Loading...
11-06-2014 PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING November 6, 2014 MINUTES VIRGINIA: The Pittsylvania County Planning Commission met on Thursday, November 6, 2014, in the General District Courtroom, Chatham, Virginia. Mr. Stowe, Chairman, called the meeting to order at approximately 7:00 p.m. Mr. Stowe called the roll. PRESENT Morris Stowe Tunstall District Richard Motley Chatham-Blairs District Janet Mease Callands-Gretna District Dr. Charles H. Miller, Jr. Banister District Curtis Arthur Staunton River District David Weatherford Westover District Larry Welborn Dan River District Greg Sides Assistant County Administrator/Director of Planning Odie H. Shelton, Jr. Director of Code Compliance/Zoning Administrator ABSENT Jerry Hagerman Board of Supervisors Representative HEARING OF THE CITIZENS No citizens came forward to speak. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES A motion was made by Mr. Motley, seconded by Mr. Arthur, and by a 7 to 0 vote (1 member was absent), the October 7, 2014, minutes were approved as presented. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Mr. Stowe welcomed Mr. Jesse Barksdale, Chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, and Mrs. Brenda Bowman, Board of Supervisors Representative for the Chatham-Blairs District, to the meeting. Mr. Stowe also reminded the Planning Commission board members who had not yet contributed to the Flower Fund to please do so as soon as possible. THE ZONING PRECEPTS WERE READ by Mr. Stowe TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING at approximately 7:02 p.m. Case 1, Joel P. Sechrist & Helen E. Sechrist, R-14-040 – Mr. Stowe opened the public hearing at 7:02 p.m. Mr. Shelton, Director of Code Compliance, reported that Joel and Helen Sechrist had petitioned to rezone 0.77 acre, located on State Road 626/Museville Road, in the Callands-Gretna Election District from R-1, Residential Suburban Subdivision District to A-1, Agricultural District to make the zoning consistent and to combine with the adjacent parcel zoned A-1. Joel Sechrist was present to represent the petition. He stated he had nothing to add. There was no opposition to the petition. Mr. Stowe closed the public hearing at 7:03 p.m. A motion was made by Ms. Mease, seconded by Mr. Weatherford, to recommend the Board of Supervisors rezone the property from R-1, Residential Suburban Subdivision District to A-1, Agricultural District. Motion passed by a 7 to 0 vote (1 member was absent). Planning Commission November 6, 2014 Page 2 Case 2, Larry Wayne Pleasant, R-14-041 – Mr. Stowe opened the public hearing at 7:04 p.m. Mr. Shelton, Director of Code Compliance, reported that Larry Wayne Pleasant had petitioned to rezone a total of 2.02 acres, three (3) parcels of land, located on U.S. Highway 41/Franklin Turnpike, in the Chatham-Blairs Election District from R-1, Residential Suburban Subdivision District to A-1, Agricultural District to allow for future commercial development. Larry Pleasant was present to represent the petition. He stated he had nothing to add. Mr. Motley asked Mr. Pleasant if the brick buildings would be left on the properties, and Mr. Pleasant stated they would remain where they are presently located for future commercial use. During the discussion, it was stated there are businesses on one side of Highway 41 and all around the properties. There was no opposition to the petition. Mr. Stowe closed the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. A motion was made by Mr. Motley, seconded by Mr. Welborn, to recommend the Board of Supervisors rezone the properties from R-1, Residential Suburban Subdivision District to B-2, Business District, General. Motion passed by a 7 to 0 vote (1 member was absent). Case 3, Lawrence N. Francis, II, & Lisa R. Francis, R-14-042 – Mr. Stowe opened the public hearing at 7:07 p.m. Mr. Shelton, Director of Code Compliance, reported that Lawrence and Lisa Francis had petitioned to rezone 0.88 acre, located on U.S. Highway 29 North, in the Banister Election District from RC-1, Residential Combined Subdivision District to B-2, Business District, General for an office building. Wesley Lee Francis was present to represent the petition. He stated he had nothing to add. Dr. Miller asked Mr. Francis about the use of the office building, and Mr. Francis stated the existing dwelling on the property would be remodeled into an office building and it would be located adjacent to the new Dollar General Store location. There was no opposition to the petition. Mr. Stowe closed the public hearing at 7:09 p.m. A motion was made by Dr. Miller, seconded by Mr. Arthur, to recommend the Board of Supervisors rezone the property from RC-1, Residential Combined Subdivision District to B-2, Business District, General. Motion passed by a 7 to 0 vote (1 member was absent). Case 4, William Bennett Gatewood, Jr., & Suzan Aileen Gatewood Denune, R-14-043 – Mr. Stowe opened the public hearing at 7:10 p.m. Mr. Shelton, Director of Code Compliance, reported that William Gatewood, Jr., and Suzan Gatewood Denune had petitioned to rezone 104.40 acres, located on U.S. Highway 29 North, in the Chatham-Blairs Election District from M-2, Industrial District, Heavy Industry to A-1, Agricultural District to allow for construction of a residence with attached garage. Bill Gatewood was present to represent the petition. He stated he had nothing to add. Following questioning from Mr. Motley regarding mining rights of the quarry previously owned by Vulcan Construction Materials, LP, Mr. Gatewood stated the Chatham, Virginia, quarry is now owned by Southside Materials, LLC, and the pit located on his property has been inactive for 20 years. Mr. Shelton then stated no Special Use permits were ever issued since the adoption of zoning in 1991 and the quarry is grandfathered to continue mining until the lease runs out. There was no opposition to the petition. Mr. Stowe closed the public hearing at 7:13 p.m. A motion was made by Mr. Motley, seconded by Mr. Weatherford, to recommend the Board of Supervisors rezone the property from M-2, Industrial District, Heavy Industry to A-1, Agricultural District. Motion passed by a 7 to 0 vote (1 member was absent). Case 5, Lucas Robert Owen, R-14-044 – Mr. Stowe opened the public hearing at 7:14 p.m. Mr. Shelton, Director of Code Compliance, reported that Lucas Owen had petitioned to rezone a total of 42.59 acres, three (3) parcels of land, located on State Road 691/Mill Creek Road, in the Banister Election District from R-1, Residential Suburban Subdivision District to A-1, Agricultural District to allow for construction of a storage building for equipment. Lucas Owen was present to represent the petition. He stated he had nothing to add. Following questioning from Dr. Miller regarding the use of the storage building, Mr. Owen stated the building would be used for his vehicle and personal equipment not used frequently in his electrical business. He also stated he had not yet considered the size of the storage building pending the outcome of the rezoning case. Lester L. Terry, Jr., Ivan J. Minter and Charles L. Minter, Jr., spoke in opposition to the petition. Their concerns included, but were not limited to, the following: they felt rezoning the properties to A-1 would open the door to other uses in the future; the area is a residential area and the community is content with what they have. Mr. Terry then presented a petition containing signatures of those in opposition to the petition to the Board members for their review. Mr. Owen offered a rebuttal and stated the properties are currently being farmed locally with a soybean crop. He also stated should the properties be rezoned, some of the old structures (tobacco barns, pack barns) located on the parcels would be removed and one (1) storage building would be constructed. Mr. Stowe closed the public hearing at 7:22 p.m. During the discussion, it was stated this area is in the middle of a long established neighborhood, and the Planning Commission November 6, 2014 Page 3 community desires for the properties to not be rezoned. A motion was made by Dr. Miller, seconded by Ms. Mease, to recommend the Board of Supervisors deny this rezone request. Motion passed by a 6 to 1 vote (1 member was absent). The Board members voting in favor of the motion to deny the request were Ms. Mease, Mr. Motley, Mr. Stowe, Mr. Welborn, Mr. Arthur and Dr. Miller. The Board member voting against the motion to deny the request was Mr. Weatherford. This concludes the Rezoning cases. Case S-1, Laurence A. Coston & Kathy B. Coston, S-14-013 – Mr. Stowe opened the public hearing at 7:29 p.m. Mr. Shelton, Director of Code Compliance, reported that Laurence and Kathy Coston had petitioned for a Special Use Permit on 16.93 acres, located off Beckham Court, in the Westover Election District to allow for placement of a single-wide mobile home for their personal residence. Laurence Coston was present to represent the petition. He stated he had nothing to add. There was no opposition to the petition. Mr. Stowe closed the public hearing at 7:32 p.m. During the discussion, it was stated the property is located back off the road and there are other mobile homes in the area. A motion was made by Mr. Weatherford, seconded by Ms. Mease, to recommend the Board of Zoning Appeals grant this Special Use Permit request. Motion passed by a 7 to 0 vote (1 member was absent). Case S-2, James T. Motley & Louise M. Motley, S-14-014 – Mr. Stowe opened the public hearing at 7:33 p.m. Mr. Shelton, Director of Code Compliance, reported that James and Louise Motley had petitioned for a Special Use Permit on 1.91 acre, located on State Road 685/Chalk Level Road, in the Banister Election District for an electrical power substation. Brian Woods with Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative was present to represent the petition. He stated he had nothing to add except the reason for construction of the substation was due to the expansion of Williams Gas Pipeline, and Mecklenburg could not supply the demand of the electrical load due to the expansion on Transco Road. There was no opposition to the petition. Mr. Stowe closed the public hearing at 7:35 p.m. A motion was made by Dr. Miller, seconded by Mr. Arthur, to recommend the Board of Zoning Appeals grant this Special Use Permit request. Motion passed by a 7 to 0 vote (1 member was absent). This concludes the Special Use Permit cases. Case V-1 Lawrence G. Moser, Life Tenant, Brenda A. Moser, Life Tenant, & Ronald K. Moser, Remainderman, V-14-003 – Mr. Stowe opened the public hearing at 7:36 p.m. Mr. Shelton, Director of Code Compliance, reported that Lawrence G. Moser and Others had petitioned for a Variance on 0.97 acre, located on U.S. Highway 41/Franklin Turnpike, in the Chatham-Blairs Election District to Section 35-231. Maximum Number of Units Allowed, of the Pittsylvania County Zoning Ordinance, for placement of a second dwelling, a single-wide mobile home, to be used for the care of the elderly parents. Lawrence Moser and David Spence were present to represent the petition. Mr. Spence stated both Mr. and Mrs. Moser are disabled, and their son wants to place a single-wide mobile home on the property for his personal residence in order to care for his parents. There was no opposition to the petition. Mr. Stowe closed the public hearing at 7:39 p.m. During the discussion, it was stated the son is trying to help his elderly parents, the summary in the Board packet states, ‘once the elderly parents no longer reside on the property, the mobile home will be removed from the premises’, and there are numerous mobile homes in the area. A motion was made by Ms. Mease, seconded by Mr. Weatherford, to recommend the Board of Zoning Appeals grant this Variance request. Motion passed by a 7 to 0 vote (1 member was absent). This concludes the Variance case. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business. Planning Commission November 6, 2014 Page 4 NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:41 p.m. _____________________________ Morris Stowe, Chairman _____________________________ Kathy H. Belton, Clerk