Other Matters of County Interest Tackled on February 17th by the Warren County Board of Supervisors

In addition to Samuels Public Library-related actions covered in our lead story on its meeting of February 17th, the Warren County Board of Supervisors faced seven other Public Hearings on a variety of permitting or rezoning issues. The board also approved a Consent Agenda, as amended, excluding the $100,000 funding for Samuel’s Library and the purchase of 68 desktop and 54 laptop computers by the Information Technology (IT) Department. As noted in our lead story, those two items were voted on singly following board discussion.

The movement of some Fiscal Year 2025/26 funding to Samuels Public Library was approved by a 4-1 vote, with Jamieson dissenting. Following an overview by IT Director Todd Jones, the IT Department’s computer purchase was approved by a 5-0 vote on a motion by Tony Carter, seconded by John Stanmeyer.

County IT Director Todd Jones explains the advisability of purchasing the necessary new computers now rather than later. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

The 6 p.m. meeting also followed a 5 p.m. work session that saw the presentation of Budget Requests of four more Outside Agencies that serve county residents. Those agencies, and their requests, are listed here. No action was taken on these requests, as at this point, it is work session material, which does not include board voting on topics heard.

1. Work Session
2. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Friends Of the Shenandoah River

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Friends of the Shenandoah River will present their FY 2027 Budget Request to the Board of Supervisors:

1. Mission Statement: The Friends of the Shenandoah River (FOSR) is a non-profit scientific organization committed to protecting and restoring the aquatic ecosystems of the Potomac and Shenandoah River watersheds. We achieve this by uniting scientific expertise with the dedication of volunteer citizen-scientists to monitor the health and quality of our rivers and streams.

COST & FINANCING: $15,000 – Requested

2. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Blue Ridge Legal Services

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: Blue Ridge Legal Services will provide its FY 2027 Budget Request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: Blue Ridge Legal Services is a non-profit charitable civil legal aid program providing free legal assistance in civil matters of critical importance to low-income residents of the Shenandoah Valley and Roanoke Valley … Our mission is premised on the recognition that the American ideal of “equal jutice for all” can be achieved only if we provide the poor meaningful access to our judicial system.

COST & FINANCING: $10,364 – Requested

3. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Blue Ridge Opportunities

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: Blue Ridge Opportunities will present its FY 2027 budget request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: Blue Ridge Opportunities strives to build foundations on which Individuals with disabilities can achieve success. Vision: Blue Ridge Opportunities envisions creating components of success for individuals with integrity through quality client-centered services and communication.

COST & FINANCING: $33,000 – Requested

4. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Access Independence

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: FY 27 Budget Presentation – Access Independence will present its FY 2027 Budget Request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: The Mission of Access Independence is to promote independent living by providing services that enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities living in Virginia’s Northern Shenandoah Valley.

Program services provided to our consumers include: Individual and Systems Change Advocacy – assistance in obtaining access to benefits, services, and programs.

Peer Mentoring – counseling, teaching, and information sharing provided to consumers by other people with disabilities.

Independent Living Skills Training – instruction to develop skills such as personal care, coping, financial and household management, and social skills.

COST & FINANCING:

$5,000 – Requested

Interim County Administrator Dr. David Martin, right, and County Attorney Jason Ham chat before opening of regular meeting in wake of budget work session convened nearly an hour earlier. By the meeting’s end, Martin had upped his time on the job from 12-and-a-half hours to just short of 17 hours.

Public Hearing items

Below is a list of Public Hearing items and the board actions on those items:

1. CUP2024-12-02 – Rural Resort Center – (0) Rivermont Drive (TM #27——–19) – A request for a conditional use permit for a Rural Resort Center. The properties are located at 137 Lee Burke Road and 0 Rivermont Drive and are identified on tax map 27 as lots 19 and 21. The properties are zoned Agricultural (A) and are located in the Fork Magisterial District. – Staff Report Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator:

On a motion by Tony Carter, seconded by Richard Jamieson, approved by a 4-0 vote. Hugh Henry abstained due to past and possible future business opportunities in the area.

2. 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”. – Staff Report Kelly Wahl, Planner:

After an interesting discussion on concerns about enclosures and the potential of bee stings without proper spacing and enclosures, on a motion by Supervisor Stanmeyer, seconded by Supervisor Carter, the motion was approved by a 5-0 vote.

3. 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:

On a motion by Supervisor Henry, seconded by North River District’s Richard Jamieson, approved by a 5-0 vote.

Earlier in the meeting, Chairman Cullers may have wondered whether a portion of the sizeable crowd had turned its back on all of them, or just on Supervisor Jamieson, far right, reading his board report justifying his actions regarding the defunding and separation of the County from its long-term Samuels Public Library.

4. 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:

After listening to extensive Public Hearing comments, including those from concerned neighbors on traffic and road access issues, Tony Carter made a motion to approve the permitting. However, Carter explained that he did not support the permitting but felt presenting the matter for a negative vote was a “cleaner” way for the board to approach the item. After a second from Hugh Henry, the motion to approve was defeated by a unanimous 5-0 vote, including Carter’s.

5. 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:

On a motion by Henry, seconded by Jamieson, the Conditional Use permit was approved by a 5-0 vote.

6. 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:

Following a motion to approve by Henry, seconded by Jamieson, the Zoning Text Amendment request was defeated by a 3-2 vote, with Chairman Cullers, Vice-Chair Carter, and Supervisor Stanmeyer joining to defeat the requested zoning changes.

7. Sale of County-Owned Real Property located at 0 Hillidge Street, Front Royal, VA 22630 – Alisa Scott, Finance Director:

After extensive discussion on the price, size, and potential future uses of the rather small parcel off Commerce Avenue, on a motion by Carter, seconded by Henry, the matter was unanimously tabled for any action until March 17.

8. Ordinance Repealing Chapter 7 for the formation of a Warren County Library Board: See our accounting of approval of this item in our lead story on the February 17 meeting. In case you haven’t read it yet, the repeal of the enabling Chapter 7 creating ordinance was approved by a 3-1, with one abstension, vote. Cullers, Carter, and Henry voted for the repeal of the appointed Library Board ordinance, Jamieson for it, with Supervisor Stanmeyer abstaining from the vote.

Much of the crowd may have left after the vote authorizing the transfer of $100,000 from the existing FY-26 Budget, but the supervisors had additional business to take care of before adjourning.

Consent Agenda

Excluding removed items I – 8, Purchase of 68 Desktops and 54 Laptop Computers, and I -9, Resolution – Amending Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget and Appropriating funds to Samuel’s Library, Incorporated, the following Consent Agenda items not removed for discussion and individual action were approved by a 5-0 vote on a motion by Supervisor Stanmeyer, second by Hugh Henry:

I – 1. 2026 Emergency Medical Care and Transport Fee Schedule Changes

I – 2. Appointment of an Interim Planning Director

I – 3. Appointment of an Interim County Administrator — Dr. David Martin

I – 4. Axalta Confidential Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release

I – 5. Citizen Appointment – Sean Newman to the Warren County Board of Zoning Appeals, Fork District – Hugh Henry

I – 6. Designation of Floodplain Administrator – Kelly Wahl approved

County Planner Kelly Wahl and Zoning Administrator Chase Lenz delivered staff reports on 6 public hearing matters. Wahl was later authorized to take on some extra duties, at least temporarily, as part of the Consent Agenda.

I – 7. Designation of Zoning Administrator – Kelly Wahl approved

I – 10. Resolution – Ending Local (snow-related transportation) Emergency – Brian Foley

I – 11. Resolution(s) — Opposition to Proposed House Bill 1374 & 1377:

We found this item concerning a matter of statewide interest worthy of a little elaboration from the agenda packet:

The following resolutions are respectfully submitted for consideration by the County Board of Supervisors and urge formal opposition to HB1374 and HB1377, introduced during the 2026 Session of the Virginia General Assembly. If enacted, these measures would materially alter the governance structure, independence, and continued public status of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), an institution that has operated pursuant to long-established statutory authority and historical practice since its founding in 1839.

“Although the Virginia Military Institute is located within a specific locality, its mission, governance, and public role are matters of statewide significance. Actions taken by the General Assembly with respect to such institutions necessarily extend beyond local boundaries and may affect counties across the Commonwealth through precedent, policy, residents who attend VMI, and the expectations upon which local governments rely when carrying out their statutory responsibilities.

Under Virginia’s system of local governance, counties must operate within defined statutory authority while planning and making long-term decisions, relying on the stability of state law and established institutional structures. Legislative actions that substantially alter the governance frameworks of long-standing public institutions, absent compelling necessity or demonstrated institutional failure, raise concerns about reliance interests and the cumulative impact such actions may have on counties statewide.”

The board remained attentive during the nearly 3-1/2 hour meeting that followed the nearly one-hour budget work session. Below, the Interim County Administrator and County Attorney also remained available as needed on Tuesday evening.

And back to matters of local Consent Agenda interest:

I – 12. Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing – CUP2026-01-02 – Accessory Dwelling Unit (Detached) – 82 Pilgrims Way – A request for a conditional use permit for an accessory dwelling unit (detached). The property is located at 82 Pilgrims Way and is identified on tax map 34 as lot 3CA. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the South River Magisterial District. – Chase Lenz, Zoning Administrator:

I – 13. Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing – CUP2026-01-01 – Short-Term Tourist Rental – 927 Bowling Green Road – A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 927 Bowling Green Road and is identified on tax map 13D, section 3, block 3, as lot 14. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and is located in the Shenandoah Magisterial District. – Kelly Wahl, Planner:

And that will be a wrap on our listing of non-Samuels Public Library and related matters at the work session and meeting of the county’s elected officials on February 17.

See the County video for additional details on any of the above matters.