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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/19/2018 - Minutesemuttet 4 jq"uwfw 2r M PLANNING COMMISSION 1111111:til 114111WID] EI. Roanoke County Commissioners Present: Mr. Wayne Bower Mr. Troy Henderson Mr. Rick James Mr. Paul'Mahoney Mr. Jim Woltz Roanoke County Staff Present: Mr. Philip Thompson, Acting Director of Planning Services Mr. Peter Lubeck, Senior Assistant County Attorney Mr. John Murphy Ms. Megan Cronise Ms,. Becky James Ms. Bailey DuBois Ms. Cecile Newcomb Mr. Alex Jones Mr. Brian Hughes Ms. Susan McCoy, Recording Secretary Roanoke City Commissioners Present: Mr. James Smith Ms. Angela Penn Ms. Karri Atwood Mr. Kit Hale Mr. Tony Russell Ms. Lora Katz Ms. Sarah Glenn Roanoke City Staff Present: Mr. Chris Chittum, Planning Director Mr. Ian Shaw, Planning Administrator Ms. Tina Carr Ms. Katharine Gray Mr. Wayne Leftwich Mr. Tim Spencer, Senior Assistant City Attorney RM -no Steve Grammar Joe Sutliff, Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors (RVAR) Page 1 of 6 ROANOKE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 19, 2018 WORK SESSION: Mr. Mahoney called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. He requested the agenda be amended by moving the Citizens Comments after Other Topics. The consensus of the Commissioners was to approve the amended agenda. Briefings: 1. Oak Grove Planning Study Ms. Cronise provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Oak Grove Center Plan Update, including an overview of the study and planning study boundary. She discussed the attendance of the community meetings including Saturday meetings. She reviewed the public input topic areas, including land use, development/redevelopment, transportation, and natural and cultural resources. She discussed the methods for acquiring input, including surveys, feedback forms, comment sheets, map labeling, and children's activity table. She provided a summary of feedback received during the March, 2018 Community Meetings, including constructing bicycle lanes and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible infrastructure, expand parks and recreation opportunities, improve intersections along Route 419 to facilitate traffic flow, upgrade commercial buildings, and add restaurants, retail, grocery shopping, and community spaces. She reviewed the May, 2018 community meetings topic areas, including survey results, public spaces, development/redevelopment, and transportation. Mr. Jones discussed the public transportation station, including bike facilities, pedestrian/ADA facilities, and transit/rideshare facilities. He discussed private development station, including commercial buildings, high-density housing, and low density housing. He discussed the public spaces station, including landscaping and streetscaping, outdoor recreation spaces, and placemaking elements. Ms. Cronise provided maps from the May, 2018 community meetings regarding future development/redevelopment and transportation, including existing conditions and public comments. She reviewed maps of where people would like to be able to ride the bus, walk, or bike. Ms. DuBois discussed the survey which was open from February 1, 2018 through April 7, 2018, noting both English and Spanish versions of the survey were provided. She stated the survey was available online through survey monkey, paper copies were at all County libraries, and paper copies were provided at the March, 2018 community meetings. She stated a total of 595 surveys were submitted. She provided a summary of the survey results regarding issues related to economic conditions, including not having enough variety or quantity of retail stores, not having enough variety or quantity of restaurants, and desiring more events/activities. She discussed preferences regarding transportation and streetscape improvement, including sidewalks and crosswalks, greenways or shared use paths, and landscaping. She discussed additional features regarding Page 2of6 ROANOKE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 19, 2018 the future success of the study area, including aesthetics/character, walkability, public outdoor spaces, and events/activities. She reviewed preferences regarding land use related issues, including transitions into surrounding neighborhoods, greater variety of commercial options for business, and greater variety of housing options. Ms. Newcomb provided a summary of stakeholder interviews, including repurposing properties and improving corridors by providing walkability, bike - ability, and connectivity to Roanoke River Greenway and neighborhoods. She stated they also discussed having cohesive zoning in this area between Roanoke County and the City of Roanoke. Ms. Cronise discussed Roanoke County Public Schools Outreach, including the Student Advisory Council, Oak Grove Elementary School faculty, Hidden Valley Middle/High School faculty leadership, and Hidden Valley Expo. She stated they also met with Roanoke County Public School Board. She discussed the most frequent requests, including more grocery store and restaurant options, anchor store at Keagy Village, and a park with trails behind Keagy Village. She stated they requested Route 419 crosswalks at Grandin Road and Keagy Road, improvement of Oak Grove Park, improvement of facades of existing buildings, and to connect the Oak Grove Center with pedestrian and bicycle sidewalks and trails. She discussed student visual preference survey results, including trolleys, sculpture, natural hiking trail, modern mixed use, event space, entertainment center, off-road bike/ped facility, and modern apartments. She reviewed the faculty visual preference survey results, including trolleys, tiled mosaic, greenway, traditional mixed use block, splash pad and natural play area, entertainment center, off-road bike -ped facility, and modern apartments. She discussed additional outreach, including general plan outreach and presentations. She discussed major themes, including walkability, bike -ability, ADA, connectivity to the Roanoke River Greenway, expanding park and recreation opportunities, improvement of intersections along Route 419 for traffic and pedestrians, upgrading commercial buildings and facades, and streetscaping and placemaking to invigorate community. Ms. Cronise discussed potential implementation strategies, including pedestrian and bicycle improvements, multimodal connections to greenways, placemaking strategies, and Oak Grove Park expansion. She discussed possible actions to achieve implementation strategies, including regulatory/design, funding/financing, and community outreach. She reviewed the proposed timeline for the plan. She noted the survey will remain open until June 30, 2018. 2. City Comprehensive Plan update Mr. Shaw discussed mobilizing and setting up the plan including the branding element "Plan Roanoke." He stated they will be looking at American Planning Association (APA) guidelines, making sure there are opportunities for everyone. He discussed having a healthy community, noting various aspects of the City. He discussed responsible regionalism, including keeping in touch with neighbors. He discussed the timeline of the process, including surveys, open house Page 3of6 ROANOKE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 19, 2018 community meetings, development of a webpage, and stakeholder meetings. Mr. Leftwich stated they will roll-out the website on July 16, 2018, noting citizens can register for updates. Mr. Chittum discussed calibrating the ordinance and look at housing. The consensus of the Commissioners was to allow staff to schedule the next meeting when projects have progressed. Citizen Comments Mr. Steve Grammar stated he is glad to see the City and the County come together. He stated he feels both localities are against Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rights. He stated his issue is with transportation. He inquired why people with disabilities have to fight with transportation to get places. He stated it is difficult for ADA citizens because the bus will not cross County line. He stated he had to fight to attend the meeting tonight. He discussed the importance of working together. He inquired why more ADA accessible housing is not available. He stated he had a voucher for housing but lost it due to unavailability. He stated he has just as much of a right to live in the community. He stated they forget about people like him that need housing and transportation which is ADA accessible. Commissioners and staff discussed issues regarding regional paratransit and low income ADA housing. Ms. Cronise noted they have worked with Cortran and Radar to bring Mr. Grammar to County meetings. Commissioners and staff discussed the shortage of low income ADA housing within both districts. Ms. Cronise stated Valley Metro serves Roanoke City, noting they are currently working on this issue. The group discussed plans for future Joint Roanoke City/Roanoke County Planning Commission meetings. With no further business or comments, Mr. Mahoney adjourned the Roanoke County/Roanoke City Planning Commissions Work Session 7:25 p.m. Mr. Mahoney reconvened the regular meeting at 7:35 p.m. Zoninq Ordinance Amendments (Signs) Mr. Thompson provided an overview of the amendments regarding signs. Mr. Thompson and the Commissioners discussed the timeline regarding the amendments. Ms. James discussed sections of the ordinance with which the Commissioners still had concerns. Ms. ,James and the Commissioners discussed exempted signs. The consensus was to keep the political sign definition. They discussed that political signs would remain exempted with the addition of language regarding regulating the location of political signs. They discussed real estate signs, including allowing real estate signs in commercial zoning up to 60 square feet in size. Mr. Joe Sutliff, Roanoke Valley Association of Realtor (RVAR), discussed various sites and issues. Ms. James and the Commissioners discussed temporary signs, including consolidating the temporary sign section and referring to the new district chart for sites and deleting old district regulations. They discussed setbacks for temporary signs, noting they Page 4of6 ROANOKE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 19, 2018 should match the reduced setback of permanent signs. They discussed that temporary sign sites for each district should match the exemptions for each district. They discussed changing the size of the signage restriction from 16 square feet to 32 square feet. They also discussed increasing the maximum height for temporary signs, including matching the maximum height for permanent signs for the applicable zoning district. Ms. James, Mr. Thompson, and the Commissioners discussed keeping current AV sign restrictions. Ms. James, Mr. Thompson, and the Commissioners discussed setbacks and height options in C-1, C-2, 1-1, and 1-2. They discussed that the current ordinance has two options which should remain the same. They discussed researching and drafting language for this section. They discussed setbacks in other localities. They discussed existing freestanding signs and moving signs closer to the road. They discussed wanting more monument signs, noting the setback could be reduced if a monument sign was used. They discussed the new calculations of attached signs, noting they would be based on the size of storefront, with freestanding signs being based on road frontage. They discussed having two separate calculations which would give businesses more signage. They discussed examples of these calculations. The consensus of the Commissioners was to have hybrid calculation regulations for signage and to move forward with the amendments as discussed. Mr. Thompson and the Commissioners discussed the timeline regarding the amendments. Comments of Planning Commissioners and Staff Mr. Bower discussed traffic concerns received at the Laurel Crest, LLC Community Meeting. Ms. James discussed traffic concerns and other input received from citizens at the meeting. She noted the petition was forwarded to the schools and other agencies for review. Mr. Bower requested additional data regarding traffic. Mr. Thompson discussed this issue. Mr. Mahoney stated he will not be able to attending the October 2, 2018 Planning Commission Meeting. Mr: Thompson and the Commissioners discussed upcoming meetings. Mr. Lubeck provided a status update regarding the petition of Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke, Inc. Mr. Thompson stated the Western Virginia Regional Industrial Authority Community Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, in the Northside High School Auditorium. With no further business or comments, Mr. Mahoney adjourned the meeting at 9:00 P.M. Page 5of6 ROANOKE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Respectfully Submitted.- Susan ubmitted: Susan McCoy Recording Secretary, Roanoke County Planning Commission Hip T meson Secretary, Roanoke County Planning Commission Paul Mahoney Chairman, Roanoke County P anning Commission Page 6 of 6 JUNE 19, 2018