Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Hey, hey, hey. Thank you. I had a friend.

I'm ready. You ready? Bye-bye. Thank you. Thank you.

Happy. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. down.

Number I love this. Heat. Heat. Okay. I call to order the Lynchburg Planning Commission meeting for Wednesday, January 14th, 2026. The first order of business is the approval of our December 10th minutes and

make a motion to approve. Okay. And I do I do want to make a comment before I was going to I I was noticing these and I I listen to um I do listen to our city council meeting and it's one of the things we we do. We um make recommendations to council and I noted in the meeting last night that they questioned whether we did listen to their comment. So, I did want to make a point that in our in these minutes, it does note that we did comment on the discussions that the city council has had in their planning sessions. I think that's important to note. So, we do have two two um people first and second. Ju

just to be clear, there was some conversation over whether or not we did. Yeah, there was a a comment that multiple times that uh we apparently had not listened to them and there there but as I went through the minutes I did note that we did reference that meeting. So matter of fact, I think we slightly debated on some of that. Yeah. So anyway, um any other comments? Are all in favor? I I

I opposed. Lakes side. All right. Our next agenda item is the election of officers for 2026. We can move forward on that now, but we do have a pending seventh seat to be filled. So, we could also postpone and wait until that seat's filled. Any discussion? I make motion post. All right. Second. Okay. Move to postpone. Second. All in favor say I. I.

I. All opposed. All right. Great. All right. Now, we're going to be hearing um a petition that's open to public comment. Petitioners or the representatives will be given 10 minutes to present their petition. Subsequent individuals wishing to speak will be allowed a maximum of three minutes each which will be noted um by a tone and representatives of an opposition group will be allowed a maximum of 10 minutes. So if you represent a a group and that's recognized that's a 10-minute. At the end of the public hearing there will be an allowance of three minutes for rebuttals. Our next order of business is to hold public hearing on the petition of TPB Enterprises LLC to amend the future land use map from neighborhood commercial to community commercial and to reszone approximately 4 and 915,000 of an acre located at 1516 Green View Drive, 798 and 794 Leisel Road. Uh the tax map numbers are 2-664005, 2-664004, and 2-664002 from R1 lowdensity residential, B1 limited business district and B3C community business district conditional to B3C community business district with conditions to allow for a fuel center and convenience store on a portion of the property. The existing garden center business is proposed to remain.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Members of planning commission, the city's comprehensive plan currently recommends neighborhood commercial uses for these properties. These areas are intended to consist primarily of retail, uh, personal service, office, and restaurant type uses that are scaled and designed to be compatible with and serve the immediate neighborhoods. These can be individual businesses, clusters of businesses, or shopping centers. The petition proposes to amend the future land use map to community commercial. These areas contain retail, personal service, entertainment, and restaurant uses and can contain c clusters of businesses often located at major intersections. The area surrounding Green View Drive and Leville Road is also identified as a minor gateway into the city. Um, our comprehensive plan states that visual qualities and entry experience at each gateway should be considered. The subject properties were annexed into the city in 1976. Uh 1516 Green View Drive, which is the vacant parcel, uh has been zoned R1 lowdensity residential since 1978. 794 and 798 Leville Road were also originally zoned R1 lowdensity residential but were reszoned to B3C community Business District Conditional on October 13th, 1987 to allow for the expansion of an existing non-conforming nursery business which is still existing today. A residential home at 798 Leisville Road was also to be to be used as either a residence or for uses associated with the nursery business per the proper conditions at the time. The home at 798 was later reszoned from B3C community business district conditional to B1 limited business district in 1999 to allow the use of the existing structure as an office for a counseling service. If the petition is approved, the site would be developed into a convenience store, including a fuel canopy and

parking improvements. The existing nursery business is proposed to remain. The traffic study was submitted with this petition. Uh the city's engineering division has reviewed and agreed with the findings and the proposed entrance configurations. Um those are sort of a closeup here on this slide. Um you can see there is a right in, right out and leftin entrance proposed from Green View Drive. And this would be the primary entrance into the convenience center. Um the existing southbound left turn lane would be modified uh to include this uh crossover allowing the left turn. Um a right turn lane would also be installed with this entrance as well. And on Leisel Road, a rightin, right out left entrance is proposed. New concrete medians would be installed in the right ofway in order to prohibit left turns into the site. The proposed entrance from Leville would loop around behind the existing nursery business and be a secondary entrance. Um the existing nursery business again would remain in its current location. There would be no cross access between the business and uh the convenience store per the submitted profers. The profers for area A, which is the convenience store portion of the property, are listed here. A number of uses have been profered out, which uh some of which would be less than ideal for a gateway into the city, such as short-term loans, cash for gold, etc. Uh so those uses would be pro prohibited here. And another profer associated with this portion is a 50-foot setback on parking and buildings from the residential use to the northwest. Um there is a norm there is normally a building setback of 50 ft between residential and commercial but parking is typically only 20 ft. So this increases that parking set back to 50 ft.

For area B, which is the nursery business, the profers state that the greenhouse business is the only allowed use, that the access drive for the convenience store would be constructed as shown on the concept plan, and that there would be no cross access between these two businesses. Uh in summary, the proposed future land use map amendment to community commercial aligns with the requested B3C community business district conditional and is logical given the location at the intersection of two major corridors. The proposed resoning is consistent with the B3C zoning that already exists on approximately half of the site. Um approval of the petition would allow the existing business to remain and facilitate development of the remainder of the site according to aerial photography. uh 1516 Green View Drive has never been improved and given the high traffic counts of the adjoining streets is unlikely to be developed under the current R1 zoning. Uh the proposed improvements to the two roads should mitigate traffic impacts and the proposed entrance locations have been designed to provide as much separation as possible from the existing signal and uh limit conflict points. The city's technical review committee reviewed this petition on November 18th. Comments were minor in nature and would be addressed prior to site plan approval. Planning division recommends approval of the petition. Thank you.

Okay. Who's here to speak on behalf of this petition?

If you can come forward, please state your name. There's a sheet to sign in on and tell us a little bit more about the project. Uh, good afternoon members of the planning commission. My name is Chris Burns with Westwood Professional Services. Our office is at 1208 Corporate Circle in Reno. Um, I'm the agent working on behalf of the petitioner TPB Enterprises. Uh, and I also have Garrett Zechman with me here today, uh, on behalf of TPB. Um, I'll just add a little bit to what Rachel's already presented. Uh, and then we're happy to answer any questions that you all have. Um, but, um, you know, we're excited to be here today. We appreciate appreciate the opportunity to to to present to you all. Um, thank you to Rachel for sharing that background information. Very helpful. Makes my job easier. um and appreciate all of your help and city staff for um you know the help to get to this point and we appreciate the recommendation uh that you all have provided. Um so just to add a couple little things to the summary, Rachel did a great job, but obviously this is a very important uh intersection in the city. Um it's, you know, at Greenville Drive and and Green View Drive and Leville Road, we're about a third of a mile up from US 460, the interchange there. We're reszoning three parcels as Rachel mentioned. Um about half of that is already B3 and so we're just modifying conditions to that portion. Um a lot of the rest a lot of the property at the corner is

residential which uh you know kind of a challenging location for residential. Um Rachel did a great job kind of talking through the profers so I'm I'm not going to I'm not going to add anything to that. Um but just to give a little bit more color around kind of the concept plan that we've got in front of you today. Um and the process that we've gone through to be here. Um so in the packet we've got exhibit B which is this concept plan, exhibit C which is landscape concept plan and then also some building elevations for you all. Um, and as you can see, the intent is that the site improvements are being pulled up close to the intersection um to maximize visibility for the store and also to provide as much separation as possible from the neighbors. Um, it is a Waw Wa convenience store. I'm not sure if Rachel mentioned that or not, but I think that's known now. Um, I did want to reiterate Gary's Garden Center is going to remain. Um, I know that was a little bit of a hot hot topic in the conversation that I saw. Um, as far as the development itself, building located in the middle of the site, about 6,000 square feet. Uh, we've got 12 vehicle fueling positions along the frontage of Green View Drive. Um, both the building and the fuel canopy will be designed to the Wawwa brand standards. Uh, and you all have elevations as part of your packet. Um Rachel did a great job of summarizing the entrances. Um there's been a lot of work that's been done over the last 12 to 18 months with particularly transportation staff um to um to work out those entrance locations and get to a point where everyone is very comfortable with with the design that we've got both from the the Wawwa side and also from the city side. Um,

I'll talk a little bit more about that in a minute. Um, in addition, you know, we will have vegetated buffers along the northern and eastern property lines. Um, those are um there's a lot of existing mature trees there now that we're going to try to maintain as much as possible and then those will also be supplemented uh where where necessary. um particularly along the uh closest to Green View Drive along the northern property line. There's a little bit of uh little bit of open area there that will be filled in. Um Rachel mentioned the additional setback that we're providing along that property line as well. Uh just to minimize the impact to that neighbor. Um and then add in addition to the buffering uh we'll have perimeter landscaping and internal landscaping as required by the zoning ordinance. Uh, as far as the process on the traffic, I did want to uh add to that a little bit as well. Um, as I mentioned, we work closely with transportation staff throughout the process. Um, with any project like this, we always start those conversations very early on. Um, particularly on a corner like this. Um, and I think, you know, we landed on a design that works very well for the project. Um, but I think is that the city is also very comfortable with and supportive of. So, we're very happy with with where that's landed. Um, traffic studies been provided. It supports these improvements that we've got shown. Um, impacts to the intersection and to the roadways is is negligible. Um, I did want to point out we've utilized the same process for that traffic study that we utilize on any traffic study with VOTE or city of Lynchburg or city of Vernon. We always use the same process. So based on real traffic counts, trip generations based

on the IT manual which is the standard. Uh and then we've modeled everything in the synchro and traffic software as we would with any other study. As far as neighborhood outreach, in addition to the notifications that the city sent out, um Garrett's team also sent out letters to some of the nearby owners as well, just to make sure that they were aware of the request and also to provide them with an opportunity to reach out if there were any questions or anything like that. Uh there was a round of letters mailed out before the holidays and then a second round mailed out last week and as far as I'm aware, I don't think we've received any responses to that yet. So, um, that's what I wanted to share. Uh, we're excited about the project. We appreciate the opportunity and your time today. Um, and happy to answer any questions that you have. Thank you. We might be calling you back up. Is there anybody here to speak in favor of the petition? Okay. Okay. Is there anybody here who wants to speak in opposition to the petition? Okay. If you'd want to come forward, state your name and sign on the form there. Oh. Um, good evening. Um, my parent or my mom lives on Warview Drive and the um traffic on Warview Drive is uh very heavy already. Uh, Leville Road. I'm sorry.

Excuse you. Didn't get your name. I'm sorry. Robert Martin. Thanks.

Sorry. Um, so you know, the traffic there is very heavy. Um, and it's specifically at the top of Mor Drive. When you're coming out, you have to look left and right and you kind of got to do it very quickly because the traffic that's coming from the Heritage School side, it's a little bit of a hill there. Um, so I I feel it's very dangerous there uh to get out of there um easily. I can't imagine that this is going to help the traffic situation any um just wondered if it's maybe some way we could get a tra I hate to put another traffic light there but another traffic light at the top of Moriew Drive or some way that it's not so much traffic going from Leisel Road to Timberlake Road that is extremely busy. Sometimes it's backed up uh my parents house is the third house on the left on Warview Drive. sometimes is backed up all the way down to their house uh at that point there. So, um that's my my biggest concern. Plus, it is right behind their house. Um, if you look at that's 105 Moriew Drive is my mom's house. And so you can see that the um, you know, they said they're going to need the vegetation there or put some more stuff there, but it is going to make it more, I would think, louder and more lights and a lot um, not as nice a neighborhood as it was in the past. So,

what did you say the address was?

1005 more view drive. It might be 103. They own 10003 and 10005 is kind of two lots. I think their house is actually on 103 Moriew Drive. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else to speak in opposition? Please come forward. Good afternoon. I am Thomas Sorrels. I reside in the Wex uh Ford Homeowners Association, which is directly across from the center development. Uh that is just over the hill from Moriew Drive. Um I frequent this intersection three times a day. It is honestly a central part of my life and I do look forward to the development of this property which is sat empty for quite some time with for sale signs up that have been a bit of an eyesore. I would like to however uh lodge opposition into the plan as currently drawn. Um, to back up the traffic arguments, uh, I filed a Freedom of Information request with Lynburg City Police, specifically on the number of accidents, uh, occurring between Green View Drive and, uh, Simon's Run, which is now, I believe, uh, the new way is Comson or some such. Uh, as referenced by that Freedom of Information Act, in 2023, there were six accidents. In 2024, there were eight accidents and in 2025, there

were 13. Um, quite frankly, uh, you'll note here on the current exe exhibit that is presented on the property line between, uh, the boundaries of area A and area B is the existing Gary's Garden Center entryway. Uh the proposed access A has been moved up approximately 260 feet and then another 300 feet to that is Moriew Drive. As the previous uh person has stated, there is approximately a small hill at Morview Drive. Uh this brings access point A closer to the top of this hill. Uh and leading to the left out is now a blind turn. Uh, I know that I myself have seen my wife in a total car accident due to turns at Moriew Drive. I have seen my wife or my neighbor also be totaled uh in being directed around an accident at Morview Drive. And my mail carrier has also been in an accident that launched him across the width of Leville Road um and into the construction boundaries with the new center development. As I said before, I do believe that this is a wonderful addition. I personally look forward to it, especially on the hot days where I bike my son to and from daycare. I do, however, question the feasibility of access area A and the safety that it would prevent to all traffic.

Thank you. Anybody else to speak in opposition? Yeah, my name is uh Ronald Macintosh. I live right there at 783, right across from War View Drive. And it is um I'm going to tell you 5:00 in the evenings is horrible. It is is really bad. I've seen a bunch of accidents there. You know, if we could get something done in that area to help with that would be really great and we really need something done. So, but that's it. Thank y'all. Anyone else speak in opposition? Okay. Do we have any emails? Okay. Voicemails.

Right. Okay. Thanks. All right. I'm going to go on ahead and um the public hearing will be closed now and now we can debate. Anybody want to start up? I didn't order. We should let the petitioner rebut if they chose if they choose to. Oh, I'm Yeah, I'm sorry. I was actually Yeah, that's good. Yeah. Well, you'll be up here for a little bit anyway. So, start to jump in. Feel free to come forward and and uh you know address I think a lot of traffic issues here.

Uh, sure. So, um I'm not familiar with the uh with the accident data. Um what I will say is uh you know, one of the first things that we look at is site distance and making sure that you we're meeting all the requirements there. Um and that'll also be part of the site site plan process. We'll be required to show that we've got adequate sight distance. So, um, you know, we'll we'll meet all the standards as far as site distance at at both inter at both entrances.

Great. I'm sorry I didn't call you up. I think the the you hear this overwhelming um issue about traffic on Leville that I think is a much bigger issue than just this and I just automatically went past that. But um do we have any questions we want to address to the developer? Uh it sounds like So, as far as the entrance A, there was some movement on that, it sounds like in the past for as determining what you were going to do with that. Uh, and you say you've worked with the city. Is this a DOT area or is this all city? Under the city.

Under the city. So, you've worked with the city um road street planners on this. Uh, and do do you have I mean what I hear is two concerns being raised. the traffic along here along Leel there's a hill there and then maybe they're related uh not hearing a lot of opposition to the Wawwa some obviously but up there by more view that there's uh some persistent issues and I I don't know how much that has to do with you guys uh more maybe the city Rachel has the city looked at potential need for a stoplight there by Morbby uh

I don't know that that's specifically been studied I I would say it's fairly close to the existing Green View stoplight. You

you don't want to get them too um too close to one another. They start to become unaffected, unaffective, I guess I should say. Um what I will say is about, you know, could access a be moved up. I understand that um you know it may seem like that's safer to move it closer to Green View Drive, but the closer you get to Green View Drive, you're in the functional area of the intersection. So, you're more likely to get into the queueing of the light and then you have people trying to make movements turning out of the site blindly because their traffic is backed up at the light. So, um

accessing is in the really the best spot it can be realize it may not be. Look, looking at the drawing, I mean, this looks like the overhead was taken at a relatively low traffic point in the day. Uh, but even then, if the traffic backed up more much more than it did, you probably if you had an entrance down there by the property line by the where the Waw Wa going versus the garden area. Uh, if it were closer down there, it could very well encroach on the backup traffic there in the hight traffic times of the day. So there'd be no way to get in or out of there.

So I mean entrance A, while it could be problematic, looks like it probably does corroborate, you know, what the city's saying about it. I have a question just to clarify the drawing at least. Um I see down there at entrance A. Um, are those median like concrete medians or they is it just uh road stripes or what is the what if you could but if you could cover uh entrance A and then the entrance on Greenville Drive what the what the change in configuration would be. Yeah. Uh be good. So I'll start with entrance A since that's seems to be

the more the more uh interesting one here. So, um, in discussions with transportation staff, they wanted to prevent the left in movement there. Sure.

And the reason was kind of what we've all been talking about. They wanted to make sure that we didn't end up with a situation because you don't have a full You don't have room for a left turn lane there into the site. Um, and so they wanted to make sure that we didn't have a situation where we'd have a couple cars queuing there getting, you know, waiting to get into the site. They wanted to eliminate that. um that issue. And so what we've got are raised concrete medians that will be built there that will allow for a left turn out of the site but will restrict any left turn movement into the site. Signage on that little concrete medium. Okay. Can escape your attention.

For sure. Uh we can we can pass that along to engineering. It's ultimately up to their c up to them. uh you know because they don't want to you don't want to over sign it because you get signed clutter and you it's hard it becomes hard to interpret and also people hit them um but we can check with engineering u as to whether that would be possible and there are I know sometimes we have channelized medians that people tend to try to ignore um but in some cases we're able to kind of extend the legs of those so it makes it even more channelized and harder to basically disobey. Um so engineers

see what they're doing on boards down below the mall with that new gas stations going in there. Whatever it is means those meetings they put in there for the traffic in there and in my opinion it's tight. And if you drive you can see all the rubber that's been those things are brand new. You can see all the black rubber it's already rubbed along those things. And there was an accident down there already a couple of weeks ago that I saw. So not a big fan of those. Well, actually that came from us that happy with that. But similar type situation. You got these low profile concrete barriers there. They don't Yeah. And and and we'll work out the specifics of that with with staff and and you know,

yeah, we'll try to make them as noticeable as possible. Um, the other thing is a lot of times when the islands are in the entrances, and I don't know if that's what you're describing or not, but a lot of times when they're in the actual entrances, they need to be mountable because you need to be able to get your fuel trucks over them and your, you know, if a firetruck had to get in or out. Um, I don't really see that as being necessary here. So, I think you could go with a na a non-mountable island, which would make it much more difficult to to disobey. Um but

not saying no one will do it but um you know that that left in movement was not necessary for the development anyways because you know they can go up to the green view entrance and and get into the site that way. Um, and so I I don't think there will be a lot of vehicles trying to make that movement. Pole things tape on whatever there um the the left out like that that is um that meets the VOTE requirements. Um for because you said this was set up for right in, right out and left out for entrance A, right?

Yes. So, um, yeah, just just asking like that meets the VOTE requirements, the left out there. So, or the Okay, it's not it's city engineering division rather than V dot, but they were in agreement with the the findings. Yes. Okay.

Yeah, I had a question. So, looking at access and I do think I think Mr. Sorrels um made some really good points. cuz I appreciate like the balance of that um of his comments, but you know, the number of accidents and I'm just like that looks like there's going to be some problems with people getting cross there cuz I I drive that road a lot also. And also look, there's another entrance. It looks like a curb cut further down um right in between the garden center and the store. Is that an open curb cut?

It's in the drawing. They'll keep the garden center entrance. Um, and there's not meant to be any cross access between the the garden center and the uh convenience store because the convenience I mean sorry the convenience store is obviously going to attract more uh users than the the greenhouse does on any given day. So that retaining wall will keep that right. Okay. Yeah. Because that would be something else someone would go up there like I'm going to turn left. I'll go across eight lanes of traffic, right? not worry about it. So, there's an additional apron between the garden center and Greenville Drive. They say Oh, yes, there is. That that one will go away. The garden center will stay and just serve the garden center.

Okay. And then this uh this access A is actually in a location where there's a curb cut already as well. So, there's there's been a plan for an entrance there. Um and so that'll that'll be in that location. Correct me if there on the return back making a left turn to go back towards Heritage High School on Leville Road. Will from the gas station will they come behind they'll have to come behind the uh nursery garden center to get to get back on to make a left-hand turn on Leisel Road. Am I correct in that? Yes. To to exit the site in that direction, that's the way you would go.

Okay. or if they're trying to get back to 460, they'd still have to use access a make a right-hand turn. That's the only way. So access access A is going to be dumping a lot of cars in both directions. How will the excuse me uh impact the gentleman that spoke that I think is beside the appliance the little street beside the appliance uh shop there. How's that will that further impact that area right now? You have to it's pretty treacherous getting across the road there as it is right now. Uh will anything change on that? What's the name of that street?

More. It's your street there. Mount Stark. Mount Sterling

view. It doesn't show up on our map. It's just outside of it.

I think so. My thoughts are the um you know with Leville Road, I feel like we need to have a longer discussion about that. you know, because the the traffic there has popped up at so many of our meetings and it seems like that's what most people are talking about. It'd be interesting to spend some more time. We don't deal that much with the traffic. That's not our purview. Uh but but I do think we need to figure out how we can start working on that. I have a question about lighting because that was something, you know, it's funny. see this stuff, you see it on Facebook, you know, newspaper articles. People have mentioned lights. What kind of what kind of ideas you'll have for lighting? Are you using shielded lighting, downward facing? What is the lighting component like for this?

Sure. And I'll you need to add anything just feel free to come up. But um so there will be canopy lighting that will face straight down. It'll be shielded obviously by the canopy itself. Um, and then there will be parking lot poles. Um, and those will also be shielded. Um, they'll, you know, they won't be directed upward or anything like that. We're not allowed to do that by by the ordinance. Um, and then we'll also have to provide a phototric plan as part of our development plan to show that we're meeting all the foot candle requirements. Um, I really don't think that's going to be an issue at all here because of the distance that we have from the property lines. Um, but you know that information will be provided as part of the site plan process as it always is.

Great. Thanks. Just if we could get back to the traffic on Green View Drive, um, are there it looks like um maybe a left turn in and right turn out and right turn in. Is that Do I understand that right? Yes. So you can turn right into the entrance, you can turn right out of the entrance, and you can turn left into the entrance from Green View. Okay. So we will we'll have some modifications to that left turn lane and to the median, okay, to accommodate the left turn in. Okay. Um and the other thing I'll just add to this overall traffic conversation for context is

with this specific type of use, um most of the trips that are accessing the sea store are what we call pass by trips. And that just means that it's traffic that's already on the road. You're going to work and you're stopping for a cup of coffee on your way to work or something like that. And so a good portion of these trips are not added traffic to the road. There's a little bit of rerouting of trips, turns, and things like that, but a lot of it's not new traffic. So you're saying it's not a destination sort of thing like, you know, like I mean a amusement park. Yeah. Yeah. Right. The majority of the trips are already on the road. Yeah, we were talking about that a little bit earlier.

For the first couple of weeks, if you live I don't know anywhere else like the Lynchburg, it's going to be swamped, you know, and then after that uh it'll it'll go to normal status. Uh and if you travel to the if you travel to the Wawwa 29 South when you first went it was it was just rocket. Uh now it's just I think it's consistent with what you're saying. It's just folks who drive by and you know you might you might go there. I know they have a good apple fritter there. I might drive get there but by and large it isn't as Dave says not a bies. You know it's uh it's how much it's really going to enhance traffic. It just doesn't seem that way to me. But you know I'm not a traffic expert. You know we'll just Maybe um you know either one of Rachel or um sorry your name Chris.

Chris, sorry about that. Um to me the biggest thing that I'm would be concerned about is people accidentally pulling into the the um the green uh center. The what is it called? The garden center. The garden center. Thank you. um and then not getting disoriented and not understanding, you know, what to do next necessarily. Um so I don't have a solution for that, but that does seem to me to be a part of the equation. There may be signage on the entrance.

Yeah. And there and there will definitely be signage at the at both Wawwa entrances. Um and so we can we can try to mitigate that as much as possible. The other thing I'll say is, you know, there may be a little bit of that when it first opens. I think as people get more familiar with it, I think that'll I think that will um you know, subside as well. I wonder if it would be helpful to put up a sign here place people know that yeah, this is not this is not Wawa.

Rachel, I have a question about the Mor Drive road or intersection. Um I guess what's the process with that now given that I mean we've had a few citizens come and say it's a busy intersection people are cutting through that sort of thing. Um I mean is this does that trigger a study another study or something for the city to see how to deal with the cut through traffic on Mor um I mean h how how would the city look to address that? Um, so we can definitely pass along the concerns to our engineering division. Um, it doesn't necessarily trigger a a a study because those are fairly costly. Um, but you know, um, it has it has come up before. Um, obviously with with development on Leville Road, I think what we're seeing is the nature of Leville Road being it it almost drives like a highway, you know? I mean, it's two lanes either direction. Um, and by nature, it's attracting development. Um, it's it's where commercial and and larger developments are drawn to go. Um, so we can we can share the feedback with with engineering about uh you know, the concerns for for more view drive. Um, I don't know that they've got any kind of corridor study in the in the works or anything like that, but um, we can check.

So, one place I can see this potentially pulling Can you hear me? Pulling traffic out of is the students over at Green Drive. So, especially late night runs. Uh, does that sidewalk, Rachel, run, and I I just can't remember. I've been through there a million times. Does that sidewalk connect all the way down to Green View, whereas it might be walkable or bike ridable, or is it Are they going to be having to take cars up there and look for

uh It looks like there is sidewalk uh the full length of Green View up through Cornerstone. Um I believe it's on both sides. Yeah, sidewalk does go the entire turn on to le road to sidewalk, right? So that is um a good option.

Could I ask one question? My last question. I really like I like the project and understand the traffic and I do think we need to as a community think about that. But signage, you know, we have so we had a convenience store down the road and and there were some restrictions on the signage. What kind of signage would we expect here? Is this is this uh are these low signs? Are they polemounted? What is the Cuz I'm not I should know the ordinance, but I'm going to invite Garrett up to There's no picture. That's why I was Sometimes we'll see a picture. Sure. The ground level signs which for something like this.

Yeah. My name's Gary Zachman with TPP Enterprises. Um we can we could also share some exhibits of signage. It's a It's a prototypical Waw Wa signage. Um they typically like on the corner a more not a polemounted but a um monument sign monument sign but it's lower to the ground. I think it's like 8 foot tall. I don't don't quote me on that for sure. Um on the corner that shows the fuel prices. And then usually at the entrances depending on the intersection they want a just a small pull mounted that says Waw Wa entrance exit stuff like that. Um but not usually a monument necessarily at each of the entrances. Does that does that answer that? Yeah, thanks. Yeah, it's a great view at the stoplight

looking towards the mountains of all of this massive sign in your way. And um as part of the site plan, we would make sure that any sight distances or anything like that uh would be wouldn't be uh you know your site distance wouldn't be inhibited from the monument style sign. So, right. Thank you. I had a question for Miss Mr. Charels. Is that right? If you could come up. I'm not trying to put you on the spot, but um you had said you look forward to this site being developed, but this may not be the best fit. What What would you envision as a as an appropriate?

I I do think the Waw Wa is is an amazing piece there. I mean, when you look at the convenience of what a Waw Wa provides and and I won't get into the the fighter argument about whether or not you like sheets or Waw Wa, but I will say that on the current um spot, I've lived there now for seven, eight years. My wife has been there even longer. Um I literally hook my child up in a trailer and pull him on my bike all the way to his daycare, which is located at the Tree of Life. I ride that back. Um I'm in and out of that area. That being said, currently the only amenities um are the one gas station that currently exists on Green View Drive, which is on the opposite side of the street. Um this just provides a a good spot to stop in. I will also appreciate uh something that is quite frankly very near to me to uh gas up on those moments that I do forget. Um, I think for me it is just a case of uh no matter how much convenience this may add to my life, I do have to ask the safety question. Uh, but then again, I also understand my own personal biases with the impacts that I've seen to my life. Um, I do look forward to this. I hope we can find a solution that comes to a safety matter. Uh, the only thing that I would say is is to reiterate uh Rachel's comments here. Leville is continuously growing. Um we have seen multiple town home developments pop up. Um there is one that has been completed by Heritage United. Um there is an additional uh one in construction between that and Heritage High School. Um and additionally directly across from the new center development there is the 88 town home unit that is being built by Maddox and Suns uh construction. Um, I did want to call that out mostly because while the traffic study that is attached

to this and in this proposal calls out the additional traffic from Sentra, it however fails to take into account the traffic with that and how that will be generated. Um, additionally uh to completely once again separate from this and to to reiterate um sidewalks stop at Morview Drive on Leisville Road. It is not uncommon to find pedestrians wandering uh in the road at all times of day and night. So I do have to question the increase of both car traffic and pedestrian traffic and what that means for a road that is not not ready for it potentially.

Yeah, I think that brings to attention. I mean, we have spent a lot of time discussing petitions along Leville, and I've almost hit people walking along the road at night. There are no sidewalks. There's nothing there in place in terms of corridor safety. I I don't This is a separate topic. It's related, but I don't know how we would initiate concerns about Leville in terms of of studying how to make it a a safer. Rachel, you mentioned the corridor. Have we seen those corridor improvement studies? We've seen those along other roads and it seems like we've we're putting the developments in on Leville before. We've addressed the road itself.

We for for what it's worth, it's not a Leville focused study, but the city is currently uh working on a multimmoal plan and that's uh something that the Central Virginia Planning District Commission has initiated. Um and so we're working with uh Timman's group to identify where we should be prioritizing multimodal improvements. Um looking at um basically generators of uh you know workplaces, commercial uh everyday needs, that sort of thing. um identifying those, identifying um denser development and trying to identify how to connect those so that we don't keep running into the issue of um you know people walking where you don't expect them and it's unsafe. And so how can we prioritize um through different corridors? It may not you know we we're not able to put a sidewalk on every street even though that might be ideal. um how can we prioritize to make the most impact for the most people? So that's something we're looking at.

In regards to this proposal, does anybody want to make a motion on this? More discussion? I mean, I while I hear the concerns of the community and I've seen the Facebook comments and there are plenty of them, especially Wawwa versus Sheets, um I I think this is could potentially be a great uh benefit to the local community. Um I'd make a motion to approve.

Okay. I will add I came in having looked at this and it it seems to make sense but but I wanted to see what the uh neighborhood turnout was to hear objections and and I think we've heard that and I certainly understand what you're talking about and your concern seems to center around the intersection at more view up there. The other two uh seem to have some positive uh feedback on what it's going to become again traffic issues. Uh, having heard all that, personally, I I think this is a good idea. So, I'm going to second motion.

Okay. Any other comments before we go to a vote?

Yeah, I just again I echo um Dave and Chuck's uh sentiments on the great addition of WAWA to to this area. Um, I just I do have concerns about the uh left out at um on Leville Road and and then the um I don't know what there's what can be done to at least by the city to at least consider the the traffic at at the intersection with Mor. But um I just I really feel strongly that something, you know, there needs to be something done to to address address those issues or or look into them at the at at a minimum and see um if they're consistent with other places in the city that uh you know, we have the issue and and we're dealing with it or you know, a bigger issue than than we think. Um but uh but yeah, I think the the the the Wawwa plan looks nice and um I think it'll be a nice addition.

Okay. Well, two motions, so we'll go ahead and put it to a vote. All in favor say I. I. All oppose say they. They. All right. Moving forward five to one. Thank you for bringing that to us and good luck at city council. And our next order of business is we don't have anything else on our agenda. Correct. Yes. February 28th.

Okay. Well, since we're here, you know, I I do wonder if we you know, how we can move forward talking about Leville Road. You know, I've talked to council members also about this and it becomes a it becomes a a tense discussion about development into the road and it's I think that what the term the strode where it's it's a street people live on it but it's treated like a highway and so you know I remember we did a study on Campbell Avenue

and I think we have one developer who mentioned a road diet you know speed limits have been mentioned I think that's one of the things you have a 45 You've got Green View as a 35 and how do you make that safer? And I think that the people who came here need to know that that that's something that we do think is important although we don't work on traffic that we really do want to push um some thought into this. Okay. What could we do? Thank you.

Yeah, I I'll be happy to follow up with engineering, see if they have anything in their queue and then um maybe we could call it out as a priority in in the comprehensive plan or something like that. This Leville Road is going to continue to be a problem. There are multiple sites on Leisville Road that are residential sites now that are going to be, you know, developed as town homes and apartments. I mean, there's a massive one coming right down the street from where the gentleman right there lives in into right by beside the uh CPA accounting office right there. And uh it's gonna be a bigger problem as we move forward.

Well, Vice Mayor Demer also has mentioned that I' heard this several times and other people say it that people will go out and and race on this. There's a long straightaway at one point and there there is nothing inhibiting that. So, if we want people to live on a road, we've got all this R1. No one wants to live on a highway, but people do want to live on a street, you know, and I think that's something if we're committed to R1, we need to make our infrastructure match that. Um, another thing I wanted to ask about is the data center proposal. We had talked about looking at that and and they just mentioned that there was a group that got together at the the not the chamber but yeah and they they

Yeah, they're talking about this and we're still uh trying to we don't want to get into the mess that Campbell County um they're trying to deal with now. So,

absolutely. We have um kind of a staff we have a staff level draft um that we'll be running by the city attorney um and then bringing back to you at that point. Um there is in researching what other localities are doing there's a whole gamut of um you know very simplistic to extremely complicated. Um and so we want something that is both effective but something that is not so ownorous to work with that we that it becomes you know um prohibitive. Um so we're trying to find the balance for what's right for us and our code. Can I suggest maybe maybe you guys have already addressed this Rachel maybe they have that that we're not the only ones asking this question obviously

and the big IT providers I know it's a change of subject here the big IT providers are seeing the same push back uh across country Virginia's got more of these these these centers than anybody does in the country

and they're getting as people become more aware of these they're realizing the effects of these things and so what the large companies like Microsoft even are doing and Google is they are getting into power purchase agreements for nuclear power. Uh so they're looking five years down the road and they're already building uh some of this infrastructure in Virginia. The nuclear provide power generation in Virginia. One is a fusion plant. It's won't get into that. But maybe we jump the gun by looking at the need for powering these things, you know, uh or even building these things when you know that may not be an issue five years from now, you know. So, uh that is I know the power provision is a huge factor because it raises the rates as is the water use or water consumption. So, anyway, just a little side note.

Okay. All right. Well, anybody want to make a motion? Can you have leave? We Yeah, you can make a motion to adjurnn. We can adjourn. All right. No one's in in opposition. So, thank you. Thank you.