* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:05] 7:00 PM [I. CALL TO ORDER] IT IS 7:00 PM AND I'LL CALL TO ORDER THE FRONT ROW PLANNING COMMISSION FOR JANUARY 21ST, 2026. MS. POTTER, CAN YOU SPEAK MORE INTO YOUR MIC? IT'S NOT PICKING UP. IT'S NOT PICKING. THERE IT IS. OKAY. ALL RIGHTY. I WILL PRETEND I'M A ROCK STAR. OKAY. . MS. POTTER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL THE ROLE PLEASE? CHAIRMAN MARNER. YES. VICE CHAIRMAN NEIL? YES. COMMISSIONER FEDERICA. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER BROOKS? HERE. COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO. HERE WE HAVE QUORUM. THANK YOU. UM, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS OF ADDITION OR DELETION FROM THE AGENDA THAT WAS PREPARED IN ADVANCE? NO. HEARING NONE. OKAY. [IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] UM, FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 18TH, 2025. HAVE ALL THE MEMBERS REVIEWED THE MINUTES? YES. YES. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES REQUESTED? NOPE. NO. WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 18TH, 2025 AS WRITTEN. IS THERE A SECOND DISCUSSION? MS. POTTER, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES. COMMISSIONER BROOKS ABSTAIN. CHAIRMAN MARNER APPROVE? YES. VICE CHAIRMAN NEIL? YES. AND COMMISSIONER FEDERICA? YES. WERE WERE YOU AT THE LAST, I DON'T THINK YOU WERE AT THAT MEETING, WERE YOU? OH, NO, I WASN'T. SO I JUST APPROVED THE MINUTES. THE MINUTES. SO ABSTAIN? YES. . OKAY. OKAY. SO THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. [V. PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS] UM, I SEE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO THE AGENDA. UH, 1, 2, 3, 4. THERE ARE FIVE PEOPLE SIGNED UP. DOES ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SIGN UP AT THIS POINT? IF SO, UH, COME UP HERE, BUT DO THAT AS WE GET GOING. UH, THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT SECTION NOT RELATED TO THE AGENDA. SO IF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, I SHOULD SAY, WHICH COME LATER IN THE MEETING, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THE PUBLIC HEARING. THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION COMES IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES, BUT RIGHT NOW THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS RELATING TO LAND USE IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. UM, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES. WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND, UH, FOR THE RECORD AND PLEASE DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, NOT THE APPLICANT'S IF IN CASE OF PUBLIC HEARING OR THE STAFF OR ANY OTHER SPEAKERS. AND PLEASE KEEP IT TO THREE MINUTES OF A COMMENT, UH, AND, UH, RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC YOU'RE ADDRESSING. AND, UH, DISRESPECTFUL OR UNCOURTEOUS LANGUAGE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. SO, UH, THE FIRST PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING IS DR. NANCY LEE. PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF WHEN YOU COME TO THE MIC. GOOD EVENING. I'M NANCY LEE. I LIVE AT TWO 14 GRAND AVENUE AND I'VE LIVED ON GRAND AVENUE FOR 41 YEARS. IT'S QUITE A LONG TIME, AND I AM SPEAKING ABOUT, UH, THE POSSIBLE ZONE CHANGE ON A COUPLE OF THE LOTS ON GRAND AVENUE. AND I'M OPPOSED TO THAT ZONE CHANGE. THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, IT'S OLD, AND I QUESTION WHY IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. I SAW MR. KLEIN'S, UM, JUSTIFICATION LETTER, AND HE DID NOTE THAT IN THE LOTS THAT HE IS HOPING TO HAVE REZONED THAT THEY BACK UP TO, UM, ORCHARD STREET, WHICH IS ZONED R THREE. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S RELEVANT TO THE REZONING OF THAT LOT ON GRAND AVENUE IF IT IS RELEVANT. A LOT OF OUR PROPERTY REZONES ON, UH, BACKS UP TO, UH, SALEM, WHICH IS ZONED R ONE, SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S RELEVANT. HE DOES SPEAK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE HOUSING IN WARREN COUNTY FRONT ROYAL IS VERY EXPENSIVE. SO I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT AND I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE WITH HIM THAT HE WANTS TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING. HOWEVER, UH, MY THOUGHT IS THAT THEN BUILD IT ON THE ZONE THAT ALLOWS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT HE WANTS TO BUILD DON'T CHANGE HIS ZONE IN ORDER TO BUILD IT THERE. [00:05:01] SO AGAIN, I'M OPPOSED TO, UH, HIS RECOMMENDATION OF CHANGING THE LOT ZONES TO, FROM R ONE TO R THREE, I ALSO HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT I NEED TO SHARE WITH MS. POTTER. UM, IT'S, UM, SOME PETITIONS IN FAVOR OF NOT APPROVING THE ZONE CHANGE, AND ALSO A LETTER FROM ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT LIVES ON GRAND AVENUE THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT. AND SO SHE'S WRITTEN A LETTER. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TREY, I THINK I GIVE YOU ALL. OKAY. TREY STANFORD. GOOD EVENING. UM, I TOO WANT TO, UH, JOIN DR. LEE. PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD. I, OH, I'M TRE STANFORD. I LIVE AT THREE 14 SALEM AVENUE IN FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA. UH, A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY UNDER CONSIDERATION, WHICH WAS, WAS JUST COMMENT. IS YOUR, IS YOUR MICROPHONE ON? IS IT, IS THERE A GREEN LIGHT? THERE IS, IS IT NOT WORKING? IS THE GREEN LIGHT ON? HELLO? OKAY. OKAY. SORRY. BOY, YOU GOTTA GET IT REALLY CLOSE. , I'M SORRY. BOY, THAT'S REALLY CLOSE. OH, CAN I, MAY I DO THIS? YEAH, THAT WORKS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. MY NAME IS TREY STANFORD. I LIVE AT THREE 14 SALEM AVENUE IN FRONT ROYAL, WHICH IS A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY UNDER CONSIDERATION, UH, FOR REZONING TO R THREE, UM, ON GRAND AVENUE. AND I WANNA SPEAK AGAINST THAT, UH, REZONING, UH, WHILE I LIVE A BLOCK AWAY, MY MOTHER AND SISTER LIVE IN 3 0 3 GRAND, WHICH IS, UH, BORDERING THE LOT. THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION. MY MOTHER'S 80 AND A CANCER SURVIVOR, UM, ALTHOUGH SHE JUST FOUND OUT SHE HAS CANCER FOR THE THIRD TIME. UH, AND SHE'S A PRIMARY CAREGIVER FOR MY SISTER WHO HAS CEREBRAL PALSY AND A SEIZURE DISORDER AND IS CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR. AND SO THEY COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT. UH, BUT THEY ASKED THAT I REPRESENT THEM AMONG OTHER THINGS THEY WANTED ME TO MENTION THAT ONE REASON THEY MOVED INTO THAT HOUSE ON GRAND AVENUE WAS BECAUSE THE AVENUE WAS QUIET, UM, THAT IT HAD NICE YARDS AND ESTABLISHED TREES. AND THEY COUNTED ON THE FACT THAT IF THE PARCEL NEXT DOOR WAS DEVELOPED, UH, IT TOO WOULD BE A SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOME, OR TWO HOMES ON ADJOINING LOTS AND NOT A SET OF HOMES SHOVED TOGETHER, UH, WHICH IS BOUND TO MAKE LIFE ON THAT PART OF THE BLOCK A LOT BUSIER THAN WAS INTENDED BY THE ORIGINAL PLANNERS, AND CERTAINLY BUSIER THAN WAS EXPECTED BY ALL OF THE NEIGHBORS. UM, ALSO THOSE FOUR NEW PLANNED DRIVEWAYS ARE ONE LOT AWAY FROM A BLIND CURVE WHERE GRAND AVENUE TURNS INTO CHERRY AVENUE. AND I THINK THERE'S SOME DANGER THERE FOR CARS AND KIDS SINCE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY THE APPLICANT. UH, IF THIS MEASURE PASSES, THEN THERE WILL EFFECTIVELY BE TWICE AS MANY HOMES ON THOSE LOTS THEN WERE PLANNED BY THE TOWN, OR THEN WERE EXPECTED BY THOSE WHO HAVE INVESTED IN HOMES OF THEIR OWN ON GRAND AVENUE. UH, AND IT STRUCK SOME OF THOSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MAKING THIS CHANGE IS LIKE GOING BACK ON A PROMISE. UH, I THINK THAT ANY REASON MUST BE A COMPELLING REASON, OBVIOUSLY, FOR THE CHANGE, AND I CAN ONLY THINK OF TWO. ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP BY THE APPLICANT, WHICH WAS INVENTORY. AND I AGREE WITH THE FORMER SPEAKER THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER WAYS TO INCREASE INVENTORY. UM, IN ADDITION TO, UM, WITHOUT CHANGING, UM, OR REZONING THIS PROPERTY, THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES THAT DON'T NEED TO BE REZONED THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED. UH, AND, UM, IN FACT, THESE PROPOSED HOMES ON GRAND AVENUE COULD BE BOUGHT AND TURNED INTO SHORT TERM RENTALS INSTEAD OF PLACES FOR FAMILIES OR RETIREES TO LIVE. AND OBVIOUSLY DEALING WITH THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL MARKET HAS A DIRECT EFFECT AND SQUEEZES THE INVENTORY, UH, THAT WAS REFERENCED BY THE APPLICANT FOR, UH, FOR FAMILIES. UM, AND THIS IS IN CLOSE WALKING DISTANCE TO MAIN STREET. IT'S VERY DESIRABLE, I THINK, FOR TURNING INTO SHORT-TERM RENTALS. UM, SO, UH, THE BUILDER'S ALREADY FREE TO BUILD THERE. UH, AND, AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BUILDER TO DO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TIME UP. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT IS COLIN STEWART. SORRY, I DON'T HAVE A PREPARED, UH, LETTER. BUT, UH, COLIN STEWART, 4 2 5 GRAND AVENUE, COLIN WITH TWO LS STEWART, THE CORRECT SCOTTISH WAY. S-T-E-W-A-R-T. UM, WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS, JUST NOT EVEN A WEEK AGO, UH, WE WERE ALL KINDA SHOCKED AND SURPRISED. WOW, THIS MICROPHONE IS REALLY TERRIBLE. UM, SO NEVER SAW I, IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING, I'M ASSUMING ONE OF THOSE BLUE AND YELLOW SIGNS WILL BE PUT OUT THERE JUST TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION WHEN THERE IS, WHEN IT'S ON THE AGENDA RIGHT NOW, IT'S RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. LIKE, SHOULD THERE BEEN SOME ADVERTISEMENT OR SOMETHING? SO ANYWAY, UH, MA MADAM CHAIR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS OR ONE WAY COMMUNICATIONS? UM, YEAH, I WAS JUST ASKING. RIGHT. IT WAS THE, THE RISK IS THAT IF YOU ENGAGE IN TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION, YOU EXPAND THE PUBLIC FORUM GOTCHA. AND THEN THE TIME SPINS OUTTA CONTROL. GOTCHA. OKAY. THANK YOU. [00:10:01] UM, ANYWAY, YEAH, I, UH, ME AND A LOT OF OTHER FAMILIES ON GRAND AVENUE OPPOSE THIS. THERE'S A REASON IT'S CALLED GRAND AVENUE. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE PRETTIEST STREETS IN FRONT ROYAL, UH, IN TOWN LIMITS. UH, WE'VE BEEN THERE A VERY LONG TIME. UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR PROPERTY VALUES FOR RESALE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, THAT WAS MY MAIN THING. AND THEN I, YEAH, I REITERATE WHAT TRAY SAID, SO I, HE, HE KIND OF NAIL ALL THE POINTS I WOULD'VE MADE AS WELL. SO, UM, YEAH, I'M AGAINST THE REZONING OF THAT FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS, SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, PATTY UE IS THE NEXT NAME ON THE LIST. I, GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO MIC CLOSER IF YOU COULD PLEASE. OKAY. YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU ALL. JUST AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK AND EFFORT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I KNOW IT'S NOT ALWAYS A THANKFUL, SOMETIMES IT'S A THANKLESS JOB, SO JUST AS A CITIZEN, I WANNA THANK YOU. AND I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH MY NEIGHBORS. UH, I MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A WIDOW 11 YEARS AGO AND WAS WARMLY EMBRACED BY A VERY CLOSE KNIT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ZONED R ONE WITH SINGLE FAMILIES. AND I LEARNED THAT IT HAD GENERATIONAL HISTORY THERE AND THAT MANY FAMILIES HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IN INCLUDING MARY WOOD, WHO'S BEEN THERE, WHO HAD BEEN THERE ALMOST OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, UM, THE FAMILY. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY THERE AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, A SHAME TO CHANGE IT. THE ZONING TO R THREE AND, UH, RISK DEVALUING OUR PROPERTIES. WHEN I MOVED THERE, IT WAS WITH THE IDEA OF THIS WAS A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT THE INVESTMENT WOULD KEEP, AND I HAVE SIX CHILDREN MOSTLY GROWN, AND IT'S THE INVESTMENT I HAVE FOR MY CHILDREN IS THE VALUE OF THAT HOME THAT HAS INCREASED THROUGH THE YEARS, JUST LIKE THE REST OF FRONT ROYAL. AND, UM, IT WOULD BREAK MY HEART TO SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD BE DIMINISHED BY SHORT TERM RENTALS. UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT LOT'S BEAUTIFUL, THAT MR. KLEIN HAS PURCHASED. AND IT WOULD MAKE A LOVELY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING. AND HE COULD, IF HE SOLD THAT IN MY MIND, MAKE A NICE, UH, THE INVESTMENT WOULD BE, WOULD PROVE TO BE GOOD WITHOUT DAMAGING WHAT HAS BEEN INVESTED THERE FOR GENERATIONS. AND SO I CONCUR WITH MY FRIENDS THAT IT WOULD BE BEST FOR HIM TO EITHER BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY UNIT OR POSSIBLY TWO HOMES COULD FIT, BUT FAMILIES RATHER THAN, UH, FOR MULTIPLEX. SO I WOULD URGE YOU AND MR. KLEIN TO PLEASE RECONSIDER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, UH, DOES ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT? OH, ANY SUBJECT AT ALL. THIS IS, THIS IS AN OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION ON ANY SUBJECT RELATING TO LAND USE IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. THERE IS A NAME HERE WITH A QUESTION MARK. DOES THAT PERSON WISH TO SPEAK OR NOT? I WILL ASSUME THE QUESTION MARK RULES IN THAT CASE. UM, OKAY. UH, HEARING SEEN NOBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO MAKE AN OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC [VI. CONSENT AGENDA] COMMENT SECTION AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. DO I HAVE A MOTION? I, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA TO PUBLICLY ADVERTISE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN FEBRUARY AS PRESENTED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. UH, IS THERE A DISCUSSION? NO, NO MORE WORK TO COME. NO MORE DISCUSSION. OKAY. JUST, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IT MIGHT BE WORTH MENTIONING THE ITEMS THAT THE FOLKS SPOKE ON IN THE OPEN SESSION AROUND THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY, WHICH MEANS THEY WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING AT OUR NEXT MEETING. SO THAT'S HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. SLOWLY BUT SURELY. [00:15:01] SO THERE WILL BE ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE, SO TO SPEAK. OKAY. MS. POTTER, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL CHAIRMAN MARNER. YES. COMMISSIONER BROOKS? YES. VICE CHAIRMAN NEIL? YES. COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES. COMMISSIONER FEDERICA? YES. OKAY. CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED. OKAY. [VII. PUBLIC HEARING] WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION. OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING IS NUMBER 2 5 0 0 5 7 1, UH, SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY GARY BUNCH TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE GARAGE GENERAL REPAIR SHOP AT THREE WEST 14TH STREET, UH, ET CETERA. MR. WARE, DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION OF MISS ITEM, UH, FOR KNIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING? WE HAVE THREE SPECIAL USE PERMITS IN EACH OF THOSE FOR THREE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES AND FOR THREE DIFFERENT USES. SO WE JUST WANNA GO OVER SOME GUIDELINES FOR SPECIAL USE PERMITS. UH, SO THE GOVERNING BODY IS AUTHORIZED THE GRANT SPECIAL USE PERMITS UNDER SUITABLE REGULATIONS AND SAFEGUARDS. THAT'S VIRGINIA CODE 15 22 86 A THREE. AND UNDER VIRGINIA LAW, THE CONDITIONS IMPOSED MUST BEAR A REASONABLE RELATIONSHIP TO THE LIT LEGITIMATE LAND USE CONCERNS AND THE PROBLEMS GENERATED BY THE USE OF THE PROPERTY. UNLIKE PROFFERS, THAT ACCOMPANY A REZONING CONSIDERED BY THE LOCALITIES GOVERNING BODY, SPECIAL USE PERMIT CONDITIONS ARE NOT VOLUNTEERED BY THE LANDOWNER AND NEED NOT BE DEVELOPED THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS. SPECIAL USE PERMIT SHALL DEMONSTRATE THE APPROPRIATENESS OF ESTABLISHING THE SPECIAL USE ON THE SPECIFIC PROPERTY. TYPICAL STANDARDS FOR SPECIAL USE PERMITS INCLUDE THE IMPACT OF THE SPECIAL USE ON THE CHARACTER OF THE DISTRICT, THE IMPACT OF THE SPECIAL USE ON THE WELFARE OF THE LANDOWNERS AND OCCUPANTS OF THE LAND AND THE DISTRICT, AND WHETHER IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. OTHER FACTORS THAT YOU COULD, SHOULD CONSIDER IS THE CHARACTER OF THE PROPERTY, THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC AND ECONOMIC DE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY. UH, A COUPLE PRINCIPLES ABOUT SPECIAL USE PERMITS, WHETHER GRANTED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OR THE BZA SPECIAL USE PERMITS ARE LEGISLATIVE IN NATURE AND THE USES ALLOWED BY SPECIAL USE PERMITS ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE A POTENTIALLY GREATER IMPACT THAN THOSE THAT ARE ALLOWED BY MATTER OF RIGHT. SPECIAL USE PERMITS MUST BE EVALUATED UNDER REASONABLE STANDARDS BASED ON ZONING PRINCIPLES, IMPACTS, OR SPECIAL USES ARE ADDRESSED THROUGH CONDITIONS. AND WITH EACH OF THESE APPLICATIONS, THEIR, UH, TOWN DID, UM, PUT SOME CONDITIONS THEY'D LIKE TO SEE ON THESE SPECIAL USE PERMITS. AND THE CONDITIONS MUST BE REASONABLE RELATED TO THE IMPACTS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND THE EXTENT THAT THE CONDITIONS MUST BE ROUGHLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE IMPACT AND DECISIONS THAT DENY SPECIAL USE PERMITS MAY BE APPEALED TO THE CIRCUIT COURT. UH, WHEN THE LOCALITY IMPOSES CONDITIONS ON THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, IT MUST BE CERTAIN THAT THE CONDITIONS HAVE AN ESSENTIAL NEXUS THAT IS RELATED TO THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ROUGHLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE IMPACT. SO THE ESSENTIAL NEXUS IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PRIVATE PARTY'S ACTIVITY AND THE BURDEN PLACED ON THE COMMUNITY AS A RESULT. AND THE FEE OR REQUIREMENT PLACED ON THE PRIVATE PARTY IS ROUGHLY PROPORTIONAL. SO THOSE ARE THINGS YOU NEED TO CONSIDER FOR ALL THREE SPECIAL USE PERMITS TONIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON THAT. THREE DIFFERENT ONES, THREE DIFFERENT APPLICATION, THREE DIFFERENT SPECIAL USES. SO THE FIRST ONE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING IS 25 DOUBLE 0 5 71. THAT IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE GARAGE SLASH GENERAL REPAIR SHOP AT THREE WEST 14TH STREET. IT IS ZONE C ONE AND IT IS IN THE ENTRANCE CORRIDOR. IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROPERTY. THERE, IT SETS IN THE CURVE THERE AT 14TH STREET IN NORTH ROYAL AVENUE. THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES OUTLINED THERE IN LIGHT BLUE, UH, THAT IS, UH, CURRENTLY A SERVICE STATION NOW OPERATES AS A AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION. UH, THEY DID SUBMIT A PLAT, UH, SHOWING THE EXISTING BUILDING THERE, UH, THE OUTLINE OF THE PROPERTY AND THE STREETS, WHICH IS REQUIRED, UH, FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT. UH, THERE'S A STREET VIEW OF THE PROPERTY, THE CURRENT SERVICE STATION. AND KEEP IN MIND THIS ENTRANCE HERE, UH, WE DID GET COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC WORKS REGARDING THIS ENTRANCE. THIS IS THE ENTRANCE OFF OF 14TH STREET. UH, [00:20:01] THERE'S THE, UH, PROPERTY AGAIN, THE BUILDING, THE CURRENT SERVICE STATION THERE ON NORTH ROYAL AVENUE. AND ANOTHER, UH, PHOTOGRAPH OF IT THERE WITH SOME, UH, SCREENING AND STORAGE THERE TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE PROPERTY. DOES HAVE SOME SERVICE BAYS ALREADY IN THE EXISTING BUILDING. UH, THE APPLICANT DOES PROPOSE IN THE FUTURE TO EXPAND THE BUSINESS. UH, THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUT ANOTHER, ATTACH ANOTHER BUILDING TO THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, HENCE THE USE FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO EXPAND THE BUSINESS FROM A SERVICE STATION TO GENERAL AUTO REPAIR. AND THE SIZE OF THE NEW STRUCTURE IF APPROVED, UH, THAT WOULD BE DICTATED BY THE SIZE OF THE LOT AND, UH, THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, SETBACKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT THAT IS NOT PART OF YOUR APPLICATION TONIGHT. THAT'S JUST THEIR FUTURE CONCEPT, WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO DO FOR THE BUILDING. UH, WE DID PLACE SOME CONDITIONS ON THAT, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET. UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TOWN STAFF ABOUT THE CONDITIONS? NO, SIR. WE SEEM TO HAVE NO QUESTIONS. JUST SO YOU KNOW, THOSE CONDITIONS ARE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF, ESPECIALLY THE CLOSE CLOSURE OF THAT ENTRANCE OFF OF 14TH STREET. UM, FOR SAFETY. YEAH. WE, WE RE UH, OTHER AGENCIES WITHIN THE TOWN REVIEWED THESE SPECIAL USE PERMITS. WE GOT THE COMMENTS BACK FROM PUBLIC WORKS. ONE OF THE CONDITION THEY'RE REQUESTING IS THIS ENTRANCE TO BE CLOSED. SO THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO USE THIS TO ENTER INTO THE BUSINESS. UH, THEY BELIEVE THAT FOR SAFETY REASON, IT'S BEST ENTERED BY THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH ROYAL AVENUE, WHERE THEY'D HAVE ONE ENTRANCE EXIT AND AN ENTRANCE AND AN EXIT INTO THE PROPERTY. UH, THAT'S FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN FROM PUBLIC WORKS. MR. WARE, WERE ANY OF THE ADJOINING PROPERTIES NOTIFIED OR INVITED TO WITH ALL SPECIAL USE PERMITS? YES. PUBLIC HEARINGS. WE HAD NOTIFIED ALL THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS. WE POSTED THE SIGN AND WE DID THE ADVERTISING IN THE PAPER AS REQUIRED BY STATE CODE. DID YOU GET ANY FEEDBACK? WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FEEDBACK. OKAY. I HAVE ONE QUESTION AS A POINT OF CLARITY, UH, FOR THE RECOMMENDED, UH, CONDITION THREE, TALKING ABOUT OUTDOOR STORAGE AND DISPLAYS BEING SCREENED TO OBSTRUCT VISIBILITY. UH, WOULD THAT ALSO INCLUDE SIGNAGE AND THINGS THAT, UH, I'M JUST WANNA MAKE A POINT OF CLARITY THAT DISPLAY AND SIGNAGE ARE NOT GONNA BE THE, THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERED THE SAME THING HERE. RIGHT. SO THE TWO OF THE CONDITIONS OF THAT WORK HAS TO BE DONE IN AN ENCLOSED BUILDING MM-HMM . AND THE AREA TO BE SCREENED. THAT IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. MM-HMM . IN THE C ONE DISTRICT FOR THOSE TYPE OF STRUCTURES OR THAT TYPE OF USE. GOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND THE APPLICANT IS AWARE OF THE CON CONDITIONS THAT WILL PROBABLY BE COMING ALREADY IF THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE AWARE OF IT THIS EVENING AND THEY'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR, UH, ELABORATE ON THE, UH, APPLICATION. SO SINCE ESSENTIALLY IT'S A SERVICE STATION, GENERAL SERVICE STATION, UH, THEY WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THE BUSINESS TO OFFER GENERAL AUTO REPAIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . IS THE APPLICANT HERE? YES. WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO SPEAK? YOU WERE STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, MR. WARE? I COULDN'T SEE BEHIND YOU. , , UH, MY NAME'S GARY BUNCH. UH, THE, UH, PROPOSAL TONIGHT IS TO BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT A FACILITY IN THE BACK OF THE EXISTING BUILDING TO TURN IT INTO A GARAGE REPAIR FACILITY INSTEAD OF A SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR A SERVICE FACILITY. AND, UM, TALKED TO, UH, GOT ALONG FOLKS THAT PROBABLY BEEN WITH US, I DON'T KNOW, 12, 15 YEARS. UM, TALKED TO HIM TODAY AND THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER. AND, UH, HE'S ALL ABOUT CLOSING UP THAT ENTRANCE BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SOME TWO PRETTY GOOD SIZED WRECKS THERE, JUST PULLING OUT OF HIS BUSINESS. UM, I DON'T THINK, UM, THE, UM, OUTSIDE STORAGE, THERE'S ALREADY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES AND STUFF, THERE'S ALREADY, UM, FENCED IN STUFF TO, THEY'RE IN THE TIRE BUSINESS ALSO. AND ALL THAT IS FENCED OFF. AND I'M SURE THAT, UH, WE COULD DO WHATEVER IT NEEDS TO BE TO SCREEN THE REST OF IT TO SUIT WHATEVER WE NEED. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. POTTER, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT? NO. OKAY. I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS POINT. UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION? UH, DO YOU WANNA ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OH, IS ANYONE PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? NO. OKAY. UM, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? [00:25:02] UH, SURE. IN FURTHERANCE OF, UH, PUR THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH ONE BI MOVE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 5 0 0 5 71 TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE GARAGE SLASH GENERAL REPAIR SHOP LOCATED AT TH THREE WEST 14TH STREET, UH, AND IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP 20 A TWO DASH THREE DASH 62 DASH 24 A 25 26 27 B 63 WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THE ENTRANCE, UH, OFF 14TH STREET SHALL BE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH CARBON GUTTER. ALL WORK SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITHIN AN ENCLOSED BUILDING, AND ALL OUTDOOR STORAGE OR DISPLAY SHALL BE SCREENED TO OBSTRUCT ITS VISIBILITY FROM ANY PUBLIC STREET. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND DISCUSSION? I MEAN, I THINK WE REVIEWED THIS PRETTY WELL. UH, THE, EVERYTHING LINES UP WELL AND I, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY THERE'D BE ANY ISSUES WITH THIS. NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. OKAY. MS. POTTER, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES. CHAIRMAN MARNER? YES. COMMISSIONER FEDERICA? YES. COMMISSIONER BROOKS? YES. VICE CHAIRMAN NEIL? YES. OKAY. UH, MOTION PASSES. MR. WILL, UH, NOW WE WILL TURN TO 25 5 7 3 SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR AN AUTOMOBILE PARKING LOT. MR. WARE, PLEASE FILL US IN ON THIS. SO THIS IS THE SECOND ITEM OF THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT. AGAIN, ANOTHER SPECIAL USE PERMIT. THIS IS AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY PROPERTY CONNECTIONS LLC TO ALLOW IN AN AUTOMOBILE PARKING LOT COMMERCIAL, UH, WHICH BASICALLY IS A TOW YARD, UH, ON THE, DOWN ON THE END OF KIBBLER STREET. THE PROPERTY IS ZONE C ONE. IT IS IN THE COMMUNITY BUSINESS DISTRICT. UH, SO PER DEFINITION, THE AUTOMOBILE PARKING LOT FOR COMMERCIAL IS A LOT OR PORTIONED THEREOF OTHER THAN AUTOMOBILE SALES LOT HELD OUT OR USED FOR THE STORAGE OR PARKING AT SIX OR MORE MOTOR VEHICLES. AS YOU CAN READ THERE IN THE PARKING LOT SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED AN ACCESSORY USE, NOR SHALL BE USED FOR STORAGE OF OR OF DISMANTLED OR WRECKED VEHICLES. SO WE POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE OF THE, UH, CONDITION THAT STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED, RECOMMENDED ON THIS. UH, SO THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC CODE CHAPTER 1 58, BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE ASKING TO DO IS FOR A TOWING OPERATOR AS DEFINED BY TOWN CODE TO SECURE A LOT TO, UH, HAVE VEHICLES TOWED THERE. AND THERE'S GENERAL REQUIREMENTS WITH THE STORAGE OF THE VEHICLES, UH, SO OF THE VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY. AND THIS IS PART OF YOUR CONDITIONS BY THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS. THE STORAGE AREA HAS TO BE FULLY ENCLOSED BY A COMMERCIAL GRADE FENCE AT LEAST SIX FEET TALL. THAT'S ONE OF THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS. ALSO, THE STORAGE LOT SHALL HAVE A GRAVELED OR PAVED SURFACE. SO THOSE ARE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED IN THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS. UH, IF THIS GETS APPROVED, THEY WOULD COME IN FOR A BUSINESS LICENSE AND, UH, DEPENDING ON THE STORAGE FACILITY, THE LOT HAS TO BE AT LEAST 1500 SQUARE FEET FOR, UH, THE SMALL PART OF THE LOT. OR, UH, FOR HEAVY TOWING IT HAS TO BE 3000 A SQUARE FOOT OF SIZE. SO THAT'S GONNA DETERMINE THE I THE AREA OF THE FENCED IN AREA, WHETHER, WHETHER DOING A, A REGULAR TOWING SERVICE OR FOR HEAVY COMMERCIAL TOWING OR HEAVY DUTY. SO THERE IS THE PROPERTY LOCATED THERE AT THE END OF KLER STREET. IT IS ON A VACANT LOT, UH, SITS THERE AT THE VERY END AND THERE'S AN ALLEY THERE AT THE SOUTH END. UH, THEY DID SUBMIT A PLAT SHOWN AT THERE. THEY DID HIGHLIGHT AN AREA WHERE THEY, UH, RECOGNIZED FOR A TOWING FACILITY, A VE VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY, THAT THEY DO NEED A FENCE AROUND A PERIMETER. UH, THERE'S A COUPLE PICTURES OF THE, UH, VACANT LOT THERE TO SIGN ON SITE AS RE AS WE DO FOR, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS HERE IN THE TOWN. UH, THE CONDITIONS WE'VE, UH, RECOMMENDED IS THE VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY SHALL HAVE A FULLY ENCLOSED BY COMMERCIAL GRADE FENCE, WHICH DOES NOT RESTRICT THE FLOW OF WATER AND IS AT LEAST SIX FEET TALL. THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT IS IN THE FLOODPLAIN. SO WE DO NOT WANNA RESTRICT WHEN, UH, WATERS COME OUTTA THE BANKS OF THE CREEK. SO WE WOULD, UH, LIKE THAT TO HAVE, IT WOULD NOT RESTRICT THE FLOW SO THE ON THE FENCE, WE WOULD NOT PREFER [00:30:01] TO HAVE A SOLID BOARD PRIVACY FENCE ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND. 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE, UH, UH, NOT GOOD FOR THE FLOODPLAIN AREA. WE ARE ASKING ALSO THE NORTHWEST AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE LOT SHALL BE SCREENED TO ALWAYS OBSTRUCTIVE VIEW OF ADJACENT PROPERTIES AND PUBLIC STREETS WITH AN EVERGREEN HEDGE AT LEAST SIX FEET IN HEIGHT. SO THAT GOES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FENCE. 'CAUSE WE DO WOULD PREFER NOT TO HAVE A SOLID BOARD FENCE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE SCREENED. UH, THE VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY SHALL HAVE A GRAVELED OR PAVED SURFACE SURFACE. SO THAT'S PART OF THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS. AND ANOTHER CONDITION, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS IS THAT THE WRECK OR DAMAGED VEHICLES SHALL NOT REMAIN ON SITE FOR A PERIOD LONGER THAN 48 HOURS UPON ARRIVAL ON THE LOT. AND THAT'S PER THE DEFINITION. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT, UH, CONDITION TO BE PLACED ALSO ON THE LOT. ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT? ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WARE? UH, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CONCERNS, UH, NOTED, UH, GIVEN THE LOCATION HERE, UH, FOR POTENTIAL TRAFFIC GOING IN AND OUT OR, YOU KNOW, TIMES OF NIGHT THAT THEY MAY BE OPERATING IN, WHAT'S A YES TO C ONE, BUT ALSO PRIMARILY USED AS RESIDENTIAL IN THIS AREA? UH, THERE IS PART OF THE, UH, TOWN CODE DOES ADDRESS THAT UNDER THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC SECTION. THESE ARE JUST THE BASIC GENERAL REQUIREMENTS WE'VE PUT IN THERE. BUT THERE IS OPERATING HOURS SIGNAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE POSTED AND, AND OTHER THINGS IF THEY'RE GONNA DO THIS AS A VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, MR. UH, THANK YOU. PUT YOUR MIC ON MR. UM, THANK YOU. UM, ABOUT THE RECTOR DAMAGED VEHICLES NOT REMAINING ON THE SITE FOR A PERIOD LONGER THAN 48 HOURS. HOW IS THAT GONNA BE MANAGED? WELL, WE DO HAVE, PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT IS CODE ENFORCEMENT. SO WE WOULD ROUTINELY, LIKE ANY BUSINESS, WE DO ROUTINELY, UH, GO THROUGH BUSINESS AREAS AND CHECK UH, CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S PART OF THEIR PURVIEW TO DO A CODE INSPECTION AND OF SITES LIKE THAT. AND THIS WOULD ALSO MOSTLY BE COMPLAINT DRIVEN. SO IF WE GOT A COMPLAINT INTO OUR OFFICE THAT THEY HAD A TOTAL VEHICLE THERE, YOU KNOW, SITTING THERE FOR WEEKS ON END, WE COULD GO INVESTIGATE THAT. OKAY. UM, SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, MOSTLY RELYING ON THE HONOR SYSTEM HERE. HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM IF, IF WE NEED TO USE IT. OKAY. AND IF THEY ARE FOUND IN VIOLATION, THIS WOULD BE, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY THEN TO TAKE BACK THEIR SPECIAL USE PERMIT. OH, OKAY. SO WE CAN REVOKE IT. OKAY. IF THEY'RE IN VIOLATION. GREAT. THANK YOU. YEAH. ALRIGHT. THE APPLICANT HERE. IS THE APPLICANT HERE. DOES THE APPLICANT WISH TO, THEY WERE UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT DUE TO ILLNESS. DOES ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? IF NOT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. YOU NEED TO OPEN IT AND THEN CLOSE IT. I GOTTA OPEN IT BEFORE WE CLOSE IT. RIGHT. OKAY. SO NOW DOES ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK? NO. OKAY. NOW WE CAN SAFELY CLOSE IT AND NOW WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I'LL TAKE A TURN HERE. LET'S SEE. IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH ONE BI MOVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT 2 5 0 0 5 7 3 TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE PARKING LOT COMMERCIAL TOW YARD LOCATED ON THE VACANT LOT ON KIBBLER STREET AND IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP 20 A FOUR DASH FOUR DASH FIVE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE'S STORAGE FACILITY SHALL BE FULLY ENCLOSED BY COMMERCIAL GRADE FENCE, WHICH DOES NOT RESTRICT THE FLOW OF WATER AND IS AT LEAST SIX FEET TALL. THE NORTHWEST AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE LOT SHALL BE SCREENED TO ALWAYS OBSTRUCT VIEW FROM THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES IN PUBLIC STREET WITH AN EVERGREEN HEDGE AT LEAST SIX FEET IN HEIGHT. THREE, THE VEHICLE'S STORAGE FACILITY LOT SHALL HAVE A GRAVEL OR PAVED SURFACE. FOUR. THE WRECK OR DAMAGED VEHICLE SHALL NOT REMAIN ON SITE FOR A PERIOD LONGER THAN 48 HOURS UPON ARRIVAL AT THE LOT. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? MS. POTTER, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COMMISSIONER FEDERICA. YES. CHAIRMAN MARNER. YES. VICE CHAIRMAN NEIL? YES. COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES. COMMISSIONER BROOKS? YES. AND NOW WE COME TO OUR THIRD SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION. THIS ONE'S SUBMITTED BY A-G-M-L-L-C OF FRONT ROYAL ON BEHALF OF THE BOSO FAMILY TO OPERATE A SHOPPING CENTER IN THE C ONE ZONING DISTRICT. MR. WARE, CAN YOU FILL US IN ON THIS PLEASE? [00:35:06] SO THE THIRD ITEM, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT IS ANOTHER SPECIAL USE PERMIT, UH, NUMBER 25 0 0 5 81. UH, THAT IS TO OPERATE A SHOPPING CENTER IN THE C ONE ZONING DISTRICT, UH, LOCATED ON SOUTH STREET. UH, THE PROPERTY IS ZONE C ONE, UH, COMMUNITY BUSINESS DISTRICT. UH, THIS IS THE, UH, SHOPPING OR THE, THE AREA THAT YOU'RE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH HERE ON SOUTH STREET AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH STREET AND REMOUNT ROAD. UH, HOME OF THE ROYAL KING AND THE MARTINS, UH, STORES THERE, AMONG OTHERS. QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THAT. AND YOU'RE PROBABLY ASKING, I THOUGHT IT WAS A SHOPPING CENTER. UH, HOWEVER, THIS WAS, UH, CONSTRUCTED BEFORE TOWN CODE FOR SHOPPING CENTERS. SO WHAT THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS TO BRING THIS INTO COMPLIANCE. SO BASICALLY THE APPLICATION IS JUST TO BRING THIS RETAIL CENTER, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT, INTO A CONFORMANCE OF THE TOWN CODE FOR A SHOPPING CENTER. UH, UH, IF THERE'S ANY TYPE OF ENLARGEMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE, UH, DONE FOR THE BUILDING, IT WOULD REQUIRE THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT. PERMIT FOR APPROVAL. I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE GONNA EXPAND OR ANYTHING BUT THIS, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR ANY TYPE OF CHANGES OR, UH, EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING AREA. UH, THIS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED, UH, PREVIOUSLY WHEN THE MARTIN STORE WAS EXPANDED, BUT, UH, FORTUNATELY IT WAS NOT DONE WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BRING THIS IN. COMPLIANCE AS A SHOPPING CENTER. UH, BASICALLY THAT'S ALL. UH, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, UH, THEY DID SUBMIT A PARKING PLAN. I JUST WANNA MAKE NOTE OF THAT. THEY DID SUBMIT A PARKING PLAN. SO THE PARKING SPACES FOR THE, UH, SHOPPING CENTER IS DICTATED. AND THERE, ORIGINALLY WHEN THIS WAS PUT IN, THEY DID HAVE SUBSTANTIAL PARKING AND WITH THIS, UH, PARKING PLAN THEY SUBMITTED THAT AREA OUTLINE THERE. UH, THERE IS PARKING SPACES BACK THERE. THEY SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SOME YEARS. THEY MAY NEED TO BE RES STRIPPED. UH, BUT WE DID THE TOTAL ON THE PARKING SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THERE NOW. IT WOULD BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SHOPPING CENTER CODE FOR PARKING SPACES. SO YOU'LL SEE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THE PARKING. ESSENTIALLY WE ARE REQUESTING, UM, IF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT DOES GET APPROVED, UH, POTENTIALLY THEY NEED TO RETRIP SOME OF THOSE AREAS IN THE BACK THERE. THEY'RE ALREADY THERE. STAFF WENT OUT AND LOOKED AT 'EM. THEY'RE THERE KIND OF FAINT. SO WE'D JUST LIKE PROBABLY HAVE THOSE UPDATED. THE FRONT PARKING AREA YOU'RE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH, THAT'S BEEN ALREADY COATED SEAL COATED RETRIED. PREVIOUSLY THIS, UH, IN 2025, THEY JUST DIDN'T DO THE REAR FOR WHATEVER REASON. PROBABLY 'CAUSE THERE'S NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE PARKED THERE. THERE MAY BE JUST EMPLOYEES OR SOMETHING. UH, SO THERE'S THE, THE ROYAL PLAZA, THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE, OF THE, UH, AREA THERE, UH, HOME OF MARTIN'S, ROYAL KING AND AMONG OTHER BUSINESSES THERE, PUBLIC HEARING SIGN THAT SHOT ACROSS THE ROAD THAT WE KNOW THE ENTRANCE THERE WITH THE BANK. UH, ANOTHER VIEW OF THE PROPERTY WE'RE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, PART OF THE, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION. AND THAT'S UNDER ITEM NUMBER ONE. THAT'S STRICTLY STRAIGHT OUTTA THE CODE. SO THE REQUIRED PARKING SPACES SHALL REMAIN UNOBSTRUCTED AND RESERVED SOLELY FOR PARKING PURPOSES. NO OTHER USES, INCLUDING STORAGE LOADING OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY, SHALL BE PERMITTED WITHIN THE DESIGNATED PARKING AREAS. ALL PARKING SPACES SHALL BE PERMANENTLY AND CLEARLY STRIPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STANDARDS. SO THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING. THOSE AREAS THAT NEED TO BE RETRIED, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THOSE STRIPED. UH, ANOTHER CONDITION, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS IS THE APPLICANT REMOVE ALL OFF-PREMISES SIGNS FROM THE PROPERTY. UH, SO THERE ON THE PROPERTY, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR THAT WITH REMOUNT ROAD, THERE IS A BILLBOARD THERE, UH, ADVERTISING A BUSINESS THAT IS NOT THERE. SO IT'S AN OFF-PREMISE SIGN. THEY'RE ADVERTISING FOR A BUSINESS THAT IS NOT LOCATED THERE. UM, ALSO TOWN CODE. THIS IS WHERE THIS COMES IN TOWN. CODE 1 75, 1 0 6 4, UH, A BILLBOARD SIGN. THE BILLBOARD SIGN DEFINITION IS AN OFF-PREMISE SIGN, 1 0 6 4. ALSO FOR OFF-PREMISE SIGN DEFINITIONS FOR OFF-PREMISE SIGN IS A SIGN WHICH DIRECTS ATTENTION TO A BUSINESS COMMODITY SERVICE OR ESTABLISHMENT CONDUCTED, SOLD, OR OFFERED AT A LOCATION OTHER THAN THE PREMISES OF WHICH THE SIGN IS ERECTED. HOWEVER, 1 7 5 1 0 6 5 PROHIBITED SIGNS, THE [00:40:01] FOLLOW SIGNS ARE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED. BILLBOARDS AND OFF-PREMISE SIGNS. SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A SIGN IS NOT PERMITTED. THE BILLBOARD AND AN OFF-PREMISE SIGN IS NOT PERMITTED QUESTION. SO ANY BILLBOARD IS NOT PERMITTED. CORRECT. EVEN IF IT'S FOR AN ON-PREMISE CORRECT BUSINESS. OKAY. WELL THE WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF THAT WOULD BE LIKE A GROUND MOUNTED SIGN, BUT A BILLBOARD SIGN IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. WE CONSIDER THOSE THE OFF-PREMISES SIGN. SO RIGHT. THAT SIGN IS NOT PERMITTED TO BE THERE. WE'RE REQUESTING THAT JUST AS A CONDITION, YOU TELL 'EM THEY NEED TO REMOVE IT. OKAY. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE DEFINITION FOR A GROUND MOUNTED SIGN IN A BILLBOARD. AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. RIGHT. AND SO THE SHOPPING CENTER, I BELIEVE THEY DO HAVE A, IS THAT A GROUND MOUNTED SIGN WHERE THEY'VE GOT THEIR, LIKE THE STORES THAT ARE LISTED THERE? YES, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE. THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THAT BILLBOARD SIGN THAT IS THERE ON, WHAT IS THAT? REMOUNT ROAD? MM-HMM . YEAH. OKAY. THAT, THAT WAS SOME CONFUSION HAD WHICH SIGN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT WE YEAH, IT'S THE ONE I SHOWED IN THE PHOTOGRAPH, THE BILLBOARD. IT'S THAT THING. OKAY. MM-HMM . THAT'S A BILLBOARD SIGN. WHEREAS THE OTHER PHOTO OF THE SHOPPING CENTER SIGN IS A, THAT'S THAT WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER WHAT A GROUND MOUNTED SIGN. AND THAT JUST DICTATES WHAT'S IN THE SHOPPING CENTER. AND THIS ONE IS NOT THAT IS PERMITTED, THAT IS NOT YOUR CONTENTION. THAT IS NOT IN CONTENTION. THAT WASN'T CLEAR. IT'S THE ONLY ONE, THE ONE LOCATED ON REMOUNT ROAD THAT IS NOT A PERMITTED SIGN. YEAH. WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS IN THE WORKING GROUP. WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THIS, THIS BIT THERE, THERE AREN'T VERY MANY OTHER BILLBOARDS IN TOWN. ARE THERE? I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHERE THERE ARE OTHER BILLBOARDS PER SE. IS THE INTENTION TO PROHIBIT THEM ALL THERE, THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY. THEY'RE ALL PROHIBITED. YEAH. BY DEFINITION, YES. OKAY. SO THIS WAS NOT A PERMITTED SIGN. OKAY. IT'S BEEN THERE A LONG TIME, RIGHT? YEAH. IT'S BEEN THERE A VERY LONG TIME. UH, FOR, AND IT WAS PERMITTED AT ONE POINT THEN BECAME NOT IN COMPLIANCE. WE DID NOT FIND NO RECORD OF A PERMIT. SO IT'S NOT A LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING SIGN. IT WAS NEVER INSTALLED CORRECTLY. IT WAS NEVER, NEVER, IT JUST HASN'T BEEN ENFORCED, NEVER PERMITTED. IT WAS NEVER PERMITTED. IT JUST WAS NEVER SIGNED. WE HAVE NO RECORD OF IT BEING PERMITTED. OKAY. FOR THE, UH, BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. UM, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO EXPOUND AT ALL ON WHY IT IS THAT BILLBOARDS ARE PROHIBITED ACROSS THE BOARD? GOOD QUESTION. UH, I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO SAY WHY THE REASONING IS BEHIND THAT. I DON'T KNOW THE BACKGROUND WHY THOSE PROHIBITED. UH, USUALLY THOSE ARE RESERVED FOR THOSE AREAS AROUND I 66. BUT I THINK MR. SONIC CAN EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT. ON BILLBOARDS. YEAH. SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT THERE, . YEAH. UH, WELL MY COMMENT WOULD BE THAT, UM, LOCAL ZONING ORDINANCES ARE ENABLED BY STATE LAW TO REGULATE SIGNS. AND, UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN SIGNS THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM LOCAL REGULATION, BUT THOSE HAVE TO DO WITH ONES, UM, ALONG INTERSTATES AND, UM, I THINK NATIONAL ROADS, UH, IN THE STATE. UM, UH, AND, AND THOSE ARE REGULATED, I BELIEVE, AT THE STATE LEVEL OR FEDERAL LEVEL. UM, BUT OTHER THAN SIGNS LOCATED IN THOSE AREAS, LOCALITIES, UH, ARE ENABLED TO REGULATE. AND SO AS, BUT AS FAR AS THE RATIONALE AT THE STATE LEVEL OR FEDERAL LEVEL, I, I I'LL SHOW MY AGE HERE. UH, IT GOES BACK TO, UH, LADY BIRD JOHNSON, UH, AND SHE, UH, HAD A CAMPAIGN, UH, TO REMOVE BILLBOARDS NATIONWIDE. UM, YOU CAN MAKE A SAFETY ARGUMENT. IT'S A DISTRACTION TO DRIVERS. UM, UH, HER CAMPAIGN WAS REALLY BEAUTIFICATION. UM, THAT'S REALLY THE BEST I CAN OFFER. BUT THE, THE KEY POINT IS, IS THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MM-HMM . HAS ENABLED LOCAL REGULATION. THANK YOU. NO, I I I APPRECIATE THAT. AND NO, I'M, YEAH. OKAY. USUALLY IT'S AN AESTHETICS THING. AND SO LIKE BILLBOARD SIGNS ARE USUALLY CONSIDERED SIGN POLLUTION. THEY'RE UNNECESSARY. THEY'RE VERY LARGE. THEY'RE OBTRUSIVE. YEAH. I JUST WASN'T SURE IF THERE WAS A REASON WHY OUR LOCALITY MADE A POINT TO ADOPT THAT AND ENFORCE THAT. SO I DIDN'T KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT SPECIFIC ABOUT PROCESS WAS, WAS. BUT IT, IT MAKES SENSE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. OKAY. JUST ONE. NOW THIS IS, BUT THE RESTRICTION HERE IS IT'S AN OFF-PREMISE SIGN, MEANING IT'S OWNED BY THE SHOPPING CENTER BUT NOT ON THEIR PROPERTY. IS THAT A TRUE STATEMENT? EXACTLY. [00:45:01] IT IT IS ON THEIR PROPERTY. IT'S ON THEIR PROPERTY. THAT'S WHY WE WANT THEM. WHY, WHY DO WE CALL OFF PREMISE? BECAUSE IT'S OFF. IT'S A BUSINESS THAT'S NOT ON PREMISE. SO THEY'RE ADVERTISING A BUSINESS THAT'S NOT LOCATED IN THE SHOPPING CENTER. THAT'S A SUBTLE, THAT'S SUBTLE THING. THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED AN OFF PREMISES SIGN. ALRIGHT, THAT AGAIN, THAT WAS A SUBTLE, AGAIN, I MISSING THEN THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENT MAKES IT A BILLBOARD. YES, NO, FAIR ENOUGH. OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH. AND IT'S CONSIDERED AN ACCESSORY STRUCTURE, SO IT'S, SO JUST ANOTHER THING, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE A SMALL SIGN, EVEN A SMALL GROUND MOUNTED SIGN THAT'S NOT ALLOWED BECAUSE IT WOULD BE OFF PREMISE. MM-HMM . OKAY. AT ANOTHER BUSINESS, ANOTHER LOCATION OFF-PREMISE SIGNS ARE NOT PERMITTED. MM-HMM . THIS HAPPENS TO BE AN OFF PREMISE AND A BILLBOARD TOO. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. SORRY FOR THE DETAIL. LIKE I SAID, WE DIDN'T COVER THIS IN THE YES. IN THE WORKING GROUP MEETING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. SO IT WAS LATE. FAIR ENOUGH. WE REVIEWED THAT, UH, WITH PART OF THE APPLICATION. YEAH. AFTER THE WORK SESSION. SO A BUSINESS CANNOT ADVERTISE ANOTHER BUSINESS, IN OTHER WORDS. CORRECT. THAT'S AN OFF PREMISE SIGN, WHICH IS PROHIBITED. OKAY. AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ANOTHER POINT OF CLARIFICATION. THERE IS SUFFICIENT PARKING THAT IS STRIPED AT THIS SHOPPING CENTER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. IS THE APPLICANT HERE OR WISH TO SPEAK OR A REPRESENTATIVE? THEIR REPRESENTATIVE IS HERE. OKAY. IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. WELL, DO YOU WANNA HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE? FROM THE APPLICANT IS HERE. OH, YOU ARE THE APPLICANT. SORRY. GOOD EVENING. UH, JOE BERGEN WITH BERGEN LANCE, OUR OFFICE PREPARED THE, UH, PARKING PLAN AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT. WHEN, WHEN MR. WARE REFERRED TO THE PARKING PLACES AT THE BACK, WHICH PARKING PLACES WAS HE REFERRING TO? UM, COULD YOU, WOULD YOU MIND GOING BACK TO THAT SLIDE? UM, WHAT EXACTLY QUALIFIES AS THE BACK WHERE THE TRUCKS GO THROUGH THE, THE PARKING IN THE REAR BEHIND ROYAL KING IS WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO. OH, THAT'S THE, YEAH, THAT'S THE AREA. THERE. THERE ARE SOME THAT'S THE SIDE, THAT'S THE REAR, REAR PROPERTY. THE FRONT IS UP HERE, DOWN THE STREET. OKAY. THIS WOULD BE THE REAR. OKAY. THAT'S THE AREA THAT, THAT THE TRUCKS GO THROUGH WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY FINISH THEIR MARTINS DROP OFF, THAT'S WHERE THEY GO THROUGH? YEAH, THEY COME THROUGH THIS AREA AND AROUND. OKAY. DOES, IS THERE AN ENTRANCE TO ANY OF THOSE STORES FROM THE BACK? YES. OH YEAH. THEY ALL HAVE ENTRANCES. PUB FOR PUBLIC USE OR EMPLOYEE USE? UH, SOME OF 'EM IN HERE IS FOR PUBLIC USE? YES. OKAY. THE BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE, THAT'S WHERE YOU DO THE DROP BALL LAUNDROMAT? PROBABLY, YEAH. ON THE BACK. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . WANTED TO GET THAT CLARIFIED. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. BROGAN? NOPE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. NOW WE CAN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND IS THERE ANYBODY WISHES TO SPEAK? WE SHALL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH ONE B. I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 5 0 0 5 8 1 TO OPERATE A SHOPPING CENTER IN THE C ONE ZONING DISTRICT PURSUANT TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 1 7 5 DASH THREE NINE B, LOCATED ON SOUTH STREET, IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP TWO ZERO A ONE EIGHT DASH FIVE DASH SEVEN WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS REQUIRED. PARKING SPACES SHALL REMAIN UNOBSTRUCTED AND RESERVED SOLELY FOR PARKING PURPOSES. NO OTHER USE, INCLUDING STORAGE, LOADING OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY, SHALL BE PERMITTED WITHIN THE DESIGNATED PARKING AREAS. ALL PARKING SPACES SHALL BE PERMANENTLY AND CLEARLY STRIPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STANDARDS, AND THE APPLICANT SHALL REMOVE ALL OFF-PREMISES SIGNS FROM THE PROPERTY. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND. DISCUSSION? NO NEED FOR DISCUSSION. MS. POTTER, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL CHAIRMAN MARNER. YES. COMMISSIONER MARRAZZO? YES. VICE CHAIRMAN NEIL? YES. COMMISSIONER BROOKS? YES. COMMISSIONER FEDERICA? YES. THE MOTION IS PASSED. ARE THERE ANY COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS? NOPE. OKAY. OKAY. [IX. PLANNING DIRECTOR REPORT] [00:50:01] WOULD THE PLANNING COMMISSION DIRECT PLANNING DIRECTOR LIKE TO MAKE A REPORT? YES. ALRIGHT. SO, UH, THIS IS FOR DECEMBER, 2025, BUT I'LL JUST KIND OF RECAP THE YEAR, UM, STAFF IS GONNA BE PREPARING THE ANNUAL REPORT. YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT, UH, PROBABLY BY MARCH-ISH, SHOULD THINK, UH, WHEN WE TYPICALLY GET THAT OUT. UM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYTHING WAS KIND OF TRENDING DOWNWARDS FOR 2025. WE HAD 2,255 WALK-INS TO PLANNING AND ZONING FOR THE YEAR. WE HAD 171 FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. UM, WE HAD, UH, IT WAS INTERESTING, ONLY 21 NEW DWELLING UNITS FOR ALL OF 2025, WHEREAS IN 24 WE HAD 60. I DON'T EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO STAY LOW THIS YEAR. WE'VE BEEN, UM, JOHN'S BEEN VERY BUSY WITH SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR SEVERAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMING UP. UM, AND I WOULD EXPECT AT LEAST TWO OF THEM POTENTIALLY TO BE BREAKING GROUND THIS YEAR. UM, BUT THE, LET ME SEE. YEP. ZONING PERMITS, UM, NEW DWELLING UNITS, CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES, OPENED INSPECTIONS, BUSINESS LICENSES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN TRENDING DOWNWARDS. UM, AND THE ONLY THING THAT LOOKS TO BE UP WERE THE CODE AMENDMENTS, WHICH IS NATURAL SINCE WE'RE PRECEDING THE OVERALL, UM, ZONING REWRITE. SO FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, THE GOAL WILL BE TO GET THE, UM, DRAFT NEW, UH, ZONING ORDINANCE TO PUBLIC HEARING AND SENT ON TO COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REWRITE, WHICH STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH SUMMIT ON. AND I THINK WE'RE READY TO, I'M HOPING WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A DRAFT IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. UM, AND THEN DON'T FORGET THAT NEXT MONTH IN FEBRUARY, YOU WILL BE ELECTING, UH, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AT YOUR MEETING AND WE'LL ALSO BE DOING OUR ANNUAL BYLAWS REVIEW. SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE GO INTO NEXT MONTH. OKAY. THAT'S IT. WILL A COPY OF THE BYLAWS BE SENT OUT PRIOR? YES. GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU MS. KKI. UH, NO FURTHER BUSINESS. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I MOVE. WE ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.