Marshall’s Glen Development Progresses by an Increment at Agenda Heavy Town Council Meeting

At the beginning of their Monday, April 28 monthly, regular meeting, the Town Council took a moment to recognize the presence of the new town manager, Joseph Petty, who sat on the dais for the first time at a meeting in which public hearings are held and votes are transacted. Mayor Lori Cockrell expressed her pleasure in having him on board and said she looks forward to what she hopes will be a long tenure with him. Later in his report, Petty expressed his enthusiasm for the new job as well as his gratitude to everyone in Town government who is making his learning curve easier. The evening began in earnest with recognitions and proclamations and then progressed to public hearings of which there were five, several entailing a lengthy segment of presentation and discussion.

The Town Council is ready to conduct its monthly regular meeting on the evening of Monday, April 28. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

First considered was an application for special-use permit for a proposed multi-family apartment complex on a vacant parcel zoned commercial off Royal Lane. The complex would include thirty-six units and could potentially be resolved into owner-occupied condominiums which the Planning Director and Zoning Administrator Lauren Kopishke explained is a matter of ownership and does not fall within the realm of what planning and zoning regulates on a land-use basis. The consensus on the council is that these apartments would address a critical need for housing in the community. The problem is that Royal Lane has only one entrance and exit where it intersects with John Marshall Highway and there is a very real public fear, which has been taken seriously by Town government, that what is already a difficult intersection will become significantly more congested if this use is allowed. At prior work sessions, the council has brainstormed possible solutions with advisement from planning and zoning. They finally settled on a combination of striping and lane dedications that would give greater confidence to vehicles turning left off Royal Lane onto John Marshall Highway.

Elijah (L) and Isaiah Tewalt stand with the mayor after having led the gathering in the pledge of allegiance, receiving recognition and gift certificates in thanks for their patriotism.

The applicant has offered to cover the expense of that intersection transformation. There is also a vision for potentially connecting Royal Lane to Remount Road in which exigency the applicant will surrender the appropriate right-of-way. In the discussion, Councilman Joshua Ingram pointed out that as the property is zoned commercial, what could technically be built by right would generate even more traffic than the proposed residential use. While pessimistic about the future success of the striping method, he nevertheless voted in favor in a vote that passed 4-1 with Councilman Bruce Rappaport dissenting and Councilman Wayne Sealock abstaining.

Fifth from right in blue, Cullin Oldland is recognized by the council for obtaining his Class 1 Water Works Operators License. Director of Public Works Robbie Boyer stands beside him to the left.

The next item concerned a special-use permit that never happened. Thus, the non-conforming nursing facility under the auspices of Heritage Hall XIII, LLC, at 400 West Strasburg Road, for which a permit was never secured at the facility’s commencement in the 1980’s, now requires a permit to justify that already existing facility as Heritage Hall wishes to expand it. Amid concerns expressed by a neighbor about drainage issues, Councilwoman Melissa DeDomenico-Payne expressed concern about making certain the facility is properly staffed so that each resident receives proper attention and care. What she wants to avoid is what she called the warehousing of individuals. Sealock is intimately familiar with the Heritage Hall facility and says that is certainly not the case here. The concern DeDomenico-Payne raises goes directly to the question of what the government should regulate. Could staffing at a nursing home, like the needlessness of seventeen vape shops, be something in which local government has a voice? That question hovered in the air as the motion to approve the permit passed unanimously.

Police promotions receive recognition from the council. Captain Dave Fogle stands third from left with Sergeant Scott Baker immediately to the right, followed two to the right by Chief of Police Brian Whited who stands next to Officer Andrew Pavlish and Officer Brook Duvall, behind whom stands Corporal Zack Wallace.

Next in the sequence of public hearings was the request of Rappahannock HC, LLC, for a special exception to allow narrower roads at the Marshall’s Glen development which is close to the intersection of Leach Run Parkway with Happy Creek Road. The developer proposed a reduction from the thirty-six-foot width required by Town code to twenty-nine with parking on one side. Residents on Oden Street who will be affected by the traffic this development generates have expressed concern about the safety of their children. It became evident in the public hearing that the developer has spoken to the neighbors and assured them that he will install speed tables on Oden Street to offset the safety concern. This piece of the puzzle was not evident to the council, as they did not discuss it in their work sessions. Councilwoman Amber Veitenthal urged her colleagues to vote in favor of leaving the hearing open and taking this item back to a work session so that language could be developed making the speed tables a condition of approval. However, a motion passed 4-2 in favor of approving the exception.

Two Main Street businesses have opted to handle their trash collection privately, an issue going back to last year when a new set of rates was implemented for solid waste collection in the Main Street Solid Waste Service Area. The opt out wherein both establishments will own private solid waste containers located on Town property was approved unanimously by the council. Finally, they voted 5-1 in favor of keeping real estate and personal property tax rates steady with Councilman Glenn Wood dissenting. During discussion he shared his rationale in which he acknowledges the value of not raising tax rates but at the same time he sees the various needs Front Royal has that will not be solved cheaply. He referenced the roughly $400,000 the Town has recently collected from speed cameras in school zones and indicated that the proper husbandry of resources like that could make a difference. DeDomenico-Payne highlighted the fact that budgeting is still ongoing and therefore the allocation of funds to needed projects is still possible.

The consent agenda being passed and reports of the town manager, council members, and mayor being made, the council proceeded to go into a closed meeting.