BZA Minutes 03 13 2023March 13, 2023
Regular Meeting
Pittsylvania County Board of Zoning Appeals
Regular Meeting
March 13, 2023
VIRGINIA: The Regular Meeting of the Pittsylvania County Board of Zoning Appeals was held
on March 13, 2023, in the Board Meeting Room, 39 Bank Street, SE, Chatham, Virginia. Chairman
R. Allan Easley, called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. The following members were present:
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
R. Allan Easley Chairman Present 5:30 PM
Ronald E. Merricks Vice-Chairman Present 5:28 PM
Ryland Brumfield Board Member Present 5:27 PM
Joseph A. Craddock Board Member Present 5:29 PM
Ann Deering Board Member Present 5:27 PM
Hershel Stone Board Member Present 5:28 PM
Carroll Yeaman Board Member Present 5:27 PM
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Upon motion of Mr. Merricks, seconded by Mr. Stone, and by a unanimous vote, the agenda was
approved as presented.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Ronald E. Merricks, Carroll Yeaman
SECONDER: Hershel Stone, Board Member
AYES: Easley, Merricks, Brumfield, Craddock, Deering, Stone, Yeaman
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. BZA Minutes 02132023
Upon motion of Mr. Craddock, seconded by Mr. Stone, and by a unanimous vote, the minutes
were approved as presented.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Joseph A. Craddock, Board Member
SECONDER: Hershel Stone, Board Member
AYES: Easley, Merricks, Brumfield, Craddock, Deering, Stone, Yeaman
OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business.
NEW BUSINESS
Mrs. Ragsdale reported there will be no meeting in April. Mrs. Ragsdale reminded the board of
the bimonthly Zoning Ordinance Update workshop that will be held on Wednesday, April 12th
5:30.
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
There was no Chairman's report.
PUBLIC HEARING
1. Public Hearing: CaseS-23-001 Appalachian Power Company; Special Use Permit for
Public Utilities (Transmission Line)
The zoning precepts were read by Mr. Easley to open the public hearing at 6:04 p.m. Mrs.
Ragsdale, Director of Community Development, reported that Appalachian Power Company has
petitioned for a Special Use Permit on 0.34 acres, located in the Dan River Election District to
allow for public utilities. Craig Pritt represented the case. There was no opposition to the case. Mr.
Easley closed the public hearing at 6:06 p.m. A motion was made by Mr. Merricks, seconded by
Mrs. Deering, that the Board of Zoning Appeals grant the Special Use Permit.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Ronald E. Merricks, Vice-Chairman
SECONDER: Ann Deering, Board Member
AYES: Easley, Merricks, Brumfield, Craddock, Deering, Stone, Yeaman
2. Public Hearing: CaseS-23-002 Hillandale Solar, LLC; Special Use Permit for a Utility
Scale Solar Energy Facility.
Mr. Easley opened the public hearing at 6:08 p.m. Mrs. Ragsdale, Director of Community
Development reported that Hillandale Solar, LLC has petitioned for a Special Use Permit on
1,555.39 acres, located on State Road 639/Honeybee Road, State Road 761/Straightstone Road,
State Road 603/Wyatts Road, State Road 668/Cody Road, State Road 669/Melon Road located in
the Banister and Staunton River Election Districts to allow for a utility scale solar facility. Dan
Michaud, a project developer with Strata Clean Energy, represented the petition and presented a
power point presentation. He stated this project will be 102 megawatts in a remote part of the
county. Mr. Michaud said Strata operates and maintains 35 solar facilities under contract with
Dominion and is currently building 10 projects for Dominion. He stated this project is twelve (12)
parcels with twenty-three (23) landowners and just over 1,500 acres. He said they are proposing
to install panels on about 450 acres, the rest of the acreage will be used as landscape buffers,
stormwater management facilities and preserved open space. Mr. Michaud said that before
finalizing the application, project information was sent out to adjacent property owners for their
open house at the Hurt-Motley Community Center and additional project information was sent out
in January 2023. He stated this project will benefit Pittsylvania County in several ways, including
increasing local revenues, siting agreement payments, rollback & increased property taxes. He
stated that it virtually uses no county services, will create jobs during construction, and will provide
opportunities for local service providers, suppliers, and vendors. Mr. Michaud stated that Strata
entered into a siting agreement with the county and the county will receive nine (9) million dollars
over the lifetime of the project, with 20% paid the first year of operation. He said they have plenty
of land to ensure that setbacks and vegetative screening is fully in compliance with the county's
solar zoning ordinance. He stated this is a very well-hidden site, most properties have mature
timber, 25' or higher and these areas will be preserved to use as existing buffers. He also stated the
substation will be located directly below the transmission line, so there will be no need to develop
new connecting transmission lines. He said that staff recommended approval with 19 conditions
which they fully support. Mr. Michaud asked the board members if they had any questions. Mr.
Easley asked about vegetation that is currently there, stating there are lots of pine trees already
there and he wanted to know if they will remain, Mr. Michaud stated that anything will remain
that is worth keeping for the vegetative buffer. He said the minimum buffer will be 100' as listed
in the ordinance and the conditions agreed upon. Mr. Stone asked what would happen if the LLC
went under? He stated that he knows that a bond is in place to secure clean-up, but wanted to know
the amount of the bond and what percentage would be used for clean-up. Mr. Michaud stated the
bond is based on a third-party engineer decommissioning estimate and the bond posted for the full
value estimate of decommissioning at a future time and they are revised every five years. Mr.
Merricks asked who will own this solar project. Mr. Michaud said that Strata currently owns this
project, they will build and operate themselves and sell the power under a power purchase
agreement. He said they have sold projects to Dominion. Mr. Brumfield asked about a parcel
shown on the map before you get to Wyatt's Road. Louis Iannone stated that this is a tiny parcel
that will have a transmission line, so it has to be posted as well according to the ordinance. Mr.
Easley called on the residents who signed up to speak. Chuck Angier stated that the county already
has 18,500 acres in solar development. He asked that the county uses discretion when considering
this case and stated that it can be denied even if all conditions are met. Alan Casper stated he has
grave concerns about this solar project. He stated he is the assistant chief of the fire department
that is the first due responding agency to this project and the fire and rescue commissioner for the
Banister District. He said he is also a senior radiation control technician at a nuclear manufacturing
facility, so he knows a lot about health and safety. Mr. Casper stated the Board of Supervisors has
a pending ordinance change directly affecting these solar farms, but it will not affect this project
as it will be grandfathered in. He stated that the reason for the ordinance change is because of their
concerns, we do not need to let this slide under the radar. He stated he has done research and about
80% of solar panels are manufactured in China, they have the potential to leech chemicals into the
groundwater over the years. Mr. Casper stated the fire department that services this area has two
engines, a tanker and a brush truck, and this solar farm is over 1,000 acres. If this project is
approved, it would put the citizens of the Banister and Staunton River Districts at risk. Joel Cathey
encouraged the county to pass this Special Use Permit, stating it's a great way for the county to get
funds without consuming a lot of county services. He said the project is well shielded, so it will
not be seen very easily. Barbara Dalton said her family farm will be involved in this solar project
and thinks Strata has done a wonderful job presenting their plans. She said this project is in a
remote area, it is not being used for agricultural uses, nothing has ever been grown on the land that
is in this project except for pine trees and they're not doing all that great doing that, she is in support
of this project. James Mashburn said a family cemetery is located on his property where his
ancestors fought to save this land that he lives on and the adjoining properties surrounding them.
He has grandchildren living on the property and he is concerned about what this project will do to
the land in the long term. He said he was approached with a fairly large sum of money about
running a line through his property and he said no regarding the future of his grandchildren. He
said he hopes this board will be an advocate for the families that do not want to be in an industrial
area, in fact they live there so they don't have to be in an industrial area. Sherry Queener stated
she owns land in the vicinity of this project, and she is in support of this project. She said it will
allow for the county to have extra revenue and it will be so remote that you will not be able to see
it. Cindy Reynolds owns land in this district, and she feels that it will benefit the county. She said
she has lived there for 59 years, and many people can't say that. She said her children and
grandchildren will inherit the land since it is a family farm and has been in the family for 100
years, so she feels this will be a benefit to our community and to our family. Lisa Kelley is a
landowner in this project, and she stated this will be a good use for it as nothing grows on it. She
said she hopes this project is approved. Linda Rutledge is a landowner and is in favor of the project.
She stated there is not a lot grown on it, they do not get hardly any income from it, this will bring
in extra money. Becky Robertson's family owns property that is under a lease agreement to study
the feasibility of a solar panel project and she supports the project. She said fossil fuels are finite
and will not last forever, in addition they release harmful gases polluting our environment. She
said the sun is a sustainable source of energy to power homes and businesses if solar panels are
used to harvest that energy. She also stated that solar panels do not cause greenhouse gases, in
addition, the panels are silent and space-saving, this can lessen the strain on our electrical grid.
She said this would allow our country to become more independent by reducing dependence on
foreign oil and fuels. She stated that currently the land she owns is wet and rocky and only good
for growing pine trees which take 30 - 40 years to reap any monetary value. She said that solar
panels will provide yearly rent money for the landowners which will aid them in paying real estate
taxes. She also stated the solar panels creating electricity should lessen the strain on the electrical
grid, solar energy generated should help reduce energy bills for all consumers, she is 100 % in
favor of this project. Ms. Robertson was the last person to speak. Mr. Easley called Mr. Michaud
back to answer any questions and address any concerns. He stated as far as the eye sores, he thinks
some of the earlier projects in the Commonwealth weren't put in the best locations. He said he has
seen lots of solar projects and he thinks this is one of the best locations, given the remote area, and
their ability to hide the panels from view because of the mature vegetation that they can maintain
in place 100-foot vegetative buffers. He stated that solar panels do not leach chemicals, there is
nothing liquid, the facilities have steel foundations, electrical equipment mounted on top and then
some concrete was necessary for substation equipment, nothing is particularly different about solar
panel equipment design and construction from other types of electrical facility design and
construction. He said as far as emergency response goes, the National Fire Protection Agency has
training specifically for solar, so this is fairly well understood. They are also required to do annual
Fire and Rescue training with first responders as part of their permit conditions and these are very
quiet facilities, there are no air emissions, he would not characterize it as creating an industrial
area, particularly in this location where they are planning to install this project if it is the will of
this board tonight to approve the permit. There were no further questions or comments from the
audience or the board. Mr. Easley closed the public hearing at 6:49 p.m. Comments from the board
were next. Mr. Brumfield stated he drove down and looked at the properties. He stated it is a
remote area of the county. He said as he drove through the county, he understands the solar
facilities that are very visible and there is a lot of opposition against those, but we do have some
that are shielded very well with the landscaping. He stated he is in favor of this project, but if the
board feels we need to go further with the setbacks or further with the screening to better shield
the panels from view, he could support that also. Mr. Easley agreed with Mr. Brumfield saying we
have 1,500 acres and this project will be in the neighborhood of 450 acres of actual panels . He
stated that several folks spoke stating it is a remote area that's good and bad from a safety point of
view for a firefighter, I understand. As far as looking at it from the picture of the county looking
at the remoteness, or visual aspect he will say it's in as good a location that it can be if the board
has the opinion to approve it. He said there are also 19 conditions that have been recommended by
staff, he recommended that if they read a positive motion, that these 19 conditions be included in
that motion. Mr. Merricks said he rode out to look at the project and he certainly understands the
comments tonight, both for and against. He said he is glad to know that the Board of Supervisors
have finally decided to do something because we've got too much of our land in solar panels, that's
just his personal opinion. He cannot vote his personal opinion, however, when he goes out to look
at the farm and the trees and it's pretty out there and people want to go out there to get away from
everything, that is the place to go. But, with that being said, he said we have an obligation to find
adverse effects that can be mitigated through conditions. He said that when it gets to this level, it's
very tough to make those decisions and he hard Mr. Angier and he certainly understands that at
the same time solar is with us, it's going to be with us, personally he would like to see it benefit
the consumer more than it does the big companies, if he could see it in his pocketbook, he might
like it better, but at the same time, he hasn't seen that happen, nor has he seen any dollars coming
into the county yet. He said with that being said, given the location, he can probably see a positive
motion. Mr. Easley asked if there were any other comments. Mr. Brumfield said that when one
drives down Straightstone Road and they go by Cedar Forest Place, it's a very nice place and you
drive a little farther and there is a mill on the left, he definitely does not want to do anything that
would affect the appearance of that area and that is why he brought up the setbacks, if the board
feels that the setbacks from the road that concerns him the most is Straighstone Road, if the board
feels the setbacks are back far enough from that road and the shielding will be thick enough, then
he would support a favorable motion. Mr. Easley asked if he was recommending that the setbacks
be moved back further. Mr. Brumfield is just looking for views from other members of the board,
he is okay with that but maybe someone on the board feels a little different, but he is in favor of
the project. Let's just make sure that the screening and the setbacks are right. Mr. Craddock says
the information in the packet the scale of the information is so large it's hard to tell exactly where
this place Mr. Brumfield is talking about is on the map, maybe if we ask the folks from Strata to
clarify what exactly it looks like in the exact location. Mr. Easley asked if someone from Strata
could show how far the actual setback is off Straightstone Road, where the solar panels would
begin. Dan Michaud and Chris Blanco presented a large map to the board. Mrs. Ragsdale asked to
repeat what was said since the audience could not hear. Mr. Brumfield asked to see the view shed
of when one is driving down Straightstone Road in the area of Cedar Forest. He said he wanted to
see what would be seen if someone is driving down the road, if the screening is done correctly, the
view of the solar panels should be blocked, that's what he was concerned about. Mr. Michaud
stated that this was a visual representation of a view shed technical analysis they had done by a
third-party engineering firm, the red areas are where the project is 40 to 50 % of the solar panels
are visible for that location, this is with the preserved vegetative screening. He said if you look
over in the same location that was just discussed, there is zero visibility from that vantage point
with the screening in place. Mr. Brumfield said it looks like if you go down Honeybee Road you
can see a little bit of the solar panels. Mr. Michaud said if you look over in the Northeast where
it's an off-white color on the map, you get into the up to 10 % from that location, the next map is
what it looks like no screening, and he also shows screening required by our ordinance that is listed
in the 19 conditions which are being proposed as a preserved vegetative buffer. Mr. Brumfield
stated that answered his question. A motion was made by Mr. Brumfield, seconded by Mr.
Craddock that the Board of Zoning Appeals grant the Special Use Permit with the 19 conditions
recommended by staff. 1. Site Development Plan; Location. All solar panels and other above-
ground equipment will be located within the “Project Area” shown on the Conceptual Site Plan
included with the SUP application. All Site Plan requirements of Section 35-141 must be met
before permits are issued. 2. Height. Except for the collection yard and substation or otherwise as
required by applicable building code, the maximum height of the solar panels and other above -
ground equipment will be 15 feet. 3. Setbacks. Except for fencing and any pole mounted electronic
lines, consistent with the County ordinance, all above-ground equipment shall meet the setback
requirements set forth in Section 35-141 (D). No setbacks are required between the parcels lines
of parcels that are part of a single Project. No setbacks are required between the parcels lines of
parcels that are part of a single Project. 4. Fencing. Fencing for the Project will be standard chain-
link and at least 6 feet high. The Applicant shall maintain the fence for the life of the Project. 5.
Landscaping. Applicant will comply with Section 35-121 Fencing - Screening. At the perimeter
locations, the setback will include a minimum 100-foot-wide landscaped area comprised of any
existing vegetation supplemented as needed with a staggered row of planted trees and large shrubs.
All rows of planted vegetation shall be evergreen plantings of varieties native or adaptable to the
region, with one (1) row consisting of a variety expected to reach a minimum height of twenty-
five (25) feet and the remaining rows of varieties designed to reach at least fifteen (15) feet in
height at maturity. All evergreens shall be a minimum of six (6) feet in height at time of planting.
Existing vegetation shall be maintained and supplemented with new plantings as needed to
maintain required screening. Prior to construction and site plan approval, a landscaping
maintenance plan will be submitted to the Zoning Administrator for approval, which shall provide
for the posting of a bond or other surety in an amount sufficient to ensure that the plantings are
successfully established, and the landscaping is maintained or replaced during the life of the
Project. Landscape renderings or simulations shall be sealed by a registered landscape architect.
6. Construction Management and Mitigation. Prior to construction, the Applicant shall prepare
and submit to the Zoning Administrator a construction management plan to address traffic control
methods, site access, fencing, lighting, mitigation of construction operations, and hours of
construction activity. 7. Viewshed Protection. A Viewshed Protection Plan shall be submitted to
and approved by the Director of Community Development prior to the issuance of permits,
identifying appropriate measures that will be taken to protect the viewshed surrounding the project
during construction. 8. Road Repairs. All public and private roads must remain open during
construction. Any damage to roads caused by construction will be promptly repaired to
preconstruction conditions and/or VDOT standards where deemed necessary. 9. Erosion and
Sediment Control. Prior to construction, an approved erosion and sediment control plan will be
implemented for the entire Project, and an erosion and sediment control bond will be provided. 10.
Stormwater Management. Prior to construction, a Virginia Stormwater Management Program
Permit from the Virginia DEQ will be obtained for the Project, including an approved Stormwater
Pollution Prevention Plan. 11. Operational Noise and Electrical Interference. The Project will
comply with all applicable County requirements for noise and shall not generate or create electrical
interruptions or interference with existing electrical or electronic uses. 12. Operational Light.
Fixed lighting at the perimeter of the Project will be limited to gates and will be shielded/downward
facing to minimize light spillage and shall be motion-activated. 13. Compliance. The project shall
be designed, constructed, and tested to meet all applicable local, state, and federal standards. 14.
Decommissioning. In accordance with Section 35-141(E), the applicant shall completely
decommission the facility within 12 months, if the facility ceases to generate electricity for a
continuous period of 12 months, including all solar collectors, cabling, electrical components,
fencing and any other associated equipment, facilities, and structures. Prior to construction and
approval of the entire site plan, a decommissioning plan will be submitted to the Zoning
Administrator, which shall provide for the posting of a bond or other surety acceptable to the
County in the amount of the decommissioning costs, not including salvage value, for the Project.
15. Start of construction. The SUP will expire unless construction of the entire Project is
commenced within 3 years of the date of issuance of the SUP. 16. Survival. So long as the Project
is operated in conformance with these conditions, the SUP shall continue for the life of the Project.
17. Comply with all DEQ regulations regarding nonpoint source pollutants. Chemical sprays
used in weed control shall comply with DEQ regulations. 18. Fire and Rescue Training. The
applicant shall provide annual training to the local fire department regarding solar energy facilities.
19. Ordinance Compliance. The project shall remain in compliance with all other applicable
requirements of the Pittsylvania County Code § 35-141(D), § 35-141(E), and § 35-141(F) not
specifically stated in the conditions of this Special Use Permit.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Ryland Brumfield, Board Member
SECONDER: Joseph A. Craddock, Board Member
AYES: Easley, Merricks, Brumfield, Craddock, Deering, Stone, Yeaman
3. Public Hearing: CaseS-22-024; Special Use Permit for a Marina and a Public Garage.
The board took a 10-minute break from 7:02 pm - 7:12 pm. Mr. Easley opened the public hearing
at 7:22 p.m. Mrs. Ragsdale, Director of Community Development, reported that The Dock at SML,
LLC, petitioned for a Special Use Permit on 23.25 acres, located in the Callands-Gretna Election
District to allow for a marina, and a public garage. On February 7, 2023, the Planning Commission
recommended by a 5-2 vote with opposition that the petitioners be granted with the following
conditions:
1. The applicant and residents on Locust Lane must enter into a road maintenance agreement.
2. Locust Lane cannot be utilized as a construction entrance for any future construction plans.
3. Must remain in compliance with all applicable Virginia Department of Health regulations.
4. Must remain in compliance with AEP regulations.
The staff summary is enclosed in the board packet. Mr. Chairman, Jeff Wils on with the Dock at
SML is here to represent the petition. Jeff Wilson-Hello, my name is Jeff Wilson with the
ownership group of the Dock at Smith Mountain Lake so good evening and thank you Mr.
Chairman, Mr. Vice-Chairman and board members and County staff, we appreciate the time and
hearing this request tonight. You'll find our case on page 663 of your packet. We are here to request
your approval on our marina property to become a legal conforming use as a marina under the
current RPD zoning. The Dock has been a commercial marina property since 1966. It was one of
the first, if not the first marina on Smith Mountain Lake. As a marina, we fall under the bounds
and jurisdiction of AEP, in providing public access to Smith Mountain Lake. Referring to the slide
in your handouts, page 3, which outlined the goals of AEP's Shoreline Management Plan. These
goals help document the provision of public access to Smith Mountain Lake. I'll refer you to 2
sections seen in your handout and on the slides, section 1.3.4 AEP's Shoreline Management Plan
has the goal of enhancing recreational opportunities by considering boating densities and
navigation and maximizing available use of project waters. Section 1.3.8 goal of the Shoreline
Management plan is striving for a balance that supports local economic interest yet protects
environmental and recreational resources that allow the public to enjoy these interests and
resources. Currently we are grand fathered in as a legal non-conforming use, even though it has
been a commercial marina since 1966, and the Pittsylvania County Zoning Ordinance didn't begin
until 1991.Staff has made the determination in order to do any waterfront improvements,
modifications or to add boat storage, we must have a special use permit. In essence, any expansion
or modification to the marina would require becoming a legal conforming use, meaning that if we
simply desire to add, modify or improve one single boat slip, this county determination says that
a permit is required. So, this case is not specifically about adding more boat slips, boat storage to
the site, at the base level this is a request for the marina, that has been a marina for almost 60 years,
continue to be a marina, under a legal conforming use with RPD zoning. So, we are thankful to be
at this stage of the process, county staff recommended approval, planning commission
recommended approval, we are requesting your approval for our application as submitted with an
added component. In response to the planning commission, and our neighbors’ concerns, that we,
the Dock at Smith Mountain Lake, will take full responsibility of maintaining the private drive
Locust Lane through a declaration of road maintenance. We will bear the burden, upkeep and
maintenance of this private access road within our property boundary up to the entrance and access
to the dock at Smith Mountain Lake, this will be a formally recorded declaration of road
maintenance. It would fully satisfy the conditions proposed by the Planning Commission and more
than fully addressed concerns from neighboring property owners and or not using the private drive
as a construction entrance, with this road maintenance declaration, we will maintain the private
drive Locust Lane up to our entrance and access point for the Dock at Smith Mountain Lake. For
a visual reference I would refer you to look at your slides & handouts, pages 5 & 6, this displays
travel up Smith Mountain Road to Locust Lane to access the entry point of our property, just to
give reference on this display is the private drive Locust Lane, turn down Locust Lane to the access
point for the Dock at Smith Mountain Lake. In summary we are a marina, we have been a marina
since 1966. There are many things in place to oversee marina operations from AEP, to VDH, to
county building code and permitting all within the framework of providing public access to Smith
Mountain Lake. We will certainly remain in compliance with VDH and AEP. In Regard to VDH
we have a certificate to operate and are continuously working with them in regard to our
development plans moving forward. You'll see the VDH documentation on page 700 of your
county staff packet. In regard to AEP, AEP has stated Appalachian has reviewed preliminary plans
for the development of dock structures along the shoreline associated with the dock at Smith
Mountain Lake and has determined that the existing and proposed uses are consistent with the
classifications established by the Shoreline Management Program. Appalachian notes that
commercial uses are currently established and that the existing dock structures are currently
associated with an established commercial use. Appalachian does not object to efforts to seek
Pittsylvania County approval for expansion. Appalachian considers the shoreline adjacent to the
subject property to be appropriate for high density commercial uses. AEP documentation can be
found on page 701 & 702 in the county staff packet. We have gone above and beyond responding
to county staff, neighboring property owners and done so on many components not directly related
to this SUP application. So, we are asking for you the Board of Zoning Appeals to approve this
request and ask specifically the application be approved with the following conditions: 1. The
applicant will record a Declaration of Road Maintenance for Locust Lane, from Smith Mountain
Road up to entrance of The Dock at Smith Mountain Lake. 2. Applicant must remain in compliance
with all applicable Virginia Department of Health regulations. 3. Applicant must remain in
compliance with all applicable AEP regulations. I'll reserve the remainder of my time for any
questions or follow-up as needed. Thank you. Mr. Easley-any questions for the applicant,
comments? Ronald Merricks-I guess I'm just kind of asking questions. Have you had any contact
with the Department of Wildlife Resources regarding the plan expansion? Jeff Wilson- Yes, for
the components that have their jurisdiction, so they have been involved in some of the items that
affect the code that the marina is situated in, so we've worked with them and actually adding an
additional no wake buoy to that area which as a marina operators are responsible for, o we had one
previously, worked with those jurisdictions TLAC and otherwise to add an additional no wake
buoy. Ronald Merricks- If I understand the plan is to put a 120-boat dry storage unit, is that correct?
Jeff Wilson - Dry stack boat storage? Ronald Merricks- Right. What statistical information did
you all use to come up with that number 120? Did you have any kind of given the narrowness of
cove, and if I read it right, that will be a total of 197 boat slips with the additions and the ones the
take aways and the 120 storage, where did you get that number? Jeff Wilson - Various components,
it's a sort of third-party review for civil engineers looking at the space but there's other jurisdictions
involved that control the density and capacity. So, AEP for one is looking at all the density and
capacity uses based on the size of that cove and they go through some very sophisticated
calculations based on the size of the cove based on the amount of shoreline for our property, this
is sort of a maximum density AEP can regulate, combined VDH has their own regulations on
number of slips and their own calculations for number of slips in the water, and or dry stack storage
boat slips that could sort of fill the space at the dock at Smith Mountain Lake has on shoreline.
Ronald Merricks - Okay. How many parking spaces are you all planning to have? Jeff Wilson -
Well, the conceptual plan has a great deal of parking on the site, some of those are combined for
potential buy right uses, some of them is a part of the special use permitting and so they were, they
saying the civil engineer side of site planning we're calculating a number based on those numbers,
we were just backing into for the boat storage and the marina operations and the west slips. Ronald
Merricks - So all the boats in dry storage that they use, are they privately owned, rented, for sale,
or a combination of all three? Jeff Wilson - the boats in the dry stack storage Ronald Merricks -
are they going to be privately owned boats, or they going to be rental boats, are they going to be
boats for sale or what? Jeff Wilson - Privately owned boats for storage Ronald Merricks - Privately
owned, no rentals. Jeff Wilson - I'm not sure when, we do have rental boats at the facility, some of
those are used in wet slips so it would use those spaces that we're backing into those numbers for
on the water dry stack storage correct. Ronald Merricks - What hours do you all plan to operate?
Jeff Wilson - Hours? Ronald Merricks - Hours Jeff Wilson - we vary through the season, and we
would have to adjust again, this is somewhat conceptual, so we'd have to look at staffing, hours
and then there's just the capacity component of getting boats in the water. How many can operate
to get to the fuel. It would be fairly standard hours during the in-season time frame Mr. Easley -
which are what? What are standard hours? Jeff Wilson - they vary, (turns to audience member and
asks what are our main in season hours now?) 9-7. Mr. Merricks - I spoke with AEP myself, I
called and had a nice conversation with a lady and because they have no control over the number
of boats, they referred me to the Department of Wildlife Resources, and I called them and finally
talked to a guy and what concerns me most is there seems to be no control over how many boats
go into Smith Mountain Lake, nobody has control over the number of boats, there's no formal
regulation regarding the number of boats, the boat traffic, the only thing they require is that the
buoys be in place to have the no wake, the buoy things, and I'm not a boat person, I'll be honest
with you and given my lack of limited knowledge of boating but from a common sense point of
view, 197 slips in that little bitty cove is to me is a lot of boats and a lot of boats and a lot
particularly on like a July 4th weekend, when there's a lot of people who want to get out there on
their boat and from what I could see they'll be some mad people because they can't get that boat in
the water fast enough and I just don't understand all this but anyway, but I realize that's always
going to be conflict between residential property owners and public water usage and I certainly
understand that but I'm just looking at it from a common sense, and it just doesn't make a lot of
sense to me but anyway, be that as it may, that's all I have. Carol Yeaman - When you were talking
about the number of slips in that cove, did you take into consideration the neighbors across the
cove that they have docks also and that would attribute also to the number of boats within that
cove. That is a very small cove, I have been boating on that lake since 1966 and I knew Fred
Munson when h built this dock, so I'm familiar with that area very well and it just seems like that's
a lot for that little cove. Jeff Wilson-That's right, and we are one of the neighbors across the cove,
we own a couple of the parcels across the cove ourselves, so we are aware and it does sort of back
into a utilization rate, what can take place based on the space, so that goes back to the AEP
component and the VDH component, they both have measurable components of what can really
happen back here on this set up and so that's why they're going through those calculations on docks
need to be this close this many slips, this far apart, they measure one third of the cove usage back
in there so boats can have free access down the center of the cove while they are accessing either
residents across the cove from us or the marina operations so it's looked at from a various AEP,
VDH , DWR, TLAC. Ronald Merricks -What I did find out is that they don't look at anything
beyond the shoreline, like the boat storage, they don't, they're not too worried about that. Jeff
Wilson - To a degree, AEP you're correct, VDH is tied into that from the back end as far as how
many slips and they have their calculation of what's a density usage allowable for the shoreline.
VDH has their own marina program through the Department of Environmental Health and so we've
been working with them on what's in place for the number of slips and proposed development
plans. Ronald Merricks - The gentleman I talked to at the Department of Wildlife Resources, the
first question I asked him was are you familiar with the application for the expansion of the marina?
He stated, no I am not. The second question I asked was have you seen the cove that this marina
is located in? He said "No, I haven't", so I was a little concerned about the response from them
regarding this application because it's a big thing, but seem to be loop less, scoopless and clueless.
Jeff Wilson - Sure, so we're involved with the AEP communication and the VDH communication
from DWR and VDH side, they've been involved for he no wake buoys, so they're responsible for
that cove and the distance limitations in the water. Ronald Merricks - I think you mentioned TLAC
was responsible for the buoys, right? If I'm not mistaken. Jeff Wilson- In coordination with DWR,
correct. Hershel Stone - Mr. Chairman, I have a couple questions. Are you planning to have any
type of rental cabins or any type of units there? At one time, there were trailers on the property, is
any of that part of your plan? Jeff Wilson - So as a part of this application, site plan conceptual is
a part of that but not specifically for this application, so there are some by right uses for the current
zoning that aren't specific to this necessarily special use permit, but as part of the site plan,
conceptual piece that we submitted for this process we are looking at some by right uses for some
cabin residential type component in this section. Hershel Stone - How many would that be? Jeff
Wilson - To be determined. I mean we haven't, there's a bit of a chicken or the egg component of
what comes first to get to that stage but we're still evaluating that through some site planning aside
from this special use permit. Hershel Stone - At one time there was a restaurant operated there, I
guess that's no longer there, are you planning on putting the restaurant in, is that part of your. Jeff
Wilson - Not a part of these plans. Hershel Stone - Why did you stop using the restaurant on the
water and why did you take the trailers out? Jeff Wilson- Restaurant is, there's still a grill on the
water, on the dock, I'm not sure about the trailers, our group took ownership in May of 2020.
Hershel Stone - Okay. Jeff Wilson - There were some old sort of abandoned cabins structures, we
did some site clean-up and demoed some of those that were in disrepair. I'm not sure about how
far the trailers may have dated. Hershel Stone - Earlier, he asked how many parking places you
are going to have, is that to be determined also? Jeff Wilson - Correct. Hershel Stone - Okay. It's
helpful to have that information, you know how many cabins you want to have, how many parking
places you want to have, how many slips you want to have, to be able to approve it and I just
thought I would mention that to you. Jeff Wilson - Thank you. Allan Easley - You speak, you refer
often to AEP that you're working with them now, getting back to the 120-boat dry storage, you
refer to AEP directing that or I'm not referring to AEP in the dry dock storage comment, or is that
something that you and your group have come up with? Jeff Wilson - A little of both, it's sort of a
tandem component and developing some plans on our own end in some third-party site planning,
civil engineering tied into AEP feedback and communication in tandem tied into VDH
communication and feedback. Allan Easley - And what's the AEP telling you? Jeff Wilson - It's a
little bit again of the chicken and the egg component in terms of who's doing what first and who
can approve something first, but I'll just refer back to the components, 701 and 702 of your packet
from the county staff references where AEP stands and how they're looking at our proposal right
now for the special use permit. They've reviewed the plans, determined that existing and proposed
uses are consistent with the classifications established by the shoreline management program.
Commercial uses are already established in existing dock structures are currently associated with
an established commercial use. Appalachian does not object to your efforts to seek Pittsylvania
County approval for expansion, Appalachian already considers the shoreline adjacent to the subject
property to be appropriate for high density commercial uses. Allan Easley - I'm sorry, but where
in there do I hear I have 120 dry slip building. I'm kind of like Ronald Merricks, that's a lot of
boats and Smith Mountain Lake gets extremely busy, three or four times a year and if I guess my
concern is if you get a call to put 100 boats in the water on July 4th, that's a concern. Jeff Wilson-
Right, so you know again, we are under sort of that purview of AEP to help provide public access
to the lake as a marina. Allan Easley - I understand that I'm with you, I've got that part. Jeff Wilson
- There's the common sense utility usage of what can actually be done in terms of getting boats in
the water and so that's why we're backing into those numbers you know AEP has not given a lot
of specifics, they're saying hey, you guys get your approvals from the county under special use
permit and then we can take some next steps forward, really those items should happen
concurrently but AEP's taking that chicken or the egg, which comes first saying they're going to
work with us to develop that density maximum capacity, make sure it fits all of their coordination
components and their calculus of what fits for this shoreline this width of the cove and getting in
the water. Allan Easley - that seems like it puts a lot of pressure on the Board of Zoning Appeals
here to okay 120 slip boat storage facility, without quite frankly any guidance from the applicant.
Jeff Wilson - And our guidance is coming from AEP and VDH so there's sort of multiple
components that are trying to work in tandem here, otherwise the wheels just keep spinning. Allan
Easley- But who told you, let me go back, let me spin the wheel back around. Who told you 120
slip dry dock storage, I guess is my question. Jeff Wilson - So that's a number that's being backed
into from general guidance from AEP, the specific guidance from VDH marina program through
their department of environmental health has specific calculations for the number of slips, what
constitutes a slip, so they count slips and the water is one dry stack boat storage slips or the equation
they use to count as one-third and so based on that density, how much shoreline frontage you have,
where your facilities are, you mentioned the restaurant where the restrooms, they have to be in a
certain distance to those facilities so it's sort of backed into with those different parties involved.
Allan Easley - I guess I'm confused. Ronald Merricks - There's a lot of backing here. Allan Easley
- It is, you know we don't have I guess we don't have any documentation from VDH or AEP or
quite frankly you from as the applicant telling us this is how we have arrived at this number, this
I what AEP said and this is what VDH said, we're back and forth. Jeff Wilson - Understood and
that goes forward as you get into the permitting through VDH so we propose these plans, they've
looked at them, given general agreement, but then you need to move to the next step or back to the
chicken and the egg. We don't have a special use permit, that we would need to do permitting
through VDH where they would then approve number of slips based on these facilities based on
this distance from the shoreline based on these number of slips, so I guess what I'm saying is there's
outside of the board of zoning appeals, we're asking to become a conforming use under the RPD
zoning and so we would be having this discussion if we had a proposal to add or modify one slip
and what we are stating and asking is that other jurisdictions will be involved in the definitive
permitting number density, capacity AEP and VDH outside of BZA County special use permitting.
Ronald Merricks - I don't know but I feel like and I'm sorry but it's a great picture and a great
picture, it's a great little drawing but there's too many, we've got to do this, to do this, somebody's
got to say before this is done and then we're going to approve something that we have no clue what
we are proving and that really bothers me, I mean I'm sorry. I think we need it, I'm not against the
marina, but I think the planning of this particular marina lot expansion, it talks a lot about the
chicken and the egg, well I don't really care about chicken and eggs, I want to see a plan that
documents everything and had everybody's input in it that shows exactly what's going to happen
when, where it's going to happen, how many boar slips while they have so many boat slips, I just
don't see that in this application. I may be the only one and that's fine. Hershel Stone- Mr.
Chairman, I'd like to add to that. I believe that this is a vision that I have in my mind of additional
boat storage, additional access, restaurant, cabins could be a really great thing for Pittsylvania
County and so I 100 percent support that vision but I really would like to see some engineering
drawings in saying hey we're going to have this number of slips, we're going to have this number
of cabins, we're going to have this number of cabins parking places, if we're going to have a
basketball court, a pickleball court, a beach, whatever you're going to have that you're going to
draw people to your facility is what you know I've I would like to see, to say hey this is it, but I
100 percent believe that improving the property in Pittsylvania County for our tax base and for
access for our citizens it's a great thing, you know in any rate. Carroll Yeaman - well it's you know
that's my concern that if there's just too many slip there at 120 you know, I just have a hard time
wrapping head around supporting 120 slips , a story there, I do know there is a need for storage
on this side of the lake that would be helpful to people, I know there's a waiting list the marinas
that if you want to store your boat, just about probably a year wait, so I realize that, but I kind of
agree with the other guy that we are asked to approve something when we don't know what we're
approving. Jeff Wilson - We've backed into the number with the other jurisdictions involved you
know the marina sued to much more activity utilization many more slips, long before we were
owners. There was dry stack storage on the site there were other wet slips on the site again, we
came in 2020 cleaned up a lot of the stuff that was in disrepair upland and on the water, so this
component again is to ask your approval that we could move forward with these jurisdictions that
have the oversight capacity and density components to make some progress of continuing to make
this a public access for Pittsylvania County storage access benefit for Pennsylvania County clean
it up under these provisions of dry stack storage and wet slip is presented on the plans. Allan Easley
- Anymore questions or comments for the applicant? Okay, we may have some a little later. Thank
you, sir. Okay, the only person signed up to speak is Mr. Glenn Pulley. Glenn Pulley - Good
evening, some of you have known me for decades, I came to Danville in 1976 and joined a law
firm called Clement and Wheatley, and was with that firm until 2015 and I joined a firm in
Roanoke then and that firm is Gentry Locke and my law partner John Puvak who is a land-use
lawyer is with me tonight and he would like to share some of the time that we have which I
understand is 10 minutes, is that right? I mentioned that I started working as a lawyer in 1976
under the tutelage of Mr. Stewart Wheatley who told me that if you're winning, stop talking, so
I'm inclined to not talk a lot tonight. I sounds like many of you members on the board have already
understood one of the primary concerns that we have and when I say we I want to say who the we
are, we have residents who we represent, they are 29 that my firm represents who are opposed to
the granting of this special use permit if you're a client, would you stand up please? And would
you just affirm that you're opposed to the granting of all. Right, thank you. Many of these folks
are on the Locust Lane side of the cove and some are on the other side of the cove which has been
accurately described as a very narrow, short cove that has boat traffic from the permanent residents
there and from the marina this proposal would add quite a bit more under circumstances which are
candidly acknowledged by the applicant to be uncertain at this time. One of the points that we
made in the submission that I hope all of you have seen we sent an e-mail to Mr. Easley on Friday
and I'm sure, I hope you've had a chance to receive it and read it, if not we've brought extra copies
tonight but one of the points we make is a residential planned unit development district and the
purpose, the stated purpose of this district is and has been to promote a well-planned living
environment to encourage a variety in housing and supporting community facilities while
encouraging accessory commercial uses. Now the term accessory, we all know what that means,
it means that there's a main thing and there's something that is an accessory to the main thing.
Well, the main thing in this residential district that we're talking about we call it an RPD District
the main thing is residential use which is supplemented or supported by a commercial use. The
application as the conversation has gone tonight makes it abundantly clear that there is no
residential use that is embedded in this application, it's all commercial use, there's a request to
expand a commercial use known as a marina and there's an additional request to construct what is
called a public garage, but it's really not a public garage, it's a dry boat storage facility and there's
a difference between a public garage, I'm not saying we want a public garage but there's a
difference between a public garage and a dry boat storage facility. But either ay whether you call
it one thing or the other, what it really is, it is going to add a huge number of boats to that very
confined area, so I wanted to make that point tonight and then I'm going to make a second point
and I'll turn it over to my partner John Puvak. The second point I want to make has to do with the
planning commission’s vote and Mrs. Ragsdale, I thought I heard you say the vote was five to
zero. Emily Ragsdale - It should have been five to two. Glenn Pulley - five to two, right? Maybe I
misheard you but the vote was five to two and I wasn't present at the Planning Commission but I
have heard from other who were there seemed to be in the minds of at least some of the members
of the Planning Commission this idea that as the applicant said tonight that oh the AEP, they
control everything related to the cove to the waterway itself, well that's just not true. You control
the use of the properties, and the properties include the riparian rights, we all know what riparian
rights are. These properties that are along the cove and that adjoin the cove, these property owners
enjoy riparian rights that are meaningful property interests and those riparian rights will be
compromised and affected by the type of use on this cove that is being proposed by this applicant
and so your job as the BZA is to do your own assessment of what is going to be the impact on the
various properties that are already enjoying the cove. The AEP has a role, there's no doubt about
that but it is not an exclusive roll, it is not a role that preempts you the Board of Zoning Appeals
from exercising your duty to protect the property rights of those who are within the geographical
zone where this is proposed endeavor is scheduled. We cited in primarily frankly for the BZA's
council Mr. Dadack, we cited a very well-reasoned and well-written decision by a circuit court
judge in North Cumberland County Judge Toliver is the Jennings case and I'm just going to quote
one, it's a 10 page opinion but in that opinion Judge Tolliver specifically said the court finds that
the grant of general zoning authority over land alone necessarily or fairly implies that localities
may exercise the essential and indispensable regulations of structure and the uses on the water
which by their very nature are inseparable from the zoning permitted use of the upland so what
that is saying is counties who have zoning authority have the authority to make decisions about
the use of properties and in doing so they should take in to consideration the riparian rights that's
what that language from the court says. John Puvak - I'm going to defer him before he runs out of
time. Let me make a few points, he said he'd be brief, but he's spoke for eight minutes so that's
why we submit a letter when time is short, the night is long. We hope you read those points I want
to focus on one key point that was brought in the applicant's presentation the BZA usually can
mitigate impacts right mitigate impacts through conditions I think that's an attempt here but if the
conditions just can't mitigate this use really can't mitigate such that the BZA can make the finding
it has to make right, the finding is black and white that use will not be a substantial detriment to
the adjacent property right and I think that the comments by the BZA make clear what we heard
from the applicant tonight, those conditions staff made a condition that won't use Locust Lane, I
think the applicant is pushing back on that and proposing Locust Lane with shared use that road
and that ground was plowed years ago, you know the applicant got a road map in 2021 when the
Planning Commission rejected this to come back with a number of items. Those items have not
been done, so we're here, we're back now a couple years later, so the conditions really are a
problem, you know they just even if those conditions are there, the county does not want to be the
Arbiter of using this road or not using this road, that's a problematic condition so really again
coming back to if you can mitigate a use through conditions then it should be approved. It's just
not possible here given what the proposed uses are in the conditions. Again, the only other
component I'll make is the comprehensive plan, I think that it hasn't been mentioned but the
government's plan is important. I recognize AEP and the shoreline management plan says high
density commercial the commercial plan says medium residential, so again going back to what Mr.
Pulley said, residential users are important if this applicant was coming forward with a concept
plan and the rezoning that was done in 2006 we wouldn't be here, we wouldn't be here, we would
have told our clients to stay home and that's what would be built here but that's not what's being
proposed so, this Marina's been shoe horned, there's a variance, there's non-conforming status it
shouldn't be expanded. Thank you very much. Allan Easley - Mr. Wilson would you like to rebut
those comments? Jeff Wilson - Asked to go back to the slide presentation. So, I guess it's in rebuttal
and in response and in summary, you know to our opening comments and the other feedback, just
want to reiterate the AEP components involved in this property, their jurisdiction and their
oversight and how we've worked with them the other jurisdiction the VDH in the county to bring
us here tonight. Again, starting with AEP, they are working to maximize the available use of the
waters by the public. They have goals to allow the public to enjoy these interests and resources at
Smith Mountain Lake. This property used to be much more dense, much more capacity and usage
on the water and boat slips and dry stack storage, there were water slides on the property, all kinds
of other stuff. The property is suited and situated under AEP shoreline management plan to look
at our proposal and manage the density that in combination with VDH, their oversight for the
number of slips the location of slips, location of facilities in regard to those slips for the property
have backed us into this number and proposal that we're presenting to you this evening. so, I just
want to reiterate that there are other jurisdictional pieces involved to control the density and
capacity for the Dock at Smith Mountain Lake. AEP, VDH, mentioned DWR, TLAC, so they will
all have continuing impacts to oversee what's taking place on the shoreline for The Dock at Smith
Mountain Lake. We can't get anywhere without some approval to be a conforming use as a marina,
which has been a marina. There are multiple generations of families that come visit the marina,
almost daily to visit what's been there for years as a marina to provide them, their children, their
grandchildren, some of them aren't even coming to use the boat slips, or the storage, they're coming
to feed the fish in the water and visit the property. It's had this density before, we're requesting and
proposing through this proposal to add wet slips, to add they dry stack storage, knowing that we're
continually going to be under this jurisdiction of AEP, VDH, DWR, TLAC and so that's why we
brought forward these conditions asking for your approval that we become a conforming use
marina, which has been a marina for a long time, we want it to continue to be a marina. We want
to continue to make improvements that we've already begun to make in cleaning up and disrepair
and providing access to the public. The county wants this to be a public access to Smith Mountain
Lake, there are guards in place from these other jurisdictions to manage the density and capacity,
but the county is never going to allow us or anybody else to move forward unless we take the steps
of becoming a conforming use marina. Continuing to be under the bounds of AEP, VDH, DWR
and TLAC, and so that's why we're asking for your request to approve it with the conditions as
presented tonight. Allan Easley - Any other questions for the applicant, comments? Thank you,
sir. The time is now 8:12, we will close the public hearing. Comments? Opinions? I have a question
for Mrs. Ragsdale, I'm probably supposed to know the answer, but I don't. Can an applicant
withdraw a permit application without penalty, and how does that work? Chris Dadack - Generally
not once the public hearing has been closed. Allan Easley - Okay. Thank you. So, folks we got to
make a decision. We can do a positive motion with conditions, or we can do a negative motion
because we cannot mitigate conditions, adverse conditions. Ryland Brumfield - my view on this
is the Planning Commission speaker made a recommendation of five to two with some conditions.
The applicant has come back based on how I said request and approval with different conditions.
I just don't feel good about that because that's sending me a sign that the applicant is not good with
what the Planning Commission had recommended to us. So, I think there's a lot of unanswered
questions on this that probably needs to be settled and worked out before this moves forward, that's
my opinion. Hershel Stone - Me. Chairman, I am extremely supportive of expanding access to the
lake especially in Pittsylvania County, I just don't at this moment I don't feel, I'd love to see this
place expand and it is in disarray at the moment and it would be great to have it updated and be
something to be attractive for our community and in the people in the surrounding areas it's really
difficult t see that without much information and give an example with 120 slips, you know how
many people are going to use those slips on Labor Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, are you
going to have? How much traffic are you going to have around the wet slips as you're putting these
boats into the water, taking them out, you know I don't know and Planning Commission probably
knew a lot more about that than I would, but if we had some more information, I could be extremely
supportive of the project, but as it stands, it's hard to have that good feeling that we've mitigated
the adverse effects to the neighbors. Allan Easley - Any comments? Carroll Yeaman - I agree with
him, it's just we just don't have enough information, I just think 120 slips with the others will make
a total of 196 slips, that's a very small cove. Allan Easley - Mr. Craddock? Jay Craddock - Well I
don't know much about boating, but it sounds like that's a lot of boat slips for that small of a cove
and it was mentioned several times that it used to be much more dense than it was now, I think
that would be good information to know. That would be a good piece of information where we
would at least know at one point in time, there was X number of slips there and it worked well,
but I just don' think we, I just don't have a good comfort level of approving this with this many
slips, not knowing it it's too many or if it'll work or not. Ann Dee ring - I'm kind of like Mr.
Craddock, I don't know very much about boating, but I think that's something a lot of slips at this
time, I'm all for progress, but I just don't think we know enough, it's a lot of unknowns I think at
this time. Carroll Yeaman - Well I can give you a little bit of information because I've been boating
on that lake, I'm aware of that cove and AEP, stop the marina there were not slips, there was only
where you could pull up against the dock years ago, but all of the boats were anchored on a mooring
line out in the middle of the cove and so you did have to maneuver through. AEP stopped that
because it was dangerous, they do not allow that anymore, so that's the story as far as how many
boats, there were a lot of boats in there in the 70's and early 80's but I do know that AEP did stop
allowing them to do that. Chris Dadak - If I may Mr. Chairman, there's also the third option of
tabling, I heard a lot of information, questions about having information, there's always the option
of tabling the matter out to your next board meeting for the opportunity to receive more information
if you think that would be helpful. Ronald Merricks - What I was getting ready to say we got three
choices, either positive motion, negative motion or we table the issue and to get that information
to us, well we needed we need to ask what would it what do we want to know. Allan Easley -
Right, I'm in line with the board that we simply don't have enough information right now to make
a remotely intelligent decision on this an we're not getting any more information tonight so I'm of
the opinion if the board is of the opinion that we table this motion, or this application and then we
would hear it again, we would reconsider it as old business in May, is that correct? We would not
have a public hearing. Emily Ragsdale - That is correct, and May would be within the required 60
days but you would need to act on it at that time okay, you could not table it again. Allan Easley -
What's the thinking on that? Because I think we're all of the opinion that progress would be
extremely good in that spot at the lake, the marina will continue to operate, if we don't do anything
it's going to continue to operate as it is, it's not like we're going to close it down but I think we
would all like to see progress there. The county would certainly like to see the progress, but I'm
afraid right now I don't have enough information to make a vote, I don't want to make a negative
vote, but I can't make a positive vote, and that's just where I am now, so do we vote to table it,
okay? Then I would entertain a motion to table this case until the May meeting. Hershel stone - So
moved Mr. Chairman. Allan Easley - Motion from Mr. Stone. Mr. Merricks- Second. Allan Easley
- Second from Mr. Merricks. Ryland Brumfield - May I make a comment before we vote? Allan
Easley - Yes Sir. Ryland Brumfield - If the board votes to table this really what I would like to
hear some more is about this road that we heard very little about tonight, you know staff
recommended a new entrance from the main road, I can't think of it, yeah from 626 and I've seen
so many proposals here but and then there's a the applicant is suggesting the declaration of road
maintenance. I don't know what that means of Locust Lane, so it really needs to if it comes back
before us, it needs to be very clear. To me, access to and from and very laid out, very clear, nothing
in the gray area. Allan Easley - Mr. Wilson, that's we'll put that in the hands of your company that
we've got to have some more information before we can remotely make a positive decision along
those lines and you've got until May, what's the date? Emily Ragsdale - May 8th. Allan Easley -
May 8th will be our next meeting because Ronald Merricks- If I understand it, there's no
presentations at that meeting, so the information we need these to come to your office and get to
us before then. Emily Ragsdale - The applicant could present the information but there wouldn't
be no public hearing. Ronald Merricks - Okay, that's fine. Glenn Pulley - How would we be able
to respond to the additional information that is submitted? Allan Easley - Mr. Pulley, we'll let our
attorney respond to that. Chris Dadak - Never had a situation come up to be honest, it can be routed
through staff, that'll probably be the best way if you could provide it to staff ahead of time, we'll
make it part of the packet which will then be publicly available. The public can always submit
comments and written form anyway, so we just asked, he said there's something in writing so we
would submit something in writing before May the 8th which would presuppose that the staff
would receive something in from the applicant before that day. So is there a date on which the
applicant will need to present the information to staff so we'll have an opportunity to respond. You
see what I'm? Allan Easley - I do. Emily Ragsdale - Staff would request on the information from
the applicant the last Thursday of April so that we have adequate or I'm sorry, the last Thursday of
March so we have adequate time to prepare the staff summary and incorporate it in the packet to
make sure that the packet is available to you and the public when it's advertised in April. Allan
Easley - And we'd like to have it sooner than that if we could, so that we can digest it and ask
questions. Glenn Pulley - Thank you. Allan Easley - Thank you. All right, there's a motion and a
second to table this hearing. All those in favor make it known, Mr. Yeaman, it says it's waiting on
you. Allan Easley - All right, we have a tabled hearing and with that being said, this meeting is
adjourned, we will gather again in May.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Hershel Stone, Board Member
SECONDER: Ronald E. Merricks, Vice-Chairman
AYES: Easley, Merricks, Brumfield, Craddock, Deering, Stone, Yeaman
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8: 25 p.m.