[I. CALL TO ORDER]
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I WILL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE FRONT ROYAL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FOR NOVEMBER 19TH, 2005, 2025.[III. ADDITION/DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA]
WISH TO ADD OR DELETE ANY ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA? UH, WE MOVE TO THE FIRST ITEM[IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.WE HAVE TWO MINUTES TO APPROVE HERE.
SEPTEMBER 17TH AND OCTOBER 15TH, HAVE ALL THE MEMBERS REVIEWED THE MINUTES? YES.
AND THE, UH, DO I HEAR A, UH, SUGGESTION FOR CHANGE IN EITHER, LET'S BEGIN WITH THE SEPTEMBER 17TH FIRST.
ANYBODY WISH TO RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES FOR SEPTEMBER 17TH? NOPE.
UH, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? OKAY.
I, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 17TH ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2025 AS WRITTEN.
OH, WE'RE JUST DOING, WE'RE DOING 'EM SEPARATELY.
17TH SEPTEMBER, THEN JUST SEVEN.
WE'LL MOVE TO THE OCTOBER 15TH.
HAS EVERYBODY REVIEWED THE OCTOBER 15TH MINUTES? ANYBODY WISH TO MAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR CHANGES? DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 15TH, 2025 IS WRITTEN.
MS. POTTER, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? CHAIRMAN NER.
I SHOULD ASK COUNSEL, DO WE NEED TO DO A VOICE VOTE ON THE SEPTEMBER 17TH MINUTES TO DO? WE NEED TO HAVE A ROLL CALL ON THAT, UM, TO BE CONSISTENT.
LET'S GO BACK UP THEN FOLKS, TO THE SEPTEMBER 15TH.
UH, MS. POLLER, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE FOR SEPTEMBER 17TH.
THOSE WERE MOTIONED BY VICE CHAIRMAN NEIL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BROOKS TO APPROVE AS WRITTEN, RIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES.
AND, UH, NOW I, WE COME TO THE SECTION OF THE MEETING FOR OPEN PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ANY TOPIC, NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT RELATED TO LAND USE.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE.
MS. POTTER, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP? NO.
IN THAT CASE, I WILL CLOSE THE OPEN HEARINGS AND, UH, CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
[VI. PUBLIC HEARING]
MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION AND WE HAVE AN ITEM HERE.MR. WARE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT IT PLEASE? APPLICATION 25 0 0 4 81 IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR AN ARTISTIC MURAL EXCEEDING 60 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE.
IS GONNA BE LOCATED AT 2 0 2 EAST SECOND STREET, AND IT IS, THE PROPERTY IS ZONED C TWO IN THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT.
UH, THERE'S THE LOCATION OF THE PROPERTY THERE AT THE CORNER THAT TRIANGULAR SHAPED LOT AT 2 0 2 EAST SECOND STREET, AND THE MURAL WOULD BE FACING NORTH COMMERCE AVENUE AS PER TOWN CODE 1 7 5 1 0 6 A FOUR DEFINITIONS, A SIGN AS ANY DEVICE EMPLOYING LETTERS, WORDS, SYMBOLS, ET CETERA, USE OR INTENDED TO ATTRACT ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC FROM STREETS, SIDEWALKS, OR OTHER PUBLIC OR OTHER OUTSIDE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE, THE TERM SIGN SHALL INCLUDE ALL STRUCTURAL MEMBERS.
SO THAT'S OUR DEFINITION OF A SIGN PER CODE.
AND THE DEFINITION OF A WALL SIGN IS A SIGN ATTACHED TO A WALL WERE PAINTED ON OR AGAINST A FLAT VERTICAL SURFACE OF A STRUCTURE WHICH DISPLAYS ONLY ONE ADVERTISING SURFACE.
SO THAT'S ADDITION OF A WALL SIGN.
AND SO A MURAL IS ANY SIGN IS A SIGN AS PER THE DEFINITION, IT IS USED OR INTENDED TO TRACK THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC.
THEREFORE, A WALL SIGN PERMIT IS REQUIRED AND THE MAXIMUM SIZE IS DETERMINED BY THE LENGTH OF THE BUILDING.
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ONE SQUARE FOOT OF SIGN PER ONE LINEAR FOOT OF THE BUILDING WITH A MAXIMUM OF 60 SQUARE FEET.SO THAT'S HOW WE DETERMINE WALL SIGNS IF THEY CAN BE DISPLAYED ON A BUILDING.
SO TOWN CODE 1 75, 10 B2B THREE A, UH, FOR A WALL OR MARQUEE SIGN, ONE SQUARE FEET LINEAR FOOT OF BUILDING WITH WHICH IT'S A SIGN, IS TO BE ATTACHED UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 60 SQUARE FEET.
ALSO, ARTISTIC MURALS CONTAINING BUSINESS OR PRODUCT ADVERTISING MAY BE APPROVED FOR EXCISE EXCEEDING 60 SQUARE FEET BY SPECIAL PERMIT.
SO THAT'S THE REASON THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS COMING BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, THEY ARE APPLYING FOR A MURAL EXCEEDING 60 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE.
THAT'S THE MAXIMUM SIZE FOR ANY WALL SIGN UNLESS IT'S AN ARTISTIC MURAL.
AND THAT REQUIRES A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
UH, SO THE EXISTING MURAL HERE AT 2 0 2 EAST SECOND STREET, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THREE PANELS THERE.
BASICALLY WITH THE PLANNERS DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM, UH, THAT'S THE EXISTING ONE ON THE BUILDING.
SO NOW WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IS TO DO MORE PANELS.
UH, THERE, THE PLANTERS ARE DEPICTED THERE AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, A DIFFERENT FLOWER ARRANGEMENT ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
UH, THAT WOULD BE EIGHT FEET IN HEIGHT AND 55 FEET IN LENGTH.
SO IT'S OVER TO 60, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S OVER TO 60 SQUARE FEET AND THEY WANNA DO THAT ON THAT SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
UH, THERE'S THE LOT SECOND STREET WITH THE SURVEY PLAT AND NORTH COMMERCE AVENUE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TOWN STAFF? IT REQUIRES A SPECIAL USE PERMIT OVER 60 SQUARE FEET.
IS THE PLAN TO PUT THEM ONLY ON THE COMMERCE STREET SIDE OF THE BUILDING? NOT ON THE PARKING LOT SIDE OF, YES, THE APPLICATION IS FOR THE ONLY ONE SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO SPEAK
UM, MY NAME IS KATIE O'DONNELL BONNET.
I'VE OWNED IT FOR A LITTLE OVER FOUR YEARS, AND SINCE OWNING IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE MADE SEVERAL UPDATES TO THE INTERIOR AND THE EXTERIOR, AND WE'D REALLY LIKE THIS MURAL TO UPDATE THE EXISTING MURAL TO THIS, WHICH JUST IS MORE COHESIVE, CLEANER.
IT WILL GIVE A BETTER LOOK TO THE BUILDING.
AND I LOVE THAT IT HAS A POSITIVE MESSAGE THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE TO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS MEANING TO ME, BUT ALSO MEANING IN OUR BUSINESS.
UM, WE SO FAR SINCE OWNING THE BUSINESS, I'VE LOVED BEING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND JUST PUTTING SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT SORT OF REPRESENTS OUR HEART FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND EVERY BLOOM TELLS A STORY.
IT REALLY REPRESENTS HOW EACH OF US HAVE A STORY AND WHEN WE ARE, YOU KNOW, INTERACTING WITH OTHERS, IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THAT AND VIEW THEM COMPLEXLY AND BE CURIOUS ABOUT EVERYONE'S STORY.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO ME.
AND THEN AS A BUSINESS SIDE, THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE DO IN THE SHOP.
WE USE FLOWERS TO TELL PEOPLE STORIES, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, MY BEST FRIEND'S MOM DIED OR MY SISTER HAD A BABY.
UM, WE'RE REALLY CONSIDERING WHAT FLOWERS WE USE IN EVERY ARRANGEMENT TO TELL THAT PERSON'S STORY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE, THE EVERY BLOOM TELLS THE STORY MEANS TO US.
AND THEN JUST MAKING IT SUPER COHESIVE INSTEAD OF THE THREE PIECES BRINGING IT TO ONE.
UM, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO DO THAT TO UPDATE THE LOOK.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? YES.
JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, HAVE YOU CHOSEN THE ARTIST FOR THIS? WE HAVE, UM, A WOMAN WHO WORKS WITH US.
HER NAME'S ELENA, AND SHE DOES ALL OF OUR ART.
WE DO OUR WINDOW DISPLAYS, AND SHE'S LIKE A REALLY TALENTED CHALKBOARD ARTIST AND A PAINTER.
SHE'S NEVER DONE A MURAL BEFORE, BUT SHE DID THAT.
THIS IS A VERY ROUGH DRAFT BECAUSE WE CHOSE THE COLORS, WE CHOSE THE FLOWERS.
WE HAVEN'T GONE INTO THE DETAIL.
UM, ALSO THE ORIGINAL PAINTER OF THE ORIGINAL MURAL WAS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, AND WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HER AND SHE'D REALLY LOVE TO HELP WITH THIS NEW MURAL TOO.
SO IT'LL BE ELENA AND HER, AND THEN POSSIBLY SOME OTHER ARTISTS THAT WE CAN BRING OUT TO HELP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ARE YOU DOING ANY, UH, ANY CHEMICAL TREATMENT AFTER IT'S DONE TO PRESERVE IT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE DON'T HAVE A, LIKE A PLAN TO, BUT LIKE A CLEAR PAINT SEALANT MAYBE JUST FOR WEATHER IS, I HAVEN'T REALLY LOOKED INTO THAT, BUT I WOULD ASSUME
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AFTER WE DO THE THE PAINTING, WE WOULD WANT TO SEAL IT WITH SOMETHING.BUT I HAVEN'T LOOKED INTO WHAT EXACTLY THAT WILL BE.
I'M SURE THE ARTISTS WILL KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT MATERIAL WOULD BE.
SOMETHING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
AND WE WORK REALLY CLOSE WITH SHERMAN AND WILLIAMS, WHO'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET WITH US.
IN FACT, THE OLD MURALIST WORKS AT SHERMAN AND WILLIAMS, SO WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, SO I'M SURE WHATEVER WILL BE BOUGHT FROM THEM.
SORRY, JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.
WHEN WAS THAT ORIGINAL MURAL PAINTED? IT? IT, WE THINK IT'S ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD.
YEAH, A LITTLE UNDER TEN NINE.
AMANDA WAS THERE WHEN THE ORIGINAL MURAL WAS DONE BY THE HIGH SCHOOLER AND SHE REMEMBERS, WHICH IS HOW WE KNOW, BUT THE OLD OWNER COMMISSIONED IT.
I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MS. POTTER, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO TESTIFY AT THE PUBLIC HEARING IN THAT CASE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, AND ASK FOR A MOTION SO THAT WE MAY DISCUSS THIS.
I MOVE TO THE PLAINTIFF COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
APPLICATION NUMBER 2 5 0 0 4 8 1 FOR AN ARTISTIC MURAL EXCEEDING 60 SQUARE FEET ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING, LOCATED AT 2 0 2 EAST SECOND STREET, IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP 20 A 8 1 4 33.
ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK MS. POTTER, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
WE DISCUSSED IT EXTENSIVELY IN OUR WORK SESSION.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS? DOES THE
[VIII. PLANNING DIRECTOR REPORT]
PLANNING DIRECTOR HAVE A REPORT? YES, I DO.UM, SO FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, WE HAD 19 NEW ZONING PERMITS.
CODE ENFORCEMENT OPENED EIGHT NEW CASES, CLOSED OUT TWO AND CONDUCTED NINE INSPECTIONS.
WE TOOK IN TWO LAND USE APPLICATIONS AND ISSUED 13 BUSINESS LICENSES.
UM, WE HAD 212 WALK-INS TO THE DEPARTMENT BRINGING OUR TOTAL FOR THE YEAR UP TO 1,935.
UM, AND SO FAR THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE WE ARE AT, UH, 10 NEW, UH, DWELLING UNITS IN TOWN.
SO, AND THEN AS FOR ANY UPDATES, WE'RE GOING INTO OUR WORK SESSION AT 7 45 TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THE ZONING, UM, UPDATES.
AND I HAVE ALSO MET WITH OUR CONSULTANTS SUMMIT AND THEY HAVE BEGUN WORK ON OUR SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE, BRINGING THAT INTO COMPLIANCE WITH STATE CODE.
SOME OF THE CHANGES THIS PAST YEAR TOOK OUT OR REMOVED PLANNING COMMISSION FROM THE SITE PLAN, APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO WE'RE GETTING EVERYTHING BUTTONED UP THERE.
QUESTIONS FOR QUESTIONS FOR MS. LAUREN? NOPE.
UM, I SHOULD ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL ADJOURN AND THEN WE WILL GO TO A WORK SESSION.
THE WORK SESSION WILL NOT BE HERE.
IT WILL BE IN THE TOWN HALL BUILDING BECAUSE THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IS MORE FRIENDLY FOR THE KIND OF WORK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE DOING.
SO AT THIS POINT, I CAN ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.