Opinion
County-Wide Ordinance Change Looming
A public hearing will be held on April 29th at 6:30 p.m. to amend Warren County code, subsection 180-8C, to add new definitions for social halls and training facilities to be allowed on agriculturally zoned properties with a mere 2 acres or more. (Current ordinances allow this type of business activity only if the property is 20 acres or more.) The ordinance change would impact 4,534 properties in Warren County that are sized between 2-20 acres with agricultural zoning. These county-wide code changes are being requested by Loudoun County business owner Mark Rumbarger of “Little Boy Ventures LLC”.
At the April 15th Board of Supervisors meeting, Fork District Supervisor, Vicky Cook, pointed to issues with the applications presented to the Planning Commission, including stop work orders and a requested denial by county staff building officials. The BOS is now forced to hold a public hearing on the matter. Other objections noted include vague language with loose definitions, which leave a lot up for interpretation going forward.
How could this ordinance change impact you? Look at the properties surrounding your home. Do you have neighbors with 2 or more acres? If so, you may soon live next to a business that hosts training events, weddings, and other large, for-profit social gatherings. Events would be capped at 100 people, but could cause increased traffic, use of port-a-potties, and events that could run until midnight. If you wish to share thoughts on this change, please contact your county supervisor or attend the public hearing.
To watch the video of the Board of Supervisors discussing this matter, skip to the 1 hour 6 minutes marker. https://warrencountyva.new.swagit.com/videos/340249?ts=3999
Melanie Salins
Warren County, VA
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