Local Government
While impacts remain unknown, council forwards changes to ‘Special Events’ Code Chapter
At Monday evening’s Special Meeting of June 1, two members of the public involved in annual downtown events, William Huck (Family Fun Day) and Malcolm Barr Sr. (Memorial Day and Dogs of War salute) addressed the Front Royal Town Council at a public hearing on proposed changes to the Town’s Special Events ordinance. Both wondered what potential impacts sweeping proposed changes to the relevant Town Code Chapter 72 might have on acquiring future permitting to continue their events as they have been previously held.
Barr pointed out the Memorial Day service, which the Town has co-sponsored for several years, was held on the County Courthouse grounds the past two years, including the previous day, due to Novel Coronavirus-pandemic social distancing restrictions. However, both that and Huck’s annual Family Fun Day are traditionally held at the Village Commons area bordered by the Town Gazebo, Visitors Center and new Pavilion at the intersection of East Main and Chester Streets and Laura Virginia Hale Drive in the heart of the Historic Downtown Business District.
As far as an answer to both Huck and Barr’s question – “What’s going on?” as it applies to their events, the verbal answer was somewhat vague. However, a first read through of the two pages of the newly adopted Chapter 72 Ordinance compared to the four pages (in much smaller print) of deleted text indicates much less code detail than previously, with key elements including “Permit Exceptions” and “Permit Revocation/Suspension” kept virtually identical to the comparable deleted sections.
One new section titled “Violations Of This Chapter” appears to contain new language on punitive actions that can be taken by “the Town Manager or a designated employee charged with enforcement of the Code Chapter. That language is:
“Any person who shall violate any provision of this Chapter shall be suspended from having any future events for one year from the time of the event or as the Town Manager or designee deems appropriate based on the violation.” Appeals of such punitive decisions “must be made to the Town Council within thirty days of the decision.”
The new Chapter 72’s opening paragraph acknowledges the changes made as a result of a Town Council directive of May 10, 2021, to staff “to move forward on amending Town Code Chapter 72 Special Events to allow for and reflect new Policy and Procedures to be approved”.
New Chapter 72 Section 1 “Purpose Of Chapter” reads: “The purpose of this chapter is to accommodate competing demands for the public use of Town streets, and public property that are requested to be used for a special event. Policy and Procedures regulating these areas of demand is necessary to maintain public peace, safety, acceptable conditions of traffic flow and prevention of any illegal or unlawful activity.”
After a brief discussion of points raised during which it was noted that most of what was on the table was removal of the old code’s language, on a motion by Joe McFadden, seconded by Letasha Thompson, council approved the new Special Events Chapter 72 Ordinance on a 5-0 vote, Councilman Meza absent.
So, stay tuned – Exactly how these changes impact existing and future event permitting remains to be seen. In the wake of an apparent reversal of last year’s decision to close East Main Street on Spring thru Fall weekends as an economic and tourism incentive that appeared to be very popular with both locals and tourists, as well as all but a small minority of downtown business owners, council has seemed more reluctant to close downtown streets in conjunction with permitted events with the notable exception of the two high school’s outdoor Senior Prom event of May 22 in the Commons area, which also saw the parking lot vacated to facilitate the event.
A third speaker at Tuesday’s Special Events Code Chapter Public Hearing was Edwin Wright of the Manor Line Market. Wright thanked council for considering the needs of downtown businesses in amending their codes.
Mayor’s business request
Also approved by a 5-0 vote following a public hearing at which no one spoke and Mayor Chris Holloway handed his presiding gavel over to Vice-Mayor Lori Cockrell to recuse himself from participation, was a requested vacating of six lots “facing Scott Street” on an “undeveloped (165.5-foot by 40-foot) portion of Carter Street between Breeden Lane and Steele Avenue”. The mayor’s recusal was because the requested vacating of the property by the Town was by Holloway Construction LLC, the mayor’s residential construction company. A late amendment to the item was the raising of the number of involved lots from five to six.
Prior to the vote several council members commented that Mayor Holloway had not received any preferential treatment on the matter.
“I just want to state that this is something that we think is an amenable decision that is fair and equitable. So, if anyone has any questions about that, we definitely, this is not anything strange. It is very normal business,” Councilman McFadden said to open council discussion.
“I just wanted to say something along those same lines. When we were discussing this, Chris was not present and he got the same treatment as everybody else in town,” Councilwoman Thompson asserted.
“And I’m going to add to that. That all the different departments were contacted – public works and electrical and also the Viewing Committee,” Vice-Mayor Cockrell said of an appointed Town committee of business people, adding, “And all of which said that it would pose no harm to the adjacent property owners. The property owners were given notice about this tonight and could have come in and spoke if they so chose.”
Other business
Also approved without dissent Tuesday night were Resolutions adding Good Friday to the list of municipal holidays and Funeral and Volunteer leave to the list of things town employees can seek time off for. The holiday motion was by Gary Gillespie, seconded by Thompson; the leave matter on a motion by Scott Lloyd, seconded by McFadden.
A Budget Amendment and Bid Approval for work on Happy Creek Sanitary Sewer Replacement were also approved by 5-0 votes, as well as a bid on North Royal Avenue Waterline Upgrades. Councilman Gillespie pointed to those approvals as a sign of council’s commitment to infrastructure improvements.
Town Manager Steven Hicks also introduced a Resolution on creation of a Town Building Code and Environmental Division. The motion-seconding team of McFadden-Thompson sent that Resolution toward a 5-0 approval. Discussion indicated that Hicks would be appointed the Town’s building code official. It was noted that revenues from fees should see the department “pay for itself” and that all revenue created by the department would remain there and could not be transferred to cover other departmental budgetary needs.
Local Government
Town Planning Commission Enthusiastically Approves Permitting of Adult Assistance Lodging House, Bids Farewell to 2 Members
It was a very concise, if occasionally emotional, meeting of the Front Royal Planning Commission on Wednesday, May 15. The commission faced approval of a two-item Consent Agenda for advertisement for public hearings, and one public hearing on a Special Use Permit (SUP) request for a non-commercial lodging house at 1324 Old Winchester Pike in an R-3, Residential District. The applicant, Janelle Embrey of Abode of Liberation, was the only speaker at that public hearing. As for the emotion, the commission, already one member down, bid farewell to two members, Glenn Wood and Brian Matthiae, who both confirmed to Chairman Connie Marshner that it would be their last meeting. Wood will now focus on his recently achieved position as a town councilman, and our understanding is Matthiae and family are leaving the area.
As for the one public hearing, after Deputy Zoning Administrator John Ware summarized the proposal for conversion of the former Bed & Breakfast facility to a non-profit lodging house for assistance programs offered to adults with certain disabilities, Embrey explained her plans for the seven bedroom Abode of Liberation facility. Having received her non-profit status, she told the commission she just wanted to make sure she was complying with all related Town Codes for her type of adult assistance facility.
Prior to a vote on the permitting, Commissioner Wood commended Embrey, not only for her planned human services operation, but for initiating the permitting approval process by contacting Town officials to make sure she would be operating by all applicable Town codes. Wood soon seconded Commissioner Michael Williams motion for a recommendation of approval of the Special Use Permitting for the Abode of Liberation adult assistance lodging house to the Town Council. And when the roll-call vote reached him at 3-0 in favor, Wood enthusiastically added an “ABSOLUTELY Yes” final vote.
Prior to the Abode of Liberation public hearing the commission approved its Consent Agenda items for Advertisement for coming Public Hearings. The two items were:
- 2400250 – Rappahannock HC, LLC – A Rezoning Application requesting an amendment to the zoning map to reclassify 1321 Happy Creek Road, identified by Tax Map 20A21-2-4 from R-S, Suburban Residential District to R-1, Residential District.
- 2400294 – Mark Poe – A request for a Special Use Permit to allow a short-term rental located at 415 E. Main Street, identified by Tax Map 20A8-8-6. The property is zoned C-2, Downtown Business District and is located in the Historic Overlay District.
Post public hearing, Commissioner Williams opened Board Reports with an apology to the community and his fellow commissioners for what he termed “an inappropriate word” he had been alerted to the fact that he had used at a previous meeting. Williams said he had reviewed the meeting tape and was embarrassed to realize that a reactive comment to information presented to the commission had been picked up by his microphone, though it had not consciously been meant for public consumption. Commission Chair Marshner and Commissioner Wood both commended Williams for his public apology for his wording faux pas.
Commissioner Wood acknowledged his leaving the commission and thanked his fellow commissioners present and past for the opportunity to serve and learn with them. He pointed to a developing trend toward unanimous consensus by the commission on their recommendations to the Town Council as a sign of collective background research of proposals brought to them.
“We appreciate your service. And the commission has greatly benefited by your expertise and your manner of statesmanship. And we do appreciate that and you will be missed,” Chairman Marshner responded to Wood’s farewell remarks.
Town Planning Director Lauren Kopishke wrapped the meeting up with her monthly report for April. She cited 227 walk-ins by citizens in April: “To date this year we’ve had 954 citizens come into our office, not including phone calls that we receive,” Kopishke told the commission, adding, “In the month of April we issued 19 zoning permits, we had six new code enforcement instructions and six re-inspections, and we had nine property maintenance (re-inspections). And then we had six new sign permits and 14 new business licenses.”
Kopishke also gave what she termed a “slight update” on Zoning Ordinances related to a recent joint planning commission-town council meeting that resulted in staff edits to the codes on short-term rentals after discussion with the Town’s consultant, whom she observed she would be meeting with again the following day, May 16. She said Planning Department staff hopes to have a new draft Zoning Ordinance to the commission for review by the end of June.
Its business taken care of and farewells acknowledged, the 7 p.m. meeting adjourned at 7:21 p.m.
Click here to watch the Front Royal Planning Commission Meeting of May 15, 2024.
Local Government
Council Ponders Another Revenue Source for FREDA, Notes Sacrifices of FRPD Officers as Part of National Police Week
The Front Royal Town Council met in work session at 6:30 p.m., Monday, May 13, at Town Hall for discussion of several rather routine matters, most headed for consideration at the May 28th meeting as part of the Consent Agenda. Prior to getting to those items Mayor Lori Cockrell presented a Proclamation for council’s endorsement acknowledging National Police Week May 12 to 18. The holiday in remembrance of the sacrifices of law enforcement officers was begun by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, when he established Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15, which today has expanded to the week-long National Police Week remembrance.
Mayor Cockrell acknowledged two recent remembrances of local officers. Those were the recent naming of a bridge at South Street for former Town Police Officer Lt. William Patrick “Pat” Farrell and the earlier Commerce Street bridge renaming for FRPD Sgt. Dennis Smedley. Farrell was an FRPD officer from 1971 to 1982, when his early retirement was caused by declining health from an on duty incident in November 1977 when he was bitten and scratched by a suspect authorities did not know at the time was infected with Hepatitis B. Farrell eventually succumbed to Chronic Hepatitis on July 24, 1991, at the age of 43. As noted above, Council recently dedicated the South Street Bridge in Farrell’s name, as they had previously with the Commerce Street Bridge for Sgt. Smedley, killed in the line of duty in 1983.
Following the proclamation and remembrance of Officers Farrell and Smedley Council adjourned to Closed Session at 6:35 p.m. for an interview to fill a planning commission vacancy and discuss an item added at the work session’s outset. That was a personnel matter related to providing staff backup for Town Manager Joe Waltz, who is currently absent due to illness it was noted. Following the closed session adjournment at 7:30 p.m., as indicated in Amber Morris’s motion to add the item, Council unanimously authorized Finance Director B. J. Wilson to perform the duties of Town Manager in Waltz’s absence.
Perhaps the most interesting discussion of a series of budget and financial matters scheduled to come before Council in coming meetings was how to appropriate the expenditure of approximately $505,000 requested by Finance Director Wilson as part of a Budget Amendment “to account for revenues that exceeded FY24 budgeted amounts and to approve a FY24 Budget Transfer in the amount of $535,000 to allocate $515,000 (which it appeared was amended to $505,000 in a corrected agenda packet number by Wilson) in additional funds” to the FY24 budget. For while the staff agenda summary suggested that money be used “to advance the Town’s paving plan and to allocate $30,000 for Town Hall security” some Council members had other ideas as expressed beginning at the 19:05 mark of the linked Town video.
The idea of using those transferred funds to achieve established Council goals other than street maintenance initially came from Councilman Glenn Wood (addressing blighted, derelict buildings or creating a Deputy Town Manager’s position) and Vice-Mayor Wayne Sealock (funding additional FRPD officer positions) Councilwoman Morris commented that she liked the blighted building idea; however, it soon became apparent, with a twist (at the 29:28 video mark). That twist was committing the money to the Town’s unilaterally overseen Front Royal Economic Development Authority (FREDA, also known as the Business Development Board).
“I think we’ve looked at for a long time, since FREDA was propped up in 2019 or whenever it started … We haven’t had funds to fund FREDA. And I think a one-time funding mechanism to FREDA would generate year-over-year revenue back to the Town in dividends if we did it appropriately. So, instead of throwing money at something that would be completed one time and done, I think if we fund FREDA and let them loosen the reigns and can go to work, that could generate revenue in the budget for next year and all the years to come, which is what we’re looking to do.”
After some additional conversation Mayor Cockrell asked council’s preference in coming to an immediate decision to enable it to be voted on at the May 28th meeting, or forward it to the first June work session for additional discussion and a decision on which fiscal-year budget the appropriation would be included in. The consensus was to point to the early June work session and a decision that would facilitate the money’s commitment in the appropriate fiscal year budget depending on a final consensus on usage.
Other Business
Several of the other budgetary requests moved toward consideration at council’s May 28 meeting the Tuesday after the Memorial Day holiday, others toward June discussion and decisions. They included:
Item 3-A – FY24 Budget Amendment to Receive Funds for Electric Pole Stock Replacement. As noted in the staff agenda summary, Finance Director Wilson explained that council was being requested to “… approve a budget amendment for the Town’s Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget in the amount of $20,721.76. The Town has received $20,721.76 from Bright Speed to reimburse the Town for replacement of 22 electric poles. If approved, this budget amendment would offset the additional expense incurred by the Department of Energy Services for the pole replacements.”
In addition the staff summary notes: “Per the Pole Attachment Agreement between the Town of Front Royal and Bright Speed (formerly Century Link/Sprint), it is stipulated that in the event of the Town replacing one of Brightspeed’s poles with a Town stock pole, ownership of the pole transfers to Brightspeed. However, Brightspeed is obligated to provide the Town with a replacement stock pole. Regrettably, this practice has not been adhered to by Century Link in recent years, resulting in a shortfall of 22 poles owed to the Town. Following Brightspeed’s acquisition of the company, a decision was reached to address this discrepancy by invoicing Brightspeed for the expenses incurred by the Town for pole replacements – totaling $20,721.76.” The item was moved to the May 28 meeting for action.
Item 3-B – FY2023-2024 Write Off for Bad Debt – BJ Wilson/staff summary: Council is requested to approve the removal of 5 years or of outstanding accounts receivable (bad debts) totaling $48,897.84 (151 utility accounts) on the Town’s ledger for the remainder of fiscal year 2023-2024. Staff has identified the accounts as bad debt and uncollectible based upon the Bad Debt Policy approved by Town Council in March 2019 and statute of limitations.
It was further noted that, “Annually the Town of Front Royal bills approximately $30 million for utility service. The Town of Front Royal Department of Finance collects approximately 99% of the utilities billed annually before accounts are deemed uncollectible and written off.” So, the bad debts mark about one percent of the Town’s utility service. The previous three fiscal years of authorized bad debts were cited at: FY21 – $41,474.18; FY22 – $46,705.80; FY23 – $47,314.36, with the FY24 total of $48,897.84 pending approval, expected to be authorized at the May 28 meeting.
Item 3-D – FY24 Budget Amendment, Financing, & Purchase for Single Axle Vac Truck – BJ Wilson. The staff summary noted: “The Town’s FY25 adopted budget for sewer maintenance includes funding for an annual financing payment on a single axle vac truck. Council will be requested to approve the purchase of a new single axle vac truck; specifically, a Vaccon non cdl 3-yard unit, from Atlantic Machinery Inc. using the cooperative contracting via the Virginia Sheriff’s Association Heavy Equipment Procurement Program bid#24-05-0713 in the amount of $451,518.00. This new vac truck will replace unit#644 a 1993 Ford L8000 … Council will be requested to approve the purchase of a new single axle vac truck; specifically, a Vaccon non cdl 3-yard unit, from Atlantic Machinery Inc. using the cooperative contracting via the Virginia Sheriff’s Association Heavy Equipment Procurement Program bid#24-05-0713 in the amount of $451,518.00. This new vac truck will replace unit #644 a 1993 Ford L8000.” Item also appears headed to a vote May 28.
Under “New Business” council was informed by Finance Director Wilson in the absence of Town Attorney George Sonnett that the Town would be required, as it is annually along with all municipalities across the state, to bring its local traffic and vehicle laws into compliance with any changes at the State level. Staff recommended that Council approve advertisement for a public hearing at the June 22nd regular meeting, so the changes will be in place at the July 1 start of FY-2025.
The work session adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Click here to watch the May 13, 2024, Front Royal Town Council Meeting.
Local Government
Citing Tax Increase, 4-1 Supervisor Majority Selects Health Care Coverage Option Putting Increased Costs on Employees
As promised, Royal Examiner is following up on our lead story on the May 7th Warren County Board of Supervisors meeting on other actions and discussions. One topic added to the agenda at the meeting’s outset under “Additional New Business” was how the county government will absorb increases in its Employee Health Care coverage through United Health Care. Board Chairman Cheryl Cullers presented the agenda addition, which was approved unanimously.
And while the addition was made near the outset of the 7 p.m. meeting, the “Additional New Business” was the meeting’s final agenda item. So, it was two hours later (2:02:45 linked County video mark) when Assistant County Administrator Jane Meadows took the lead in presenting the options facing the supervisors to them. Meadows opened noting that for the coming Fiscal Year-2024/25 the County had received a 7.7% increased cost for Group Health, Dental, and Visual coverage, “along with a $40,000 premium holiday for the July bill.”
Meadows noted the board had been presented with two options in covering those increases. “Option A reflects the County absorbing the increase in the rates, and the employee contribution to the premium is remaining the same as premium year 2024.
“Option B reflects the portion of the increase being absorbed by the employees in the higher deductible $1,000-dollar plan and the preventive dental plan, and the County contributions being mirrored from the $1,000-dollar plan to the $250-dollar plan, as well for Comprehensive Dental,” Meadows said, noting that, “We are currently staying with the $1,000 and $250 deductible plans. And then the Comprehensive and Preventive Dental Plans are remaining the same. The Vision Plan did not change, the Vision Plan, the pricing for that was locked in for this year during our renewal previously.”
Meadows continued to point out that, “From the proposed FY-24/25 budget approximately $3.3 to .4 or .5 million dollars have been allocated for insurance premiums for our full-time employees. The estimated increase in the full costs for FY-25 versus FY-24 is $269,000. And that cost will vary depending on the number of participants in each plan.” Completing her summary, Meadows fielded board questions beginning at the 2:04:52 video mark.
Fork District Supervisor Vicky Cook began by verifying that the amount the County would absorb under Plan A was $69,000. Meadow confirmed that number. Cook then sighted the savings to the County from going with Plan B was about $45,000 of that $69,000 Option A cost to the county government to absorb its employees health care coverage cost hikes. Meadows again confirmed Cook’s reading of the material circulated to the board prior to the meeting.
The long story, made short is that a board majority found that $45,000 cost too high a price to place on county citizens as a whole in a year the board was raising taxes to cover its FY-2025 budget. That consensus was reached despite Meadows appearing to point out that the last several years of Cost of Living raises county employees received had not matched the inflation rate for across-the-board living expenses.
Asked by Vice-Chairman “Jay” Butler which option she recommended, Meadows replied, “Option A” further stating, “I feel that since we are still, with cost of living shifts, we are still below it. I feel personally, I was director of HR (Human Resources), I’m a little employee biased … I feel Option A would be greatly appreciated by our team. Option B of course, saves $45,000. Those are the options we are presenting to you, and that is the challenge for each of you,” Meadows observed.
Cook elicited an admission that over the past three years in the new health insurance carrier plan, the County had absorbed any increases because overall the coverage plan was saving the County money over other options.
There was extensive discussion and estimations of the number of employees affected by Option B (65 in high deductible group was cited) and their monthly and annual costs ranging in the neighborhood of $228 to $288 per year and $19 to $24 monthly. As the board approached a vote, North River Supervisor Richard Jamieson noted the pending tax increase to cover the Fiscal Year-2025 budget on the table (2:17:30 video mark). “Especially in a year where we’re raising taxes everybody takes a little bit on their shoulders,” Jamieson observed.
“I’m just not really comfortable with the idea of completely shielding — county employees are sort of like a different class from these realities. I’ll harken back to other people out in the economy that are struggling with, well, they’re going to get a tax increase, as are the employees. Who else is going to get their health insurance premiums going up?” Jamieson asked rhetorically.
He complemented Meadows on her background work; however, added that he thought it was “a relatively small slice” that employees were being asked to shoulder under Option B.
Finally the chairman sought a motion. Vice-Chairman Butler responded first, seeking approval of Option A with the County covering the increased health insurance costs. His motion died without a second. Cook then made the motion in support of Option B, which was seconded by Jamieson. That motion was approved by a 4-1 vote with only Butler dissenting. However, Chairman Cullers preceded her vote with a lengthy preface that it pained her to have to make the choice for the County not to absorb the Health Insurance increases, but with the financial variables before the board, including if we recall correctly its first tax increase in about 4 years, she would reluctantly support Option B. Before casting the final vote, John Stanmeyer also bemoaned the choice before the board, but also acquiesced to support of the $45,000 savings to the county budget that Option B would provide.
Other ‘New Business’
In other business the board approved the six public hearing requests following the opening one on the private school relocation to Rockland. Unlike that approval of the CUP for the John Paul the Great Montessori Academy to a portion of the former Bowling Green South Golf Course which had 14 speakers in support, all of the subsequent public hearings were approved without a dissenting vote and no public comment pro or con. Those final six public hearing topics will be listed at the end of this story.
A 12-item Consent Agenda was approved with two items removed for discussion. Those two items were a contract with TACS for the collection of delinquent county tax accounts, and the Awarding of contract with BFI Waste Services. Both were also approved after discussion.
Also under New Business, the Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearings of two items brought forward by planning and zoning staff were approved. Those items were:
- Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing: Z2024-04-01 – Campground – Michaun Pierre – A request to amend Chapter 180 of the Warren County Code to amend §180-8C to add definitions for Camping Unit and Tent, to modify the existing definitions of Commercial Campground and Commercial Camping, and to repeal the existing definitions of Unit Space, Vacation Camp, Day, and Vacation Camp, Overnight, to amend §180-21D to modify the listed Commercial Campground use and to repeal the listed Vacation Camp, Day/Overnight use in the Agricultural District Regulations, to amend §180-27D to modify the listed Commercial Campground use in the Commercial District Regulations, to amend §180-41 to modify the existing supplementary regulations for Commercial Campgrounds, and to amend §180-57 to repeal the existing supplementary regulations for Vacation Camp, Day or Overnight. – Summarized by Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator; and:
- Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing: Z2024-04-02 – Zoning District Regulations – Warren County Planning Staff – A request to amend Chapter 180 of the Warren County Code to amend §180-21 to make Public Schools permissible only by Conditional Use Permit in the Agricultural (A) District, to amend §180-25 to make Store/Dwelling Combination and Library permissible only by Conditional Use Permit in the Village Residential (VR) District, to amend §180-26 to add Church as a use permissible only by Conditional Use Permit in the Suburban Residential (SR) District, and to amend §180-28 to add Church as a use permitted by right in the Industrial (I) District. – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator.
The county supervisors May 7 meeting began at 6:30 p.m. with a Closed Session, the motion into reading: “I move the Board enter into a closed meeting under the provisions of Sections 2.2-3711(A)(8) for consultation with legal counsel pertaining to the process for the providing of funds for Business development”.
Approved Public Hearing items I through N
- Public Hearing: CUP2024-03-01 Joel Didriksen – A request for a conditional use permit for a Short-Term Tourist Rental. The property is located at 3017 Blue Mountain Road and identified on tax map 16A, section 1, block 1, lot 21. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and located in the Blue Mountain subdivision and in the Shenandoah Magisterial District.
- Public Hearing: CUP2024-03-02 Jennifer Wynn – A request for a conditional use permit for a ShortTerm Tourist Rental. The property is located at 703 Sunset Village Rd. and identified on tax map 27D, section 1, lot 9A. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and located in the Junewood Estates subdivision and the Fork Magisterial District.
- Public Hearing: CUP2024-03-04 Jack Donohue – A request for a conditional use permit for a Contactor Storage Yard. The property is located at (0) Winners Ct. and identified on tax map 5, lot 11B. The property is zoned Industrial (I) and located in the Walker-Brugh subdivision and the North River Magisterial District.
- Public Hearing – Lease Agreement of Hangar B17 to Andrew Gass at $350 per month.
- Public Hearing – Lease Agreement of Hangar A14 to Otis Blake Bacon at $350 per month.
- Public Hearing – Lease Agreement of 179 Stokes Airport Rd. at $350 per month.
Click here to watch the May 7th Warren County Board of Supervisors Meeting.
Local Government
Supervisors Approve CUP for Catholic Montessori School at Former Rockland Golf Course, hear Anti-Public School Tax Hike comments
The Tuesday, May 7th public hearing-focused regular meeting of the Warren County Board of Supervisors began with a one-two punch surrounding community schooling issues. The first “punch” was delivered by five of seven Public Comments speakers regarding non-agenda item issues, prior to the 7:30 p.m. cutoff time to public hearings. The final of those speakers, Megan Marrazzo had a long wait to make her case, as only the first six made it prior to the public hearing starting time.
Those five speakers, Cameron Williams, Richard Baker, Matthew Purdie, Anne Miranda, and Marrazzo urged the board not to approve any tax increases in support of county public schools. Several cited Supervisor Richard Jamieson’s April 30 Joint supervisors-school board budget work session comments on a developing lack of trust over a perceived lack of transparency or effective use of county funding to positive educational ends by public school officials. Local tax increases in support of county law enforcement and fire and rescue services was acceptable, if necessary, most of those speakers indicated, but not for county public schools as currently overseen, even though as Jamieson has acknowledged, a majority of the community’s children are still educated in public schools.
The first speaker to this topic following initial speaker Fern Vasquez’s questions about the status of a public restroom in Eastham Park, Cameron Williams (14:30 linked County video mark) set the tone against increased funding of Warren County Public Schools. He suggested, as others would, that Fire & Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office could be adequately funded without a tax increase, pointing the finger at public schools for responsibility for any tax increase. He cited an April 9th board meeting public speaker in making his case against additional funding for public schools this year and possibly into the future: “Mr. Purdie put it quite well at the April 9th hearing that ‘Warren County Public Schools have become a money pit that the County cannot get out of.’
“It’s about time that the public schools take a much-needed cut, and potentially even a funding freeze so that more necessary public resources can be funded and equipped. I don’t believe that public schools should receive another cent until there’s proof of improvement in enrollment and quality,” Williams told the supervisors, further asserting, “They do not need to be operating with such a large budget when there’s been a drastic decrease in enrollment, and increase in funding and plummeting test scores.” In closing, Williams pointed to ongoing disciplinary issues in public schools he stated could not be fixed with additional funding, coupled with the fiscal disciplinary issue facing the board of supervisors over the public schools budget request.
Private School permitting for Rockland location
The second educational issue addressed was the topic of the first public hearing convened (28:05 County video mark) following the Public Comments adjournment for the 7:30 p.m. start of public hearings, and was the focus of the great majority of a full house of spectators filling the Warren County Government Center main meeting room. That issue was the requested conditional use permitting to allow the relocation of the private John Paul the Great Montessori Academy to approximately 53 acres of the former Bowling Green South Golf Course.
Planning Director Matt Wendling Opened the public hearing with a summary of the Conditional Use Permit application. As noted in the staff-prepared agenda summary: “The applicant is requesting a conditional use permit for a private school to be located on what is currently the Bowling Green South Golf Course which has been closed since its recent purchase in 2023 by Helltown River Investments LLC. The school currently serves 141 students and has 20 full-time and 18 part-time employees and has a curriculum based on the Catholic Montessori approach as stated in their mission statement … The property is located at 768 Bowling View Road and identified on tax map 13 as lot 46D. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the Morrison Family subdivision in the Shenandoah Magisterial District.”
Wendling noted the school, which features an Agricultural curriculum, was established in 2020 and is currently located in Front Royal. “They currently have programs for pre-school children 3 days a week and elementary and middle school age children for 5 days a week. Their long-term plans are to expand to include toddlers and high school students and not to exceed enrollment of more than 200 students,” the planning director said.
It was noted that the County Planning Commission had unanimously forwarded a recommendation of approval with conditions as amended. Following applicant Noel Sweeney’s presentation of the application and school plans, 14 speakers, many parents with children attending the school, urged approval. The supervisors listened, and on a motion by John Stanmeyer and what appeared to be Supervisor Richard Jamieson edging Vicky Cook for the second, the board unanimously approved the CUP.
County achieves “Storm-ready designation”
Early in the meeting the board got a report on the County achieving a “National Weather Service Warren County Storm Ready Designation”. Fire & Rescue staffer Brian Foley introduced National Weather Service’s Chris Strong, who summarized the process Foley had been local liaison to in qualifying the County for the designation.
As the staff summary noted: “In early 2023 Warren County Fire and Rescue began working with the National Weather Service in Sterling, Virginia to become a Storm Ready Community. The National Weather Service approved our application on March 11, 2024. Storm Ready uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle all types of extreme weather-from tornadoes to winter storms. The program encourages communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations by providing emergency managers with clear-cut guidelines on how to improve their hazardous weather operations.” The board unanimously approved the “Storm-ready designation” for the years 2024 to 2028.
There will be a subsequent story on additional business conducted at the meeting.
Click here to watch the May 7th Warren County Board of Supervisors Meeting.
Local Government
Comprehensive Plan for Warren County Makes Critical Progress Under Planning Commission
In what was the focus of a work session for the county’s planning commission, beginning at 6 p.m. on May 8 and giving way to the commission’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. in the Warren County Government Center, chapters three and four of the developing comprehensive plan were considered for elements of design and content.
The plan faces several months of intense development and reworking with a hopeful release date in which it will become available to the public by September, an estimate given by Planning Director Matt Wendling. Although exactly when the plan will be released is a matter of give or take, Wendling used the opportunity to explain a future land use map depicting the Route 340/522 corridor, giving the commission members something to “chew on” over the next month. The corridor is a complex entity that may soon see the development of industrial use, commercial use, residential use, and negotiation of rural areas as well. If geography is destiny, this is a very appropriate conversation for the county commission to have in the spring of 2024.
At one point in the regular meeting, Wendling thanked Planner Kelly Wahl and Office Manager Allison Mutter for the hard work they have been doing to bring the comprehensive plan to completion. They have made significant progress in reformatting it and bringing the data together. “We hope that next month if everyone is here, we can finish chapter 4, and maybe we’ll hop into six, which is economic development,” Wendling said. In the future, the commissioners will have forwarded to them those items which have been reworked and will have the chance to give their input, via Wahl and Mutter who are assisting Wendling in this endeavor.
Chapter three of the comprehensive plan focuses on natural resources, while chapter four focuses on growth management and land use. “Characteristics of the natural environment affect development to varying degrees,” chapter three begins. “While some natural features encourage and enhance development, others correspondingly limit certain land uses and development intensity.” The rest of the chapter is a deep dive into the county’s natural features, ranging from the Shenandoah River and the mountains that bound the county to the implication of soil types for septic systems. Chapter four discusses land use types as they appear in the county with a tight focus on trends over the past decade or so, seeking how the county government can play a role in responsible development, preserving rural character, and respecting agricultural preservation.
Click here to watch the May 8th Planning Commission Meeting.
EDA in Focus
Joe Petty Verifies He is Leaving Warren County’s Director of Economic Development Position
The run of county government administrative departmental staff defections continues to expand with a notice on the Warren County website about “Job Opportunities” now including the County’s in-house Director of Economic Development. It is a position held by multi-faceted County staffer Joe Petty since the position’s creation in early 2022. Petty verified that he was hired to the in-house County EDA Director’s position on February 1, 2022. The position was created in the wake of the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority (FR-WC EDA, EDA) becoming unilaterally overseen by the County in the wake of the Town of Front Royal’s post-financial scandal withdrawal as it attempted to distance itself from financial liability for project costs or losses during the 2014-18 FR-WC EDA “financial scandal” time-frame under the EDA executive directorship of Jennifer McDonald.
Contacted about his departure, Petty verified that his last day will be Friday, May 17. “I’m happy to have been at the County for so long. I’m leaving on good terms. I have a new opportunity in the community, so, I’ll still be around. I’ll miss the people here,” he added of leaving the Warren County Government Center where he has been employed since January of 2018. His history with the Warren County government began the first month of 2018 when he was hired as Zoning Officer. In July 2019 he was promoted to Zoning Administrator and became Planning Director in April 2021, before being named Warren County’s first in-house Director of Economic Development in February 2022. He pointed out he initially held down double duty there, continuing his work with the Planning Department until Matt Wendling was hired as Planning Director in May of 2022.
The starting salary for the County Director of Economic Development and Tourism position is advertised at $93,308.80 “depending on qualifications and experience, with an excellent benefits package.”
Asked about his new opportunity locally, Petty declined comment, saying he would let the announcement come from the organization that was hiring him. Asked if we should call a historical or perhaps “heritage” society for that verification, Petty was non-committal. At publication we were still awaiting a return call from the Warren Heritage Society from someone in position to verify their pending hiring of a new director, or not.
Petty’s departure follows a growing list of lost administrative staffers and institutional knowledge beginning about six years ago in the wake of the pressured resignation of long-time County Administrator Doug Stanley, whom some thought was being scapegoated by a newly-elected board for a lack of preventative County EDA oversight regarding the “financial scandal”. Offered Stanley’s job, then long-time Deputy County Administrator Robert Childress declined, choosing rather to leave for employment elsewhere. Following Childress eventually to other employment opportunities, not necessarily higher-paying ones, have been County Attorney Dan Whitten, also long-tenured Planning Director Taryn Logan, Assistant County Attorney Caitlin Jordan, along with several finance directors over a relatively short period of time as the county government has dealt with the financial and litigation aftermath of the FR-WC EDA “financial scandal” circa 2014-2018.
For an interesting perspective on the financial aftermath of the EDA financial scandal, check Royal Examiner’s OPINION page for a new Letter to the Editor from recent former EDA Treasurer Jim Wolfe, who left the EDA board when his four-year term expired at the end of April.