Supervisors approve flurry of CUP requests, okay Marlow-Silek proffer amendments, and acknowledge new planning director

Despite five public hearings and two “unfinished business” matters, the latter requiring staff reports and board decisions on previously tabled items, a lack of public comment or opposition to those seven agenda items and minimal board discussion led to adjournment of the 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 20, Warren County Board of Supervisors meeting after less than an hour-and-a-quarter.

“Did we just hit a world’s record on that?” Board Chair Cheryl Cullers asked Board Clerk Emily Ciarrocchi of the 8:13 p.m. approval of Walt Mabe’s motion for adjournment.

Board Chair Cheryl Cullers was thrilled at the pace at which Tuesday’s five public hearing meeting agenda was conducted. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

And while the clerk’s immediate and perhaps grateful “Yes” may have been an exaggeration, the meeting certainly deserved recognition as a contender for efficient brevity on the world stage of 12-item municipal business agendas, plus staff and board reports. Included in those board and staff reports was acknowledgment of Zoning Administrator Joe Petty’s elevation to Planning Director in the wake of Taryn Logan’s recent promotion to Deputy County Administrator. Logan had been serving in both roles pending the decision on her replacement as planning director. See related County press release for additional information on Petty’s appointment.

Taryn Logan, addressing the board during last night’s meeting, will no longer have to pull double duty as Deputy County Administrator and Planning Director with the elevation of Zoning Administrator Joe Petty to head the Planning Department.

But back on the “world record” effort of the four supervisors present, minus Happy Creek’s Tony Carter, were post public hearing approvals of four Conditional Use Permit (CUP) requests for Short-Term Rentals by Frank O’Reilly; approval of a CUP for Private Use Camping by George Lombardi to round out the five public hearings; approval of a three-item Consent Agenda with one item removed by Interim County Administrator Ed Daley for public informational purposes; approval of that removed item notifying the public of an upcoming public hearing on approval of an ordinance “Delaying Penalties and Interest on Certain Local Taxes” to June 22 due to the I.T. issues the County has encountered in the wake of the software “intrusion” discovered in early March; approval of financial accounts; hearing of two public comments; and a presentation on a recommended change to the County’s Health and Dental coverage to United Enrollment from Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield forecast to save the County a little over $346,000.

The first of the previously tabled matters was a revisiting of the Marlow-Silek Proffer Amendments on a commercial property in the Route 340/522 North Corridor to facilitate a storage unit business to the rear of the property. After assurances that future road improvement plans would not be negatively impacted, the board approved the proffer amendment request by a 4-0 vote, on a motion by Mabe, seconded by Archie Fox.

The second “Unfinished Business” was consideration of a CUP request for a Short-Term Tourist Rental by Justin and Felicia Katzovitz on Liberty Hollow Road in the South River District. That request drew the only non-unanimous vote as Board Chair Cullers, the South River District’s supervisor, dissented on the 3-1 vote on Delores Oates motion, seconded by Archie Fox, for approval. Cullers did not appear satisfied with staff assurances that were all conditions attached to the permitting approval not met, particularly as they apply to access and egress to the property from Liberty Hollow Road, the Short-Term Rentals could not be initiated because the permitting would not be issued by the County to conduct the operation.

With the Katzovitz public hearing previously adjourned, one of two Public Comments speakers, James Pritchard, spoke against the CUP for the Liberty Hollow Road Short-Term Rental due to traffic and speed concerns on that road. Planning Department staff noted that the applicant had agreed to the mandated accessway alternations and would alert all guests once the business was up and running to “take extra caution while using Liberty Hollow Road and should drive no faster than 15 mph”. The staff summary noted a “statutory” speed limit of 35 mph on the road, which did not qualify for VDOT Rural Rustic Improvements because it did not meet the average minimum trips per day requirement of 50. Liberty Hollow Road’s average daily trip count is 40.

The other public speaker, Tom Wallenius, expressed concerns related to vehicular travel in and out of the county due to the designation of a Spotted Lanternfly-infested community. While he said he was not against efforts to control the infestation that is seen as a major threat to a variety of agricultural endeavors, he worried that some rules on having vehicles inspected or certified for travel in and out of the county could be somewhat “Draconian”.

“Frankly, that creeps me out – you’re going to have to have an authorization statement to drive out of here,” Wallenius said of his reading of implemented regulations. He wondered how it could impact, not only commuters, but tourists and the county as a tourist destination.

Chart of life cycle of the Spotted Lanternfly Warren County is now officially infested by. How restrictive will private vehicular travel in and out of the county be now, one citizen asked. The board agreed to seek answers.

Chairman Cullers called Wallenius’s concerns “valid” and suggested a future board work session to address exactly what the Spotted Lanternfly quarantine rules are and how they will be implemented on non-commercial, as well as commercial vehicles.

The board clerk read a third message into the meeting record commending the board for its denial of the Sheetz proposal at the foot of Apple Mountain in Linden. That message was signed by five citizens, Sara Sullivan, Stephanie Manuel, Deanne DePyper, Jackie Miller and Margaret Melberg.

See the linked County video of the meeting, which was live-streamed for the first time since the post-intrusion shutdown of much of the County’s software in early-mid March, for details on all these agenda actions, reports and concerns.