIZE, I DID NOT GET THOSE TO YOU, UH, TO YOU SOONER.
I THINK THERE ARE UNIQUE, UH, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING THE MARSHALL PLANNING DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY.
AND, UM, I WOULD APPRECIATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THOSE ISSUES WITH THE COMMISSION,
[00:55:01]
UH, OR WE COULD GO THROUGH ANOTHER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT AS WE DID IN 2020.AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN THIS MATTER? ANYONE ELSE? SECOND CALL, THIRD AND FINAL CALL FOR ANY SPEAKER FOR THIS ISSUE HERE? NONE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONER MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF REGARDING THIS DOCUMENT OR ANY COMMENTS IN GENERAL? THIS IS THE TIME TO SAY ANYTHING? WELL, MR. YEAH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE TWO, TWO COMMENTS.
UH, FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL, UH, SOME OF WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT WHAT WAS DISCUSSED THIS EVENING.
UM, AND THE TWO, SOME OF THE TWO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TWO POINTS THAT, UH, I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED IN BRIEF, UH, BOTH IN WORK SESSIONS AND IN GENERAL TERMS DURING SOME OF OUR, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UM, ONE IS THE PERHAPS, UH, REZONING OF THE MARSHALL AREA TO MIXED USE AS A, AS A WHOLE.
UM, I, I KNOW WE MENTIONED THAT, IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
AND ALSO TO, UM, THE, NOW THIS IS COMING FROM A LOT, UH, A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE APPROACHED ME.
AND THAT'S, AND THIS IS A GENERAL QUESTION AND THAT'S THE, UM, IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT CAN THIS COMP PLAN DO TO GUIDE DEVELOPERS, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS, UH, COVERING THEIR IMPACT, I SHOULD SAY, OR WHETHER IT BE COST OR WHATNOT.
I MEAN, DOES THIS, DO WE FEEL THAT THIS COMP PLAN DOES THAT? I MEAN, I, I, THAT'S RIGHT.
THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE COMP PLAN IS NOT TO TELL DEVELOPERS WHAT THEY SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE.
I JUST, THE WAY THEY USE THIS COMP PLAN IS AS A GUIDE SO THEY CAN LOOK AT IT AND IF A PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THEY OWN OR THEY WOULD WISH TO DEVELOP, UM, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IF, IF THAT, IF THEIR DESIRED USE IS IN CONFORMANCE WITH IT.
SO THAT TELLS THEM WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN, THAT IF THEY WANNA BRING A REZONING, MAYBE THEY NEED A COMP PLAN AMENDMENT.
IT JUST HELPS KIND OF GUIDE THE PROCESS AND THEN IT GUIDES PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNCIL AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT'S APPROPRIATE.
YEAH, I JUST, I HAD MULTIPLE PEOPLE APPROACH ME THAT TO WITH THAT.
I, AND JUST, JUST TO BRING IT UP AS A POINT THAT, SO ON THEIR BEHALF, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SAY THAT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, MR. CHAIRMAN? UM, OKAY.
UH, I WAS, I WAS, UH, VERY INTRIGUED WITH THE COMMENTS THAT MR. LLOYD MADE AND HIS, HIS VERY BRIEF, UH, SLIDESHOW THERE.
AND I THINK THAT THE PRINCIPLES THAT HE WAS OUTLINING ARE VERY FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES, UH, THAT I DON'T THINK WE'VE EXPLICITLY LOOKED AT OR, OR FACTORED INTO, INTO THIS PLAN.
BUT I THINK THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE MULTI-CENTER IDEA IS, UH, CONSIDERABLE BECAUSE IN, YOU KNOW, OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US, WE LOOK AT HOW EVERY HOUSE IS, EVERY SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, 85 CAR TRIPS A DAY OR WHATEVER.
THAT NUMBER IS NOT CORRECT, BUT THERE ARE NUMBERS FOR HOW MANY CAR TRIPS EVERY SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE IS ESTIMATED TO PRODUCE, AND HOW MANY CAR TRIPS EVERY, UH, SEMI-DETACHED HOUSE IS MEANT TO PRODUCE.
AND THOSE ARE REALLY ASTONISHING NUMBERS, UH, ASSUMING THEY'RE ACCURATE, WHICH I HAVE TO ASSUME.
AND I THINK THE IDEA OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORE THAT YOU COULD WALK TO OR SEND THE KIDS TO RIDE ON THEIR BIKES, TO PICK UP UP A GALLON OF MILK IS A VERY, VERY SOUND CONCEPT.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT IS CURRENTLY BUILT INTO THIS PLAN.
I THINK IF WE CAN GET IT INTO THE PLAN IN SOME WAY, IT WILL BE RELATIVELY EASY TO GET THE ZONING ORDINANCES TO ACCOMMODATE IT.
DO, DO YOU HAVE, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? IF I CAN GET THE COMP PLAN PULLED UP TO THE, UH, FUTURE LAND USE MAP? I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO OKAY.
I GUESS SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS.
[01:00:07]
NO, THE, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE CLICKER.THERE'S A PDF OF THE ACTUAL COMP PLAN, IF THAT CAN, THAT'S IT.
NOPE, THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST CLICKED ON.
CAN YOU ADVANCE IT TO, UH, CAN YOU ADVANCE IT TO PAGE 1 36, I BELIEVE? OKAY.
UM, THIS IS THE PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND THE PRINCIPLES THAT MR. LLOYD HAVE BEEN REFERENCING.
LEON CREER IS ONE OF THE, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S ONE OF THE FOUNDERS, BUT HE'S A, WHAT WE CONSIDER LIKE A NEWER URBANIST.
AND, UH, THE PRINCIPLES THAT HE'S, THAT HE SPEAKS TO WITH NEW URBANISM, WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY WRITTEN INTO THIS PLAN.
UM, AND WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS WITH THE CREATION OF THIS, UM, MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED USE ZONE, THESE ORANGE AREAS, THAT'S WHERE WE TRIED TO BUILD FLEXIBILITY INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE REQUEST OF PLANNING COMMISSION WAS THAT THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE DEVELOPED IN THE 19 BETWEEN THE FORTIES AND SEVENTIES, A LOT OF THE MID-CENTURY MODERN, THE RANCHES THAT A LOT OF THESE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS BE KEPT WITH A SINGLE FAMILY, UM, UM, EMPHASIS.
SO STAFF AND SUMMIT DID NOT CHANGE THESE AREAS TO HAVE THOSE, THOSE COMMERCIAL CORES OR PUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL CORES IN.
UM, THE FEEDBACK THAT, OR THE DIRECTION WE RECEIVED WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING HAS A PLACE HERE IN THIS TOWN AND THAT IT NEEDED SOME LEVEL OF PROTECTION.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE LARGE ON THIS, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A, LIKE A TAN COLOR, BUT THAT IS THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, UM, DESIGNATION.
AND THOSE ARE THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND YOU, AND YOU PRO PROTECTED THOSE AS THEY ARE IN THE COMP PLAN? YES.
SO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHEN WE HAD PREVIOUS WORK SESSIONS, THE DISCUSSION WAS THAT THESE ARE LARGER SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UM, AND THAT THEY WERE NEW ENOUGH THAT IT, IT WASN'T A, AN AREA THAT WE SAW THAT REDEVELOPMENT NEEDED TO OCCUR.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THE OPTION, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT INCORPORATING MORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL USES INTO THESE.
WE JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF ESSENTIALLY WHO YOU'D BE PERMITTED TO, LIKE UP ZONE, WHEREAS OTHER NEIGHBORS MAY NOT GET THAT OPPORTUNITY, SO.
I THINK, I THINK MAYBE A MATTER THAT NEEDS BEFORE WE LOCK THINGS IN CONCRETE, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS HAVE ANY COMMENTS? UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A SHORT STATEMENT ON IT.
UM, ONE, I THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
UH, THIS SHOWS ME THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT BRINGS GREAT JOY TO MY HEART TO SEE PEOPLE COME OUT, UH, AND EXPERIENCE HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS.
UM, THIS PLAN THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU CAME OUT NOVEMBER THE 30TH, THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE LOOKING AT IT IN TOTALITY.
WE'VE WORKED ON DIFFERENT PIECES OF IT AND WE'VE BROUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER.
AND NOW WE'RE, UH, INVESTING YOUR TIME INTO THE COMMENTS ON THE TOTALITY OF IT.
BECAUSE THE, THE, THE THEME FOR ME IS, ARE WE ADEQUATELY PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE? YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE, AND WE'LL
[01:05:01]
ALWAYS HAVE CONFLICTING USES.YOU HAVE RESIDENTIAL, YOU HAVE INDUSTRIAL, AND YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ONLY WANT A BEDROOM COMMUNITY HERE, RESIDENTIAL ONLY.
UM, BUT AS, AS YOU WILL FIND OUT, RESIDENTIAL DOESN'T PAY THE TAX BILLS.
SO THERE HAS TO BE A MIX OR A, SOME FORMULA FOR DIVIDING UP OUR, OUR TOWN INTO USES OF RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT.
UH, SOME OF YOU HAVE MADE SOME VERY GOOD COMMENTS THAT, THAT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UH, A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY, ESPECIALLY THAT AREA NORTH OF, UH, THE RAILROAD.
UH, WHICH, UM, UH, CHANDO SHORES ROAD ROUTE 6 0 6 GOES THROUGH.
I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AND SOME OTHER AREAS IN TOWN.
UH, OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR HAS INDICATED THAT WE TRIED TO BE AS FLEXIBLE BASED ON COMMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, MIXED USE IS THE WAY TO GO.
AND, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT CAN FUNCTION, UH, WELL, UH, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT MAYBE CATEGORIZED A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, PERHAPS, UH, MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL VERSUS A MIXED USE COMMERCIAL.
SO THAT WE HAVE, UH, APPARENTLY THE PLANNING, UH, UH, THEME OF THE FUTURE IS, IS COMBINING AND MIXING USES.
AND I THINK THAT WORKS IN SOME AREAS, SUCH AS HAVING A COMMERCIAL BUILDING ON THE FIRST FLOOR WITH SOME RESIDENTIAL ABOVE IT.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE COST OF LAND, WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO LOOK AT, UH, ALL OPTIONS.
UH, BUT AGAIN, UH, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE JUST BASICALLY GOTTEN THIS DOCUMENT, UH, IT'S 239 PAGES AS WELL AS SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.
AND WE'VE HAD, UH, AT LEAST TWO SPEAKERS HERE TONIGHT GIVE US, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HAVE A WORK SESSION ON TO SEE IF OUR CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CAN ACCOMMODATE ANY OF THEIR STATEMENTS.
AND JUST TO MAKE SURE IN ONE FINAL WORK SESSION, WHICH IS A LITTLE LESS FORMAL THAN, THAN, THAN THIS REGULAR MEETING, THAT, THAT WE ARE IN FACT ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH GIVES US A BALANCED, UH, LIFE HERE IN FRONT ROYAL.
SO IF, UH, BEFORE US, THE NEXT QUESTION WILL BE, DO WE WISH TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DENY, OR, UM, OF COURSE WE COULD MODIFY IT, BUT, UM, OR TO HAVE, UH, POSTPONED THIS TO A LATER ACTION OR MOVE IT TO, UH, UH, OUR WORK SESSION ON JANUARY THE FOURTH? WELL, I HAD, I HAD, I HAD ORIGINALLY COME TONIGHT EXPECTING THAT THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, EARLIER ON, VERY EARLY ON AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU MADE SEVERAL TIMES, YOU MADE THE POINT THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THIS WHOLE PROCESS WORKED WAS THAT THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMITTEE CREATED TO GET PUBLIC INPUT.
AND, UH, THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD TWO SUCH REALLY HIGH IMPORTANT IDEAS SURFACE HERE AT THE ALMOST LAST MINUTE, KIND OF UNDERSCORES THE VALIDITY OF YOUR CONCERN, WHICH WAS YOU EXPRESSED AT THE VERY BEGINNING BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMITTEE WHERE CITIZENS, I MEAN, THERE WERE LOTS OF PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS, WHICH WERE FINE, BUT THESE IDEAS ARE RATHER SIGNIFICANT AND THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP SOONER AND EXAMINED SOONER.
UM, AND BECAUSE THIS IS, I MEAN, I HOPE IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, 26 YEARS OR WHATEVER UNTIL WE DO THE NEXT ONE, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH THAT I THINK IT, IT DOES DESERVE ANOTHER WORK SESSION.
SO, UM, UH, I GUESS THAT MEANS I'M MOVING TO PUT IT OFF TO A WORK SESSION.
UH, HOW DO I WORD THAT MOTION? UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D JUST LIKE, IF I MAY STEP UP TO THE MAP, I JUST WANT TO STEP UP TO THE MAP FROM MY PART OF THIS DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION SO THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND.
SO HELPS OUT, UH, WHAT I WANT TO EXPLAIN HERE, FOLKS, AND THIS IS WHAT, UH, LISTENED TO EARLIER ABOUT THE CORRIDOR,
[01:10:01]
BUT THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING AS CORRIDOR.OKAY? NOW THIS IS THIS, THIS BEING, UM, AND THIS BEING, THIS WOULD BE SUPER.
NOW WE HAVE HAD SOME DISCUSSION AMONGST, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE DISCUSSED IT IN PUBLIC HEARING, DISCUSSED IN, UH, WORK SESSIONS AS WELL ABOUT MAKING THIS WHOLE AREA, UH, THE SAME, UH, THE SAME THING FOR, UH, FOR MIXED USE.
THAT WOULD I, I WOULD THINK ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR WHAT WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING ABOUT HAVING, UM, FOLKS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, GO TO A GROCERY STORE IF THEY WANTED, OR, YOU KNOW, WALK DOWN TO A ROBERTSON TYPE STORE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY INTO TOWN.
I MEAN, THAT'S ONE OF SCOTT'S WHAT'S, THAT'S WHAT ALLUDING TO WE, WE HAVE THAT HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I LIVE RIGHT HERE CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN.
I HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO WALK TO A LOT OF PLACES AND I GET THAT A LOT OF FOLKS OUT HERE IN THE HAPPY CREEK AREA, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAVING TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE CAN LOOK AT THIS POINT IN PARTICULAR AND FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, THIS MIGHT ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE, CUZ THIS IS REALLY OUR LAST MAJOR BATCH OF ON, ON DEVELOPED PLAN.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
COMMISSIONER ENGEL, UH, GEORGE, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE PROPER WORDS TO USE TO, TO CONTINUE THIS TO OUR WORK SESSION? YEAH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS POSTPONE TO A DATE CERTAIN OF, OF A REGULAR MEETING AND ALSO PUT IT ON THE NEXT WORK, WORK SESSION FOR DISCUSSION, UH, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THIS PLAN IS AMENDED, THEY'LL HAVE TO GO BACK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN.
SO IF WE, WE CAN POSTPONE ACTION ON THIS TO OUR JANUARY THE 18TH MEETING AND DISCUSS IT AT THE JANUARY 4TH.
AS COUNSEL HAS INDICATED, IF THERE'S ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WE WOULD HAVE TO RE ADVERTISE FOR TO GO BACK TO A PUBLIC HEARING CHAIRMAN MERCHANT, MAY I ADD TO, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO GEORGE'S STATEMENT ALSO.
THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN IN THE PUBLIC ARENA SINCE JULY 27TH.
THAT'S WHEN THE FIRST DRAFT WAS ISSUED AND PLACED ON OUR WEBSITE.
ANY NEW ITERATION WAS ALSO PUT ON THE WEBSITE.
SO FOR THAT REASON, UM, AND FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU TAKE IT TO WORK SESSION, ANY CHANGES THAT ARE DISCUSSED AND MADE NEED TO BE LISTED PER PAGE AT THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.
SO IF AT THAT TIME PLANNING COMMISSION CHOOSES TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, IT NEEDS TO SAY ON PAGE, YOU KNOW, 20, WE WANT THIS CHANGE.
LIKE, YOU NEED TO BE VERY SPECIFIC SO THAT THE CHANGES ARE ARE PUBLIC.
DID YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TILL THE JANUARY 18TH WITH THE PLANNING COM OR WITH THE WORK SESSION ON JANUARY 4TH? I THINK YOU JUST DID
THE PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOCUMENT, UM, TO WORK SESSION ON JANUARY 4TH, UH, TO BE ON THE AGENDA OF OUR MEETING ON TWO WEEKS LATER.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY WANT A SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, MS. POTTER, COULD YOU GIVE US A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON THIS, PLEASE.
SO THE MOTION TO POSTPONE CARRIES.
WE WILL BE REVIEWING THIS ON OUR JANUARY 4TH WORK SESSION WITH, UH, THE IDEA OF TAKING ACTION ON THIS ON THE 18TH.
WE WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY INDIVIDUALS THAT SPOKE TONIGHT, UH, TO COME TO OUR WORK SESSION.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS APPLICATION NUMBER 22 0 4 22 ON THE MATTER OF AMENDING PROFFERS FOR THE SUBDIVISION ENTITLED ANNA SWAN ESTATES, UH, STAFF.
COULD YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THIS APPLICATION? YES.
THE APPLICANT, HEP TAD LLC, HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO AMEND
[01:15:01]
THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PROFFERS, WHICH WERE DATED FROM FEBRUARY OF 2012.UM, THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN THE LEACH RUN PLANNING DISTRICT, AND IT CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 98 ACRES.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WOULD ENCOMPASS ABOUT 86 ACRES.
THE PROPOSED PROFFER REVISION SEE A REDUCTION OF ABOUT 115 DWELLING UNITS FROM 450 DOWN TO 335 WITH A BREAKDOWN CONSISTING OF UP TO 170 SINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED UNITS AND UP TO 165 SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED UNITS.
UM, THE NEW PROFFERS PROPOSE THAT THE RATE OF CONSTRUCTION WOULD NOT EXCEED 100 UNITS PER YEAR, WHEREAS THE CURRENT PROFFERS, UM, WOULD NOT EXCEED 50 UNITS PER YEAR.
AND THE APPLICANT HAS ALSO AMENDED THE AMOUNT OF THE CASH PROFFERS.
THE NEW PROPOSAL, UM, WOULD GIVE THE TOWN 4,998 AND DOLLARS AND 39 CENTS FOR SINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED, AND $6,869 AND 3 CENTS FOR SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED INTO THE COUNTY.
30 OR $3,203 AND 21 CENTS WOULD BE PROFFERED PER DWELLING UNIT.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS ALSO REQUESTING A CHANGE IN THE LOT SIZE FOR SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED UNITS FROM A 50 FOOT BY 60 FOOT LOT TO A 50 FOOT BY 46 FOOT LOT.
THAT IS A DE A REDUCTION IN TWO, UH, SORRY, 240 SQUARE FEET.
UM, I CAN TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR YOU CAN ASK THE APPLICANT HE'S HERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YOU, YOU HAVE, HON.
AT THIS TIME IN THE PUBLIC HEARING IF THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK MR. SILAK.
MY NAME'S JOE SILAK AND I REPRESENT THE, UM, THE APPLICANT.
UH, I WILL BE BRIEF, UM, IN, IN MY PRESENTATION.
UM, UH, THE PLANNING DIRECTOR WAS CORRECT THAT THE, THE LAST AMENDMENT TO THE PROFFERS WERE FEBRUARY THE FIRST, 2012.
THAT'S OVER TO, UH, 10 YEARS AGO.
BUT IF YOU GO BACK A LITTLE FURTHER, YOU GO BACK A LITTLE FURTHER.
UH, THE ORIGINAL PROFFERS WERE TWO DATED 2005.
SO THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
UM, THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST TIME AND THAT PERIOD OF TIME THAT THERE HAS BEEN REALLY A BUYER FOR THIS PROPERTY WHO'S READY TO DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY, UM, AS SOON AS THESE PROFFERS CAN GET AMENDED.
UH, ONCE THIS IS DONE, UH, THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY IS READY TO, UM, START ON THEIR SITE PLAN, WHICH YOU WILL GET TO SEE AND REVIEW AND APPROVE.
UH, AND THEN THIS PROPERTY CAN BE SOLD AND THEN, UM, START CONSTRUCTION ON THE, UM, WATER, SEWER AND ROADWAYS.
UM, THE, UM, PROFFER AMENDMENT WAS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY A IMPACT ANALYSIS, WHICH I THINK IS PART OF YOUR PACKET THAT THE, UM, THAT HEP TA HAD, UM, UM, COMPLETED AT THE REQUEST OF THE TOWN.
UM, WHICH THE NUMBERS THAT ARE IN THE PROFFER AMENDMENT ARE BASED ON THAT PROFFER ANALYSIS.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS NOW ARE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL HAVE QUESTIONS AFTER WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC IF WE, IF ANYBODY.
AT THIS TIME, WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IN THIS MATTER.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS ISSUE TONIGHT? IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? ANYONE HERE? THIRD AND FINAL CALL.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? UM, I HAVE JUST, JUST A, A FACTUAL QUESTION.
UM, COULD, COULD YOU, UH, RESTATE THE NUMBERS ON THE REDUCTION IN LOT SIZE? IT, IT, IT ORIGINALLY WAS 50 BY 60 AND NOW IT'S 46 BY 60.
YOU ASKING STAFF OR THE WELL, UH, I, I GUESS I'M ASKING THE STAFF AT THIS POINT.
SO IT'S 46 BY 60, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UH, AND I'M LOOKING AT PAGE EIGHT OF, OF THE,
[01:20:01]
UM, PROFFER DOCUMENT THAT, UM, UM, 4.1 0.2, UH, MAXIMUM OF 170 SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING UNITS, 165, UH, THAT'S SINGLE, THAT SHOULD STATE SINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED ATTACHED.BUT NO MULTI-FAMILY, NO APARTMENTS, NO CONDOS, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ARE THEY APPLICANT? JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, HOW COME YOU DECIDED WERE THEY DECIDED AGAINST THE APARTMENTS OR CONDOS? THE, UM, THE ULTIMATE PURCHASER OF THE PROPERTY REALLY THOUGHT TOWNHOUSES AND OR DUPLEXES AND SINGLE FAMILY, UH, UH, DETACH WOULD BE, UM, AN APPROPRIATE USE FOR THIS PROPERTY.
AND WE'RE MA HE'S MAXING OUT OR THEY MAXING OUT AT 3 35, 3 40.
UM, THAT'S ABOUT ALL YOU CAN PUT ON THIS SITE TO GET IT TO FOUR 50.
UM, YOU HAVE TO DO APARTMENTS.
UM, THERE'S NOBODY WAY TO DO 'EM.
UM, THAT THEY KEEP IT AT 3 35.
I MEAN, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO TO GET MORE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO APARTMENTS.
AND HOW COME THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO APARTMENTS? I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN THEIR, UM, EXPERTISE.
IT'S TOO BAD BECAUSE I HEAR, I HEAR FROM TIME TO TIME COMMENTS LAMENTING THAT THERE ARE NO CONDOS AVAILABLE IN FRONT ROW
WELL, AND WE WILL ALSO GET, UH, I'M SURE MR. MERCHANT'S GONNA HAVE SOME WANT, WANT TO QUESTION FOR ME ABOUT THE COUNTY PROFFERS.
THE COUNTY DOESN'T LIKE APARTMENTS CUZ THEY PRODUCE SCHOOL CHILDREN
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT, JOE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, COME BACK.
LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
NOW TH THIS PROPERTY IS ZONED P AND D, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
WHICH IS A PLANNED NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IN, IN ESSENCE MEANS WE, WE WANT DEVELOPERS TO CONSOLIDATE, UH, LOTS AS MUCH AS WE CAN PUT THE LOTS IN, IN ONE PLACE, WHICH HELPS ON UTILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE, AND ALLOWS OPEN SPACE FOR THAT.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE REASON AND THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL NOW, WE, WE ARE NOT APPROVING PROFFERS.
THE COUNCIL IS ALREADY APPROVED THE PROFFERS, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR AMENDMENTS ON, ON, ON A COUPLE OF THE ITEMS. THAT IS CORRECT.
AND STAFF HAS COMMENTED BACK TO YOU AND YOU'VE READ THEIR COMMENTS ON THE CONDITIONS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON PROFFERS NOW.
UH, AND THE PROFFER AMOUNT FOR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SO FORTH, UM, NOT BEING THE MOST INTELLIGENT PERSON IN THE ROOM HERE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE COMPLETE LAW FIRMS THAT SPECIALIZE IN LAND USE AND PROFFERS.
SO, UH, I'M, I'M DEPENDING ON STAFF TO GUIDE US THROUGH OUR, OUR PROFFER NEGOTIATIONS.
BUT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE COUNTY'S PROFFER REQUEST AND THE APPLICANT'S PROFFER RE REQUEST.
HA HAS THAT BEEN RESOLVED THAT YOU KNOW OF? ONCE I GOT THE STAFF REPORT.
UH, UM, FROM, UH, LAUREN LAST FRIDAY NIGHT, IT WAS LATE.
IT WAS AFTER WORK BUSINESS HOURS.
UM, I, I LOOKED AT IT MONDAY AND I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS, UM, IN, UH, THE, UM, IMPACT ANALYSIS THAT WE PROVIDED YOU, UM, OUR EXPERT, IF YOU, I'M USING THAT AS A LOOSE TERM OR THE PERSON WHO DID THE PROFFER ANALYSIS TOOK CREDIT FOR THE UNITS THAT THIS PROPERTY COULD PRODUCE BY.
IF YOU DID SINGLE FAMILIES ON LARGE LOTS AND DID ALL THAT BECAUSE THEN THERE WOULD BE NO IMPACT.
I MEAN, I MEAN THERE WOULD BE NO PROFFERS AT ALL.
SO WE DEDUCT IT FROM, FROM WHAT I COULD D DETERMINE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THE DIFFERENCE IS.
THE ONLY NUMBER WE HAVE FROM THE COUNTY IS THEIR, UH, THE IN NUMBER.
I DIDN'T SEE THEIR CALCULATION.
WE GOT, UH, GREENWAY ENGINEERING WHO DID OUR PROFFER ANALYSIS, GOT THE INFORMATION FROM, UH, THE COUNTY FROM LAUREN LO, UH, TARN LOGAN HERSELF.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN COMPUTE THE DIFFERENCE.
AND IS THOSE CREDIT IS THE CREDIT FOR THE BUYRIGHT CHILDREN.
[01:25:01]
THE APPLICANT ALSO ON PAGE 10 OF THE PROFFER IMPACT ANALYSIS STATES THAT, UM, THE PROJECTED MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RESULTING FROM THE PROJECT DO NOT CREATE A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FACILITIES AND THEREFORE, UH, THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THESE FACILITIES WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE.SO WHAT THEY DID BELIEVE, IF I LOOKED AT THE CALCULATIONS PROPERLY, WAS THEY PROFFERED TO THE SCHOOLS THE AMOUNT OF, IN THE AMOUNT THAT THEY WOULD NEED FOR 37 ADDITIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS? YES.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY ASK, WELL, WHY IS THE TOWN PARTICIPATING IN SCHOOLS? THE, THE TOWN DOES NOT OPERATE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT IS STRICTLY A COUNTY FUNCTION, BUT WE ARE ALL COUNTY CITIZENS TOO.
AND WE DO HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE TOWN AND COUNTY, UH, ON THE REVIEW OF PROFFERS.
AND THE FINAL STATEMENT ON THAT, ULTIMATELY THAT NUMBER WILL BE DETERMINED BY COUNCIL.
IT'S REALLY NOT A PLANNING, PLANNING COMMISSION NUMBER.
WE'RE JUST GONNA RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW, SEND THE INFORMATION TO THEM.
AND THEN THEY WILL ULTIMATELY RULE ON THAT THE NUMBER THAT WAS USED IN THE AMENDMENT IN FEBRUARY OF 2012, I THINK WAS $5,500.
THAT NUMBER WAS BELOW THE COUNTY'S NUMBER AT THE TIME.
AT THAT TIME, UH, THERE WASN'T A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILT AND THERE WASN'T TWO NEW HIGH SCHOOLS.
UH, THOSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN BUILT.
AND, UM, THAT NUMBER, I THINK THE COUNTY'S NUMBER BACK THEN WAS LIKE $21,000 FOR A SCHOOL PROFFER.
UM, WE PROFFERED 5,500 CAUSE THAT'S ALL THE PROJECT COULD TAKE.
AND, UM, THE COUNTY AGREED THAT THAT'S FINE.
YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD TAKE $5,500.
SIT DOWN OR YOU WANT ME TO YEAH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SIT DOWN NOW.
HOW MAY YOU BRING YOU BACK ONCE JUST TO GET YOU SOME EXERCISE.
BUT, BUT I'LL TRY TO LEAVE YOU ALONE.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MOVE THIS ON TO COUNSEL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AND THEY WILL ULTIMATELY DETERMINE THE NUMBER.
SO I HOPE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO THAT MEETING ALSO.
UM, BUT I KNOW I, FOR ONE, AND I THINK MY OTHER, MY COMMISSIONERS A AGREE, WE WANNA SEE THAT PROPERLY DEVELOPED.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED THE HOUSING.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IN THAT AREA.
WE'VE ALREADY VETTED THAT THIS IS JUST, UH, JUST FINE TUNING SOME OF THE PROFFERS SINCE THEY ARE NEARLY 18 YEARS OLD.
SO, UM, UH, IF, IF A COMMISSIONER WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION, WE HAVE A RATHER LENGTHY ONE IN HERE, BUT IT DOES NEED TO BE READ IN ENTIRETY.
UH, IF SOMEBODY WOULD WANT TO JUMP ON THAT.
ANYBODY? YEAH, I'LL, I'LL TAKE THAT ONE.
UM, THIS IS HIS FIRST, UM, MAJOR MOTION.
I MOVED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR APPLICATION NUMBER 2 24 22 TO AMEND THE EXISTING PROFFERS DATED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2012 WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
ONE, THE APPLICANT AMENDS THE LANGUAGE OF SECTION 3.1 TO STATE IN THE EVENT THAT THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES THESE AMENDMENTS, SUCH APPROVAL WILL BE DEEMED IN A ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL THAT I LEACH ONE PARKWAY.
L R P HAS BEEN COMPLETELY CONSTRUCTED.
AND TWO, HEP TA LLC COMPLIED WITH ANY PRIOR APPROVED PROFFERS PERTAINING TO THE DEDICATION OF RIGHT OF WAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PAYMENT OF THE RELATED CASH PROFFERS.
TWO, THE APPLICANT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE RESIDENTIAL PARKING PER 1 75 DASH 1 0 4, 1 75 DASH 1 0 5, AND 1 48 DASH 48 OF THE TOWN CODE.
THE APPLICANT AMENDS THE LANGUAGE OF 7.5 0.1 TO REMOVE THE WORD THE BEFORE WARREN COUNTY.
THE APPLICANT WILL AMEND THE PROFFER STATEMENT TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE ADDRESSING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO EXPAND AND INSTALL THE ONSITE UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN ACCORDANCE WITH TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 34.
NUMBER FIVE, THE APPLICANT WILL AMEND THEIR PROFFERS TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE ADDRESSING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COST OF INSTALLING STORMWATER FACILITIES ON SITE.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MS. POTTER ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[01:30:02]
YES.WE WILL FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL, UH, TO TOWN COUNSEL FOR THEIR, UH, ACTION.
[8. OLD BUSINESS]
NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS, OLD BUSINESS.WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. UH, BOTH OF THESE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM CONSIDERATION, IS THAT CORRECT, LAUREN? UNDER, UNDER OLD BUSINESS.
BOTH OF THOSE, THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN, YES.
UM, SO THE, UH, REQUEST FOR A SHORT TERM RENTAL BY AARON HIKE HAS BEEN REMOVED AS WELL AS THE, UH, REZONING REQUEST OF RANDOLPH MAKING ACADEMY THAT HAS BEEN PULLED FROM OUR AGENDA.
OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS ANY NEW BUSINESS.
WE HAVE NO NEW BUSINESS TONIGHT.
[11. PLANNING DIRECTOR REPORT]
UH, LAUREN, I'M GONNA SWITCH THIS AROUND JUST FOR A MINUTE, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOUR REPORT AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO CLOSING REMARKS OF THE COMMISSIONERS.UM, STAFF HAS REPORT OR PROVIDED THE MONTHLY REPORT, UM, FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
IT LOOKS AS THOUGH WE HAD, UM, OR SORRY, OCTOBER WE HAD 23 NEW ZONING PERMITS, 28 NEW CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES, THREE LAND USE APPLICATIONS, THREE SIGNED PERMITS, AND SEVEN BUSINESS LICENSE APPLICATIONS.
UM, STAFF PROVIDED, UH, THE FINAL VERSION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE FORMER DATA CENTER TEXT AMENDMENT IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD.
STAFF WILL BE INCORPORATING A CHAPTER ON DATA CENTERS INTO THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE.
UM, AND THEN THE ONE 75,148 REWRITE WILL ALSO BE, BE ON HOLD PENDING.
UM, THE OUTCOME OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, I GUESS PUBLIC HEARING IN JANUARY.
UM, THE BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW, UH, HAD A PUBLIC HEARING LAST TUESDAY ON THE PARTIAL DEMOLITION OF THE MURPHY THEATER BUILDING.
THAT, UM, CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS WAS DENIED.
THERE IS ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR THE WARREN, UM, PAINT BUILDING, UM, AT THE CORNER OF BLUE RIDGE AND MAIN STREET THAT WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR, UM, UH, THE SECOND TUESDAY IN JANUARY.
AND THAT'S, I THINK, I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
HOW MANY, UH, DWELLING UNITS WERE PERMITS ISSUED FOR IN THE TOWN? NEW DWELLINGS, EITHER DUPLEX, TOWNHOUSE, OR SINGLE FAMILY? I BELIEVE YEAR TO DATE WE'RE AT 37 27.
FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, WHICH IS PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT, UM, WHAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BASICALLY SAYS WE NEED 45 HOMES PER YEAR TO REACH THE, UH, PROJECTED POPULATION OF 2040.
THE PLAN STATES THAT I THINK WE'LL HAVE A DEFICIT BETWEEN LIKE TWENTY TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR HUNDRED DWELLING UNITS TO ACCOMMODATE THAT POPULATION.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR IN THE REPORT? OKAY.
[10. COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS]
ITEM TONIGHT WILL BE COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS.DOES ANY COMMISSION MEMBER WISH TO SAY ANYTHING? UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY, I'D, I'D LIKE TO, UH, THANK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR MY, UH, UH, FOR THE SUPPORT THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO ME FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS AS A MEMBER SERVING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF AS WELL, UH, FOR MAKING SURE OUR MEETINGS ARE ORGANIZED AND GETTING US THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
AND FOR THE MORE I'D LIKE THE THANK THE PEOPLE OF FRONT ROYAL FOR, UH, ALLOWING ME TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY, UH, IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A GOOD FOOTHOLD, UH, FOR ME TO, UH, TRANSITION INTO MY NEW ROLE AS A MEMBER OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.
AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THESE, UH, THIS COMMISSION AS A, AS A MEMBER OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.
AND ONCE AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU FRONT ROYAL.
ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? ANY COMMENTS? CHAIRMAN? YES, MR. UH, PUBLICLY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE TOWN COUNCIL FRONT ROYAL FOR APPOINTING ME.
UM, AFTER BEING GONE FROM A COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST 12 YEARS AND FINALLY RETURNING HOME, IT'S, UH, NICE TO BE BACK.
FIRST OF ALL, FRONT ROYAL IS A WONDERFUL PLACE.
UM, SECONDLY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY, A SMALLER PART, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, UM,
[01:35:01]
EVERYONE.I KNOW THAT, UM, BUT, UM, WE WILL BE ADVERTISING AN OPENING.
IS THAT CORRECT? CHAIRMAN? OKAY.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, UM, UH, IT'S BEEN A VERY FRUITFUL YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN A VERY BUSY YEAR AND I ANTICIPATE ANOTHER, UH, BUSY ONE COMING UP.
SO, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO WISH A HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.
UM, DOES THAT COUNT AS A MOTION TO ADJOURN? YES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, THE AYES CARRIED MEETING IS ADJOURNED.