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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/20/2025 - Public Hearing and Worksession MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TOWN OF VINTON PLANNING COMMISSION HELD ON THURSDAY,FEBRUARY 20,2025,WORK SESSION AT 6 P.M., REGULAR SESSION AT 6:30 P.M.,IN THE TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT THE VINTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING MEMBERS PRESENT: Keith Liles, Chairman David "Dave"Jones,Vice Chairman Robert"Bob" Benninger Jonathan McCoy Josh Mullen STAFF PRESENT: Anita McMillan, Planning and Zoning Director Nathan McClung,Assistant Planning and Zoning Director Julie Tucei,Planning and Zoning Coordinator OTHERS PRESENT: Chris Burns,Balzer and Associates,Petitioner's Representative Trevor Winter-Pierce,Winter Properties Partnership LLP,Petitioner Ted Edmonson,Winter Properties Partnership LLP,Petitioner Scott Winter,Winter Properties Partnership,LLP,Petitioner Jackie Hatcher,Resident of 181 Highland Road,Vinton AGENDA WORK SESSION-6 P.M. I. Call to Order—Roll Call 11. Review 2024 Planning Commission Annual Report(review only-no motion needed) 111. Briefing 1. The petition of Winter Properties Partnership LLP, to rezone the portions of currently split-zoned properties located at 0 Highland Road, tax map numbers 060.11-04-29.00-0000 & 060.11-04-30.00-0000, from the R-2 Residential District to the M-1 Limited Industrial District. IV. Comments of Planning Commissioners and Planning Staff 1. Recognition of Ms. Fayula Gordon for her service to the Town of Vinton, its citizens, and the Vinton Planning Department, as she has submitted her official resignation effective at the end of February 2025. V. Adjournment of Work Session REGULAR SESSION AGENDA-6:30 P.M. I. Call to Order—Roll Call 11. Approval of Minutes: July 1, 2024, and February 4, 2025 III. Public Hearing to receive comments concerning: The petition of Winter Properties Partnership LLP, to rezone the portions of currently split-zoned properties located at 0 Highland Road, tax map numbers 060.11-04-29.00-0000 & 060.11-04-30.00-0000, from the R-2 Residential District to the M-1 Limited Industrial District. a. Chairman opens public hearing • Report from staff • Receive petitioner's comments • Receive public comments • Commissioners' discussion and questions PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND REGULAR SESSION FEBRUARY 20,2025 PAGE 2 b. Chairman closes public hearing c. Commission takes action on proposed petition for rezoning IV. Adjournment Chairman Liles called the work session to order at 6:00 p.m.He asked Ms.Tucei to call the roll.Ms.Tucei called the roll, and all members were present. The following members of Town Staff were present: Anita McMillan, Nathan McClung, and Julie Tucei. The petitioners and their representative were also in attendance. First on the work session agenda was the review of the 2024 Planning Commission Annual Report. This item did not require a motion or vote, only review. There were no changes or additions requested on the report. Next on the agenda was the briefing on the Petition of Winter Properties Partnership LLP, to rezone the portions of currently split-zoned properties located at 0 Highland Road, tax map numbers 060.11-04- 29.00-0000 & 060.11-04-30.00-0000, from the R-2 Residential District to the M-1 Limited Industrial District. Mr. McClung gave a briefing on the request to the Planning Commission. He mentioned that the Town Council was also briefed on this request at their previous meeting. Mr. McClung stated that the rezoning is only for the split-zoned properties as shown in documents included in the meeting packet. He mentioned that there are conceptual plans that include all the petitioner's properties, but only a couple of them are affected by this rezoning request. Also, any proffers made will only apply to those specific rezoned portions of the properties. Mr. McClung stated that buffer rules will apply because the properties are adjacent to properties that are zoned R-2 Residential. He gave some history about the lots and how in the 1980s the Town had split-zoned the properties because they bordered the railroad tracks. Mr.McClung stated that, in 2023, there were vacant houses on the properties that had caught fire, likely caused by transients. After that, Winter Properties bought the lots and tore down the burned houses. However,they could not construct an access road on the residential-zoned properties to serve the commercial portion of the lots. That is the reason for the rezoning request. Mr.McClung stated that the conceptual plan included in the packet is not proffered, it is purely conceptual. He also mentioned that the future use of the properties does not have to be mini warehouses. Mr. McClung said that the topography of the properties slopes down towards the railroad tracks. He explained that the current access to the existing mini warehouses is a safety issue because it is an unguarded railroad crossing. It is also a leased access between the petitioners and Norfolk Southern which could be lost at any time. He said the petitioner's intention is to use an entrance off Highland Road to access the existing mini warehouses instead. Mr. McClung went over the future land use map regarding this property. The future land use is designated as high-density residential,but staff feels that the general commercial land use designation would be more compatible for the area. He said the petitioner has proffered a list of uses that will be the only uses allowed on the properties in the future. Mr. McClung concluded his briefing and opened it up for questions from the Commissioners. Mr.McCoy asked if the property lines that are shown on the conceptual plans will be vacated as stated. Mr. McClung said they would eventually need to be. Mr. McCoy asked if the rezoning would make the properties more non-conforming. Ms. McMillan said that the rezoning would not make them more non-conforming. Mr. PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND REGULAR SESSION FEBRUARY 20,2025 PAGE 3 McCoy said the list of proffered uses is very extensive and asked what was left out. Mr. McClung said that it is extensive because the Town Zoning Ordinance uses are stacking. For example, uses allowed in GB-General Business are also allowed in M-1 Industrial, etc. Vice Chairman Jones asked if a medical use like the one that has recently located on 3`d Street could go there. Chairman Liles reminded him that medical uses would require going before the Planning Commission and Town Council for a Special Use Permit. Mr. McClung stated that the long list of uses are uses that would complement the surrounding area, including the Billy Byrd apartments. Chairman Liles mentioned that mini warehouses would be a benefit to the residents of the apartments who might need extra storage.Vice Chairman Jones asked about the traffic turning onto Highland Road off Gus Nicks Boulevard, and if anything is being done to make it safer. Mr. McClung stated that there is currently a study that is looking at making Gus Nicks Boulevard into a three-lane configuration. Mr. Mullen asked about turning left off Highland Road onto Gus Nicks Boulevard.Chairman Liles stated that he feels that having the mini-warehouse entrance off Highland Road is a better solution than having the traffic coming through downtown Vinton. He mentioned that they have already lowered the speed limit on Gus Nicks Boulevard to try to make it safer,and it should be even safer when it goes to the three lanes instead of four. Mr. McCoy asked if there were any citizen comments on this request. Ms. McMillan said one call was received from someone who was just wanting more information on the request. The caller was provided with the information on the rezoning request. Chairman Liles stated that he doesn't see where this would affect any existing residents along Highland Road. Mr. Mullen asked if all the petitioners are wanting is just to put an access road on the properties that are being rezoned. Mr. McClung said yes, but in the future, they could also put additional mini warehouses there. Mr. McCoy asked if there was any discussion about proffering the site plan that was included in the packet. Mr. McClung said that only the uses are proffered. He stated that if they meet all the requirements, they can do any of the uses they are proffering. Vice Chairman Jones asked where the pond and two streams that are shown on the site plan are located. Mr. McClung said those are located on properties to the west of these properties and are not involved in the parcels being rezoned. Mr. Mullen asked what year the existing units went in. Mr. McClung said he believes they were constructed in 1989. Mr. Mullen asked if the entrance to the existing mini warehouses has always been across the railroad. That has always been the access to the property. Mr. McCoy asked if there had ever been any accidents at that crossing. Ms. McMillan said there had not been any to date. The next item on the agenda was comments from the Planning Commission and Staff. During this time staff recognized Ms. Fayula Gordon for her service to the Town of Vinton, its citizens, and the Vinton Planning and Zoning Department, as she has submitted her official resignation effective at the end of February 2025. Unfortunately,Ms. Gordon was unable to attend tonight's meeting because she was under the weather. Chairman Liles said hopefully they will each be able to say goodbye to her at some point before she leaves at the end of the month. It was mentioned that she had obtained many grants for the Town while she has been employed over the last three years. Mr. McCoy wished her good luck at her new position. With there being nothing further to discuss, the work session was adjourned on a motion by Mr. McCoy and a second by Mr. Mullen at 6:29 p.m. PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND REGULAR SESSION FEBRUARY 20,2025 PAGE 4 Chairman Liles called the regular session to order at 6:31 p.m. He asked Ms. Tucei to call the roll. Ms. Tucei called the roll, and all members were present. The following members of Town Staff were present: Anita McMillan, Nathan McClung, and Julie Tucei. The petitioner and their representative were in attendance, and one citizen was also in attendance. The first item on the agenda was the approval of the minutes of the meetings held on July 1, 2024, and February 4, 2025. Mr. Benninger made a motion to approve both sets of minutes as submitted. Vice Chairman Jones seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken, and all members voted in favor of the motion to approve the minutes as submitted. The next item on the agenda was the public hearing to receive comments on the petition of Winter Properties Partnership LLP,to rezone the portions of currently split-zoned properties located at 0 Highland Road, tax map numbers 060.11-04-29.00-0000 & 060.11-04-30.00-0000, from the R-2 Residential District to the M-1 Limited Industrial District. Chairman Liles opened the public hearing at 6:32 p.m.and asked for the report from staff. Mr. McClung presented the staff report, a copy of which will be made a part of the permanent record of this meeting, along with the petitioner's documents. The rezoning is to take the property entirely to the Ml Industrial District to allow for an access road to serve existing mini- warehouses and make it the new primary access to those existing units. The petitioners also proffered uses that will be the only uses allowed on those parcels if this request is approved. Mr. McClung completed his presentation. Chairman Liles asked if there were any questions from the Planning Commission. There were none. Next,the petitioners were asked to give their presentation for the request. Mr. Trevor Winter-Pierce, one of the owners of the mini-warehouses, gave an overview of their business. Mr. Winter-Pierce presented a portion of a PowerPoint about their business,a copy of which will be made a part of the permanent record of this meeting. Mr. Chris Burns, from Balzer and Associates, finished presenting the PowerPoint about the request. First,he mentioned that Mr.McClung had done an excellent job of presenting the information about their request. Mr. Burns mentioned that some of the properties owned by Winter Properties are landlocked. He also mentioned that the railroad access is problematic as it is not guaranteed because it is leased from Norfolk Southern. The crossing is also a safety issue as well. Mr. Burns said this rezoning would eliminate the split-zoning of the property and provide for expansion of an existing 30-year-old business. Mr. Burns said the conceptual plan that was a part of their submittal was not proffered because it is just meant to be a vision. He stated that there is no clear timeline for when the development will be expanded. He said that the main goal of the rezoning is to get the access from Highland Road. Mr. Burns asked if the Commissioners had any questions. Vice Chairman Jones inquired about the large piece of land they own that is shown on the left side of the plan. Mr. Scott Winter stated that the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA) has a retention pond on that part of their property. He mentioned that another lot they own used to have a small shack on it that has been destroyed by trees and brush. Mr. Winter said this is the first storage location they owned. Vice Chairman Jones asked if there has ever been a train crash with a vehicle at that crossing. Mr. Winter said there has not been a crash that he knows of, but they have been stuck there for long periods of time by stopped trains on the tracks. Vice Chairman Jones mentioned that there was a train stopped for hours on the tracks at that location last Sunday. Mr. Burns said he heard that the railroad does shift changes there. Chairman Liles asked if they will be vacating the entrance over the tracks if they have an access off Highland Road. Mr. Winter said they will vacate it because they do not like having to pay the maintenance costs for the crossing to the PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION AND REGULAR SESSION FEBRUARY 20,2025 PAGE 5 railroad. Mr. McCoy asked about their facility located in Cloverdale and if the new ones they might put at this location in Vinton would look like those. Mr. Winter said any units they would build would be similar, but some would be climate controlled. Mr. Benninger asked if they would need sprinklered buildings. Mr. Winter said they would likely not need to be sprinklered, but it will depend on the size of the buildings. Signs were also discussed,and the Winters stated that they would likely want to place a sign along Highland Road. Vice Chairman Jones asked about concerns with traffic. Mr. Winter-Pierce said there were no concerns on their part. Vice Chairman Jones asked if they allow vehicle storage.Mr. Winter- Pierce said they do. Mr. McCoy asked if they allow outdoor storage of Recreational Vehicles (RVs). Mr. Winter said they only allow storage of RVs if they have the room to do it. Mr. Winter-Pierce stated that the topography would likely not allow RV storage. Mr. McClung mentioned that RV parking would not be allowed. Chairman Liles mentioned that you cannot even see the existing Winter Storage buildings now. There were no further questions from the Planning Commission. There were no comments or questions from citizens. Chairman Liles closed the public hearing at 6:50 p.m. Mr. McCoy made a motion to recommend approval of the request with the proffered conditions to Town Council. The motion was seconded by Mr. Benninger. A roll call vote was taken and all members voted in favor of the motion. With there being nothing further to discuss,the regular session was adjourned on a motion by Mr. McCoy and a second by Mr. Mullen at 6:52 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Anita McMillan Planning Commission Secretary