Town Planning Commission Approves Second Warren Coalition Recovery House

At its December 20 Meeting, the Front Royal Planning Commission, absent Vice-Chairman Connie Marshner, hosted a series of public hearings for pending requests. There were no citizen comments during the period allotted for planning-related subjects not on the agenda. Chairman Daniel Wells presided over three public hearings after explaining the rules for addressing the commission.

The Warren Coalition has submitted an application for a Special Use Permit (SUP) for a lodging house on a property at 501 South Royal Avenue (South Royal and South Street). The property is in the Entrance Corridor and zoned Commercial (C-1) Community Business District. It was used for many years as a real estate office. The Coalition intends to open a second recovery House to provide 8 rooms. The recovery houses provide a stable and safe environment for persons who have completed institutional drug treatment and rehabilitation to assist with transition to the community and provide additional services such as counseling, job assistance, and transportation.

Deputy Zoning Administrator John Ware outlined the permit application for the commission. Currently, the property does not have adequate parking for the use. The applicant has submitted a Plat showing parking spaces to be constructed that would meet the town’s requirement. Under questioning by the commission, Deputy Zoning Administrator Ware said that the proposed parking area to the rear of the property could qualify as a gravel surface rather than paved.  Christa Shifflett, Executive Director of the Warren Coalition, told the Commission that the Coalition already has a residential facility “the Landing” on Royal Avenue that opened in May 2022. This additional facility will provide lodging for up to 15 residents and allow the existing facility to then admit female residents. There will be an on-site manager, and meals will not be provided. “The need is huge,” she said.

Warren Coalition Executive Director Christa Shifflett addresses the Front Royal Planning Commission to urge approval of a second recovery residence in the former B.K. Haynes building on South Royal Ave. Royal Examiner Photos Stephen Sill

Responding to questions from Commissioner Glenn Wood, Director Shifflett said that the record of the current residential facility at 200 N. Royal Avenue has been “as predicted”, with good relations with police, the courts, and the neighborhood, despite some initial concerns raised by neighbors.

Barbara Samuels spoke to the commission about the parking situation around the facility. She said that there was no adequate parking for the facility and that already Ay-View Drive along the south side of the property was taken up with curbside parking from the businesses on that street. She owns the adjoining property on Royal Avenue to the north.

Neighboring property owner Barbara Samuels urges the Town Planning Commission to disapprove a Special Use Permit for the Warren Coalition’s recovery residence on South Royal Ave. However, after hearing all involved variables the commission recommended approval.

Representatives and participants in Warren Coalition recovery programs addressed the Commission to urge approval of the permit. Drew, a resident at the current Warren Coalition recovery facility at 200 N. Royal Avenue, (The Landing) addressed the Commission to support the permit application. He said that his very positive experience in that facility was due to the strong staff and community support. He is employed and has hope for the future because of his time and experience there.

Hunter, who has been a resident for 2 months at The Landing, told the commission that he was able to get a job thanks to the assistance of the staff. Michael Hall, a Peer Recovery Specialist at the Warren Coalition, talked about the variety of programs and services that would be offered at the facility. “These homes … offer a place of safety and support that they may never have had in their entire lives,” Hall told the commission.

Commissioner Wood asked how many of the clients have cars? Answer – “Most clients do not have cars or even licenses. Staff will help them with transportation to jobs or to appointments, and clients will start saving for a car eventually”. Again, Commissioner Wood:  “How many visits at the current location from the police?” Answer: “Two since the facility opened. One was a guy who the police were looking for who we had asked to leave, and the other was a probation check.”

Katie, a peer recovery specialist for Northwestern Community Services, spoke to the commission about her experience in recovery at a facility in Roanoke, made necessary by the lack of recovery services in Warren County. She stressed that serving local residents with local facilities is an important part of the recovery process.

James Funkhouser, a Peer Recovery Specialist and house manager for the Warren Coalition, told the commission that options are limited for clients who finish treatment. “Those options may boil down to either they go back to the environment that they came out of, or they can go to a sober living facility with much better results,” Funkhouser told the commissioners.

As far as parking is concerned, he reiterated the earlier testimony that most clients will not have cars and that visitors are not a large number.

After all the speakers had their opportunity, the Commission, on a motion by Commissioner Wood, seconded by Commissioner Brian Matthie, voted unanimously to recommend approval of the SUP, subject to the conditions that the number of rooms not exceed eight, and that the parking area accommodate 10 vehicles.

Skyline Realty Investments is applying for a Rezoning  of a property consisting of two parcels at 29 West Duck Street from C-1 Community Business District to Residential (R-3). One part of the .7-acre property contains a structure and the other does not. No proffers were made by the applicant. The surrounding parcels are zoned commercial. Deputy Zoning Administrator Ware told the Commission that the development of residential properties does require curb and gutter installation. Under questioning by the commission, local builder and former town Mayor Chris Holloway, the applicant, said that the dwelling on the property is “falling apart” and that the parcel is too narrow for commercial use. He acknowledged that curb and gutter would be required but doubted that a sidewalk would fit with 8 town-homes. With the proximity of I-66 and shopping, affordable town-homes would be a good fit for that site, according to the applicant. The rezoning only permits the development process to begin, but once the parcel rezoning is approved by the Town Council, there would not be further public hearings, since town-homes are a by-right use. There were no speakers at the public hearing.

The Planning Department recommended approval of the request, despite the fact that the Comprehensive Plan calls for commercial uses for that area, apparently accepting the rationale that these parcels are too small for effective commercial development. On a motion by Commissioner Matthie, seconded by Commissioner Wood, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning request.

Local Builder and entrepreneur Shelly Cook addresses the Town Planning Commission to defend her rezoning request for her property on John Marshall Highway. She has renovated a blighted former “motor court” into a destination venue for events and lodging.

Finally, the Commission took up a rezoning application by Cook Realty to rezone three parcels at 1121-1135 John Marshall Highway from Residential (R-1) to C-1 (Community Business District). This previously disused and blighted property has been extensively renovated by the applicant and is now known as “The Trellis” and is used as a short-term tourist rental and event center. Earlier this year the town approved a permit for the Short-term Tourist Rental but has not permitted the event center. The Town Comprehensive Plan future land use map identifies the area as medium density mixed use. There have been a few minor traffic incidents that attracted the attention of the Police Department since The Trellis has been in operation. A neighbor has complained about loud music and parking on Hillview Street. The records provided showed only minor traffic incidents and the noise complaint.

Under questioning by the commission, Deputy Zoning Administrator Ware said that the previously approved SUP had not been actually issued, because all the conditions for issuance had not yet been met. The planning department recommended approval of the rezoning request. The application package also included a letter from Skyline Baptist Church, commending the applicant for her work on the property, and citing the fact that they had no issues such as noise from events that have been conducted there. The proposed rezoning is in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan future land use map.

The applicant explained to the commission that the remaining condition for the Short-term Tourist Rental SUP was a roof connecting two structures, which has not yet been completed due to wind and cold weather. The work will be done before the SUP “would go any further” the applicant said.  The SUP and the rezoning request are two different processes, and in any case, the rezoning request will go to the Town Council for final approval.

There were no speakers at the public hearing for or against the rezoning.

After a brief discussion, on a motion by Commissioner Williams, seconded by Commissioner Matthie, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning.

The Planning Department activity report showed 385 zoning permits issued through November, making it the largest year in the past five. Code enforcement cases are at 339, down significantly from 2022. Business license issuance at 144 is about average for the past five years.

The Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

See the Linked Town video for all these discussions and public hearings.