County Supervisors Approve 7 Public Hearing Matters Following Public Input and Thank Fire & Rescue for Royal Cinemas Response

In addition to the proposed Zoning Text Amendment allowing one rooster to be added to backyard chicken possession in Residential-One (R-1) districts featured in our lead story on the Board of Supervisors meeting of January 20th, the Warren County Board of Supervisors faced a multi-faceted agenda. That agenda included 7 public hearings: 4 on Short-Term Rental Conditional Use Permit (CUP) applications, 1 on a Commercial Rezoning proposal, and 1 on a CUP to facilitate development of a contractor storage yard.

Both of the latter two sites are on the county’s north side and align with the County’s Comprehensive Plan for future tax-generating commercial development in the county’s north corridor.

The county’s elected officials listened to public input, which was quite a bit on various agenda items. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

But before hitting those items and an 11-item Consent Agenda from which two items were pulled for additional information, the board faced its first meeting since its vote to restore all Public Comments on agenda and non-agenda items to one session early in the meeting, given a 60-minute time limit prior to the start of public hearings and other New or Unfinished Business items. Five citizens took advantage of the opportunity introduced by Chairman Cheryl Cullers (at the 2:37 mark of the linked County video) without having to sit through nearly the entire meeting to address non-agenda items. And with the meeting going just over 3 hours and 27 minutes, we’re sure non-agenda item speakers were grateful for the change many saw as an effort to stem public criticism of the former board majority’s handling of the Samuels Public Library issue.

Lewis Moten spoke to a number of topics at Tuesday’s meeting, including one during the now-reunited agenda and non-agenda items Public Comments early in the meeting. Below, the board also expressed gratitude for the limited damage at the Royal Cinemas fire scene due to the County Emergency Services response.

Also, during member reports, the board acknowledged and thanked the County’s Fire & Rescue Department, as well as outside assisting agencies, for the response to the Royal Cinemas fire of January 18. Chairman Cullers acknowledged that, unlike a previous historical fire that destroyed many downtown buildings, some of which were never replaced, this fire was contained within the originating structure, which was NOT destroyed.

Below, we will trace the meeting agenda packet’s description of the agenda matters and the board’s votes on those proposals.

1. E) 7:30 PM – Public Hearings
2. CUP2025-11-01 – Short-Term Tourist Rental – 422 Bowman Hollow Road – A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 422 Bowman Hollow Road and is identified on tax map 3C as lot 24B. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the North River Magisterial District. – Staff summary, Kelly Wahl, Planner.

On a motion by Hugh Henry, the item was approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote.

2. CUP2025-11-02 – Short-Term Tourist Rental – 3221 Freezeland Rd – A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 3221 Freezeland Road and is identified on tax map 23E, section 1, as lot 9. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and is located in the Shenandoah Magisterial District. – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator

On another motion by Fork District’s Henry, this one passed on a split 3-2 vote, with Chairman Cullers and John Stanmeyer dissenting.

3. CUP2025-11-03 – Short-Term Tourist Rental – 137 Wendy Hill Road – A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 137 Wendy Hill Road and is identified on tax map 15D, section 2, block 5, as lot 124A. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and is located in the Shenandoah Magisterial District. – Kelly Wahl, Planner

Again, on a Hugh Henry motion, this item was approved by a 5-0 vote.

4. CUP2025-11-04 – Contractor Storage Yard – 444 Baugh Drive – A request for a conditional use permit for a contractor storage yard for the property located at 444 Baugh Drive and identified on tax map 12G, section 2, block 1, as lot 10A. The subject property is zoned Industrial (I) and is located in the North River Magisterial District. – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator

After some discussion and public input, on a motion by North River District’s Richard Jamieson, the item was approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote.

5. CUP2025-11-05 – Short-term Tourist Rental – 347 Riley Court – A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 347 Riley Court and is identified on tax map 15E, section 4, block 4, as lot 58. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and is located in the Shenandoah Magisterial District. – Kelly Wahl, Planner

On a motion by Henry passed by a 5-0 vote.

6. R2025-08-01 – Rezoning from Residential-One (R-1) to Commercial (C) – Tax Map #12A–1-9—1B (8363 Winchester Road) – A request to amend the Warren County Zoning Map to rezone tax map #12A–1-9—1B from Residential-One (R-1) to Commercial (C). – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator

Again approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote.

1. I) Consent Agenda

The 11-item Consent Agenda, as amended with items 1 and 2 pulled for discussion, was approved without dissent.

Pulled item I-1, Committee Assignments, was approved as amended by the chairman without dissent.

County Finance Director Alisa Scott summarized one item from the pulled Consent Agenda, a “Request for Proposals for Software and Implementation Services…” Her summary must have been a good one, as the item was approved unanimously despite its cost.

And Item I-2, Request for Proposals for Software and Implementation Services for an Enterprise Resource Planning Financial Software Systems Environments, was also approved unanimously after a staff summary by Finance Director Alisa Scott.

The other 9 Consent Agenda items were approved without additional discussion. They included:

3. New Road Naming Request for properties accessed off of Stonewall Jackson Highway. – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator, Cory Griffith, GIS Coordinator
4. New Road Naming Request for Properties Accessible from Sadlick Road. – Cory Griffith, GIS Coordinator, Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator
5. Emergency Operations Plan – Brian Foley – Brian Foley, Cost Recovery Manager
6. Citizen Re-Appointment – M.W. Robinson III to the Warren County Board of Zoning Appeals, North River District – Richard Jamieson, Board of Supervisors – North River District
7. Authorization to Advertise for a Public Hearing – Z2025-09-01 – Zoning Text Amendments for Backyard Beekeeping – An ordinance to amend Chapter 180 of the Warren County Code (zoning ordinance) to amend the district regulations for the Residential-One (R-1) zoning district to add “backyard beekeeping” as an accessory use permitted by right and to add supplementary regulations for “backyard beekeeping”. – Kelly Wahl, Planner
8. Authorization to Advertise for a Public Hearing – CUP2025-12-02 – Short-Term Tourist Rental – 3151 Freezeland Road – A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 3151 Freezeland Road and is identified on tax map 23E, double circle 1, as lot 10B. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and is located in the Shenandoah Magisterial District. – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator
9. Authorization to Advertise for a Public Hearing – CUP2025-12-03 – Building Service Establishment – 0 Strasburg Road (TM #10L–2—–2) – A request for a conditional use permit for a building service establishment. The property is located at (0) Strasburg Road and is identified on tax map 10L, section 2, as lot 2. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the North River Magisterial District. – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator
10. Authorization to Advertise for a Public Hearing – CUP2025-12-04 – Short-Term Tourist Rental – 48 Pineview Drive – A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 48 Pineview Drive and is identified on tax map 13A, section 4, block 7 as lot 3. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the Shenandoah Magisterial District. – Kelly Wahl, Planner
11. Authorization to Advertise for a Public Hearing – Z2025-12-01 – Zoning Text Amendments to Modify Front Setback Requirements in the Residential-One (R-1) and Residential-Two (R-2) Zoning Districts – An ordinance to amend Chapter 180 of the Warren County Code to amend the yard requirements for corner lots and accessory structures and to amend the zoning district regulations for the Residential-One (R-1) and Residential-Two (R-2) zoning districts to modify the front yard setback requirements. – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator