Town Planning Commission Enthusiastically Approves Permitting of Adult Assistance Lodging House, Bids Farewell to 2 Members

It was a very concise, if occasionally emotional, meeting of the Front Royal Planning Commission on Wednesday, May 15. The commission faced approval of a two-item Consent Agenda for advertisement for public hearings, and one public hearing on a Special Use Permit (SUP) request for a non-commercial lodging house at 1324 Old Winchester Pike in an R-3, Residential District. The applicant, Janelle Embrey of Abode of Liberation, was the only speaker at that public hearing. As for the emotion, the commission, already one member down, bid farewell to two members, Glenn Wood and Brian Matthiae, who both confirmed to Chairman Connie Marshner that it would be their last meeting. Wood will now focus on his recently achieved position as a town councilman, and our understanding is Matthiae and family are leaving the area.

As Commission Chair Connie Marshner, standing, and Planning Director Lauren Kopishke share some information pre-meeting, Commissioners Glenn Wood, white jacket to Marshner’s left, and Commissioner Brian Matthiae, dark jacket far right, prepare for their last meeting as commission members. Council better pick up the pace with those vacancy interviews, the planning commission won’t have a quorum to convene soon.

As for the one public hearing, after Deputy Zoning Administrator John Ware summarized the proposal for conversion of the former Bed & Breakfast facility to a non-profit lodging house for assistance programs offered to adults with certain disabilities, Embrey explained her plans for the seven bedroom Abode of Liberation facility. Having received her non-profit status, she told the commission she just wanted to make sure she was complying with all related Town Codes for her type of adult assistance facility.

Prior to a vote on the permitting, Commissioner Wood commended Embrey, not only for her planned human services operation, but for initiating the permitting approval process by contacting Town officials to make sure she would be operating by all applicable Town codes. Wood soon seconded Commissioner Michael Williams motion for a recommendation of approval of the Special Use Permitting for the Abode of Liberation adult assistance lodging house to the Town Council. And when the roll-call vote reached him at 3-0 in favor, Wood enthusiastically added an “ABSOLUTELY Yes” final vote.

Deputy Zoning Administrator John Ware at podium, responds to questions. Below, Abode of Liberation principal Jenelle Embrey was commended by the commission for bringing her code compliance questions to the commission prior to beginning operations of her impaired adult assistance non-profit lodging house.

Prior to the Abode of Liberation public hearing the commission approved its Consent Agenda items for Advertisement for coming Public Hearings. The two items were:

• 2400250 – Rappahannock HC, LLC – A Rezoning Application requesting an amendment to the zoning map to reclassify 1321 Happy Creek Road, identified by Tax Map 20A21-2-4 from R-S, Suburban Residential District to R-1, Residential District.
• 2400294 – Mark Poe – A request for a Special Use Permit to allow a short-term rental located at 415 E. Main Street, identified by Tax Map 20A8-8-6. The property is zoned C-2, Downtown Business District and is located in the Historic Overlay District.

Post public hearing, Commissioner Williams opened Board Reports with an apology to the community and his fellow commissioners for what he termed “an inappropriate word” he had been alerted to the fact that he had used at a previous meeting. Williams said he had reviewed the meeting tape and was embarrassed to realize that a reactive comment to information presented to the commission had been picked up by his microphone, though it had not consciously been meant for public consumption. Commission Chair Marshner and Commissioner Wood both commended Williams for his public apology for his wording faux pas.

Commissioner Wood acknowledged his leaving the commission and thanked his fellow commissioners present and past for the opportunity to serve and learn with them. He pointed to a developing trend toward unanimous consensus by the commission on their recommendations to the Town Council as a sign of collective background research of proposals brought to them.

“We appreciate your service. And the commission has greatly benefited by your expertise and your manner of statesmanship. And we do appreciate that and you will be missed,” Chairman Marshner responded to Wood’s farewell remarks.

Town Planning Director Lauren Kopishke wrapped the meeting up with her monthly report for April. She cited 227 walk-ins by citizens in April: “To date this year we’ve had 954 citizens come into our office, not including phone calls that we receive,” Kopishke told the commission, adding, “In the month of April we issued 19 zoning permits, we had six new code enforcement instructions and six re-inspections, and we had nine property maintenance (re-inspections). And then we had six new sign permits and 14 new business licenses.”

Kopishke also gave what she termed a “slight update” on Zoning Ordinances related to a recent joint planning commission-town council meeting that resulted in staff edits to the codes on short-term rentals after discussion with the Town’s consultant, whom she observed she would be meeting with again the following day, May 16. She said Planning Department staff hopes to have a new draft Zoning Ordinance to the commission for review by the end of June.

Its business taken care of and farewells acknowledged, the 7 p.m. meeting adjourned at 7:21 p.m.

Click here to watch the Front Royal Planning Commission Meeting of May 15, 2024.