HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/11/2017 - Planning Commission - Minutes - RegularPlanni ng Commission Meeting
M INUTES
Wednesday, October 11, 2017, 7:00 P M
Council Chambers, C ity Hall, 114 North B road Street, Salem, Virginia 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 the following members to wit: Vicki
G . Daulton, Denise P. King, Reid A. Garst II, and N. J ackson Beamer; with Vicki
G . Daulton, C hair, presiding; together with J ames E. Taliaferro, Assistant City
Manager and Executive Secretary; C harles E. Van Allman, J r., Director of
C ommunity Development; Benjamin W. Tripp, C ity Planner; and William C .
Maxwell, Assistant C ity Attorney.
2.C onsent Agenda
A.Minutes
C onsider approval of the minutes from the September 13, 2017, work session and
regular meeting.
A pproved as written
3.New Business
A.Special E xception P ermit
Hold public hearing to consider the request of A. Gerald C iaffone and Leisa K.
C iaffone, property owners, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow
an accessory apartment on the property located at 715 Red Lane, (Tax Map # 62-4-
2).
T he Executive Secretary reported that notice of such hearing had been published in
the September 28 and October 5, 2017, issues of the Salem Times Register and
adjacent property owners were notified by letter mailed September 26, 2017.
Staff noted the following regarding the Special Exception Permit request: the
subject property consists of a single parcel of approximately 0.37 acres located on
the west side of Red Lane, just south of the intersection with East Carrollton
Avenue. It is occupied by a single family home and a detached garage. T his request
is for a Special Exception Permit to allow an accessory apartment above the
detached garage. Last month, the Board of Zoning Appeals of the City of Salem
approved an application for a variance to attach the garage to the house so that it
would be part of the main structure, a requirement for the accessory apartment
request to be considered by Planning C ommission.
C hair Daulton opened the public hearing and asked if there was anyone present who
would like to speak regarding this matter.
C urt Steele of 706 Red Lane, representing the petitioners, appeared before the
C ommission to explain the request. He noted that the C iaffones have petitioned the
C ity to permit them to build an accessory apartment at their home. T he immediate
purpose of the apartment is to provide living quarters for their adult daughter who is
returning home this fall and planning to attend graduate school next year. T hey wish
to assist their daughter by providing housing while she works to save money and
attends school. T he Special Exception Permit will allow them to finish the upstairs
area of their existing garage with the apartment. He noted the side door entrance to
the garage will be connected to the side door of the main house by a covered
walkway. He further noted he thought the Commission had been provided with a
request letter, petition, and drawings of the apartment floor plan and walkway
connector, and that Parker Design provided a scale drawing of the property. In
addition, a couple of weeks ago the Board of Zoning A ppeals approved a variance
to the setback requirement of the zoning which would allow residential use of the
garage. He further discussed the Special Exception Permit request.
C ommissioner King noted that the C ommission did not receive a copy of the floor
plan or walkway connector with the packet. She stated she assumes that staff has
seen those and approved the drawings. Mr. Tripp noted that he did not believe that
it was included in the information submitted for Planning C ommission, but it may
have been submitted in the information for the Board of Zoning Appeals. Mr. Steele
noted that he had a copy of the drawings if the Commission would like to see them.
Mr. Steele presented the drawings to the C ommission. Mr. Tripp noted that Mary
Ellen Wines, Zoning Administrator, had reviewed the drawings.
C hair Daulton asked Mr. Steele if the petitioners were aware that this apartment is
for family members only and once their daughter moves out, they will not be able to
rent it. Mr. Steele noted that they were aware of this restriction.
C hair Daulton asked if there was anyone else to speak regarding this request.
T here was no response, and the public hearing was closed.
Reid G arst motioned to approve the request of A. Gerald C iaffone and Leisa K.
C iaffone, property owners, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow
an accessory apartment on the property located at 715 Red Lane (Tax Map # 62-4-
2). D enise King seconded the motion.
Ayes: Beamer, Daulton, Garst, King
4.Adjournment
T he meeting was adjourned at 7:07 p.m.