Mayor built fence prior to obtaining zoning permit – is a pattern emerging?

Town of Front Royal Mayor Chris Holloway, a builder by trade, apparently failed to obtain a permit late last year before constructing a new fence on his Virginia Ave. property. According to documents obtained from the Town via a Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, Royal Examiner has learned Holloway began constructing the fence prior to obtaining the necessary permit from the Town’s Planning and Zoning Department, netting him a fine doubling his permitting costs.

A permit for the project was issued by the Town on Dec. 7, 2021.  The project description is noted as “6-foot fence along south side of property” and “scalloped picket fence on eastern portion of parcel, 4-feet tall.” A notation on the permit states that Holloway was charged $25* for the permit, as well as an additional $25* for building the fence, due to “work being done without zoning permit.” (* Correction – incorrectly was stated $125 )

Two photos of start of fencing work at rear of Chris Holloway property, show scope of project – you need a big fence around portions of a big yard for big dogs. Courtesy Photos

As indicated by a town planning commission-initiated investigative report, last year Holloway’s construction company, Chris Holloway Construction, Inc., with the assistance of Town Manager Steven Hicks, obtained permitting for a non-conforming six-unit townhouse project on Steele Street outside normal planning department procedures. Absent before what several staff reported as perceived pressure to sign off on the mayor’s project (sometimes in his presence) was approval of a proposed private subdivision road far narrower than town zoning regulations require. It is so narrow, in fact, that the subdivision road reportedly would not accommodate Town garbage trucks or larger apparatus fire trucks.

In the wake of the 20-page report prepared by the soon-thereafter retired Town Attorney Doug Napier, the Front Royal Planning Commission reversed its earlier flawed process recommendation, calling for denial of the project initially approved by council on September 27, 2021, based on the commission’s earlier recommendation.

Mayor Holloway’s new fence construction began following a Nov. 28 citation from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office for one count of dogs running at large, which carries a $200 penalty. According to the incident report from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Holloway’s loose dogs had resulted in several prior citizen calls. He was issued a summons to appear on the Warren County General District Court’s Jan. 12 criminal docket at 10 a.m. (See Related Story: New fencing up, Holloway’s ‘Dog Day’ in court ends with dismissal and payment of court costs)

Following the Royal Examiner’s reporting of the dog incident, which happened in the vicinity of his Virginia Ave. and Academy Drive home, Holloway has taken to social media to excoriate Royal Examiner, its publisher, Mike McCool, and this reporter.

Additionally, noting he was speaking as a “private citizen” in a somewhat less than mayoral social media manner, Holloway has made several public defamatory statements towards Cheryl Langlais, a local massage therapist, because it was her call for help when intimidated by the mayor’s two large mastiffs. In several Facebook posts the mayor has referred to Ms. Langlais’ home-based business as a “massage parlor” and insinuated that she was operating outside normal massage therapy parameters. Holloway and his Facebook-posted “In a relationship with” girlfriend have made posts that identified Ms. Langlais’ address, and in at least once instance, her home phone number.

Langlais told Royal Examiner she was so rattled by Mayor Holloways’ perceived attempts to intimidate her, which she said included him recording video of her outside her home, that she had a local attorney draw up a no-trespass notice. Langlais mailed the notice to Holloway by certified mail, but the mayor refused to accept the letter. She was not deterred by that refusal; Langlais had the trespass notice served to Holloway at Monday night’s (Jan. 10) council work session.

A few citizens who noted the mayor’s social media attacks have even suggested that Holloway resign from his office for what they interpreted as implied threats.