[00:00:03]
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
LIKE TO CALL THE FRONT ROYAL PLANNING COMMISSION TO, TO ORDER ON OCTOBER THE 16TH, 2024.AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UPON AND REMIND MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AT THIS POINT TO TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONES, PLEASE, SO THAT WE MAY GIVE OUR FULL ATTENTION TO THE PUBLIC'S BUSINESS POWER OFF.
MS. POTTER, MAY WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? CHAIRMAN MARNER PRESENT.
AND MR. GILLESPIE IS ABSENT FOR REASON OF ILLNESS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE AS.
THIS IS THE FIRST FULL PUBLIC MEETING, OUR NEW MEMBER, MR. ANDREW BROOKS, WHO HAS, THIS IS HIS FIRST MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR RANKS, SIR, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA? HEARING NONE.
[IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES BEFORE WE BEGIN TO DISCUSS THEM? I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO, I MOVE TO, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES.
APPROVE THE MINUTES, AND THEN THEN YOU SECOND, YOU SECOND THAT.
AND NOW, NOW WE HAVE DISCUSSION OF THE MINUTES.
SO NOW, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A STATEMENT, UH, FOR THIS.
SO, UM, IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS THAT, THAT I MADE IN REGARD SPECIFICALLY TO, UM, THE REZONING APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY KAREN ALEXANDER.
UM, I CAN JUST MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION TO ADD THIS, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO READ IT FIRST? THAT'D BE FINE.
MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MINUTES AND THEN WE CAN READ IT, READ IT OUT SO THAT WHILE WE LOOK AT OUR COPY OF THE MINUTES, WE CAN SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THEN WE CAN VOTE ON THAT.
AND THEN THE PRINTED WORDS WILL BE ADDED AFTERWARDS.
SO THE ADDITION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST IS, UH, WELL, TO KEEP IN LINE WITH THE FORMATTING, COMMISSIONER RAZZO STATED THAT MS. ALEXANDER HAD CLEARLY SHOWN ALL REASONABLE EFFORT AND INTENTION TO WORK WITHIN THE EXISTING ZONING OF HER PROPERTY.
THE PURPOSE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ZONING CODES IS THE BENEFIT AND PROPER USE OF LAND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
GIVEN THE HISTORY HERE, THE APPLICANT'S EFFORTS AND THE PRECEDENT IN THE NEIGHBORING ARE THREE PROPERTY, IT ONLY MAKES SENSE TO APPROVE THE REZONING REQUEST, AND I'LL PASS OVER THAT WRITTEN OUT FOR YOU AS WELL.
OKAY? AND THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THAT SECTION OF THE MINUTES, WHICH DEALS WITH THAT APPLICATION.
UM, WE HAVE A, IS THERE ANOTHER COMMENT OR RECOMMENDATION ON THE AMENDMENT? I'M SORRY,
MS. POTTER, MAY WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES.
OKAY, NOW WE HAVE THE CITIZEN COMMENT SECTION OF THE MEETING.
THIS IS NOT THE COMMENT ON THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THIS IS A PORTION OF THE MEETING FOR CITIZENS WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, SO IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM, UH, PERTAINING TO LAND USE ON PLANNING COMMISSION BUSINESS THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA? THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE DOG BARKING NEXT DOOR ALL NIGHT IN YOUR HOUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS, MS. POTTER? NO.
[VI. CONSENT AGENDA]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.AND I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA TO PUBLICLY ADVERTISE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN NOVEMBER, UH, AS PRESENTED.
AND ON THIS CONSENT AGENDA IS A MATTER FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL TO A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR TOBACCO, SMOKE, AND VAPE SHOPS IN THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS A CONSENT.
OUR PASSING OF THIS GIVES CONSENT TO ADVERTISE THIS TOPIC FOR PUBLIC HEARING AT THE NOVEMBER 20TH REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
SO THAT IS, I MAKE THAT MOTION, UH, TO PUT THIS FORWARD.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND DISCUSSION FINALLY,
UH, UNANIMOUS VOTE IS NOT REQUIRED, BUT I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF PUTTING THIS ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AT OUR NEXT MEETING ON NOVEMBER 20TH.
NO, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A ROLL CALL,
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DON'T YOU? SORRY.GO AHEAD AND GIVE US A ROLL CALL AGAIN, MS. POTTER, PLEASE.
[VII. PUBLIC HEARING]
POINT, WE GO TO THE PUBLIC MEETING, PUBLIC HEARING SECTION OF THE MEETING.LET ME JUST RE REVIEW THE RULES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
BEFORE WE GO AHEAD, IF YOU'RE SIGNED UP AND WISH TO SPEAK, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE DIRECT ALL YOUR COMMENTS WHEN YOU ARE AT THAT PODIUM AND THAT MICROPHONE A PUT THE MICROPHONE CLOSE TO YOU SO WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, B DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO US TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
DO NOT ADDRESS THE APPLICANT WHO WILL HAVE SPOKEN ALREADY.
DO NOT ADDRESS THE STAFF AND DO NOT ADDRESS OTHER SPEAKERS.
JUST ADDRESS THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WHEN YOU STEP TO THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT ALL YOUR COMMENTS ARE RELATED TO THE TOPIC AT HAND, SO THANK YOU.
A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY THERESA ROBERSON TO ALLOW A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT 1 32 WEST REISER ROAD.
UH, MR. WARE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE US A STAFF REPORT ON THIS, PLEASE? APPLICATION 24 0 0 5 22 IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION TO ALLOW A SHORT TERM RENTAL LOCATED AT 1 32 WEST REISER ROAD, IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP 20 A SIX DASH 33 DASH B ONE LOT ONE B UH, THE PROPERTY IS ZONED R THREE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
THE REQUEST IS FOR A WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL OF A DUPLEX WITH THREE BEDROOMS FOR SIX PEOPLE.
THERE'S THE AERIAL VIEW OF WET 1 32 WEST RAZER ROAD WITH THE PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.
THERE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SITE LOCATION AT 1 32 THAT IS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DUPLEX.
UH, THEY ARE AMPLE PARKING IN THE PAVED PARKING, UH, DRIVEWAY FOR TWO SPACES PLUS THE GARAGE.
SO THEY DO HAVE THREE PARKING SPACES ON SITE.
UH, THE SITE INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED ON OCTOBER 9TH AND WAS FOUND IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH TOWN CODE 1 75, 1 51.
UH, THEY DID INCLUDE A, A PLAT WITH THE APPLICATION.
UH, SO IN YOUR PACKET IS A SURVEY PLAN OF THE PROPERTY, THE MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT THEY SUBMITTED AND THE EMERGENCY DWELLING EVACUATION DIAGRAMS. AND WHEN WE DID THE INSPECTION, UH, IT DID AGAIN, WAS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH TOWN CODE AND THEY DO MEET THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BEDROOMS. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TOWN STAFF AT THIS TIME? IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT OR REPRESENTATIVE TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I'M MARK ROBERSON, UM, SPOUSE OF THE THERESA.
AND, UM, FIRST TIME I'M OUT TO SPEAK FOR HER
I KNOW ONE QUESTION CAME UP AT THE MEETING ABOUT THE EMAIL, BUT, UM, I'M A, I'M A PASTOR AND SHE WORKS AT THE CHURCH FOR ME.
SO HER PERSONAL EMAIL IS A CHURCH EMAIL.
THE CHURCH DOES NOT OWN THE PROPERTY AND IT'S OWNED BY US.
UM, THE INTENDED USE IS FOR OUR FAMILY AND GRANDCHILDREN AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME INCOME FROM IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA PUT IT ON THE MARKET FOR AIRBNB SO WE CAN RENT IT 20 OR 30% OF THE YEAR TO KIND OF HELP, HELP THE COSTS.
UM, IT'S SET UP FOR A FAMILY BECAUSE WE WANNA USE IT FOR OUR KIDS.
SO, UM, TO DISPEL ANY QUALMS ABOUT FRAT PARTIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S A, IT'S FAMILY ORIENTED AND, UH, I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS AND THEY HAVE MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
I'VE BEEN INSTRUCTED, INSTRUCTED THEM TO, IF THEY SEE ANYTHING CALL ME.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT FEARS DOWN.
UM, ALSO TRYING TO, UH, RENT HOTELS FOR SPEAKERS AT MY CHURCH.
AND HOTELS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE THESE DAYS, SO WE PROBABLY WILL USE IT TO HELP THAT IF I HAVE SPECIAL PERSON COME IN.
BUT IF, UM, AND THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR MORE HOUSING BECAUSE OF THE COST OF HOTELS, SO I WOULD APPRECIATE APPROVAL OF THIS.
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ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS? IF NOT, I WILL CLOSE.
I GUESS I HAVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE I ASK FOR COMMENTS.
I WILL HEREBY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, SEEING NOBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.
I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, NOW I WILL ASK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR A MOTION BEFORE WE CAN DISCUSS THE MATTER.
I I MOVE COMMISSION FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL FOR ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 4 0 0 5 2 2 FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL LOCATED AT 1 32 WEST RYER ROAD.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT, YOU KNOW, COME UP AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY, VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHTS THAT GO AROUND WITH IT.
I AM VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT THERE'S SO MUCH OF A FAMILY ORIENTED NATURE TO THIS ONE, AND ESPECIALLY ALSO THAT WILL HELP SERVE YOUR OWN FAMILY WHEN THEY'RE VISITING AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS SIMILAR.
SO, UH, I'M JUST, I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THE TYPE OF USE THAT'S BEING PUT FORWARD HERE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO BE MORE MULTI-GENERATIONAL IN THEIR THINKING, UM, I JUST THINK THAT THIS, YEAH, I, I REALLY LIKE THIS.
I THINK THAT IT SERVES A GOOD PURPOSE.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
YOU'VE MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND INSPECTIONS NECESSARY FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I DON'T SEE STAND IN WHAT? OKAY.
UM, I WILL CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE UNLESS, UH, I FORGOT YOU MR. BROOKS, DO YOU WISH TO MAKE COMMENT? NO, I DON'T.
IN THAT CASE, UH, MS. PAD, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES.
NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE, THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED.
NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER, MY APOLOGIES.
A SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY COLONEL SAMUEL R. MILLER, VFW POST 1860.
COMMANDER JEFFREY D. COOK FOR RELIEF OF EXISTING PARKING TOWN CODE REQUIREMENTS LOCATED AT 6 54 B WEST 11TH STREET.
UM, UH, FIRST WE'LL ASK THE STAFF TO GIVE US A REPORT ON THAT.
APPLICATION 24 0 0 5 23 IS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION, UH, FOR RELIEF OF THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS OF TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 48 8 70, LOCATED AT 6 54 B WEST 11TH STREET, IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP 20 A ONE DASH TWO DASH THREE, LOTS, THREE AND FOUR.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONE C ONE COMMUNITY BUSINESS DISTRICT.
THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION IS REQUESTING RE THE RELIEF OF PARKING OF 1 48 8 70 A 2 1 48 8 70, A 6 1 48, 8 70 A EIGHT, AND 1 48, 8 70 A 10.
UH, THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED THERE AT 6 54 WEST, UH, B WEST 11TH STREET, NEAR THE CORNER THERE, HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.
UH, YOU SHOULD RECEIVE IN YOUR PACKET A SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION, A SURVEY PLAT SHOWING THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE PROPERTY.
THE APPLICANT'S LETTER STATING THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH ITEMS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
SO THIS IS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO THE TOWN CODE ON PARKING.
ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT, THE PARKING AREA CURRENTLY CAN ACCOMMODATE EIGHT PARKING SPACES WITH FOUR OF THEM BEING COMPACT SPACES.
UH, THERE'S THE, UH, PARKING SKETCH THAT THEY SUBMITTED WITH THE 11 PARKING SPACES, THE COMPACT SPACES OF THE FOUR, OF THE 11, UH, TOTAL, 36% OF THE TOTAL.
UH, SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A CHANGE
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OF USE FROM THE PREVIOUS BUSINESS.UH, CHAPTER 1 75 1 0 4 TOWN CODE REQUIRES ALL NEW USES OR DEVELOPMENTS, AND CHANGE OF USE SHALL COMPLY WITH THE OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 1 48.
THEY DID SUBMIT A BUSINESS APPLICATION 24 0 0 3 0 8 FOR ASSEMBLY USE, WHICH WAS DENIED BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT PARKING.
SO THIS IS A CHANGE OF USE FROM THE RESTAURANT TO AN ASSEMBLY HALL.
TOWN CODE REQUIRES THEM TO MEET THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS WITH A CHANGE OF USE.
UH, THE PROPERTY'S HAD, UH, SEVERAL BUSINESSES IN THERE OVER THIS LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UH, PRIMARILY RESTAURANTS, UH, WITH THAT.
UM, SO 1 48, 8 70 A TWO REQUIRES FOR ASSEMBLY USE.
ONE PARKING SPACE PER FOUR FIXED SEATS IN THE MAIN ASSEMBLY AREA, OR ONE PARKING SPACE PER 100 NET SQUARE FEET.
SO THAT'S THE TOTAL OF ALL FLOOR AREAS OF THE BUILDING, EXCLUDING STAIRWELLS, ELEVATOR SHAFTS, EQUIPMENT ROOMS, AND ET CETERA.
BASICALLY PAINT TO PAINT, UH, MINUS THE INTERIOR WALLS.
THAT'S THE SQUARE FOOTAGE TO COME UP WITH.
SO THE BUILDING HAS A TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF 692 SQUARE FEET ACCORDING TO THE SUBMITTED PARKING SKETCH, THUS RESULTING IN REQUIREMENT OF 17 PARKING SPACES.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE REASK ASKING FOR, IS A REDUCTION OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THE PARKING FROM, UH, THE REQUIRED 17.
ALSO WITH CHAPTER 1 48, 8 78 6, UP TO 20% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER REQUIRED OFF STREET PARKING SPACES MAY BE DESIGNATED FOR COMPACT SPACES.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR 36% TO BE COMPACT TOWN CODE REQUIRES THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT TO BE 20%, UH, THE PARKING SPACES, UH, REGULAR STANDARD PARKING SPACES OUT OF CODE 1 48, 8 78 7, UH, STANDARD PARKING SPACES THAT ARE NINE BY 18 IN COMPACT, EIGHT BY 18.
UH, THEY ALSO ARE ASK ASKING FOR AN EXCEPTION TO 1 48, 8 78 8, THE WIDTH OF ALL INTERIOR PARKING LOT AISLES PROVIDED.
DIRECT ONE-WAY ACCESS SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS, THE MINIMUM AISLE WIDTH SHOULD BE 12 FEET.
UH, SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR A REDUCTION IN THAT FOR THE REQUIREMENT OF 12 FEET ON THE SINGLE, UH, WIDTH INTERIOR AISLE.
UH, THEY ALSO, UH, 1 48, 8 78 DOES REQUIRE THE PARKING SPACE TO BE AT LEAST THREE FEET FROM THE PRI, UH, SIDE AND REAR PROPERTY LINES, WHICH THEY DO MEET.
HOWEVER, CHAPTER 1 48, 8 78 10, THE PARKING SPACE SHALL SET BACK, SET BACK A MINIMUM OF FIVE FEET FROM ANY BUILDING OR STRUCTURE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER EXCEPTION THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
UH, THIS SETBACK AREA MAY BE USED FOR SIDEWALKS OR LANDSCAPING.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR RE A REDUCTION IN REQUIRED NUMBERS.
UH, THE PERCENTAGE OF COMPACT SPACES, THE DISTANCE OFF OF THE BUILDING AND THE TRAVEL WAY FOR ONE WAY TRAFFIC.
HOWEVER, CHAPTER 1 48 8 78 18 DOES ALLOW, AS WITH THE STANDARDS OF THIS CHAPTER, OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS MAY BE WAIVED BY SPECIAL EXCEPTION IN ACCORDANCE 1 48 2 11 OF THIS CHAPTER.
SO THAT GIVES THEM THE AVENUE TO ASK FOR AN EXCEPTION ON THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, 1 48 2 11 A, THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO THE GENERAL REGULATION, THIS CHAPTER MAY BE GRANTED BY TOWN COUNCIL FOR EITHER THE FOLLOWING.
SO ONE OF THE CONDITIONS YOU HAVE TO, UH, WEIGH IS UNDER 1 48, 2 11 A ONE WHEN THE STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE GENERAL REGULATIONS WOULD RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL INJUSTICE OR HARDSHIP, PROVIDED THAT THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION WOULD NOT DIMINISH PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY OR GENERAL WELFARE INCLUDED, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE CONSIDERATION THAT THE ADEQUATE PROVISIONS ARE PROVIDED TO ENSURE LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE OF THE PUBLIC AND SHARED PRIVATE FACILITIES AND CONFORMANCE WITH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO THE REASON YOU'RE MEETING HERE TONIGHT IS OUT OF 1 48, 2 11 D PRIOR TO APPROVAL OR DENIAL OF ANY REQUEST OF AN EXCEPTION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHALL HEAR A HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING IN ACCORDANCE WITH VIRGINIA CODE 15 2 22 0 4 TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL.
SO WHAT YOU ARE HEARING TONIGHT IS, UH, YOU ARE HEARING THIS REQUEST THAT YOU'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER TO GRANT OR DENY THIS SPECIAL EXCEPTION,
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UH, A LOT TO GO OVER.I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS, UH, AT THE WORK SESSION A LI A LITTLE BIT.
SO, UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT A REUSE OR A CHANGE OF USE, UH, ON THE PARKING FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE.
SO THOSE HAD BUSINESS LICENSE ISSUED ACTUALLY EIGHT BUSINESS LICENSE OVER TO THE LONGEVITY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT.
THEY DID MEET ALL THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE USES.
THIS IS NOT A REUSE ACCORDING TO TOWN CODE.
SO THAT'S REQUIRES THEM TO MEET THE CURRENT PARKING STANDARDS FOR THIS CHANGE OF USE.
UH, A LOT OF INFORMATION TO GO WITH.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE WORK SESSION, BUT I CAN GO BACK TO THE DRAWING, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE.
SO THE COMP, A COUPLE ISSUES HERE, ACCORDING TO TOWN CODE IS THE TRAVEL WIDTH HERE ALONG THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING WHERE THEY'RE PROPOSING TWO PARKING SPACES.
THE TRAVEL WIDTH IS LESS THAN 12 FEET.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR A SPECIAL EXCEPTION ON THIS TRAVEL WIDTH HERE.
THESE TWO PARKING SPACES ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE BUILDING.
TOWN CODE REQUIRES THESE PARKING SPACES TO BE FIVE FOOT OFF THE BUILDING.
THERE'S NO DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PARKING SPACES AND THE BUILDING.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN EXCEPTION TO THAT.
UH, AND BECAUSE THESE ARE COMPACT SPACES AND COMPACT SPACES UP HERE AT THE FRONT, UH, THAT EQUATES TO 36% OF THE PARKING AREA.
COMPACT TOWN CODE ONLY ALLOWS 20%.
AND WITH THIS DIAGRAM, ACTUAL ACTUALITY, BECAUSE THESE WOULD NOT MEET TOWN CODE HERE, ACTUALLY, THEY ONLY HAVE REALLY NINE PARKING SPACES PER TOWN CODE ON PRESENTLY ON SITE.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR A REDUCTION OF NUMBERS, THE INCREASE IN PERCENTAGE OF COMPACT SPACES, THE REDUCTION OF THE WIDTH OF THE TRAVEL WAY, AND TO NOT ALLOW PARKING TO BE UP AGAINST THE BUILDING AND NOT FIVE FEET FROM IT.
THOSE ARE FOUR EXCEPTIONS THEY ARE ASKING FOR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TOWN STAFF? YES.
HAS YOUR OFFICE RECEIVED ANY, UM, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS? WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS.
SO THE WIDTH THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IS FOR THAT SIDE, THAT SIDE DISTANCE.
THE TOWN CODE SAYS THERE NEEDS TO BE 12 FEET AND THEY'RE PROPOSING IF, IF YOU PUT IN A COMPACT CAR, THE REMAINING SPACE WOULD BE HOW MUCH? I BELIEVE 10 AND A HALF FEET.
UM, THAT'S, BUT WOULD THEY CONTINUE FIVE FEET IF IT WAS TRUE? FIVE FEET OFFSET? RIGHT, RIGHT.
AND, AND, UH, A LOT OF CARS ARE 10 AND A HALF FEET'S, A LOT NARROW SPACE.
UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF CODE, IF THOSE TWO PARKING SPACES THAT ARE NEXT TO THE BUILDING WERE THEN PLACED ON THE OTHER SIDE.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, THAT IF WAS JUST FLIPPED, UM, WOULD THAT PRESENT A SEPARATE ISSUE OR WOULD THAT SOMEWHAT SOLVE THE ISSUE OF WHETHER THE TOWN WOULD CONSIDER THOSE PARKING SPACES? THESE TWO HERE? YES.
SINCE THAT'D BE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PASS OF THE, SO THIS IS THE PROPERTY LINE HERE? NO, THEY ONLY OWN RIGHT UP HERE.
THE BUILDING IS BASICALLY ABOUT A FOOT, A FOOT AND A HALF OFF THE PROPERTY LINE ON THIS SIDE.
I MEAN, ON THE, UM, PASS SIDE.
SO THE, FROM THEM MOVING NEXT, FROM NEXT TO THE BUILDING TO ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT OVER HERE.
SO REGARDLESS IF YOU MOVE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE PASSAGEWAY IS GOING TO BE LESS THAN 12.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE TRIGGER, THAT WOULD BE THE CAUSE FOR THE TOWN NOT CONSIDERING THE PARKING SPACES? CORRECT.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU MR. WARE, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, WOULD THE APPLICANT, IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT? WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME AND RESPOND AND DON'T FORGET TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE.
UM, MASTER SERGEANT JEFFREY D. COOK, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, RETIRED MADAM COMMISSIONER, OR EXCUSE ME, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK.
UM, OUR SITUATION, UH, THE REASON WE'RE HERE FOR THE EXCEPTION, AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING PLIGHT FOR US, IS THE EXCEPTION IS NEEDED BECAUSE WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE COULD DO HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
WE'VE CONTACTED OUR NEIGHBORS,
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POTENTIAL NEW NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET TO THE SIDES.WE'VE ALSO GONE TO THE EDA AND ASKED TO PURCHASE, LEASE RENT PROPERTY SO THAT WE COULD ACCOMMODATE THE TOWN'S, UH, PARKING REGULATIONS.
AND WE'VE ABSOLUTELY COME UP WITH ZEROS.
SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE EXCEPTION.
I WANT TO JUST TAKE OUT A, A A COUPLE MINUTES.
VFW POST 1860 IS WARREN COUNTY'S ONLY VFW POST.
UM, WE WERE DESTROYED IN 2015 BY ARSON.
FOR ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T KNOW OUR SITUATION, WE ATTEMPTED RE TO REBUILD ON OUR 12 AND A HALF ACRES OF RIVERFRONT PROPERTY, NEW FEMA REGULATIONS, NEW VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH LAWS, UH, DICTATED THAT ANY PERMANENT STRUCTURE ON THAT FORMER PROPERTY HAD TO BE ELEVATED, 10 TO 15 FEET IN THE AIR, ESSENTIALLY CREATING A, A BUILDING ON STICKS OR STILTS THAT WAS A $1.7 MILLION EFFORT.
AND WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF FUNDS.
UM, WE, IN FACT, CAME TO THE TOWN AND WE OFFERED THAT SAME 12 AND A HALF ACRES, ALONG WITH $200,000 FOR A TOWN OWNED BUILDING OFF OF SIXTH STREET, YOUR FORMER ELECTRIC BUILDING.
UM, SO OUR LAST DITCH EFFORT WAS WE SOLD OUR RIVERFRONT PROPERTY TO GATHER FUNDS TO TRY TO FIND ANOTHER BRICK AND MORTAR HOME.
THAT'S A THUMBNAIL OF WHERE WE'RE AT, BUT JUST ONE, ONE QUICK SECOND ON WHAT A, UH, A VFW POST AND WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE AND WHAT THAT COMPRISES AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE A CONGRESSIONALLY CHARTERED VETERANS ORGANIZATION SERVING, UM, COMBAT VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.
UM, WE ALSO SUPPORT YOUTH ACTIVITIES, UH, PATRIOTS, PENN, UM, VOICE OF DEMOCRACY.
UH, WE SUPPORT SENIOR PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HELP FEED OUR COMMUNITIES HUNGRY.
WHAT WE'RE NOT, AND I MEAN THIS NOT MALICIOUSLY, WHAT WE'RE NOT IS A VENEZUELA GANG TAKING OVER APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
WE'RE IN FACT, THE NEIGHBORS THAT YOU WANT.
MOST OF US ARE STILL, UM, ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE ARE AN AGED GROUP.
AND, AND JUST SO YOU GET A, A CUT OF WHAT OUR MEMBERSHIP IS CURRENTLY ON MY BOOKS TODAY AS COMMANDER OF POST 1860, I HAVE 157 MEMBERS.
THAT SEEMS A LOT FOR THAT LITTLE PROPERTY, BUT I WANNA PUT IT IN CONTEXT TO YOU.
40, 40 PLUS OF THOSE LIVE OUTTA STATE OR WITH, UH, OVER A FOUR HOUR DRIVE FROM OUR PROPERTY.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THOSE.
THOSE ARE JUST PEOPLE THAT TRANSITED THROUGH FRONT ROYAL, BECAME A MEMBER AND DECIDED TO STAY A MEMBER, AND THEY'RE OFF AND ON ON THEIR OWN.
UM, AND HERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE TIDBIT FOR YOU, IS WE ONLY HAVE 42 MEMBERS OUT OF THAT A HUNDRED AND AND 57 MEMBERS ON OUR BOOKS THAT ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 60.
AND FURTHER, OUR AVERAGE AGE IS 69.5 YEARS OLD.
OUR YOUNGEST MEMBER IS 37 YEARS OLD, AND THEY LIVE IN THE GREAT STATE OF WASHINGTON.
UM, OUR OLDEST MEMBER IS 105 YEAR OLD WORLD WAR II VET THAT LIVES IN A HOME IN FLORIDA.
SO I WANNA PAINT THE PICTURE FOR YOU IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF MEMBERS THAT ARE GONNA BE RUNNING IN AND OUT OF THIS, THIS PLACE.
UM, OUR AVERAGE MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS, THAT PRIMARILY IS WHAT THE, THE, THE FACILITY WOULD BE USED FOR IS 12 MEMBERS.
AND THOSE ALL COME FROM LOCAL, UH, OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE FAMILY AND GRANDCHILDREN.
THIS IS NOT, UM, THIS IS NOT A, UM, A NIGHTCLUB SCENE.
THIS IS A BUNCH OF OLD VETS THAT ARE JUST TRYING TO GATHER AND WIND UP THEIR, THEIR END DAYS.
UH, THE INTENDED USE OF THE PROPERTY, IT WOULD BE LIMITED.
IT'S CONGRESSIONALLY LIMITED TO MEMBERS OF THE VFW AND OUR FAMILY.
UM, WE WOULD LOOK AT DAILY OR WEEKLY CANTEEN OPERATIONS, THAT SHORT ORDER COOKS OR COOKING SANDWICHES SOUPS GIVEN TO OUR MEMBERS.
AGAIN, JUST OUR MEMBERS ARE ALLOWED TO DO THIS.
THERE IS AN EXCEPTION AND I'LL COVER THAT.
UM, AND THEN OUR BIG THING IS PATRIOTIC EVENTS AND HOLIDAYS.
IT'S STILL VERY MUCH IMPORTANT FOR US TO SUPPORT OUR
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GRANDKIDS.A CHRISTMAS PARTY, AN EASTER EGG HUNT.
THOSE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DO, THAT WE DO.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT A PROPERTY.
UM, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE OCCUPANCY OF THE CURRENT, UH, PROPERTY IS 69.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW AT ANYTHING THAT WOULD, UH, A APPROACH 69, UH, AT ANY ONE GIVEN TIME.
AND WE HAVE MADE PROVISIONS IN THE EVENT.
UM, I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE EXCEPTION CONGRESSIONALLY MAN MANDATED AND WITHIN ACCORDANCE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH, UH, COMMONWEALTH LAW.
WE ARE ENTITLED TO HOLD 24 OPEN HOUSES DURING A CALENDAR YEAR.
THOSE CAN BE DONE ON ANY TIME DURING THAT.
UM, WHAT WE PERCEIVE OUT OF THOSE 24 MIGHT BE A COUPLE LARGE FUNDRAISING EVENTS, BUT WE HOLD A PROFFER FROM OUR, THE SALE OF OUR FORMER, UH, RIVERFRONT PROPERTY.
THE NEW OWNER, OWNER GRANTED US SIX EVENTS PER YEAR WHERE WE HAVE THAT PAVILION AND RIVERFRONT PROPERTY.
SO IF WE WERE TO HOLD AN, UH, AN, AN EVENT THAT WE WOULD COME NEAR OR APPROACH THAT 69, UH, MAX OCCUPANCY, WE'D TAKE IT DOWN TO THE RIVER.
UM, WHAT IS A A, A SPECIAL EVENT? NORMALLY IT'S A STEAK AND SHRIMP DINNER.
THIS ISN'T A FREE FOR ALL DRUNK FEST DOING ANY KIND OF NONSENSE.
30 SEVEN'S THE YOUNGEST MEMBER WE HAVE, AND WE'RE ALL FAMILY.
UM, ANOTHER THING TOO IS, UH, IF, UM, WE'RE APPROVED IS WE WOULD ENSURE THAT WE'D INVOKE A RESERVATION PROCESS.
IF, IF ON A WE PERCEIVED A LARGER EVENT, WE'D MAKE SURE THAT WE GRACEFULLY MOVE THEM OUT IN AND OUT.
JUST LIKE THE RESTAURANT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED THERE FOR THE, THE PREVIOUS NINE YEARS, WE HAD A VIABLE RESTAURANT.
AND THAT SAME PROPERTY, THEY INVOKED THE SAME THING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY LESSENED THE IMPACT TO THE NEIGHBORS AROUND, UH, THE PROPERTY.
UM, IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO ENSURE EVERYBODY HERE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT, UM, AND THE ENTIRE FRONT RURAL COMMUNITY, WE ARE GOOD CITIZENS.
OUR VFW POST 1860 MEMBERS HAVE FOUGHT FOR YOUR AMERICAN FREEDOMS. NOW IN THE FINAL CHAPTER OF OUR LIVES AND ALMOST 10 YEARS AFTER BURNING DOWN, UH, OUR ONLY FIGHT IS TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND A PLACE.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A 10 YEAR EFFORT.
AND THIS IS A PLACE WHERE VETERANS AND OUR FAMILIES CAN SAFELY ASSEMBLE TO SHARE A STORY, ENJOY A MEAL, ENJOY A MEAL IN PEACE, GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE JUST TO SUSTAIN OURSELVES AND TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WE LOVE SO MUCH.
UH, IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AND AFTER A FEW YEARS, IT WOULD BE OUR INTENT TO RELOCATE TO A DIFFERENT BUILDING.
BUT THIS IS WHAT WHAT REALITY HAS GOT US TO.
WE FOUND A BUILDING, UH, WE FOUND A, A POTENTIAL, UM, SELLER THAT REALLY WANTS TO WORK WITH US.
AND IT'S EQUIPPED, IT'S IN THE RIGHT PRICE POINT.
AND THIS IS THE BEST THAT WE'VE FOUND IN THE 10 YEARS SEARCH SINCE 2015.
SO I'M ASKING YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO TAKE EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SAID TODAY AND ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA BE SAID BEHIND ME, UM, WEIGH THAT JUDICIOUSLY AND GIVE US A FAIR SHAKE.
'CAUSE THIS IS REALLY OUR LAST CHANCE.
PROPERTIES JUST DON'T TURN OVER IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND MY MEMBERSHIP HAS BEEN VERY ARDENT ABOUT WANTING TO FIND A PLACE WITHIN CITY LIMITS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DRIVE AT NIGHT.
THEY'RE AFRAID TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.
WE'RE AN OLD BUNCH OF GUYS THAT ARE, AND GALS THAT HAVE BEEN BEATEN UP BY LIFE AND SERVING IN SOME REALLY NASTY PLACES.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PLAY ON YOUR PATRIOTISM, I'M JUST TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.
WE'RE NOT OUT HERE RUNNING ROUGH HOUSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ANYBODY ELSE HAS THOUGHT ABOUT A VFW, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE, WE'RE WE'RE FAMILY AND WE'RE VETS THAT HAVE SERVED.
AND, UH, WE, WE CAN'T ASK YOU ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, OH, WE CAN'T ASK HIM QUESTIONS NOW.
I THOUGHT WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MAYBE I'LL STOP SHAKING IN THE SMALL WALK COMING UP HERE.
OKAY, MR. NEIL, UM, YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL OF THE EVENTS THAT COULD TAKE PLACE.
UHHUH,
AT AND YOU MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF TWO, TWO, UH, GATHERINGS A MONTH.
AND, UH, THE NUMBER, I'M JUST, JUST
[00:35:01]
TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF, OF YOU, YOU SAY YOUR AVERAGE MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS OR SOMETHING LIKE 12 OR 50, 12 MEMBERS USUALLY A MONTH, 12 OR LESS.AND WHEN YOU HAD THE EVENTS, IT COULD BE, UM, I, I'LL, I'LL, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'D BE, BUT A BINGO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND, AND THAT, THAT SORT OF THING.
IT WOULD BE A STEAK DINNER, A STEAK DINNER.
IT WOULD BE THAT SPAGHETTI DINNER.
AND YOU WOULD, UH, AND PREVIOUS, WE'VE BEEN OUT OF THE BUSINESS FOR 10 YEARS, BUT TYPICALLY, UH, AND I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE POST SINCE 2006.
WE MIGHT HAVE 40 PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH AND BUY A, A, A STEAK DINNER, STEAK AND SHRIMP DINNER THROUGH THE COURSE OF A, A 2, 3, 4 HOUR PERIOD OF TIME.
AND NONE OF THESE WOULD BE DAY LONG, DAY LONG EVENTS OR, OR NO.
WE'VE GOT BEDTIMES NOW,
WHAT, HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THAT PART? AS I MENTIONED, IF WE GET INTO A POSITION WHERE WE'RE, WE EXPECT A CROWD OF 50, UH, 50 PATRONS OVER A THREE, FOUR HOUR PERIOD OF TIME, WE JUST INVOKE A RESERVATION SYSTEM.
WE'D SAY, OKAY, YOU CAN SET HERE.
WE'LL DO 10 AT, YOU KNOW, 10 THROUGH THIS HOUR, 10 THROUGH THE NEXT 10 THROUGH THIS.
UH, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN SEE TO MAKE THE, THE PROPERTY AND, AND OUR, UM, BUSINESS MODEL OPERATE AND MAINTAIN GOOD STANDING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
SO YOU'LL BE LEAVING THE FLOOR PLAN, BASICALLY AND THE FURNITURE LIKE A RESTAURANT RATHER THAN AN ASSEMBLY? YEAH, WE'LL DO, WE'LL DO A LITTLE, UH, TOUCH UP.
NOT, AND THAT'S NOT TO, UH, BAD MOUTH, YOU KNOW, THE WAY IT'S, IT'S, UM, UM, ORGANIZED OR IT'S DECORATED TODAY.
BUT WE WILL PUT IN SOME PATRIOTIC FLAGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT IT'LL STILL BE TABLES AND CHAIRS.
NOT, NOT AN ASSEMBLY HALL ARRANGEMENT.
LET'S SAY THERE'S 10 OR 15 TABLES IN THERE NOW.
THAT OUR INTENT IS TO JUST REUSE THAT.
'CAUSE MOST EVERYTHING GRACIOUSLY CONFERS TO US IF, IF OUR SALE GOES THROUGH, WHICH IS A CONTINGENT SALE.
SO WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING.
WE'RE KEEPING IN THE SAME, SAME, UM, MODEL THAT YOU HAVE TODAY.
THAT WAS A GOOD CLARIFICATION THAT ANSWERED THAT.
UH, SO, UH, TOWARDS THE END THERE, AND THERE WAS A LOT TO, TO ABSORB AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD.
UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE'S OTHER, ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING TO MOVE TO.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS RELATED TO THAT, BUT YOU MENTIONED A SELLER WHO IS VERY INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH YOU JUST FOR CLARITY.
THAT'S NOT THIS PROPERTY, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE IN THE FUTURE.
THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, RIGHT? YEAH.
A A HYPOTHETICAL POTENTIAL MOVE TO A LARGER FACILITY WITH BETTER PARKING.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SINCE I HAVE A CHANCE TO, AND, AND I'M NOT DISPARAGING ANYBODY MM-HMM.
SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND BEG, BUT THEY DIDN'T SEE FIT FOR THAT.
SO THAT TOLD US THAT THIS IS JUST AN INTERIM PLACE TO GET US BACK UP IN AND RUNNING TO SEE IF I CAN GET MY MEMBERSHIP BACK SUPPORTING IT.
AND IF WE GENERATE, UH, ENOUGH REVENUE WE'LL LOOK TO, TO MOVE TO OTHER, OTHER AREAS.
UM, HOW OFTEN, UM, SO I, I, I, UH, MY FATHER'S A VET.
MY SONS ARE VETS, BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN A MEMBER OF THE VFW, UHHUH
UM, SO TELL ME YOU'RE GONNA BE OPEN ALL DAY LONG FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND OUT OR? NO, IN FACT, STARTING OUT IT'D BE A VERY SCALED BACK MODEL.
JUST WE'RE GOING INTO THIS AFTER BEING OUT OF, OUT OF BUSINESS FOR 10 YEARS, WE'VE GOTTA LINE UP STAFF.
WE'VE GOTTA DO THE, THE, THE ANALYSIS ON IT.
AND THEN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PRIMARILY STARTING OF, UM, LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, UH, MAYBE FOUR HOURS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS TO INITIALLY START.
IF THAT PRO PROVIDES SUCCESSFUL, THEN WE MIGHT LOOK AT PICKING UP A BREAKFAST TIME PERIOD.
BUT WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO HEM MYSELF IN, BUT COMMON SENSE TELLS ME THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOUR HOURS OR LESS A DAY TO START WITH.
THAT'S TO SEE IF I CAN GET MY MEMBERSHIP BACK IN HERE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO.
AND THAT'LL BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CONGREGATE TO EAT, UH, YEP.
SO YOU'LL HAVE YOUR KITCHEN RUNNING AND, AND THEN ONE TIME A MONTH WE WOULD HOLD OUR MEMBERSHIP MEETING, WHICH IS, UM, A ONE HOUR SESSION WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE DO OUR, OUR VFW UH, BUSINESS.
AND THEN DEPENDING ON THE SUPPORT WE GET FROM THE COMMUNITY IS WE'D LOOK AT, UH, AT LEAST IN THE FIRST YEAR, I COULD SEE NO MORE THAN, UH, ONE OR, UM, PROBABLY ON AVERAGE
[00:40:01]
ONE OPEN HOUSE A MONTH.UM, AND OPEN HOUSE MEANS, UH, PUBLIC IS INVITED.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE CLARIFYING QUESTION.
AN OPEN HOUSE IS, IS WHAT CONGRESS AND VIRGINIA LAW STATES THAT I CAN HAVE, WE CAN HAVE OUTSIDE OR NON VFW MEMBERS ATTEND YOUR, YOUR FACILITY BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE STRICTLY, UH, RESTRICTED TO THAT.
THEY THEY WOULD ATTEND AND HAVE A LUNCH WITH YOU OR, YEAH, EXACTLY.
IT WOULD BE A, A SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR US.
YOU KNOW, WE'D, WE'D OPEN UP A STEAK AND SHRIMP DINNER TO ANYBODY THAT WANTED TO, TO COME AND, AND PARTAKE ON CERTAIN DAYS ON YEAH.
ON THAT SPECIAL EVENT, ON THAT TIME ONLY.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT'S RESTRICTED CLEARLY TO OUR MEMBERS.
AND, AND YOU MENTIONED, BUT I DIDN'T WRITE IT DOWN.
UM, WHAT WAS THE APPROVED, UM, OCCUPANCY WHEN IT WAS A RESTAURANT? 69, I BELIEVE.
69 WHEN YES, MA'AM WAS A RESTAURANT MA'AM.
UM, I DON'T HAVE SIX NINE, BUT I'LL BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND I DON'T HAVE 69 MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN TO ANY FUNCTION THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE 2015.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE COULDN'T GET THERE.
IF BY SOME MIRACLE GOD HAS BLESSED US, BUT I JUST, WE DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT KIND OF CROWD.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MEMBERSHIP.
UM, TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE ARRANGEMENT YOU HAVE WITH THE PURCHASER OF THE RIVERFRONT PROPERTY.
UM, WHEN WE SOLD OUR 12 AND A HALF ACRES MM-HMM.
THEY OFFERED TO US AND THEY GAVE US A PROFFER, UM, AND, UH, IN PERPETUITY, SAY, OKAY, SO IT'S, IT'S IN PERPETUITY THAT WE CAN HOLD FIVE EVENTS.
UH, PROVIDED WE GIVE THEM NOTIFICATION AND IF IT'S THEIR SCHEDULE, THEY WILL HOST A-A-V-F-W POST 1860 EVENT DOWN AT THE RIVERFRONT PROPERTY.
SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO USE THE SMALLER FACILITY OFF OF, UM, 11TH STREET.
AND THAT'S IN, THAT'S IN YOUR SALE CONTRACT, SO THAT'S PERMANENT.
AND RATIFIED IN ALL THE REST OF IT.
AND, AND SINCE THE SALE IN 2018, WE'VE USED THAT PROFFER, UH, ON AVERAGE THREE TIMES A YEAR.
UM, THOSE TYPE OF EVENTS WHERE THEY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, 40 OR 50 PEOPLE THAT WE JUST TAKE IT DOWN TO THE RIVER.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION.
SO, IS THERE A LIKELIHOOD THAT YOU WOULD RENT THE BUILDING OUT TO ANOTHER GROUP? LET'S SAY AN OUTSIDE GROUP WHERE NONE OF YOUR STAFF WOULD BE ON SITE, IT WOULD BE STRICTLY ANOTHER EVENT, LIKE A BIRTHDAY PARTY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? NO.
AT THIS SMALL, THIS SMALL, A FACILITY HAVING A RENTAL AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UM, I CAN'T SAY THAT I'D EVER LOOK AT THAT, BUT AS LONG AS I'M COMMANDER, WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT BUSINESS.
NUMBER ONE, I'M ONE OF THE YOUNGEST GUYS AND I'M 59 YEARS OLD.
I NEED PEOPLE THERE TO WATCH OVER THIS AND, AND OUR PROPERTY.
SO RENTING IT OUT TO SOMEBODY FOR LIKE A, A WEDDING RECEPTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS NOT THE BUSINESS MODEL WE WANT TO GET INTO.
WE WANNA RUN THE, THE SHORT OR COME IN, HAVE A LUNCH, A SANDWICH, A SOUP, YOU KNOW, CHAT WITH YOUR BUDDIES, TELL A COUPLE WAR STORIES AND, YOU KNOW, HEAD HOME TO MOM, YOU KNOW, WILL YOU HAVE A LIQUOR LICENSE? IT WOULD BE OUR INTENT TO SERVE BEER AND WINE, UM, ADULT BEVERAGE FOR THE VETS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, SERVED.
YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO COME BACK AFTER PUBLIC COMMENTS AND, AND ANSWER ANYTHING THAT THE PUBLIC BRINGS UP.
I'D RATHER DO THIS AND, UH, GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.
WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PUBLIC MIGHT HAVE TO SAY, SO YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO COME BACK AND RESPOND TO WHAT THEY MAY SAY.
WE'RE, WE'RE JUST BEAT UP VETS.
SHOULD I CALL YOU SERGEANT OR COMMANDER? WHAT? WHATEVER.
BUT DO WHAT'S THE CORRECT WAY TO ADDRESS YOU, SERGEANT OR COMMANDER? JEFF WOULD BE FINE WITH COMMANDER IS MY POSITION.
COMMANDER IS YOUR POSITION VERY WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW, HAVING HEARD FROM THE APPLICANT, UH, NOW, UH, IS THE PUBLIC'S CHANCE TO SPEAK, SO I WILL HEREBY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, AND WE HAVE, UH, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
DOES ANYBODY WHO DIDN'T SIGN THIS SHEET NOW WISH TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING? UM, OKAY.
THEN I WILL, UH, GO IN THIS ORDER.
UH, IT'S ALICE DOO SPELLED ALICE DOO.
UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU COME UP, YOU CAN MAKE THE SPELLING CORRECTIONS, UH, AFTER YOU SPEAK.
SORRY IF I COULDN'T READ YOUR HANDWRITING.
AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE WATCHING, PLEASE UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WHEN
[00:45:01]
YOU BEGIN.SO MY NAME IS STEVE GAZAR AND I PASTOR THE CHURCH DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET, 1107 MONROE AVENUE, HERE IN FRONT ROW, VIRGINIA.
AND SO, UM, IT'S THAT, THAT, UM, DYNAMIC THAT BRINGS ME HERE THIS EVENING.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR WHAT I HAVE HEARD HERE ALREADY THIS EVENING FROM THE COMMANDER.
THE REASON I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR FELLOWSHIP IS JUST TO RAISE A CONCERN.
WE'RE NOT AGAINST THE VFW IN ANY WHICH WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM WE ARE FOR THE VETERANS.
WE HAVE YOU WALK IN OUR FELLOWSHIP HALL, OUR FOYER, YOU WILL SEE PICTURES OF THE CURRENT SERVING VETERANS THAT ARE PART OF OUR FELLOWSHIP THAT WE PRAY FOR FAITHFULLY.
AND, UM, I'M A SON OF, OF A VET.
THE CONCERN IS OVER THE PARKING DYNAMIC DIRECTLY.
AND IN THE LETTER THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS, IT HAS A LETTER OF, I THINK, UH, DIRECTION OR THE RELIEF EFFORTS THAT HAS BEEN MADE THERE TOWARDS THE END OF IT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A COMMENT THERE THAT SAYS THAT, UM, I WAS DIRECTLY REACHED OUT TO PERSONALLY ON BEHALF FROM THE COMMANDER AND EVERYTHING WAS AVOIDED OR DENIED OUTRIGHT.
I'VE NEVER MET THE INDIVIDUAL UNTIL THIS EVENING.
AND SO WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO FURTHER THAT DIALOGUE.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE SELLER FROM HOPE, I'LL CALL HER HOPE, HER NAME IS SANCHA, BUT WE KNOW HER AS HOPE FROM BEN'S FAMILY CUISINE.
SO WE'VE HEARD FROM HER, UM, LISTING AGENT ABOUT SOME OF THE DIALOGUE AS FAR BACK AS SEPTEMBER OF 2023 AND OCTOBER OF 2023.
OUR LOCAL BOARD, UM, MADE AN INQUIRY OR TALKED ABOUT AN INQUIRY THAT WAS MADE ABOUT POSSIBLE PARKING AND, UM, BECAUSE OF A 300 FOOT RADIUS FROM THE FRONT DOOR THAT WAS NEEDED FOR THEIR LOCATION.
AND SO WE WERE INTERESTED IN IT, WE WANTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT, BUT WE WEREN'T PRESENTED WITH ANY FORMAL PLAN OR COMMUNICATIONS.
SO WE SAID MAKE A FORMAL REQUEST PRESENT THAT WE WOULD DIALOGUE EVEN FARTHER.
AND WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING UNTIL JUST TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN THE LETTER SHOWED UP AND THEN THE LISTING AGENT MADE CONTACT AGAIN.
AND SO, UM, THEN OUR CONCERN IS OVER THE, WHAT WE HEARD A YEAR AGO AND A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT WAS ABOUT 24 POSSIBLE EVENTS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN OR HOW OFTEN THOSE WOULD HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, WOULD IT, WOULD IT, UM, IMPACT OUR SUNDAY SERVICES, OUR MIDWEEK SERVICES, OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT AND EVENTS THAT WE DO? UM, IS THERE A WAY TO PARTNER WITH THOSE THINGS? WHERE DOES THE OVERFLOW PARKING HAPPEN AS FAR AS A MANAGERIAL PIECE, RIGHT? IF WE SHOW UP ON SUNDAY MORNING, THERE'S A SPECIAL EVENT GOING ON, WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT? AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A CONCERN THAT I THINK JUST NEEDS TO BE THOUGHT ABOUT.
I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FURTHER DIALOGUE ABOUT THE MATTER FOR SURE.
UM, BUT THAT'S REALLY THE QUESTION.
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE A HUNDRED OR 60 SOME MEMBERS? I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WERE THAT COULD SHOW UP THERE ON THE 18 EVENTS.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE SIX COULD BE OVER AT THE OTHER LOCATION, BUT THERE WOULD BE 18 THAT WOULD REMAIN.
AND SO I'M, I'M OPEN TO HEAR ABOUT THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GOT TO HEAR FROM SOMEBODY THAT WAS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET THAT HAS SOME, UM, INTEREST IN WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
NOT AGAINST, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE IN AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
PASTOR, HOW MANY PARKING SPACES DO YOU HAVE AT YOUR CHURCH? WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, WELL, CAN I TURN AND CONSULT THE LIFELINE BACK HERE? HERE, CONSULT THE AUTHORITIES.
I THINKING SO, SO A PARTNERSHIP IS VERY REAL.
AND, AND THERE'S OTHER AVENUES FOR THAT.
SO, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
APPRECIATE IT AND APPRECIATE AGAIN, THE COMMUNICATION THAT'S BEEN RELAYED HERE TONIGHT.
WE DEFINITELY SYMPATHIZE AND EMPATHIZE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON.
YEAH, SATYA, BEN, I AM DELIGHTED TO MEET YOU BECAUSE I WAS GREAT ADMIRER AND PATRIOT OF BEN'S CUISINES.
UH, MY NICKNAME IS HOPE PEOPLE KNOW ME IS MOSTLY HOPE.
UM, UM, I WORK FOR WHEN I OWN THE VAN FAMILY FOR NINE YEAR.
UM, TALKING ABOUT VFW, UM, MEMBER, THEY ALWAYS COME TO THE RESTAURANT.
I KNOW THEM VERY WELL, MANY OF THEM, UM, AFTER I TOLD THEM THAT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE RESTAURANT ANYMORE, AND THEN THEY ARE REALLY SUPPORTED.
THEY ASKED ME WHAT THEY CAN DO AND THEY DIDN'T ASK ME TO BUY THE BUILDING UNTIL LATER ON, AFTER I TALKED TO MY, UM, MY REALTOR.
[00:50:01]
THE TOP OF THAT, I KNOW VFW, UH, MEMBER THAT, THAT THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY COMING TO SUPPORT US FROM THE DAY ONE.AND ALSO NOT JUST, UM, THE CHURCH PASTOR STEVE IS THE FIRST PERSON THAT, UM, PASTOR STEVE IS A CHURCH ACROSS FROM US.
THEY ARE VERY, VERY NICE TO US TOO.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY WITHOUT THEM.
I WAS NOT SUCCESS WITH THAT RESTAURANT, TO BE HONEST.
SO BETWEEN, UM, THE CHURCH AND WE AT W VIEW, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY, UH, PUT TO HELP US TO BE SUCCESS.
UM, AND I REALLY WANT TO SELL THE BUILDING TO VFW BECAUSE I KNOW THE MEMBER VERY WELL.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO GOT GET INVOLVED TO THE BUILDING BECAUSE IT, THAT BUILDING IS, IS MY HEART.
YOU KNOW, I EVEN, I SELL TO, TO THEM.
I'M STILL REALLY, REALLY, UM, WANT TO PUT MYSELF, THIS IS MY HOME, MY, LIKE MY FAMILY HOME BECAUSE I, LIKE, I WORRY ABOUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE GOING, I NEVER BE ABLE TO JUST DO WHAT I HAD DO.
SO I ALWAYS DREAM THAT IF WE HAVE THE VIEW, JUST HIRE ME TO COOK SOME FOR NIGHT OR SOMETHING.
BUT
AND, UH, IF SOMEONE ELSE HAVE THEIR BUILDING, I DO NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT I HAD BEEN DO, ESPECIALLY COOK THE FOOD THAT I WANT TO COOK.
I REALLY, REALLY ASK IF, UM, WE GET THE, A PARKING EXCEPTION, I WILL BE SO HAPPY SO I CAN COOK MY OWN
SO YOU CAN COOK FOR THE VFW ON THEIR EVENTS? YEAH, I, I SAY IF THEY ONLY HIRE ME ONCE A YEAR, THIS WOULD BE FINE.
AS LONG I CAN COOK MY FOOD OR COOK WHATEVER THEY WANT TO EAT OR FRY RICE BECAUSE I KNOW THEM WHEN THEY COME INTO MY PLACE, THEY JUST ORDER VERY SIMPLE.
THEY ORDER ORDER LIKE FRIED RICE, UH, LIKE SIMPLE FRIED RICE, LIKE PORK FRIED RICE.
AND SOMETIME IN THE MORNING THEY COMING FROM CHURCH, THEY STOP BY TO GET JUST A FRIED RICE.
I KNOW LIKE FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM.
SO, AND ALSO I, THAT'S ALL I WANNA SAY.
AND UM, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE CHURCH, UM, CHURCH NARIN IS MY HOME CHURCH.
I, LATELY, I DIDN'T GO BACK TO THEM AFTER I, UM, I, UM, LEFT THE RESTAURANT BECAUSE I HAVE LIKE A FAMILY ISSUE.
SO WE LIVE IN WINCHESTER, SO IT KIND LIKE DIFFICULT FOR US TO COME BACK BECAUSE I HAVE A, LIKE A FAMILY ISSUES
BUT IF I COME BACK TO INVOLVED WITH B AT THE VIEW IS OPPORTUNITY FOR ME, LIKE COME TO FRONT ROYAL AND THEN, YES.
I HAVE A, A LANGUAGE BEARING, SO IF YOU'RE DOING, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER.
YOU'RE DOING FINE QUESTIONS? NOPE, NO QUESTIONS DURING THIS.
I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO ASK QUESTIONS.
OKAY, NEXT MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IS KRISTA TOWNS.
COME TO THE, COME TO THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.
THEY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 49 TO 50 PARKING SPACES.
ASK HOW MANY PEOPLE WAS AT CHURCH ON SUNDAY? OH, SO THEY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 70, 70 CHURCH MEMBERS AND THEN 49 TO 50 PARKING SPACES.
UM, HOPE TRIED DILIGENTLY FOR OVER A YEAR TO SELL THE RESTAURANT.
UH, CHRISTINA TOWNS HOPE TRIED OVER A YEAR TO TRY TO SELL THE RESTAURANT.
WE HAD SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE COME IN WANTING TO DO RESTAURANTS.
PARKING IS AN ISSUE, IT'S MINIMAL PARKING.
SHE WAS ABLE TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS FOR MANY YEARS BASED ON ALMOST USING JUST FOUR SPACES AND STRUCTURING IT TO WHERE IT WORKED.
UM, THE PLACE NEXT DOOR SOLD AND THEN THE NEW OWNER DECIDED TO PUT A FENCE COMPLETELY BLOCKING OFF HER REAR PARKING
[00:55:01]
LOT.HOPE DID NOT WANT TO PURSUE FIGHTING THAT.
UM, WE DID EXPLORE WITH THEM, UM, TALKS WITH THE CHURCH, THE EDA, OTHER OPTIONS TO INCREASE PARKING SPACES.
IT'S CREATED A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, UH, FOR HOPE AND HER FAMILY TRYING TO SELL THE BUILDING.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE SAYING THE VFW IS A ASSEMBLY HALL.
IT'S, THEY'RE KEEPING IT MORE LIKE A RESTAURANT SET UP LIKE A RESTAURANT.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY AN ASSEMBLY HALL.
AND IT WOULDN'T BE PROBABLY LESS TRAFFIC THAN WHEN THERE IS A RESTAURANT THERE.
UM, SHE HAS MINIMAL OPTIONS TO SELL IT.
AND WHEN THE VFW ASKED, WE THOUGHT IT IS A PERFECT FIT.
UM, THEY DON'T RIGHT NOW HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERSHIP, SO THE PARKING SPACES WOULD WORK AND IT WOULD BE, I THINK, LESS TRAFFIC THAN HAVING A RESTAURANT THERE.
UM, WE DID HAVE OTHER PEOPLE PUT IN APPLICATIONS OR PUT IN OFFERS WANTING TO DO A RESTAURANT AND EVEN A BAR.
AND HOPE DID DENY A COUPLE OF THEM BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE A GREAT FIT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK THAT THE VFW IS GREAT FOR THAT AREA.
HOPE WOULD LOVE TO BE INVOLVED AND DO A FUNDRAISING NIGHT OF FAUX OR FRIED RICE, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S, UM, THE SITUATION WITH THE PARKING IS AN ISSUE REGARDLESS OF WHO BUYS IT.
AND THAT HAS CREATED A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL HARDSHIP FOR HER AND HER FAMILY.
AND WHEN THE VFW CAME TO US, IT JUST, IT SEEMED LIKE A PERFECT FIT AND THAT WE COULD WORK IT OUT.
IT SEEMED, UM, UNFORTUNATE WHEN THEY HAD TO GO INTO THE CATEGORY OF A ASSEMBLY HALL, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE WHAT THEY ARE, BUT THAT'S WHERE THEY, IT WAS FIT INTO.
AND THEN WE NEEDED THE 17 SPACES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MOVING THE PATIO, GETTING WITH THE SURVEYOR, FINDING OPTIONS, GOING TO THE EDA, DOING EVERYTHING TOGETHER, HOPE THE EDA, BOTH REALTORS, UM, THE VFW, WE WEREN'T GETTING ANYWHERE.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HERE TONIGHT, SO, ALL RIGHT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, I BELIEVE THIS IS ANDY WHITE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
MY REAL NAME OR MY REALTOR NAME?
MY REALTOR NAME IS ANDY WHITE.
PUT THE BIKE UP BY YOUR MOUTH TOO.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE VFW SINCE DECEMBER OF 2022.
UM, OH, YOU NEED MY ADDRESS? NO, UH, YES, PLEASE ADD YOUR MIC UP TO YOUR MOUTH.
ADDRESS ANDREA WHITE, 2 2 7 LEE STREET IN TOWN.
AND, UM, YES, SO I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE VFW SINCE DECEMBER OF 2022 TO FIND A LOCATION.
WHEN I SAW BEN'S HOPE'S PROPERTY, UM, LISTED AND WE LOOKED AT IT AND THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED IN IT.
WE FOUND THAT PARKING WAS AN ISSUE.
SO I SPENT BETWEEN THE POST COMMANDER AND MYSELF, WE SPENT A YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF DIFFERENT EDA BOARDS.
THERE WAS CHANGES, IS TRYING TO OBTAIN PARKING EITHER THROUGH AN EASEMENT, LEASING OR PURCHASING ANY PORTION OF THAT PROPERTY AT THE REAR OF THE 11TH STREET PROPERTY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T HAVE SUCCESS.
I'M GONNA REPEAT A LOT OF WHAT WAS ALREADY SAID, BUT ANYWAY, MY HUSBAND IS ALSO A VFW MEMBER AND SO THIS, THIS IS SORT OF CLOSE TO ME IN MY HEART.
UM, I LOOK FOR PROPERTIES ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR THE VFW.
PRICES RIGHT NOW ARE CRAZY HIGH, AND WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE THE MEMBERSHIP'S GOING WITH THE VFW.
SO THIS WOULD BE A STARTING POINT TO GET THEM BACK ON THEIR FEET AND SEE IF WE CAN OBTAIN NEW MEMBERSHIP AND IF THE VFW POST MEMBERSHIP IS GONNA GROW OR IF IT'S GONNA FOLD IN THIS AREA.
UM, AS THE CH COMMANDER SAID, IF THE MEMBERSHIP GROWS, THEY DEFINITELY WOULD WANT A LARGER SPACE THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE BOTH THE MEMBERSHIP AND THE PARKING AND ACTIVITIES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
IN THE MEANTIME, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO BE A DISRUPTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AS A, AS HE SAID, THEY'RE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY ORIENTED.
SO WHAT THEY WANNA DO IS GET BACK IN THE COMMUNITY AND START HELPING THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO SIT AROUND AND TALK TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AS THEMSELVES IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S COMFORTABLE TO DO SO.
UM, ANYWAY, SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH IT AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, THANK YOU WORKING
[01:00:01]
ON THIS.BUT, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MYSELF OR THE POST COMMANDER OR THE LISTING AGENT WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM FOR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR WORKING WITH THEM.
JEFFREY WHITE, 2 2 7 LEE STREET, FRONT, ROYAL, VIRGINIA.
I'M A MEMBER OF POST 1860, AS MY WIFE SAID.
AND TO BE HONEST, EVERYONE THINKS THAT WE'RE THIS BIG ORGANIZATION.
I GO TO THE MONTHLY MEETINGS AND HE'S, HE'S BEEN, HE, HE EXAGGERATED.
THE MOST WE'VE HAD AT A MEETING IS SIX MEMBERS.
SO THERE'S NOT THIS VERY BIG NEED FOR PARKING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
BUT THE REASON I'M SPEAKING TODAY IS 'CAUSE I AM SO UPSET WITH THE EDA AND IF YOU COULD BRING UP THE AERIAL PICTURE, THEY HAVE THIS WHOLE LOT.
THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL WE ASKED FOR.
NO, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT.
WHY? WHAT'S GOING THERE? NOTHING.
IT'S SITTING ON THAT PROPERTY.
FOR WHAT REASON? THAT WOULD'VE GAVE US PLENTY OF ACCESS THROUGH THE BACK GATE THERE.
WE'D HAVE, WE'D HAVE CUT A GATE IN, PUT A GATE IN, AND WE'D HAVE PARKING FOR EVERYBODY.
WE DON'T EVEN NEED IT, BUT WE'D HAVE HAD IT, RIGHT? SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ASK FOR THE EXCEPTION.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S THE RULES AND THE LAWS FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA HAVE THEM.
BUT THIS IS AN EXCEPTION THAT'S NEEDED.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T KEEP GOING TO THE AMERICAN LEGION AND ASKING, HEY, CAN YOU GUYS HELP US OUT? WE'RE TWO SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND MS. HOPE IS, IS KINDLY GONNA GIVE US THAT SPACE? WE NEED Y'ALL TO GIVE US THE EXCEPTION ON THE PARKING.
THANK YOU MR. WHITE ALL ALICE DOLO.
YOU PULL IT DOWN, IT COMES EASY.
I'M ALICE DOLO AND I LIVE AT 2 25 LEE STREET IN FRONT, ROYAL VIRGINIA.
UM, I'M A TAXPAYER AND MY HUSBAND IS A LIFETIME MEMBER OF VFW ORGANIZATION.
UM, I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A HOME.
I'M DISAPPOINTED IN EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL.
I THINK THAT EDA IS SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND CONSIDERING WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE EDAA, THEY SHOULD BE STEPPING UP.
THAT'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE TO WANT.
AND A LEASE, IF WE LEASE THAT, IT'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE.
UM, THEY USE IT FOR TRUCK DRIVING SCHOOL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S USED FOR NOW, BUT IT'S EMPTY.
UM, AND THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES THERE.
UM, I THINK THIS WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU CONSIDERED THIS PROPOSITION.
UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I'D HATE TO SEE ANOTHER PROPERTY IN TOWN.
JUST SIT THERE AND BE DILAPIDATED AND GO INTO RUINS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD FIT.
IT'S A GOOD FIT FOR THE SELLER.
IT'S A GOOD FIT FOR THE BUYER.
SOUNDS LIKE IT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE IT'S A SMALL, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A SMALL THING.
UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR THE CHURCH, YOU KNOW, FOR OUTREACH.
UM, VETERANS ARE A BIG PART OF OUR, OR OUR, OUR COMMUNITY HERE,
[01:05:01]
UM, ESPECIALLY AFTER ALL THESE WARS.UM, SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE YOU CONSIDER THIS.
I, LIKE I SAID, I, I THINK IT'D BE A GOOD FIT.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES THERE THAT THEY HAVE CONSIDERED, AND I THINK HE EXPLAINED IT GREAT DETAIL ABOUT THE RESERVATION, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, TRY AND WORK THROUGH THE PARKING ISSUE.
UM, SO I THINK IT JUST WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FRONT ROYAL AS A WHOLE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO SEE ANOTHER BUILDING.
JUST SIT THERE AND FALL APART.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE YOU LIKE ADD? OH, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THEIR VOICE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? HEARING NONE.
I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION.
UH, WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO RESPOND TO ANYTHING THAT WAS SAID IN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT, SPOKE FOR US, OR HAS RESERVATIONS.
UM, NOW THAT I'VE HEARD SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS, I, I DID MAKE DIRECT CONTACT, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO REFUTE ANYBODY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A, AN AN ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION PIECE THAT WE COULD PUT TOGETHER, PROBABLY WITH THE CHURCH ACROSS THE STREET TO SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING FORMAL.
UM, THE EDA WAS ONE AVENUE WE PURSUED.
I PERSONALLY PLACED CALLS AND, UH, THE, THE REALTORS, UH, MET WITH THE, UM, THE NEIGHBORS TO THE, THE, TO THE SIDES OF THE, THE BUILDING, THE TARGET BUILDING.
BUT, UM, ONE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION ABOUT THE EDA IT, WE DID ASK FOR A SMALL PORTION, BUT WE ALSO WENT TO THEM AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? ANYBODY THAT KNOWS THAT STORY ABOUT THAT EDA PROPERTY, IT WAS A SUPERFUND SITE AND I GOT A HOLD OF THE COVENANTS THAT SAID IT WOULD NEVER BE DEVELOPED.
YOU'D NEVER HAVE, UM, RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS ON IT.
IT WAS GOING TO HAVE TO STAY THAT WAY, AND ANY POTENTIAL PURCHASER WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CLEANUP.
BUT IF YOU LEFT IT AS IT WAS, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY A PARKING LOT, UM, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THAT, THAT OTHER, UH, EPA RESTORATION ACTIVITIES.
SO PART OF THE D THE, OUR APPROACH TO THE EDA WAS TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE PROPERTY.
SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE CONTEXT OF IT.
WE SAID LEASES ENOUGH FOR 16 SPOTS.
THAT WAY WE WOULDN'T BE ANY TROUBLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, HOW ABOUT AN ANCHOR? DIVIDE IT UP.
WE'LL, WE'LL BUY THE WHOLE DAMN THING.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE DIDN'T TRY TO, TO MAKE THIS WORK.
AND, AND IT IS ANGRY OR IT, IT ANGERS ALL OF US THAT WE'VE TRIED TO BE GOOD, GOOD CITIZENS AND WORK WITHIN THE RULES, REGULATIONS, AND LAWS.
AND I, I'LL REACH OUT TO THE, THE GOOD REVEREND OR PASTOR, WHATEVER THE RIGHT TERM IS, AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING WITH THAT.
BUT IF YOU DENY US AND THEN WE GET TO THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THEY DENY US, THEN THIS IS ALL DONE BECAUSE I'M ON, WE'RE ON A CONTINGENT DEAL.
SO I WANT YOU JUST TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, AND ALL YOU DO FOR US.
UM, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION, WE NEED A MOTION FROM A COMMISSIONER.
UH, IS THERE A COMMISSIONER WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION SO WE CAN BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION BEFORE MAKING THE MOTION? OKAY.
IS THERE, SINCE IT SEEMED TO BE AN 11TH HOUR, THAT, THAT, THAT HAS TO BE DISCUSSED.
BUT YEAH, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION IN ORDER TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER MOTIONS CAN ALWAYS BE AMENDED.
SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE MOTION NEEDS TO BE, MAKE A MOTION, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS AMEND IT IN THE COURSE OF CONVERSATION.
SO I'LL, I'LL MOVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS THAT THE ADDITIONAL PARKING, UM, SITUATION OF THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF SPOTS IN TOWN, EXCLU, UM, EXCLUSIVE OF THE, UM, DRAWING THAT PRESENTED HAD, HAD INFERIOR PARKING PLACES THE TOTAL AMOUNT BE MET.
I'M NOT SURE HOW TO WORD THAT ON THE EXCLUSION, BUT BASICALLY THAT THE PARKING ISSUES BE RESOLVED TO THE TOWN.
UM, WE CAN RESOLVE THE, THE FINE, FINE, THE FINE WORDING AS IF WE HAVE OUR BY LAWS NECESSARY.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
[01:10:01]
NOW WE MAY DISCUSS, UM, I, I CAN DEFINITELY APPRECIATE OF COURSE, THE HISTORY HERE AND THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN.UH, IT'S NOT THE FIRST OR THE LAST TIME THAT WE WILL HEAR ABOUT SOME, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO WORK WITHIN THE LIMITS AS THEY STAND.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANNA KEEP IN MIND WITH THIS IS THAT THE INTENTION OF THIS PROPERTY IS TO BE TEMPORARY.
UH, THE INTENTION IS TO MOVE TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT LATER ON.
I WONDER IF A CONDITION COULD BE PLACED THAT WOULD BE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS WHILE THE POPULATION, WHILE THE ATTENDANCE IS SMALL, AND THERE AREN'T MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING, WHAT IF WE WERE TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE, HEY, FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS YOU HAVE THIS EXCEPTION, AND THAT'S TIME TO EITHER FIGURE SOMETHING OUT, YOU KNOW, DECIDE YOU'RE MOVING ON OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
MAYBE IT COULD BE A STOP GAP MEASURE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, JUST A, A SPACE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO, UH, THEIR GOOD WORK.
ALTERNATIVELY, WE COULD ALSO HAVE A, UH, A CONDITION THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE WHAT YOU SAID IN AGREEMENT WITH, IN A NEARBY AREA, UM, THAT ONE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, DIFFICULTY ISN'T NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, WHAT DECIDES ANYTHING HERE.
UH, I THINK THAT THERE CAN BE ARGUMENT MADE FOR, FOR A LEVEL OF NECESSITY IN A WAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF NECESSITY IS QUITE THE RIGHT WORD, BUT, UM, YEAH, I THINK THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS AT PLAY HERE, BUT THE SIZE OF THE POPULATION THAT'S CURRENTLY GOING THERE AND WOULD BE LIKELY TO GO THERE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, I THINK IS ON THE SMALL SIDE.
AND THEY'RE, I MEAN, DOING THEIR BEST TO TRY TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORS.
A FACT QUESTION FOR STAFF, UH, LAUREN, UM, A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, IT CANNOT BE TERM LIMITED, CAN IT, DOESN'T IT? EITHER IT IS OR IT ISN'T.
AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? YOU SAID TERMINATED A TERM LIMITED.
I MEAN, LIKE, SHE SUGGESTED MAYBE PUT IN CONDITION OF TWO YEARS, BUT IT EITHER IS OR IT ISN'T.
RIGHT? YOU CAN PUT A TERM IF IT'S A GRAY AREA.
I, I, I GATHER THE
THE THING IS, IS IT'S, IT'S PARKING.
SO IF YOU PUT A TWO YEAR TIME LIMIT ON IT, DOES THAT MEAN THAT IN TWO YEARS THEY'RE NOT HELD TO PARKING STANDARDS, WHICH IS IN VIOLATION OF 1 74? OR SORRY, 1 48, 8 70.
IT COULD HAVE, SO MAYBE A BETTER CONDITION WOULD BE VERY SPECIFIC WOULD BE TO YOUR MOTION.
MAYBE A BETTER CONDITION WOULD BE TO SAY, GRANT, RECOMMEND THIS ON THE CONDITION THAT AN AGREEMENT BE WORKED OUT WITH THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE TO RENT PARKING AND TO AGREE TO NOT SCHEDULE EVENTS ON SUNDAYS OR WHATEVER THE AGREEMENT YEAH.
WHATEVER THAT AGREEMENT WAS, AND YOU NEED TO RE RECALL AS WELL.
THERE ARE FOUR SEPARATE EXCEPTIONS HERE THAT YOU'RE DETERMINING.
SO WITH YOUR, YOUR MOTION, ANY CONDITIONS NEED TO ADDRESS, ARE YOU GIVING THEM A SPECIAL EXCEPTION FROM THE NUMBER OF SPACES, THE SIZE OF THE SPACES, THE SETBACKS? YEAH.
THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER AND BE VERY SPECIFIC IN YOUR MOTION.
THAT'LL TAKE A, I THINK THE MOTION WOULD, WOULD, UM, WOULD RIGHT.
FORCE THEM TO FIT, FIT TO THE NUMBER OF, UM, SUBCOMPACT SPOTS WHERE THE SIDE SPOTS WOULD NOT BE FIT SUITABLE FOR, FOR PARKING.
AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE AT THIS GRANULAR LEVEL MAKES ME FEEL LIKE WE, UH, WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM MR. BROOKS.
UH, DO YOU WISH TO, I GET THE SENSE THAT WE ARE IN AGREEMENT.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU, MR. BERKSHIRE, ARE YOU BASICALLY IN ACCORD WITH WHAT VW IS TRYING TO DO? YES, TO AN EXTENT.
UM, THE ONLY CONCERN I DO HAVE IS WHAT HAPPENS IN A MONTH, TWO MONTHS, A YEAR, IF THERE IS A PARKING ISSUE THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THERE ARE ISSUES REPORTED TO THE TOWN OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S MY CONCERN.
SO I WOULD AGREE THAT SOME TYPE OF LIMIT OR SOME TYPE OF EXCEPTION THAT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT, UM, SHOULD BE PUT IN PLACE.
I, THIS WOULD'VE BEEN APPROVED HAD THEY HAD THE NUMBER OF PARKING PLACES, REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE MEMBERSHIP, THE REST FIRE CODE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I HAVE GREAT CONCERN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOO.
IF THEY HAVE AN EVENT WITH EVEN, YOU KNOW, 30 OR FOUR.
I KNOW THEY TALKED ABOUT, UM, SCHEDULING IT OUT OR TIME LIMITS AND STUFF, BUT INEVITABLY THERE THERE'LL BE THE OVERFLOW, BUT THAT,
[01:15:01]
THAT ISN'T, UM, THAT ISN'T WHAT'S IN VIOLATION.REGULATIONS THAT ARE IN THERE.
UM, I MEAN, I I JUST WANNA SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK, UH, COMMANDER COOK FOR YOUR PRESENTATION BECAUSE, UH, I THINK YOU PROVIDED A REALLY GOOD BACKGROUND.
UH, I THINK THAT THE LACK OF COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF WHAT VFW IS AND HOW YOU FUNCTION, I THINK THAT'S A VERY BIG GAP IN PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
SO I KNOW THAT, UH, SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, YOU, WHAT YOU INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE, THE DEPTH YOU WENT INTO THAT WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
AND I CERTAINLY DO NOT WANNA SEE WARREN COUNTY BE WITHOUT A VFW AND YOU ARE THE ONLY BALL GAME.
SO I WANNA SEE YOU SUCCEED SOMEHOW OR OTHER, I THINK THIS IS A, CERTAINLY A WORTHY CAUSE.
UM, BUT THERE IS THE CODE, AND SO THE, YOU KNOW, THE LETTER OF LAW MUST BE FOLLOWED.
SO, UM, WHAT, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS THAT YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK.
AND I THINK THE, THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH ACROSS THE STREET OPENS UP, PUTS A WHOLE NEW LIGHT ON THE POSSIBILITIES HERE, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY.
BUT THAT COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM, UH, AT LEAST.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME, DOES IT SEEM THAT WAY TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS? UH, IT DOES, POTENTIALLY.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA PUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA SEEM LIKE AT ALL THAT IT, THAT THERE'S ANY PRESSURE BEING PUT ON ANY GROUPS TO, TO MAKE AN AGREEMENT OR ANYTHING.
SHOULD HAVE THEIR DISCUSSIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT, WHICH IS WHAT LEADS ME TO A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN.
TO APPROVE WITH A CONDITION OF YOU HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER AGREEMENT WHEN THIS WHOLE THING IS CONTINGENT TO ANOTHER AGREEMENT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND HOW MANY ARE WE GONNA LAYER ON TOP OF IT? UM, YEAH.
THAT, THAT'S WHY THE BEGINNING BEFORE WE HAD TO MAKE A MOTION MM-HMM,
SO THAT WAY WE'RE NOT TRYING TO ADDRESS ALL OF THESE LITTLE BITS AND PIECES.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING AN APPROVAL WITH A SET AMOUNT OF TIME, I UNDERSTAND THAT YES, THESE ARE REGARDS TO CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS.
COULD THE VERBIAGE BE SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, YOU KNOW, PROOF OF THE CONDITION FOR OR FOR THE CONDITION OF TWO YEARS UPON WHICH TIME EX DATE, UH, THE VFW MUST COME BACK BEFORE COMMISSION AND EITHER DISPLAY OR SHOW THAT THEY HAVE RESOLVED THE ISSUES TO WHICH WE HAVE GRANTED THEM AN EXCEPTION, OR THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER IN NEED OF THOSE EXCEPTIONS.
AND WE COULD PUT, THERE WOULD BE A DEADLINE BY WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE US.
IT GIVES 'EM A STOP GAP, AND THEN THEY COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE AL WE'VE FIXED THE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED EXCEPTIONS FOR, OR WE DON'T NEED THESE EXCEPTIONS ANYMORE.
AND IT MIGHT SOLVE THE ISSUE OF NOW THEY'RE NO LONGER BEHOLDEN TO PARKING STANDARDS, BUT, BUT WHY WAIT TWO YEARS? TWO YEARS? IT'S JUST A NUMBER THAT I CAME THAT I SAID, WHY NOT? WHY NOT GIVE, WHY NOT HOLD THIS OVER? OH, I'M NOT AGAINST THAT NECESSARILY.
I'M JUST LOOKING MOTION, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING WITH A NUMBER OF YEARS, EVEN LATER, RIGHT? I'M NOT SURE THAT'S LEGALLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE PARKING IS PARKING.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M WONDERING.
IN IF THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE ASKED, HAVE THEM COME BACK TO US JUST AS A MATTER OF COURSE, YOU IN THEORY, YOU COULD SET A TIME LIMIT IN WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AND REAPPLY FOR A NEW SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
AND SO THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, YOU COULD OR HAVE PARKING OFFSITE, SO RIGHT.
AND OUR SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE DOES CURRENTLY PERMIT THEM TO LEASE PARKING WITHIN 300 FEET OF THEIR PROPERTY, AND THEN WE COULD APPROVE IT WITHOUT THE NEED FOR THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
AND THE CHURCH IS WITHIN 300 FEET OF THEIR PROPERTY, BUT YOU CANNOT OBLIGATE THE CHURCH.
NO, WE CAN'T HAVE, OBVIOUSLY YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A BINDING AGREEMENT ON THEM, WHICH IS RIGHT.
AND, AND SINCE THEN, SINCE THAT DIALOGUE IS JUST, JUST BEGUN A NIGHT, SO I THINK COMMISSIONER, THAT'S WHERE DEFER, I THINK A POSTPONEMENT IS CHAIRMAN.
TOWN CODE 1 48 2 11 E DOES ALLOW, TOWN COUNCIL MAY IMPOSE SUCH CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS UPON THE PREMISES, BENEFITED BY THE EXCEPTION AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH THE INTENT OF THIS CHAPTER, AND TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST, SAFETY, AND GENERAL WELFARE.
[01:20:01]
DOES GIVE THAT POSSIBILITY, WHICH MEANS IF WE SEND A, IF WE APPROVE IT WITH CONDITIONS, THEN THE TOWN COUNCIL MAY IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ACCORDING TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.THEY CAN IMPOSE CONDITIONS ON THE APPLICATION YES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU MAY WANT TO WEIGH ON A TIME LIMIT, UH, WHERE IT WOULD EXPIRE IF THEY DID NOT OBTAIN THE ADEQUATE PARKING, UH, SOUNDS LIKE AN AMOUNT OF TIME ADEQUATE PARKING BASED ON THE CUTTING.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA GIVE THEM A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED PARKING SPACES, THAT'S DIFFERENT, THAT WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO NOT HAVE TO LEASE THE ADDITIONAL SPACES.
BUT IF YOU SAY YOU NEED TO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GRANT THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION FOR THE NUMBER OF SPACES THAT THEY NEED TO.
THEY CAN USE WHAT THEY HAVE ON SITE AND THEN PERMIT THEM TO HAVE OFFSITE SPACES THAT YOU, YOU HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC, VERY SPECIFIC IN HOW YOU'RE GONNA CRAFT THAT.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WON'T, WON'T TOLERATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
PARKING IS NOT, NOT GOOD FOR THE OVERFLOW.
THAT EXCEPTION BEING, I THINK IT'S, BUT ANYWAY, UH, I, I, OKAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROCEDURES THAT OUR ATTORNEY IS TELLING US WE MUST FOLLOW, ARE THAT WE CAN'T TALK TO YOU ANYMORE RIGHT NOW.
WHAT? RATHER, RATHER THAN PUT A A, A BALL OF A MESS TO PASS THE TOWN COUNCIL, HOW, WHAT'S OUR PROCESS FOR DEFERRING THIS OR ASKING THEM TO REAPPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MONTH? WELL, WE COULD, WE COULD AMEND YOUR MOTION TO POSTPONE.
CAN WE JUST POSTPONE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING? AND THAT WOULD GIVE THE, THE, TO A MONTH FOR THE NEW ISSUES TO DEVELOP.
DOES THAT SOUND REASONABLE? YOU NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND YOUR MOTION, ACTUALLY, IF I MAY.
AT THIS POINT, I THINK YOU WOULD JUST WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION AND START AGAIN.
AND FIRST I MOVE THAT I WITHDRAW THE MOTION FOR RECOMMENDATION OF MOVE FORWARD TO RECOMMEND TO TOWN COUNCIL WITH EXCEPTION.
WE AGREED TO WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION.
ONE MORE, THEN I MOVE THAT WE, UM, RECOMMEND DEFERRAL OF THIS ISSUE TO ANOTHER PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO BE SCHEDULED UNTIL, UNTIL TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE PARKING, UM, FURTHER CONSULTATION ON PARKING.
MOTION POSTPONE POSTPONE UNTIL THE NOVEMBER 20TH MEETING.
NOVEMBER 20TH, THEN NOVEMBER 20TH.
SO, UM, CLEAN, CLEAN THAT UP A LITTLE BIT, THEN I MAKE A MOTION TO PO POSTPONE THIS APPLICATION TILL THE NOVEMBER 20TH, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO ALLOW TIME FOR FURTHER CONSULTATION ON ADDITIONAL PARKING.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND DISCUSS MR. NEIL'S MOTION.
NEW MOTION, MR. BROOKS? YEAH, I THINK THIS WILL ALLOW THEM ENOUGH TIME TO CONSULT WITH, UM, OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
MS. MORESO, MY ONLY CONCERN WITH MOVING OFF A MONTH IS THAT WE'RE PUTTING THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER AND POTENTIAL NEW ONE IN THE STATE OF LIMBO.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING TO REALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THIS, THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN LIMBO, THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN LIMBO, AND WE'RE GONNA ASK THEM TO CONTINUE TO BE IN LIMBO.
UM, SO YEAH, I JUST, I JUST THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND.
YEAH, I, I SHARE THAT CONCERN.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC AT THIS POINT.
UM, THE ALTERNATIVE THOUGH, TO POSTPONING IT A MONTH IS TO CAREFULLY WORDSMITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF, UM, AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD ACCEPT THE, MAKE EXCEPTIONS TO THE SETBACK, THE SIZE OF THE SPACES, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER.
AND THEN, UM, DOES THAT GET TOO COMPLICATED IN GOING FORWARD? UH, AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT, THAT MIGHT GET LOST IN TRANSMISSION IN THE NEXT STEP OF THE PROCESS? I THINK ALLOWING ADDITIONAL PARKING ON, ON THE LOT AS THEY PRESCRIBED IS NOT REALISTIC.
I MEAN, THE CURRENT, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE SIDE, YOU KNOW, THE COMPACT CARS ALONG THE SIDE IS, IS NOT
[01:25:01]
AT ALL ACCEPTABLE.NO, WE, WE AGREE ON THAT ALONG THE SIDE.
UM, WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO POSTPONE, AND IT HAS A SECOND, UM, MS. POTTER, DO YOU WANNA CALL FOR A ROLL ON THAT, PLEASE? AND THE MOTION TO POSTPONE FOR ONE MONTH UNTIL NOVEMBER 20TH.
CHAIRMAN MARNER, I THINK IT'S OUR BEST OPTION.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT A, NO, IT'S A COME BACK AS SOON AS YOU CAN
DO WE HAVE TO, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT? UH, SINCE YOU'VE, WHAT NEEDS TO BE MET IN BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER 20TH? IT'S ON THE AGENDA NOW WITH YOUR ARREST.
WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THE APPLICANT NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION WITH YOU BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER 20TH? THE APPLICANT NEEDS TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT'S RELEVANT IF ABOUT OFFSITE PARKING, IF YOU CAN ACQUIRE IT, IF NOT, IF YOU NEED TO PULL YOUR APPLICATION, HOW THAT'S, YEP.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE APPLICANT NEEDS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT THE, THAT, THAT, THAT WILL, IF THEY ARE ABLE TO ACQUIRE OFF STREET PARKING THROUGH A, OR OFFSITE PARKING THROUGH A LEASE, THEY WOULD NO LONGER NEED THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
THEN THIS WHOLE THING WOULD GO AWAY.
AND THEN, AND THEN THE, YOU CAN'T TALK TO ME, BUT AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION,
IT WOULD BE THE, THE COUNCIL'S, OR EXCUSE ME, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD DECLINE IT AND IT WOULD STILL GET TO THE TOWN COUNCIL, RIGHT? THE PLANNING COMMISSION ONLY RECOMMENDS TO THE TOWN COUNCIL AND WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY CLARIFICATION.
CAN IT BE, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE ANY MONEY EXCHANGE.
GUYS, THIS IS, THIS IS OUT WORK.
PUBLIC CONTACT PLANNING AND ZONING.
THAT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT BUT TERRIBLY IMPORTANT, UH, TERRIBLY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION, AND I HOPE THAT IT ALL WORKS OUT TO THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND NOW WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 2 4 0 0 5 2 4 SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY SERBER DEVELOPMENT AND CONSULTING.
MR. WARE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT THIS, PLEASE? SPECIAL USE PERMIT 24 0 0 5 24 IS A REQUEST FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENTS CONTAINING 90 APARTMENTS IN TWO SEPARATE THREE STORY STRUCTURES WITH A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 45 FEET ON A VACANT PARCEL OFF OF EAST REISER ROAD, IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP 28 18 DASH FIVE FIVE A ONE.
IT DOES HAVE SPLIT ZONING C ONE ON A MAJORITY OF IT, AND R THREE ON A SMALL PORTION OF IT.
THAT FRONTS ON EAST CRIER ROAD IS LOCATED BETWEEN THREE 30 AND FOUR 50 EAST CRIER ROAD.
THE PROPERTY ALSO HAS FRONTAGE ON REMOUNT ROAD, US 5 22.
UH, INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET IS THE SUP APPLICATION, AN INTRODUCTION LETTER, A SURVEY PLAT OF THE PROPERTY, A CONCEPTIONAL DRAWING, AND PICTURES OF THE APPLICANT'S PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENTS.
THE FOLLOWING USES ARE PERMITTED WITHIN THE C ONE DISTRICT ONLY BY APPROVAL OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, EXCEPT AS PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY SEPARATE RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD THAT PERTAIN TO THE PROPERTY WITHIN THE C ONE DISTRICT.
SO WHAT IS PERMITTED, UH, WITH THAT, WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT ON RESIDENTIAL IS APARTMENTS OR DWELLING UNITS WITH FOUR OR MORE UNITS OR IF WHEN LOCATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR, SUBJECT TO PROVISIONS OF SECTION 1 75 1 13.
NOW CHAPTER 1 75, 1 13 STRICTLY DEALS WITH APARTMENTS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THIS WOULD BE APPROVED FOR ANY TYPE OF PROJECT LIKE THIS WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT,
[01:30:02]
1 75 1 13 WOULD TAKE PRECEDENCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE.UH, THERE, THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED OFF EAST RYER ROAD ON THE VACANT LOT, UH, LOCATED BETWEEN THE PARK.
THERE'S A SMALL PORTION BETWEEN THE PARK AND THE LIBRARY THERE, THAT AREA, THE SMALL, UH, RECTANGLE SHAPE THERE, PARCEL, THAT IS THE PARCEL WITH THE R THREE ZONING WHERE THE SPLIT ZONING IS.
SO THIS PARCEL HERE HAS THE SPLIT ZONING R THREE ONLY ON THIS PORTION, AND THE REST OF THIS IS ZONE C ONE.
UH, THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY A BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT, UH, SOME TIME AGO.
SO THAT'S HOW THE SPLIT ZONING CAME INTO EFFECT.
UH, THE PROPERTY IS IDEALLY LOCATED, UH, BESIDE THE PARK, THE LIBRARY, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOPPING OF THE, UH, ROYAL KING PLAZA GROCERY STORES, RESTAURANTS, UH, PEDESTRIAN ROCKWAY THERE ON THE TRAIL, UH, CONVENIENT TO, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ALSO, UH, A A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE FLOOD ZONE, BUT THE CONCEPTIONAL DRAWING HAS THE BUILDINGS OUTSIDE OF THE FLOOD ZONE.
SO THE FLOOD ZONE WOULD NOT, UH, BE IN EFFECT FOR THEIR BUILDING OF THE BUILDINGS ON THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THERE'S THE DRAWING OF THE, UH, UH, SURVEY PLAN OF THE PROPERTY SHOWING THE RULE KING, UH, BUILDING HERE IN THE BACK OF THAT PROPERTY, PARKING, THE MARKET, GROCERY STORE, THE TRAIL, THIS IS THE SUBJECT PARKING HERE SHOWING THE BLOOD PLAIN AND ACCESS HERE ON EAST ROAD.
SO THEY ARE NOT, UH, PROPOSING TO BUILD ANYTHING IN THE FLOODPLAIN.
SO THERE'S THE TWO BUILDINGS THEY'RE SHOWING THERE.
UH, THE DASH LINE TO THE RIGHT OF THAT IS THE FLOODPLAIN, SO NONE OF THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE IN THE FLOODPLAIN.
UH, THEY ARE SHOWING A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING AGAIN, OF A TRAIL, PEDESTRIAN TRAIL CONNECTING UP TO THE PRESENT TRAIL THERE ALONG HAPPY CREEK.
UH, AGAIN, LOCATED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE PARK THERE, THE LIBRARY AND THE, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND CONVENIENTLY LOCATED THERE AT THE SHOPPING AREA.
UH, THEY DID PROVIDE SOME RENDERINGS OR PICTURES OF PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, THAT'S KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING.
UH, THAT'S A FOUR STORY, BUT THIS ONE WILL BE A THREE STORY, UH, COMPLEX.
ANOTHER RENDERING OR A PHOTOGRAPH OF A PREVIOUS PROJECT THERE, A THREE STORY BUILDING WITH, UH, BRICK ON THE EXTERIOR.
SO THAT'S THE IDEA THAT THEY PROPOSE FOR THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
AGAIN, ANOTHER, UH, THREE STORY BUILDING, UH, WITH A BRICK EXTERIOR.
UH, THEY WOULD DO TWO SEPARATE BUILDINGS, HOUSING 45 DWELLING UNITS IN EACH ONE FOR A TOTAL OF 90.
THEY DID PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ON THEIR BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, WHAT TYPE OF, UH, HOUSING THEY WERE GOING TO PROVIDE, UH, WITH WITHIN THAT.
UH, BUT FOR STAFF'S, PART OF THE PRESENTATION IS JUST STRICTLY ON WHAT THE CODE STATES.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
UH, THIS IS, SO 1 7 5 1 13 FOR APARTMENTS, FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT WITH APARTMENTS.
WHEN, UH, THE APARTMENTS GO WITH THIS PART OF THE, THE CODE 1 7 5 1 13, THAT IS SITE DEVELOPMENT, THAT WOULD COME BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THAT WOULD ALSO GO TO TOWN COUNCIL.
SO FOR ANY APARTMENTS OVER ONE ACRE, UH, 1 75, 1 13 COMES IN.
SO THIS IS JUST, IS THIS PROPERTY APPROPRIATE USE FOR THIS PROPERTY? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS, IS THE, IS LOCATION AND IS THIS PARCEL APPROPRIATE FOR THE USE THAT THEY'RE APPLYING FOR.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REGARDING THIS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
THEIR PROPERTY LINE, THE OWNERS WHO I PRE PRESUME HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY.
WHERE IS EXACTLY THEIR PROPERTY LINE? DOES IT GO TO THE STREET OR IS IT ON THE, UH, WEST SIDE OF THE CREEK.
SO YOU HAVE FRONTAGE, IT DOES CROSS THE CREEK AND HAS FRONTAGE HERE ON RET ROAD.
SO THE OUTLINING IN RED IS PARCEL ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY GIS, TO GIVE YOU A VISUAL.
SO IT DOES HAVE FRONTAGE HERE ON ROAD, ALBEIT ACROSS THE CREEK HERE, UH, HERE, HERE'S THE ROYAL KING SHOPPING CENTER, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
IT BUS UP TO THE BACK OF THAT, UH, HERE, THE SCHOOL PROPERTY, THE LIBRARY, AND THE PARK WITH FRONTAGE HERE COMING
[01:35:01]
OUT OF THESE PRICES.SO THE, SO THE APARTMENT COMPLEX WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE TRAIL AND, AND, AND THE CARE OF THE CREEK THAT GOES THROUGH THERE.
NEIGHBOR WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS NEW SECTION.
THEY ARE, UH, WITH PROPOSING EXCEPTION, CONCEPTIONAL.
NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT RENDERING, WHAT THE POSSIBILITY THAT COULD GO THERE.
SO, SO EXCEPTIONAL DRAWING, YOU'RE NOT APPROVING THE CONCEPTIONAL DRAWING.
THEY'RE JUST GIVING YOU CONTEXT WHAT COULD BE PUT IN PLACE THERE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE, UH, LANDSCAPING ALONG REMOUNT ROAD UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP.
UH, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT IN CONSIDERATION FOR HIS APPLICATION.
I MEAN, WHO, WHO CURRENTLY MAINTAINS THE TRIO? IS IT THE TOWN? IT'S AN, SORRY, YEAH.
THAT'S IN AN AGREEMENT, BUT THAT'S NOT PART OF YOUR APPLICATION FOR THIS.
THAT'S NOT PART OF THE APPLICATION.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, IS THIS USE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS LOCATION? RIGHT, RIGHT.
THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT COULD, UH, YOU CAN ASK THE APPLICANT THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SHED SOME LIGHT, BUT THIS IS JUST A CONCEPT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY GO THERE.
THAT THEN YOU'RE NOT APPROVING THE CONCEPT DRAWING FOR THIS.
IT'S JUST IS THIS USE APPROPRIATE ON THIS PARCEL, THIS VACANT PARCEL? RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WARE? GIVEN THE, THE, YOU MIND
GIVEN THE ACCESS ALONG ON ER ROAD THAT'S BEEN ADDED IN, AND PART OF THAT GOES INTO WHATEVER THE 500 YEAR FOOT PLANE AND WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, UM, IS, IS THERE A, AND SO THAT WOULD BE A REALLY RARE EVENT, AND IT ISN'T EXCLUDED BECAUSE OF THAT, BUT IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ACCESS POINT FOR EMERGENCY EXIT OR ENTRANCE OTHER THAN THROUGH THAT ONE PLAN ENTRANCE? OR IS IT TOO THAT, TOO EARLY A QUESTION TO ASK OF THIS CONCEPT? YEAH, THAT, THAT'S A QUESTION YOU CAN ASK THE APPLICANT DURING THE SITE DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOR THE, UH, THE, THE PLATS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THEY HAVE THERE.
SO YOU JUST WANNA REALLY CONCENTRATE, IS THIS USE APPROPRIATE THERE? I UNDERSTAND.
THAT'S WHAT I, AND THAT WOULD GET THROUGH THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
AGAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL OF THESE FOR 1 75, 1 13 GREATER THAN ONE ACRE, THOSE SITE DEVELOPMENT DRAWINGS WOULD COME BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE TOWN COUNCIL.
UH, SO NOT, YOU PROBABLY SHOULD NOT DEAL WITH SPECIFICS, UH, ON THIS PROPERTY, PER SE, FOR SITE DEVELOPMENT.
WELL, IT MATTER BE APPROPRIATE.
IF IT ONLY HAS A SINGLE ENTRANCE OR EXIT AND IT'S NO POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER ONE, THEN IT WOULDN'T BE.
THAT'S, UH, THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING, GETTING AT.
OUR TOWN CODE ONLY REQUIRES ONE ENTRANCE.
IT ONLY REQUIRES ONE ENTRANCE.
SO THEN THAT CAN FRONT ON A PRIVATE OR PUBLIC STREET.
SO FOR APARTMENTS, UH, OUR CODE ONLY REQUIRES TO FRONT OR ON A PRIVATE OR PUBLIC STREET FOR THE COMPLEX.
BUT THAT'S GETTING DOWN INTO THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PART OF THE, UH, APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIRMAN, UH, MEMBERS OF PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M AN ENGINEER WITH KUNTZ BRYANT JOHNSON AND WILLIAMS. I'M WORKING WITH JEN SERBER WITH SERBER DEVELOPMENT.
SHE COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT, SO I'M GONNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE PROJECT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS MR. WARE STATED IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE OF THE USE.
UM, IT REQUIRES, UH, APPROVAL FOR US TO GO FORWARD.
WE'RE VERY EARLY ON IN THE PRO PROCESS.
UM, THIS PROPERTY WAS PRESENTED TO US BY THE SELLER.
UM, WE'VE LOOKED AT IT, UM, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU DON'T MIND, COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE, THE SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE FLOODPLAIN? SO OBVIOUSLY THE FLOODPLAIN IS A MAJOR PIECE OF THIS THAT WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR.
AND TO RE TO REITERATE TO MR, TO YOU AND MR. WARE, WE WILL NOT BE CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING IN ANY FLOODPLAIN, ANY FLOODPLAIN THAT WE DO IMPACT, WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, A MODELING AND AN EXERCISE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T IMPACT THAT.
AND IT, THERE MIGHT BE COMPENSATORY CUT.
IT'S VERY EARLY ON, UM, REGARDING THE ACCESS, WE WANT TO TRY TO AVOID GOING ACROSS THAT FLOODPLAIN THAT WOULD, THAT'S REALLY NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S NATURAL.
OUR HOPE IS THAT WE WOULD PUT THE REST OF THAT ENTIRE PROPERTY IN A CONCERT, A PERMANENT CONSERVATION EASEMENT, UM, TO MEET CURRENT STORMWATER REGULATIONS.
AND THAT'S A PRETTY TYPICAL PRACTICE THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
NOW, UM, REGARDING THE ACCESS TO RAZA ROAD, THE
[01:40:01]
CONCEPT THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEFORE YOU CURRENTLY SHOWS THE ACCESS ON THE PROPERTY, UM, I HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TO TRY TO, UH, WORK OUT A SHARED ACCESS ON THE, UTILIZING THEIR EXISTING ENTRANCE.UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT, BUT NUMBER ONE, I THINK IT'S KIND OF NICE TO PRESERVE THAT BUFFER BETWEEN THE, THE, THE LIBRARY AND THE, THE PARK.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, THAT IS A PROCESS, AS I'M SURE YOU ALL CAN IMAGINE.
UM, BUT THAT AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S DOWN THE ROAD.
AND AS FAR AS THE TIMING OF THIS, SO, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE U ASSUMING WE GET OR GRANTED THE USE, THEN WE WILL START TO REALLY GET INTO THE, THE WEEDS, SO TO SPEAK ON THIS AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS AND THEN WORK OUT SOME OF THOSE AGREEMENTS.
BUT TIMING OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE AN APPLICATION, UH, FOR FUNDING, UH, AROUND MARCH.
WE GO INTO FORMAL DESIGN NEXT SUMMER, AND THIS WOULD BE A, A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FOR THE FOLLOWING SUMMER.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TIMEFRAME AROUND 2026.
UM, MS. SERBER, SHE DOES THESE ALL OVER THE STATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I WOULD, I WOULD SAY A WORD THAT COMES OUT, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE, IS THOUGHTFUL, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S PART OF WHY I TALKED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, OR ABOUT THE, THE LIBRARY.
YOU KNOW, TRYING TO PRESERVE AS MUCH OF THE EXISTING PROPERTY AS WE CAN.
WE'RE GONNA PUT IN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, UM, MAKING THAT CONNECTION.
UM, THIS, AND THIS ENTIRE SITE WILL BE UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED, ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERY US USER.
UM, THERE WILL BE A NEW TRAIL SIDEWALK CONNECTION TO KREER ROAD THAT I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT PUTTING ON THE LIBRARY PROPERTY AS WELL AS THE CONNECTION TO THE, THE TOWN'S HAPPY TRAIL.
UM, AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW WHO MAINTAINS IT, BUT IT ISN'T AN EASEMENT.
AND THAT WAS, I'M ASSUMING IT, I DON'T KNOW IF THE TOWN HAS PARKS AND REC.
BUT THAT'S, THAT WAS, THERE IS AN EXISTING EASEMENT THAT COVERS THAT PORTION OF THE TRAIL THROUGH THE PROPERTY.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? DON'T FORGET TO COME AND SIGN HERE.
LET ME THANK YOU FOR, FOR PRESENTING THIS.
SORRY, I, I SPEAK FAST, I APOLOGIZE.
I'M JUST, THERE'S A LOT TO THINK ABOUT TODAY,
UM, JUST AS CURIOSITY ABOUT, UH, THE, THE COMPANY AND WANTING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU GUYS DO, AND ESPECIALLY WORKING ACROSS VIRGINIA HERE, THINK I'M ECHOING A LITTLE BIT.
UM, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN THAT I'VE READ, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN, UM, FOCUSES THAT JEN HAS IN THESE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS IS PROVIDING FOR A VARIETY OF INCOME LEVELS.
IS THAT PART OF THE GOAL HERE? YES.
ARE THERE, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS CONCEPTUAL, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, RELATED HERE, BUT JUST IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ABOUT, ARE THERE TARGETED PERCENTAGES OF INCOME THAT'LL BE RELATED TO THIS, AT LEAST AS YOU'RE THINKING OF IT NOW? SO EVERY ONE THAT, UH, AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THE PARTICULARS OF THIS 'CAUSE WE ARE VERY EARLY IN, IN THE STAGE.
I MEAN, THE USES KIND OF THE MAIN THING.
AND THEN ONCE WE GET THAT, THEN WE START GETTING INTO THE WEEDS.
BUT EVERY SINGLE DEVELOPMENT THAT I'VE WORKED ON WITH HER, IT'S, IT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S, IT'S NOT SECTION EIGHT, IT'S, YOU HAVE TO PASS A CREDIT CHECK, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S A PERCENTAGE OF THE UNITS.
THAT'S A PERCENT, UH, LIKE 80% TO 30% OF THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME WITHIN AN AREA.
I'M NOT GONNA, BUT THAT'S TYPICAL.
UM, AND THEN SHE ALSO WORKS WITH LOCAL GROUPS.
AND, AND IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UH, WHAT IS IT? I FORGET THE NAME.
IT'S A, UH, WOMEN, I APOLOGIZE.
I'M ANYWAY, LIKE LOCAL GROUPS THAT MAYBE THEY NEED, YOU KNOW, HOUSING FOR MM-HMM.
SO WHEN I SAY THOUGHTFUL, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, UM, WITH THESE DEVELOPMENTS, YOU KNOW, SHE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A RANGE AND WE'RE, WE'RE, IT'S REALLY ABOUT WORKFORCE.
IT'S, IT'S NEW COLLEGE GRADUATES THAT RENT THESE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, NURSES, POLICE OFFICERS, IT'S TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN PLACES WHERE THEY, YOU KNOW, WORK.
AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY NOT THE CASE IN A LOT OF PLACES THAT IN VIRGINIA ANYMORE, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND THEN, AND SPEAKING OF, YOU KNOW, PLACES IN VIRGINIA, UH, AND LIKE I'M FROM NORTHERN VIRGINIA MYSELF, AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION THERE AND HOW IT CAN IMPACT COMMUNITIES AND EVERYTHING.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN, WE SAW SOME IMAGES OF SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, PLACES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AND THEY LOOK GREAT.
UM, CAN I, UH, WHERE ARE THESE, WHERE DO THEY TEND TO BE? SO THAT ONE RIGHT THERE IS IN, UH, THE TOWN OF STANTON, OR CITY OF STANTON? STANTON, I THINK IT'S CITY OF STANTON.
I USED TO HAVE FRIENDS THAT WENT TO COLLEGE THERE, AND THEY, THEY PROBABLY STILL TELL ME I'M WRONG.
YEAH, I'M BEING CORRECTED HERE.
SO WE WE'RE DOING THESE, UH, CITY OF RICHMOND, STANTON, UH, AUGUSTA COUNTY.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT ONE RIGHT NOW IN STRASBURG,
[01:45:01]
UM, NEWPORT NEWS, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, HENRICO COUNTY, UM, YORK COUNTY, UH, LITERALLY ALL OVER THE STATE.UM, AND YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE, I WOULD SAY THAT SHE'S, IT'S VERY THOUGHTFULLY DONE AND WE MM-HMM,
I'VE, I'VE HAD TO SPEAK IN, IN QUITE A FEW OF THOSE.
AND, AND, UH, IT'S A GOOD THING 'CAUSE WE, I THINK SHE RECOGNIZES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND THEN I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH LIKE, THE ENTITY THAT ENDS UP MANAGING THEM, BUT THEY'RE STILL THERE.
THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT DOING THIS AND THEN LEAVING.
THEY HAVE A INTEREST IN THIS, IN PERPETUITY.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, UH, SERBER CONTINUES TO OWN THE BUILDING? YES.
OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU LEAVE, PLEASE SIGN SO WE GET YOUR NAME.
UM, UM, IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING IF THERE'S ANYBODY.
I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, SEEING NOBODY, SEEING NOBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.
I WILL ALSO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, AND, UH, AND I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION FOR MY COMMISSIONER AND A SECOND, I, I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 4 0 0 5 2 4 FOR MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS CONTAINING 90 UNITS AND TWO SEPARATE THREE STORY COMPARTMENT.
H HOME HOUSES, UH, WITH DIFFERENT MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 45 FEET ON VACANT PARCEL OFF EAST ER ROAD IDENTIFIED BY TAX MATCH TWO ZERO A ONE EIGHT DASH FIVE DASH FIVE A ONE CONDITIONED UPON THE FOLLOWING, THE PORTION OF THE LOT, WHICH IS ZONED R THREE IS ONLY TO BE USED FOR EGRESS AND, UM, INGRESS AND EGRESS ACCORDING TO 1 7 5 1 1 3 DASH E ONE SECOND.
UM, UM, AND IF YOU FIND ANOTHER ROUTE OF INGRESS AND EGRESS, THEN THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE USED FOR EITHER
IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR, UM, ACCESS THAT STRETCH THAT WAS TACKED ONTO THE OTHER PROPERTY, PRESUME RIGHT.
IT CAN'T BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE.
BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE USED FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS IF THERE'S ANOTHER WAY WORKED OUT WITH THE COUNTY.
RIGHT? NO, THEY, THEY NEED THAT.
THERE'S WAY NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE, WELL, IT'S NOT, I'M NOT CHANGING THE MOTION, JUST HAVING THE CONVERSATION HERE.
QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? YEAH, FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, IT'S CERTAINLY APPROPRIATE BASED ON THE ZONING DESIGNATIONS AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I THINK THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT PROVIDES GIVEN THE LOCATION, UH, ARE SOMETHING THAT'S PRETTY UNIQUE.
AND I'M AT, IS ED A FINE TO HEAR THAT THERE IS GONNA BE SUCH THOUGHT PUT INTO THINGS? I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, SEEING WHAT, WHAT COMES OF THIS.
AND THEN FOR THE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC, UH, I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE INTENTION IS NOT SECTION EIGHT.
IT'S A WORD THAT'S USED A LOT.
AND ANYTIME PEOPLE THINK AFFORDABLE, I VERY OFTEN WILL HEAR, OH, THAT MEANS IT'S THIS.
RIGHT? AND IT'S JUST SUCH A HOT BUTTON WORD.
SO HOPEFULLY IT PUTS THE PUBLIC AT EASE A LITTLE BIT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE INTENTION.
IT'S REALLY JUST TO SERVE THE PEOPLE HERE.
UM, SO YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE APPLICATION, MR. NEIL.
AND ALSO I, I KNOW IT WAS BEYOND THIS PARTICULAR STAGE OF THE EVENT, BUT THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING ABOUT YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS OF JOINING WITH THE LIBRARY ON A COMMON ACCESS POINT.
'CAUSE WHEN I WALK UP ON THE PROPERTY, THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT JUMPS OUT FOR THOSE THREE INTERSECTIONS.
ANYWAY, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO MENTION THAT, BUT THANK YOU.
ANYWAY,
THE APARTMENTS WILL HAVE, AS WE MENTIONED, ALL THE WALKING, UM, ACCESS TO SHOPPING FACILITIES, LIBRARIES, WALKING TRAIL AND, AND ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN.
IT, IT'S, IT'S ALSO KIND OF TIMELY 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S ADDITION OF THE UNITS WOULD BE COMPLIMENT TO OTHER RECENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN TOWN, UH, WITH A BALANCED DEMOGRAPHIC FOR DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC GROUPS.
RIGHT NOW, GIVEN ALL THE RECENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AS A WHOLE, THIS ONLY, THIS ONLY ENHANCES THE BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF FRONT ROYAL, BUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONGOING NEW HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER PLACES PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR JOB PRODUCING BUSINESSES TO EXPAND, TO LOCATE HERE.
I, IT'S JUST AN EXCELLENT FIT IN MY OPINION.
IN, IN TERMS OF WHETHER THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE USE, IT IS A HIGHLY APPROPRIATE USE AND IT IS MUCH NEEDED AND VERY WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SPEAKING.
AND I THINK WE HAVE, UH, READY FOR A ROLL CALL.
[01:50:02]
THE MOTION PASSES.THE RECOMMENDATION IS FORWARDED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL.
HOWEVER, WE'RE NOT DONE YET, FOLKS.
[VIII. OTHER]
UH, WE HAVE A VACANCY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF A VICE CHAIRMAN, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED AT THIS POINT IN TIME.SO THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE A VICE CHAIRMAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER GILLISPIE FOR VICE CHAIR.
IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THAT'LL TEACH OF, TO MISS A MEETING.
UH,
MAY WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES.
MR. GILLESPIE IS ELECTED VICE CHAIRMAN.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS? I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT.
[X. PLANNING DIRECTOR REPORT]
IN THAT CASE, WE HAVE THE PLANNING DIRECTOR REPORT NEXT.SO HIGHLIGHTS FROM DECEM OR SEPTEMBER INCLUDE, UM, WE HAD 193 WALK-INS INTO OUR DEPARTMENT, WHICH BRINGS OUR TOTAL TO 2094 FOR THE YEAR.
UM, WE ISSUED 31 NEW ZONING PERMITS.
UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT OPENED, UH, 13 NEW CASES.
THEY CLOSED FIVE AND CONDUCTED 28 INSPECTIONS.
WE ISSUED EIGHT NEW BUSINESS LICENSES AND FOR THIS YEAR WE ARE UP TO 45 NEW DWELLING UNITS, WHICH SURPASSES LAST YEAR'S TOTAL OF 32.
UM, SO WE ARE, SINCE WE'VE BEEN COUNTING ON HERE SINCE 2020, WE ARE AT THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF NEW DWELLING UNITS.
UM, WHAT WAS THAT NUMBER AGAIN? 45 SO FAR? YEP.
AND THE MAJORITY OF THE, THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE BEEN TOWN HOMES.
UM, AND THEN JUST AS A REMINDER, FOR NEXT MONTH STAFF WILL BE BRINGING YOU A DRAFT VAPE ORDINANCE, TOBACCO ORDINANCE THAT TOWN COUNCIL HAS ASKED TO ASKED THAT YOU TAKE UP.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL ALL, WE WILL RESUME OUR JUST REVIEW OF THE NEW DRAFT ZONING ORDINANCE AS WELL.
SO IT'S GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA GO IN TANDEM.
WE'RE GONNA GO INTENSE ON THE, ON THE ORDINANCE.
THAT WILL BE, AM I CORRECT? IS THAT THE ONLY ITEM ON THE AGENDA OTHER THAN WE'LL HAVE THE, THE VAPE THING TO LOOK AT? CORRECT.
UM, THAT WILL BE THE ONLY ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE WORK SESSION.
SO THAT WILL BE A VERY INTENSE WORK SESSION FOLKS.
SO HAVE A GOOD DINNER BEFORE YOU COME.
UM, AND, UH, UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN.
WE MADE IT IN UNDER TWO HOURS, FOLKS.