Town Council Approves Special-Use Permit to Construct Multi-Family Apartments on East Criser Road

In keeping with the Town’s comprehensive plan, which imagines a wide range of housing options contributing to Front Royal’s vision as a lifelong community where people of all ages and stages in life can meet their housing needs, including single-family homes to apartments above downtown stores, the Front Royal Town Council approved a special-use permit to construct multi-family apartments on East Criser Road on the evening of Monday, December 9, in a meeting beginning at 7 p.m. in the Warren County Government Center at 220 North Commerce Avenue. The vote to greenlight this project passed unanimously.

The Front Royal Town Council sits in anticipation of a regular meeting on the evening of Monday, December 9. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

The special-use permit application was submitted by Surber Development and Consulting LLC for multi-family apartments containing ninety units in two separate three-story apartment houses with a maximum height of forty-five feet, located on a vacant parcel off East Criser Road. Although a traffic analysis was not required, Surber conducted one nonetheless and discovered that the development would increase traffic by an additional four hundred nine vehicles per day during the weekdays and that while no left-turn lane is warranted for the development, a right-turn lane is required consisting of a one-hundred-foot taper and one-hundred-foot deceleration lane with minimum twenty-five-foot return radii. Councilwoman Amber Veitenthal thanked the applicant for going the extra mile by having the traffic analysis executed.

After leading the gathering in the pledge of allegiance, Reese Schurtz stands with Mayor Lori Cockrell to receive a gift certificate and a certificate of appreciation for her patriotism.

With proximity to Samuels Public Library, a park, trails, and the shopping plaza in which Rural King and Martins are located, as well as the elementary school, this location is ideally suited for the type of affordable housing Surber is offering. Staff recommended approval. “Given this site’s proximity to trails, walkability, services and potential employment,” the recommendation to the planning commission reads, “this is the ideal site for high density residential uses.” Although a percentile of the lot is in the floodplain, there is sufficient dry space where the two apartment houses can be built. The zoning of the lot is split between the majority which is C-1, Community Business District, and a small portion which is R-3, Residential District. The planning commission recommended the application to the town council for approval with the condition that the small portion zoned R-3 be used exclusively for the purpose of ingress and egress.

The council recognizes Jon J. McDonald, Sr., as he retires from the Horticulture Department. McDonald stands fourth from right.

The applicant was present to break down in granular detail the outline of Surber’s rent control plan and to answer other questions from the council. It was established that Surber has a vision for servicing people with disabilities and that they also have a program for management and maintenance that will keep the premises under close, daily supervision. As this project goes forward, the special-use permit is a step in a series of steps, including a site plan, that will bring the development back to the council for further consideration. That process will naturally address some of the concerns that the council may have going forward. During the public hearing, only one person spoke, Warren County Planning Director Matt Wendling, speaking in the capacity of a citizen with expertise. He affirmed that this project is in keeping with the county’s comprehensive plan, and that its location is one of the areas that the plan identifies as an urban development area.

The council recognizes Jerome Ray for his service on the Advisory Committee for Environmental Sustainability. Ray stands fifth from right.

Councilman Glenn Wood, who ran on a platform that was in part dedicated to affordable housing, spoke warmly of the project, which he sees as an opportunity for people living in hotel rooms to take the next step in terms of pulling themselves up and standing on their feet. Councilman Bruce Rappaport also underlined the crucial need that Surber is addressing. At the same time, Veitenthal identified a need for housing that is not capped by rent control, which prices out many of the people who are using Front Royal as a bedroom community and are perhaps transitioning as they consider what to do next. She hopes to see affordable housing for that demographic in future developments. Mayor Lori Cockrell, who ran on a platform that was in part dedicated to preserving the small-town charm of Front Royal, acknowledged that there have been concerns raised about this development, but those concerns are being addressed.

The council recognizes Eric Seuss in his promotion to captain in the Front Royal Police Department. Chief Brian Whited, fourth from right, stands beside Captain Seuss

Other items addressed that evening were a short-term rental, utility disconnection policy in relationship to an ordinance amendment, an ordinance amendment to extend a public passenger bus service franchise agreement for five years, an FY25 budget amendment and budget transfer, the passing of the consent agenda, and two applications for out-of-town water and septic service in the corridor for industrial use. In his report, Town Manager Joe Waltz explained that the Town will be closing its business offices Wednesday starting at 11:30 a.m. to allow employees to enjoy a holiday lunch together, and as a result, the Town will not be collecting yard waste this week as it normally would on Wednesday but will reopen on Thursday morning for normal business. After reports were made and all other business attended to, the council went into closed session.