Two Short-Term Rental Permits Recommended for Approval, Slate Run Farms Rezoning Headed to Public Hearing

On Wednesday’s Warren County Planning Commission agenda were two public hearings on Short-term Rental permitting requests and a Consent Agenda authorizing advertisement for public hearings, including on the Slate Run Farms Agricultural to Commercial and Industrial rezoning just north of Blue Ridge Shadows complex.

Shannon McCartney has applied for a CUP for a short-term tourist rental for a property at 5201 Reliance Road in the North River District. The 43-acre property is zoned Agricultural (A), and the Health Department has approved the dwelling, constructed in 2002, for up to 6 occupants. Zoning Administrator Chase Lenz told the commissioners that a CUP for a commercial riding stable was previously approved by the Board of Supervisors for this property on October 21, 2008. The current owner completed the conditional use permit modification process earlier this year and intends to reestablish the commercial riding stable. There were no speakers at the public hearing, and on a motion by Vice Chairman Hugh Henry, seconded by Commissioner Scott Kersjes, the commission voted unanimously to recommend approval.

Elizabeth (Beth) Waller has made a request for a CUP for a short-term tourist rental for her property at 88 Long Winding Road in the Happy Creek Magisterial District. The 2-acre property is zoned Agricultural (A). The Health Department Certificate on file allows an 8-person occupancy in the 4-bedroom Dwelling, which was built in 2005. There were no speakers at the public hearing, and, on a motion by Vice-Chairman Henry, seconded by Commissioner Kersjes, the commission voted unanimously to recommend approval.

Recommendations will be forwarded to the County Board of Supervisors for final action.

Authorizations to Advertise for public hearing :

Slate Run Farms, LLC is applying for rezoning on two currently Agriculturally-zoned parcels totaling 448 acres west of Winchester Road just north of the Blue Ridge Shadows Subdivision and Golf Course. The applicant is proposing four land bays comprising 443.74 Acres which will be phased in for industrial development with a total of 2.5 million square feet of buildings. The remaining property of 4.47 acres to be zoned commercial will allow up to 25,000 square feet of buildings for commercial uses. This action is to rezone the property, which faces Toray Drive across Winchester Road. Planning Director Matt Wendling told the Commission that the Proposed rezoning is in compliance with the Future Land Use Map of the County’s Comprehensive Plan. The rezoning is the first step to development. Any development at the site will require preliminary and final site plans, building permits, and approvals for environmental, traffic and transportation, and public hearings.

Slate Run Farms, LLC representative Marisa Whitaker explains to the County Planning Commission the developer’s plan for a rezoned 448-Acre parcel off Winchester Road Near Toray Drive and the Virginia Inland Port. The rezoning request precedes a formal Site Plan for Industrial and Commercial development of the property.

Project Representative Marisa Whitaker told the Commission that the proximity to the residential area is a consideration that the applicant intends to take particular care of by allowing for sight and sound buffers at the boundary between the property and the residential areas and along the to-be-constructed access road. The draft proffer statement included in the rezoning application includes proposed exclusions that would forbid the use of the property for an automobile graveyard or junkyard or for bulk storage of gasoline, petroleum products, or natural gas. They also stipulate that the Applicant would limit development on the 443.74 acres Industrial (I) zoned parcel to a maximum gross floor area of 2,500,000 square feet and on the 4.47 acres Commercial (C) zoned District to a maximum gross floor area of 25,000 square feet. Draft proffers at this stage of development are subject to modifications before final acceptance by the County.

There is one abandoned historical structure on the property, dating from the 1840s, known interchangeably as the Thomas Branson House and the Jett House. The structure is currently in a state of severe disrepair and is not salvageable for occupancy.  With little discussion, the Commission voted to authorize advertisement for a public hearing at the Commission’s September regular meeting on September 13.