Town resolves ROW vacating issues in N. Royal-Belmont Ave. area

George Sloan and his tenant discuss the proposed ROW vacating of unimproved parcels with Town staff following the Aug. 28 Butler-request public hearing. As it turns out the parcel Sloan is interested in is a different one than Butler is seeking to develop. Photos/Roger Bianchini

A conversation about a seeming double standard concerning a right-of-way vacation that began at its August 28 meeting was resolved by Town staff during the week prior to the Front Royal Town Council’s September 5 work session.

At an August 28 public hearing David and Jean Butler’s request to vacate three sections of unimproved right of ways primarily in alleys running through or adjacent to the Laura Anne Denny Estate on the 1500-block of North Royal Avenue (extended) was presented.  One neighboring property owner, George Sloan, and his tenant at 35 East 17^th Street asserted that previous Town staff had told him the requested ROW could be used, but never “sold” or transferred to his ownership.

Sloan told council he had been caring for the property for 15 years only to find out now the Town was considering a transfer of ownership to a new purchaser of property in the area.  Council instructed staff to investigate Sloan’s previous request and bring any information to its next work session.  What they found was that the alleyway parcels Sloan was referencing were NOT the same ones the Butlers are now seeking ownership of.

Mayor Hollis Tharpe acknowledged the confusion, pointing out on September 5 that council now had “a clear path to move forward” on the Butler request, and perhaps revisit Sloan’s interest in the nearby parcel he has been caring for, for over a decade.

The Butler’s explained in their proposal that they were purchasing the Denny Estate with plans to renovate the circa 1880 Edge Hill home and grounds, which will include the preservation of trees estimated at over 130 years old.  They hope to help finance their project by subdividing the vacated ROW’s into five quarter-acre lots along Belmont Avenue and developing them for sale as estimated $200,000 to $275,000 homes.

Vice-Mayor Eugene Tewalt reiterated that he wanted guarantees that if the Town vacates the three parcels that comprise the Butler request, they will not reconfigure the proposed usage or lot layout after the fact – “I would like that put in the deed” Tewalt said during the work session discussion.

Council will likely vote on the Butler request at tonight’s September 11 meeting.

David Butler explains his redevelopment and development plan for the North Royal-Belmont Ave. area, as neighboring property owner George Sloan and his 17th St. tenant listen in background.