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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/7/2017 - Public Hearing and WorksessionMINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TOWN OF VINTON PLANNING COMMISSION HELD ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017, AT 6:30 P.M., AT THE VINTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 311 SOUTH POLLARD STREET. MEMBERS PRESENT: Dave Jones, Chairman Keith Liles, Vice Chairman Bob Benninger Bob Patterson MEMBERS ABSENT: Bill Booth STAFF PRESENT: Anita McMillan, Planning and Zoning Director Julie Tucei, Planning and Zoning Coordinator OTHERS PRESENT: Brigitte Howard (and daughter, Sarah), Petitioner, Vinton Jocelyn Ashwell, 4069 Poplar Grove Drive, Vinton AGENDA WORK SESSION—6:30 P.M. I. Call to Order—Roll Call II. Briefing on petition of Brigitte Howard for a Special Use Permit (SUP) to operate a family home day care at 1567 South Pacific Drive, Tax Map Number 061.09-01-42, zoned R-1 Residential District. III. Upcoming Community Meeting/Special Event 1. Gish’s Mill Public Input Meeting 2. Holiday Food Drive IV. Comments of Planning Commissioners and Planning Staff V. Adjournment of Work Session REGULAR SESSION—7:00 P.M. VI. Call to Order—Roll Call VII. Approval of Minutes: 1. August 3, 2017, Work Session and Public Hearing 2. November 2, 2017, Work Session VIII. Public Hearing to receive comments concerning: Petition of Brigitte Howard for a Special Use Permit (SUP) to operate a family home day care at 1567 South Pacific Drive, Tax Map Number 061.09-01-42.00, zoned R-1 Residential District. a. Chairman opens public hearing • Report from Staff • Receive petitioner’s comments • Receive public comments • Commissioners discussion and questions b. Chairman closes public hearing c. Commission takes action on proposed SUP IX. Commissioners Appointment for Committees: PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING DECEMBER 7, 2017 PAGE 2 1. Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI) Tier 3 Grant Urban Development Areas (UDA) Planning Grant Steering Committee 2. Zoning Ordinance Amendment Committees: a. Sign Committee b. Accessory Structures and Dwellings 3. Subdivision Ordinance Amendment Committee X. Next Meeting Dates XI. Adjournment WORK SESSION A mini-work session was held at 6:50 p.m. All members were present, except Mr. Booth. Ms. McMillan said that January 25, 2018, is the date for the zoning ordinance update kickoff meeting. The committees for the update were discussed. Ms. McMillan asked them to email her any names of people that the Town may want to invite to be on a committee. Chairman Jones stated that attendance needs to be considered when inviting people to serve on the committees. Ms. McMillan said she will explain the expectations, especially for attendance, to the prospective members. Ms. McMillan said the Town plans to have all the update information on the Town’s website. She said that the information will include minutes from the committee meetings and other meetings, as well as a survey. She stated that the plan is to have two community meetings, one for the draft of the amendments, and the second meeting will be to show any maps that are created during the process and the final draft of the documents. She said that the committees will meet about once a month. The process will last between 18 months and 2 years. With there being nothing further to discuss, the work session was adjourned at 6:57 p.m. REGULAR SESSION The regular session of the Vinton Planning Commission was called to order at 6:58 p.m. by Chairman Jones. All members were present, except Mr. Booth. The first item on the agenda was the approval of minutes from the August 3, 2017, Work Session and Public Hearing, and the approval of the minutes from the November 2, 2017, Work Session. Mr. Patterson made a motion to approve both sets of minutes as submitted, and Vice Chairman Liles seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken, and all members who were present voted in favor of the motion. The next item on the agenda was the public hearing to receive comments concerning the petition of Brigitte Howard for a Special Use Permit (SUP) to operate a family home day care at 1567 South Pacific Drive, Tax Map Number 061.09-01-42.00, zoned R-1 Residential District. Chairman Jones opened the PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING DECEMBER 7, 2017 PAGE 3 public hearing at 6:59 p.m. Ms. McMillan read the staff report into the record, a copy of which will be made a permanent part of the record of this meeting. Ms. McMillan stated that the office had received two citizen comments about this request by phone. The first call was from Mr. Richard Maxey of 732 Olney Road. Mr. Maxey thought it was a rezoning of the property. He said he wanted to make sure the property wasn’t being rezoned. Ms. McMillan stated that Staff explained that the request is for a Special Use Permit, not a rezoning. She said that Mr. Maxey said he has no problem with the request. The second call was from Mr. John Berry of 720 Olney Road. Mr. Berry said he saw the sign that was posted in Ms. Howard’s yard, as well as the notice in the newspaper. Ms. McMillan said that Mr. Berry had several questions. His questions were about the amount of trash that will be generated, the increase of noise, the increase of traffic, and the future maintenance of street due to the increase of traffic. Staff told Mr. Berry that there may be an increase in traffic on that street during the peak drop-off and pickup times. Mr. Berry also inquired as to how many Special Use Permits had been issued by the Town over the years. Staff researched the records and found that, since 1973, about thirty have been issued. Staff informed Mr. Berry that, in residential districts there had been about five issued--two for in-home daycares and three for hair salons. Both citizens said that they may attend the Town Council meeting about the request. In regards to traffic, Ms. Howard plans to have one part-time employee in the morning and one in the afternoon, which will be in addition to the parents who are dropping off and picking up their children. Next, Ms. Howard gave her comments regarding her petition. Ms. Howard stated that she agrees with everything Ms. McMillan said in her staff report to the Commission. In regards to the trash concern raised, she said she will not generate any more trash than what she does now. She said she currently only uses one can. She mentioned that she has ample parking with her driveway and the on-street parking. Ms. Howard said that there will be some noise when the children are outside, but said she has been told in the past when she was in Nebraska that the neighbors enjoyed hearing the children playing. Mr. Benninger asked what the time frame would be for pickups and drop-offs. Ms. Howard stated that currently she has some drop-offs at 7:30 a.m. and one at 9 a.m. In the evenings she has several pickups between 5:20 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Ms. Howard said that there were a couple of other daycares in Vinton listed on the Care.com website. Ms. McMillan mentioned that a SUP stays with the property even when the property is sold. Ms Howard said that it can be very difficult to find care for very young infants. Ms. Jocelyn Ashwell, of 4069 Poplar Grove Drive, in Vinton, was in attendance. She said she is one of the current clients of Ms. Howard. Ms. Ashwell’s baby is eight months old. She stated that it was difficult to find quality affordable child care in the area. Chairman Mr. Jones asked about the State licensing that is required. Ms. Howard said the State has 127 pages of requirements that she has to follow to become licensed. She said the process is very thorough. Ms. McMillan mentioned that the state allows no more than four children under age two in care. Ms. Howard said she thinks the regulations may have changed. She said the State now uses a point system PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING DECEMBER 7, 2017 PAGE 4 that assigns a number of points to each age of child in the care, and the maximum number of points allowed by the State is 16. There was no further discussion or questions regarding the petition. Therefore, Chairman Jones closed the public hearing at 7:16 p.m. Vice Chairman Liles made a motion to recommend that Town Council approve the request submitted by Ms. Howard. Mr. Patterson seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken, and all members who were present voted in favor of the motion. Chairman Jones said he voted yes because he he thinks this is an excellent idea. He said he has no young children any longer, but does he does have grandkids. He said he knows it can be hard to find childcare. Mr. Patterson said it will be a good service for the community. Vice Chairman Liles stated that he thinks it is great for the community. He said that people he works with tell him how hard it is to find care for their kids. He mentioned that he was in an at-home daycare when he was younger. Mr. Benninger said that he thinks she is to be commended for wanting to do this. He said he believes there is a desperate need for this service, and it is so hard to find good child care for the little ones. Chairman Jones stated that this is their recommendation to Town Council who will make the ultimate decision on the request. Ms. McMillan said the Council meeting will be on December 19, 2017, at 7 p.m. She reminded them that Mr. Maxey and Mr. Berry may attend that meeting. The next item on the agenda was the discussion of the Commissioners Appointments for Committees. Ms. McMillan said Vice Chairman Liles and Mr. Benninger will serve on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI) Tier 3 Grant Urban Development Areas (UDA) Planning Grant Steering Committee. Ms. McMillan mentioned some of the issues that may come up like design guidelines, but said that they will have to balance things so that businesses will still want to come to Vinton. Ms. McMillan asked the commissioners to email her if they have any names to be suggested for the committees. A few names were mentioned, and Ms. McMillan made note of them. Ms. McMillan said they will likely have one or two Board of Zoning Appeals members on the committees as well. Chairman Jones suggested that she also ask Mr. Booth if there is anyone he would like to recommend for the committees. In other business, Ms. McMillan mentioned that the Town has a food drive going on. The drop-off location is the lobby of the Vinton Municipal Building. She reminded them of the Gish’s Mill Community Meeting at the Vinton War Memorial at 6 p.m. on December 12, 2017. Vice Chairman Liles said there are several developers looking at the property, and the meeting will show David Hill’s conceptual plans for it. Ms. McMillan reminded everyone that the next meeting is planned for January 25, 2018. PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING DECEMBER 7, 2017 PAGE 5 With there being nothing further to discuss, the regular session was adjourned at 7:37 p.m. on a motion by Vice Chairman Liles and a second by Mr. Patterson. Respectfully Submitted, Anita McMillan Planning Commission Secretary