[I. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE FRONT ROYAL PLANNING COMMISSION THIS WEDNESDAY, JUNE, THE 21ST, 2023.
MS. POTTER, COULD YOU GIVE US A ROLL CALL? CHAIRMAN MERCHANT HERE.
UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE MAY CONTINUE.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS OF ITEMS TO OR FROM THE AGENDA? DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, HEARING NONE?
[IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM FOUR, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, AND I WILL NEED SEPARATE MOTIONS FOR EACH SET OF MINUTES.SO WE HAVE THE MAY 17TH, 2 0 23.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MAY 17 MINUTES.
UM, MS. POTTER, GIVE A ROLL PLEASE.
THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MINUTES OR REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 17TH IS APPROVED.
OUR NEXT, UH, MEETING MINUTES ARE FROM A SPECIAL MEETING HELD JUNE THE SEVENTH, 2023.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION? SO MOVED.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE JUNE 7TH, 2023.
THE MINUTES FROM THE SPECIAL MEETING ON JUNE 7TH ARE APPROVED.
I HAVE SUBMITTED AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A, UM, PERIOD SET ASIDE FOR ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS THAT ARE, UH, IN RELATION TO ANY BUSINESS THAT MAY HAVE COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, AND FOR ANY ITEM THAT IS NOT ALREADY ON OUR, UM, PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WISHES TO COME FORWARD TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS TONIGHT.
[VI. CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEM SIX, CONSENT AGENDA.WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, THESE ITEMS, IF WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, WE, WE WILL DISCUSS THEM AT THE JULY 5TH WORK SESSION AND TAKE ACTION ON THESE ITEMS AT THE JULY 19TH REGULAR MEETING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.
SECOND AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[VII. PUBLIC HEARING]
A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.UH, APPLICATION NUMBER 23 0 2 25.
UM, MADAM DIRECTOR, COULD YOU, UM, UPDATE US ON THIS APPLICATION? YES.
UM, THE APPLICANT, RAMSEY INC.
HAS REQUESTED A, AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING MAP, UM, TO RECLASSIFY, UH, PORTION OF TAX MAP 20 A 24 DASH ONE DASH SEVEN FROM THE COMMERCIAL, UM, HIGHWAY CORRIDOR DISTRICTS.
THAT'S C3 TO, UH, A MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, R TWO.
UM, THE SITE IS 1.288 ACRES APPROXIMATELY.
UM, IT IS ADJACENT TO THE TOWN'S, UM, PUMP STATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS UP, UM, JUST NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF GUARD HILL ROAD AND WINCHESTER ROAD.
UM, THE APPLICANT CURRENTLY HAS, UM, APPROVAL FOR A LODGING HOUSE, WHICH IS A BY RIGHT USE IN THE C3 DISTRICT.
UM, WHEN THEY GO OR IF THEY GO TO THE R TWO DISTRICT, THEY ARE REQUESTING TO CONSTRUCT A MULTIFAMILY STRUCTURE INSTEAD.
UM, AND I WOULD ASK THAT THE APPLICANT, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE APPROVAL FOR THE LODGING HOUSE WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE REVOKED AND THEY WOULD NEED TO SUBMIT A NEW ZONING APPLICATION FOR THE MULTIFAMILY DWELLING UNIT.
UM, I CAN TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
[00:05:05]
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AT THIS TIME? WE CAN COME BACK TO HER AT A LATER IF WE, AFTER WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER? UM, OUR, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHAT, WHAT DOES OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CALL FOR THIS AREA TO BE? COMMERCIAL IN THIS AREA, THE CURRENT LAND USE OR PROPOSED LAND USE IS COMMERCIAL.
AND THEN IN THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT'S ALSO CALLED OUT TO BE COMMERCIAL.
SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS CURRENT C3 DISTRICT AND THE R TWO IS THAT THE C3 DISTRICT, UM, EXCLUDES RESIDENTIAL USES IN THE DESCRIPTION FOR THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT DOES PERMIT, UM, MULTIFAMILY USES IN THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
SO IN THAT SENSE, IT STILL FITS EVEN THOUGH IT SHOWS A FUTURE LAND USE OF COMMERCIAL.
COUNSEL, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION, CONNIE? NO, SIR.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
MR. RAMSEY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS CHRIS RAMSEY, EXCUSE ME.
5 0 8 NORTH COMMERCE AVENUE, FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA.
UH, I SUBMITTED THIS APPLICATION BASED ON THE DESIRE TO UTILIZE A RATHER CHALLENGING PIECE OF PROPERTY IN A POSITIVE WAY THAT WOULD GENERATE, UH, A, A POSITIVE USE.
UH, AS FAR AS COMMERCIAL ZONING, UH, IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET VERY MANY PARKING SPACES ON THE SITE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
EVEN RIGHT NOW WITH A LODGING HOUSE, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A COUPLE PARKING SPACES PER BEDROOM.
SO, UH, A TWO BEDROOM UNIT WITH PARKING IS ABOUT ALL WE'RE ABLE TO DO.
HOWEVER, DUE THE NATURE, IF ANYONE'S BEEN ABLE TO VISIT THE SITE AND APPRECIATE THE, THE CHARACTER OF IT, YOU WOULD READILY SEE THAT, UH, THE TWO LEVELS IS APPROPRIATE.
AND WE ARE JUST ASKING THAT WE BE ABLE TO, UH, DO A TWO FAMILY UNDIVIDED RESIDENCE.
AND SO THERE IS NO STAIRWAY BETWEEN THE FIRST LEVELS AND SECOND LEVEL AND EACH LEVEL'S A THOUSAND, 40 SQUARE FEET.
I'VE STATED PUBLICLY PREVIOUSLY, AND I STAYED PUBLICLY TONIGHT, MY GOAL IN THIS WAS TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR A DISABLED STEPSON OF MINE.
AND, UH, THE, IT'S OUR INTENT THAT THAT BE HIS, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM FOR MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.
AND THE, UH, WITH THE POTENTIAL THAT A, ANOTHER STEPSON MIGHT OCCUPY THE SECOND LEVEL AT A LATER DATE, CUZ WE ALSO HOUSE HIM AS WELL.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, OR WE, UH, I COULD MAKE IT WORK WITH THE, UH, WITH THE LODGING HOUSE AND WE STILL CAN MAKE IT WORK WITH THE LODGING HOUSE, BUT IT'S MORE APPROPRIATELY DEEMED, UH, TO FAMILY.
IT'S BASICALLY THE MAXIMUM THAT CAN BE DONE ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
IT CANNOT BE SUBDIVIDED FURTHER.
IT, UH, DOES NOT LEND ITSELF EITHER EXCESS ACCESS WISE OR TOPOGRAPHICALLY TO ANY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY THAT I'M AWARE OF.
IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE PAID OUR WATER AND SEWER FEES, SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER THERE, AS WELL AS OUR ELECTRIC FEES TO WRAP A HANOCK.
AND WE HAVE A HOUSE THERE WITH A ROOF ON IT AND WINDOWS AND DOORS IN IT.
AND SO IN THE INTEREST OF BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE AS WE'D LIKE TO, WE UNDERSTAND IT'S YOUR DISCRETION.
WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS EFFORT, AND YES, WE ABSOLUTELY, UH, THE LODGING HOUSE IS NOT AN APPROVED USE IN THE PROPOSED R TWO DISTRICT, AND WE WOULD GLADLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXCHANGE THAT FOR, FOR A, UH, TWO BEDROOM NON DIVIDED STRUCTURE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OBVIOUSLY I'M, OH, I'M SURE WE WILL.
WHAT I WANT TO DO, MR. RAMSEY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN I'M SURE COMMISSIONERS WILL HAVE QUESTIONS AS THEY OFTEN DO, AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, ALL THOSE WHO WISH TO SPEAK IN THIS MATTER, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
SECOND CALL, THIRD CALL FOR ANYBODY TO SPEAK.
SEEING NOBODY COME FORWARD, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS HEARING.
UH, COMMISSIONERS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF EITHER STAFF OR MR. RAMSEY AT THIS TIME? I, I ONLY HAVE ONE MR. WILLIAMS, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS, HAS, IS THERE ANY,
[00:10:01]
UM, THERE'S A PUMP HOUSE AT THE END OF THAT ROAD AND THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, THAT THERE'S NO, UM, INTERFERENCE WITH THOSE THAT NEED TO GET TO THE PUMP HOUSE.AND IS THAT THE ACCESS TO THIS PROPERTY IS OVER A TOWN EASEMENT.
SO THE TOWN CONTROLS THAT ACCESS.
SO WE'RE JUST JOINING IN TO THAT EXISTING ACCESS.
AND WE WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO RIGHT OR REASON TO OBSTRUCT ONLY TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE.
AND AT VARIOUS TIMES THAT, UH, SHORT PIECE OF STREET THERE OR, AND IT'S IS, WAS PARTIALLY PAVED AT ONE TIME, UH, GETS RUTTED OUT.
AND MY PERSONAL THING IS THAT BEING THERE PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN IT, WE MAINTAIN IT AND KEEP IT IN A BETTER STATE OF CONDITION AND IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO EXIST.
ONE QUESTION I HAD FOR STAFF, UM, THAT IS THE TOWN RIGHT OF WAY AND MAINTAINED, UM, ACCESS BY VIRTUE OF THE REZONING, THIS WOULD ALLOW MR. RAMSEY TO USE THE TOWN ACCESS TO AND FROM HIS PROPERTY.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WOOD.
UM, THE TOWN HAS NOT CONDUCTED A TITLE EXAM.
UM, AS FAR AS DETERMINING WHAT LEGAL ACCESS THERE IS TO THIS, TO THE PARCEL IN QUESTION, UH, UH, WHAT I HAVE, I DO HAVE IN FRONT OF ME IS THE DEED, UH, BY WHICH THE TOWN ACQUIRED THE PARCEL ON WHICH THE PUMP STATION IS LOCATED.
AND IN THAT DEED FROM, FROM THE ESTATE OF MR. COOLEY, AND THIS IS DEED BOOK 2 74 AT PAGE, UM, 6 78.
UH, THE GRAND TOUR, UH, RE RESERVED, WELL, I'LL JUST READ IT.
A RITE OF INGRESS AND EGRESS IS HEREBY RESERVE FOR THE GRANTOR ITS AGENTS AND ASSIGNS OVER SUCH ROADWAYS AND DRIVES AS MAY HERE HEREAFTER BE CONSTRUCTED UPON THE AFO SAID PARCEL OF LAND.
THE AFO SAID PARCEL OF LAND BEING THAT THAT WAS CONVEYED TO THE TOWN.
SO, UH, BASED ON THAT DESCRIPTION, UH, THE EASEMENT WOULD BE IN THE LOCATION OF WHEREVER THE TOWN, UM, CONSTRUCTED SUCH ROADWAY OR DRIVE.
AND, AND LOOKING AT THE, THE PLAT THAT WAS SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICATION, UM, I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T DONE A SITE VISIT, BUT LOOKING AT THE PLAT, UM, I DON'T SEE WHERE THE ROADWAY, UH, THAT THE TOWN APPARENTLY CONSTRUCTED, UM, UH, IS, IS, UM, ADJACENT TO, IS, UH, CON CONNECTED OR ADJACENT TO THE PARCEL IN QUESTION, THE PAR THE SUBJECT PARCEL.
SO, UH, A DIFFERENT WAY OF SAYING IT IS WHAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME.
IT, THE ACCESS TO THE SUBJECT PARCEL IS NOT APPARENT TO ME AT ALL.
NOW, IT IS IN MY VIEW, PART OF A LARGER PARCEL, UH, THE MA THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHICH IS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF TOWN LIMITS IN THE COUNTY.
AND THERE IS ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE PARCEL, UM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, VIA GUARD HILL ROAD.
UM, AS THE APPLICANT HAS ALREADY, UH, MENTIONED, ALREADY DESCRIBED THE TERRAIN IS A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE.
UM, SO THAT OTHER ACCESS APPARENTLY DOESN'T PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE, THE SITE, UH, WHERE THE APPLICANT INTENDS TO BUILD.
WELL, UPON VISITING THE SITE, IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THE TWO OF 'EM ARE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROPER WORD IS, BUT HIS, HIS PROPERTY LINE IS THERE, WHERE THE ROAD IS.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S ADJACENT CONNECTED.
I, I GUESS MY ONLY CONCERN WOULD BE THERE, UH, WITH THAT ROAD BUILT TO THE PUMP HOUSE, THERE IS NO TURNAROUND AT THE BOTTOM OF IT.
UH, PEOPLE CAME DOWN THERE AND GOT LOST.
I, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS DIFFICULT GOING DOWN TO LOOK AT HIS PROPERTY BECAUSE I'M, I'M LIKE, I'M, I'M GONNA HAVE
[00:15:01]
TO TURN AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD MM-HMM.I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT HIS ACCESS BECAUSE TO ME IT'S OBVIOUS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, LEMME JUST CLARIFY A COUPLE ITEMS HERE.
SO A PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT A LODGING HOUSE WAS ISSUED BY THE TOWN? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND NOW THE APPLICANT IS WISHING TO CHANGE THE ZONING TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE USE OF THAT BUILDING FROM A LODGING HOUSE TO A TWO FAMILY.
JUST WANTED TO GET CLEAR ON THAT.
UM, WHAT ARE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR A TWO FAMILY DOES? DO THEY NEED FOUR SPACES FOR TWO, TWO FAMILIES? I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE FOUR SPACES.
IT'S TWO SPACES PER DWELLING UNIT.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU SAID EARLIER YOU, YOU HAD VERY LIMITED PARKING THERE.
WHAT DID, WILL YOU HAVE PARK FOUR SPACES AVAILABLE? YES.
UNDER OUR CURRENT APPROVED PLAN.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE AT LEAST FIVE.
AND POTENTIALLY MORE, BECAUSE AS A LODGING HOUSE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO PER ROOM.
WHICH, ACCORDING TO MR. WARE, HE'S NOT QUITE SURE HOW THAT'S TO BE INTERPRETED, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE ONE, UH, ONE ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACE FOR A CARETAKER.
SO, AT MINIMUM, WHICH WE'VE SHOWN ON OUR PLAN.
WE, AT MINIMUM, WE HAVE FIVE SPACES CURRENTLY, AND UNDER THE R TWO WE WOULD ONLY BE REQUIRED TO HAVE FOUR.
YOU HAD, YOU HAD FIVE SHOWN ON THE PLAN.
ON THE ORI ON THE LODGING HOUSE PLAN, WE HAVE FIVE, UH, HE INTERPRETED IT AS TWO PER BEDROOM.
IN WHICH CASE, HOW DO YOU DEFINE A ROOM? DO YOU DEFINE IT AS A BEDROOM? DO YOU DEFINE THE LIVING ROOM AS A ROOM? YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU DEFINE THAT? HE DEFINED IT AS A BEDROOM.
SO THAT WOULD BE TWO BASIS PER BEDROOM PLUS THE CARETAKERS.
THAT REQUIREMENT WOULD BE REDUCED TO FOUR UNDER THE NEW, UNDER THE NEW PROPOSED REQUEST.
ONE OTHER, UH, DARRYL, YOU'RE A SURVEYOR AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE PLAT, RIGHT.
BUT IF YOU NOTICE ALONG THE LINE WHICH THE, UH, PROPERTY WAS CREATED, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE BO THAT THE LINE IS NOT STRAIGHT.
IT HAS A DEVIATION AT THAT ONE CORNER OF IT, WHICH PARALLELS THE TOWN RIGHT OF WAY OR THE TOWN EASEMENT DOWN THERE.
WHY WOULD THAT BE OFFSET IN A, IN A PLAT IF IT WASN'T INTENDED TO FOLLOW ALONG THE, UH, DIRECTION OF THE EASEMENT THAT WAS CREATED THERE? NO, I JUST QUESTION SO THAT, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE ON A NEWLY CREATED PLAT THAT YOU WOULD PUT THAT OFFSET THERE IF IT DIDN'T FOLLOW AN EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY.
BUT BUT MY QUESTION'S ABOUT THE PARKING, CUZ I ONLY SEE TWO PARKING SPACES ON THE PLANT, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT, UH, LODGING HOUSE PLAN IN FRONT OF ME, BUT, UH, JOE BROGAN DREW IT.
WELL, IT WAS REVISED AT ONE POINT.
THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE FIVE, WELL, THERE'S ONLY TWO.
WE HAD IT APPROVED, WE HAD APPROVED IT WITH FIVE.
HUH? WE APPROVED IT WITH FIVE.
THEY APPROVED, APPROVED IT WITH FIVE.
BUT IT'S NOT DRAWN ON THE PLAN AS FIVE.
NO, I, I BELIEVE THERE WERE OTHER PLANS THAT WERE SUBMITTED FOR THAT LODGING HOUSE.
WE DID NOT INCLUDE THE LODGING HOUSE APPLICATION IN THE FORMS IN THIS.
YEAH, THE ORIGINAL, THE ORIGINAL, THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION HAD FIVE SPACES.
SO, SO YOU'RE AWARE FOR A TWO FAMILY IT WILL NEED AT LEAST FOUR PARKING SPACES MM-HMM.
NOW, THE, THE GONNA STAY UP THERE, THE, THE ACCESS ROAD, THIS, THIS PART, PART OF THE BIG FARM MM-HMM.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET THAT CORRECT.
AND, AND THE ROAD DOES NOT HAVE CURB AND GUTTER ON IT.
NO, IT HAS HAS GUARD, IT HAS GUARDRAILS ON IT.
IT HAS GUARDRAILS, WHICH MAY BE BETTER THAN CURB AND GUTTER FOR ALL RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE, MAYBE NOT FOR WATER, BUT FOR PEOPLE, UM, WHO, WHO'S GONNA MAINTAIN THE ROAD OR, OR WHO WHO'S GONNA REMOVE THE SNOW AND PAVE IT.
AND, AND, UH, UH, AS, AS COUNCILOR WOOD OR COMMISSIONER WOOD MENTIONED TURNAROUND, UH, GETTING IN AND OUT OF THEIR EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS IS, DO YOU SEE THAT AS A PROBLEM FOR RESIDENTIAL USE? I DO NOT BECAUSE I FEEL THAT WE'LL HAVE MORE THAN ADEQUATE TURNAROUND SPACE ADJACENT TO THE TOWN RIGHT OF WAY ON THE PARCEL PROPERTY.
UH, IF YOU GO THERE AND LOOK AT IT NOW, I MEAN, I COULD PULL UP THERE WITH MY SERVICE TRUCK AND A 20 FOOT TRAILER BEHIND IT AND BACK IT AROUND AND TURN IT AROUND ON THE SITE.
[00:20:01]
IT'LL BE, WE'LL FINAL GRADE IT AND SHAPE IT UP.NOW WHAT, WHAT WE CONS, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER IT IS A, UH, IS A PRIVATE DRIVEWAY WITH, WITH COMMON MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS.
I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SIGN WHATEVER AS FAR AS BEING PARTICIPANT AND MAINTAINING AS FAR AS SNOW AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
THE TOWN BY DEFAULT HAS TO, UM, HAS TO PLOW THE SNOW SIMPLY TO GET TO THEIR PUMP STATION, WHICH THEY MONITOR ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO, BUT, BUT THERE IS NO AGREEMENT THAT YOU KNOW OF CURRENTLY IN PLACE FOR MAINTENANCE ON THAT FACILITY? NO.
BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM INVESTING IN IT.
I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO MAKE A REQUIREMENT THAT WE DO ADDITIONAL ASPHALT PAVING, YOU KNOW, TO THE DRIVEWAY OR, BECAUSE IT'S MY INTENT THROUGH ALL THIS TO NOT CREATE A SITUATION THAT, THAT WOULD RESULT IN EROSION OR, YOU KNOW, ANY NEGATIVE ASPECTS TO ANY ADJOINING PROPERTIES OR EVEN MY OWN.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL BE STABILIZING EVERYTHING HARD SURFACING, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING LOT AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT IS A CHALLENGING SITE AND IT WILL REQUIRE, UH, YOU KNOW, CAREFUL, UH, CONSIDERATION TO AVOID ANY NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. WILLIAMS? I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS HELPFUL OR JUST ADDITIONAL FIRST, BUT I'VE BEEN TO THE SITE SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE MY CONCERN WAS THE ACCESS TO THE PUMP STATION AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE TOWN MAINTAINS THAT.
AND LOOKING AT HOW FAR BACK, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, HOW FAR BACK THAT HOUSE IS SITUATED.
IT, IT ALREADY LOOKS FROM THE GET-GO THAT THEY HAD PLANS TO CREATE THAT PARKING THAT THAT'S REQUIRED IN TERMS OF THE FI FOUR OR FIVE PARKING SPACES.
NOW THAT MIGHT NOT BE IN THE, IN THE PLAN, BUT I CAN JUST TELL YOU FROM BEING ON SITE AND SEEING IT SEVERAL TIMES THAT IT'S MORE THAN OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVE THAT COVERED.
WHAT, UH, BEFORE I DIGRESS TOO MUCH, ACTUALLY, THIS HEARING IS NOT FOR THE, WHETHER OR NOT THE, THE TWO FAMILY DWELLING IS, IS APPROPRIATE OR NOT.
WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS, DO WE FEEL THIS IS APPROPRIATE TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL? AND THE FACT IS YOU STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON IT WHILE IT WAS A COMMERCIAL PIECE OF PROPERTY AND NOW YOU WISH TO CHANGE IT TO RESIDENTIAL.
SO THAT IS THE REAL QUESTION BEFORE US.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WILL HAVE TO DECIDE IF, IF THIS USE IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT LOCATION.
OBVIOUSLY IN 97 WHEN THIS WAS ANNEXED AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER IT WAS ZONED COMMERCIAL.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S BASICALLY THE QUESTION, UH, COMMISSIONERS WE HAVE BEFORE US.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OR CHRIS? UM, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS THE MOTION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR APPLICATION NUMBER 2 3 0 0 2 2 5 TO RESUME THE 1.2837 SITE AS SHOWN ON THE SUBMITTED PLAT FROM HIGHWAY CORRIDOR BUSINESS DISTRICT C3 TO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT R TWO.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT FOR MY, UH, DISCUSSION ON IT IS THAT THIS IS REALLY NOT IN CONFORMANCE WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, WE'RE INTRODUCING A, UM, RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT TO A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.
UM, UH, AND YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE, UH, LODGING HOUSE OR CARETAKER RESIDENTS OR WHATEVER THEY WERE, THEY WERE CALLING IT.
BUT YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING TWO FAMILIES DOWN OVER THERE.
UH, I I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE IN THIS AREA.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WELL, BUT THE PROPOSED ZONING IS R TWO, WHICH PERMITS MULTIFAMILY.
SO THAT WOULD BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROPOSED ZONING.
UH, WELL WE STILL HAVE THE ACCESS ISSUES AND, UH, WELL THAT, THAT THAT'S, BUT, BUT THE ISSUE IS WHETHER, WHETHER YOU FEEL THIS AREA IS APPROPRIATE FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT VERSUS COMMERCIAL, I THINK IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEBODY'S BUILDING MULTI, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEBODY'S BUILDING A SUBDIVISION HERE.
THIS IS A FAMILY TAKING CARE OF ITS MEMBERS AND ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY AND THAT'S, UH, THERE'S NOTHING DANGEROUS ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S NO HARM TO THE PUBLIC GOOD ABOUT THAT.
UM, IT'S COMMENDABLE ACTION AND IT'S WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE APP, SO TO SPEAK.
[00:25:02]
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, MR. WOOD? UM, MY COMMENT WOULD BE, YES, IT IS, UM, C3 COMMERCIAL IF YOU VISIT THE SITE, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL VISIT OR BUSINESSES BEING ON THAT SITE BY RIGHT.HE COULD BUILD THE BUILDING THAT HE'S BUILDING FOR THE CARETAKER OF THE FARM OR WHATEVER.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT OTHER APPROPRIATE USE THIS PARTICULAR PLAT WOULD COME INTO BEING.
I, I DON'T SEE A BUSINESS THERE.
WE KNOW THAT THE ACCESS THROUGH THE TOWNS, I COULDN'T SEE PUTTING A BUSINESS THERE AND THEN HAVING THE GENERAL PUBLIC ACCESSING THE BUSINESS USING THE TOWNS RIGHT AWAY.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A PROPER USE OF IT.
I THINK THE LAND WHEN WHOEVER DREW THE BOUNDARY AND SAID, WELL, WE'RE GONNA INCLUDE THIS PART OF IT AND WE'RE JUST GONNA MAKE IT ALL C3 LAYOVER.
SO, UM, WHEN WE QUESTION OURSELVES WHAT'S THE BEST OR APPROPRIATE USE FOR IT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING POTENTIALLY ANOTHER FAMILY THERE AND, UM, TRAFFIC FROM TWO CARS OR, OR TWO FAMILIES VERSUS ONE.
MR. RAMSEY IS SAYING, I BELIEVE THAT HE'S GONNA MAKE THE ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY APPROPRIATE AND ACCESSIBLE TO EMERGENCY SERVICES.
UM, I, I DON'T SEE ANOTHER USE FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UH, JUST TO CLARIFY A POINT WITH THE DIRECTOR NOW, WILL THEY HAVE TO COME BACK IN FOR A NEW ZONING PERMIT FOR THE, FOR ANY WORK DONE IF WE CHANGE THE ZONING ON THIS? YES, THEY WILL.
SO AT THAT TIME, WE'LL HAVE TO DETERMINE ACCESS, WHETHER IT HAS ILLEGAL ACCESS, THE LEGAL PARKING.
CAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE, WE HAVEN'T, WE WE'RE NOT DETERMINING THAT TONIGHT THE ACCESS IS NOT ENTIRELY RELEVANT.
THE ACCESS IS NOT ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT.
THAT, THAT WILL HAVE TO, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE REZONING.
SO GOING, IS IT APPROPRIATE TO GO FROM A INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL USE THAT COMPLETELY EXCLUDES RESIDENTIAL TO A MEDIUM OR HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USE? I CAN TELL YOU PARCEL THAT IS 1.2 ACRES IS ON THE SMALL END FOR WHAT YOU WOULD USE FOR COMMERCIAL AND THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS REALLY LIMIT THE USES ON THAT SITE.
SO, SO THAT'S WHY YOU RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS? THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, WE, WE FOLLOW A TYPICAL, LIKE TRADITIONAL EUCLIDEAN ZONING.
TYPICALLY YOU DON'T SEE INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL USES BACKED UP TO AGRICULTURAL USES.
THEY TEND TO NOT BE COMPATIBLE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
YOU USUALLY KIND OF HAVE LIKE A RESIDENTIAL BUFFER IN BETWEEN.
I THINK THAT THE, I DON'T SEE WHERE THE, THE COMMERCIAL ON SOME OF THESE SITES IS APPROPRIATE.
I'M, I THINK THAT THE RESIDENTIAL USE HERE IS OKAY.
BUT BUT YOU STILL HAVEN'T RESOLVED THE ACCESS ISSUE ON THAT STUFF? WE'LL, WE'LL RESOLVE THAT I THINK AT A LATER DATE AND I HAVE A FEELING TO RESOLVE THAT.
THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE THIS BOARD.
BUT THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE OUTSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE.
RIGHT? SO, SO TONIGHT WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING WHETHER THE, THE COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE? UH, MS. POTTER, WOULD YOU READ A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
MR. RAMSEY WILL FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO, UH, TOWN COUNCIL.
[VIII. COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS]
ITEM OF, UH, BUSINESS WILL BE COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT ON ANY OF THEIR NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES? WHY DO YOU ASSUME THAT THEY'RE NEFARIOUS? WELL, I WAS HOPING TO GET A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR OUR, UH, NEWSPAPER REPORTER TO REPORT.
APPARENTLY, APPARENTLY WE'RE BLAND.
I'D LIKE TO REPORT THAT AFTER I LEFT HAWAII, THE VOLCANO ERUPTED.
SO YOU LEFT TOO SOON? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
THIS MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE JULY MEETING, BUT, UM, COMMISSIONER WOOD AND I'LL BE ATTENDING THE PLANNING COMMISSION TRAINING SESSION IN RICHMOND AND, UM, LATER JULY, THE OPENING SESSION AND THEN THE CLOSING SESSION IN SEPTEMBER.
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FROM PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS? MADAM[IX. PLANNING DIRECTOR REPORT]
DIRECTOR, COULD YOU GIVE YOUR MONTHLY REPORT? YES.UM, FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, UM, WE HAD A, AN UPTICK IN, UH, PERMITS.
SO WE HAD 38 ZONING PERMITS THAT WE ISSUED 91 CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES.
AND I HAVE TO COMMEND MY STAFF BECAUSE, UH, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WAS OUT FOR TWO WEEKS AND ISSUED THOSE 91, UM, CITATIONS IN A, IN A SMALLER TIMEFRAME.
UM, WE TOOK IN FOUR LAND USE APPLICATIONS, 18 BUSINESS LICENSES, SIX SIGN PERMITS, AND A VARIANCE.
AND THEN WE HAVE ALSO STARTED, UM, TAKING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY UTILIZATION PERMITS.
THOSE WERE FORMALLY SUBMITTED TO PUBLIC WORKS.
NOW THEY COME TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO OUR STAFF HAS NOW, UM, WORKED ON, ON DEVELOPING A NEW PROCESS AND PUTTING IT INTO OUR SYSTEM.
THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH IT.
SO WE'VE HAD PERMITS FOR 14 HOUSES SO FAR THIS YEAR.
UM, AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS FULL-TIME WITH A LOT OF THE CHILDREN AFFECTED BY SOME OF THOSE, I TRULY APPRECIATE THAT.
IT'S ESPECIALLY COMMENDABLE IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 200, SO THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S QUITE A BIT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO AT THAT RATE, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY A THOUSAND CASES FOR THE YEAR.
DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CITIZENS CUT THE GRASS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR? THANK YOU, LAUREN.
UH, AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THE MEETING SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.