HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/13/2022 - Planning Commission - Minutes - RegularPl anning Commission Meeting
MI N U TES
Wednesday, April 13, 2022, 7:00 P M
Work Session 6:00P M Council Chambers Conference Room, City Hall, 114
North Broad Street:
W O RK S E SS I O N
1.C all to Order
A work session of the Planning Commission of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held
in C ouncil C hambers Conference Room, C ity Hall, 114 North Broad Street, Salem,
Virginia, at 6:00 p.m. on April 13, 2022; there being the members of said
C ommission, to wit: Vicki G. Daulton, Chair; Denise P. King, Vice C hair; Reid A.
Garst, II; J ackson Beamer; and Neil L. C onner; together with H. Robert Light,
Assistant C ity Manager and Secretary Pro Tem, ex officio member of said
C ommission to wit; Charles E. Van Allman (virtual), Director of C ommunity
Development; Mary Ellen Wines, Zoning Administrator; and J im Guynn, C ity
Attorney J im Guynn; and the following business was transacted:
C hair Daulton called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. and reported that this date,
place and time had been set for the C ommission to hold a work session.
2.New Business
A.Discussion of items on the April 13th agenda
A discussion was held regarding the request of Philip M. and Rachel C . Knouff,
property owners, for the issuance of a Home Occupation Permit to allow a small-
scale wholesale cut flower farm (garden) on the property located at 275 Fort Lewis
Boulevard (Tax Map #130-2-22).
A discussion was held regarding the request of MO Salem, LLC, property owner,
and Midland Atlantic Properties, property owner's management affiliate, to rezone
the properties located at 1923 Electric Road and 1951 Electric Road (Tax Map #'s
284-1-2.2 and 284-1-2.3) from HBD with conditions to HBD with amended
conditions to allow retail sales.
3.Adjournment
C hair Daulton inquired if there were any other items for discussion and hearing
none, adjourned the work session at 6:52 p.m.
RE GU L AR SE SSI ON
1.C all to Order
A regular meeting of the Planning C ommission of the C ity of Salem, Virginia, was
held after due and proper notice in the C ouncil C hambers, C ity Hall, 114 North
Broad Street, Salem, Virginia, at 7:00 p.m., on April 13, 2022. Notice of such
hearing was published in the March 31, and April 7, 2022, issues of the "Salem
Times Register," a newspaper published and having general circulation in the City
of Salem. All adjacent property owners were notified via the U. S. Postal Service.
T he Commission, constituting a legal quorum, presided together with J im H. Guynn,
J r., City Attorney; H. Robert Light, Assistant City Manager and Executive
Secretary Pro Tem, ex officio member of said Commission, to wit; Charles E. Van
Allman, J r., Director of Community Development (virtual); and Mary Ellen Wines,
Zoning Administrator; and the following business was transacted:
C hair Daulton called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2.Pledge of Allegiance
3.C onsent Agenda
A.Minutes
C onsider acceptance of the minutes from the March 16, 2022, work session and
regular meeting.
Neil Conner motioned C onsider acceptance of the minutes from the March 16,
2022, work session and regular meeting as amended (change Vice Chair to Chair
Daulton on adjournment).. Denise King seconded the motion.
Ayes: Beamer, Conner, Daulton, Garst, King
4.New Business
A.Home Occupation P ermit
Hold public hearing to consider the request of Philip M. and Rachel C. Knouff,
property owners, for the issuance of a Home Occupation Permit to allow a
small-scale wholesale cut flower farm (garden) on the property located at 275
Ft. Lewis Boulevard. (Tax Map # 130-2-22).
Staff noted the following:
T he subject property consists of a single parcel located on the east side of Fort
Lewis Boulevard southeast of the intersection of Valleydale Road and Fort Lewis
Boulevard. T he size is approximately 1.779 acres and contains one single-family
dwelling.
T he petitioner is requesting a home occupation permit to operate a small-scale
flower farm in the rear yard. T he homeowner would grow flowers, cut them, and
deliver them to local florists for wholesale purchase.
T he garden area would not exceed 1/8 of an acre. It will be managed with a push
mower and manual garden tools. Mulch and ground covers will be used for weed
management and synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides will be avoided.
Flowers, when ready, will be cut and delivered by the applicant in their personal
vehicle. No customers will be allowed on the premises and there will be no
employees.
Rachel C. Knouff, 275 Fort Lewis Boulevard, property owner, appeared before the
C ommission to explain the request; she stated that she would like to be allowed to
sell cut flowers to local florists and wholesale; it would be an electronic transaction
and she would deliver the flower off premises--no customers would come to the
property; it would allow her to fill a market niche for fresh floral goods; C O VID
created an opportunity where product cannot arrive as quickly as needed or is
harder to source; therefore, local growers can provide a fresher flower and better
quality to florists.
C hair Daulton questioned when the business would begin, and Vice C hair King
questioned if it would be a year-round business.
Mrs. Knouff stated that she would begin selling this summer as she already has
flowers growing for her personal use and in hopes of being approved for her request;
she also stated that winter would be used for growing, not cutting flowers.
Member Beamer questioned if she grew the flowers in a greenhouse.
Mrs. Knouff explained the structure she will use--a "caterpillar" where you use
PVC piping to bend into a hoop anchored into the ground with a cover to create an
environment (tunnel) for the plants to grow without being destroyed by wind, etc.
T he rows would be no more than 4 feet high and three feet wide. She has one florist
she has contacted where she works as a wedding designer; there would not be any
employees other than herself.
Member Garst stated that the application limits the area for plantings to 1/8 acre and
would like for the request to be approved administratively if she wants to expand
the area in the future.
Mrs. Knouff stated that she doesn't plan to expand yet, but would like the option to
be able to do so in the future.
No other person(s) appeared before the Commission regarding the request.
Reid Garst motioned approve request of Philip M. and Rachel C. Knouff, property
owners, for the issuance of a Home Occupation Permit to allow a small-scale
wholesale cut flower farm (garden) on the property located at 275 Fort Lewis
Boulevard (Tax Map #130-2-22) on condition any changes are to be approved
administratively by staff.. J ackson Beamer seconded the motion.
Ayes: Beamer, Conner, Daulton, Garst, King
B.Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance
Hold public hearing to consider the request of MO Salem, LLC , property owner
and Midland Atlantic Properties, property owner's management affiliate, to
rezone the properties located at 1923 Electric Road and 1951 Electric Road
(Tax Map # 284-1-2.2 and Tax Map # 284-1-2.3) from HBD with conditions to
HBD with amended conditions to allow retail sales.
Staff noted the following:
When the Ridgewood Farms development was rezoned in 1979, there were
numerous voluntarily proffered conditions placed on the proposed development.
One of those conditions must be amended in order for a tobacco/vape retail store to
operate within an existing storefront. T he properties are currently zoned HBD
Highway Business District, which allows for retail sales by right; however, when the
property was rezoned to B3 in 1979, the conditions specifically allowed for the
following retail sales: drug stores, food sales, wearing apparel shops, auto appliance
services, and home appliance services.
T he petitioners are requesting the removal of the specific retail uses and the
addition of retail sales in its entirety. T his would remove the requirement of future
petitions should additional other types of retail sales businesses wish to occupy the
premises.
Fenton C hilders, 6120 Sandhurst Drive, Roanoke, VA, leasing agent for Ridgewood
Farms appeared before the Commission on behalf of MO Salem, LLC, property
owner, to explain the request; he stated that current owners purchased the property in
J uly 2021 and want to "spiff up" the center and give it new life. A new potential
tenant found out that the current zoning does not approve for the use of retail sales
of tobacco and e-cigarettes. T he shopping center was developed in 1984 with
conditions more restrictive than the current zoning code for retail sales. He noted
that the zoning was amended in 2014 to allow for the installation of gas pumps. He
requested that the request be approved to allow for broader retail sales.
Vice C hair King questioned what space the business would go in.
Mr. C hilders stated that it would either be the vacant space beside Tuesday
Morning, which had been previously occupied by an orthopedic business; or the
former Subway located next to Kimball Tax Service.
No other person(s) appeared related to the request.
Neil Conner motioned approve request of MO Salem, LLC , property owner and
Midland Atlantic Properties, property owner's management affiliate, to rezone the
properties located at 1923 Electric Road and 1951 Electric Road (Tax Map #'s 284-
1-2.2 and 284-1-2.3) from HBD with conditions to HBD with amended conditions
to allow retail sales. Denise King seconded the motion.
Ayes: Beamer, Conner, Daulton, Garst, King
5.Adjournment
On motion by Member Conner and duly carried, the meeting was adjourned at 7:16
p.m.
C ity C ouncil meeting, April 25, 2022, 6:30 p.m.
C ounc il C hamb ers , C ity Hall, 114 No rth Bro ad S treet