Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

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Planning Commission meeting for Thursday, November 13th, 2025. The first order of business is the approval of the minutes from our October 8th, 2025 meeting. There any additions, corrections? Have a motion. Motion to approve minutes. Second. Second. All in favor say I. I. All opposed.

All righty. The next order of business is the following new business where we will hear the petition of Grit Land Company LLC to amend the future land use map from a low density residential to employment to and to reson approximately 267,000 of an acre located at 286 Rockwell Road from B3 Community Business District to B5C General Business District with conditions to allow for the use of property as an advertising location for a shed business.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, members of planning commission, as you the chair said, the purpose of this petition is to allow the use of the property as an advertising location for a shed business at 286 Rockwell Road. Our city's comprehensive plan, future land use map, recommends lowdensity residential use for the property. These areas are typically dominated by single family detached housing. Um and the petition proposes to amend the future land use map or flume to employment two. These areas include light and heavy manufacturing, research and development, flex base, and larger scale office uses. Employment 2 differs from employment one in that it permits heavy industrial uses. The subject properties were annexed into the city in 1976. The existing B3 community business district zoning was established in 1978. The property is approximately 267,000 of an acre. So, there are no permanent improvements located or proposed here at this time. Uh, the site currently has pre-fabricated sheds and signage for a shed business which is located in Campbell County. The property is currently in violation of the city's zoning ordinance. The zoning administrator has determined that the use of the property as such uh would be classified under the lumber yard and building materials category in our zoning ordinance. This use is not permitted in the current B3 district. The property owner was cited with a notice of violation and proposes to reszone the property to resolve this violation. The shed business currently using the site for advertising is located approximately 10 miles away on Timberlake Road. Per the city's sign ordinance, only signs pertaining to the uses conducted on the premises are to be permitted. The proposed use would essentially function as off-site advertising since no operations are taking place on the site. The property is bound to the north by single family homes across Rockwell Road, to the east by a billboard and

single household homes across Tyrana Road, to the west by a church, and to the south by US 460. While the use of the property as an advertising location for a shed business would be relatively low impact when compared to some other commercial uses, there are additional uses that would be allowed by the proposed resoning and per city code when making decisions on resonings. Um, we should consider the entire range of uses that would be allowed by the proposed zoning district. The submitted profer provides or sorry prohibits some of the uses that would be considered more unfavorable when located next to single family single family residences such as uh you know those listed here, tattoo parlor, pawn shop, short-term loans, um rooming house, but uses such as auto sales, lumber yards, uh heavy equipment storage would be permitted even if the property is too small to support some of those uses. approval of the resoning to allow the use of this property as an advertising location for one of those B5 uses would allow it to be used as an advertising location for other B5 uses. So, if sheds can be displayed here for advertising visibility, the same could be said for displaying automobiles for sale or displaying heavy equipment for rent, etc. The proposed flume amendment to employment 2 would align more closely with the proposed B5C general business district than the uh current lowdensity residential designation. However, since employment two areas are meant to be primarily industrial, the flume designation could be more detrimental to the nearby residential neighborhood. Although the property is small, approval of the petition could set precedents for more intense industrial and commercial uses in the area. The proposed B5 district would be more typically aligned with community commercial areas on our flume. The Tyrann and Pleasant Valley neighborhood plan was adopted in 2022 and identifies US 460 as a city gateway,

meaning it is a major entry point into Lynchburg. The neighborhood plan and the comprehensive plan both include goals of building strong neighborhoods and enhancing the attractive attractiveness of gateways and travel corridors. The comprehensive plan also notes that visual qualities and entry experience at each gateway should be considered. The proposed use and other potential B5 uses may impede those goals. Our technical review committee reviewed this petition on September 30th, 2025. The planning division recommends denial of the petition. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. Who's here to speak on behalf of this petition? If you would please come forward, state your name, and there's a place for you to sign in there. tell us a little bit more about this. My name is Robert Wallace with Grit Land Company and uh basically I'm asking to reszone this from B3 to B5. Um this we purchased this property last November and uh when we're looking over the the code uh in B3 allows for storage building manufacturing. So we were under the impression that uh you know we were within the the code to to have storage buildings here on the property. Uh but you know after we did the survey we uh leased it to this uh storage building company then that's when the city reached out and said you had to be into B5. So then we decided to reszone it to this or attempt to reszone it to B5. Um, you know, we did the beef uh the reasonzoning with the flume amendment p primarily because this this parcel has everything that you would normally have in a commercial parcel with it being next to 460. I I feel like Route 460 is a major commercial corridor. You've got 40,000 vehicles a day going by there. Right past here, you've got truck truck body company which is industrial. You've got the airport right on the other side of Campbell Avenue. got all that industrial. So 460 is a a commercial corridor anyway. And uh you know reszoning this to uh residential, you know, the property line is about 30 ft off of Route 460. So if you ever live

near 460 or a road like that, it's extremely noisy and uh I'm not sure that anybody would want to uh build a house there. uh primarily for the noise aspect, but also, you know, uh it's uh we anytime we mow the grass there, we pick up litter. It's very trashy. Uh we try to keep the the property clean and uh it's also you got lights coming through there, sirens coming through there. So, I'm not sure that that would be the right spot for more residential um when it's already B3 commercial as it is. Uh, as far as the the business goes, there's no uh, it's not staffed. This the main location is over on Timberlake Road. Like Rachel said, uh, if anyone wants to purchase a shed, they cannot do so here on the premises, they have to go to the office, the staff location on Timberlake Road. Um, this is just for visibility purposes because this this, uh, local business is trying to get out there uh, for more on this side of town and and let people know that they're in business. Um there's not any uh you know the same si the same six shed buildings have been there since they started leasing it. So there's not people coming in and out moving sheds around or anything like that. Uh they same six sheds have been there the whole time. So it's the most low density commercial use possible without you don't have any permanent buildings, you don't have any staff, you don't have any lights, you don't have any vehicles coming and out. to me it's it's the perfect you know perfect low density used to be next to any type of residential uh because of all those factors but um you know as far as the uh the flume amendment you know I was looking at other there are other sorry there are other commercial areas inside of this Tiana neighborhood and those are um you know there's a couple commercial

buildings that are residential and the flume has those going to commercial. So, um you know, I don't think it would be out of line with anything that is uh already existing there, especially with this being directly owned 460. The other thing is that the biggest the biggest thing is, you know, if this was a 5 acre lot, um I could see the issue with reszoning it to a B5. You might have some other businesses going in there. But not only is this a quarter acre lot, the usable uh square footage is much much less than uh a quarter of an acre when you're talking about building new buildings there because anytime you're near residential, you have to have setbacks in commercial off of those residential lots. I think it's 50 feet. And then there's also a sewer line there. You have to be 15t off the center line of that sewer line. So, you don't have any room to uh to build any new buildings there. You know, it's not uh it's just physically impossible. I did add those profers just for peace of mind, but it's, you know, you're not going to you're not going to build any big buildings there or anything like that because of all those setbacks. So, uh, like I said, in my in my opinion, you know, for it already being a commercially zoned property, uh, this is the most low density use I could imagine possible. And, um, um, yeah, let me know if you have any questions about it. Um, and I'll be happy to answer them.

Thank you. Thank you.

Okay. Is there anybody here to speak in favor of this petition? All right. Anybody here to speak in opposition? Okay. If you would please come forward, state your name and again sign sign in. Oh yeah, there was a three minute limit on support or opposition speakers. unemployed. I live 4831 Ty Road and this proposal for this zoning. Nobody would want this stuff sitting in front of their homes. It's visible from my house. That's I don't see the practical part of it. when you can't even get to this lot from where these buildings are set. You have to go to Concord Turnpike to even get to it because this is not an entrance. This is only an exit coming off of Tyrion Road. And for advertising, you can put up a a billboard down. Could nobody read it with the traffic going by there at 60 miles an hour. You can't read any advertising that's out there. It's just not a practical place to put it. It's just it's just an eyesore for the neighborhood and we're trying to do all we can do to get our neighborhood back up to looking good and this just does not do anything for it. Thank you.

Thank you. Anybody else here to speak in opposition?

Okay. Please come forward, state your name, and sign in. My name is Wanda Wac. I live at 271 Rockwell Road. I agree with everything uh Roy said, Roy Templeton said. This is an entrance here. I mean, this is an e exit here. This is not an entrance. I've already had one woman try to come in this entrance when I was trying to come out to look at these things. And that's that's not good. You got cars running 70 70. It's 55 through there, but you got them running 70 miles an hour. when they come over this hill right here, those tractor trailers, you better be gunning it because it's not a whole lot of stopping room. So to have something sitting there like that, I'm telling you, it's not good. Not good. You got these people taking their eyes off of a road when they're running 70 miles an hour. No. It's not good. That is not the place for those sheds. And number two, that is residential. That is not commercial in there and they don't need to be there. In fact, I called about them several weeks after they were put there, and I

thought this would go on long before this. That's all I've got to say. Thank you. Any others to speak in opposition? Okay. Have there been any emails about this? There was an email that was provided to the commission. Um we typically we don't read those at public hearings anymore. Um but that will be included in the record. Okay. Great. And that person was opposed.

Okay. Well, if uh if um if you would like to come up and address some of these issues, we will give you time to do that before we close the public hearing. So the with the residential area behind it on the site plan, we do we are putting in a vegetative barrier there. So it's actually going to be uh planted trees there where they're not going to be able to that'll be a you know a barrier between the sheds and the the homes. Um, and then I guess the other concern with the somebody making a right-hand turn, uh, this, you know, it's not open to the to the public here. So, it's, uh, you know, shouldn't be anybody, um, you know, if somebody was to drive by there, they'd have to go the same way everybody else get enters that neighborhood, which is down in the Concord turn bike. It shouldn't be anybody making a right-hand turn off of 460, um, you know, for any reason. So, uh, but yeah, any there's no business conducted on the property. there's no daily traffic going in there or anything like that. Um we are putting in the vegetative barrier and um any other concerns?

Well, I think you know we might have a couple questions before you set. Okay. Sure. Anybody have any questions? Oh, yeah. We can we can go on ahead and close the public hearing because we're Yeah, we're going to move on to the the questions. I I was questioning the signage. Well, the signage is actually so uh in the B3 that you're allowed four by 4 foot by 8 foot signs. So, we're just um we sent in an application for 4T by 8 foot sign uh one per street frontage and it's actually you can see them on the side of the building there. It's actually just a 4 foot by 8 foot sign on the side of the building. It's nothing,

you know. Oh, I see. There's uh you have still have to go uh within the the square footage of the regulations there. So, it's uh it's not even a freestanding sign. It's not even anything. It's just on the side of the building is all. Okay. Great. Thanks. Anybody else have any questions? Okay. Comments, but not questions. Okay. Well, we can then deliberate. Uh if you you want to have a seat and then we're going to deliberate. Just real quick, I'm sorry. Is this the uh you own any other land adjacent to this? No.

Thank you. I just I have a question for Rachel. Um do we is there a requirements document or any kind of requirements for the gateway that specify what um like what what we do allow and don't allow for gateway areas.

Um no. So there's no uh necessarily like zoning overlay or anything like that. Um although there there is a a a limitation on billboards near gateways. Um this the billboard that there that is there I believe is non-conforming. Um that was a more recent requirement. Um but uh I included the information about gateways because um because the comprehensive plan and the neighborhood plan do specifically call out that goal of um building uh welcoming and attractive gateways and um that's something for the commission and council to consider uh when land use changes are proposed near them. So there's no right or wrong for a gateway. Um I think it's more of a judgment um when you're making your recommendation to council. Is this appropriate for uh an entry point a gateway into the city?

So what would be given mention it would not be conforming because of the gateway but um so the billboard that is currently uh on the adjoining actually I don't know if I have a good picture of it. It's across Yeah, it it's hard to make out there. Um but it's across I guess that's where Rockwell comes in. Um that's not really relevant to the petition here. Um so everything on this parcel would be removed then if

if we recommended denial or city council approved went with the denial. He couldn't leave any couldn't leave any of the he mentioned a 4x8 sign. None of that. Looks like No, no, because um No, because the use is not permitted by the B5. Yeah, but there was signage permitted in the B3. He could have a 4x8 signed in the B3 and leave that.

Uh so the the the purpose of the petition is to allow what is there to stay the shed the shed advertising business. Um if it didn't work out, what can the land be used for? Oh, it it would be a permitted B3 use. Um just although I mean as Mr. Wallace said, uh setbacks and and buffering would apply. So that does right uh limit it somewhat, but um a smaller Yeah.

a smaller commercial use permitted by the B3 district could feasibly go in. And you said earlier if you said if we have the sheds here like we have now that sets a precedent for cars or uh heavy equipment or anything else. Is that is that uh yeah I mean the city's interpretation of that. the the the zone administrator's interpretation is that they can use this location for an advertising location uh for a business permitted by B5. Yeah.

So, my mind goes to what else is permitted by B5? And if sheds are the visibility advertising um can someone else set other merchandise like heavy equipment or um lumber? Sure. you know, stack of lumber, stone, um, used auto, you know, by by that logic, I believe, yeah, it could. Yeah. I mean, like, would a landscape supply store, could that go there if it were B5 or um I know that lumber yards could. believe landscaping could.

Yeah. Yeah. While I'm looking, if you want to continue your discussion of I would like to give comment. I took the opportunity to visit the residents uh that you know live on this street. Some of the residents live on and none of the ones that spoke today. But the general comments that came back to me was uh currently it's it's an eyesore with the sheds there. Uh is there a limit to the number of sheds that could be displayed? And then of course if you use it for advertising when you're buying a high ticket item of a shed,

uh you need to park and go and look at them. If you go spend $5,000 there to buy a shed, which I bought one down on 29 South, but I you wouldn't be inclined to pass by and look at it uh there and without stopping. And there is no parking per se on that street. Maybe you could go up to that church uh that was built maybe 10 years ago, but that is cordoned off. Uh another comment there uh parking. Another thing that is a concern uh there with the residents that were brought up to me when I talked to some of the residents there is what's to prevent and hopefully we don't have any hurricanes or bad storms, but the units are not secure to the ground that they would blow right into their homes. think about some nice homes you're right there on Rockwell Street. And another comment uh there that one of the res long-term resident there made, he said he had considered buying that property, he and another resident, and donating it donating the property to the city of Lynchburg. I don't know whether you ever pursued that or not, but uh there just some concerns that I had by actually going and uh and visiting the property there. And then I did have one uh resident on that street that said he he didn't care what what happened on on the street there as far as this 26 t of an acre there. But uh I'm inclined to go with the the feeling I get from the residents that live in that area and uh that I talked to and also the residents that spoke today too. Okay.

Just to to follow up on Commissioner Cox's question, um, yes, that would be permitted. If this were zoned B5, it could be used for something like that. The landscape supply.

Yeah. I think uh you having having been doing this for a little while and I remember we did the Tyriana plan and I'm, you know, kind of torn because I understand the the investment in the land, the uh the very limited use But I also know that this is a a place that the city has really worked hard to bring back to something that is friendly residentially and and you know we're we're called on to uh to look at how land is used and we make plans and I I would also tend to want to follow that directive and and uh and you know, not support this proposal because of that.

For what it's worth, I agree. I I grounding my decision on the fact that the Tyriana and the Pleasant Valley neighborhood plan was adopted. It aligns with comprehensive plan, which mostly is grounded in the idea of building strong neighborhoods and and enhancing attractiveness of our gateways. Um, I appreciate the creativity and trying to make the best use of this land that you can, but I'm also inclined to to decline. Uh any other comments?

There's some nice, if you've been in LA, there's some nice new homes that have been built right on that road. Beautiful homes right as you intersect with Concord Turn. In fact, I think there's three of them there now. Brand new homes. Beautiful. And there was just a um a public meeting for the neighborhood plan the other day and wasn't addressing this obviously, but a lot of the general comments I think reflected the nature of what you are passing along about trying to preserve preserve it a little bit more and keeping it looking good. So

yeah, my my thoughts are on align with the city and just with that being a gateway uh to our community and uh first impression so to speak. Um you know, I can certainly appreciate the residential perspective that's been brought here and communicated to us as well. Uh base my decisions on that. So,

I'll make a motion to decline. Second. Second. Okay. Any other comments before we vote? All right. We're going to um vote on denying the petitions. All in favor say I. I. I. All opposed.

Right. Is unanimous. Um I appreciate you bringing this to us, Mr. Wallace. Encourage you to um go back. the city council will hear this and they don't always agree with us but but you know like I said we focus on land use only and and then the city uh elected officials are the ones who make the decisions that are binding. So thank you for coming today and thank you residents for showing up. All right, we don't have another agenda item. So was there anything before we adjourn? Um um nope. Your next meeting should be December 10th.

Okay, great. Any questions or any motions? Motion to adjurnn. Yes. And second. Okay. Any opposition? All right. Have a good day. Thank you.