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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/10/2007 - Planning Commission - Minutes - RegularAPPROVED MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION October 10, 2007 A regular meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held in Council Chambers, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, at 7:00 p.m., on October 10, 2007, there being present the following members of said Commission, to wit: Gardner W. Smith, Jimmy W. Robertson, Vicki G. Daulton, and Bruce N. Thomasson (Terrance D. Murphy – absent); with Gardner W. Smith, Chairman, presiding; together with James E. Taliaferro, II, Assistant City Manager and Executive Secretary, ex officio member of said Commission; Melinda J. Payne, Director of Planning and Development; Charles E. VanAllman, City Engineer; Benjamin W. Tripp, Planner; and William C. Maxwell, Assistant City Attorney; and the following business was transacted: ON MOTION MADE BY COMMISSION MEMBER DAULTON, AND DULY CARRIED, the minutes of the regular meeting and work session held on September 12 , 2007, were approved as written – the roll call vote: all present – aye. In re: Request of Joseph W. Carter and MSLHD, LLC, property owners, and Christie Lawless, lessee, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow a gymnastics training facility on the property located at 638 Chapman Street (P/O Tax Map #160-10-7.1) The Executive Secretary reported that this date and time had been set to hold a public hearing to consider the request of Joseph W. Carter and MSLHD, LLC, property owners, and Christie Lawless, lessee, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow a gymnastics training facility on the property located at 638 Chapman Street (P/O Tax Map #160-10-7.1); and WHEREAS, the Executive Secretary further reported that notice of such hearing had been published in the September 27 and October 4, 2007, issues of the Salem Times-Register, and adjoining property owners were notified by letter mailed October 1, 2007; and 2 WHEREAS, staff noted the following: the subject property consists of one parcel located on Chapman Street, south of Fourth Street and directly east of the former Southwest Diesel Property; the parcel is approximately .7 acres and is currently occupied by an older multi-tenant industrial building; the property is currently zoned LM; this request is for a special exception permit to allow the operation of a gymnastics facility; and this property is within the 100 year flood zone; and WHEREAS, Christie Epperly-Lawless, Christiansburg, Virginia, lessee, appeared before the Commission explaining the request to operate a gymnastics training facility on this property; she presented the Commission a display board with information about her business; she noted that the business is currently located in Christiansburg; she stated there used to be a gymnastics facility on Apperson Drive in Salem; when the facility closed in May, they had approximately 200 students so she feels there is a need in the city; and WHEREAS, Commission Member Thomasson asked Mrs. Epperly- Lawless how many students she thought would be interested in the facility, and Mrs. Epperly-Lawless stated she felt at least 200 plus; she further noted that she had a former gymnastics teammate who previously operated the same type facility in Salem, and she had 270 students at one time; and WHEREAS, Mrs. Epperly-Lawless further discussed her goals for the proposed business; and WHEREAS, Commission Member Robertson asked Mrs. Epperly- Lawless if she currently had a business in Christiansburg and would this be a second location, and she stated that her business was currently located in Christiansburg and that the Salem location would be an expansion; she further noted depending on the market and also the success of the business in Salem, she hoped to concentrate on just the Salem location; she noted that since the other business on Apperson Drive closed she has had many phone calls and emails related to opening a location in Salem; and 3 WHEREAS, Commission Member Daulton asked if they would need to do a lot of renovating inside the building, and Mrs. Epperly- Lawless noted that most gymnastics facilities are located in industrial buildings because these are the types of buildings that have high enough ceilings and enough space for the gymnastics equipment; and she further noted there is very little that would have to be done to the building; and WHEREAS, Commission Member Daulton asked if they would need to install outside lighting, and Mrs. Epperly-Lawless noted that there is already lighting installed on the outside of the building; and WHEREAS, Commission Member Daulton asked if the parking would be at the building, and Mrs. Epperly-Lawless noted that the parking would be on the street and further, many parents drop off their children while they do errands, etc.; and WHEREAS, Commission Member Daulton asked if the city would require a site plan for the proposed business, and Ben Tripp, Planner, noted that what the petitioner is proposing would not require a site plan; and WHEREAS, Chairman Smith asked how large was the existing business in Christiansburg, and Mrs. Epperly-Lawless noted that they have an average of 300 students; and WHEREAS, Mrs. Epperly-Lawless discussed the various class formats for the business; and WHEREAS, Commission Member Daulton asked if she would need to hire additional instructors since this would be a second location for the business, and Mrs. Epperly-Lawless noted that she does a lot of the coaching herself and that she already has coaches lined up for the proposed facility; she further noted that many of the coaches worked for the previous gymnastics facility that closed in May; and 4 WHEREAS, Joseph Carter, 106 Chestnut Street, Salem, property owner, appeared before the Commission in support of the request; and WHEREAS, Chairman Smith told Mr. Carter that the Commission had some concerns about the lighting for the facility; and WHEREAS, Melinda Payne, Director of Planning and Economic Development, noted that staff had received a number of phone calls from people wanting to know when the business would be opening; and WHEREAS, no other person(s) appeared related to said request; ON MOTION MADE BY COMMISSION MEMBER ROBERTSON, AND DULY CARRIED, the Planning Commission of the City of Salem doth recommend to the Council of the City of Salem that the request of Joseph W. Carter and MSLHD, LLC, property owners, and Christie Lawless, lessee, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow a gymnastics training facility on the property located at 638 Chapman Street (P/O Tax Map #160-10-7.1) be approved as presented – the roll call vote: all present – aye. In re: Request of Lewis E. Barker and George C. Barker, Jr., property owners, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow a two-family dwelling on the property located at 638 E. Main Street (Tax Map # 107-8-7) The Executive Secretary reported that this date and time had been set to hold a public hearing to consider the request of Lewis E. Barker and George C. Barker, property owners, for the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow a two-family dwelling on the property located at 638 E. Main Street (Tax Map #107-8-7); and WHEREAS, Chairman Smith noted the City had received a letter from the petitioners asking to withdraw the item from consideration. There being no further business to come before the Commission, the same on motion adjourned at 7:18 p.m.