Town government races to facilitate a May burial of Dynamic Life Pastor Carlton Rogers on his church property

At a Special Meeting called for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 1, the Front Royal Town Council took care of one housekeeping matter and re-launched a zoning amendment effort to facilitate a late minister’s burial on his church property. First on the agenda was correcting the motion adopting an equalized real estate tax of 10-cents per $100 of assessed value, down 3 cents from the existing rate, and maintaining the 64-cent per $100 of assessed value for personal property in the coming calendar, not fiscal, year.

The original motion stated that the newly approved rates would go into effect on the first day of the coming fiscal year 2023/24, which is July 1. The altered motion states, “This ordinance shall become effective upon passage,” as it applies to the calendar year. On a motion by Amber Morris, seconded by Vice-Mayor Wayne Sealock, the motion to fix what Mayor Lori A. Cockrell called “a little glitch” in the original motion was corrected.

The other special meeting matter was convening a public hearing on consideration of an ordinance amendment “to Chapter 175 to Amend the Definition of ‘cemetery’ and add ‘churchyard’ to 175-3; add ‘cemetery’ as a use by special use permit in the Residential District (R-3) to 175-30 and to add supplemental provisions for cemeteries in Residential District (R-3) by special use permit to 175-107.4.” As previously reported that matter came to council due to Dynamic Life Praise and Worship Center’s desire to facilitate the burial of its late minister and co-founder Pastor W. Carlton Rogers on the fairly expansive church property.

Five people addressed council in support of the zoning amendment request, including attorney Joseph D’Arezzo representing Dynamic Life, the pastor’s widow Elvi Rogers, two former councilmen, Tom Sayre and Gary Gillispie, and Sarah Kessler, a member of the congregation citing the positive impact the late pastor had on her life. Council continued to express unanimous support of the request.

At podium to upper right, speakers from the Dynamic Life church community urging approval of a zoning amendment request to facilitate the burial of Pastor and co-founder W. Carlton Rogers included his widow, Elvi Rogers, and below, parishioner Sarah Kessler. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

Following a motion to approve the ordinance amendment as presented by Ms. Morris (15:40 mark of video), seconded by Bruce Rappaport, discussion indicated a time frame pointing to a 10-to-14-day turnaround for both council and the planning commission to complete a review and voting process. While the hope was to have a council vote of approval on its May 22 meeting agenda, the possibility of a delay into June, or “worst-case scenario” as Mayor Cockrell called it, the first meeting of July, was noted.

But in an effort to have final action on May 22, the church as applicant for the zoning amendment, was instructed to present the necessary paperwork for that ordinance amendment request to the council clerk and planning director by the following day, Tuesday, May 2. It was explained that if both departments got their meeting agenda advertisements out by May 2, there would be a chance of the matter coming to council on May 22, in the wake of a planning commission special meeting action on or around May 16.

The municipal governmental race to facilitate final approval of the ordinance amendment allowing church cemeteries in R-3 zones by May 22, could be as interesting a race as this Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, with favorite Forte likely to see some traffic jams out of the 15th post position in a 20-horse field. But back in the northern Shenandoah Valley from the “bluegrass state” Churchill Downs racetrack, past questions expressed about the zoning amendment request have involved potential impacts on nearby residential properties of churches that might eventually seek to establish more wide-ranging cemetery plots on existing parcels, some likely with less property than Dynamic Life has to facilitate such action. Such variables are why council is proposing the use by special use permitting, allowing review of each request based upon circumstances specific to that request.

RACING UPDATE: A release from Council Clerk Tina Presley at 1:51 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, May 2, indicates the required paperwork to facilitate advertising for the desired May 22 action was received. The release states: “The Mayor has called a Special Meeting on Monday, May 22, 2023 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Warren County Government Center Board Room to hold a Joint Public Hearing with the Planning Commission on a Special Use Permit for a cemetery located at 1600 John Marshall Highway. The regular Council meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m.”

Council, with Clerk Tina Presley at near right, ponder dynamics of facilitating a May 22 vote, likely unanimous for approval, of a zoning amendment that will allow the burial of Dynamic Life Praise & Worship Center Pastor and co-founder W. Carlton Rogers on church property.

Following adjournment of the special meeting Monday evening, council convened to a work session at 6:53 p.m. A story on that work session, featuring discussion of the future of economic development strategies in the Town of Front Royal and Warren County and a review of the 128-lot subdivision, NVR Saddle Crest rezoning proffers on the property of Tom and Carla Sayre, will be forthcoming.

The special meeting begins at the outset of the Town video, with the work session being convened at the 22:40 mark of video linked to this and coming related work session story.