[00:00:02]
[B. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America]
AND GENTLEMEN.UM, IT IS TUESDAY THE, UH, THE NINTH OF, UH, DECEMBER AT SEVEN O'CLOCK WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE, UH, WITH AN OPENING PRAYER, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY THE CHOIR AT E MORRISON WILSON.
SO, UH, IF THE, UH, PASTOR WOULD PLEASE START WITH AN OPENING PRAYER.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE CLASS FROM THE FOR AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC NATION, INDIVISIBLE FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, AND WILL BE FOLLOWED
[A. E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School Choir Performance]
BY THE, UH, CHOIR AT E MORRISON WILSON ON THE OTHER SIDE.[00:15:20]
OKAY.[00:15:21]
IF,[00:15:21]
IF YOU ALL ARE READY TO, TO BEGIN, IF I COULD, UH, IF I COULD HAVE SOME, UH, UH, QUIET PLEASE.SO NEXT ON THE, UH, NEXT ON THE IS, UH, THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
DO I HAVE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS WE'RE NOT HEARING HERE? CHAIRMAN, CAN, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME NOW? BETTER? OKAY, GOOD.
[C. Adoption of Agenda – Additions or Deletions]
DO I HAVE ANY, UH, UH, ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA? IF, IF NOT, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? UM, LET'S SEE HERE.IS THIS FOR THE MINUTES? I'M SORRY.
NO, THIS IS TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
NO, THIS IS FOR THE, UH, ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
UH, MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
MEYER AYE, MRS. SCHOLARS? AYE.
[D. Presentation and discussion on a community farm proposal at Rockland Park]
UH, PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON A COMMUNITY FARM PROPOSAL.AND I, I DO ASK THAT YOU KEEP YOUR PRESENTATION TO, UH, TO 10 MINUTES BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME PUBLIC HEARINGS BEGINNING AT SEVEN 30.
I DON'T THINK I'LL, I'LL EVEN TAKE UP 10 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME.
BUT, UH, FIRSTLY, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME THIS AFTERNOON.
IT MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT, UH, YOU GUYS ARE WILLING TO, UH, HEAR ME YAP.
ABOUT A FARM FOR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MINUTES.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN WARREN COUNTY MY WHOLE LIFE HERE.
UM, AND, UH, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS OR SO, I'VE BEEN GAINING EXPERIENCE ON FARMS, UH, A COLLECTIVE IN BRISTOW.
UH, AND MOST RECENTLY I'VE, UH, BEEN WITH THE OAK SPRING GARDEN FOUNDATION FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW, WORKING, UH, ON THEIR SMALL SCALE, UH, NO-TILL ORGANIC PRODUCTION FARM.
UM, WITH THE SKILLS I'VE LEARNED, UH, NOW I'M LOOKING TO SEEK, OR NOW I'M LOOKING TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY FARM HERE IN, IN WARREN COUNTY, UM, NEAR ROCKLAND PARK THAT USES ALSO NO-TILL AND ORGANIC PRACTICES.
UM, THE FARM ORIGINALLY WAS PROPOSED FOR ROCKLAND PARK.
HOWEVER, UH, AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, UM, THERE IS ANOTHER SPACE SORT OF AS SOON AS, AS YOU TURN ONTO THAT ROAD WHERE THE, THE FOUR EMPTY PLOTS ARE, UM, THAT WOULD SERVE A LOT BETTER, UH, AS A COMMUNITY FARM LOCATION.
UM, I'M ASKING JUST FOR PERMISSION TO USE THAT LAND AND MAYBE EVENTUALLY FUNDING, UH, WHICH WOULD BE MINOR.
UH, THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM COST, I THINK TO GET, UH, A FARM UP AND RUNNING WITHOUT ANY PAID POSITIONS, WHICH IS THE GOAL, UH, WITH ONE PAID POSITION EVENTUALLY, IF, YOU KNOW, FUNDING GRANTS, ET CETERA, LINE UP.
UM, HOWEVER, THE FARM WOULD MOSTLY BE RUN BY VOLUNTEERS AND COULD HOPEFULLY SUSTAIN ITSELF THAT WAY.
UM, THE BENEFITS TO THE COUNTY, UH, ARE NUMEROUS TO SAY THE LEAST, BUT HOWEVER, UH, IT WOULD, UH, SEEK TO RESTORE SOME NATIVE PLOTS OUT NEAR ROCKLAND, FILL IT WITH MORE NATIVE PLANTS, UH, THAT COULD DRIVE MORE AGRO TOURISM TO THE AREA PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME SEE OUR NATIVE PLANTS AND, UH, OUR NATIVE PLOTS, UH, TRYING TO CONTRIBUTE BACK TO, UH, RESTORING THE LAND TO WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
UM, FURTHERMORE, UH, THE FARM WOULD SERVE AS A EDUCATION CENTER AND AN EDUCATION HUB, WHICH IS LIKE, ONE OF ITS MORE PROMINENT SORT OF FEATURES, UM, IS TO SERVE AS A, A CENTER PLACE FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS, UH, SCHOOLS FROM SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
UH, REALLY ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME LEARN ABOUT FARMING AND GARDENING AND SEEKS TO MAYBE ESTABLISH THEIR OWN GARDEN AT HOME.
MAYBE THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE FARMING OR GARDENING AT HOME AND THEY WANT TO COME LEARN.
UH, SO THAT IS A REALLY BIG FUNCTION OF IT, IS TO SERVE AS A EDUCATION, A EDUCATION CENTER, UH, THAT WOULD HAVE, UH, WORKSHOPS ALSO FROM GUEST SPEAKERS, UH, GUEST FARMERS, ET CETERA.
UM, ONE THING THAT IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST, I WOULD SAY, FUNCTION OF THE FARM, UH, IS THAT FOOD IS, IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE BY THE YEAR.
UH, EGGS ARE UP, MILK IS UP, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING IS UP.
UM, AND THIS IS A WAY TO SORT OF DONATE THIS FOOD
[00:20:01]
TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS, UH, AND SORT OF SERVE AS A NONPROFIT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD DONATE TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN FOOD BANKS FROM SURROUNDING AREAS.BUT IT'S REALLY TO ADDRESS THE FOOD INSECURITY, UM, THAT IS GROWING NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, HERE IN THIS TOWN, THIS COUNTY, THE STATE, BUT REALLY THE NATION OVERALL.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A IMPORTANT FIRST STEP TO SORT OF, UH, GET FOOD BACK TO THOSE WHO NEED IT AND MAYBE TEACH THEM HOW TO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD AT HOME.
SO IF THESE THINGS KEEP HAPPENING AND FOOD KEEPS GOING UP AND FOOD BECOMES MORE AND MORE SCARCE, PEOPLE CAN, UH, SORT OF FEND FOR, FOR THEMSELVES IN THAT WAY.
UH, IN THE FIRST YEAR, UH, I THINK THAT ASSUMING THAT I WOULD BE THE ONE VOLUNTEER AND THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER VOLUNTEERS, UH, NOTHING WAS, IF IT WAS JUST ME THE FIRST YEAR, I THINK THAT I COULD PRODUCE A BETWEEN TWO AND 3000 POUNDS OF FOOD, WHICH ISN'T A LOT FOR THE FIRST YEAR, TWO TO 3000 POUNDS IS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ON, ON THE LOWER END.
BUT THE GOAL IS TO SCALE THAT UP YEAR OVER YEAR, UH, AND POTENTIALLY GET TO, YOU KNOW, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FOOD EVERY YEAR BEING DONATED TO, TO WARREN COUNTY, UH, FOOD BANKS.
UM, YEAH, THAT IS LIKE, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH SORT OF THE SCOPE OF IT ALL IS, UH, A NATIVE RESTORATION PROJECT, UH, ADDRESSING THE FOOD, THE GROWING FOOD INSECURITY, UM, AND EDUCATION IS, IS REALLY THE BIG THREE.
UM, AND WHY I'M LOOKING TO ESTABLISH THIS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH, I, I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROPOSAL.
THIS IS, I THINK, A VERY INTERESTING PROJECT AND HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND, UH, I LIKE THINGS THAT REINFORCE FARMING AND AGRICULTURE AND, UH, ESPECIALLY SMALL ORGANIC FARMING.
AND I AGREE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, UH, HELPING THE FOOD BANKS AS A NOBLE CAUSE AS WELL.
UM, I WAS WONDERING, I WAS JUST LOOKING, UM, AT THE, AT THE MAP, UM MM-HMM
AND THERE'S SEVERAL LOTS WHEN YOU FIRST TURN IN ON FISHNET FROM ROCKLAND.
HOW MANY ACRES, ROUGHLY ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT? THIS WOULD, I MEAN, BE PROBABLY LESS THAN LIKE TWO ACRES IN PRODUCTION OVERALL.
UM, AND PROBABLY EVEN LESS THAN THAT.
UH, I REALLY, GETTING AN ACRE UNDER A NATIVE RESTORATION WOULD BE LIKE THE DREAM.
UM, BUT THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE SORT OF A, A, A, A, A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT AND DEFINITELY IN THE FIRST YEAR, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING MAYBE IF YEAH.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO APART FROM ME, UH, REALLY, YOU KNOW, TR TRYING TO WORK ON THE FARM FULL TIME, UH, AND VOLUNTEERING FOR THAT, I WOULD DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, TAKE IN VOLUNTEERS AND WHATEVER THEIR SCHEDULE IS.
IF VOLUNTEERS CAN COME EVERY DAY, THAT'D BE GREAT.
IF VOLUNTEERS CAN ONLY COME, YOU KNOW, ONCE A MONTH, ONCE A WEEK, THEY CAN ONLY COME FOR AN HOUR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PERFECTLY OKAY.
BUT THE, THE VAST MAJORITY, IN FACT, THE ENTIRETY OF THE WORKFORCE WOULD BE VOLUNTEER RAN.
AND HAVE YOU LOOKED AT ALL AT GETTING ANY PRIVATE LAND DONATIONS FOR THIS? SAY AGAIN, PRIVATE DONATIONS LOOKED INTO GETTING ANY PRIVATE DONORS TO, TO PUT UP LAND, UH, TO DO THIS EVEN ON A BIGGER SCALE OR NOT LAND? UM, UH, AND I CAN'T SAY PRIVATE DONORS AS FAR AS LIKE GETTING FUNDING.
I'VE LOOKED INTO SEVERAL GRANTS AND THERE ARE SEVERAL GRANTS THAT WOULD APPLY TO THIS.
UM, I THINK ABOUT FIVE TO SIX.
UM, I UNFORTUNATELY COULDN'T NAME THEM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UH, BUT YEAH, SORT OF THAT WOULD BE THE AVENUE OF FUNDING IS, UH, IS FRANCE.
UM, AND THEN MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION WAS, UH, YOU MENTIONED AN EDUCATION CENTER MM-HMM
AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU'VE THOUGHT OF, UH, COLLABORATING WITH THE FOUR H? UH, ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE I COULD SEE SOME SYNERGY THERE AND YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THAT IS A KIND OF ON MY BUCKET LIST, IF YOU WILL, IS IS COLLABORATING WITH FOUR H, NOT ONLY THEM, UM, BUT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS, UH, A, UM, A FORMER VOLUNTEER GARDEN NAMED, UH, IS BY CAII, I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THEM.
I'M SURE THEY HAVE SOME, SOME FEEDBACK TO GIVE ME.
AND, UH, I'M SURE I COULD GET IN TOUCH WITH SOME LOCAL SURROUNDING COUNTY COMMUNITY FARMS THAT WOULD LOVE TO LEND HAND.
I'M SORRY, IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME.
SO, SO, UH, THIS WOULD NOT BE LIKE THE STYLE OF COMMUNITY GARDEN WHERE PEOPLE HAVE INDIVIDUAL PLOTS OR RAISED BEDS OR CORRECT.
IT WOULD BE MORE OF A, A LARGE PLOT THAT'S PLANTED AND YOU WOULD USE YOUR EXPERTISE TO KIND OF LEAD THAT AND MAKE THE DECISIONS AROUND THAT.
UM, THE EVENTUAL GOAL, HOWEVER, WOULD BE TO HAVE BOTH, YOU KNOW, UM, OKAY.
A COMMUNITY FARM WHERE WE CAN DONATE THAT PRODUCE TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS AND THEN ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY AND THEN MAYBE, UH, TAKING ONE OF THE OTHER THREE OR ONE OF THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, FIELDS THAT ARE THERE.
AND, UH, TAKING THAT AND SPLITTING THAT UP INTO COMMUNITY PLOTS, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE VIABLE.
UM, ARE THERE MORAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT YOU CAN PATTERN YOURSELF AFTER THAT ARE, THAT ARE AROUND THE COMMUNITY OR THE STATE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? YEAH, THERE ARE.
UM, THERE'S, UH, THE, UH, THE, UH, FALK YEAR COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL FARM, UM, IS A REALLY BIG ONE.
ANOTHER ONE THAT I, UH, WAS JUST LOOKING INTO.
I THINK IT'S, UM, THIS ONE IS NOT
[00:25:01]
IN STATE.THIS ONE IS OUTTA STATE, BUT THIS IS THE MODEL THEY'RE USING.
UM, I THINK IT'S LIKE CORNERSTONE, UH, FOUNDATION.
IT'S BASED OUT OF PENNSYLVANIA.
UM, THERE ARE MORE, UH, I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE IN, WOW.
I, IT'S, THE NAME IS ESCAPING ME, BUT THERE IS ONE MORE COMMUNITY FARM IN A SURROUNDING COUNTY THAT USES THIS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO ASCERTAIN THAT THERE'S A MODEL AND A THERE IS AND A TEMPLATE FOR YOU TO FOLLOW WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU DO THIS SORT OF THING.
IS IT A, IS IT AN LLC? IS IT A, IS IT A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT, THAT IS BASICALLY IN CHARGE OF THIS? UH, NO, IT WOULD BE A, UH, A NON-PROFIT THAT I CREATED.
UM, I'M IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT RIGHT NOW.
I JUST FOUND SOME BOARD MEMBERS, SO I'M SORT OF IN THAT PROCESS OF, OF MAKING THAT.
I WOULD JUST REALLY BE, UH, NEEDING LIKE, UH, THE USE OF LAND AND, AND, AND FUNDING IF THAT WERE AN OPTION.
BUT PRIMARILY GRANTS NOT FROM THE COUNTY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, LIKE THERE IS SEVERAL GRANTS FROM THE USDA THAT ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS NON-PROFITS AND SOME OTHER NON-PROFIT GRANTS AS WELL THAT OKAY.
ARE FOR, SO YOU ARE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING TO GET, APPLY FOR THOSE OR? YEAH, NOT APPLY FOR THOSE.
I'M STILL LIKE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THE STATE AS FAR AS MY NON-PROFIT.
UH, MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, IF I, IF I MAY, UH, UH, I APPRECIATE MR. FOX COMING THIS EVENING ON KIND OF SHORT NOTICE, UH, TO PRESENT THIS CONCEPT.
WE, UH, OF COURSE WE HAVE SHARED WITH THE BOARD, UH, SOME PRELIMINARY INFORMATION THAT YOU HAD SHARED, SIR.
AND THE REASON I WANT IT, UH, MR. FOX TO COME AND ADDRESS THE BOARD THIS EVENING, UH, NOT, UH, OF COURSE THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA TO, UH, ASK FOR FORMAL, UH, PERMISSION OR FORMAL ACCEPTANCE FROM THE BOARD ON THIS MATTER, BUT, BUT RATHER, UH, TO HAVE MR. FOX PRESENT AND IF I SAW SOME SHAKING HEADS AND, AND SOME, UH, SOME KIND OF POSITIVE, UH, FEEDBACK TO HIS PRESENTATION, UM, THAT WE, UH, COULD STAFF CAN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MR. FOX TO DEVELOP THE PLAN AND ANSWER SOME SPECIFICS AND, AND HAVE REALLY A FORMAL PRESENTATION AND A FORMAL PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD SO THAT YOU CAN THEN ACT ON.
BUT, UH, HIS, HIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS TIMELY BECAUSE WE, WE ACTUALLY, UH, HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY VALLEY HEALTH, UM, UH, 'CAUSE I HAD SHARED WITH THEM THE, THE CONCEPT AND THEY SEEM RATHER OPEN TO, UH, PROVIDING SOME, SOME SEED, UH,
SO, UM, IF I DO, AS I AM HEARING SOME POSITIVE, UH, REMARKS, UH, WE WE CAN CONNECT, UH, THEM WITH VALLEY HEALTH TO, TO GET IT STARTED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON AND I'M, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU ALL.
SINCE WE ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES BETWEEN NOW AND THE, UH, TIME THAT THE, UH, THERE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL WILL START.
WE WILL TAKE JUST A SHORT TWO MINUTE BREAK.
OKAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE READY TO RESUME.
SO WE WILL OPEN WITH, UM, OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING
[J. December 9, 2025 CUP2025-09-03 - Short-Term Tourist Rental - 138 Wooded Lane - A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 138 Wooded Lane and is identified on tax map 22J, section 2, block 2, as lot G. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the Morgan's Ridge Subdivision in the Happy Creek Magisterial District. - Kelly Wahl , Planner]
AND THAT IS FOR THE, UH, SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL AT UH, 1 38 WOODED LANE.[00:30:01]
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A SHORT-TERM TAURUS RENTAL FOR THE PROPERTY CONSTRUCTED IN 2024.
THE APPLICANT WISHES TO ESTABLISH A SHORT-TERM TAUS RENTAL CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND WILL MANAGE THE PROPERTY IN A WAY THAT PRESERVES THE CHARACTER OF THEIR HOME IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE APPLICANT HAS HIRED A LOCAL PROPERTY MANAGER OUT OF STEVEN CITY, WHO RESIDES 13.6 MILES AWAY FROM THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 1 38 WOODED LANE AND IS IDENTIFIED ON TAX MAP 22 J SECTION TWO.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED AGRICULTURAL AND IS LOCATED IN THE MORGANS RIDGE SUBDIVISION IN THE HAPPY CREEK MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
THERE IS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT OPERATION PERMIT APPROVING A MAXIMUM OF 10 OCCUPANTS FOR THE FIVE BEDROOM DWELLING.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN A SUBDIVISION THAT IS NOT GOVERNED BY AN HOA OR A POA.
THE DWELLING MEETS THE SETBACK REQUIREMENT TO ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS, THE CLOSEST DWELLING BEING 483 FEET TO THE WEST.
AT THE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
AFTER RECEIVING AN UPDATED PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PLAN, MR. KERSTI MOVED FORWARD THIS APPLICATION ONTO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY MR. GORDON AND PASSED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION BY A VOTE OF FOUR TO ZERO.
PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS BE PLACED ON THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
NUMBER ONE, THE APPLICANT SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL WARREN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WARREN COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND VIRGINIA STATEWIDE FIRE PREVENTION CODE REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.
NUMBER TWO, THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE SYSTEM CAPACITIES DETERMINED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERMIT PER WARREN COUNTY CODE SUBSECTION 180 DASH 56.4 B.
THE CERTIFICATE OF ZONING SHALL ONLY BE ISSUED WITH APPROVED HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECORDS.
NUMBER THREE, THE APPLICANT SHALL HAVE THE WELL WATER TESTED ANNUALLY FOR E COLI AND COLIFORM BACTERIA, AND A COPY OF THOSE RESULTS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.
AND NUMBER FOUR, THE APPLICANT SHALL HAVE THE SEPTIC SYSTEM MAINTAINED ANNUALLY BY LICENSED OPERATORS REQUIRED FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ONSITE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM.
THE APPLICANT SHALL ALSO HAVE THE SEPTIC SYSTEM PUMPED EVERY FIVE YEARS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND A COPY OF THE SERVICE INVOICE IS INVOICES TO BE PROVIDED TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS NOTIFIED AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME.
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? UH, MR. HENDERSON, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP? UH, YES, SIR.
UH, MY NAME IS LOUIS MOTON AND I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UM, OVER THE PAST YEAR I'VE WATCHED ONE SHORT TERM RENTAL, COP AFTER ANOTHER COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
SOME ARE APPROVED, SOME ARE DENIED, AND FROM THE OUTSIDE THE REASONS OFTEN AREN'T CLEAR.
EACH APPLICANT SPENDS MONEY ON PLANS, FEES, INSPECTIONS, ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS, AND NEIGHBORS SPEND TIME PREPARING COMMENTS AND ATTENDING HEARINGS.
YET NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT THE DECIDING FACTORS WILL BE.
THE LACK OF CLARITY WASTE EVERYONE'S TIME AND MONEY AND IT LEAVES THE PUBLIC GUESSING.
AIR ORDINANCE LAYS OUT THE STANDARDS HARMONY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORS, TRAFFIC IMPACT, UTILITY SAFETY, AND SO ON.
BUT THESE ARE BROAD CONCEPTS THAT CAN BE INTERPRETED DIFFERENTLY FROM ONE APPLICATION TO THE NEXT.
WITH A CONSISTENT AND TRANSPARENT RUBRIC, THE PROCESS CAN FEEL UNPREDICTABLE AND WHEN THE DECISION'S SOME UNPREDICTABLE, IT OPENS DOORS TO CONCERNS ABOUT FAVORITISM OR INFLUENCE.
AND EVEN IF NOTHING IMPROPER IS HAPPENING, I'M NOT ACCUSING ANYONE.
I'M POINTING OUT THAT THE PERSECUTION PERCEPTION EXISTS AND PERCEPTION MATTERS.
A CLEAR RUBRIC OR A SCORING GUIDE WOULD HELP PART APPLICANTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED, HELP NEIGHBORS UNDERSTAND WHAT IS CONSIDERED, AND HELP THE BOARD APPLY THE STANDARDS CONSISTENTLY.
IT WOULD ALSO PROTECT THE FUTURE BOARDS BY GIVING THEM A STEADY FRAMEWORK TO FOLLOW RATHER THAN RELYING ON SHIFTING INTERPRETATIONS.
A SIMPLE TRANSPARENT RUBRIC WILL BUILD PUBLIC TRUST, REDUCE FRUSTRATION, AND MAKE THE ENTIRE COP PROCESS FAIRER CLEARER AND MORE EFFICIENT FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
WOULD ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? GOING ONCE, GOING QUI TWICE PUBLIC? UH, UH, HEARING ON THIS IS CLOSED.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MR. CHAIRMAN? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 20 25 0 9 0 3 FOR SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL WITH THE CONDITIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF.
[00:35:01]
DO I HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.[K. CUP2025-10-01 - Short-term Tourist Rental - 565 Ridgeway Road - A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 565 Ridgeway Road and is identified on tax map 27 as lot 10B. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the Fork Magisterial District. - Kelly Wahl , Planner]
UH, SHORT-TERM TOURIST RENTAL AT 5 65 RIDGEWAY ROAD.THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL FOR THE PROPERTY.
HE AND HIS WIFE RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED FOR THEIR LARGE EXTENDED FAMILY TO UTILIZE WHILE VISITING THEIR FAMILY FARM.
THE OWNER WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE PROPERTY AVAILABLE FOR SHORT TERM LODGING BETWEEN FAMILY VISITS.
THE APPLICANT DOES NOT INTEND FOR FREQUENT HEAVY YEAR-ROUND TOURIST TRAFFIC AS ITS MAIN PURPOSE IS TO SERVE HIS FAMILY FIRST.
THE APPLICANT AND HIS WIFE WILL SERVE AS THE PROPERTY MANAGERS RESIDING A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AWAY ON THE ADJACENT PARCEL.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 5 65 RIDGEWAY ROAD AND IS IDENTIFIED ON TAX MAP 27 AS LOT 10 B.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED AGRICULTURAL AND IS LOCATED IN THE FORK MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
THERE IS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT OPERATION PERMIT APPROVING A MAXIMUM OF SIX OCCUPANTS FOR THE THREE BEDROOM DWELLING.
THE PROPERTY IS NOT LOCATED WITHIN A SUBDIVISION GOVERNED BY AN HOA OR A POA.
THE DWELLING MEETS THE SETBACK REQUIREMENT TO ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS, THE CLOSEST BEING 168 FEET TO THE NORTH.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM.
ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH, MR. ISH MOVED TO FORWARD THIS APPLICATION ONTO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY MR. GORDON AND PASSED THE PLANNING COMMISSION BY A VOTE OF FOUR TO ZERO.
PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF ARE RECOMMENDING THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS BE PLACED ON THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
EVERYTHING SIMILAR TO THE FIRST ONE.
ASIDE FROM NUMBER FOUR, THE APPLICANT SHALL HAVE THE SEPTIC SYSTEM SERVICED EVERY FIVE YEARS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND A COPY OF THE SERVICE INVOICES TO BE PROVIDED TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS NOTIFIED AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? UH, YES, SIR.
MY NAME IS LOUIS MOTON AND I LIVE IN NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CCP FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL AND BRIDGEWAY ROAD, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW MUCH THE SHORT TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED.
THE ORIGINAL SPIRIT OF AIRBNB WAS CLOSER TO COUCH SURFING, HOMEOWNERS RENTING A SEPARATE ROOM TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
IT'S ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, COMMUNITY AND USING EXISTING HOUSING MORE EFFICIENTLY.
UH, BUT THAT MODEL HAS COMPLETELY SHIFTED TODAY.
MOST SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN WARREN COUNTY ARE ENTIRE HOMES BEING USED AS FULL-TIME TOURIST LODGING.
THESE RENTALS OFTEN CHARGE FAR MORE THAN HOTELS AT MULTIPLE LAYERS OF FEES AND COME WITH A LONG LIST OF RULES FOR GUESTS WHILE STILL OPERATING INSIDE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UNLIKE HOTELS, THERE'S NO ROUTINE REVENUE VERIFICATION, NO OCCUPANCY TAX TRANSPARENCY, AND NO CLEAR WAY FOR PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH INCOME THESE PROPERTIES GENERATE OR HOW THEY IMPACT COUNTY RE RESOURCES.
MEANWHILE, THE RISE OF FULL HOME SHORT-TERM RENTALS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO HIGHER HOUSING PRICES.
HOMES THAT ONCE WOULD'VE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL FAMILIES ARE BEING PURCHASED SPECIFICALLY FOR TOURISM REVENUE THAT PUSHES RESIDENTS OUT OF THE MARKET, RESHAPES NEIGHBORHOODS, AND SHIFTS OUR ECONOMY TOWARDS TOURISM AT THE EXPENSE OF LONG TERM STABILITY.
I'M NOT SPEAKING AGAINST THIS APPLICATION SPECIFICALLY, I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE INCREASING NUMBER OF FULL PROPERTY SDRS IS STILL IN HARMONY WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, OUR HOUSING NEEDS, AND THE CHARACTER OF OUR RURAL ROADS.
THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT MATTERS AND WE NEED CLEAR VISION FOR HOW MANY OF THESE PROPERTIES OUR COMMUNITY CAN ABSORB BEFORE WE UNINTENTIONALLY MAKE WARREN COUNTY LESS AFFORDABLE FOR THE VERY PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE.
ANYONE ELSE? THAT'S ALL FOR SIGN UP, SIR.
WOULD ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED ON THIS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? CAN I MAKE A COMMENT? YEAH.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS, I WANT TO USE THIS TIME TO ADDRESS WHAT MR. MOTON JUST SAID ABOUT THE SEEMING ARBITRARINESS OF THIS AT TIMES OR MAYBE ALWAYS.
UM, THIS IS JUST TO BRING UP A POINT AND IT IS TO MAKE A NOTE THAT WE SHOULD REVISIT THIS, BUT THIS, UH, BOARD GOT AN ACCEPTING MR. HENRY ON AUGUST 25TH, UH, A SUGGESTION OF A, A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH TO THIS.
UH, MR. MEYER WHO RECENTLY, UH, RAN FOR OFFICE GAVE
[00:40:01]
A A SUGGESTION AND IT'S, IT IS QUANTITATIVE.IT'S, IT IS, WELL THERE'S NO WAY THAT ALL THIS OBJECTIVITY IS GONNA BE TAKEN OUT OF THIS, BUT, UM, IT'S A GRID MATRIX TYPE OF APPROACH.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT MR. MOTON SAID HAS MERIT.
OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP COUNTLESS TIMES.
WE'VE HAD A WORK SESSION AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT WE, NOTHING SEEMS TO CHANGE.
UH, SO I JUST WANNA REVISIT THIS AND, AND, AND MAYBE HAVE MR. GACHA PUT ON THE AGENDA TO LOOK FOR THIS EMAIL, UH, FROM THE 25TH AND HAVE THAT MAYBE BE A STARTING POINT FOR ACTUALLY CONTINUING THIS DISCUSSION TO SOME KIND OF CHANGE IN THE WAY WE DO THINGS.
UM, AND THE SECOND THING IS, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE DO HAVE LODGING TAX INCOME FROM SHORT TERM CHARGE RENTALS.
CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? YES, THERE IS A 5% TRANSIENT LODGING TAX THAT'S COLLECTED EVERY SINGLE MONTH FROM THE TRANSIENT, UH, THE OWNERS OF THE TRANSIENT LODGE.
DO WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING ALL THAT WE'RE DUE OR THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING UNDER THE RADAR AND WE'RE NOT GETTING IT? OR THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A MORE APPROPRIATE QUESTION FOR THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE AND THE TREASURER.
OH, IF I MAY, I CAN ADD A LITTLE HISTORY.
THE, UH, THE SHORT TERM TER RENTAL PRETTY MUCH HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UH, WHOLE HOUSES, UH, FOR WARREN COUNTY.
UH, THERE WAS, THERE'S BASICALLY TWO THAT I'VE SEEN MOSTLY IN THE LAST SINCE WE'VE BEEN DOING IT ON A PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, A GOOD NUMBER OF THESE HOUSES WERE DERELICT PROPERTIES IN CVILLE FARMS AND, UH, OLD OUTDATED FLOOR PLANS.
YOU KNOW, NO CLOSETS, MAYBE ONE BATHROOM, UH, MORE OF A CABIN STYLE HOME.
UH, THEY WEREN'T SUITED VERY GOOD FOR LONG-TERM RENTALS.
AND BASED ON THEIR CONDITION, I DOUBT THEY WERE VERY TAXABLE ALL.
SO THESE PROPERTIES WERE FIXED UP AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT MARKETABLE IF THEY'RE NOT IN GOOD SHAPE.
SO THEY'RE USUALLY RESTORED IN PRISTINE CONDITION OR AS BEST AS THEY CAN GET 'EM.
AND THEN, UH, THEY'RE REQUIRED A, UH, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PLAN.
YOU KNOW, WHO'S MOWING THE GRASS? WHO'S PICKING THE TRASH UP? UM, SO IT PUTS, THAT PUTS THE PROPERTY TAX PART OF IT, UH, BACK IN THE TAX BASE.
AND AS FAR AS, UH, SERVICES, UM, OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS POTENTIAL FOR FIRE OR FIRE RESCUE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, THE BIGGER ONE, OUR BIGGEST LOAD IS OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND A SHORT TERM TER RENTAL WON'T HAVE FULL-TIME RESIDENTS, SO THERE WILL BE NO LOAD ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND IT'S ALSO BEEN A PROVEN FACT THAT THEY WON'T BE HABITED 365 DAYS A YEAR.
NOW I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S THOSE I WAS JUST KIND OF MENTIONED IN THE HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE POSITIVES.
ALL THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A REASON TO APPROVE.
ONE, THEY DON'T FIT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE HAD TRIED BEFORE TO KIND OF NARROW THE TARGET FOR WHAT'S ACCEPTED AND ARE NOT.
AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE COULDN'T DO IT FAIRLY THAT BECAUSE THE, UH, THE COUNTY BEING SO DIVERSE AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UM, YOU GET INTO HOAS MECHANIC FOUR SIM UM, STATE LEGISLATOR HAS INDICATED THAT THEY'RE NOT A COMMERCIAL ENTITY, SO WE CANNOT TREAT THEM AS COMMERCIAL 'CAUSE THEY'RE JUST SIMPLY LIVING IN THE HOME UNDER VERY SHORT TERM.
UM, I DO THINK AT SOME POINT THAT THEY'LL NATURALLY SEEK A HIGH, UM, SUPPLY AND DEMAND, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WILL WILL ONLY, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT IT'LL BE TOO MANY AND THEY WON'T BE RENTED.
AND THEN I'VE ALREADY SEEN WHERE SOME HAS WENT BACK AS A FULL TERM RENTAL THAT ORIGINALLY WERE APPROVED FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL, SO IT DIDN'T WORK OUT DEPENDING ON THEIR LOCATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, FROM A FREE MARKET SIDE, UH, I TRY NOT TO LIMIT 'EM UNLESS THEY'RE JUST ABSOLUTELY A NO FIT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU KNOW, JUST TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, UH, MAYBE A, A FOOD FOR THOUGHT OF POSSIBLY PUT UP MORATORIUM ON SHORT TERM RENTALS ON NEW CONSTRUCTION.
YOU KNOW, THE, UH, MAKE MAKE IT, UH, TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, IT WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED SO THAT ANYBODY WHO'S ALREADY STARTED ONE FOR THE PURPOSE OF A SHORT TERM RENTAL, IT'D BE GRANDFATHERED IN THAT.
BUT THEN AFTER THAT, UH, AFTER THAT TWO YEAR PERIOD, WE WOULD NOT HAVE, UH, APPROVE ANY SHORT TERM RENTALS ON NEW CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE JUST LIKE YOU, WHAT YOU SAID, IT, IT HELPS TO, TO, UM, UM, REFURBISH THESE DERELICT PROPERTIES.
SO IT'S JUST A, JUST A FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SO TAKE A MOTION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 20 25 10 0 1 FOR SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL WITH THE CONDITIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF.
[00:45:01]
I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.MR. STAN MEYER, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN BECAUSE THIS FAMILY GAVE MY FAMILY A DOG.
OH, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU CALL MY NAME.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE A SHORT TERM
[L. CUP2025-10-02 - Short-term Tourist Rental - 262 Woodcliff Lane - A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 262 Woodcliff Lane and is identified on tax map 36 as lot 13A. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the South River Magisterial District. - Kelly Wahl , Planner]
TOURIST RENTAL FOR 2 62 WOOD CLEFT LANE.WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF DOG WAS IT? A WONDERFUL GOLDEN RETRIEVER.
UH, HIS NAME IS PRINCE HANS OF THE SOUTHERN ISLES.
AND THAT WAS MY DAUGHTER'S IDEA.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL FOR THE PROPERTY SHE AND HER FAMILY PURCHASED IN 2017.
THE OWNER WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE PROPERTY AVAILABLE SHORT-TERM LODGING TO OFFER A TRANQUIL LODGING EXPERIENCE THAT PROVIDES EASY ACCESS TO THE SHENANDOAH RIVER WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY AND ITS GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS RESIDING ON THE SAME PARCEL APPROXIMATELY 290 FEET AWAY.
THE APPLICANT WILL SERVE AS THE PROPERTY MANAGER OVERSEEING ALL ASPECTS OF THE RENTAL PROCESS.
THE PARCEL CONTAINS TWO DWELLINGS, ONE WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1966 AND THE OTHER IN 1973.
THERE IS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT OPERATION PERMIT APPROVING A MAXIMUM OF FOUR OCCUPANTS FOR THE TWO BEDROOM DWELLING.
THE PROPERTY IS NOT LOCATED WITHIN A SUBDIVISION GOVERNED BY AN HOA OR A POA.
THE DWELLING MEETS THE SETBACK REQUIREMENT TO ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS.
THE CLOSEST BEING 280 FEET TO THE EAST.
AND THAT IS A LEGAL NON-CONFORMING SHORT-TERM TOURIST RENTAL.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH.
MR. SIUS MOVED FORWARD THIS APPLICATION ONTO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY MR. GORDON AND PASSED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION BY A VOTE OF FOUR TO ZERO.
PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF ARE RECOMMENDING THE SAME CONDITIONS AS THE PREVIOUS APPLICATION.
UM, THIS PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS NOTIFIED AND THE APPLICANT COULD NOT BE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
SHE'S PREPARING FOR TRAVEL FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
UM, BUT I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP? UH, YES SIR.
UH, MR. BOWDEN, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I DO ADMIRE YOUR, YOUR, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO, UH, UH, PARTICIPATE.
AND I, I'M NOT SAYING THIS IN JEST OR ANYTHING.
I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD DO THIS.
MY NAME IS LOUIS, BUT I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UM, I'M GONNA GO A LITTLE OFF BECAUSE I PREPARED EVERYTHING, BUT I, I WILL SAY I DID MEET ONE OF THE APPLICANTS, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN I STARTED SPEAKING IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND I MET THEM AFTERWARDS AND THEY DID SHOW ME A LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF BEFORE AND AFTER.
AND I AGREE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING AND IMPROVING WARREN COUNTY, BUT THEY, THEY'RE IMPROVING IT FOR PEOPLE COMING IN AND GOING QUITE A BIT.
THEY'RE NOT IMPROVING IT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME AND STAY HERE.
UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK WHAT I ACTUALLY DO WANNA SPEAK ABOUT HERE.
'CAUSE I, I HAD EACH ONE GOING ON A DIFFERENT, UM, TOPIC, BUT I, I WAS JUST STARTING TO HUMORIZE.
MAYBE I SHOULD START MY OWN SHORT TERM RENTAL IN MY HOUSE OR SOMETHING.
UM, BUT I'M NOT GONNA GO THAT ROUTE.
BUT I KNOW ZACH'S OFTEN SAID HE'S SEEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING AND THEN A COUPLE MONTHS LATER THEY'RE COMING TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING THEMSELVES.
UH, I DO APPRECIATE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE STAFF CONDITIONS, ON WATER TESTING, SEPTIC MAINTENANCE AND WHATNOT.
UM, I, I JUST, UM, I AM TRYING TO DIG AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING AND IT'S A FIRE HOSE AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITH BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH AND I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE REALIZE ONCE YOU GET INTO THE DATA HOW MUCH, UM, THERE ACTUALLY IS.
UH, AND IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF TIME SO I CAN'T SEE IF I GOT TIME OR NOT.
UM, THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL BUT THEY DO INTRODUCE A LOT OF MO MOVING PARTS, GUESTS WHO DON'T KNOW THE AREA OF VEHICLES THAT AREN'T USED TO ROLL ROAD CONDITIONS AND INCREASE TURNOVER.
THE AFFECTS NOISE, PARKING, SAFETY, UM, SO, SO TO YOUR MATTER OF IT'S NOT GONNA INCREASE TRAFFIC.
IT'S GOING TO, IT'S GONNA HAVE TRAFFIC THAT IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREAS, THE MAIN THING.
SO SOMEBODY MIGHT GET CAUGHT ON A SNOW BANK AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO UP THE ROAD AND FIND A FARMER TO, TO GET HIS TRACTOR AND TO LEND A HAND BECAUSE THAT'S THE NEIGHBOR THING, NEIGHBORLY THING TO DO.
WHEREAS YOUR REGULAR PEOPLE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, THEY KNOW IF THEY SHOULDN'T
[00:50:01]
DRIVE OR WHAT CONDITIONS TO EXPECT.SO THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES AND A LOT OF CONDITIONS THAT WE NEED TO MEET WITH THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
ANYONE ELSE? THAT'S ALL FOR SIGN UP SIR.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
DO I HAVE A, UH, MOTION? I MOVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 2025 DASH 10 DASH OH TWO FOR SHORT TERM TAURUS RENTAL WITH THE CONDITIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF.
[M. CUP2025-10-03 - Accessory Dwelling Unit - 150 High Bluff Road - A request for a conditional use permit for an accessory dwelling unit (detached). The property is located at 150 High Bluff Road and is identified on tax map 11E as lot 21. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the North River Magisterial District. - Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE, UM, AC ACCESSOR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT ONE 50 HIGH BLUFF ROAD.THE APPLICANTS ARE REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT DETACH FROM THE EXISTING PRINCIPAL DWELLING AT ONE 50 HIGH BLUFF ROAD.
THE OWNERS WOULD LIKE TO CONSTRUCT A DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT FOR TEMPORARY OCCUPANCY BY FAMILY MEMBERS AND GUESTS.
UH, THEY DID INCLUDE A STATEMENT OF JUSTIFICATION, WHICH PROVIDES ADDITIONAL CONTEXT.
THERE ARE MORE PERSONAL NEEDS FOR THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT.
WE AS A REMINDER, WE DID, UH, UH, LOOK AT THIS ORDINANCE FOR ADOPTION BACK IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
BUT JUST TO REMIND YOU OF THE DEFINITION, UH, IT IS A SUBORDINATE DWELLING UNIT LOCATED ON THE SAME LOT AS A PRINCIPAL SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING THAT INCLUDES PERMANENT PROVISIONS FOR LIVING, SLEEPING, EATING, COOKING, AND SANITATION.
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT SHALL COMPLY WITH THE SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION 180 DASH 30.2 OF THIS CHAPTER ON THIS SUBJECT.
PROPERTY WAS CREATED IN 1994 AS PART OF A PHASE TWO OF THE RIVER RIDGE ON THE SHENANDOAH SUBDIVISION PRINCIPAL.
SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON THE PROPERTY WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1996.
THE BOUCHERS ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY IN AUGUST OF 2016.
HAVE SINCE USED THE PROPERTY AS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
UM, THE APPLICANTS HAVE RECEIVED CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR A PRIVATE WELL AND FOR AN ALTERNATIVE SEPTIC SYSTEM, WHICH APPROVES NO MORE THAN TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE ONE BEDROOM DWELLING.
THE, UH, PROPERTY ITSELF DOES MEET THE MINIMUM ACREAGE.
IT'S 21 ACRES IN SIZE AND IT DOES FALL WITHIN THE, THE, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGE WINDOW THAT WAS SET FORTH BY THE BOARD EARLIER THIS YEAR.
IN THE ORDINANCE, IT'S 672 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE AND HAS MENTIONED IT IS DETACHED FROM THE ACCESSORY OR FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DWELLING ON THE PROPERTY.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID, UH, HOLD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM ON NOVEMBER 13TH.
UH, AND THEY MOVED IT FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL WITH THE FOUR AND NOTHING VOTE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
CONDITION NUMBER ONE, THE APPLICANT SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL WARREN COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTIONS, WARREN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND STATEWIDE FIRE PREVENTION CODE REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.
NUMBER TWO, PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY BY THE BUILDING OFFICIAL, THE APPLICANT SHALL APPLY FOR A CERTIFICATE OF ZONING AND PASS A FINAL ZONING INSPECTION.
NUMBER THREE, THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE SYSTEM CAPACITY AS DETERMINED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERMIT PER WARREN COUNTY CODE SUBSECTION 180 DASH 32 H.
THE CERTIFICATE OF ZONING SHALL ONLY BE ISSUED WITH APPROVED HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECORDS.
NUMBER FOUR, THE CONSTRUCTION OF MORE THAN ONE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY SHALL BE PROHIBITED.
AND NUMBER FIVE, RENTAL OF THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT FOR ANY FORM OF COMPENSATION FOR PERIODS OF LESS THAN 30 DAYS SHALL BE PROHIBITED.
AND WE DID RECEIVE SOME LETTERS FROM THE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS OR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OF, OF THE AREA.
UM, AND THE APPLICANTS HAVE SINCE WORKED WITH THEM TO, UM, BASICALLY ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS.
THEY HAVE, UH, SOME SCREENING PLANNED AND PLAN TO SHARE A DRIVEWAY, I BELIEVE.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THIS PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED.
JASON, PROPERTY OWNERS NOTIFIED AND THE APPLICANTS ARE HERE THIS EVENING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US, WOULD THE APPLICANTS LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, SIR.
DO I HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY.
WOULD ANYONE, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP? UH, YES SIR.
MY NAME IS LOUIS MOTON AND I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT STILL.
UM, SO IF ANYBODY'S NOT FAMILIAR, THESE ARE LIKE, UH, GRANNY FLATS.
I JUST SPOKE TO THE TOWN ABOUT THIS LAST MONDAY, OR THE MONDAY BEFORE LAST, LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO BEFORE I GOT SICK AND THEN RECOVERED.
UM, THIS ACTUALLY BORDERS ON A VARIANCE 'CAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE EXPERIENCING
[00:55:01]
A HAR A HARDSHIP WITH, UM, SOME OF THE, THE PEOPLE THEY, THEY ARE ACTUALLY, UM, HELPING.UM, MY ONLY CONCERN REALLY WITH ADUS IS IT, IT FEELS ALMOST LIKE A SKIRT AROUND RENTALS IN THIS CASE.
THEY, THEY'VE GOT SOMEBODY LIVING THERE PERMANENTLY, BUT, UM, THERE'S A CONCERN LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A 30 DAY MINIMUM REQUIREMENT, BUT IT COULD BE SOMETHING LIKE, UM, MAYBE SOMEBODY DOES WANNA STAY LONGER THAN 30 DAYS AND PAY FOR IT.
UH, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH MORE ABOUT THAT, SO I'M JUST TALKING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW WITH, WITH, UH, REGARDING WHAT I, WHAT MY THOUGHTS ARE AND I WILL RESERVE THE REST OF MY TIME FOR NOTHING.
WOULD ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS? HOPE YOU GUYS ARE DOING WELL.
UH, I, MY NAME IS JEFF BAGLEY.
I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BASHAM, UH, GREAT NEIGHBORS.
I'VE TALKED TO DAN ABOUT THE, THE SETBACKS.
THE SETBACKS WILL BE FAR ENOUGH OFF THE ROAD.
HE'S, IT'LL SIT BACK IN THE TREES.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION AS HIS NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET IS THAT WE APPROVE HIM.
IT WON'T BE A SHORT TERM RENTAL, IT'S FOR THEIR MOTHERS AND WE, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US COME INTO THIS WORLD BY SOMEBODY'S MOTHER.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU APPROVING THEM.
AND WE CAN'T HAVE OUR MOTHERS LIVING IN THE SAME HOUSE.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK, SIR? GOOD EVENING.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD? UH, MY NAME'S JOHN DALEY.
UM, AND IT JUST OCCURS TO ME IN LIGHT OF THE COMMENTS BEING MADE EARLIER, WATCHING THIS TONIGHT, THE TEMPORARY USE, SHORT-TERM RENTAL ISSUES SEEM TO BE SCATTERED AND GROWING AND INDIVIDUAL.
AND MY SUGGESTION IN, IN, IN LIGHT OF THE COMMENTS MADE EARLIER, UH, THE BOARD SHOULD CONSIDER HAVING A, SOME KIND OF SURVEY OR AUDIT OF THE FINANCES AND THE USES.
SEE IF THINGS ARE REALLY BEING COMPLIED WITH.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE TAX MONEY GOES OR IF ANYBODY LOOKS FOR IT.
UM, I KNOW IN SALES TAX THE STATE OF VIRGINIA WILL CALL, COMMONWEALTH WILL CALL YOU UP, YOU KNOW, SEND YOU IN MAIL.
WE'RE NOT GETTING YOUR, YOU KNOW, SALES TAX.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE THAT PART IS GOING, BUT IT'S ALL PART OF JUST MAKING SURE IT'S BEING RUN PROPERLY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT THEY PROMISED.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, NO OTHER COMMENTS.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE THIS MATTER IS NOW CLOSED.
DO I HAVE A MOTION, MR. CHAIR? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 2025 DASH 10 0 3 FOR AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT WITH THE CONDITIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF.
[N. R2023-07-01 - Tax Map #12---------9, 12---------6, and 4--------41 - Rezoning from Agricultural (A) to Industrial (I) and Commercial (C) - A request to amend the Warren County Zoning Map and rezone approximately 448.21+/- acres from Agricultural (A) to Industrial (I) and Commercial (C). The property identified as Tax Map 12, as lot 9 is requested to be rezoned from Agricultural (A) to Commercial (C) is 4.47 acres. The properties identified on tax map 12, as lot 6 and tax map 4 as lot 41 are requested to be rezoned from Agricultural (A) to Industrial (I) and are 443.74+/- acres. The properties are located off Winchester Road in the North River Magisterial District. - Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator]
IS THE UM, TAC NUMBER 12 REZONING FROM AGRICULTURAL TO INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL.THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO RESUME TWO PARCELS IDENTIFIED ON TAX MAP FOUR, PARCEL 41 AND TAX MAP 12 PARCEL SIX CONSISTING OF A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 443.74 ACRES FROM AGRICULTURAL TO INDUSTRIAL.
THIRD PROPERTY IS IDENTIFIED ON TAX MAP 12.
PARCEL NINE IS PROPOSED TO BE REZONED FROM AGRICULTURAL TO COMMERCIAL AND IS 4.47 ACRES IN SIZE.
THE PROPERTIES ARE LOCATED OFF WINCHESTER ROAD IN THE NORTH RIVER MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT, NORTH OF THE BLUE RIDGE SHADOWS GOLF COURSE AND SUBDIVISION.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING FOUR LAND BASE WHICH WILL BE PHASED IN FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A TOTAL OF, UH, 2.5 MILLION SQUARE FEET.
THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WILL HAVE 25,000 SQUARE FEET FOR COMMERCIAL LAND USES.
THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED REVISED PROFFERS BASED ON MEETINGS WITH THE COUNTY STAFF AND VDOT AND THEIR TRAFFIC ENGINEER AND APPLIED TO ALL OF THE PARCELS INVOLVED.
UM, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND THE CON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IDENTIFIES THIS AREA TO BE USED FOR INDUSTRIAL LAND USES AND BE ZONED INDUSTRIAL IN THE FUTURE.
[01:00:01]
THE REQUEST IS CURRENTLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.SINCE THIS PROPERTY IS SHOWN TO BE INDUSTRIAL, UH, AND TO CORRECT MY STAFF REPORT, THE PORTION THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE COMMERCIAL IS ALSO, UH, FUTURE LAND USE COMMERCIAL IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
UH, THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT IS INTENDED FOR A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIAL USES, WHICH WITH APPROPRIATE SCREENING AND WITHOUT EMISSION OF NOISE, DUST, SMOKE, ODOR, TOXIC GASES OR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES CAN BE CONDUCTED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NEARBY PROPERTIES IN THE APPLICATION DOES NOT HAVE ANY SPECIFIC LAND USE IDENTIFIED, BUT THE APPLICANT PLANS TO MARKET IT FOR WAREHOUSING DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE V VIRGINIA INLAND PORT WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES.
OUR LAND USE IS ALLOWED BY WRIGHT IN THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT AND ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE CURRENT WARREN COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE.
UM, THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED A REVISED PROFFER STATEMENT.
UH, THIS THIS AFTERNOON INCLUDES A MAXIMUM GROSS FLOOR AREA FOR BOTH THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A TRIGGER FOR ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY PRIOR TO EXCEEDING THOSE LIMITS AND HAS PROHIBITIONS ON SPECIFIC LAND.
USES REMOVAL OF THE BILLBOARD SIGN ON THE COMMERCIAL PORTION PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND A 150 FOOT VEGETATIVE BUFFER ALONG THE RESIDENTIAL OR THE BOUNDARY OF THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF THE BLUE RIDGE SHADOW SUBDIVISION.
THERE IS A MONETARY CONTRIBUTION BASED ON SQUARE FOOTAGE OF EACH DEVELOP BUILDING FOUR FOOT FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES.
UM, TO CLARIFY, THE REVISED PROFFER RECEIVED, UH, EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, UH, DOES SET THE MONETARY CONTRIBUTION TO BE REQUIRED PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR EACH BUILDING.
UM, IT ALSO ADDED AN ESCALATOR IF THE, UM, THE MONETARY CONTRIBUTION IS OR BUILDINGS ARE NOT CONSTRUCTED WITHIN A TWO YEAR TIMEFRAME.
UM, AND THAT, UH, LANGUAGE FOR THE ESCALATOR DOES MATCH RECENT, UH, REZONING APPLICATIONS WE'VE RECEIVED.
UH, AND IT DOES ALL, IT ALSO DID INCREASE THE MONETARY CONTRIBUTION FROM 10 CENTS TO 15 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT OF BUILDING DEVELOPS.
UH, THE REQUEST HAS BEEN SENT TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TOWN OF FRONT ROW PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, WARREN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, THE WARREN COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, FIRE AND RESCUE, COLUMBIA GAS, AND WARREN COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTIONS, EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL.
ALL COMMENTS RECEIVED HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PACKET.
UM, SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS NING APPLICATION BACK ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023.
IT WAS TABLED FOR, UH, TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL TIME FOR VDOT TO COMMENT ON THE SUBMITTED TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING ON OCTOBER 11TH IN 2023, IT WAS FORWARDED TO THE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
THE MOTION WAS SECOND IN A PASSED BY A FOUR TO NOTHING VOTE.
UM, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TABLED THIS ITEM FOR ONE YEAR ON NOVEMBER 28TH, 2023 AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT.
UPON REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT IT WAS TABLED FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2024.
THE APPLICANT REQUESTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN NOVEMBER, 2025.
UM, WE DID RECEIVE FROM THE APPLICANT A REQUEST TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, BUT THEY DO DESIRE FOR THE DECISION TO BE TABLED BEYOND THE JANUARY 1ST DATE.
SO INCLUDED IN YOUR COVER SHEET IS, UH, UH, A SAMPLE MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM TO THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY AND THAT THIS PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED.
ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER IS NOTIFIED AND THE APPLICANTS ARE HERE.
THEY ALSO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM GREENWAY ENGINEERING AS WELL AS GORO SLADE FOR THEIR TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY WANT TO TABLE IT UNTIL JANUARY? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN ADVERTISED FOR, UM, SO IT SHOULD BE HELD AT THIS POINT.
IF PEOPLE HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK THAT HAVE COME.
UM, BUT THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE DECISION TO BE TABLED UNTIL JANUARY.
DID I HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? OKAY.
SO HE JUST HAS TO MAKE THE MOTION.
WELL FIRST THEY HAVE TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION PUBLIC HEARING.
SO DID THEY WANT TO, UH, GET UP AND, AND SPEAK? DO DO THE APPLICANTS WISH TO SPEAK? THAT'S AN ENGINEER COMING UP.
I'M MARISSA WITH GREENWAY ENGINEERING.
I'M REPRESENTING THE APPLICANTS ARE ARE YOU A CIVIL ENGINEER? UH, I'M NOT.
UM, YEAH, THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, SINCE WE LAST WERE SEEN WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE'VE CHANGED A COUPLE THINGS ON THE PLAN.
[01:05:01]
ONE OF THE, THE BIGGEST SHIFTS IS THAT WE HAVE MOVED THE ENTRANCE FROM TORE DRIVE OVER TO CABLE ROAD IN ORDER TO HELP REDUCE THE SIGHT AND SOUND FOR WITH BLUE RIDGE SHADOW RESIDENTS.UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY IS THE ACTIVE BUFFER.
IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S 150 FOOT ACTIVE BUFFER, WHICH IS TRIPLE WHAT THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES.
UM, NORMALLY THE ORDINANCE OR WHAT THE ORDINANCE HAS REQUIRED FOR THIS IS 75 FOOT ACTIVE AND 25 INACTIVE.
SO WE'VE REALLY INCREASED THAT.
UM, AND THEN I WANTED TO JUST COMMENT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT LAST TIME THERE WERE QUESTIONS, LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EMERGENCY ACCESS AND I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THE EMERGENCY ACCESS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS COMMENTED ON BY VDOT REQUIRED BY VDOT.
UM, THAT IT IS GATED AND THAT ONLY FIRE AND RESCUE HAS THE KEY TO ACCESS THAT, THAT IT'S A BREAK BOX.
UM, SO THERE WILL NOT BE ANY TRAFFIC, CONSTRUCTION, TRAFFIC, TRACTOR, TRAILERS, NOTHING THAT WOULD BE AC USING THAT EMERGENCY ACCESS.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK IF ONCE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OVER, IF I COULD HAVE A MOMENT TO KIND OF RESPOND TO ANY COMMENTS THAT THE PUBLIC BRINGS UP.
SO AT THIS POINT, DO, DO ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WOULD ANYONE, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP? FIRST UP IS ANGIE ROBINSON.
I'M ANGIE ROBINSON, A NORTH RIVER DISTRICT, UM, RESIDENT AND BLUE RIDGE SHADOWS RESIDENT FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EMPHASIZE AN IMPORTANT POINT REGARDING THE FUTURE OF SLATE RUN FARMS, LLC AND ITS ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY'S LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT.
OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH WAS CREATED WITH PUBLIC INPUT AND ADOPTED THROUGH AN ESTABLISHED PUBLIC PROCESS, ALREADY IDENTIFIES THE SLATE RUN FARMS AREA AS SUITABLE FOR TRANSITION FROM AGRICULTURAL USE TO INDUSTRIAL USE.
THIS IS NOT A NEW IDEA, NOR IS IT A SUDDEN CHANGE.
IT IS PART OF A LONG-TERM VISION FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LAND USE PLANNING THAT REFLECTS THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND INDUSTRIAL ZONING COVERS A VERY BROAD RANGE OF POTENTIAL BUSINESSES AND NOT ALL INDUSTRIAL USES ARE THE SAME.
SOME ARE LIGHT, LOW IMPACT AND HIGHLY COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
OTHERS REQUIRE MORE CAREFUL EVALUATION AND THAT IS PRECISELY WHY WE HAVE A PLANNING COMMISSION.
THIS BOARD NOT SPECULATION, NOT RUMORS, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING WHICH INDUSTRIAL USES ARE APPROPRIATE, BENEFICIAL, AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CHARACTER AND GOALS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF NOISE AND UNNECESSARY DRAMA SURROUNDING THIS ISSUE.
WHILE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IS ESSENTIAL, IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR CONVERSATIONS BE GROUNDED IN FACTS RATHER THAN FEAR.
OUR ROLE IS TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS REAL, WHAT IS PLANNED, AND WHAT BEST SERVES THE LONG-TERM INTERESTS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
NOT TO AMPLIFY ANYONE'S ANXIETY OR MISINFORMATION.
THE QUESTION BEFORE THIS BOARD IS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
WILL WE FOLLOW THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WE ADOPTED OR WILL WE ABANDON IT IN FAVOR OF REACTIONARY VOICES THAT ONLY SPEAK FOR POLITICAL NOISE? I BELIEVE THE RESPONSIBLE PATH IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ZONING CHANGE.
IT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR PLANNING, ALIGNED WITH OUR ECONOMIC GOALS AND FIRMLY WITHIN THE AUTHORITY OF THIS BOARD TO APPROVE.
AND MER NEXT UP IS LOUIS MOUNTAIN.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE NAME? SHE VAPED ME TO IT.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS LOUIS MOTON AND I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UM, THE MAIN THING I WAS LOOKING AT HERE, I KNOW YOU GUYS KEEP BRINGING UP WATER AND DATA CENTERS AND THEY'VE COME BACK MANY TIMES WITH THIS PROFFER UPDATE AND THE ONE THING THEY HAVEN'T MENTIONED AT ALL IS ANYTHING REGARDING DATA CENTERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY CAN HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING ABOUT WATER OR DATA CENTERS.
I DID SEE SOMETHING ABOUT WATER, BUT IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING ABOUT WELL WATER OR LIMITATIONS AND WHATNOT.
UM, I'M NOT FOR OR AGAINST THIS.
I'M JUST SAYING, HEY, THIS IS WHAT I SEE.
[01:10:01]
NOT YOU, YOU, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION.I'M NOT GONNA JUDGE YOU FOR IT, BUT YEAH.
UH, PHILLIP YATI, IF I'M SAYING THAT RIGHT.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN AND THE BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR CONCERNS AND OFFER SOLUTIONS.
SIR, SIR, YOUR NAME AGAIN, I'M SORRY.
PHILIS LIVE IN 49 BOGEY COURT.
CAN YOU STOP THAT FOR A SECOND? YEAH.
I BACK UP AS DO SEVERAL OTHERS HERE, RIGHT TO WHAT'S GONNA BE REZONED.
SO WE ARE A COMMUNITY MADE UP OF TOWN HOMES, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, AND 55 PLUS COMMUNITY, THE HIGHLANDS, WHICH IS GONNA BE THE MOST AFFECTED BY THIS REZONING, THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMES.
BACKING UP TO IT, I'M SORRY, I ALREADY SAID THAT.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO PREVENT OUR NEIGHBORS SLATE RUN FARMS FROM THEIR RIGHT TO DEVELOP THEIR PROPERTY.
OUR HOPE IS TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER TO ACHIEVE MORE ACCEPTABLE AND SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES.
OUR ISSUES WITH THIS REZONING ARE SIMPLE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, INCREASED NOISE, POLLUTION, TRAFFIC, AND NEGATIVE SIGHT LINES.
NUMBER TWO, PROBABLE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES AND DECREASED TAX REVENUE AS A RESULT FROM US FOR THE COUNTY.
NUMBER THREE, DECREASED SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CHILDREN.
IF CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC IN OR FUTURE TRAFFIC THROUGH BRS IS PERMITTED, THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS.
THERE ARE ONLY MINIMAL SHOULDERS AND DRAINAGE GULLIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'VE HEARD A COMMENT EARLIER THAT NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN GOING THROUGH TO THE EMERGENCY ACCESS.
HOWEVER, PREVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION TRUCKS BRINGING, UH, POSTS, FENCE POSTS AND WIRING TO PUT UP, UH, TO RESTRICT COW MOVEMENT ON THEIR PROPERTY SOLUTIONS.
THE PROPOSED TREE SAVE AREA IS AT INADEQUATE DUE TO PREVIOUS HARVESTING AND DIRT ROADS BEING CUT IN RESULTING IN MINIMAL DENSITY.
WE JUST HAD A SECOND DIRT ROAD CUT IN BEHIND MY HOUSE AND MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN PREVIOUS HARVESTING.
THERE'S HARDLY ANY FOREST DENSE FOREST THERE.
SO 150 FEET IS NOT REALLY SUFFICIENT.
WE ASK THAT IT BE EXPANDED TO 350 FEET AS A COMPROMISE TO THE 550 FEET AND 150 FEET PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED BY SLATE ONE FARMS. WE ASK THAT DENSITY OF THE SITES BE SHIFTED TO THE NORTH WHERE OTHER CURRENT INDUSTRIES ARE LOCATED.
WE ASK THAT A 15 FOOT BERM OR SOUND BARRIER BE REQUIRED FOR THE AREA THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BACK UP TO BRS BY ANY DEVELOPER.
WE ASK THAT CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC, ONCE AGAIN BE PROHIBITED THROUGH BRS, INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY EASEMENT ON FLAGSTICK.
FINALLY, WE ASK THAT QUALITY OF LIFE, COMPASSION, HUMANITY, AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY ENTER THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY.
WE ALSO ASK THAT ANY FURTHER DELAY ON VOTING ON THE REZONING, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED, BE DENIED SO THAT WE CAN GET ON WITH OUR LIVES.
HOWEVER THE RESULTS TURN OUT, WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATIONS.
WE WANT TO WORK WITH SLATE RUN FARMS, BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO REPRESENT OURSELVES AS WELL.
UH, NEXT UP IS GERALD STALKER.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS JERRY STALKER AND I LIVE, UH, IN THE 55 PLUS SECTION OF BLUE RIDGE.
SHADOW IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE SLATE RUN FAMILY.
MY HOME SITS ABOVE THE CUL-DE-SAC PROPOSED AS THE INDUSTRIAL EGRESS POINT.
BECAUSE OF THIS, MY NEIGHBORS AND I WOULD BE AMONG THE MOST AFFECTED, UH, MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED.
I RECOGNIZE THAT ZONING DECISIONS ARE GOVERNED BY LAND USE LAWS, NOT PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO EVALUATE THE REQUEST THROUGH THE LENS OF VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 2284, THE WARREN COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE AND THE WARREN COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
MY REMARKS TODAY FOCUS STRICTLY
[01:15:01]
ON THE LEGAL RELEVANT ISSUES OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, CAPACITY, LAND USE, COMPATIBILITY, RESIDENT WELFARE AND PROTECTION OF PROPERTY VALUES.VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 2284 REQUIRES YOU TO CONSIDER TRAFFIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION ADEQUATELY.
THE PROPOSED EGRESS FEEDS INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC INTO MOST PEDESTRIAN ACTIVE AREA OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE CUL-DE-SAC IS USED DAILY BY SENIORS WALKING FOR EXERCISE, RESIDENTS WALKING DOGS, CHILDREN WALKING TO SCHOOL, BUS STOPS, CHILDREN RIDING BICYCLE SCOOTERS AND SKATEBOARDS, FAMILIES WALKING IN THE EVENING, SCHOOL BUSES TURNING AROUND AND PICKING UP STUDENTS.
ALL PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY OCCURS DIRECTLY IN THE ROADWAY.
INTRODUCING HEAVY CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC, INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS AND WORKER VEHICLES INTO THIS ENVIRONMENT CREATES AN UNAVOIDABLE AND SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD UNDER VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 2284.
YOU MUST CONSIDER IMPACTS TO THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS.
OUR ROADS ARE PRIVATELY MAINTAINED BY THE HOA HOMEOWNERS PAY FOR SNOW REMOVAL REPAIRS AND PATCHINGS RESURFACING AND LONG-TERM ROAD REPLACEMENT.
RESIDENTIAL ROADS WILL NEVER ENGINEERED, WERE NEVER ENGINEERED FOR INDUSTRIAL ACCESS WEIGHTS.
HEAVY TRUCKS CAUSE ACCELERATED PAVEMENT DETERIORATION AND ALL REPAIR COSTS FALL DIRECTLY ON HOMEOWNERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES.
THE REASONING WOULD UNFAIRLY SHIFT INFRASTRUCTURE BURDENS ONTO PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
THE INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT WATER, SEWER, AND ELECTRICAL CAPACITY.
THIS MAY LEAD TO INDUSTRIAL, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES.
HIGHER UTILITY RATES FOR RESIDENTS, REDUCED WATER PRESSURE FOR RELIABILITY.
SENIORS AND FIXED INCOME RESIDENTS ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO RISING UTILITY COSTS.
A RESONATING THE A, A RESONATING THAT STAINS UTILITY SYSTEMS CREATES BOTH SERVICE RISK AND FINANCIAL HARM.
VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 2284, UH, SECTION ONE AND FIVE REQUIRE COMPATIBILITY WITH EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
BLUE RIDGE SHADOWS IS A QUIET RESIDENTIAL AREA WITH A DESIGNATED 55 PLUS NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.
SCHOOL BUS ROUTES, HEAVY DAILY PEDESTRIAN USE ROADS INTENDED FOR RESIDENTIAL SPEEDS ONLY.
A SURROUNDING GOLF COURSE THAT DEPENDS ON QUIET CONDITIONS.
INDUSTRIAL ZONING, INDU INTRODUCES HEAVY VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT STAGING, NOISE, VIBRATION LIGHTING, AND WORKFORCE TRAFFIC.
THESE USES ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
THE WARREN COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REQUIRES ZONING DECISIONS TO PROTECT EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS, MINIMIZE INCOMPATIBLE LAND USES, PRESERVE PEDESTRIAN PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
CAN I JUST FINISH THIS ONE? THIS ONE PIECE.
MAINTAINING, UH, RESIDENTIAL QUALITY OF LIFE.
PROTECT SENIORS AND CHILDREN AND ENSURE INDUSTRIAL USES HAVE ADEQUATE BUFFERS AND ROAD CAPACITY.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS DAVID STUBBS AND I'M A, I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE WHAT PHILLIPS HAD SAID EARLIER, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, WE LIVE IN A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, A 55 PLUS COMMUNITY.
UM, IF THIS GOES THROUGH, WE JUST ASK THAT THERE BE SOME CONCESSIONS FOR US.
YOU KNOW, INCREASING THE GREEN SPACE TO 350 FEET, UM, A 15 FOOT BARRIER, YOU KNOW, FOR NOISE.
UM, AND JUST THE IMPACT ON, ON RESALE VALUES OR, OR PROPERTY VALUES.
JUST BECAUSE IF YOU'RE 55 PLUS AND YOU'RE LOOKING TO MOVE SOMEPLACE TO RETIRE, LIVING BEHIND A INDUSTRIAL PARK IS NOT GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY'S GONNA WANNA PREFER TO, TO DO.
SO WE JUST ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THIS GOES FORWARD, PLEASE TAKE OUR CONCERNS AND OUR HOPES OR, UH, TAKE OUR CONCERNS INTO CONSIDERATION AND GIVE US SOME KIND OF ABILITY TO STILL LIVE A PEACEFUL LIFE THERE.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR SIGN UP, SIR.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? UH, YES, MA'AM.
I, I HAVE SOMEBODY COMING UP ALREADY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRISTIE KIM.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND I ACTUALLY JUST MOVED TO THIS WARREN COUNTY A YEAR AGO FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY.
AND OF COURSE, ONE OF THE MAIN ATTRACTION WAS THE NICE AND QUIET AND GOOD QUALITY OF THE AIR.
AND, UH, SO I FEEL KIND OF BETRAYED AND TRICKED
[01:20:01]
UH, WHICH IS THE HIGHLANDS IN INDIA, THE 50, UH, 55 PLUS COMMUNITY.UM, SO I FEEL AS IF, UM, I DO NOT WANNA TEST, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, THE OWNER, UM, OF THEIR PROPERTY IS DOING.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DO, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THAT THEY COULD CONSIDER THE REASON WHY THE RESIDENTS IN THIS 55 PLUS COMMUNITY IS HERE FOR, THERE ARE A LOT OF RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE HEALTH ISSUES AND, AND ONE OF THE REASONS, PROBABLY THE PRIMARY REASONS WHY THEY ARE LIVING IN THIS COMMUNITY IS BECAUSE OF THEIR HEALTH AS WELL.
SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PUT THAT IN, INTO CONSIDERATION.
NOW, UM, ONE THING THAT I DO, UM, ACTUALLY ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, UM, SINCE I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE ZONING SITUATIONS, I KNOW, UH, I THINK MS. ANGELA, UM, FROM THE, UH, THE APPLICANTS HAD MENTIONED ABOUT THIS BROAD RANGE OF, UM, THE INDUSTRIAL, UM, THE ZONING.
SO WHAT WILL BE THE, THE DEFINITION OF THAT BROAD SPECTRUM OF THE INDUSTRIAL, UM, ZONING? BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY GOOD INFORMATION ON EFFECTS ABOUT WHAT ENTAILS WHAT THIS INDUSTRIAL ZONING IS.
UM, AND EVEN THOUGH, IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE COMPATIBLE WITH OUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS, BUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE WILL BE EXPECTING IF IN FACT IT CHANGES TO INDUSTRIAL ZONING? UM, BECAUSE IT COULD BE SIMPLE AS A LITTLE COMMERCIAL SHOPPING DISTRICT, BUT IT COULD BE SOMEWHERE THAT'S MANUFACTURING WITH A LOT OF TOXIC, UM, THE AIR POLLUTION THAT MAY, YOU KNOW, THAT ENTAILS.
SO IF I CAN ASK, ACTUALLY HAVE SOME FACTS ALREADY DETAILED INFORMATION AS TO WHAT TO EXPECT.
UM, AND ALSO THE OTHER THING IS I DO WANNA, OH, UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING HOW THIS VDOT AFFILIATION IS IN RELATION TO OUR ROAD CONDITIONS.
I KNOW THE MAIN, UH, ROAD ON THE FLEX STICK IS PART OF THE VDOT, BUT WHAT ARE THE RESTRICTIONS, UM, AS FAR AS THEIR ACCESSIBILITY IS CONCERNED? I KNOW WE ARE TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES, FOR OUR SAFETY AND, AND, UM, INEQUALITY OF A LIFE THERE, BUT WHAT IS THE DISTINCTION, UM, OF THE V THAT USAGE ON THIS ROAD? SO THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO CLARIFY.
I LIVE AT, UH, BLUE RIDGE SHADOWS IN THE HIGHLANDS OF 55 AND OLDER.
I'M ON, UH, FLAGSTICK COURT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE MOST AFFECTED BY WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, MY HOUSE IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE EMERGENCY ACCESS TO THE SLATE FARM.
UH, I LIVED THERE ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS.
THE BUILDER, WHEN WE BOUGHT NEW, THE BUILDER TOLD US THAT, UH, THOSE COUPLE, THREE OR FOUR LOTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE YET.
AND THE, THE, THE ONE IN QUESTION, AND, UH, SO WE TOOK THE LOT ACROSS THE STREET.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LOTS BECAME AVAILABLE, BUT THEN THERE WAS A ONE LOT THAT WASN'T AVAILABLE, AND THE BUILDER TOLD US THAT WAS GONNA BE AN OUT LOT AND IT WASN'T GONNA BE BUILT ON.
THEN AFTER WE MOVED IN, THE BUILDER TOLD US, OH, WELL THAT'S ACTUALLY ACCESS TO A FARM, SO IT'LL BE ACCESS TO A FARM, EMERGENCY ACCESS.
SO IT HAS TRAFFIC, NOT MUCH, BUT, UH, AS FAR AS EMERGENCY ACCESS, A YEAR OR TWO AGO, WE HAD NO LESS THAN 10 BIG TRUCKS AN HOUR, 50, 60 A DAY GOING UP AND DOWN.
THEY'RE DOING SOME REMODELING OR SOMETHING BACK THERE.
IT'S LITTLE GRAVEL ROAD INTO THE WOODS, AND THERE'S TRACTOR TRAILERS, THERE'S DUMP TRUCKS, THERE'S, UH, EARTH MOVERS, THERE'S TREE TRUCKS.
EVERYTHING ELSE, WHEN WE WERE TOLD IT WAS EMERGENCY ACCESS.
OKAY? AND THIS WENT ON FOR MONTHS.
NOW THEY, WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING, I GUESS THEY GOT DONE.
I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BUILDER PUT IN WATER AND SEWER BACK BEHIND THERE FOR EMERGENCY ACCESS FARM PROPERTY.
WE WERE TOLD IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, AGRICULTURAL.
UM, SO MY CONCERN IS NOT THAT THEY BUILD, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BUILD WHATEVER THEY WANT BEHIND THERE.
MY CONCERN IS THE ACCESS THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THROUGH BLUE RIDGE SHADOWS, THROUGH THE HIGHLANDS OF BLUE RIDGE SHADOWS.
WE'VE GOT ONE BRIDGE GOING OVER A LITTLE CREEK COMING INTO OUR DEVELOPMENT FOR OVER 200 FAMILIES.
OKAY? THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IN AND OUT OUR ROAD, I DON'T THINK IS MORE THAN 24 FEET WIDE WITH NO CURB, NO GUTTER, GRAVEL, SHOULDERS, NO SIDEWALK, NO NOTHING.
WE CAN'T HAVE THOSE BIG TRUCKS GOING UP AND DOWN THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE, UH, UH, 55 AND OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY MIGHT BUILD A BRIDGE ACROSS, UH, SOME CREEK FROM 5 22.
[01:25:01]
THAT'S FINE, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY SAID IT COSTS $50 MILLION OR SOMETHING.THE, THE RUMORS I'M HEARING, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO DROP A CULVERT IN THERE, COVER IT WITH DIRT AND PAVE OVER IT, YOU KNOW, WHILE THEY CONSTRUCT WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING BACK THERE.
THEY DON'T NEED A $50 MILLION BRIDGE TO DO WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING BACK THERE UNTIL THEY'RE DONE WITH IT.
BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO COME THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD EITHER.
I MEAN, A NEIGHBORHOOD OF 200 FAMILIES, NO SIDEWALKS, NO CURB AND GUTTER, NO NOTHING WITH THESE TRUCKS AND EVERYTHING.
HAVE YOU ALREADY SPOKEN ON THIS MATTER? OKAY, UM, AGAIN, MY NAME'S JOHN DALEY.
WE'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT TAX REVENUES, THIS IS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I NOTICED THE COOPERATION ON THAT ONE USE PERMIT.
I'M NOT AWARE AND BEING A PART OF THE COMMITTEE THAT THE HOA PUT TOGETHER, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY ACTUAL DISCUSSIONS OR GOOD FAITH BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE OWNERS OF SLATE RUN AND OUR, OUR COMMITTEE, UH, LIKE WAS WITH THAT OWNER AND THE USE PERMIT ACROSS THE ROAD.
BUT WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS, AS PHIL WAS TALKING ABOUT, IF YOU STAND AT THE ONE CUL-DE-SAC AT THE END OF JOHNS HOPKINS, YOU CAN SEE THE TREES CLEARED AWAY AND THE LAND MOVING UP.
AND THEN A BUILDING, I DON'T, 30 FEET HIGH, I DON'T KNOW.
SO TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, 50, 150 FEET DOES NOTHING FOR AN ACCESS BARRIER OR, YOU KNOW, A SOUND BARRIER.
THAT'S WHY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THREE 50.
ALSO, WE HAD LOOKED AT A PROFFERED ARCHITECTURAL LAYOUT WHERE ONE OF THE BIG FACTORY BUILDINGS IS GONNA BE BASICALLY BUTTING RIGHT UP AGAINST THAT ON THE CORNER.
UM, TO ME THERE'S A WAY TO SHIFT THAT UP AND MAYBE AVOID THIS.
AND OH, BY THE WAY, THERE'S ANOTHER BACK ROAD THAT COMES IN DOWN OFF OF, UM, IS IT 2 71 OR OFF OF THERE INTO THE BACK OF SLATE RUN.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY OF THIS OTHER STUFF AS FAR AS EVEN EMERGENCY ACCESS.
UM, I, I, I TRACE IT OUT ON ONE OF THE MAPS I'VE GOT.
SO WITH, WITH ALL THAT SAID, I THINK A LITTLE MORE FAIRNESS WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS BLUE RIDGE SHADOWS, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BE IN ORDER.
AND, UH, I, I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? JUST LEMME SAY A LITTLE SOMETHING.
MA'AM, PLEASE COME UP TO THE, UH, PODIUM.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND, AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY.
I PUT IN MY NAME'S JANET DAVIS WHILE YOU PUT IN A GOLF COURSE, A NICE HOUSING PROJECT THAT'S BEEN WELL MAINTAINED.
A SMALL SHOPPING CENTER ACROSS THE ROAD, WHICH MY FAMILY HAD STORES OVER THERE, THEY OWN THEM.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH RESIDENTIAL TO SUPPORT RORY ROGERS CHECKERS, RESTAURANTS, AND WHATNOT.
WHY DID YOU PUT THE, WAS THERE NO PLANNING WHEN YOU PUT IN THE SUBDIVISION? DID YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS FOR THAT AREA AT ALL? I MEAN, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
BUT I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 SOME YEARS.
I HAVE TWO HOMES, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE PLANNING WORKS.
IF YOU WANT GOOD SCHOOLS AND YOU WANT GOOD NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU HAVE TO, YOU CAN'T BUILD THEM AND THEN TAKE 'EM AWAY.
I'VE GOT CHILDREN THAT COME TO MY HOUSE EVERY DAY FOR COOKIES OR FOR SAFE PLACE TO STAY.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE SO SAFE NOW.
THE TRUCKS ROAMING ME IN AND OUT BEHIND MY HOUSE ON JOHN HOPKINS.
IT'S HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU HAD YOUR REST AREA, YOUR HOME FOR THE END OF YOUR LIFE, AND SOMEBODY COMES IN AND SAYS, OH, YOU GOTTA MOVE, TAKE YOUR SAVINGS AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT A WISE DECISION.
I'M SORRY ABOUT IT, BUT YOU WANT THE HONEST FACT.
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF IT WAS YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THAT POSITION IF IT WAS YOUR HUMP AND YOU WERE RETIRING? I MEAN, IT'S JUST ON MY END.
SCOTT KERSH, UM, NORTH, UH, RIVER DISTRICT, ALSO 1 5 6 FLAGS TO COURT.
I'VE, I'VE RECUSED MYSELF OF THIS SITUATION UNDER THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH CARRIES ON THROUGH THE BOARD.
HOWEVER, I DO NEED TO STATE SOMETHING TO CLEAR THE RECORD.
ALL OF OUR STREETS ARE VDOT STREETS.
WE DO NOT, UH, RESERVE FOR ANY EXPENSE, NOR DID WE PAY FOR ANY SNOW REMOVAL.
THAT'S ONLY IN THE TOWNHOUSE COMMUNITY.
[01:30:01]
IT.DO I HAVE ANY OTHER, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
DO I HAVE A, DO I HAVE A MOTION YOU MIGHT WANT TO LET GET THE APPLICANT TO? WE'RE GONNA GIVE THE APPLICANT A CHANCE TO REBUTTAL.
DID, UH, APPLICANT, DID YOU WANT TO REBUT FOR ANY OF THESE? OBJECT.
HOW YOU DOING? I'M RAYMOND HEFLIN, UH, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF SLATE RUN FARM.
AND I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT BRIEFLY IN REGARDS TO THE ACCESS POINT.
NOW, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ACCESS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH WOULD WORK BOTH WAYS.
UM, SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT AS, AS FAR AS THE RIGHT, THERE IS A RIGHT OF WAY.
THAT WAS GIVEN, UH, OFF OF FLAGSTICK COURT.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO SEWER AND WATER THAT WAS MOVED ONTO THE PROPERTY.
SO THAT WAS DONE 20 YEARS AGO.
I MEAN, THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEW.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THAT CONTINUALLY TO SERVE OUR PROPERTY.
WE'RE NOT UTILIZING IT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, TRAFFIC CONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT INTENDED.
HOWEVER, THIS RIGHT OF WAY WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S DEEDED AND IT WAS GIVEN BY DR HORTON TO THE PROPERTY.
SO WE DON'T INTEND TO CLOSE IT, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
I MEAN, IT JUST CAN'T BE USED.
YOU SAY ANYTHING ELSE THERE, RIGHT? YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS, RIGHT NOW IT'S STILL A ACTIVE FARM BACK THERE.
THE, THERE WAS A FENCING PROJECT, SO THERE WERE TRUCKS BEING USED TO ACCESS THE PROPERTY.
UM, BUT IT IS A RECORDED RIGHT OF WAY THAT THEY OWN.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THERE WILL NEVER BE CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SLATE RUN FARM IN THE BLUERIDGE SHADOW SUBDIVISION.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE.
AND THIS, THIS RIGHT OF WAY ALSO SERVES DAVID SIFORD.
DAVID SIFORD ISS, MY FATHER-IN-LAW, HE OWNS 200 ACRES ADJOINING THE 450 THAT WE OWN.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S A RIGHT OF WAY TO SERVE, UH, SIFORD TO SERVE, SLATE RUN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS NEGOTIATED WITH D HORTON.
THEY NEEDED, UM, A HUNDRED FEET AT TOR RAY THAT SIFORD OWNED.
HE MADE A TRADE FOR TWO RIGHT AWAYS INTO, UM, HIS PROPERTY.
SO THIS IS HOW THOSE RIGHT-OF-WAYS CAME ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS INTENDED, UM, FOR DR. HORTON OR SOME LARGE DEVELOPER TO DO RESIDENTIAL HERE.
UM, SO THEY WANTED TO HAVE ACCESS FOR THE FUTURE, AND THEY PUT SEWER WATER OVER ON THIS PROPERTY.
NOW WE KNOW THAT RESIDENTIAL'S NOT IN THE PLAN.
UM, WE'RE NOT PROPOSING THAT, BUT THAT'S HOW THESE RIGHT-OF-WAYS CAME ABOUT.
THEY WERE NEGOTIATED, TRADED, AND GIVEN, UM, FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL, FOR, AND THEY WOULD SERVE, YOU KNOW, THE FARM THEY SERVE FRUIT'S FARM, UM, IT'S SUCCESSORS AND OR SIGNS.
SO IT WILL GO AND RUN WITH THE LAND.
DID YOU ALL HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR US? I, I DO.
UH, JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY THE RIGHT WAY THING.
SO, OH, IT'S EXISTING FARM ONE, NOT YOURS.
UM, BUT THE ACTUAL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, THE BASE AS FAR AS THEIR CONSTRUCTION OR THEIR ACTUAL USE, WILL NOT USE THE RIGHT OF WAYS TO BELIEVE THEY, THEY WILL NOT BE GIVEN A RIGHT OF WAY PERIOD.
UH, THE ONLY THING THAT VDOT, UH, RECOMMENDED WAS TO HAVE, UM, EMERGENCY ACCESS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THOSE RIGHT OF WAYS, BUT THEY WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS.
IT WILL NOT GO, YOU KNOW, FORWARD TO THE, TO THE, UM, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT IS THE EMERGENCY ACCESS ONLY ON JOHNS HOPKINS ROAD? YOU MENTIONED THE LOCKBOX.
SO WE HAVE, WE, WE HAVE TWO, YOU KNOW, POSSIBILITIES.
UM, AND AGAIN, UM, I THINK MAYBE, UM, KEVIN COULD SPEAK TO THAT AS REGARD IN REGARDS TO THAT.
I MEAN, WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, TWO POSSIBILITIES OR TWO OPTIONS FOR THE EMERGENCY ACCESS.
[01:35:01]
AN ACCESS THROUGH JOHN HOPKINS, BUT JOHN HOPKINS DOES DEAD END INTO THE FARM.UH, JOHNS HOPKINS IS THE ONE THAT VDOT WANTS TO USE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ONE THAT THEY WANT TO USE.
AND THAT'S, IT'S WHAT'S DRAWN IN THE, IN THE SUBMISSION, CORRECT? YEAH.
AND NOTHING'S DRAWN ON THE SUBMISSION ON FLAG STACK COURT? NO.
SO I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS THE PROPOSED EMERGENCY ACCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A STRAIGHT SHOT FROM JOHN HOPKINS.
YOU KNOW, JOHN HOPKINS WAS DESIGNED TO BE A, YOU KNOW, CONTINUATION INTO, UM, THIS PROPERTY.
RIGHT? SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S AN OBSERVATION.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TAKE A LOT OF NOTES.
UM, WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE WAS A LOT OF TRUCK TRAFFIC.
THEY SAW DOZERS AND, AND, AND I, WE GOT THE PICTURES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND SO, YEAH, WE RUN A FARM, WE RUN CATTLE.
I MEAN, WE, YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE PUT UP FENCE MEAN'S, I'M JUST SAYING, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IS THE SOURCE OF THE CONSTERNATION.
AND SO THERE'S A PROVISION BURNED IN THEIR MIND, LIKE, WOW, LOOK AT ALL THESE TRUCKS, DUMP TRUCKS BACKED UP THERE.
APPARENTLY THE GATE WASN'T OPEN, AND SO SEVERAL TRUCKS ACCUMULATED, BUT THAT'S WHAT WAS EXPERIENCED.
I MEAN, IF, IF IT'S AN EMOTIONAL MATTER, IT'S, IT'S MORE THEIR EMOTIONAL, I GUESS IT'S ANALYTICAL TOO.
BUT THE FACT IS THAT'S WHAT'S BURNED IN THEIR MIND.
SO I THINK, AND I'VE, I'VE WRITTEN INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC.
IT'S NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
MY UNDERSTANDING, AND IT'S IN THE DRAWINGS, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE MAIN ENTRANCE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO FURTHER NORTH FOR, FOR STARTERS.
AND THAT I, I HEARD THAT THE ONLY FIRE AND RESCUE WOULD HAVE THE LOCK TO THE EMERGENCY GATE, AND THAT WOULD BE JOHNS HOPKINS.
AND SO IS IT TRUE THAT, UM, THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S DEEDED WITH THAT PROPERTY IS TO A FORM AND SOMETIMES THAT WHAT WAS SEEN BY THEM WITH ALL THOSE TRUCKS AND STUFF WAS FARM RELATED? IT WASN'T THAT'S CORRECT.
STARTING TO DEVELOP THE INDUSTRIAL, NO, IT'S HUNDRED PERCENT SOMETHING FARM, FARM RELATED, AND WE PUT MILES OF FENCING IN.
UM, YEAH, LET ME JUMP IN IF YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS.
UM, I JUST, THAT'S ONE THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS I, I, I, I BELIEVE THE VISION OF ALL THIS TRAFFIC GOING THROUGH THERE AND WHILE IT'S BEING DEVELOPED AND AFTER IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL SITE, IS THE, THE EB BODEN YES.
THAT WAS THE FEELING THAT I WAS GETTING AS PEOPLE WERE SPEAKING.
IT WAS THE CONCERN OF WHAT IS CURRENTLY GOING ON, BUT WHAT IS CURRENTLY GOING ON.
IS THERE THE SITUATION WHERE THERE'S GONNA NEED TO BE CONTINUED WORK ON THE FARM BECAUSE THEY THEY STILL HAVE LAND BACK THERE? YES.
THAT THERE IS STILL GONNA BE TRAFFIC THAT USES THEIR RECORDED ACCESS TO THAT PROPERTY, BUT NONE OF IT WILL BE RELATED TO THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IF THIS, IF THE REZONING IS APPROVED.
AND, AND IS THERE, FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE, ANY KIND OF ENFORCEMENT ABOUT THAT? UH, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT TO, NOT TO DISCOUNT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I'M JUST SAYING HYPOTHETICAL TIME IN THE FUTURE, 18 WHEELERS ARE GOING THROUGH AND RIGHT.
I MEAN, IS THERE AN ENFOR, IS THERE A VDOT IN INVOLVEMENT HERE WITH THIS OR ANYTHING? IT'S, AND I THINK THIS, THERE'S A SEPARATION OF CONCERNS DEFINITELY WE'RE SEEING HAPPENS FROM JOHN HOPKINS ON THAT SIDE.
UM, IS THERE A, A STATE OR COUNTY OR ANY OTHER ENFORCEMENT ABOUT HOW THOSE ROADS THROUGH THAT RESIDENTIAL, ACTUALLY SCOTT MIGHT, MIGHT ADDRESS THIS, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S A PROGRAM, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT THAT DEALS WITH RESIDENTIAL ROADS, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, SO AT ANY RATE AS IT'S, THERE'S A SEPARATION OF CONCERNS AND AS THE PLANS ARE BEING SUBMITTED FOR THIS, FOR THIS REZONING, THERE IS NO TRAFFIC ASSOCIATED WITH THE, THE INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
ZERO TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR ANY INDUSTRIAL, UH, CONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S, THERE IS NO WHILE IT'S BEING BUILT OR AFTER IT'S THERE PERIOD.
YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T GIVE THEM ACCESS BACK THROUGH THE REMAINING PROPERTY FOR ANY REASON.
IT WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR INTEREST.
IT'S YOUR FARM, YOU KNOW, WE LIVE, IT'S OUR FARM.
WE LIVE THERE, WE'VE BEEN THERE.
MY WIFE GREW UP ON THE PROPERTY AND WE DON'T PLAN TO HAVE THAT TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, BACK AND FORTH.
IT'S JUST NO, IT WOULDN'T SERVE.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? AND THAT WOULD BE WITH THE PLAN? I THINK WITH THE SITE PLAN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE END USER, I'M SURE THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED AT THAT TIME.
BUT THERE WOULD BE, AGAIN, WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO PREVENT THAT.
I MEAN, IT COULD BE ENFORCED BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A, A SHOWN ACCESS TO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S NOT PART OF THE REZONING.
I'M SORRY, HE'S, I'M GONNA HAVE A SEAT.
SITMAN WITH GROSSLY THE, EXCUSE ME, TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANT.
UM, JUST TO ANSWER A COUPLE OF OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD.
TRADITIONALLY, WHEN THERE IS A, UH, AN EMERGENCY ONLY, UM, GATED ACCESS BETWEEN, UM,
[01:40:01]
USES THAT ARE NOT THE SAME USE, UM, IN ORDER TO CONTROL THAT THERE'S EITHER, THERE'S A GATE, THERE'S A DROP CHAIN, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IS LOCKED AND IS, DOES NOT ALLOW THE PASSAGE OF SMALL, MEDIUM, OR LARGE VEHICLES.UM, THAT IF IT IS INCLUDED IN, UH, A CONDITION OR A PROFFER, THEN IF THAT'S NOT MAINTAINED AS IT'S AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, THAT WOULD BE A ZONING VIOLATION.
UM, SO THAT COULD BE ENFORCED BY THE COUNTY.
UM, THERE IS NOT TYPICALLY, UM, PARTICULARLY IF THE STREETS ON THE INDUSTRIAL PORTION BECAME PUBLIC STREETS, VDOT WAS INTERESTED IN THE POSSIBILITY OF, OF THAT HAPPENING.
IF THOSE PUBLIC STREETS CONNECTED TO OTHER PUBLIC STREETS, VDOT WOULD NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF ROLE IN, IN SEPARATING THOSE PUBLIC STREETS.
UM, IT WOULD BE A, IT WOULD BE A COUNTY EFFORT.
AND THEN, UM, IN TERMS OF THE, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF THE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES, UM, THEY, THEY NEED TO BRING IN THE, UH, THE ACCESS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE, UH, WELL, IN ORDER TO BRING IN MATERIALS, IN ORDER TO BUILD THE BUILDINGS.
ALL THAT MAKES SENSE TO OCCUR FROM WINCHESTER ROAD.
AND, UH, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THE, THE PRIMARY ACCESS WILL BE FARTHER TO THE NORTH.
UM, THERE IS, THERE'S NO REASON WHY THAT WOULDN'T, UH, OCCUR AT THAT POINT AND BE WELL SEPARATED FROM BLUE RIDGE SHOP.
AND SO WHAT YOU SAID DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT, BUT WHAT THEIR CONCERN IS THAT IT DIDN'T TURN OUT THAT WAY.
AND WHAT YOU SAID WAS THAT WOULD BE BASED ON THIS APPLICATION, THAT WOULD BE A VI A VE A, A ZONING VIOLATION TO USE THAT EMERGENCY EXIT FOR INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC AND CONSTRUCTION FOR EMERGENCY OR AFTERWARD.
SO, SO, SO I'VE, I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
ONE IS THE, UH, I HEARD MENTION THAT THERE WAS, UH, SOME TYPE OF A STRUCTURE THAT WAS BUILT BACK THERE.
SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS A LARGE STRUCTURE, DO YOU KNOW? NO, NO.
IT WAS, THEY WERE REDWAY FENCING BACK THERE.
'CAUSE I, I THOUGHT I'D HEARD SOMEBODY MENTION THAT THEY SAW A LARGE BUILDING.
SECOND ONE IS WHAT TYPE OF, UH, BUSINESSES ARE YOU LOOKING AT PUTTING BACK THERE? BECAUSE THE ONLY REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE WHERE, WHERE I LIVE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU STEP OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY STREET AND THROW A ROCK, YOU CAN ALMOST HIT THE NEW HOSPITAL AND WE'VE GOT A BIG WOODS BEHIND US, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING IN 104 HOUSES BACK THERE.
WE LOVE THOSE WOODS, BUT WE KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT THAT THOSE WILL PROBABLY DISAPPEAR.
AND I HEARD THIS ONE, ONE YOUNG LADY GET UP AND SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, UH, HOW, YOU KNOW, SHE MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SHE WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS HER RETIREMENT.
I KIND OF FEEL THE SAME WAY, YOU KNOW, IN THAT, IN THAT, UH, UH, WHEN WE MOVED INTO THIS HOUSE 20 YEARS AGO, HAD A NICE BIG WOODS BACK THERE.
WE, WE DIDN'T THINK THAT IT'D BE BUILT ON.
UH, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA AS TO, TO WHAT TYPE OF, UM, UH, OF ACTIVITIES ARE GONNA BE BACK THERE? THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE, AND I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, IT WAS KIND OF A, A FUNNY JOKE, BUT IT WAS NOT REALLY A FUNNY JOKE.
THE, UH, WE USED TO LIVE IN HOUSTON.
WE HAD A FOUR, FOUR LANE ROAD BEHIND US.
AND SIX MONTHS BEFORE WE LEFT, UH, WE LEFT TO MOVE UP TO THE NORTHEAST.
THEY PUT IN AN ALL NIGHT CAR WASH.
AND THE, UH, AND THAT THING, THE LIGHTS BLARED SO STRONG THAT YOU COULD PUT THE SHADES DOWN AND THE LIGHT WOULD COME AROUND THE SHADES.
AND SO I'M JUST ENVISIONING SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN IN THEIR HOUSE FOR THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS, THEY'VE DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO RETIRE THERE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY GOT AN ALL WHITE CAR, AN ALL NIGHT CAR WASH RIGHT BEHIND THEM.
I I HAD A CAR WASH BEHIND MY HOUSE AT ONE POINT.
THE BEEPING, THE LIGHTS, EVERYTHING.
UM, NOW, RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT AN END USER.
UM, THIS IS, THEY DON'T KNOW WHO'S GONNA BE GOING BACK THERE.
WE HAVE, IN THE PROFFERS, WE LISTED USES THAT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THERE.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, WERE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS OPEN.
UM, SO ARE, ARE THERE ANY, ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO PUT UP, UH, ONE OF THOSE BIG SOUND BARRIERS? YOU KNOW, LIKE THE EIGHT FOOT, 15 FOOT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE AN ITEM THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED MORE WITH A SITE PLAN.
UM, BECAUSE WHOEVER THAT END USER IS, WHEREVER THEY'RE LOCATED, THAT'S GONNA BE A DETERMINING FACTOR FOR THEM.
I MEAN, WE, WE REALLY TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE COULD'VE JUST TAKEN ALL THOSE TREES OUT AND PUT IN A BUFFER, BUT WE'RE KEEPING WHAT'S THERE.
AND THEN AREAS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, DEPLETED, THEY WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL PLANNINGS PUT IN WITH THEM.
[01:45:02]
BUT YES, WITHOUT HAVING AN END USER, I CAN'T REALLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.IF Y'ALL AREN'T GONNA DO ONE OF THOSE GOOFY THINGS WHERE YOU COME IN, RIP OUT ALL THE TREES AND THEN PLANT NEW TREES.
WE LIKE TO KEEP OUR TREES GOOD.
WE SHOULD GET THE BOARD TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
CAN YOU TURN ALL THE TREES? EXCUSE, EXCUSE ME, PLEASE.
ANY, ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
I HAVE PROBABLY THE REASON WE'RE SPEAKING UP CHAIRMAN IS BECAUSE IT'S A ONE-SIDED CONVERSATION.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU ALL.
I DO HAVE I HAVE COMMENTS THOUGH.
IF, IF YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN ONCE ON THIS.
IF YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN ONCE ON IT, YOU CAN'T, CAN'T COME AGAIN.
THIS REQUIRES A BACK AND FORTH, NOT JUST SOMEBODY'S JUST SAYING, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE MORE QUESTION.
UM, COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.
UM, ONE OF 'EM IS, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE DECEMBER 2ND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, LETTER FROM BLUE RIDGE SHUTTLES, HOA.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS.
I, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'D WANT 'EM, BUT IT'S NOT ACTUALLY, WE, WE HAVE, WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE THE PROFFERS.
I MEAN, UH, IT'S, IT'S NOT LEGAL.
I, I CAN'T SAY IF, IF YOU'LL, IF THEY'LL DO 350 FEET TREE SAFE, THEN I'LL VOTE FOR IT.
THAT'S NOT PERMISSIBLE TO APPROACH IT THAT WAY.
UM, I HEARD, UM, WHY DID WE PUT BRS IN THERE? I MEAN, I, HOW LONG'S BLUERIDGE SHADOWS BEEN IN THERE? UM, WAS IT 2008? I CAN TELL YOU I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2007.
WELL, I GUESS THE THING IS THAT I WASN'T HERE AND I DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION TO PUT A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN A AREA THAT WAS ZONED FOR, UH, INDUSTRIAL IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, SO IT SEEMS THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT GREAT NOW FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE AREA.
UM, BUT IT'S A FACT THAT IT, IT WASN'T INDUSTRIAL ZONED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, SO THAT'S, IT IS AN ODD THING WITH, WITH THESE, WITH THESE PROFFERS.
AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT 'EM, UM, RECENTLY.
WE CAN ONLY, WE CAN SUGGEST THEM OFFER, YOU KNOW, SEE IF THEY WILL DO IT, WHATEVER.
JUST, JUST YESTERDAY THEY REVISE PROFFERS TO AGREE TO PUT THE ESCALATOR IN AND TO INCREASE THEIR PROFFER BY 50%.
UM, AND WHICH IS SOMETHING, IT'S, IT'S NOT NOTHING.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE DRAWINGS THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS, I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY THOSE DRAWINGS SHOWED THOSE BUILDINGS IN THOSE LOCATIONS, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT A SITE PLAN.
NOBODY WHO BUYS THAT PROPERTY HAS ANY LEGAL OBLIGATION TO ANY OF THOSE DRAWINGS.
IT'S JUST A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING.
IT'S A PICTURE AND IT'S, IT'S ALARMING TO SEE IT THERE.
BUT THERE IT'S NOT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL BE THERE OR WON'T BE THERE.
BUT THE POINT IS THAT WHOEVER, UH, ACQUIRES PROPERTY FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WILL BE HAVING TO GO THROUGH A RARELY RIGOROUS SITE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND, UM, THERE'S PRO UH, IT'S, IT'S NOT LEVERAGE THAT THE BOARD HAS OVER THEM AT THAT TIME, BUT IT, THERE IS A, UH, A PROBABLY, I SUSPECT SOME, SOME GIVE AND TAKE AND SOME DESIRE ON THE PART OF THE, THE NEIGHBOR, UH, TO, TO DO THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE GONNA MAKE THEM POPULAR IN THE COUNTY.
UM, SO I, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOTHING IRONCLAD, NOTHING IRONCLAD IS AVAILABLE THERE, BUT IT IS A FACT THAT THOSE, THOSE DRAWINGS THAT SHOWED THOSE BUILDINGS IN THOSE LOCATIONS ARE JUST HYPOTHETICAL.
THEY'RE NOT ANYBODY'S COMMITMENT TO PUT BUILDINGS AT THOSE LOCATIONS.
THEY JUST MOVED, UH, IN THE LATEST ROUND, THE MAIN ENTRANCE NORTH, WELL NORTH.
UH, SO A LOT OF THINGS CAN CHANGE FROM THAT.
AND THEN, AND IN REGARD TO, TO THE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY IS, IS THIS APPROPRIATE AND GOOD FOR THE COUNTY AT LARGE? UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE BEEN
[01:50:01]
VERY CONSISTENT FROM, FROM THE TIME WHEN I WAS KNOCKING ON PEOPLE'S DOORS AND, AND PERHAPS NOT YOUR DOOR, BUT DOORS IN BLUE SHADOWS, WHERE PEOPLE ASKED ME, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT REZONING? AND I, I HAD TO SAY, WELL, IT IS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS INDUSTRIAL.AND I, AND I, AND I JUST IMAGINE THAT THAT IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE EVENTUALLY.
UM, IS IT BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY? WELL, UM, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THIS COUNTY HAS AN UNDERDEVELOPED INDUSTRIAL BASE.
AND, AND THAT CORRIDOR IS THERE AND IT'S IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT'S BEEN IN THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR DECADES.
UM, AND THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION BECAUSE, AND, AND I KNOW MANY PEOPLE OBJECT TO IT, I'M JUST GONNA RIGHT OUT FRONT PEOPLE OBJECT TO A BLANKET REZONING PEOPLE I, I KNOW, UM, THAT DISAGREE WITH ME ABOUT THIS.
AND, AND, UM, IT WOULD BE MORE IDEAL IF A PARTICULAR FACTORY WANTED TO, TO, WE WANNA BUILD, YOU KNOW, ROBOTS OR, OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, JUST WHATEVER IT IS.
AND WE WOULD KNOW, AND WE WOULD HAVE THAT CERTAINTY.
WE DON'T, AND, AND I, MY OPINION IS WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF WAITING FOR IT.
AND, UM, SO THERE'S SOME, SOME URGENCY IN THIS.
UH, IS IT, IS IT, UH, THE OTHER TERM, TERM, WHICH I REALLY WANNA ADDRESS, IS SOMEONE WHO THEY FELT BETRAYED AND TRICKED.
UM, I, I JUST REALLY CAN'T, CAN'T ACCEPT THAT.
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, IF WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU BUY A PROPERTY AND, UM, AND A REAL ESTATE AGENT SAYS, WELL, THEY'LL, THEY'LL NEVER BE DEVELOPED.
THERE'S SOME CAVEAT MTOR, YOU KNOW, GOING ON HERE.
IT'S, IT'S NECESSARY, UM, TO, TO REALIZE, WELL, THIS ORIGINALLY WAS PLANNED FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT LAND IS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS INDUSTRIAL.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN SITE PLANNING COMES, THE COUNTY CAN BE INVOLVED IN THAT AND, AND BE LOOKING OUT FOR THE, THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME, UM, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE MOST NEGATIVELY IMPACTED.
BUT ON THE WHOLE, UH, AS FAR AS THE TRAFFIC GOES, THERE IS, THAT WILL BE A VIOLATION OF THE, UM, ZONING THAT WOULD BE A ZONING VIOLATION FOR THAT KIND OF TRUCK TRAFFIC, WHICH ALL OF THE CITIZENS IN THAT AREA WITNESSED AND ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT.
IT WOULD BE A ZONING VIOLATION, AND THERE SHOULD BE AN ENFORCEMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY A SEPARATION OF CONCERNS.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT REALLY A MA A A ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE AS TO YES OR NO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER REZONING HAPPENED OR NOT.
UH, I, ONE CONSTITUENT SAID, DON'T, DON'T, UH, DON'T REZONE IT AND, AND LET A DATA CENTER IN THERE.
UM, I, I, I JUST DO THINK WE NEED TO, TWO THINGS I WANNA SAY.
ONE IS THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY PRESENTLY IN OUR ORDINANCE FOR A DATA CENTER TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
DOESN'T, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE ANO THIS OR ANOTHER BOARD WILL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
THIS BOARD HAS, HAS BEEN PRETTY VOCAL IN SAYING THEY'RE NOT GONNA LET GO FOR THAT.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, THE, THE TOWN HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO 4,500 GALLONS A DAY OF WATER.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH WATER.
AND NOT EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE TO ENOUGH WATER FOR DATA CENTER.
IF A FUTURE BOARD WAS TO DO THIS, I AM TRYING, HAVE TRIED AND AM TRYING TO GET A GROUNDWATER WELL ORDINANCE ESTABLISHED IN ORDINANCE, SO THAT HIGH CAPACITY WITHDRAWALS OF THE GROUNDWATER COULDN'T BE DONE.
UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
UH, I HOPE I WILL EVENTUALLY BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD IN PUTTING THAT IN PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, UM, TO REALLY ADDRESS THE UNKNOWN.
I MEAN, IS IT, AND WE ALSO HAD A, AN EXPERT, UH, UH, GEO, UH, A GEOPHYSICIST COME AND MAKE A PRETTY, PRETTY, UH, EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
I THOUGHT MRS. SADICK, UH, WHICH INDICATES THAT THE, THE SOIL IN THAT AREA IS VERY POOR AND IS NOT HOLDING WATER.
SO IT WOULD BE QUITE FOOLISH, IT SEEMS, BASED ON THE GEOLOGY, UH, FOR BIG DATA CENTER COMPANY TO COME IN THERE AND BUILD SOME HUGE BUILDING AND THEN TRY TO GET WATER OUTTA THE GROUND AND JUST BASICALLY THEY CAN'T GET MUCH.
UM, SO, BUT I DON'T LIKE THE SPECULATION.
I'M NOT WILLING TO SAY, WELL, THEY WON'T, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
I WANT TO GET SOME TRACTION WITH THE GROUNDWATER PROTECTION ORDINANCE AND GET THAT IN PLACE TO BE A, A BUTTRESS AGAINST, UH, THE DATA CENTER INVASION.
[01:55:01]
GOT.UM, AND I'M, YOU KNOW, SORRY IF I MISSED SOMETHING.
I KNOW THAT THESE ARE, UH, REALLY NOT IDEAL SITUATIONS BECAUSE IT'S ONE WAY YOU GET YOUR THREE MINUTES AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT A DIALOGUE.
AND IT, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, A LITTLE BIT UNFORTUNATE.
UM, BUT, BUT YEAH, I GUESS I'M JUST GONNA END ON THIS.
WE, IF I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS, THAT INDUSTRIAL, THIS LAND THAT'S IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS INDUSTRIAL ZONED WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY IN THE LONG RUN TO BE INDUSTRIAL LAND, THEN IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO VOTE FOR THIS REZONING.
UM, I CANNOT LEGALLY GIVE, PUT THE LEVERAGE OUT AND SAY, IF YOU'LL DO THIS MR. APPLICANT, THEN I'LL VOTE FOR IT.
I, IT'S, I I HAVE TO SEPARATE THOSE CONCERNS.
SO, UM, I'M TRYING, YOU KNOW, TO OPERATE WITH GOODWILL, BUT I HAVE BALANCE ALL, ALL OF THESE CONCERNS.
AND I THINK THE, THE TRAFFIC ISSUE, I BELIEVE IS NOT AN ISSUE.
AND I, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU SAW AND THAT THAT WOULD BE YOUR CONCERN.
I, I'M QUITE CERTAIN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO RUN THEIR FARM, THAT THAT LAND WAS DEEDED, THAT RIGHT OF WAY WAS DEEDED WITH THEIR PROPERTY.
SO THAT, THAT SEEMS, YOU KNOW, NON-NEGOTIABLE.
UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
SO I JUST HAVE, CAN I ASK A QUESTION CLARIFICATION, BUT NOT A NO, SIR.
YEAH, I THINK, UH, SUPERVISOR JAMESON MADE PROBABLY THE, THE KEY POINTS I WANTED TO MAKE, BUT ONE WAS DATA CENTERS ARE NOT, UM, BY, RIGHT IN THE INDUSTRIAL ZONE, UH, THE PRIOR BOARD IN, I THINK JANUARY, 2023, UH, MADE SURE OF THAT.
AND, UH, IT WOULD TAKE MAJOR PUBLIC HEARING TO CHANGE THAT.
UM, THE, UH, THE QUESTION ON THE ONE 50 VERSUS THREE 50 VERSUS FIVE 50, UM, BUFFERS, UH, LIKE, LIKE HE SAID, WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT, UH, NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY ON THAT.
BUT WE, I CAN SAY I HOPE THE, THE APPLICANT WILL THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT COULD, IT COULD PROBABLY CREATE A LOT OF GOODWILL.
UM, AND, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, THERE WERE QUESTIONS OF WHAT IS GOING TO GO IN THERE.
UM, IT, IT SAYS IT RIGHT HERE IN OUR PACKET THAT THE, THE, UH, APPLICANT'S INTENDED MARKETING OF THE PROPERTY WILL BE FOR WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION DUE TO THE PROXIMITY TO THE INDUSTRIAL PORT, PARDON ME, THE, UH, VIRGINIA INLAND PORT.
UM, THAT SAID, WE WEREN'T, IT'S NOT BOUND TO THAT.
UM, I DO THINK THAT'S A, A GOOD FIT, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH DATA CENTERS BEING, UH, SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT MORE.
ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH DATA CENTERS, UH, BEING A DIFFICULT FIT AND, AND WITH THE CHALLENGES WITH, WITH WATER.
UM, AND, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
UH, FOR THE, FOR THE EMS, UH, ACCESS, UM, ON JOHN HOPKINS, UH, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF A, A KEY SYSTEM.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A SIMILAR THING, UH, IN MY DISTRICT, UH, WITH, UH, AN EMERGENCY RAMP EXIT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUT IN FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY.
AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE THREE KEYS, ONE FOR VDOT, ONE FOR FIRE AND RESCUE, AND ONE FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE, UH, OF, OF COURSE, THE FARM HAS, THEY'RE DEED RIGHT AWAY.
THEY, THEY MIGHT HAVE THE FOURTH KEY, BUT, BUT AGAIN, UH, UH, THE SAME THING IN MY DISTRICT.
WE DON'T WANT IT FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES.
UH, IT NEEDS TO BE TRULY FOR EMERGENCIES.
AND, UM, THAT'S ALL, ALL THE COMMENTS I HAVE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, BEFORE A MOTION IS MADE, UH, ON THE PROFFERS OF THE FIRST PAGE, THE SITE PLAN DATE STILL REFERRED TO THE ORIGINAL 2023 SITE PLAN.
UH, GIVEN THE CONVERSATION FROM THE BOARD ABOUT AMENDMENTS TO THAT SITE PLAN, THAT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THERE WAS LIKELY A MORE RECENT REVISION DATE ON THAT.
AND SO I, UM, ON THE COPY OF THE PROFFERS THAT I HAD, I CROSSED THROUGH THAT DATE AND I WROTE IN, I, I BELIEVE DECEMBER 2ND, 2025 IS THE MOST RECENT REVISION DATE.
AND I WALKED THOSE BACK TO THE APPLICANT AND ASKED THEM TO INITIAL THAT REVISION DATE.
THE GOAL BEING TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS CHANGING IN THE SITE PLAN WAS THE ENTRANCE AND WANTING TO HAVE ZONING ENFORCEMENT REGARDING THAT ENTRANCE, UH, LIKE THE SUPERVISORS WERE SAYING.
AND SO I HAD ASKED FOR THE APPLICANT TO, UM, INITIAL THAT CHANGE AND THEN BRING THAT BACK AND, AND TO SUBMIT THAT.
AND I THINK THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT IF YOU JUST WANNA GIVE THEM A MOMENT TO, TO DO THAT BEFORE THE BOARD VOTES.
[02:00:01]
COULD I ADD SOMETHING WHILE WE'VE GOT A MINUTE? OH, I, I KNOW THAT, I MEAN, I'M VERY BELIEVABLE THAT YOU SAW THOSE TRUCKS AND STUFF GOING IN OUT, BUT THEY WERE NOT TO BUILD, DEVELOP THIS INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY, UH, WHEN THAT INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED.THEY'RE COMING IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
OH, THEY'VE INDICATED THEY'D LIKE THIS, UH, TABLED FOR SOME OTHER REASONS.
UM, AND I, AND I'LL SUPPORT THE TABLING.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, OH, THERE'S A CURRENT OR MORE UP-TO-DATE ENTRANCE DRAWING THAT THERE'LL BE MOVING OVER TO MORE TO A CABLE DRIVE.
IT'D BE NICE TO SEE THAT WHEN WE COME BACK.
IS THAT NOT ON HERE? I, I SAW IT AT SOME POINT.
I I DID, DID I LOOKED THROUGH.
IS THE CABLE DRIVE ONE IN HERE? DID I MISS IT? UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF DOCUMENTS HERE.
I'D ALSO, UH, LIKE TO, WELL, YEAH, LET'S FIND THAT DOCUMENT.
IF SOMEBODY COULD POINT IT TO ME.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NOT THERE.
I COULD'VE VERY EASILY HAVE MISSED IT.
UH, THAT WOULD BE PERHAPS A QUESTION FOR MR. LINZ.
HE, HE HAD EMAILED ME THE SET OF PLANS THAT I HAVE, BUT IT MAY TAKE ME A MOMENT TO LOCATE THE ENTRANCE ON IT.
AS I'M LOOKING FOR THE UPDATED SITE PLAN, I WANT TO SEE A SITE PLAN THAT HAS THE TABLE DRIVE.
I'VE, I, WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING THIS BEFORE, I JUST DON'T, I DIDN'T LOOK THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR DECADE.
SO I BELIEVE IT IS THE DOCUMENT TITLED SLATE RUN, UPDATED LAND BAY AND ENTRANCE EXHIBIT.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW I MISSED THAT COURSE.
WHERE IS IT THOUGH? WHERE IS IT? I HAVEN'T PULLED IT UP YET.
AND CHASE, CAN YOU POINT US TO WHAT PAGE YOU'RE LOOKING AT ON THAT? JUST AS EXHIBIT? OKAY.
UPDATED LAND BAY ENTRANCE EXHIBIT.
UH, WELL, I, I GENERALLY RECOMMEND USING THE MEETING OVERVIEW TAB.
WE'LL ASK FOR YOU TO LOOK AT 'EM ONE AT A TIME, BUT IT IS THE, OKAY.
IS IT THE FINAL DRAWING ON THAT RIGHT HERE? OR NO, THAT'S THE ORIGINAL.
FUTURE SECOND MAIN ENTRANCE WITH CONCEPTUAL ROAD RIGHT HERE.
THERE'S THAT, UH, WHAT IS THAT? THAT EARTH ONE WAS DOWN HERE, I GUESS? I THINK SO.
I KEPT PULLING IT UP AND I LOST IT.
SO, SO THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD LINE UP WITH HERE.
SO I GUESS THAT LINE UP, UP HERE? YEP.
IS THAT TABLE ROAD THAT DIDN'T SHOW IT IN THAT DRAWING.
I BOLD THAT UP TOO, AND I COULDN'T FIND CABLE.
WHILE, WHILE ALL THIS IS GOING ON, IS THERE A, A CLEAR DEFINITION OF AN EMERGENCY EGRESS? I DON'T, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY DEFINITION.
I THINK IN THE ABSENCE OF DEFINED TERM, IT WOULD JUST BE THE, KINDA THE PLAIN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT TERM.
IT WOULD BE THE ONE THAT'S LOCKED AND ONLY THE FIRE AND RESCUE HAS THE KEY.
I PRESUME THE OTHER ENTRANCE, I HEARD THE TERM BREAKAWAY CHASE OR ANYBODY, WHAT IS A BREAKAWAY? I THINK IT WAS JOHN THAT MENTIONED WHO? JOHN? I'M AWARE OF WHAT A BREAKAWAY WALL IS IN THE FLOOD LANE ORDINANCE.
I'M, I MEAN, JUST IF IF IT'S, IF IT'S LOCKED, IS IT AN EMERGENCY EXIT? THAT WAS THE, THAT'S, THAT'S THE QUESTION THEN CHASE, I KNOW YOU CAN ANSWER THIS.
HOW, HOW DOES A VIOLATION GET REPORTED? A ZONING VIOLATION, THAT THERE ARE OBSERVED TRUCKS COMING IN AND OUT THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THAT TO YEAH, IF I WERE TO RECEIVE A CALL OR A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'D RIDE OUT THERE.
IF WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, I MIGHT CALL UP THE, THE OWNER OR OPERATOR OF THE DEVELOPMENT AT THAT POINT, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, CLARIFY THE PROFFER FOR THEM.
IF I'M NOT ABLE TO OBSERVE THE VIOLATION DIRECTLY, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD CUT IT OFF.
IF NOT, THEN IT WOULD BE CITED AS A PROFFER VIOLATION.
CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU JU FOR MY SAKE, WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT THE ADJUSTMENT BEING MADE THERE? THE, UH, THAT THEY DID JUST INITIALED? YEAH.
THE PROFFERS THAT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED REFERENCE TO REZONING SITE PLAN DATED JUNE 19TH, 2023.
I DON'T HAVE THAT 2023 SITE PLAN IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I PRESUME IT SHOWED A DIFFERENT ENTRANCE.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, THE SITE PLAN
[02:05:01]
AND HAS CHANGED TO ADJUST THE ENTRANCE.AND, UM, GIVEN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT TO THE BOARD THAT IT WAS ENFORCEABLE, WE, UM, LOOKED AT THE DATE ON THE SITE PLAN THAT YOU'LL HAVE IN YOUR AGENDA PACKAGES, WHICH IS DECEMBER 2ND, 2025, AND UPDATED THE DATE IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE PROFFERS TO SAY, REVISE DECEMBER 2ND, 2025 TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THAT SITE PLAN IS, UH, THE ONE THEY'RE AGREEING TO.
NOW, THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR UNDER PARAGRAPH B CAN APPROVE ADJUSTMENTS AND CHANGES TO THAT SITE PLAN SO LONG AS THEY DON'T AFFECT, UM, USE OR DENSITY TYPICALLY, WHICH AN INFERENCE MIGHT NOT.
BUT WE WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR HAS THE RIGHT TO ENFORCE THAT INFERENCE REQUIREMENT.
AND SO WITH THAT CHANGE, THEY WOULD ENFORCE IT IN THE WAY THAT CHASE DESCRIBED AS A PROFFER VIOLATION IF THEY WERE USING THE EMERGENCY INFERENCE FOR CONSTRUCTION OR USE.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE? YOU GOT NOTHING.
ANYTHING ELSE? SO AT THIS POINT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I WILL MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TABLE THIS ITEM TO THE FIRST MEETING IN 2026.
[E. Public Comment Period for Items on the Agenda (30-Minute Time Limit)]
ON OUR AGENDA IS THE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD SHALL BE LIMITED TO 60 MINUTES DIVIDED INTO TWO 30 MINUTE SEGMENTS.
THE FIRST 30 MINUTE SEGMENT IS LIMITED TO COMMENTS PERTAINING TO ITEMS. PLEASE HOLD THE NOISE DOWN.
EXCUSE ME, PLEASE HOLD THE NOISE DOWN.
FIRST 30 MINUTE PERIOD IS LIMITED TO COMMENTS PERTAINING TO ITEMS WHICH ARE ON THE MEETING AGENDA NOT ADDRESSED IN PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THE SECOND 30 MINUTE PERIOD IS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AS A REMINDER, THERE IS A MAXIMUM OF THREE OF THREE MINUTES FOR ANY ONE SPEAKER.
SPEAKERS MAY ONLY SPEAK ONCE PER MEETING AND MAY NOT SPEAK, UM, DURING BOTH COMMENT PERIODS.
EX EXCUSE ME, LA LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
EXCUSE ME, LA LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE HOLD IT DOWN.
IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK, PLEASE GO AHEAD IN THE, IN THE HALLWAY.
ALL COMMENTS WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND NOT TO THE AUDIENCE.
BE CONSIDERATE OF YOUR FELLOW SPEAKERS.
THERE SHOULD BE NO APPLAUSE, BOOING, OR OTHER AUDIBLE DISRUPTION TO THE PROCEEDINGS.
THROUGH A SHOW OF HANDS, THE CHAIRMAN MAY ASK FOR A SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR COMMENTS MADE BY SPEAKERS.
PLACARDS, POSTERS, AND OTHER MEANS OF VISUAL DISPLAY WILL NOT BE PERMITTED IN THE BOARD MEETING ROOM.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE INFORMATION OR MATERIALS USED AS PART OF A FACTUAL PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD AT THE HEARING.
THE BOARD WILL NOT TOLERATE PERSONAL ATTACKS BY ANYONE ON ANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCEEDINGS.
ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THE GUIDELINES OF THE PUBLIC HEARING MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE BY THE CHAIRMAN.
FAILURE TO LEAD THE PUBLIC HEARING WHEN ASKED TO DO SO IS IN VIOLATION OF WARREN COUNTY CODE 56 DASH FOUR AND CODE 18.2 UH, DASH FOUR 15 AND IS SUBJECT TO A FINE OF UP TO $2,500 AND A JAIL SENTENCE OF UP TO 12 MONTHS OR BOTH.
FINALLY, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE IN IN YOUR COMMENTS.
YOUR CHILDREN MAY BE VIEWING THIS SESSION EITHER IN PERSON OR LATER ONLINE, AND PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY HAVE LESS TENDENCY TO TAKE YOUR COMMENTS SERIOUSLY IF INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE IS USED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? YES, SIR.
I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UM, SINCE THIS MEETING IS THE LAST MEETING OF THE CURRENT MAJORITY, I'D LIKE TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT HOW GREEN THE GRASS IS, NOT LITERALLY, BUT AS IT RELATES TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY THAT WAS FRAMED WHEN IT WAS FIRST ADOPTED ON FEBRUARY 4TH.
SO I'M TALKING ABOUT AGENDA ITEMS
[02:10:01]
E AND S THAT EVENING.THE SECOND COMMENT PERIOD WAS DESCRIBED AS A PLACE FOR COMMENTS LIKE HOW GREEN THE GRASS IS.
WHILE THE FIRST WAS LIMITED STRICTLY TO AGENDA ITEMS, CITIZENS WERE TOLD THAT THEY COULD ONLY SPEAK ONCE, AND THE POLICY EVEN ALLOWED THE CHAIR TO CALL FOR A SHOW OF HANDS, SOMETHING NEVER USED BEFORE OR SINCE.
COMBINED WITH WARNINGS OF CRIMINAL PENALTIES, THE TONE MADE THE WHOLE POLICY FEEL LESS LIKE OPEN GOVERNMENT AND MORE LIKE THE WHITE WALKING ON GRASS WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO STEP ON.
WE'VE SEEN THE CONFUSION THIS CAUSES ON APRIL 1ST.
I SPOKE IN DETAIL ON AGENDA ITEMS AND ALSO ABOUT A RELATED CONCERN NOT PRINTED ON THE AGENDA, SOMETHING NOT OBVIOUS WITHOUT BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE.
AFTERWARDS, I WAS REMINDED THAT ONLY ATTENDED TOPICS COULD BE ADDRESSED.
IT LEFT ME WONDERING, SHOULD I HAVE WAITED UNTIL THE END OF THE MEETING JUST SO I COULD SPEAK TO THE WHOLE FIELD AT ONCE? A POLICY OF FOCUS ON, ON CITIZENS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO PATCHES OF THE SAME LAW DOES NOT NURTURE A HEALTHY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
ROBERT'S RULES CAUTIONS AGAINST ARBITRARY LIMITATIONS THAT CHILL MINORITY VOICES AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS OUR RIGHTS TO SPEAK FULLY AND MEANINGFULLY TO OUR GOVERNMENT.
TONIGHT, ANY BOARD MEMBER CAN MOVE TO REVISE THE POLICY, ALLOWING SPEAKERS TO ADDRESS BOTH PERIODS OR MOVING GENERAL COMMENTS TO EARLIER.
SO PARTICIPATION ISN'T PUNISHED UNTIL THE LATE HOURS.
ONE SIMPLE MOTION COULD MAKE THE GRASS HERE GREENER FOR EVERYONE.
AND BRIEFLY REGARDING THE SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY, REAFF REFORMATION, WE SAW IN MAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND CORRECTLY LABELED US AS AN IMMIGRATION SANCTUARY JURISDICTION AND OUR SHERIFF POLITELY AND QUICKLY CORRECTED IT WITH THE POLITICAL CLIMATE.
TODAY, THE TERM SANCTUARY IS FAR MORE ASSOCIATED WITH IMMIGRATION THAN FIREARMS. CLEAR MODERN LANGUAGE SUCH AS CONSTITUTIONAL COUNTY OR A SIMPLE DEFINITION WOULD PREVENT CONFUSION AND STRENGTHEN PUBLIC TRUST.
UM, THANK YOU AND GOODBYE BUDDY
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR SIGNUP, SIR.
WOULD ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON ON, UH, ANY ITEMS, UH, ON THE AGENDA GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE? THIS PORTION IS NOW CLOSED.
[F. Reports – Board Members, County Administrator, County Attorney]
AGENDA REPORTS OF BOARD MEMBERS AND, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND COUNTY ATTORNEY WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? I I'LL GO FIRST IF YOU DON'T MIND.I'LL, I'LL JUST BE THE FIRST TO SAY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR TERM AND WE'RE GONNA MISS YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR JOB WELL DONE.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU AND, UH, ALSO GETTING TO KNOW YOU OUTSIDE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WE WENT FLYING TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE.
SO GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS AND, UH, GOOD LUCK TRYING TO KEEP THAT CAR WASH OUTTA YOUR BACKYARD.
AND, UH, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE AGENDA PACKET WAS 1400 PAGES, I'M JUST GONNA HAVE NO, NO FURTHER ITEMS TO REPORT TONIGHT.
OKAY, WELL, I'M GONNA SHOCK EVERYBODY AND JUST SAY, UM, I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR CONTINUED RETIREMENT AND, UM, I WANNA WISH EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE WON'T SEE ANYBODY UNTIL THEN, EXCEPT FOR SOME COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
AND, UM, JUST WANNA GIVE OUT A SHOUT OUT TO E WILSON MORRISON'S BOBCAT CHOIR.
I THOUGHT THEY DID AN AWESOME JOB TONIGHT.
I, I'VE ONLY, UH, ONLY GOTTA PARTICIPATE WITH YOU A SHORT TIME, BUT IT HAS BEEN, UH, ENJOYABLE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT TO, UH, TO GET ME HERE EARLY.
AND, UH, I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST GOING, GOING FORWARD.
AND, UH, JUST IN GENERAL, I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYBODY MERRY CHRISTMAS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UM, BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE UNTO YOU.
AND HOPE YOU HAVE A, A REAL RETIREMENT THIS TIME.
RETIRED, LIKE RETIRED TO START ANOTHER JOB, RETIRED, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THAT.
I, I GUESS THAT I'LL BE THE LAST ONE TO SAY THAT THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAS BEEN INTERESTING.
I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHALLENGING TIMES AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME VERY, VERY, UH, ENJOYABLE AND ENLIGHTENING TIMES.
AND I, I'LL TELL YOU THE, UM, IT, IT'S FUNNY, YOU, YOU CAN SO OFTEN, UH, MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE SITTING, UH, ON THE DAIS OF IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS A BATTALION COMMANDER IN THE, IN THE ARMY, AND PEOPLE LOOK AT,
[02:15:01]
AT THAT AND THEY GO, WOW, YOU KNOW, JUST THINK OF ALL THAT POWER.AND I, AND I LOOK AT IT AND I GO, THERE'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES ALONG WITH THAT.
AND SOMETIMES THAT RESPONSIBILITY CAN BE VERY, VERY LONELY BECAUSE THE, UH, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE PERSON WHERE THE BUCK STOPS AND THE, UH, AND, AND YOU REALIZE THAT.
SO YOU WANNA MAKE, UH, AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'M DRIVING THROUGH A FOG BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH INFORMATION COMING AT YOU THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO, YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AND, AND FIGURE OUT, OKAY, IS THIS INFORMATION CREDIBLE? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IS THIS INFORMATION OVER HERE CREDIBLE? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND THEN TRYING TO MAKE A AN INFORMED DECISION THAT YOU FEEL THAT, UH, IS, IS FAIR AND IT, IT CAN'T BE PLEASING TO, TO EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S JUST A REALITY OF LIFE.
SO YOU TRY AND MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT, UH, IN BOTH THE, THE SHORT TERM AND THE LONG TERM ARE GONNA BE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'VE REALLY ENJOYED MY TIME HERE, AND CHERYL, I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE BEEN ONE OF THE MOST ENGAGED PEOPLE THAT I'VE SEEN.
YOU KNOW, THE, UH, YOU REALLY GET OUT, GET OUT AND MIX IT UP WITH THE COMMUNITY.
JOHN, I THINK THAT YOU BRING A LOT TO THE, UH, TO THE, TO THE BOARD HERE.
UH, APPRECIATE ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT YOU DO AND THE CARE THAT YOU REALLY PUT INTO YOUR, INTO YOUR DECISIONS.
AND RICH, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, UH, WELL, I CAN SEE HOW YOU EARNED THAT, THAT DOCTOR'S DEGREE IS WITH, WITH AS MUCH, UH, ANALYSIS AND AS MUCH, UM, UH, REALLY DIGGING INTO SOMETHING AND GETTING ALL THE FACTS AND THEN MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION.
AND, UH, HUEY, YOU WERE A, UH, A, A A SURPRISE TO ME BECAUSE YOU COMING ONTO THE BOARD LIKE THIS, YOU BRING SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND ON THE, ON THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THIS, TO, TO THIS BOARD.
AND I THINK THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE A GREAT, UH, ADDITION TO IT.
UH, IT'S BEEN A GOOD FOUR YEARS AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN, UH, IT'S BEEN QUITE A, UM, QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.
AND, UM, UH, THIS IS NOT MEANT AS A SLIDE OR ANYTHING, BUT I'M JUST GLAD IT'S OVER
UM, MR. SHAW, UH, YES, SIR, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I JUST, UH, I OBVIOUSLY ECHO EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID BY YOUR COLLEAGUES THIS EVENING.
I'M, I UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT GET TO SERVE, UH, FOR YOU VERY LONG, BUT IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, UH, DURING THOSE SHORT COUPLE OF MONTHS ANYWAY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, HAVING MORE DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE AS A, AS A, AS A CITIZEN OF, OF WARREN COUNTY, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
BUT, UH, JUST TWO ITEMS TO REPORT TO THE BOARD THIS EVENING.
UM, UH, AS YOU ARE VERY MUCH AWARE, UH, WE HAVE BEEN IN THE THROES OF, UH, BUDGET SEASON.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, SINCE DECEMBER 5TH, BEEN REVIEWING, UH, DEPARTMENTAL, UM, BUDGET REQUESTS MADE BY, UH, THE INDEPENDENT, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE OVER THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS, UH, MEETINGS WITH THOSE DIRECTORS TO DISCUSS THEIR REQUESTS AND GO OVER THEM IN A VERY THOROUGH, UH, FASHION.
UM, UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, ON JANUARY 27TH FOR THE FIRST TIME PUBLICLY, UH, WE WILL, UH, UH, HOLD, UH, THE FIRST PRESENTATION PUBLICLY OF, OF, UH, THAT BUDGET, UH, PROPOSAL, UH, IN ITS ENTIRETY.
UH, AND WE WILL CONTINUE PUBLICLY WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF MARCH TO HAVE, UH, PRESENTATIONS OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND, AND, UH, WORKSHOPS.
UH, AND THEN, UH, FINALLY ON, UH, MARCH 17TH, WE WILL PRESENT THE FINAL PROPOSED BUDGET IN ITS ENTIRETY TO THE BOARD.
UM, THEN ON, UH, THEN THE BOARD IS SCHEDULED TO HOLD ITS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET TAX RATES AND, UH, APPROPRIATIONS ON APRIL 17TH, UH, I'M SORRY, APRIL 7TH, UH, WITH FINAL ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET ON APRIL 21ST.
SO A LONG STRETCH OF PERIOD OF TIME HERE.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING IN GREAT LENGTH THE BUDGET.
UM, AS A REMINDER, THE, UH, JOINT, UH, SCHOOLS COUNTY, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOP, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED FOR, UH, TOMORROW EVENING AT 6:00 PM HAS BEEN CANCELED, UH, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH'S BUDGET INFORMATION RELEASE.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THE, THE LAST ITEM, UH, YESTERDAY, UH, LIEUTENANT BRIAN FOLEY, THE, UH, DEPUTY EMERGENCY, UH, COORDINATOR, UH, HELD, UH, A, UH, TABLETOP EXERCISE IN THE, UH, EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER.
UH, IN ATTENDANCE, UH, WERE FIRE
[02:20:01]
AND RESCUE STAFF, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, IT FINANCE, HR ADMINISTRATION, STAFF, PUBLIC WORKS, PLANNING AND ZONING, UH, AND SUPPORT STAFF.UH, LIEUTENANT FOLEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER THAT, UH, TABLETOP, TABLETOP EXERCISE.
UM, UH, THE, UH, SUBJECT, UH, WAS A, UH, I THINK A 40 SOME INCH, UH, UH, SNOWSTORM.
SO IT WAS VERY TIMELY UH, TO HAVE THAT GROUP GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF, UH, REACTING IN A TABLETOP EXERCISE TO THAT, UH, SNOWSTORM TO SEE WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT WOULD DO IN THAT INSTANCE.
UH, HAD, UH, BROUGHT FORWARD A LOT OF GOOD QUESTIONS.
UM, AND, UH, I JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO LIEUTENANT FOLEY AND THE ENTIRE FIRE AND RESCUE STAFF, AS WELL AS THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
AND WITH ALL THAT SAID, I, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP ANSWER THOSE, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO THE, UH, SO I, I DID WANNA MENTION, UH, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE GOT A, IT, IT'S AN UPCOMING, UM, UH, UPCOMING INTERVIEW FOR THE, UH, UM, DECK ON IT, FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE, UH, UH, THE, THE, UH, VACANT POSITION ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT, UH, HUGH HENRY BE WHAT WE NEED, TWO BOARD MEMBERS, HUGH HENRY BE ONE OF THE, THE, THE, THE FOLKS.
THIS IS GONNA BE ON FRIDAY, UH, THE 19TH.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW, WOULD ANYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD LIKE TO DO THIS? IF NOT, I, I CAN, I CAN FILL IN.
I, I WAS GONNA SAY I WAS INTERESTED, BUT IF MR. JAMESON WANTS TO DO THAT, AS LONG AS I DO THINK, UH, MR. HENRY SHOULD DEFINITELY BE THERE.
THAT AS SOON AS, AS SOON AS I HEARD ABOUT IT, I, I SAID, WELL, A LOGICAL PERSON TO ME WOULD BE HUGH HENRY.
'CAUSE HE'D KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK.
WELL, I GOT A LITTLE EXPERIENCE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I WOULD DEFINITELY TRY TO APPLY THAT TO HELP HIM, UH, GET US A GREAT APPLICANT.
AND I'M, UH, SURE YOU'LL DO A GOOD JOB ON THE INITIAL VETTING TO, IT LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE GONNA NARROW US DOWN TO TWO.
IT LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE INTERESTED IN DOING WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT.
MAYBE DOING AWAY WITH SOME OF THE PROCESS.
UM, I WOULD, UH, I GET IT'S YOUR HIRE THAT WOULDN'T INHIBIT YOUR HIRE, BUT I HAVE, UH, BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH THAT I'VE SEEN SOME PEOPLE THAT LOOKED GREAT ON PAPER AND HIRES WERE MADE AND PEOPLE WERE TOLD THAT WAS A BAD IDEA AND THEY ENDED UP BEING SHORT TERM HIRES.
AND IT ENDED UP BEING A VERY PAINFUL PROCESS FOR THE COUNTY ALL.
IT WOULD STILL BE YOUR DECISION ULTIMATELY, BUT TAKE ANY GOOD INPUT THAT YOU CAN GET.
UH, DEFINITELY, I DEFINITELY DON'T ADVISE, UH, THAT WE CIRCUMVENT THAT PROCESS.
I WON'T GET INTO SPECIFIC NAMES, OBVIOUSLY, BUT, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO CALL ME, I COULD GIVE YOU SOME VERY, VERY INTERESTING DETAILS ON HOW THAT, UH, THAT WENT TERRIBLY WRONG.
SO, SO THE TWO FOLKS WHO WILL BE ON THIS WILL BE DR.
SO THE WHAT TIME ON THE 19TH? AND, AND JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY THIS, THIS IS, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR.
NOT, NOT THE COMMISS, BUT THAT, THAT'S QUITE PLANNING.
UH, WE, WE WILL, UH, I, I WILL BE, I'LL, I'LL COORDINATE, UH, WITH, WITH YOU TWO GENTLEMEN ON, ON THE EXACT, UH, UH, TIME.
BUT, UH, WE'LL, FOR THE LOCATION, IT'LL BE IN THIS BUILDING.
UM, AND THEN, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT YET SURE OF THE EXACT TIME, BUT SOMETIME IN THE AFTERNOON, IF, IF YOU'RE YEAH.
SHOULD AVAILABLE, WE'LL MAKE IT WORK.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON YOUR BUDGET SCHEDULE.
SO YOU SAID, UM, THAT THE 27TH OF JANUARY WOULD BE THE FIRST PUBLIC REVIEW OF THAT.
I DON'T SEE ANY DATES WHERE WE ARE MEETING AS A BOARD LIKE WE NORMALLY DO WITH THE, UM, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS.
IS THAT NOT GONNA HAPPEN? UH, LET ME PULL UP HERE.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, SCHEDULED, UM, UH, IN THE, UH, THE BUDGET CALENDAR THAT WAS, UM, DISTRIBUTED.
WE HAVE SCHEDULED, UM, FROM MARCH, UH, FOURTH THROUGH THE SIXTH.
UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL, UM, WE WERE DISCUSSING HAVING STAFF AVAILABILITY, UM, FROM MARCH 4TH THROUGH THE SIXTH, UH, FROM 9:00 AM TO 5:00 AM HAVING STAFF AVAILABLE, UH, IN,
[02:25:01]
IN-HOUSE, UH, TO, UH, FIELD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER MAY HAVE.IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? OR SOMETHING, SOMETHING DIFFERENT? MRS. THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE USED SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, AND PRIOR TO THAT EVEN WAS, UM, SPECIFIC DATES WHERE EACH DEPARTMENT HAD PRESENTED THEIR BUDGETS TO US.
SO WE HAD QUESTION ANSWER TIMES ON THOSE AS WELL AS THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND THE NONPROFITS.
SO, SO YEAH, I JUST GAVE A KIND OF A BRIEF, UH, RUNDOWN OF DATES.
BUT, BUT YES, IT, WITHIN THE CALENDAR WE HAVE, UH, A WORK, A WORK SESSION FOR THE GENERAL PRESENTATION OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET, JANUARY 27TH.
THEN ON FEBRUARY 3RD, WE HAVE A WORK, UH, WORK SESSION, UM, WHEREIN WE, UH, UH, SEND OUT THE REQUEST FOR PARTNER AGENCIES TO, TO PRESENT, UM, FEBRUARY 17TH.
AGAIN, UH, PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET WITH, WITH PUBLIC, WITH THE, UH, PARTNER AGENCIES, UH, INVITED, UM, ON THE FEBRUARY 24TH IF NEEDED, A THIRD MEETING FOR THE PARTNER AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNED UP.
UH, WE'LL ALSO DURING THAT MEETING BE DISCUSSING THE TAX RATE SCENARIO OVERVIEW AND DISCUSSION.
THEN ON MARCH 3RD, WE HAVE SCHEDULED THE, UH, COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE TO COME IN TO PRESENT THE, UH, REVENUE PROJECTIONS, UM, FOURTH THROUGH THE NINTH, THE STAFF AVAILABILITY.
UH, AND THEN MARCH 10TH, WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH, UH, ANY, UH, FINAL, UH, GUIDANCE PROVIDED TO STAFF FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH REGARD TO ANY REVISIONS YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE TO THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
UM, SO DURING THOSE, DURING THOSE PUBLIC, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOP SESSIONS, DEPARTMENT HEADS WILL BE, UH, INVITED TO ATTEND AND WE'LL BE INVITED TO, UH, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
UH, SO I BELIEVE THAT, THAT, BUT AREN'T THOSE WOULD SUFFICE? AREN'T THOSE OUR PUBLIC, THE WORK SESSION AND OUR TWO PUBLIC, UH, BUSINESS MEETINGS? WE USUALLY HAVE THESE, YES.
5:00 PM STARTING AT 5:00 PM OKAY.
IF YOU COULD RESEND THOSE DATES TO ME, BECAUSE I, I WON'T SAY I DIDN'T GET THEM, BUT IF IT'S ON A CALENDAR, I'M NOT AS SAVVY WITH THE COMPUTER AS THESE OTHER GUYS.
SO IF YOU COULD GET THAT FOR ME ON PAPER, UM, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
'CAUSE CERTAINLY, I, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S, AND I, I AM ALL FOR, WE HAVE, WE HAVE MADE THESE MEETINGS PUBLIC BECAUSE THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW ALL THIS WORKS.
BUT I DON'T QUITE SEE HOW WHAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY DONE IS GONNA WORK ON A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING NIGHT AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, SO, SO LIKE I SAID, THE, I'LL, I'LL SEND YOU THE CALENDAR, BUT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE THESE ACTUALLY AGAIN, SCHEDULED PRIOR TO, TO YOUR SEVEN O'CLOCK, SO FIVE, STARTING AT 5:00 PM SO YOU HAVE A DEDICATED TIME TO, TO BEGIN DISCUSSING THAT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT.
SO THE, UH, SO COUNSELOR, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU.
UH, ON BEHALF OF MR. HAM AND MYSELF, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A SUPERVISOR AND CHAIRMAN, MR. BUTLER.
I THOUGHT THAT, UH, THE COUNSELOR WE'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY BA HUMBUG.
AND, UH, LEWIS, I WILL MISS YOU.
[G. Appropriations and Transfers]
IS THE, UH, APPROPRIATION TRANSFER, APPROPRIATIONS AND TRANSFERS.DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON APPRO APPROPRIATIONS AND TRANSFERS? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPROPRIATIONS AND TRANSFERS AS PRESENTED? I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND ROLL CALL.
[H. Approval of Accounts]
APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS.I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ACCOUNTS AS PRESENTED.
SO, MS. COLORERS, DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
[02:30:01]
ON THAT? 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT TYPICALLY YOU, YOU DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? I, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO GET ANSWERED, SO, BUT I'M GONNA REACH OUT AND TRY TO GET THOSE ANSWERED.SO DO I HAVE A MOTION NOW I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ACCOUNTS AS PRESENTED.
[I. Approval of Minutes - November 18th Regular Meeting]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE NOVEMBER 18TH REGULAR MEETING.I MOVE TO, UH, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE NOVEMBER 18TH REGULAR MEETING AS PRESENTED.
MRS. SCHOLARS? AYE, I'M ABSTAINING BECAUSE, UH, I WASN'T THERE.
[O. R2025-03-01 - Rezoning from Agricultural (A) and Commercial (C) to Industrial (I) - Tax Map #12--------6F, 4--------43A, 4--------44B, and a Portion of 4--------45B - A request to amend the Warren County Zoning Map to rezone tax map #12--------6F, 4--------43A, 4--------44B, and a portion of 4--------45B from Agricultural (A) and Commercial (C) to Industrial (I). - Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator]
IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UH, REZONING FROM AGRICULTURAL, A COMMERCIAL TO INDUSTRIAL TAX MAP 45 B.THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 21ST FOR THIS REASONING REQUEST.
AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE BOARD PASSED A MOTION TO TABLE THE REQUEST UNTIL THIS DECEMBER MEETING TO ALLOW TIME FOR STAFF AND THE APPLICANT TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES.
COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED ON OCTOBER 30TH FROM THE FIRE CHIEF AND COVERED THE LIMITATIONS ON ASSESSING IMPACT WITHOUT A SPECIFIC LAND USE.
IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON CALL VOLUME, RISK PROFILE, INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS, AND RADIO, RADIO COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INCREASED DEMAND FOR SERVICES RESPONSE TIME DEGRADATION IN SPECIALIZED RESOURCE STRAIN.
THE COMMENTS INCLUDE AN EXAMPLE CALCULATION METHOD METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING A MORE OBJECTIVE FISCAL IMPACT TO USE WHEN EVALUATING A POTENTIAL PROFFERED MONETARY CONTRIBUTION TO OFFSET IMPACT.
FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE AND INDUSTRIAL IMPACT FACTOR WOULD BE, WOULD NEED TO BE DETERMINED AND AGREED UPON BY THE APPLICANT.
AND THE COUNTY DETERMINATION OF AN IMPACT FACTOR WOULD REQUIRE AN IMPACT STUDY TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT.
AND THEN FISCAL IMPACT MODEL TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE COUNTY.
THE APPLICANT INDICATED THAT THE PROFFERED MONETARY CONTRIBUTION IS THEIR BUDGET FOR ADDRESSING THIS IMPACT.
SO ANY ADDITIONAL IMPACT STUDY WOULD HAVE TO BE FUNDED BY THEIR PROFFERED CONTRIBUTION AND SUCH.
A STUDY WOULD QUICKLY SURPASS THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF POSSIBLE LAND USE IS PERMISSIBLE IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
THEY WOULD NEED TO EVALUATE IN LIEU OF A FULL SCALE STUDY.
THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A, A COMMUNITY IMPACT STATEMENT DATED NOVEMBER 13TH, 2025, WHICH ADDRESSES POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND SERVICES, PARKS AND RECREATIONS, LIBRARY, SOLID WASTE FACILITIES, COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING STAFF HELD AN INITIAL SCOPING MEETING WITH ADMINISTRATION, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FIRE AND RESCUE, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PARKS AND REC, UH, BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC WORKS ON NOVEMBER 14TH TO BEGIN DISCUSSION AND DATA COLLECTION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FISCAL IMPACT MODEL.
STAFF IS HOPING TO HAVE THE FISCAL IMPACT MODEL DEVELOPED OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND ONCE A FISCAL IMPACT MODEL IS READY FOR USE STAND PLAN, STAFF PLANS TO WORK TOWARDS ESTABLISHING CLEAR PROFFER, VOLUNTARY PROFFER GUIDELINES THAT REZONING APPLICANTS WILL BE ABLE TO FOLLOW MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS ITEM WAS TABLED FROM THE OCTOBER MEETING, UH, FOR DECISION TONIGHT.
THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS ALREADY BEEN HELD AND THE APPLICANT'S, UH, REPRESENTATIVE IS HERE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR US.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS IN QUESTION WAS A PROFFERS, CORRECT? UH, THE, THERE WAS A QUESTION OVER HOW THE, UM, MONETARY CONTRIBUTION TO FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL IMPACT WAS DETERMINED.
AND IT WAS TRULY, UM, JUST TO MATCH PREVIOUS, UH, REZONINGS THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN THE PAST.
UM, WE GENERALLY HAVE SEEN, UH, FROM INDUSTRIAL REZONINGS ANYWHERE FROM 10 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT TO 15 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT.
UM, SPECIFICALLY THE 15 CENT ONE WAS FOR RUSH MARK DEVELOPMENT A FEW YEARS AGO.
BEFORE THAT, IT WAS ALL 10 CENTS.
AND, UH, THIS APPLICANT HAS, I BELIEVE IT'S A HUNDRED, IT'S WORDED DIFFERENTLY, THE FACTOR, BUT IT IS 15 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT.
UM, SO IT IS, IT MATCHES RUSH MARK AND IS HIGHER THAN THOSE, THOSE 10 CENTS.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY? ANYTHING? EXCUSE ME.
[02:35:01]
FIGHTING OFF A COLD.UM, WE DID MEET WITH, UH, STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER MEMBERS, UH, OF, UH, THE LOCALITY AND, UH, DISCUSS THE PROFFERS, BUT WE ARE REMAINING AT THE, UM, $150 PER 1000 SQUARE FOOT, UH, OFFER.
WE BELIEVE THAT THAT IS REASONABLE.
AN IMPACT STUDY WOULD BE DONE IF THIS WERE A MUCH, MUCH LARGER REZONING.
UM, THEY ARE DONE IN MUCH LARGER PROJECTS THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF, BUT, UM, IN THIS SITUATION WE THINK IT'S REASONABLE.
UM, AND AGAIN, I'LL COMMEND THE STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US.
UH, THEY WERE EFFICIENT TO THE POINT AND WE HAVE CONTINUALLY ENJOYED THAT RELATIONSHIP.
I DO THINK THAT MY CLIENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN WITH THE SITE PLAN PROCESS, SO WE'RE EAGER TO GET GOING AND WE'RE EAGER TO INVEST IN THIS LOCALITY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING.
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SO DO I HAVE A MOTION? YES.
FINDING THAT THE REQUESTING REZONING IS APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLIC NECESSITY AND GOOD ZONING PRACTICE.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR ACCEPTS THE PROFFERS DATED SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2025, AND APPROVES THE REQUEST TO REZONE AND CHANGE THE ZONING MAP CLASSIFICATION TAX MAP 12 DASH SIX F FOUR DASH FOUR THREE A, FOUR DASH FOUR FOUR B, AND A PORTION OF FOUR DASH FOUR FIVE B FROM AGRICULTURAL TO COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL AND COMMERCIAL TO INDUSTRIAL.
[P. CUP2025-03-01 - Building in Excess of 50,000 SF within the Highway Corridor Overlay District - Tax Map #12--------6F, 4--------43A, 4--------44B, and 4--------45B - A request for a conditional use permit for a building in excess of 50,000 square feet in size within the Highway Corridor Overlay District. The properties are located at 6560, 6644, 6720, and (0) Winchester Road and are identified on tax map #12--------6F, 4--------43A, 4--------44B, and 4--------45B. The properties are currently zoned Agricultural (A) and Commercial (C) and are located in the North River Magisterial District. - Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator ]
IN, IN, UH, UNFINISHED BUSINESS IS BUILDING IN EXCESS OF 50,000 SQUARE FEET WITHIN THE HIGHWAY CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT TAX MAP AND ENDING IN 45 B.SO THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM WAS ALSO HELD ON OCTOBER 21ST AND THE TABLE MOTION WAS PASSED TO KEEP IT IN LINE WITH THE REZONING REQUESTS.
UH, I WILL JUST REMIND YOU OF THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'LL READ THROUGH THEM AS THEY WERE RECOMMENDED.
AND, UM, THERE IS A SUBSEQUENT REQUEST FROM THE, UH, APPLICANT REQUESTING CHANGES TO THOSE CONDITIONS.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH BOTH OF THOSE WITH YOU NOW.
UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION MOVED THIS FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
NUMBER ONE, THE APPLICANT SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, WARREN COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTIONS, VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, AND ANY OTHER APPLICABLE REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.
NUMBER TWO, THE APPLICANT SHALL SUBMIT A FORMAL SITE PLAN BUILDING ELEVATIONS AND EXTERIOR FINISHES, COLOR RENDERING SAMPLES TO THE COUNTY PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF A BUILDING PERMIT AND ZONING PERMIT.
NUMBER THREE, OFF STREET PARKING SHALL BE PROVIDED IN THE AMOUNT OF 2.0 SPACES PER WORKER ON THE MAIN SHIFT AS REQUIRED FOR A MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENT PER WARREN COUNTY CODE SUBSECTION 180 DASH 15.
NUMBER FOUR, THE DEVELOPMENT SHALL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE HIGHWAY CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT SET FORTH UNDER WARREN COUNTY CODES SUBSECTION 180 DASH 29.1.
AND NUMBER FIVE, THE TOTAL DEVELOPED AREA.
THE PROPERTY SHALL NOT EXCEED 220 SQUARE FEET.
UM, SO IN YOUR MEETING PACKETS, WHAT'D I SAY? OH, EXCUSE ME.
220,000 SQUARE FEET WE'RE GONE.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK A PERMIT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THAT SMALL OF A BUILDING
UM, SO YES, INCLUDING YOUR MEETING PACKET, THERE IS A REQUEST FROM, UM, THE APPLICANT, UH, REQUESTING CHANGES TO THE CONDITIONS.
UM, THE REQUEST INCLUDES, UH, A REQUEST TO STRIKE CONDITION NUMBER THREE REGARDING PARKING.
UM, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING TO BASICALLY, UH, KEEP THAT OPEN SINCE, UH, THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT SPECIFIC USE IDENTIFIED.
UM, SO THE THE 2.0, UH, PER WORKER ON THE MAIN SHIFT IS WHAT WE HAVE TYPICALLY EQUATED A WAREHOUSE OR DISTRIBUTION CENTER TO, UH, AND SO THAT IS WHY THAT WAS WHAT WE RECOMMENDED MOVING FORWARD.
UM, IF THAT IS WHAT THEY END UP DOING, THAT IS WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED AT THE SITE PLAN PHASE ANYWAY.
SO IN A LOT OF WAYS IT'S AN UNNECESSARY CONDITION.
UH, AND THE SECOND REQUEST TO CHANGE IS TO CONDITION NUMBER FIVE.
JUST TO SPECIFY, UH, THAT IT IS THE TOTAL BUILDING SIZE THAT WOULD BE LIMITED TO 220,000 SQUARE FEET.
UM, THE, THE CHANGES TO THOSE CONDITIONS, IF, IF YOU AGREE WITH THEM, UM, WOULD BE CONDITION OR RECOMMENDED MOTION NUMBER ONE IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO APPROVE IT WITH THOSE CHANGES.
AND PLANNING STAFF DOES SUPPORT THOSE REQUESTED CHANGES.
IT CAN BE ADDRESSED DURING SITE PLAN PHASE AND, UH, IT IS HELPFUL TO BE AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE WITH, UH, THE BUILDING SIZE INSTEAD OF TOTAL DEVELOPMENT.
[02:40:01]
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS? ONE, ACTUALLY, ONE QUESTION FOR MR. LENZ.UM, FOR THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES, WOULD THAT STILL BE REOPENED FOR DISCUSSION IN THE SITE PLAN, UH, PROCESS WHEN THAT COMES ALONG? YEAH.
SO IT'S COVERED BY THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
IT'S FOR, FOR THE WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES.
IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY A TABLE OF USES.
AND THE REQUIREMENT FOR EACH OF THOSE USES, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MANY OF THEM, FOR SOME REASON, IT IS NOT SPECIFIED IN THAT TABLE.
UM, SO THERE'S A COVERALL AT THE END THAT SAYS OTHER USES AS DETERMINED BY THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR.
AND SO THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN FOR THOSE USES TO EQUATE IT TO WHAT IS REQUIRED TO A MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENT, WHICH IS THOSE TWO, UH, SPACES PER WORKER ON THE MAIN SHIFT TO ALLOW FOR A LITTLE OVERLAP WHEN SHIFTS CHANGE.
UM, AND SO YES, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WHOLE CODE SECTION WOULD BE APPLIED TO THE SITE PLAN WHEN IT'S RECEIVED.
AND SO DETERMINATION WOULD BE MADE ON WHAT'S REQUIRED DEPENDING ON WHAT USE IS BEING PURSUED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE PRODUCE, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST FOR A BUILDING IN EXCESS OF 50,000 SQUARE FEET WITHIN THE HIGHWAY CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT ON TAX MAP 12 DASH SIX F FOUR DASH FOUR THREE A FOUR DASH FOUR FOUR B, AND FOUR DASH 4 4 4 5 B WITH CONDITIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF, EXCLUDING CONDITION NUMBER THREE REGARDING OFF STREET PARKING AND TO MODIFY CONDITION FIVE TO READ THE TOTAL BUILDING AREA CONSTRUCTED ON THE PROPERTY SHALL NOT EXCEED 220,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET OF BUILDING AREA AS REQUESTED BY THE APPLICANT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND ROLL CALL MR. HENRY? AYE.
[Q. Consent Agenda ]
THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.DO I HAVE ANY, UH, DO I HAVE ANY ITEMS I'D LIKE TO PULL? NUMBER FOUR.
I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER SIX AND I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER FIVE.
SO THAT'S NUMBER FOUR, FIVE, AND SIX.
ANY OTHER? I GOT MY SLIDES SIX.
SO THE, UH, SO DO I HAVE A MOTION THEN? UM, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS MODIFIED.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S EXCLUDING FOUR.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I THOUGHT MR. JAMISON SECOND.
OH, DID, DID YOU SECOND? I'M SORRY.
[4. Resolution - Legal Services Transparency and Review Policy]
OKAY.THIS EVENING I'LL PRESENT A PROPOSAL FOR A POLICY RESOLUTION ON LEGAL SERVICES TRANSPARENCY AND REVIEW.
THIS POLICY IS FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT ENABLING THE BOARD TO GOVERN AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE AND ENSURING OUR CONSTITUENTS CAN SEE HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS.
THE POLICY HAS THREE CORE COMPONENTS.
FIRST, ACCESS TO WRITTEN LEGAL ANALYSIS FOR SIGNIFICANT MATTERS LIKE ORDINANCES AND REGULATORY DECISIONS.
SUPERVISORS NEED WRITTEN MATERIALS WE CAN STUDY, RESEARCH AND VERIFY.
THIS ENABLES EACH OF US TO ARRIVE AT INFORMED POSITIONS WE CAN ARTICULATE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR OWN WORDS.
SECOND, MORE VISIBILITY INTO THE REASONS FOR CLOSED SESSIONS.
WHEN WE CLOSE MEETINGS, THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO SEE SPECIFICALLY WHY CLOSURE IS NECESSARY.
THIS PROTECTS BOTH THE COUNTY AND INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISORS FROM FOIA VIOLATIONS WHILE DEMONSTRATING OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY AT THE DEFAULT.
THIRD, REGULAR OVERSIGHT OF LEGAL EXPENDITURES, QUARTERLY REPORTING ON THE COSTS AND, AND THE CATEGORIES OF ACTIVITIES ENSURES WE'RE ACTIVELY MANAGING A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEM AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO THE MOST IMPORTANT TASKS.
THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE IS SIMPLE.
THE BOARD GOVERNS COUNSEL ADVISES THIS POLICY ENSURES THAT SUPERVISORS HAVE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO FULFILL OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND CRITICALLY THE PUBLIC HAS THAT SAME ACCESS EXCEPT WHERE WE'VE MADE CLEAR TO THEM THE SPECIFIC REASONS WHY PARTICULAR MATTERS REQUIRE CLOSED SESSION.
THIS IS ABOUT POSITIONING THE BOARD AT THE CENTER OF COUNTY DECISION MAKING WHERE WE BELONG,
[02:45:01]
AND ENSURING OUR CONSTITUENTS CAN SEE THE INFORMED DELIBERATION BEHIND THEIR VOTES FOR SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES AND ORDINANCES, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS OR REGULATORY MATTERS AND THE LIKE.WRITTEN LEGAL ANALYSIS IS APPROPRIATE NOT FOR ROUTINE QUESTIONS OR OPERATIONAL MATTERS, BUT FOR THE SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE DECISIONS WHERE THE BOARD RESPONSIBILITY IS HIGHEST.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER? FIRST? EACH SUPERVISOR CAN STUDY THE LEGAL ISSUES INDEPENDENTLY.
WE WORK DIFFERENT SCHEDULES, WE RESEARCH DIFFERENTLY.
WE NEED TIME TO CONSIDER AND ABSORB STATUTORY FRAMEWORKS.
WRITTEN ANALYSIS MAKES THAT POSSIBLE.
SECOND, IT ENABLES US TO VERIFY STATUTE, STATUTORY AUTHORITIES AND CASE LAW.
WHEN WE VOTE, WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE, WHETHER THE LEGAL FOUNDATION IS SOUND, WRITTEN MATERIALS.
LET US CHECK CITATIONS, READ THE ACTUAL CASES, AND SATISFY OURSELVES THAT THE REASONING HOLDS UP.
THIRD, IT FACILITATES INFORMED COLLEGIAL DELIBERATION AS WELL AS PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE LEGAL REASONING WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.
WHEN WE ALL HAVE THE SAME WRITTEN ANALYSIS, WE CAN HAVE MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS WHERE WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THE LEGAL REASONING.
NOT TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT WAS SAID IN A VERBAL BRIEFING.
IT CREATES INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY DOCUMENTATION OF WHY WE MADE DECISIONS.
AND IT DEMONSTRATES DUE DILIGENCE IN THOSE DECISIONS IF THOSE DECISIONS ARE EVER CHALLENGED.
NOW, SOME MAY WORRY THIS INCREASES COSTS.
LEGAL ADVICE REQUIRES THE SAME FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND REASONING, WHETHER DELIVERED ORALLY OR IN WRITING WRITTEN WORK, MERELY MEMORIALIZES ANALYSIS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED.
THE ATTORNEY STILL READS, RESEARCHES THE STATUTES, READS THE CASES, EVALUATES THE RISKS.
WRITING IT DOWN DOESN'T CREATE ADDITIONAL SUBSTANTIVE WORK.
IT JUST MAKES THAT WORK ACCESSIBLE TO US.
THIS IS ABOUT ENSURING WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED TO GOVERN RESPONSIBLY.
THE POLICY ESTABLISHES CLEAR PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED SESSIONS TO ENSURE NARROW FOR OUR COMPLIANCE TO PROTECT THE COUNTY AND INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISORS, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO AFFORD AFFORD VISIBILITY.
MORE VISIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC.
FIRST, A 48 HOUR ADVANCE NOTICE WHEN ANYONE ATTOR A COUNTY ATTORNEY, A BOARD MEMBER OR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REQUESTS A CLOSED SESSION.
THAT REQUEST MUST BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING AT LEAST 48 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING.
THIS GIVES EACH OF US TIME TO REVIEW THE JUSTIFICATION AND ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE WE VOTE TO CLOSE.
THE MOTION MUST CLOSE TO CLOSE MUST IDENTIFY THREE THINGS, THE SPECIFIC FOIA EXEMPTION BEING INVOKED, THE SPECIFIC TRANSACTION OR DISPUTE OR MATTER REQUIRING CONFIDENTIALITY AND WHY CLOSURE IS NECESSARY FOR THAT PARTICULAR MATTER.
THE VIRGINIA CODE 2 2 37 12 A EXPLICITLY STATES THAT A GENERAL REFERENCE, A GENERAL REFERENCE TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER.
THE AUTHORIZED EXEMPTIONS FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS OR THUS SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CLOSED MEETING, SHALL NOT BE SUFFICIENT.
THE STATUTE REQUIRES SPECIFICITY AND THIS POLICY IMPLEMENTS THAT REQUIREMENT.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN PRACTICE? IT MEANS WE WON'T CLOSE A MEETING BASED ON A GENERAL REFERENCE IN THE MOTION.
WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC CONTRACT, LEGAL DIS TRANSACTION OR DISPUTE REQUIRING LEGAL ADVICE IN CLOSED SESSION.
THIS POLICY WILL SERVE TO PROTECT THE COUNTY.
IT CREATES A CLEAR RECORD WHEN WE CLOSE A MEETING FOR A REASON THAT MEETS FOIAS NARROW CRITERIA.
IT DEMONSTRATES TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE TAKE TRANSPARENCY SERIOUSLY AND ONLY THOSE MEETINGS WHEN WE MAKE THE EXTRA EFFORT TO SAY IN PUBLIC WHY THE LAW CLEARLY PERMITS IT.
THE THIRD COMPONENT OF THIS POLICY IS A REGULAR OVERSIGHT OF LEGAL EXPENDITURES THROUGH QUARTERLY REPORTING BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
EVERY QUARTER, THE ADMINISTRATOR WILL PROVIDE THE BORDER WITH A REPORT COVERING FIVE KEY AREAS.
FIRST, TOTAL LEGAL EXPENDITURES, SECOND ITEMIZATION BY CATEGORY.
THE SPECIFIC CATEGORIES WILL BE DEVELOPED BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD, BUT THE GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE LEGAL RESOURCES ARE BEING ALLOCATED.
LITIGATION, CONTRACT REVIEW, ORDINANCE DEVELOPMENT, WHATEVER CATEGORIES MAKE SENSE FOR OUR OPERATIONS.
THIRD, COMPARISON TO BUDGETED AMOUNTS SO WE CAN SEE IF WE'RE ON TRACK.
FOURTH, A SUMMARY OF MAJOR LEGAL MATTERS ADDRESSED DURING THE QUARTER.
NOT CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS, BUT GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT SIGNIFICANT ISSUES CONSUME LEGAL RESOURCES.
AND FIFTH, ANY ANTICIPATED SIGNIFICANT LEGAL EXPENDITURES IN THE UPCOMING QUARTER.
THIS SERVES MULTIPLE PURPOSES.
IT ENSURES WE'RE USING PUBLIC FUNDS PRUDENTLY.
IT KEEPS, HELPS US ASSESS WHETHER LEGAL RESOURCES ARE APPROPRIATELY ALLOCATED TO COUNTY PRIORITIES.
IDENTIFIES TRENDS THAT SHOULD INFORM FUTURE BUDGET PLANNING.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT MAINTAINS ACCOUNTABILITY.
THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PURCHASED WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AND WE SHOULD ACTIVELY OVERSEE THOSE EXPENDITURES, NOT JUST TO PROVE THEM PASSIVELY.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT MICROMANAGING,
[02:50:01]
IT'S ABOUT THE BOARD FULFILLING OUR FIDUCIARY DUTY TO ENSURE THAT SIGNIFICANT RECURRING EXPENSES SERVE THE COUNTY'S INTEREST EFFECTIVELY.THE FOLLOWING SLIDES PROVIDE A COMPARATIVE OVERVIEW OF WARREN COUNTY'S LEGAL EXPENDITURES.
THE FIRST SLIDE, UH, HA, IS THE ACTUAL PO UH, ESTIMATED POP 2025 POPULATION OF THE EIGHT COUNTIES, UH, THAT BORDER WARREN COUNTY.
UH, UM, NO NOTICE THAT LOUDOUN COUNTY AND HANNAN COUNTY ARE OUTLIERS, UH, ONE WITH ABOUT 450 OR 60,000 CITIZENS AND HANOCK WITH, UH, 7,000 CITIZENS.
SO THOSE BEING CONSIDERED OUTLIERS WON'T APPEAR IN FUTURE SLIDES.
SO THE COUNTY LEGAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, REMAINING, UH, SIX SEVEN COUNTIES, UH, WARREN COUNTY'S IDENTIFIED WITH A RED, A RED OVAL, UH, ARE THESE ARE, UH, BUDGETARY NUMBERS, UH, IN THE 2025 BUDGET FOR THOSE COUNTIES.
UM, WARREN COUNTY IS ABOUT $423,000.
BUT LOOK AT THIS ON A, UH, PER CAPITA BASIS.
UH, THERE THE AVERAGE, UH, NUMBER FOR THE, THE DODGE LINE REPRESENTS THE AVERAGE FOR THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY COUNTIES.
FAKI COUNTY'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.
UH, FAKI COUNTY HAS SEVEN FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN THEIR LEGAL, UH, DEPARTMENT.
SO ON A PER CAPITA BASIS, UH, WE ARE HIGH CONSUMERS.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE ARE BUYING A LOT OF LEGAL SERVICES.
UH, THIS, THIS INDICATES, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT, THAT WARRANTS SOME ATTENTION COMPARED TO OUR, OUR PEERS.
UH, ONE OF THE, THE POINTS THAT, UM, UH, MR. HENRY BROUGHT UP THE OTHER NIGHT WAS THERE, OFTENTIMES WHEN YOU SEE, UH, COUNTIES WITH SMALL POPULATIONS, UH, THEIR PER CAPITA NUMBERS TEND TO GET SKEWED, UH, TO THE HIGH RANGE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY SEE IN THIS CASE, UH, SHENANDOAH COUNTY IS ABOUT THE SAME POPULATION.
THEY CONSUME ABOUT HALF OF THE LEGAL SERVICES WE DO.
UM, UM, PAGE AND, AND, UM, AND, UH, SORRY, I CAN'T READ THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, ARE SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER AND YET THEIR PER CAPITA COSTS ARE VERY MUCH SIGNIFICANTLY LESS.
UH, THE OTHER COMPARISON IS ON A PERCENTAGE OF OPERATING BUDGET BASIS.
UH, WE, WE ARE AGAIN, COMPARABLE TO, UH, FAKI COUNTY, UM, BUT IF A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER, LIKE ON THE ORDER OF TWO TIMES AS HIGH, UH, AS OUR NEIGHBORING SHENANDOAH VALLEY COUNTY.
SO, UH, THIS IS JUST JUST INDICATING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A REFLECTION ON THE COUNTY.
UH, NOT ON OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR PROVIDER.
UH, WE ARE, WE ARE BUYING THAT MUCH AND IF WE'RE, WE'RE BUYING THAT MUCH LEGAL SERVICES, UH, AND OUR, OUR NEIGHBORING SHENANDOAH COUNTY, UH, COUNTIES ARE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY BUYING HALF AS MUCH LEGAL SERVICES ON A BUDGET BASIS AS SOMETHING THAT'S WORTHY OF US.
UH, TAKING A QUARTERLY LOOK AT.
UH, IN SUMMARY, UH, THIS POLICY ESTABLISHES THREE PRACTICAL ELEMENTS.
WRITTEN LEGAL WORK PRODUCT AS A DEFAULT FOR SUBSTANTIVE MATTERS.
CLEAR PROCEDURES FOR ENSURING PUBLICLY VISIBLE AND NARROW FOIA COMPLIANCE FOR CLOSED SESSIONS AND REGULAR BOARD OVERSIGHT OF LEGAL EXPENDITURES.
THE RESULT IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
WE'LL MAKE THE BEST INFORMED DECISIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE LEGAL MATERIALS WE CAN STUDY AND VERIFY.
WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH MATTERS OF THE HIGHEST TAXPAYER IMPACT, OUR CONSTITUENTS GET GREATER TRANSPARENCY 'CAUSE THEY CAN SEE THE LEGAL REASONING BEHIND OUR VOTES AND UNDERSTAND SPECIFICALLY WHY WE CLOSE MEETINGS WHEN WE DO.
AND THE COUNTY GETS STRONGER LEGAL PROTECTION THROUGH DOCUMENTED DUE DILIGENCE IN AN NARROWER APPROACH TO FOIA COMPLIANCE.
MOST, THE MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS POLICY POSITIONS THE BOARD AT THE CENTER OF COUNTY DECISION MAKING.
WHERE IT BELONGS, THE BOARD IS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY.
THE BOARD DECIDES WHETHER MEETINGS SHOULD BE CLOSED OR OPEN.
THE BOARD DECIDES WHETHER LEGAL ADVICE IS TO BE WRITTEN OR VERBAL.
THE BOARD BEARS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VOTES WE CAST FOR THE ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS WE ADOPT.
THIS POLICY SIMPLY ENSURES THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED TO FULFILL THAT RESPONSIBILITY EFFECTIVELY WITH PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE.
I'M ASKING FOR YOUR REPO, UH, SUPPORT TO ADOPT THIS POLICY EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
'CAUSE I BELIEVE WARREN COUNTY BENEFITS WHEN ITS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS ENGAGED, INFORMED, AND VISIBLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.
DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE DISCUSSION? UM, WE HAVE, I HAVE THE, THE TEXT OF THE POLICY IS AVAILABLE IF, IF, UH, ON THE COMPUTER IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ADDRESS IT SPECIFICALLY.
[02:55:01]
OR FOR THE, OH, GO AHEAD MS. HENRY.OH, I DO APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS ALL.
UH, THE 48 HOURS NOTICE, UH, YOU KNOW, SITUATION ARISE DURING A MEETING THAT CAN'T BE PREDICTED, BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
THE, UH, TO HAVE TO DO A WRITTEN, UH, REVIEW OF EVERY ORDINANCE, UH, JUST PREEMPTIVELY WOULD BE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE.
AND, UH, WE CAN STILL ASK FOR THAT ON CERTAIN ORDINANCES OR SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS TABLE AN ITEM AND, UH, REACH OUT TO LEGAL, SAY, HEY, WE WANT A WRITTEN, UM, BUT THAT YOU SHOULD GET A VOTE OF THREE PEOPLE 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE EXPENSIVE.
UM, UH, A COUPLE THE REFERENCES WAS THE GROUNDWATER, UH, ORDINANCE, WHICH, UH, STILL ABSOLUTELY WE LIKE TO TAKE IT TO PLANNING FOR ITS, UH, TARGETED PURPOSES.
SO KEEP INDUSTRIAL WELLS OUTTA THE CORRIDOR THAT ARE USING MA THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY USE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF, OF, UH, WATER.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S BAD FOR THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, I THINK WE, THERE'S A DIFFERENT, UH, MECHANISM FOR THAT.
UH, CURRENTLY THE GROUNDWATER AS WR WRITTEN, UH, WOULD CAUSE IMMEDIATE LITIGATION.
UH, I'VE BEEN REACHED OUT TO AND WAS INDICATED THE VERY INSTANT THAT IT PASSES ATTORNEYS WOULD BE AT THE DOOR THE NEXT MORNING TO SUE 'CAUSE OF IT'S, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERREACH.
SO WE'VE GOTTA FIND A DIFFERENT MECHANISM IF THAT'S THE TARGET.
I WASN'T HERE FOR THE AGRITOURISM.
UH, I MADE SMALL MENTION OF THIS, UH, HESITANT TO MENTION IT NOW 'CAUSE WE ARE VERY VULNERABLE WITHOUT SOME KIND OF REGULATION IN PLACE.
UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AT THIS MEETING.
WE WENT BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION.
UH, AND THEN IF YOU DON'T WANNA GO IN CLOSED SESSION, YOU CAN STILL VOTE.
NO, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, EASY.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, YOU CAN VOTE YES.
AND THEN WHEN YOU HEAR WHAT THE TOPIC IS, IF YOU'RE IN DISAGREE, YOU CAN CLOSE THE SESSION.
BUT IF YOU ABSOLUTELY DISCLOSE WHILE YOU'RE GOING IN THIS CLOSED SESSION, YOU HAVE INDICATED WHAT YOU DON'T WANT DISCLOSED, POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, WELL, I'LL JUST SAY IT 'CAUSE IT, IT, IT'S THE WAY IT WOULD HAPPEN.
UM, IF THEY ASKED US TO GO BACK FOR CLOSED SESSION FOR THE WATER ORDINANCE AND WE REFUSED.
NO, HE CAN'T, THE ATTORNEY CAN'T SAY, ANNOUNCE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE SUED.
I MEAN, HE, HE'S, YOU'RE SHOWING YOUR CARD, SO TO SPEAK ALL.
AND THEN IF, UH, IF WE DISAGREE WITH COUNSEL, WE HAVE THAT RIGHT.
AND WE CAN JUST SIMPLY USE OUR VOTING POWER.
BUT, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I NEED A, A RESOLUTION TO, UH, TO EXERCISE THOSE RIGHTS.
AND IT, UH, THIS MAY EVER COMPLICATE MATTERS.
AND, AND I'M NOT COMPLETELY SURE OF ITS LEGALITY.
MAY I JUST, JUST A COUPLE THINGS ON THE, ON THE EMERGENCIES.
THOSE ARE ABSOLUTELY PROVIDED FOR.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, THE, IT'S, IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
IN FACT, IT'S, IT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE IS YOU CAN, YOU CAN MOTION YOURSELF INTO CLOSED SESSION WITHOUT REVEALING THE CONFIDENTIAL MATTER.
UM, THERE ARE JUST, UH, UH, IN A GONNA REFERENCE.
I HAVE PROVIDED THE, THE STATUTE AND THE REFERENCES TO THE FOIA COUNSEL ADVISORY OPINIONS.
BUT THEY, UH, ARE VERY, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS FOIA COUNSEL OPINION THAT I QUOTED, UM, SAYS THAT, UH, FOLLOWING OPINIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THAT LEGAL, LEGAL, THE LEGAL MATTERS EXEMPTION COULD NOT BE PROPERLY EVOKED ABSENCE SUCH CONTRACTUAL NEGOTIATION OR OTHER SPECIFIC LEGAL TRANSACTION OR DISPUTE.
SO, UH, IT'S VERY POSSIBLE TO GET INTO CLOSED MOTION WITHOUT DIVULGING, UH, THE MATTER, UH, AND AGAIN, ON THE MATTER OF, OF, UH, UH, WHEN THAT CAME UP, AND YOU BROUGHT THAT UP IN OUR WORK SESSION, I CHANGED SOME OF THE WORDS IN HERE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES A TWO LINE EMAIL MIGHT BE SUFFICIENT WRITTEN, UH, WORK, IF IT'S HIGHLY IMPACTFUL IN REGULATION, IT MAY BE, UH, MORE WORK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE POINT IS REALLY IN MY, IN MY OPINION, WHAT I'M TRYING TO, UH, ENSURE IS THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE THE MOST IMPACTFUL ARE THE THINGS WHERE WE NEED THE HIGHEST ASSURANCE OF AND, AND LEGAL REASONING AND ACCESS TO.
AND THAT A VERBAL PRESENTATION OF THOSE THINGS, FIRST OF ALL ARE, ARE DIFFICULT IN THE MOMENT FOR, TO DIGEST IN A VERBAL PRESENTATION.
SECONDLY, THEY'RE NOT, UM, UH, THEY'RE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND, AND MOST LEGAL REASONING SHOULD NOT BE IN CLOSED SESSION.
UH, IF, IF WE'RE JUST GENERICALLY TALKING ABOUT GRANT
[03:00:01]
PROTECTING GROUNDWATER ORDINANCES, AND THERE'S A POINT OF VIEW ABOUT THE DYLAN RULE AND WHETHER WE WOULD VIOLATE IT OR NOT, UM, THAT'S NOT AN ACTUAL DISPUTE, THAT'S NOT AN ACTUAL CASE OF LITIGATION.AND THIS IS, AND IT'S AIMED AT INCREASING THE VISIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC AS TO WHY WE'RE, WE'RE DOING IT.
SO HOPEFULLY I COULD ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
AND SO, HAS ANYBODY REVIEWED THE LEGALITY OF THIS ITSELF? AND DID, DID YOU WRITE IT? AND HOW MUCH OF IT IS AI GENERATED? UM, LEGAL RESEARCH IS, IS USING AI FOR LEGAL RESEARCH IS LIKE, LIKE 10 YEARS AGO USING A BROWSER.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, UH, I DON'T, CAN'T WALK INTO A, A LEGAL LIBRARY AND CRACK THE BOOKS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, READ ALL THE VOLUMES.
UM, BUT, BUT THE QUESTION IS ABOUT WHETHER IT'S IT'S LEGAL OR NOT.
I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S A, WE'RE A LEGISLATIVE BODY.
WE CAN MAKE IT A, A POLICY THAT SAYS WE WILL PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THE REASON FOR GOING INTO A CLOSED SESSION.
UM, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, AND REVIEWING EXPENSES QUARTERLY, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE ILLEGAL? I MEAN, WELL, OBVIOUSLY REVIEWING EXPENSES.
I MEAN, WE COULD REQUEST THAT AT ANY TIME.
THAT'S, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT ILLEGAL, WHICH I THINK, UM, HIS, HIS EXPENSES, UM, MR. BOWMAN'S EXPENSES, THOSE ARE ITEMIZED OUT EACH MONTH FOR US TO SEE.
UM, MY CONCERN HERE IS, UM, HAVING DOCUMENTS, UNLESS THEY ARE PERSONNEL ON A CHILD, THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC THINGS.
ONCE WE HAVE THEM, THEY ARE FOIBLE.
AND THE JOB OF OUR ATTORNEYS IS TO PROTECT US AND GIVE US THE BEST ADVICE IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE IF WE GET SUED, YES, WE CAN BE SUED INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE INSURANCE.
BUT THAT ON THE END RESULTS COMES OUT OF THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS.
AND I'M, I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE VERY PROTECTIVE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING FROM THE TAXPAYERS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NON-TRANSPARENT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M NOT A LAWYER.
I HAVE TAKEN THE FOIA TRAINING.
AND I DON'T REALLY LIKE HAVING DOCUMENTS THAT MAKE ME UNCOMFORTABLE.
I, I GET DOCUMENTS, UH, ON THE CPMT THAT DEAL WITH CHILDREN'S NEEDS.
I LOOK AT WHAT I NEED TO IN ORDER TO MAKE DECISIONS DURING THAT MEETING, AND I GIVE THEM BACK BECAUSE IF I HAVE THEM, THOSE YOU CAN'T FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY ARE ABOUT CHILDREN.
ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT WE ARE GIVEN FOR INFORMATION IN GENERAL, THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THE FOIBLE STUFF, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON, AND WE ARE OFTEN HASN'T BEEN FOR A WHILE, UM, ASKED TO SIGN NON-DISCLOSURES, OKAY, I SIGN A NON-DISCLOSURE, BUT I'M GIVEN A WHOLE PACKET OF INFORMATION ON THAT.
AND IT FALLS UNDER THE CRITERIA OF BEING VOIDABLE.
WE COULD MISS OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WHATEVER WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THERE PULLS OUT AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, IF I'M, IF ALL THIS IS GONNA GET FO YET, AND IT'S ALL GONNA BE BECOME PUBLIC BEFORE WE'RE READY FOR IT.
I'M NOT DEALING WITH YOU AND WE'RE ALREADY HAVING ENOUGH TROUBLE WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND I, I AM NOT A VERY TRUSTING PERSON, BUT I DO NOT FEEL THAT I HAVE EVER ASKED TO GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION, UM, BY OUR ATTORNEYS THAT I FELT WAS NOT RIGHT.
AND IF I DIDN'T TRUST HIM, I'D BE SAYING, WE NEED TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE.
I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH HIM, WHICH IS HEALTHY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM TO SAY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, OR I DON'T AGREE WITH YOUR THOUGHT ON THAT.
BUT I, I JUST FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS FOR THOSE REASONS.
AND I JUST DON'T WANNA PUT THIS COUNTY WASTING MONEY ON, YOU KNOW, LEGAL THINGS.
WE STILL MAKE THE SAME DECISIONS.
WE STILL HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE, UM, INFLUENCE THAT YOU SPOKE OF, WHETHER IT'S WRITTEN DOWN OR WHETHER HE VERBALLY TELLS US.
AND IF IT TAKES AN HOUR FOR US
[03:05:01]
ALL TO GET IT, OR IF IT TAKES THREE HOURS IN THAT CLOSED SESSION, AND WHEN WE CAN COME OUT OF THAT CLOSED SESSION AND ADVISE THE PUBLIC OF WHAT THAT CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE END RESULT.WE ARE WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE WITH THE PEOPLE'S MONEY, AND I WANT THEM INVOLVED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY WANTS US TO PUT THEM AT MORE FINANCIAL RISK WITH LAWSUITS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S PROS AND CONS ON THE WRITTEN WORK PRODUCT.
UM, I THINK IT CAN BE CIRCULATED AS ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE AND EXEMPT FROM FOIA.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I'VE HEARD THE LEAKING, UH, CON I I THINK IF, IF THERE'S LEAKS THAT'S, THAT'S ON US, UM, AND, UH, MAYBE THERE ARE WAYS TO SECURE AGAINST THAT.
UM, ONE OF THE CONS IS, UH, VERBAL CONVERSATION CAN BE MORE GIVE AND TAKE BACK AND FORTH, AND YOU CAN PIVOT DOWN A, A TANGENTIAL LINE OF THOUGHT AND COME BACK, COME BACK AROUND AND, UH, NOTHING EVER PRECLUDES THAT.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF GETTING WRITTEN IN ADVANCE.
UH, I MEAN, SOMETIMES IN A CLOSED SESSION, WE'VE GOT FIVE OR MORE TOPICS IN AN HOUR, AND MAYBE THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, SOME INFORMATION PRESENTED THERE, BUT IT, IT'S A LOT TO DIGEST AND, AND FULLY PROCESS AND, AND COME TO A, A POSITION ON, UH, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE VOTING, UH, IMMEDIATELY AFTER, WHICH SOMETIMES IS THE CASE.
UH, UM, ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY, UH, CASES I THINK WERE EVERYTHING, NOT EVERYTHING WRITTEN BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT, YOU'VE GOT, UH, SORT OF A, A SLIDING SCALE OF IMPORTANCE AND COMPLEXITY.
UH, BUT, UH, IT COULD SLOW DOWN THE PROCESS AT TIMES.
AND I, I, I, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A, A BIAS TOWARDS WRITTEN, UM, AND YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY PROVISION, SO THAT THAT'S GOOD TOO.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT MIGHT COST A LITTLE MORE.
I, I, I, AND I ALSO GET THE POINT THAT IT, UM, THE SAME RESEARCH HAS TO BE DONE WHETHER THE RESULT IS COMMUNICATED ORALLY OR, OR WRITTEN.
UM, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF GETTING INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY AND HAVING SOME RECORDS FOR WHAT WAS, UM, WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN O OBVIOUSLY CLOSED SESSION IS CLOSED SESSION, UM, BUT AT, AT SOME POINT FOR A FUTURE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR FOR, UM, FOR WHOMEVER, UH, THAT, THAT HAS RIGHTS TO SEE THAT IT, IT CAN REALLY HELP FILL IN THE CONTEXT OF, OF LONG LIVING ISSUES.
UM, I THINK THAT WRITTEN RE REQUIREMENT IS, IS SORT OF A PRAGMATIC DECISION.
UM, AS FOR THE QUARTERLY ACCOUNT BILLING AND, UH, ACCOUNTING, UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE GET MONTHLY INVOICES.
UM, I DON'T ALWAYS GET TO SEE THE LINE ITEM DETAIL.
AND, AND, UH, ONE CASE CAME UP WHERE THERE WAS A, A LARGE AMOUNT OF LEGAL RESEARCH DONE THAT WAS UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, BUT WAS BEING BLAMED ON ME AND NOT SOMETHING I REQUESTED AND, UH, BEING BLAMED ON ME COLLECTIVELY WITH OTHERS.
UH, AND I I DID NOT LIKE THAT.
UM, I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT WE ALL HAVE TRANSPARENCY ON LEGAL PER, ON LEGAL BILLINGS.
UH, IF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS ALREADY DOING THAT, AND, AND BY THE WAY, MR. JAMESON, IS IT YOUR INTENT THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD PUT SOME OF THAT REPORT IN CONTEXT, LIKE VERSUS BUDGETED, ET CETERA? OR IS, UH, LIKE THE LEGAL WOULD SUPPLY THAT THE, UH, LINE ITEM SURE.
AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD, WOULD DO MORE, JUST OFFERS A, A, A, A, A CLOSER LOOK AND AN EVALUATION OF THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON.
IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON, LET'S SAY, REVIEWING EVERY SMALL CONTRACT, WELL THEN MAYBE THAT COULD BE ASCERTAINED, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MONEY BETTER SPENT YEAH.
PUTTING TOWARD, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDING THAT MARGINAL COST OF, OF WRITING.
AS I SAID, THE LEGAL ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH IS THE SAME.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, I PUT UP A SLIDE WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE INTENT OF FOIA, WHICH IS ALMOST NEARLY EVERYTHING SHOULD BE PUBLIC.
[03:10:01]
YEAH.AND THAT'S NOW EVEN LEGAL REASONING.
AND, AND, AND JUST BECAUSE IT'S LEGAL REASONING DOESN'T MEAN IT SHOULD BE CLOSED SESSION.
SO, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY NONE OF THIS EV NONE OF THIS I WANNA EMPHASIZE COMPROMISES OR ABILITY TO GO IN A CLOSED SESSION WHEN IT'S NECESSARY.
AND ACTUALLY, OF THESE THREE PLANKS, LIKE YOU'VE GOT A WRITTEN WORK PRODUCT PLANK, A, UH, QUARTERLY ACCOUNTING PLANK, AND THEN THE, THE CLOSED SESSION PROCEDURE PLANKS, I THINK IS THE MOST SORT OF INDISPUTABLE.
UH, YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH THE FOIA COUNSEL AND, AND THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THE STATUTE.
UH, THE, UH, I'M ALSO ASSURED THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING EVERYTHING IN COMPLIANCE ANYWAY, SO MAYBE, UH, MAYBE THIS ISN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL IF WE'RE ALREADY, UH, UH, ALL, ALL THIS NEEDS A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICITY AND A LITTLE BIT MORE ADVANCED NOTICE OF WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE FOR, IT'S A, IT'S A CHOICE TO BE NARROW IN THE INTERPRETATION AND TO BE MORE PUBLIC AND, AND GIVING PEOPLE ACCESS TO WHY WE'RE DOING IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST, YEAH.
ACTUALLY BEING TRANSPARENT INSTEAD OF SAYING WE'RE GONNA BE TRANSPARENT.
AND WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT IN THIS RESOLUTION, UM, JUST READING THROUGH IT, I HAVE A HARD TIME PINPOINTING ANYTHING IN HERE THAT'S SPECIFICALLY OBJECTIONABLE.
IT ALL MAKES GOOD SENSE TO ME.
UM, THAT SAID, UH, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO SPLIT IT INTO, TO THREE MOTIONS.
ONE ON EACH, UH, THE WRITTEN WORK PRODUCT, THE CLOSED SESSION PROCEDURES IN THE QUARTERLY ACCOUNTING.
UM, IF YOU'RE OPEN TO THAT, UH, THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO AT LEAST GET SOME OF THIS THROUGH, INCLUDING YOU, BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T HEAR THAT FROM EITHER MRS. COLOR OR MR. ANDREW.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE WHAT, WHICH SPECIFIC THINGS PEOPLE ARE OBJECTING TO.
I, I WOULD SUPPORT THE, THE, THE QUARTERLY REPORTING.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S, NO, THAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE.
IT'S KIND OF BEING DONE ANYWAY.
BUT IF YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, MR. AL PINPOINT THAT OR, YOU KNOW, LEGAL TO, I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S NOT BEING DONE IN THE WAY THAT IT'S, UH, DESCRIBED IN, IN THE POLICY.
IT'S, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BREAKING DOWN CATEGORIES AND, AND PRESENTING THAT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS TO MAKE IT PUBLIC.
THAT I THINK IT'D BE A MORE DIFFICULT, IT'D BE MORE DEFINITION THAN THE SPENDING.
JUST SEE HOW TAXPAYER MONEY, I DON'T, NO.
BUT FAR, WE, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE, SO WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT, UH, BEING MORE PUBLIC AND NARROWING IN OUR INTERPRETATION OF FOIA? DANGEROUS THING FOR, WELL, HERE'S THE THING.
THERE'S SPECIFIC FOIA COUNCIL PUBLICATIONS THAT HAVE REFERENCED, I'M NOT SURE YOU'VE READ 'EM OR NOT, BUT, BUT IT SAYS YOU, YOU CANNOT, UH, CLOSE MEETINGS TO JUSTIFY CLOSING MEETINGS INVOLVING MORE GENERAL ISSUES.
EVEN THOSE ISSUES MAY EVENTUALLY HAVE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES.
KNOW THERE ARE GONNA BE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES.
I MEAN, YOU SHOULDN'T, THAT IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT IS NOT A REASON TO CLOSE BECAUSE OF PERSPECTIVE FUTURE LEGAL CONSEQUENCE.
YOU DON'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
THAT BY DEFINITION WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS IT'S PERSPECTIVE.
YOU, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T NEED A RESOLUTION TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS RIGHT NOW, IF YOU DON'T WANNA GO INTO SESSION, YOU GO BACK IN SESSION, YOU STILL DISAGREE.
YOU CAN CLOSE THE SESSION AND COME RIGHT BACK AFTER IT.
I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THAT HAS HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT, IF WE MAKE IT PUBLIC AND GET INTO A POLICY WITH IT, IT WILL BE CONSISTENT.
UH, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION WHEN YOU'RE WALK INTO A ROOM AND THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE AND, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT'S WHAT THIS IS TRYING TO DO IS LENGTHEN THIS OUT AND GET SOME, SOME THINKING BEHIND IT, SOME RESEARCH BEHIND IT.
SO IT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT PERSONAL.
SO DO, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPT THE RESOLUTION FOR THE LEGAL SERVICES TRANSPARENCY AND REVIEW POLICY.
[5. Procurement of Two Ambulance Transport Units - Gerry Maiatico, Assistant Fire Chief ]
IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE.[03:15:02]
I LEFT MY NOTES AT THE HOUSE.LEMME SEE IF I CAN FIND IT HERE.
IT LOOKS LIKE, OH, PART OR HALF OF THIS PURCHASE WAS MONEY THAT WAS ORIGINALLY, UM, APPROVED FOR SOME KIND OF GRANT, AND THEN GRANT FAILED.
TYPICALLY, THIS FUNDS COME BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND QUESTION IF, WHY DIDN'T THEY COME BACK AND, AND, UH, WHERE WERE THEY FROM ORIGINALLY? WHERE WAS IT ORIGINALLY? WELL, LEMME JUST, I'M NOT GONNA BE AROUND BUSH.
IS THIS LIBRARY MONEY OR NOT? DID IT COME FROM THE LIBRARY THAT OH, WHAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY TRANSFERRED FOR, UH, A GRANT? YES, SIR, IT IS.
UM, THIS IS THE, UM, UH, MONEY THAT ORIGINALLY CAME FROM ST.
UH, THAT WAS MOVED BY RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD.
THAT RESOLUTION WAS TO EARMARK THOSE FUNDS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SAFER GRANT FOR 12 POSITIONS IN WHICH WE APPLIED FOR.
WE SUBMITTED THAT APPLICATION ON JULY 2ND, 2025.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THAT RESOLUTION, IF THE GRANT WAS NOT AWARDED FIRE AND RESCUE WOULD BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE, UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS FOR CAPITAL AND ASSET REPLACEMENT.
SO, UM, ULTIMATELY FEMA HAS RELEASED TWO, ALL 207 GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT TOTAL AMOUNT WAS 324 MILLION.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION AS IT RELATES TO BEING AWARDED THE GRANT.
UM, ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE, UM, APPLICANTS NOT SELECTED WILL RECEIVE A LETTER OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WITH THEIR AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, BUT WE PROJECT AND PREDICT THAT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE GRANT AS THERE'S BEEN NO ADDITIONAL AWARDS THAT ANNOUNCED SINCE SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2025.
ULTIMATELY, THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED US RECEIVING, UH, THE APPROPRIATE NOTIFICATION THE FEMA GO SITE WAS DOWN FOR.
UM, THAT'S OUR GRANTS OUTCOMES.
THAT'S WHERE WE RECEIVE THE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION.
UH, BUT WE PROJECT THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA RECEIVE ANY GRANT FUNDS.
UH, I AM VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF FIRE AND RESCUE, UH, THE, UH, PART.
BUT WHEN OUR CAMPAIGN, I HAD MENTIONED THAT, UH, PROBABLY NUMBER ONE VOTER TOPIC DURING A DOOR KNOCK CAMPAIGN, UH, WHICH ALSO I THINK, UH, WAS A GREAT PART OF HOW I GOT ELECTED WAS CONCERNS OVER LIBRARY FUNDING.
AND IF THEY'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY IN, UH, IF THIS MONEY WAS ORIGINALLY FROM THEM OR THAT PORTION OF IT, UH, I WOULDN'T AUTOMATICALLY PUT IT TO FIRE AND RESCUE.
I WOULD, UH, I WOULD MAYBE HOLD THAT MONEY AND SEE HOW THE NEW BOARD, 'CAUSE UH, IT'S BEEN INDICATED THAT, UH, WE CAN READJUST THEM WHEN THE BUDGET STARTS OVER AGAIN.
BUT THEY, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FROM, UH, BASICALLY JANUARY TO JUNE ALL.
SO MAYBE, MAYBE A PORTION OF THAT SHOULD COME BACK TO THEM BEING THAT'S WHERE IT'S ORIGINALLY CAME FROM.
BUT, UH, IT IS NOT A, UH, IT IS NOT A, JUST AN OPEN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO DEFUND FIRE AND RESCUE, UH, VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THEM.
UH, WAS VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW FIRE STATION STUFF WHEN I WAS ON A PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO I, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE READ THE WRONG WAY, BUT IF IT WAS, UH, ORIGINALLY LIBRARY FUNDING, UM, SOME PORTION OF IT MAY NEED TO GO BACK.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SO AT THIS POINT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ALL PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF 2 20 26 FORD F 4 54 BY FOUR WHEELED COACH AMBULANCE TRANSPORT UNITS FROM ATLANTA EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $827,296, AND ASSOCIATED STRYKER PROCARE AGREEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $43,819 AND 70 CENTS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND ROLL CALL BEFORE, BEFORE WE DO THAT, SINCE MR. HENRY, UM, BROUGHT THIS UP, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO SAY SOMETHING OR ASK QUESTION ON THIS.
UM, I'M SURE IT'S GONNA PASS, BUT IF THAT MONEY, IF IT WOULD BE TO PULL THAT BACK, THAT WOULD NOT MEAN THAT THESE AMBULANCES ARE OUT THREE YEARS.
[03:20:02]
TAKEAWAY.IT WOULD BE USE THAT MONEY TO FUND THE LIBRARY HYPOTHETICALLY, BUT REPLACE THAT WITH THE NEW BUDGET, BECAUSE THAT'S A PAYMENT THAT'S DUE IN THREE YEARS, CORRECT? WELL, IT'S AN 18 MONTH TURNAROUND TIME FROM EXECUTION OF THE, UM, AGREEMENT.
SO ONCE WE EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT AN 18 MONTH WINDOW, WE WOULD PROJECT PROBABLY SOME DELAYS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS THERE COMMONLY IS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA PUSH US INTO A THREE YEAR WINDOW.
HOW FAR OUT ARE WE ON THE, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TWO RESCUE SQUADS THAT HAVEN'T COME IN.
HOW LONG HAS IT TAKEN THEM? UH, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
UH, WE ORDERED THREE, THEN WE ORDERED TWO.
UH, THE MARKET HAS STABILIZED, UM, IN PARTICULARLY SINCE THE, UH, CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS IN DC AS FROM, UH, APPARATUS MANUFACTURERS, UH, THAT HAS DONE WONDERS ASSOCIATED WITH TURNAROUND TIMES.
UM, SO, UM, I'M CONFIDENT THAT OBVIOUSLY IF THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE IN THERE, UH, BUT I DON'T FORESEE IT GOING THREE YEARS, MAYBE 24 MONTHS.
SO, CAN, CAN YOU, SO CAN YOU CLARIFY, IF YOU DON'T GET THE FUNDS NOW, YOU LOSE THAT MONEY? MM-HMM.
NO, BECAUSE WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS A GRANT, WHAT I WOULD, WHAT I WILL SAY SAY'S NOT THIS IS LIBRARY MONEY.
HE'S GOT, HE'S GOT PART OF A GRANT.
NO, THE OTHER'S COST RECOVERY.
SO WE ARE USING COST RECOVERY MONEY.
AND THE PROVERBIAL LIBRARY MONEY THAT'S TIED TO THE RESOLUTION FOR CAPITAL AND ASSET REPLACEMENT.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS, IS IF THIS BOARD CHOOSES NOT TO APPROVE IT, WE WOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION TO ORDER TWO MEDIC UNITS.
NOW, UH, WE WOULD STILL PROBABLY ADVOCATE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ORDERING ONE OUT OF THE COST RECOVERY BUDGETARY FUNDS.
UH, BUT THAT OBVIOUSLY THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE LONGER THE DELIVERY TIME IS.
UM, ANYBODY THAT'S DRIVEN DOWN ROYAL AVENUE AT CHARLIE'S AUTOMOTIVE HAS PROBABLY SEEN, WE HAVE A REGULAR PRESENCE AT, AT THAT AUTOMOTIVE SHOP.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING SO TWO YEARS, WE'RE TALKING MONTHS, THAT'S GONNA BE UP TO THE BOARD AND HOW YOU DECIDE TO FUND THE ADDITIONAL MEDIC UNITS.
WHAT I'LL SAY IS, IS, UM, WE FEEL THAT WE'RE IN THE NEED NOT ONLY THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR TWO, WE'RE ALREADY HAVE IT IN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL TO CONTINUE WITH AN ADDITIONAL MEDIC UNIT NEXT YEAR AS OUR COST RECOVERY PROGRAM.
SO WE'LL BE BACK BEFORE THIS BOARD ASKING FOR THE ADDITIONAL ALLOCATED MONEY TO ORDER TWO MEDIC UNITS NEXT YEAR.
BUT I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT, THAT MEANS YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET ANOTHER RESCUE SQUAD.
IT JUST MEANS, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY.
WELL, THAT'S UP TO THE FUTURE ON HOW YOU'RE GOING TO, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, IF YOU'RE GONNA SUPPORT ORDERING THE MEDIC UNIT RIGHT.
SO, BUT WHEN PEOPLE SAY MOVEMENT MONEY, IT MAKES THINGS SOUND LIKE THEY'LL NEVER GET IT.
SO, SO WE, WE'VE WE'VE HAD A MOTION, WE'VE HAD A SECOND.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
UM, WHERE AM I, MRS. COLORS? I'M GONNA VOTE.
UH, NO, BECAUSE I THINK WE COULD MANAGE THIS A DIFFERENT WAY AND HAVE BOTH THINGS ACCOMPLISHED.
[6. Adoption of a Resolution Regarding the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America ]
NUMBER SIX.AND, UH, THE REASON I PULLED THIS ONE IS, UH, I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT BRIEFLY AND THEN MAYBE READ IT TO LET, UH, LET, UM, ANYONE WHO'S WATCHING OR LISTENING, UH, KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
UH, THIS IS A, UH, A RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING A POSITION THAT THE COUNTY ALREADY TOOK, UH, SIX YEARS AGO IN ALMOST TO THE DAY, SIX YEARS AGO IN DECEMBER, 2019, UM, STATING THAT THE COUNTY'S A SECOND AMENDMENT, UH, SANCTUARY COUNTY.
AND, UH, ALL THAT REALLY MEANS IS THAT WE ARE AFFIRMING THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
UH, ANY, ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM ON HIGH, UH, DECLARING, UH, YOU KNOW, FIREARM OWNERSHIP TO BE ILLEGAL, THAT THAT WOULD BE AGAINST THE SECOND AMENDMENT, UH, WE WOULD NOT ACTIVELY ENFORCE.
UH, WE WOULD NOT, AND YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS, IS INDEPENDENT, BUT WE WOULD, AS, AS A BOARD SAY THAT WE WANT, UH, TO AFFIRM AND SUPPORT THE SECOND AMENDMENT HERE.
UM, SO THIS WAS, UH, PASSED FOUR TO NOTHING, UH, FOUR YEARS AGO, UH, UH, BY SUPERVISORS, UH, LINDA VIS DAN MURRAY, UH, TOM SAYER AND ARCHIE
[03:25:01]
FOX.AND WE'RE JUST PROPOSING TO DO THAT AGAIN.
UM, WHEN THIS CAME UP THE FIRST TIME, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA ALL PASSED VERY SIM, SIMILAR LANGUAGE, UM, SUPPORTING THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
AND, UH, AS TO, UM, COMMENTS FROM MR. MOTON, UH, THE TERM SANCTUARY IS A LOADED TERM OR, OR MIGHT BE MISLEADING, UM, UH, AS IT'S USUALLY USED IN RELATION TO IMMIGRATION.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN, AND I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF A, A CONSTITUTIONAL COUNTY, BUT THIS IS LANGUAGE THAT'S KIND OF BEEN STANDARDIZED, UM, ACROSS THE, THE STATES AND, AND, UH, UM, I, I THINK THE, UH, THE UNITY THAT'S CONTAINED IN THAT, UM, DECLARATION AMONGST MULTIPLE COUNTIES CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF ITS OWN THAT I, I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
DID YOU, IS IT, SINCE THIS IS ONLINE, COULD YOU FOREGO READING? COULD I FOR YEAH, YEAH.
MR. JAMESON SAID IT WAS AT THE 12 MINUTE RE AND I SAID I CAN DO IT IN SIX, BUT I'LL FOREGO THAT.
UM, UH, UH, J JUST, UH, JUST, UH, CHARACTERIZING IT AS VERY MUCH IN HARMONY WITH THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION DECLARING WARREN COUNTY VIRGINIA TO BE A SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
[S. Public Comment Period - General Comments (30 Minute Time Limit)]
IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.AND DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? NO, SIR.
WOULD ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK? WAIT A MINUTE, DON'T
I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN ON THE OTHER HE CAN'T, HE'S DISQUALIFIED.
AND LETS, YOU, DON LET ME SPEAK SINCE THIS IS MY LAST ACT.
LOUIS, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK
UM, BUT IN CASE YOU GO AHEAD,
WELL, NO, I, I, I'LL TELL YOU, I, I'M LOUIS MOTON.
FROM THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT? WELL, I, I'M JUST VERY SERIOUS.
I WISH THAT MORE CITIZENS TOOK THE INTEREST AND THE TIME LIKE YOU DO BECAUSE THE, UH, THAT'S WHAT THIS, THAT'S WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS ABOUT.
AND WELL, I'VE, I'VE HAD THE PEOPLE GET UP AND THEY'LL SAY THINGS THAT, THAT JUST IRRITATE ME TO NO END.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S THEIR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO TAKE THEIR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND I LEARNED QUITE A LOT.
UM, AND THAT KIND OF SPAWNED ME OFF INTO GOING INTO, UM, PUBLIC OFFICE AND LEARNING FROM THE BZA ABOUT A FEW THINGS.
UM, AND THEN I JUST COMPLETED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD THEIR CITIZEN ACADEMY SUPER.
AND THAT'S AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM.
I LEARNED A LOT COMPARED TO WHAT YOU NORMALLY SEE ON THE INTERNET.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY BELIEVES EVERYTHING ON THE INTERNET.
UM, AND NOW I HEAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO FORM A SIMILAR PROGRAM FOR THE COUNTY.
I'D BE INTERESTED IN THAT, BUT IT'S LIKE, I'D LIKE TO BE AN INFORMATION SPONGE.
YOU KNOW, USUALLY I'M THE ONE RESPONDING TO RFPS, NOT ACTUALLY ANALYZING THEM AND, AND JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, UM, AND NOW I'M ACTUALLY TALKING WITH BRAD QUITE A BIT AND THE FINANCE ADMIN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY MADE SOME CORRECTIONS.
SO IT'S LIKE, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE FIRE HOSE OF WHAT YOU GUYS DEAL WITH.
'CAUSE I CAN UNDERSTAND IT'S, IT'S VERY LARGE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID IT.
I MOSTLY KNEW YOU FROM RIBBON CUTTINGS BEFORE I START COMING UP HERE.
SO IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT THING SEEING YOU HEAR
WELL, MAY MAYBE, AND, AND THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION, MAYBE YOU COULD BE AN ADVOCATE FOR OTHER CITIZENS TO TAKE AS MUCH INTEREST AS YOU DO BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT, THAT IS THE REAL STRENGTH.
IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF ANALYTICAL MINDSET.
UM, TO ACTUALLY DIG AT THE, THE REAL QUESTIONS.
AND A FEW OF YOU, I, I KNOW ESPECIALLY DR.
JAMESON REALLY GETS INTO THE DETAILS, INTO THE WHY.
AND I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THAT DRIVE.
I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE IT, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO WRAP YOUR MIND AROUND EVERYTHING AND HAVE THE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY
[03:30:01]
OR THE FREEDOM TO SAY, OKAY, IT'S OKAY TO MAKE MISTAKES, LET'S JUST FIGURE IT OUT.AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS PUBLIC SPEAKING AND COMING HERE, AT FIRST I WASN'T SO GREAT AT IT.
I DID SOME OF THE TOAST MASTERS, BUT YOU KNOW, OVER TIME I, I IMPROVED A LITTLE BIT, ALTHOUGH I LISTEN TO MYSELF AND I SAY REAL, REALLY WEIRD WORDS SOMETIMES
BUT I THINK MY POINT GETS ACROSS.
SO, SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.