Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Mr. Barts present Mr. Ferris present Mr. Shelton Miss Me Mr. Dalton Mr. Oaks here, Miss Henderson,

and Mr. Web. In a moment of silence. To the flag of America to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Hearing of the citizens. Each person addressing the board under hearing of the citizen shall be a resident or land owner of the county or the registered agent of such restor land owner. Each person shall step up give his her name and the district in an audible tone of voice for the record and unless further time is granted by the chairman shall be limited his her address to three minutes. No person shall be permitted to address the board more than once during the hearing of

citizens. All remarks shall be addressed to the board as a body and not to any individual member thereof. Hearing of the citizen shall last for a maximum of 45 minutes. Any individual that is signed up to speak during said section who does not get the opportunity to do so because of the aforementioned time limit shall be given special shall be given speaking priority at the next board meeting absent chairman's approval. No person shall be able to speak who has not signed up. Do we have anyone signed up?

No sir. Number six, seek a motion on the agenda. Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion that we amend the agenda by removing case R-26-01.

We have a motion. Are there any questions, comments, concerns about the agenda? Is there a second? I'll second. Mr. Fris, thank you.

Please cast your vote. Agenda is passed five to zero. Um, chair seeks a motion on the approval of the minutes from last month.

Mr. Chairman, I make a motion we accept the minutes as as is. Mr. Chairman, we'll need an a motion to approve the amended agenda. Oh, I thought Oh, we need to do it again. Yes, the motion was to remove that item and we'll need a separate motion to approve the agenda. Okay, good deal. Back to the agenda. We have a motion to approve the amended. Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion that we approve the amended agenda. Mr. Chairman, I'll second. Thank you, Mr. Ferris. Any other motions, comments, questions? Please cast your vote.

Mr. Chairman, can I please get the vote verbally, please? Mr. Oaks? Yes. Miss me? Yes. Mr. Web? Yes. Mr. Barts? Yes. And Mr. Ferris? Yes. Thank you.

All right. It's moving to the approval of the minutes from last month. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion we set the uh favor board meetings as is. Thank you, Mr. Ferris. Is there a second? I second.

Thank you, Miss Me. Any other questions, comments, concerns, or motion? Please cast your vote. Approval of the minutes carries 5 to zero. Uh chairman's report. Uh, I will just want to u briefly state that the um Pennsylvania county uh comprehensive plan advisory committee had its first meeting last month or last week and we'll have a public meeting with Line and Grade on March the 25th from 6:00 to 7:00 at the Cadam Community Center. and we as a board I think I speak for all of us would encourage all the citizens uh to become a part of the program the the plan uh as we develop it. Moving on to item nine, our public hearing. Pursuant to article five, division seven of the Pennsylvania County zoning ordinance, we the planning commission have been empowered to hear and decide specific applications in support of said ordinance and to make recommendations to the board of supervisors or the board of zoning appeals. In accomplishing this task, we are charged with promoting the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of Pennsylvania County. We must ensure that all air decisions and recommendations be directed to these goals and that each be consistent with the environment, the comprehensive plan and in the best interest of Pennsylvania county, its citizens, its posterity, anyone here to speak to the board regarding zoning cases shall be limited to three minutes.

Public hearing for case R-26-012 is now Mr. Carl Kase R-26-012 Mary Ellen Miner has petitioned to reszone 86.2 2 acres located on State Road 765, also known as Sandy Road in the Ken's Gretina Election District from double zone district to A1 agricultural district to allow the property to be used for a private campground uh which would be contingent upon approval of a special use permit as well if the road reszoning is approved. Uh once the property is reszoned to A1, all uses listed under section 35-178 are permitted and the staff summary is enclosed in the board's packet. And Mr. Chairman, I believe Mary Miner is here to represent the petition. Miss Miner, is there anything you'd like to add?

Okay. Thank you, ma'am. Has anyone signed up? Yes, sir. Jeff Love on behalf of Pitco campground Owners is here and he will receive 10 minutes. Thank you. Thank you,

Jeff Love. Um I represent the Pennsylvania County Campground Owners Association. We have concerns related to the pro proposed resoning. The property plat was revised on October 15th, 2025. That document indicates that a portion of the property is in a flood hazard zone. Potential flooding is not only a concern for the safety and well-being of any guests, but is also a concern for watershed and environmental contamination issues caused by flooded septic systems, release of raw sewage, and other toxic debris. Mary Ellen Miner, the property owner, recently purchased the property on October 8th, 2025. She hasn't owned the property long enough to thoroughly research the property, to communicate with neighboring property owners, and to obtain knowledge about the area. She has not to date reached out to any other county campgrounds. Miss Miner has not submitted the required site development plan or concept plan. Campground creation and development requires thorough advanced planning including feasibility studies, engineering and design, septic system soil studies, determining water availability, calculating electrical demand requirements, traffic and navigation studies, developing a five-year business plan, researching financing requirements and options, and much more. None of those support documents have been submitted to the planning commission in order to justify this zoning change request. The sign affidavit has not been notorized. Miss Miner has not provide provided any evidence that she has prior experience or background in the camping industry. Applicant Mary Ellen Miner is not a resident of Pennsylvania County. She would likely be an absentee campground

owner since it's unlikely that she will move to this county. She recently purchased and financed her house in Rowan Oak on October 6, 2023. She's 79 years old and a senior citizen. I'm 29 year I'm 20 years younger than Miss Miner and I intentionally got into the campground business nine years ago while I was still physically and mentally able to deal with the challenges associated with developing and owning a campground. We had extensive RV camping experience and other related experience prior to investing in our campground. My wife and I live on our campground property in order to handle day-to-day operations and maintenance. Without direct involvement of the owner, campgrounds become unsupervised and unregulated low-end trailer parks, which would be a campground zoning violation as well as a detriment to our community. Per the county regulations, campers cannot be used for living, sleeping, or other occupancy when parked or stored on a residential lot or in any other location not approved for such use. Campers can only be used for habitation when in approved campground regardless of length of time. Our association is aware of numerous violations of this zoning restriction and the known violators have been reported. None of the violations that were reported in 2025 have been corrected and individuals continue to live in campers outside of properly zoned campgrounds. Old Dominion Agricultural Complex continues to allow camping at their facility even though they do not have the campground special use permit. These numerous violations negatively impact occupancy at legitimate and properly zoned and permitted campgrounds.

Unless the county enforces the current zoning, there isn't any need for additional campgrounds. The existing Pennsylvania county campgrounds have active owners, are properly zoned, are properly permitted, are meeting health department regulations, and are adequately meeting demand. If Pennsylvania County actively promotes tourism and encourage encourages tourism oriented development such as amusement amusement parks and other entertainment venues, then there may become a need for additional campsites and/or campgrounds. The planning commission can and the board of supervisors cannot make an informed decision since this zoning change request is missing a lot of required information. Based on the previously stated concerns and Miss Miner's failure to provide required information, the Pennsylvania County Campground Owners Association recommends denying this zoning change request and recommends denying the subsequent request for a special use permit. Thank you.

Is anyone else signed up? No, sir. Is there anyone else here that would like to respond? Yes. Please come to the podium.

Yes. Come down. Yes, I'm the owner of the property. I'm the one who submitted the application for reszoning. This application at this point in time is just for reszoning from dual zoning to A1. The reason I am pursuing this, my son-in-law is a hunter. He hunts deer. He hunts uh turkeys. that under the current zoning, he cannot take his RV and park it overnight so that he can get up bright and early the next morning and go hunting. The only reason we are submitting this application at this point in time is so that we can eventually get a permit so that my son-in-law can actually build a little concrete padding pad on which he can park his RV overnight or maybe two nights while he hunts. There is no intent to go commercial. There is no intent to have a big crowd there. This is not a business. It's not intended to be a business. It's

intended to be family. Now, when I was submitting the application, I said private campground because there are times when he may take a friend with him and that doesn't really uh fit in the category of family campground. It's private campground, but no intent to do a business. And at this point in time, all we're asking for is reszoning application. If and when this is approved to A1, then we will go through the process of developing the plans for what my son-in-law needs on the property to facilitate his hunting experiences. And that's it. I don't intend to do any of the other stuff. And we're well aware of the flood zone. We did have a a local um man, Jeff Carr, come out and and survey the property and he he explained all about the flood zones. Um told us about the limitations of the property. So, I feel confident that we're not going to step on anyone's toes who is trying to conduct business as a campground owner in Pennsylvania County. We are not going to do anything to harm the environment. None of that stuff. This is simply an exercise so that my son-in-law can experience a better hunting experience while he's on the property. That's all.

If you would bear with us just a minute. Any questions? Um, Mr. Chairman, I do. Uh, Ms. Miner, first off, I'm a senior citizen, too, and I admire you for your initiative and your goals to start a campground or whatever you wish to do. I want to ask you, um, have your neighbors complained, have you shared this with your neighbors?

Well, we have, uh, my son-in-law has talked with one neighbor. As a matter of fact, the neighbor called Sabrina when he when he first heard about the reasonzoning. And so my son-in-law actually talked with him so he could better explain what he would like to do with this so-called private campground. But no opposition.

And at that point in time, the neighbor, what's his name? Al. I I didn't write it down, but it's the neighbor. Oh, u at first he had been afraid that what we were thinking about was big crowds and and destroying the road, right? Uh and so forth, but none of that is planned, you know. It's it's primarily my daughter and her family. Mhm.

Uh, and at this point in time, since their children are grown, it's my daughter and her husband, and sometimes his brother comes along to hunt. So, the only one I was aware of was this one over uh the neighbor behind us. Okay, that's all I have.

Anyone else? I'll just comment that you know when his special use permit comes up as far as Mr. I love you. We can um sometime I can't find my words, but we can limit the special use permit so that it will coincide with with what she's asking for and so it won't be public.

Yes. Uh thank you. See, until we get the zoning, we have not actually sat down and drawn out plans or we're not exactly sure exact of what it will have, but you at this point in time, we just know concrete paths to park the RV on. But thank you and we will be be quite happy to work with uh Mr. Love uh when we're developing those plans. um so that we don't have an issue when we come in for a special use permit because I I I don't I don't think there's any damage to anyone um for a single RV to come in uh a few times a year for hunting for a day or two.

Anyone else? Thank you, Miss M. Thank you.

Anyone else would like to speak to this case? Come forward. Give your name in your district. Douglas Pvat on 1152 Sandy Road. and um what she just said, if that's what she I own the 77 acres across from where she's at, but if that's what she's planning, I have no problem with that. I was a little worked up over it being a commercial, you know, cuz we're in the middle of the woods. We hear cows and owls on Friday and Saturday nights, you know, not partying and music and all that, which a campground would bring, you know, entertainment and all that. But if that is just private use for her son and all, I have I just have no problem with that. I just wanted to let you know that.

Thank you, sir. Thank you. Anyone else? Yes, sir. Good evening. Uh my name is Stephen Bod with Smith Mountain Campground. Um and I appreciate Miss Miner as well. Um my only concern is that uh if this property does get reszoned and then ultimately a special use permit, it could open up discussions for a larger campground in business. It just lays the platform for that, the foundation. So that's where my concern would be. Okay. Okay.

Thank you. Anyone else? Is he allowed to speak twice? Uh the chairman can allow him to Mr. Love.

Uh I appreciate the clarification, but what this does then is sets a precedent of a way to skirt around the current zoning regulations so that we don't have single campers at private residences and things like that. Because once you open up this can of worms, um like I mentioned before, we have many properties throughout the county that have two, three campers behind their um homes that have campers that people are living in. So then those folks would come before you and say, "Hey, it's only one camper or it's only two campers." which um defeats the current zoning and the intent of the current zoning. So, this is a way for someone then to basically skirt that regulation when you just say it's only one camper, two campers. Once you open that can of worms, you were really shooting yourselves in the foot and we might as well not have a regulation at all that uh prohibits campers on private property because that's what's happening here. So, if it's a camp ground zoning, then that special use permit does indicate that it could be potentially developed and expanded into a full-fledged commercial property. So that's where the concern is and especially setting a precedent like this where you have a single or two campers on private property that would then allow every A1 property owner in the county to have one or two campers on their property that people are living in and that's already occurring without without the restrict or with the restriction in place. So that opens it up that they wouldn't have

that restriction anymore. So please consider that. Anyone else? Public hearing on case R-26-012 is now closed. Miss

um this is in my area. Um, I think that Miss Miner is aware of what she's going to have to do if she does develop it into a campground, but right now she's asking it to be reszoned to A1. In the area, there's always A1 around it. It is A1 around it. So, just let me say what goes on through the planning commission is preliminary hearing. The board of supervisors has the final say so, but tonight I'm going to approve it. So, in case R-26-012, I make a recommendation to board of supervisors that this uh DZ double zone district be reszoned to A1 agricultural district.

Are there any other motions, questions, concerns? Second. I'll second. Thank you, Mr. Oaks. Please cast your vote. Reszoning passes 5 to zero. We'll now move to case R-26-013. Mr. confirm KR-26-013. Melissa Haristen has petitioned to reszone 5.67 67 acres located on route 311 Harville Saunders Parkway in the Tunl and Westover election districts from M1 Industrial District Light Industry to M2 Industrial District Heavy Industry to allow for a concrete mixing plant. Once the property is reszoned to M2, all uses listed under section 35-42 are permitted. The staff summary is enclosed in the board packet. And Mr. Chairman, we do have one of the folks who have special power of attorney uh privileges on this resoning case present tonight. That's Leonard Johnson here to represent the petition.

Mr. Johnson. I'm Leonard Johnson. What Melissa is asking for is for this five acres on Berry Hill Road 311. It used to be a woody yard. She's asking for it to be for they'll be able to put a concrete company there, which all everything around it is already zoned M2. That's all she needs is just that to be done. So we'll be able to go ahead and start this project going. So when something does start in the industrial park, we'll have a concrete there.

Okay. Thank anyone signed up to speak. No, sir. Is there anyone here that would like to speak to this case? Come forward, sir. State your name and your district.

Good evening. I'm Sam Franklin. uh Tunl District, 2536 Mountain Run Road, probably the closest house to this uh this acreage that we're discussing tonight. Um I just had a couple clarifications that I was uh looking to have answered. Um, one there seems to be a discrepancy in the map that was in the package that showed a larger uh area tract of land and I think that led to me getting a sign in my yard that um or beside my property that was talking about the reasonzoning. So, um, if it's just the five acre I mean it says 5.6 in the thing, but the map shows a larger area. So I just want

I think that's property that she owns in total. There's a separate piece that Okay. I just want to make sure that they intend to create they have a plat uh ready for recordation that will isolate just this 5.67 acres that will be reszoned to the heavy industrial M2 zoning district.

Okay. Um is does anyone know the hours of operation for this facility? I'm not familiar with that. However, I do believe uh if the chairman is comfortable with it, we do actually have um Mr. Atkins who would be associated with the readym mix plant here for those questions. Um so, um Mr. Mr. Atkins, do you have would you be able to answer that question in regards to the hours of operation?

If you don't mind, please come on up. Good. What was your question? I was just wondering what the hours of operation were. Um, they'll vary from 2 3:00 in the morning till 600 7 o'clock in the afternoon. And um do you know the noise level of the various things that'll be happening at the facility?

Just ready mixed trucks, concrete ready mixed trucks. Is there going to be stone crushing? No. Okay. No stone crushing. Do you have a idea? Can you quantify how loud that would be? Because I mean talk noise carrier. I mean, I'm I'm living there and I'm going to be hearing this at 3:00 in the morning. That's not kind of curious.

Well, it it's it's normal concrete readymix operations. We have one in Blaires, Virginia right now, US 29, business 5844. And um we have houses within a 100 yards of our existing readymix plant. Okay. So, I I don't think the noise is going to be a problem. It shouldn't be any worse than a than a semi going in and out of the facilities. Some of them that I've been involved with, you know, they're they're crushing rock and and some other louder things rather than just the the mixing of the the cement and sand. And

No, we don't we don't crush our own rock. We buy our rock from the rock quaries and have it trucked in on semi trucks. Okay. So we won't we won't be doing any crushing or blasting on site. It's all imported. Will you be bringing any in on rail since the spare line is there? We're going to bring some cement in on the rail spur that's on this 5 acre track. So it will be some cement cars, train cars coming in. Do you have a an idea of the frequency of the trucks in and out of there?

No. I a real the North Southern Railroad operates, you know, on their hours. So the same the same thing will be if we offloading cement from 3:00 in the morning 6 o'clock at night whenever we're open for operations then we'll be using the cement cars to blow our cement dust off. Okay. I mean I'm assuming it's going to be servicing the the mega site, right? Mostly. Yes, sir.

Okay. Okay, I think those were my main questions. I I'm not standing up in opposition to this per se, but I just I'm curious since I'm living the closest to this that wanted to know what was what was going to be happening. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? I'm just glad to say that it I'm glad that someone local will be furnishing all the concrete for the project hotel. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Anyone else would like to speak to this case? That's case hearing is closed. Mr. Oaks, Mr. 12. I'll make a motion in case R-26-013, we change the reszoning from M1 to M2. Any other questions, comments, or motions? Is there a second? A second.

Miss Me, please cast your vote. Motion carries 5 to zero. Now open case S-26-00006. Mr. case S--26-00006 Marcy Lynn Patterson has petitioned for a special use permit on 0.54 acres located on State Road 1279 Meadowwood Court in the Tons Election District to allow for a manufactured home. The staff summary is enclosed in the board packet and we do have Mr. Rasheed Walford, who has special power of attorney rights on this case, here to represent the petition. Mr. Walford.

All right. Good evening. My name is Rasheed Walford um representing Miss Marcelin Patterson and uh as it pertains to putting a um manufactured home on her halfacre property in the Tontol district um in um Sharon Meadows neighborhood. Excuse me. Okay. Any questions for Thank you. Anyone signed up to speak on this case? No, sir. Is there anyone here who would like to speak on this case? Thank you, sir.

Hearing on case S-26-006 is closed. Chair is now open for a motion. Mr. Oaks, Mr. Chairman, on case S-26-006, I recommend that we issue a special use permit for a double wide home. All right, we have a motion or any other questions, comments, concerns, or motions? Is there a second? I second.

Thank you, Miss Me. Please cast your vote. Mr. Oaks. Yes. Yes. Motion passes 5 to zero.

Now moving on to case S--26-00007. Mr. Arnold. Case S-26-00007. Rasheed Walford and Sheldon Maven have petitioned for a special use permit on 0.5 acres located on State Road 1279, Meadowwood Court in the Tons Election District to allow for a manufactured home. Staff summaries enclosed in the board packet. We do have Mr. Walford again to represent this petition. Mr. Wford, anything you need to add? Do not, sir. All right. Any questions for Mr. Wford? Anyone sign up for this case? No, sir. Is anyone here that'd like to speak to this case?

Public hearing is closed on CAD case S-26-007. The floor uh chair is now open for a motion. Mr. Oaks, Mr. Gentlemen, in case S-26-00007, I recommend we issue a special use permit for a double wide manufactured home. Thank you, Mr. Oaks. Are any other motions, comments, questions, concerns? A second. A second.

Thank you. Please cast your vote. Motion carries five to zero. Case S-26-00008 is now open. Mr. Arnold,

case S--26-008. Roda Aula has petitioned for a special use permit on 1.09 09 acres located on State Road 1279 Meadowwood Court in the Tons Election District to allow for a manufactured home. Staff summary is enclosed in the board packet and Mr. Chairman, Mr. Walford is here to represent the petition. Anything you need to add, Mr. Wford? No, sir. Anyone sign up to speak on this case? No, sir.

Anyone here who would like to speak to this case? Public hearing is closed. Mr. Oaks, Mr. Chairman, in case S-26-00008, I recommend we issue a special use permit for a doublewide manufactured home. Are there any other questions, comments, concerns, motions? Is there a second? A second.

Thank you, Miss Me. Please cast your vote. Motion carries 5 to 0. We move to case R-26-00009. Mr. Arman, case S--26-009. Dwen Doe has petitioned for a special use permit on 0.52 acres located on State Road 1279, Meadowwood Court in the Tons Election District to allow for a manufactured home. The staff summaries enclosed in the board packet. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Walford is here to represent the

Anything to add, Mr. Wford? No, sir. Okay. Thank anyone sign up on this case? No, sir. Anyone here would like to speak to them in this case? Public hearings closed. Mr. Oaks. Mr. Chairman, in case R-26-09, I recommend we issue a special use permit for a double wide manufactured home. Are there any questions, comments, concerns, or other motions? Is there a second? A second.

Thank you. Please cast your vote. Motion passes five to zero. That concludes our cases for the night. Mr. Arman, any old business? No, sir. Is there any new business? You actually covered it in the chairman's report about the town hall meeting. And again, uh we encourage anyone and everyone in the county to participate uh so we can have as good a uh comprehensive plan update as we can have. And if no one else has anything, we will be adjourned at 7:41.