HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/23/2020 - Zoning Appeal - Agenda -B oard of Zoni ng Appeals
AGENDA
Wednesday, December 23, 2020, 4:00 PM
Salem Civic Center, Community Room, 1001 Roanoke Boulevard, Salem, VA 24153
1.Call to Order
2.Old Business
3.New Business
A.F loodway Variance Request
Consider the request of T he Trustees of Roanoke C ollege, property owners, for a variance
from Section 106-226.7 pertaining to development restrictions in a floodway, for the property
located at 301 Campus Lane, Tax Map # 86-3-4. T he petitioners are requesting to construct
a pavilion within the floodway.
4.Adjournment
CASE NUMBER:2020-003:
APPLICANT: Trustees of Roanoke College 301 Campus Lane
STAFF
ANALYSIS
SALEM, VIRGINIA
301 Campus Lane
Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA)
Public Hearing Date:
December 23, 2020
Community Development
Zoning Administration Division
21 South Bruffey Street
(540) 375-3036
APPLICANTS’ REQUEST
To construct a 12’ x 20’ pavilion in the floodway, on the paver area at the end of
Alumni Lane, a portion of 301 Campus Lane (Tax Map # 86-3-4).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
301 Campus Lane is zoned CUD, College and University District and consists of 52.038
acres.
This pavilion is one of 5 being installed on campus. They are to be built in areas that
are currently Patio Areas along side of Walkways. There is Concrete Pavers there now.
They will remove the pavers at each post, dig and pour the footer level with the top
of the existing pavers, then the removed pavers would be cut and fit around the pier.
The pavilion proposed at the end of Alumni Lane is within the FEMA designated
floodway.
Additional information will be presented at the meeting. It was not available at the
time of this submittal.
RELEVANT EXCERPTS FROM ZONING ORDINANCE
Sec. 106-226.7. - Development restrictions, floodway.
(A) Generally. Under no circumstances shall any use, activity, stream bed alteration or
relocation, new construction, substantial improvements and/or development adversely
affect the capacity of the channels or floodways of any watercourse, drainage ditch or any
other drainage facility or system. In floodways, no encroachments, fill, new construction,
substantial improvements or other development shall be permitted, except where the effect
of such development (as may be permitted in accordance with the regulations of the
underlying zoning district) on flood heights is fully offset by accompanying improvements
which have been approved by appropriate local, state and/or federal authorities as required
by law (i.e., no proposed use, development or activity shall be permitted within the floodway
which would cause any increase in flood levels during the 100-year flood).
(B) Alternation and relocation of floodway and channel. Prior to any proposed alteration or
relocation of any channels or floodways of any watercourse, stream, etc., within the City of
Salem, approval shall be obtained from the U. S. Corps of Engineers, the State Water Control
Board, and the State Marine Resources Commission. Furthermore, notification of the
proposal shall be given by the applicant to all affected adjacent jurisdictions, the Department
of Conservation and Recreation (Division of Dam Safety and Floodplain Management) and
the Federal Insurance Administration.
Map 1: Flood Map
Map 2: Surrounding Existing Land Uses & Development
Single-
Family
College &
University
College &
University
Mary Ellen H. Wines, Zoning Administrator
Community Development 21 South Bruffey Street, Salem, Virginia 24153, (540) 375-3036, mewines@salemva.gov
Zoning Administration Division
December 3, 2020
The Trustees of Roanoke College
221 College Lane
Salem, Virginia 24153
RE: Variance Request
301 Campus Lane
Tax Map # 86-3-4
Dear Trustees:
You and/or your agent shall appear before the Board of Zoning Appeals
on:
Wednesday December 23, 2020
at 4:00 p.m. in the
Community Room of the Salem Civic Center,
1001 Roanoke Boulevard
for consideration of your request for a variance for the above referenced
property.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact our office
at (540) 375-3032.
Sincerely,
Mary Ellen H. Wines, CZA CTM
Zoning Administrator
NOTICE OF
PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given to all
interested persons that the
Board of Zoning Appeals of
the City of Salem, Virginia
will hold a public hearing, in
accordance with the
provisions of Sections 15.2-
2204 and 15.2-2309 of the
1950 Code of Virginia, as
amended, on December 23,
2020, at 4:00 p.m. in the
Community Room of the
Salem Civic Center, 1001
Roanoke Boulevard, in the
City of Salem, Virginia, to
consider the following
applications.
Request of The Trustees of
Roanoke College, property
owners, for a variance from
Section 106-226.7
pertaining to development
restrictions in a floodway,
for the property located at
301 Campus Lane West
Riverside Drive, Tax Map #
86-3-4. The petitioners are
requesting to construct a
pavilion within the floodway.
At this hearing, all parties in
interest will be given an
opportunity to be heard,
present evidence, and show
cause why such requests
should or should not be
granted. For additional
information, contact the
Office of the Zoning
Administrator, 21 South
Bruffey Street, Salem,
Virginia (Phone 375 3032).
THE BOARD OF ZONING
APPEALS OF THE CITY
OF SALEM
BY: Mary Ellen H. Wines,
CZA, CFM
Zoning Administrator
Should anyone disagree with the
Board’s decision today you have the
right to appeal to the Circuit Court of
the City of Salem. You must
exercise your right to appeal no later
than thirty (30) days following the
Board’s decision by filing a petition
to the Circuit Court specifying the
grounds on which you are aggrieved.
I. Call to order (Chairman)
II. Roll Call (Secretary)
III. Officers elected
IV. Approval of Minutes (Chairman to entertain a motion)
V. Declaration of Appeal to Circuit Court (Chairman)
VI. Reading of first case (Administrator)
VII. Request of correspondence (Chairman of Administrator)
VIII. Request of viewing of the Board (Chairman)
IX. Request for petitioners and/or comments for the case (Chairman)
X. Board discussion
XI. Request for motion (Chairman)
XII. Roll Call (Secretary)
XIII. Repeat VI – XI if more than one case
XIV. Request for unfinished business (Chairman)
XV. Request for new business
XVI. Adjournment
1Amendments from House Bill 796, from the 2018 Session of the Virginia General Assembly, are in italics and underlined.
Rules Governing Justification for Variance:
§15.2-2309 of the Code of Virginia states that the Board of Zoning Appeals shall base its required findings
upon the particular evidence presented to it in each specific case where the property owner can provide proof to
the satisfaction of the BZA that:
1. The strict application of the terms of the ordinance would unreasonably restrict the use of the
property.
or
2. That the granting of the variance would alleviate a hardship due to the physical condition relating to
the property at the time of the effective date of the ordinance, or alleviate a hardship by granting a
reasonable modification to a property or improvements thereon requested by, or on behalf of, a
person with a disability.1
In either case, the following criteria must be met:
The property interest for which the variance is being requested was acquired in good faith and any
hardship was not created by the applicant for the variance;
The granting of the variance will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property and nearby
properties in the proximity of that geographical area;
The condition or situation of the property concerned is not of so general or recurring a nature as to
make reasonably practicable the formulation of a general regulation to be adopted as an
amendment to the ordinance;
The granting of the variance does not result in a use that is not otherwise permitted on such
property or a change in the zoning classification of the property; and
The relief or remedy sought by the variance application is not available through a special exception
process or the process for modification of a zoning ordinance at the time of the filing of the
variance application.
In granting a variance, the Board is required to make findings that reasonably articulate the basis for it
decision. The Board may impose such conditions regarding the location, character, and other features of the
proposed structure or use as it may deem necessary in the public interest and may require a guarantee or bond
to ensure that the conditions imposed are met.
Any variance granted to provide a reasonable modification to a property or improvements thereon
requested by, or on behalf of, a person with a disability may expire when the person benefited by it is no longer
in need of the modification to such property or improvements provided by the variance.1
Rules Governing Communication:
§15.2308.1 of the Code of Virginia states that the non-legal staff of the governing body may have ex
parte communications with a member of the board prior to the hearing but may not discuss the facts or law
relative to a particular case. The applicant, landowner or his agent or attorney may have ex parte
communications with a member of the board prior to the hearing but may not discuss the facts or law relative
to a particular case. If any ex parte discussion of facts or law in fact occurs, the party engaging in such
communication shall inform the other party as soon as practicable and advise the other party of the substance
of such communication. For purposes of this section, regardless of whether all parties participate, ex parte
communications shall not include (i) discussions as part of a public meeting or (ii) discussions prior to a public
meeting to which staff of the governing body, the applicant, landowner or his agent or attorney are all invited.
As part of the application, the petitioner grants permission to the Board to enter the property for the
purposes of processing and reviewing the application.
To move to a closed session for consultation of legal counsel:
Motion to close: Move to convene in closed session pursuant to
Section 2.2-3711 A (8), of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended
to date, for the purpose of consultation with legal counsel.
Motion to open: Move that in accordance with Section 2.2-3711
A (8). of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended to date, this
Board hereby certifies that in Closed Session only items lawfully
exempted from open meeting requirements under the Virginia
Freedom of Information Act and only such items identified in the
motion by which the Closed Session was convened were heard,
discussed, or considered by the Board.
To move to a closed session for the protection of the privacy
of boardmembers in personal matters not related to items on
the agenda:
Motion to close: Move to convene in closed session pursuant to
Section 2.2-3711 A (4), of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended
to date, for the purpose of privacy protection of personal matters
not related to public business.
Motion to open: Move that in accordance with Section 2.2-3711
A (4). of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended to date, this
Board hereby certifies that in Closed Session only items lawfully
exempted from open meeting requirements under the Virginia
Freedom of Information Act and only such items identified in the
motion by which the Closed Session was convened were heard,
discussed, or considered by the Board.