Town Planning Commission Agenda Items Advance Quickly to Town Council

The Front Royal Planning Commission forwarded a special use permit application and a rezoning application to the Town Council with recommendations for approval. The council discussed them in a work session on Monday, July 1, beginning at 8:45 p.m. in the Front Royal Town Hall at 102 East Main Street after the council came out of closed session. The commission expedited these items at their regular meeting on June 26.

Town Council settles in for a work session on the evening of Monday, July 1, after coming out of closed session. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

The lion’s share of the session was spent hearing a presentation from Planning Director and Zoning Administrator Lauren Kopishke on a potential rezoning at 1321 Happy Creek Road. To recap on a Royal Examiner article that covered this item at the commission’s June 26 meeting, the owner of what is now called Marshall’s Glen desires to rezone the property from R-S Suburban Residential to R-1 Residential District. This rezoning would allow the owner, Rappahannock HC, LLC, to build at higher density on this forty-three-acre property. Instead of building sixty-one single-family detached dwelling units by right, developer Chris Hornung and company could build as many as one hundred four, still by right, but larger in number by being in an R-1 zone.

Planning Director and Zoning Administrator Lauren Kopishke presents two applications to the council, one for a special use permit and the other for rezoning.

The annual revenue surplus to the Town for the proposed one hundred-four dwelling units would be roughly four hundred thousand. This figure was determined in a fiscal impact analysis conducted by S. Patz and Associates, Inc. Rappahannock’s contributions, including school proffers and road improvements; the total is $859,370. Located near the intersection of Happy Creek Road with Leach Run Parkway, VDOT has determined that this project will have a “minimal” impact on traffic if it comes to fruition. Happy Creek Road needs to be widened, and the development group has confirmed its willingness to dedicate the appropriate right-of-way on the condition that none of the dwelling units are negatively affected.

The council proved to have an appetite for further discussion on this item, which will be facilitated by their second work session of the month on Monday, June 8, but to allow the proper amount of time to advertise for a public hearing, it will likely not go to a vote until the August regular meeting. After a brief discussion of the application for a special use permit for short-term rental at 415 East Main Street, Mayor Lori Cockrell indicated her intent to place it on the agenda for the July regular meeting when it will be voted upon. After discussing possible topics for an upcoming liaison meeting with the county, the mayor adjourned at 10 p.m.

Click here to watch the Front Royal Town Council Work Session of July 1, 2024.