Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/10/2020 - Planning Commission - Minutes - RegularPlanni ng Commi ssi on Meeti ng M INUTES Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 7:00 PM City Hall, Council Chambers, 114 N. Broad Street, Salem, VA 24153 1.C all to Order A regular meeting of the Planning C ommission of the C ity of Salem, Virginia, was called to order at 7:00 p.m., there being present all the members to wit: Vicki G. Daulton, C hair; Denise P. King, Vice Chair; Reid A. Garst II, N. J ackson Beamer, and Neil L. Conner; with Vicki G. Daulton, Chair, presiding; together with Mary Ellen Wines, Zoning Administrator, and Benjamin W. Tripp, C ity Planner. Neil Conner motioned to appoint Mary Ellen Wines as Executive Secretary Pro Tem for this meeting of the Planning C ommission. N. J ackson Beamer seconded the motion. Aye: C onner, Beamer, Garst, King, Daulton D U E TO AN E QU I P ME N T MAL F U N C T I ON, T H E SE MI N U T E S WE RE P RE PARE D WI T HOU T T HE U SE OF AN AU D I O RE C ORD I N G. 2.Pledge of Allegiance 3.C onsent Agenda A.Minutes Consider acceptance of the minutes from the February 12, 2020, work session and regular meeting. Accepted as presented 4.New Business A.P rocedures for Electronic P ublic Meetings and P ublic Hearings Consider the adoption of a resolution to allow procedures for electronic public meetings and public hearings to ensure the continuity of government during the C O VID-19 pandemic disaster. Mr. Tripp discussed the proposed Remote Participation Policy for consideration of the Planning C ommission to allow limited participation of two members electronically at Planning C ommission meetings. He noted this has been provided for and allowed under the Freedom of Information Act for a number of years. C ity C ouncil and the Salem School Board have each adopted a policy. He also discussed a proposed resolution for consideration by the Planning C ommission to allow procedures for electronic public meetings and public hearings to ensure the continuity of government during the C O VID-19 pandemic disaster. He noted the resolution would allow all encompassing electronic meetings pursuant to Section 15.2-1413 of the State C ode. It is limited to circumstances that are defined as a “disaster” and can remain in effect for a 6-month period. C ity Council has approved an Emergency Ordinance, and the School Board has also approved the Resolution incorporating the Emergency Ordinance of City C ouncil. T he Economic Development Authority and the Board of Equalization have approved them as well. Vice C hair King motioned to approve the Remote Participation Policy for meetings of the Planning C ommission of the C ity of Salem. Neil C onner seconded the motion. Ayes: Conner, Beamer, Garst, King, Daulton Reid Garst motioned to adopt the resolution to allow procedures for electronic public meetings and public hearings to ensure the continuity of government during the C O VID-19 pandemic. J ackson Beamer seconded the motion. Ayes: Beamer, Conner, Daulton, Garst, King B.Special Exception P ermit Hold public hearing to consider the request of Laura Owen, dba Breaking Ground Investments, LLC , property owner and Mount Regis Center, lessee, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow an outpatient mental health and substance abuse clinic on the property located at 120 Roanoke Boulevard (Tax Map # 121-9- 3) with proffered conditions. T he Executive Secretary Pro Tem reported that notice of said hearing had been published in the May 28, and J une 4, 2020, issues of the Salem Times Register, and all property owners were notified by letter mailed May 20, 2020. Staff noted the following regarding the request: the subject property consists of a single parcel of approximately 0.186 acres, located on the south side of Boulevard, near the intersection with South C olorado Street. T he property is occupied by a single-story office building with parking in the rear. T his request is to renew the existing Special Exception Permit for an additional two years, in order to allow Mount Regis Center to continue to operate their out-patient counseling services from this location. All existing conditions would continue. T he existing conditions are: 1. T he permit will be for a period of two years. 2. T he request is limited for the purposes of business offices, outpatient counseling, family counseling, and public education. In particular, this means no medications will be stored, dispensed, or associated in any way with these services at this location. 3. T he hours of operation for the counseling services will be from 12 PM to 9:30 PM, Monday through Friday only. C hair Daulton opened the public hearing and asked if there was anyone to speak regarding this request. C urt Lane, C EO of Mount Regis C enter, 125 Knotbreak Road appeared before the C ommission explaining the Special Exception Permit request. He read the letter submitted to the C ity along with the petition for the benefit of those in attendance. He also discussed the proffered conditions which would continue for the property. C hair Daulton asked if there was anyone else to speak on this matter. T here was no response, and the public hearing was closed. Neil Conner motioned to recommend to the Council of the City of Salem that the request of Laura and Robert Owen, property owners, and Mount Regis Center, lessee, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow an outpatient mental health counseling center on the property located at 120 Roanoke Boulevard (Tax Map #121-9-3) be approved with the following proffered conditions: (1) T he permit will be for a period of two years; (2) the request is limited for the purposes of business offices, outpatient counseling, family counseling, and public education. In particular, this means no medications will be stored, dispensed or associated in any way with these services at this location; and (3) the hours of operation for the counseling services will be from 12 PM to 9:30 PM, Monday through Friday only. Reid Garst seconded the motion. Ayes: Beamer, Conner, Daulton, Garst, King C .Special Exception P ermit Hold public hearing to consider the request of Salem Montessori School, Inc., property owner, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow educational facilities, primary/secondary on the property located at 1574 Roanoke Boulevard (Tax Map # 222 - 1 - 2). T he Executive Secretary Pro Tem reported that notice of said hearing had been published in the May 28, and J une 4, 2020, issues of the Salem Times Register, and all property owners were notified by letter mailed May 20, 2020. Staff noted the following regarding the request: the subject property consists of a single parcel of approximately 0.5 acres, located on the southwest corner of Boulevard - Roanoke and Alberta Drive, across from the General Electric facility. T he property is occupied by a converted two-story dwelling which was previously used as a Montessori school. T his request is to issue a Special Exception Permit to allow Salem Montessori to use this facility again. Prior to building their new school on the “Elizabeth C ampus”, this was their primary facility. After moving, this location remained vacant for a period of longer than two years and lost its grandfathering, thus a new permit must be issued for it to be used again. C hair Daulton opened the public hearing and asked if there was anyone to speak regarding this request. Valerie Vanderhooven, property owner/Directress, appeared before the Commission in support of the Special Exception Permit request. She noted the school occupied the property from 1993 to 2017 as a school/daycare for 23 years until they built new facilities at 101 and 107 C orporate Blvd in Salem. T hey have had the property on and off the market for the past three years with little interest. T hey would like to move their elementary and middle school programs back to this location as soon as possible in preparation for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. C urrently they have a total of 35 students in our elementary and middle school programs. T hey will accept a total of 40 students for this coming school year, 2020-2021. T hey will start the 2020-2021 school year with four full-time staff members on the campus with a maximum of 6 staff members at one time. She noted the older students need more space for their supplemental learning curriculum, including our award-winning Robotics team, music, and art, along with gardening and S T EM programs. Further, moving the elementary and middle school programs back to this location will provide their students with the additional space they require for optimal learning. She stated she would be glad to answer any questions the C ommission might have. Elizabeth C uret of 1600 Alberta Drive appeared before the C ommission in regards the request. She noted that she was concerned about the traffic but did not realize that it would be so few students. She suggested that the parents might want to exit through the neighborhood rather than turning around. C hair Daulton asked if there was anyone else to speak on this matter. T here was no response, and the public hearing was closed. Neil Conner motioned to recommend to the Council of the City of Salem that the request of Salem Montessori School, Inc., property owner, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow educational facilities, primary/secondary on the property located at 1574 Roanoke Boulevard (Tax Map # 222-1-2) be approved subject to the following conditions: (1) only 1st through 8th grade classes and (2) no more than 60 students and 6 staff members. Denise King seconded the motion. Ayes: Beamer, Conner, Daulton, Garst, King D.Special Exception P ermit Hold public hearing to consider the request of Professional Auto Towing & Service, Inc., property owner, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow automobile repair services, major on the properties located at 707 and 711 Kesler Mill Road (Tax Map #s 34-1-2.1 and 34-1-2). T he Executive Secretary Pro Tem reported that notice of said hearing had been published in the May 28, and J une 4, 2020, issues of the Salem Times Register, and all property owners were notified by letter mailed May 20, 2020. Staff noted the following regarding the request: the subject property consists of a two parcels of approximately 0.8 acres, located on the west side of Kesler Mill Road, just south of Parkway Brewing. T he property is occupied by an office and associated automobile repair buildings. T his request is to legitimize and expand a grandfathered use. C urrently, “Major” automobile repair services are allowed in HBD by Special Exception Permit only. T he existing facility likely predates this requirement and is allowed as a grandfathered use. However, the owners would like to add a second floor to an existing building, which would expand the use. In order to allow this expansion, a Special Exception Permit is required, which removes the grandfathering. C hair Daulton opened the public hearing and asked if there was anyone to speak regarding this request. Mr. Barney Horrell with Brushy Mountain Engineering PLLC , representing the property owner, appeared before the C ommission explaining the Special Exception Permit request. T he business, Professional Auto Towing and Service, has been providing automobile repairs and towing services at their location on Kesler Mill for three generations. In early J une 2019 the business suffered a structural fire which has resulted in a loss of more than half of their garage bays and all of our office space. T hey have continued to operate in the remaining garage space and doing the office and support services from home. T hey remain committed to serving the Salem community and are planning some improvements and an expansion to the building to create much needed office space. T he existing building and business operation are allowed as a grandfathered use in the HBD zoning. HBD does allow for vehicle repairs and towing with a Special Exception for use type "Automobile Repair Services, Major." With this application, they are requesting a Special Exception to bring the business use into compliance with the current zoning classification of the property. He further noted Dennis C hristian J r., property owner and business operator, was in attendance if the C ommission had any questions for him. Mr. C onner asked how many vehicles would be on site at any one time, and Mr. C hristian noted up to 10 salvage vehicles and 5-10 wrecked vehicles at the most. C hair Daulton asked if there was anyone else to speak on this matter. T here was no response, and the public hearing was closed. J ackson Beamer motioned to recommend to the Council of the City of Salem that the request of Professional Auto Towing & Service, Inc., for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow automobile repair services, major on the properties located at 707 and 711 Kesler Mill Road (Tax Map #s 34-1-2.1 and 34- 1-2) be approved. Neil C onner seconded the motion. Ayes: Beamer, Conner, Daulton, Garst, King 5.Adjournment T he meeting was adjourned at 7:46 p.m.