Warren County Planning Commission: New warehouse coming to corridor; panhandlers are a nuisance

Matt Welding, County Planner informed the Commission on the restrictions of the special use permit.

The September 11, 2019 Warren County Planning Commission started with the first public hearing from Sandra D. Isner. This was a request for a conditional use permit for private use camping. The property is located on Valley Retreat Road in Panhandle Valley Retreat Subdivision, identified on tax map 26C, section 1, as parcel 24, and is zoned Residential-One (R-1).

Warren County Planner Matt Welding explained to the Commission all the requirements for the special use permit. No one spoke for or against the special use permit during the public hearing. The Commission voted unanimously for approval and forwarded the application to the Board of Supervisors.

Joe Petty, County Zoning Officer updates Commission on the amendment.

The second public hearing was to amend a County ordinance of Section 180-79 Warren County Code (Nonconformities) to identify structures as non-conforming based on their tax or permit history and to permit owners of a non-conforming manufactured home to replace the manufactured home with a HUD compliant manufactured home as required by the Virginia State Code. No one spoke for or against the amendment. The Commission voted unanimously for approval and forwarded the application to the Board of Supervisors.

Next up the Commission had a request to rezone about 20 acres from Agricultural(A) to Industrial (I). This property is located at 6475 Winchester Road and is located next to the RSW Regional Jail.

Property is located at 6475 Winchester Rd next to RSW Regional Jail.

Also the applicant – Equus Capital Partners, Ltd, Newtown, PA is proposing to construct a 324,000 square foot building for a warehouse and distribution facility. The state they will employ full time, 100 people over 2 shifts. They estimate a 12-14 month build out, beginning in the Spring of 2020. This proposed use in in conformance with the Future Land Use Map.

Up next was an ordinance to amend Warren County Code Section 180-49.3 (Microbreweries) to included usual and customary activities associated with microbreweries and amendments to this Section in compliance with State code regulations and to amend Section 180-21 to add “activities and events associated with microbreweries other than those that are usual and customary for microbreweries throughout Virginia.”

Backroom Brewery, LLC requested a conditional use permit for events associated with a microbrewery. This property is located at 150 Ridgemont Road.

After some discussion, the Commission voted to authorize the advertisement for a Public Hearing on these items.

Commissioner Ralph Rinaldi brought  up the issue of panhandlers at the Riverton Commons.

Commissioner Ralph Rinaldi brought  up the issue of panhandlers at the Riverton Commons area and the nuisance it has become. He was concerned that any action taken might effect the Fire Department and their ‘boot’ drive. Rinaldi suggested that maybe a permit would be necessary. County Attorney Dan Whitten explain how the County handles the panhandlers in that area.

Whitten said his goodbyes to the Commission as this was his last meeting.

Watch the entire meeting on this Royal Examiner video: