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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/9/2016 - Public Hearing and WorksessionMINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TOWN OF VINTON PLANNING COMMISSION HELD ON THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016, AT 6:30 P.M., AT THE VINTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 311 SOUTH POLLARD STREET. MEMBERS PRESENT: Dave Jones, Chairman Keith Liles, Vice Chairman Bill Booth Dawn Michelsen Bob Patterson STAFF PRESENT: Anita McMillan, Planning and Zoning Director Julie Tucei, Planning and Zoning Coordinator STAFF PRESENT FOR PUBLIC Richard “Pete” Peters, Assistant Town Manager HEARING ONLY: Thomas Foster, Chief of Police Joey Hiner, Public Works Interim Director Theresa J. Fontana, Town Attorney Scott Giles, Vinton Police Officer OTHERS PRESENT FOR PUBLIC P. Jason Peters, Chairman, Roanoke County Board of Supervisors HEARING ONLY: Rick James, Chairman, Roanoke County Planning Commission Jill Loope, Director, Roanoke County Economic Development Philip Thompson, Deputy Director, Roanoke County Planning Richard Macher, owner, Macado’s Restaurants Jerome Henschel, architect for Mr. Macher Barry Ward, Realtor for Mr. Macher James Hough, citizen, 213 Meadow Street, Vinton Victoria Rosenberg, citizen, 239 Bowman Street, Vinton Chris Craft, citizen, 1501 Eastgate Drive, Roanoke Angie Chewning, Director, Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce Kellie Mowbray (and husband), citizens, 103 Big Bear Run, Vinton Justin Davidson, citizen, 1149 Ruddell Road, Vinton Kathryn Sowers, citizen, 1214 Jeanette Avenue, Vinton Tammy Carter, citizen, 1733 Meadows Road, Vinton Darlene McCaskill, citizen, 840 Finney Drive, Vinton Debbie Adams, reporter, The Vinton Messenger Bonnie Hiner, citizen/wife of Vinton staff member, Joey Hiner AGENDA WORK SESSION—6:30 P.M. I. Call to Order II. Approval of Minutes: March 24, 2016, Work Session III. Update on Mobile Food Vending Ordinance and Policy IV. Update on the Urban Development Areas (UDA) Planning Grant Program for Planning Consultant Assistance V. Brief Summary on the Open House about the Proposed Rezoning of the Former Roanoke County Vinton Branch Library VI. Comments of Planning Commissioners and Planning Staff VII. Adjournment of Work Session PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 9, 2016 PAGE 2 REGULAR SESSION—7 P.M. VIII. Call to Order—Roll Call IX. Public Hearing to receive comments concerning: The petition of County of Roanoke for a rezoning of the former Roanoke County Vinton Branch Library Property, from RB Residential Business to GB General Business. The rezoning request is to allow for the property located at 800 Washington Avenue, Vinton, Tax Map Number 060.16-06-32.00, to be renovated to accommodate a full-service restaurant. 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 rezoning X. Other Business XI. Adjournment The work session of the Vinton Planning Commission was called to order at 6:42 p.m. by Chairman Jones. All five members were present. The first item on the work session agenda was the approval of the minutes from a work session held on March 24, 2016. A motion to approve the minutes as submitted was made by Vice Chairman Liles, and it was seconded by Mr. Patterson. A roll call vote was taken, and all members voted in favor of the motion to approve the work session minutes from March 24, 2016. Next, Ms. McMillan updated the commission on the Mobile Food Vending Ordinance and Policy. She said that several concerns were raised during the Town Council meeting. So, Council tabled the issue and later held a work session on it. There were still several concerns raised at the work session so the item was tabled again. She stated that staff is to work on addressing the concerns brought up during the Council meeting and work session in a revised policy that Council will review at a future meeting. The next item on the work session agenda was an update on the Urban Development Areas (UDA) Planning Grant Program for Planning Consultant Assistance. Ms. McMillan updated them on the UDA process. She stated that the next meeting, tentatively planned for the end of June, will include a tour of the areas and an open house for the public. She said that it should be the last meeting for the UDA Advisory Committee. To view the areas, the Town van will be used as transportation for the committee members and staff. Ms. McMillan said that today committee members were asked to return their worksheet checklists for each area. Chairman Jones asked if they are moving along well on the process. Ms. McMillan said everything is moving along well. She stated that eight corridors were selected to be possible UDA by the committee. She explained generally what areas were selected. She said they hope to forward the finalized areas to the Planning Commission by mid-July, and she hopes it can be adopted by Council by mid-August. She reminded them that HB2 applications are due to the State by September. PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 9, 2016 PAGE 3 Briefly, the Commissioners were given a summary on the open house about the proposed rezoning of the former Roanoke County Vinton Branch Library. After which, Chairman Jones asked if the County would be doing the staff report for the meeting tonight. Ms. McMillan stated that she would be giving the staff report. She said the County is the petitioner in this case and will give a presentation of their request after the staff report is given. The last item on the work session agenda was to receive comments from the Planning Commissioners and Staff. Vice Chairman Liles mentioned that he was recently elected to Vinton Town Council. He said he has also requested to be reappointed to the Planning Commission since that is allowed under state code. Ms. McMillan said she thinks having him serve on both will be a good conduit for the Planning Commission. Vice Chairman Liles said he feels it will be good to have a liaison between Town Council and the Planning Commission. Ms. McMillan pointed out that his council term does not start until July 1st. Vice Chairman Liles mentioned that the Mayor would have liked to have been here for this evening’s meeting, but the Mayor felt he should refrain since council will be hearing the request soon. With there being nothing further to discuss in the work session, it was adjourned by Chairman Jones at 6:56 p.m. The regular session of the Vinton Planning Commission was called to order in the Council Chambers at 7:02 p.m. by Chairman Jones. Roll was called, and all five members were present. The first item on the evening session agenda was the public hearing to receive comments concerning: The petition of County of Roanoke for a rezoning of the former Roanoke County Vinton Branch Library Property, from RB Residential Business to GB General Business. The rezoning request is to allow for the property located at 800 Washington Avenue, Vinton, Tax Map Number 060.16-06-32.00, to be renovated to accommodate a full-service restaurant. Chairman Jones thanked everyone who was in attendance. Then, he read the request and opened the public hearing at 7:03 p.m. First, the report from staff was requested. Ms. McMillan gave a summary of the staff report, a copy of which will be made a part of the permanent record. She asked if any commissioners had any questions about the staff report. There were no questions at this time. Next, the Planning Commission received comments from the petitioner. Chairman Jones requested that all speakers identify themselves and come to the podium at the front if they wish to speak. Ms. Jill Loope, Roanoke County’s Economic Development Director, spoke as the petitioner. She stated that the County is very excited about this project. She said it will make a great addition to the Town and a great economic development project for both the Town and the County. There were no questions from the Planning Commission for Ms. Loope. Vice Chairman Liles said their submitted petition speaks for itself. Public comments were received next. Chairman Jones asked that each speaker state their name. He said that each person will be given 1 opportunity of 3 minutes to speak. He asked that they keep in mind that they do not need to hear same items over and over; however, everyone who wants to speak will be given PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 9, 2016 PAGE 4 the opportunity to do so. Mr. James Hough, of 213 Meadow Street, was the first speaker. He stated that he has lived there for forty-nine years. He said he has no problem with Macado’s itself, but he does have concerns about noise, parking, and the late night traffic on the residential street from the restaurant. Mr. Hough said he likes to go to bed early. He said he is sure Macado’s will run a good business. He mentioned that the address may be 800 Washington Avenue, but all the traffic will be on Meadow Street. He stated that, where he lives, they have no choice but to park on the street. Also, their mailboxes are on the street, and the mail will not deliver it if the box is blocked. Mr. Hough also said he has concerns about the dumpster being in front of his house and the smell that will come from it. On the parking issue, he says human nature will make people park where the closest spot is, even if that is in front of the houses. Chairman Jones thanked Mr. Hough for his comments. Ms. Victoria Rosenberg, of 239 Bowman Street, spoke next. She stated that she and her husband had also submitted a written letter to the Planning Commission and Town Council. She said they have concerns about the cut-through traffic on Monroe Street, especially when Macado’s will open at 8 a.m. each day. She stated that there are 3 school bus stops in that area. She said there are no 4-way stops at the intersections, and people go fast because of that. She also said there are no sidewalks in the area. She said she and her husband had researched Macado’s, and not only do they serve alcohol, but they also offer twenty-seven different types of shots. She said they are very concerned about the alcohol service at the restaurant. Mr. Chris Craft, of 1501 Eastgate Road, Roanoke, spoke next. He said he lives nearby in Roanoke City and is the president of the Wildwood Civic League. He stated that the civic league asked him to come and speak in favor of the Macado’s coming to Vinton. He said the restaurant will bring tax revenue to the Town and spur development. He also said he thinks the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce does a great job promoting the Town. He asked the Commission to recommend approval of the request since it will affect the area covered in his civic league, too. Ms. Angie Chewning, Executive Director of the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce, was the next to speak. She said that, from the economic development standpoint, the chamber is so excited about this prospect. She said she believes that both the Planning Commission and Town Council will take a hard look at all the concerns and make them right for all involved. She said the chamber is really trying hard to get people and businesses to come to Vinton. She stated that Macado’s has a great following in this area, good food, and a good atmosphere. She said she does not believe it will be a nightclub-type of atmosphere at the restaurant. Planning Commission Chairman, Dave Jones, asked Tom Foster, Vinton Chief of Police, to report next on any research he did on Macado’s and his forecast of what types of calls for service the police department might have if one locates in Vinton. According to Chief Foster, he wanted to be proactive and has already looked at other places where Macado’s are currently located. Rex Anders, Chief of Police for Town of Marion, sent Chief Foster data on their Macado’s which goes back to 2003. Marion is an area of similar size to Vinton. It has a population of about 6,500 and is 4 square miles in area. Macado’s is located on 142 Main Street in Marion, and is situated near residential properties. Based on the records that were sent by Chief Anders, from 2003 to current, 142 Main Street only had 17 calls for service; 9 were non-specific calls such as vehicle lockouts and damage to cars in parking areas. The PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 9, 2016 PAGE 5 remaining offenses reported consisted of theft and vandalism to vehicles, not unlike what one might see at other food service establishments. Chief Foster said that Chief Anders said they do not have any significant problems with the Macado’s in their area. Ms. Kellie Mowbray, of 103 Big Bear Run, spoke next. She said she thinks Macado’s would be a great thing for this area. She stated that she is originally from Galax, and Macado’s has done wonders for the revitalization of their downtown area. She mentioned that the Galax location does a lot of business after church on Sundays. She said that some signage could be used to keep people from parking on other’s property. Mr. Justin Davidson, of 1149 Ruddell Road, was next. He said this is a great opportunity to have young professionals spend money here in Vinton. He said it could also be a great opportunity to improve Town infrastructure with revenue generated by the new restaurant. He said that maybe the Town could try to look into adding sidewalks in that area to address some concerns. He said the Macado’s will capture Smith Mountain Lake traffic and will bring people into Vinton. Next to speak was Mr. Rich Macher, owner of Macado’s. He said that he is also concerned with the parking not becoming an issue. He said he would love to see the Town put up signs that say “parking for residents only” along the street. He stated that he does not want his customers to park in the residents’ spaces. He said the restaurant will have no customers until 11 a.m. each day, but some employees arrive at 8 a.m. to prepare for the day. Mr. Macher said he has kids and understands the concerns that have been raised. He said his mom lived in Vinton, and many of his employees live here. He mentioned that his employees are thoroughly trained with ServSafe alcohol training. He said that he hires a lot of young people from the area to work in his restaurants. Mr. Macher stated that he will involve the Vinton community and the people. He asked that people call or email him if there is ever a question, comment or problem with the location. He said he personally tries to address all comments he receives. Chairman Jones said he initially thought Mr. Macher had only about 3 Macado’s locations. Mr. Macher said there are now 19 locations, and the City of Winchester just approved a plan for another restaurant for them today. He stated that they have restaurants in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. In some smaller Virginia communities, they have locations in Galax, Bristol, and Emory. He said they were able to work a deal with Emory College to make that location happen. He stated that the communities are a big part of what they do. Ms. Kathryn Sowers, of 1214 Jeannette Avenue and employee of the Vinton Chamber, spoke next. She said she came to this meeting to show support of the endeavor. She said she thinks it will be a great thing for the town. She thinks that the Town can definitely work on the concerns that have been brought up. Next to speak was Ms. Tammy Carter, of 1733 Meadows Road. Ms. Carter stated that she has been a resident of Vinton for 10 years and also graduated from William Byrd. She said her children are currently in William Byrd. She said she attends functions at the Vinton War Memorial. She said the War Memorial has functions that go on at all hours, and many functions include alcohol service. She pointed out that the former library is right there adjacent to the War Memorial facility. She mentioned that there is nothing in Vinton but fast food, pizza, and Famous Anthony’s which does not give a lot of choices. She said she thinks this will be a huge improvement to the area. PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 9, 2016 PAGE 6 Ms. Michelsen stated that change can be painful, and asked if there were any others who have concerns. Chairman Jones said there seemed to be no other comments from those in attendance. Next, the commissioners had the opportunity to discuss the request and ask questions. There was no further discussion or questions; therefore, Chairman Jones closed the public hearing at 7:40 p.m. Mr. Booth made a motion to recommend the request be approved by Town Council as submitted. Vice Chairman Liles seconded the motion. Chairman Jones reminded them that each member must state the reason for the way they vote when the roll call vote is taken. Ms. Fontana, Town Attorney, gave them some examples of considerations to take into account. She said, when making a decision, to consider the existing use and character of property in relation to the Comprehensive Plan, the relationship to future development, the suitability of the growth in the community, the benefit of the use to the community, and the benefit to the Town as a whole. She said the considerations should not be made for the specific applicants. The roll call vote was taken: Chairman Jones voted yes. He said he feels that the rezoning should be done. With rezoning, it will allow a County-owned property to get back on the tax rolls and produce revenue. He stated that he felt that the use being proposed is a good one. He mentioned that there are some uses that have been proffered not to be allowed on the property. Ms. McMillan read the list of those uses aloud. Chairman Jones said, with the proffers, he is good with the request. He said he is concerned with making sure that the parking be handled properly. Mr. Booth voted yes. He stated that he listened with great care to the concerns brought by Ms. Rosenberg and Mr. Hough and is sympathetic to what they had to say. He said that the Vinton War Memorial has been there for a long time with all the various functions, and the swimming pool has been there for many years with its traffic during the summer. He said the noise and other concerns that were brought up are reasonable, applicable and manageable. He stated that the positives overwhelmingly supersede the concerns, but again the concerns are manageable. Mr. Booth stated that he was not minimizing the concerns, but he has confidence in the Town Council to handle the issues. Vice Chairman Liles also voted yes. He stated that he agrees with both Mr. Booth’s and Chairman Jones’ statements. He also agrees with wanting to see the property get back on the tax rolls. It will be first time ever for this building to be on the tax rolls. He mentioned that not only will the property generate real estate taxes, but also food and beverage taxes. He said that will help with the infrastructure needs of the Town. He said he would like to see Vinton listed on the Macado’s locations map and for them to sell the Macado’s Vinton t-shirts. He stated that Vinton is a small community, and for example, Virginia Avenue was once just a road with houses, but later businesses moved in behind them. Vice Chairman Liles said it is the businesses that keep the Town going. He stated that he is looking forward to a different place to eat and to eating outdoors there with guests. He said this restaurant will capture some of the traffic going to the lake. He mentioned that there are basically four ways to get to the lake, and Vinton has two of them. He also mentioned that Vinton has one of the ways to access the Blue Ridge Parkway, too. He said this is a spark plug for Washington Avenue—the chance of a lifetime. With two schools soon to be converted into apartments, they will create walk-ability in the downtown area. He said he heard what the speaker said earlier about the Macado’s helping to revitalizing Galax, PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 9, 2016 PAGE 7 and he hopes the same thing happens to Vinton. Ms. Michelsen voted yes. She said that she is thinking of what the Town attorney said about the considerations that are important for Vinton. She said she is a citizen of Vinton more than a politician. She stated that she lives in a RB zoned neighborhood, and sometimes she does not like what is happening in GB zoned area near her property. However, she said the Town is really responsive to any issues. She said she has heard citizens say they want more tax base and services. She feels that Mr. Macher showed genuineness tonight about being a part of Vinton. She stated that she and her husband have been here 21 years. She said that good things are needed in Vinton, and she feels that there are too many empty storefronts. Ms. Michelsen said she is also concerned about the dumpster and the noise. She mentioned that the outdoor dining area is planned to be located away from the residences on the opposite side of the building. She said she believes the dumpster concerns will be handled properly. She stated that the pros outweigh the cons in this case. She mentioned again that change and progress are painful, but we have a good town and we can all work together on these types of issues. Mr. Patterson voted yes. He said there was not much left for him to say about the request. He said he thinks this will be an asset to Vinton. He also said there are not as many negatives as there are positives about this request. He said he believes that the negatives can be taken care of by the Town. He stated that his wife likes to eat out, and this will be one additional place for them to eat. He said Macado’s has a good reputation, and people will enjoy eating there. Chairman Jones stated that the vote of the Commission is 5 to 0 in favor of recommending approval of the request to Town Council. He thanked everyone for coming to the hearing. He said there are a lot of good people represented in the room tonight from Vinton and the County. Ms. McMillan stated that the Planning Commission’s unanimous recommendation to approve the request will be forwarded to Town Council, and their public hearing will be held June 21, 2016, at 7 p.m. There were was no other business; therefore, the meeting was adjourned at 7:56 p.m. on a motion by Mr. Patterson and a second by Mr. Booth. Respectfully Submitted, Anita McMillan Planning Commission Secretary