[00:00:05]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
BEING THE TIME AND PLACE FOR THE, SAY THE 13TH AND 14TH.UH, LET'S DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I PLEDGE REGIS TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVIS WITH A ITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
YOU HAVE THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU.ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? NO.
MR. CHAIR STAFF HAS NO SUGGESTED CHANGES.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
HAVE BEEN EMAILED A MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE JULY 10TH REGULAR MEETING MINUTES.
I MOVE THAN MINUTES BE APPROVED.
MOTION'S BEEN PROPERLY MADE AND SECONDED.
ROLL CALL TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
SIX MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING HONOR, WE HAVE COME TO THE TIME IN THE MEETING FOR CITIZENS COMMENT.
THIS IS A TIME IN WHICH PEOPLE HAVE THEIR, THE ABILITY TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS AND CONCERNS ON THINGS IN DENWITTY COUNTY THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.
MR. GURLEY, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP? MR. CHAIR? THERE IS NOT.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TALK DURING CITIZEN COMMENT? HEARING NONE.
I'LL CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
[7. PUBLIC HEARING]
STRAIGHT ON TO PUBLIC HEARING CASE P DASH 24 DASH EIGHT.UH, THE APPLICANTS ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO REPRESENT THE APPLICATION AND THE REZONING REQUEST, UH, WE'RE CONSIDERING THIS EVENING IS, UM, WITHIN THE, UH, WEST PETERSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD, NORTH SIDE OF SURREY AVENUE, UM, APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET EAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF WARWICK STREET AND SURREY AVENUE.
AND THE REQUEST IS FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY TO REZONE THE PROPERTY FROM RESIDENTIAL LIMITED R ONE TO RESIDENTIAL URBAN RU.
UM, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
THE LOCATION MAP WHERE THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED, UH, CONSISTS OF LOTS, 1 74 THROUGH LOTS 1 79.
THE RU ZONING CLASSIFICATION AS, AS I THINK YOU ALL WELL KNOW FROM, UH, UH, OTHER RECENT, UH, CASES INVOLVING, UH, SIMILAR REZONING ALLOWS FOR MINIMUM LOT SIZES OF 5,000 SQUARE FEET WITH A MINIMUM LOT WIDTH OF 50 FEET.
UH, THE PROPOSED, UH, DWELLING OR DWELLINGS WILL BE SERVED BY PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER BY THE DEWITTE COUNTY WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
UH, AS I INDICATED, THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR PREVIOUS AND SIMILAR REZONING CASES.
UM, WE HAVE THOSE LISTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, UH, P 16 DASH TWO AND P DASH 19 DASH ONE ON SURREY AVENUE P DASH 22 DASH FOUR ON GREENSVILLE AVENUE AND JUST RECENTLY P DASH 24 DASH FOUR.
UM, UH, WHICH WOULD ALL ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DWELLINGS ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS GRANTED APPROVAL
[00:05:01]
OF THE REZONING CASES IN 2016 AND 2019 RESPECTIVELY AND DENIED THE 2022 REZONING REQUEST AND APPROVED THE 2024 REZONING REQUEST TO REZONE 12 LOTS ON NEARBY SURREY AVENUE.OF COURSE, THE SURROUNDING LAND USE SURROUND THE PROPERTY IS PREDOMINANTLY LOW DENSITY ESTABLISHED AND STABLE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE SURROUNDING AREA IS OWNED RESIDENTIAL LIMITED R ONE, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE NEARBY LOTS, UH, THAT WE DISCUSSED THAT WERE REZONED IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
UH, PRIMARILY WEST PETERSBURG IS MADE UP OF LOTS THAT ARE, AGAIN, 25 FEET WIDE, 100 FEET DEEP, WHICH ARE NON-CONFORMING.
WITH REGARD TO THE R ONE ZONING DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS, THE MAJORITY OF THE EXISTING HOMES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ARE SITUATED ACROSS PROPERTY LINES ON EITHER TWO OR THREE LOTS.
IN THE REMAINING VACANT LOTS DID NOT ACCOMMODATE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT ON THEIR OWN.
INDIVIDUALLY, THE ARGUE ZONING CLASSIFICATION WAS ADOPTED WITH AN INTENT OF ADDRESSING THESE TYPES OF NONCONFORMITIES AND ISSUES IN THIS GENERAL AREA.
THE SUBJECT ZONING REQUEST WILL ALLOW A NEW DWELLING THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE SIZE AND CHARACTER OF THE SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE PROPERTY UNDER REVIEW THIS EVENING AS WELL AS ALL THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY, UH, WITHIN THE GENERAL AREA OF THE, WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ARE WITHIN WHAT WE CALL THE TOWN CENTER AREA.
THIS GENERAL AREA IS EXPECTED TO ACCOMMODATE FUTURE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE R RU DISTRICT, UH, IT IS ANTICIPATED, UH, ONE OF THE PURPOSES FOR THE R RU DISTRICT WAS TO FA FACILITATE, UH, INFILL DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE SAB ESTABLISHED CHARACTER OF THE DISTRICT.
WE FEEL LIKE THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE R RU ZONING DISTRICT.
AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE TOWN CENTER AREA, WHICH ALLOWS FOR SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED AND ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS GENERAL AREA.
THUS, WITH THE PROPERTY BEING LOCATED IN THE EXISTING WEST PETERSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAVING ACCESS TO THE DEITY COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM, THIS GENERAL AREA MAY BE CONSIDERED AS A RESIDENTIAL GROWTH CENTER.
I'M LOOKING AT PUBLIC UTILITIES, UH, SCHOOL SYSTEM, PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE REZONING WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH ANY OF THOSE THAT, UH, WERE OF CONCERN, UH, TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
UM, LOOKING AT TRANSPORTATION, UH, THE IMPACT ON THE EXISTING TRANSPORTATION NETWORK FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT WARRANT THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANY, UH, TURN LANES OR TAPERS.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL ONLY REQUIRE RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE AND POSSIBLE UPGRADES TO THE RELATED ROAD DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THIS EVENING, UH, IS FOR APPROVAL.
UH, THE REQUESTED REZONING CLASSIFICATION RESIDENTIAL URBAN IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING ZONING PATTERN AND SURROUNDING LAND USES.
ADDITIONALLY, THE RU ZONING DISTRICT WAS CREATED TO ACCOMMODATE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXISTING LOTS WITHIN THE URBAN AREA, INCLUDING THE WEST PETERSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE REQUESTED ZONING CLASSIFICATION, RESIDENTIAL URBAN RU CONFORMS TO THE UNDERLYING USE AS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS GENERAL AREA SET FORTH IN THE TOWN CENTER AREA OF THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE RELATED TO THE STAFF REPORT.
I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.
AGAIN, THE APPLICANTS ARE HERE AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS, MR. BASSETT AT THIS TIME? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, WE WILL ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO COME FORWARD IF THEY'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING.
IF YOU WOULD, WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE PODIUM, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND EITHER THE ADDRESS OR YOUR BUSINESS, I GUESS, IF YOU'RE THE REPRESENTATIVE.
[00:10:02]
AND, UH, GO FROM THERE.THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
UH, WE AGREE WITH THE REPORT THAT MR. BASSETT, MY NAME IS REGINALD FORD.
YOU SAID THE NAME OF THE ADDRESS OF THE, ARE YOU, YOU'RE THERE REPRESENTING? YES, CORRECT.
SO WE, WE AGREE WITH MR. BASSETT.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? NO, SIR.
ALRIGHT, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION.
MR. CHAIR, THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS CASE? HEARING NONE.
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONERS, ANYTHING Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO TALK OR DISCUSS BETWEEN US? HEARING NONE, IT'D BE GREAT IF SOMEBODY GAVE US A, A MOTION THEN.
ALRIGHT, I'LL BE GLAD TO, UH, BE IT RESOLVED THAT IN ORDER TO SHARE COMPLIANCE WITH VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2 DASH 2 2 8 6 A SEVEN.
IT IS STATED THAT THE PUBLIC PURPOSE FOR WHICH THIS RESOLUTION IS INITIATED IS TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLIC NECESSITY, CONVENIENCE, GENERAL WELFARE, AND GOOD ZONING PRACTICE.
I MOVE THAT REZONING P DASH TWO FOUR DASH EIGHT B RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR.
THE MOTION'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED.
CAN WE GET THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MR. TUCKER? YES.
DO YOU KNOW THE DATE OF THAT FOR THE APPLICANT AT THIS TIME, UM, OF THAT BOARD MEETING? I, I NORMALLY WILL LET MR. SOUTHALL GIVE A DATE, SIR.
IT HAS TO BE OFFICIALLY SET, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL PROBABLY BE SEPTEMBER 17TH, WHICH IS A TUESDAY AND THOSE ARE GENERALLY HEARD AT 7:00 PM ALRIGHT.
BUT YOU, YOU SHOULD GET AN OFFICIAL LETTER LETTING YOU KNOW THAT YES, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S CONCEIVABLE THAT FOR SOME REASON IT'S NOT THAT DATE, BUT IT IN 98 TIMES OUT OF A HUNDRED, THAT'S THE DAY IT'S GONNA BE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO CASE P DASH 24 DASH NINE OH.
UH, THIS APPLICATION OF COURSE IS AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION, BUT VERY SIMILAR TO OUR PREVIOUS CASE.
AGAIN, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO REZONE THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FROM RESIDENTIAL LIMITED R ONE RESIDENTIAL URBAN RU.
UH, THIS PROPERTY, UH, ACTUALLY HAS AN EXISTING ADDRESS ATTACHED TO IT.
IT'S 2 5 6 1 3 BRUNSWICK AVENUE.
UH, THIS PROPERTY CONSISTS OF TWO EXISTING PARCELS AND AGAIN, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THE REZONING TO THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL URBAN, UH, ZONING CLASSIFICATION TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY FOR SINGLE FAMILY, UH, RESIDENTIAL DWELLING.
UM, ALL THE, AS STATED IN THE PREVIOUS CASE, UH, PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER IS AVAILABLE TO THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE APPLICANT, UH, WOULD HAVE TO, UH, WORK WITH VDOT TO, UM, GET THE DRIVEWAY LOCATION APPROVED, UH, FOR DEVELOPING THE PROPERTY AND, UM, OF COURSE, UH, PAY THE CONNECTION FEES, UH, FOR THE WATER AND SEWER.
AS ALSO PREVIOUSLY STATED, UH, IN THE, UH, PREVIOUS CASE, UH, THE, ACCORDING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN, THIS IS IN WITHIN THE TOWN CENTER AREA.
AND AS SUCH, THE GENERAL AREA IS EXPECTED TO ACCOMMODATE FUTURE
[00:15:01]
MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.UH, WE DID TAKE THE REQUEST TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, VERY SIMILAR TO OUR LAST CASE.
WE HAD NO, UH, NO COMMENTS, UH, RELATED TO THE APPLICATION AND, UM, ALL AGENCIES SAID THEY WERE SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE, UM, ADEQUATE, UH, FACILITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY.
AGAIN, UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING, UH, APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED REZONING FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
UM, BASED ON THAT, THE REQUESTED ZONING CLASSIFICATION RESIDENTIAL URBAN IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING ZONING PATTERN AND SURROUNDING LAND USES.
ADDITIONALLY, THE RU ZONING DISTRICT WAS CREATED TO ACCOMMODATE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXISTING LOTS WITHIN THE URBAN AREA, INCLUDING THE WEST PETERSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD.
ADDITIONALLY, THE REQUESTED ZONING CLASSIFICATION, RESIDENTIAL URBAN RRU CONFORMS TO THE UNDERLYING USES RECOMMENDED FOR THIS GENERAL AREA SET FORTH IN THE TOWN CENTER AREA OF THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE RELATED TO THE STAFF REPORT.
MR. CHAIR, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE REQUEST, ANY QUESTIONS FROM MR. BASSETT ON THIS CASE? THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. CHAIR, WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO THIS AGAIN? STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
UM, HE IS VERY GOOD AT ANSWERING ALL MY QUESTIONS AND WALKING ME THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE REZONING.
UH, MY NAME IS JOHN WANGER AND I OWN, UH, NICE PROPERTIES.
I'M A CLASS A RESIDENTIAL BUILDER AND I'M JUST LOOKING TO, UH, JUMP INTO, WE FOCUS MOSTLY ON REHAB, LIKE EXISTING PROPERTIES AND WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, MOVE ON TO DOING NEW BUILDS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ALRIGHT, SEE YOU.
ALRIGHT, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION FOR P DASH 24 DASH NINE.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT? MR. CHAIR? THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
ANYBODY WANT TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE, I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANYTHING Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AMONG YOURSELVES? ALL RIGHT.
WOULD ANYBODY, I DON'T LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS BE BE RESOLVED, BUT IN ORDER TO ASSURE US COMPLIANCE WITH VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 DASH 2286 A SEVEN, IT IS STATED, THE PUBLIC PURPOSE FOR WHICH THIS RESOLUTION IS INITIATED IS TO FULFILL THE, UH, REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLIC NECESSITY, CONVENIENCE, GENERAL WELFARE, AND GOOD ZONING PRACTICE.
I MOVE THAT REZONING P DASH 24 DASH NINE BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED.
CAN WE HAVE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MR. HAYES? YES.
P DASH 24 DASH NINE HAS BEEN APPROVED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH A SIX TO ZERO APPROVAL VOTE.
ALRIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE NIGHT.
UH, Y'ALL FEEL FREE IF YOU'D LIKE JUST HANG OUT, JUST LISTEN TO WHAT WE DO, BUT FEEL FREE TO LEAVE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.
IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS MR. BASSETT? NO OLD BUSINESS FOR YOU THIS EVENING, MR. CHAIR? HOW ABOUT SOME NEW BUSINESS? NO NEW BUSINESS, MR. CHAIR.
[10. COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]
COMMISSIONERS? ANY COMMENTS? I DON'T, GO AHEAD.MARK, DID YOU GO TO THE, UH, A PA CONFERENCE? YES, I DID GO TO THE CONFERENCE, YES.
I I DIDN'T GO THIS YEAR, BUT I DID HEAR, UM, A COLLEAGUE OF MINE TALK ABOUT THE, ABOUT, UH, A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT DATA CENTERS.
DID YOU HEAR THAT? YES, I DID.
I DID GO TO TWO OF THOSE SESSIONS THAT WERE RELATED TO THE DATA CENTERS.
YEAH, SO TWO THINGS THAT HIT ME OUT OF WHAT WAS TOLD TO ME WAS, UH, HOW NOISY THEY WERE.
I DIDN'T, HAD NOT REALLY THOUGHT THAT THROUGH, BUT I GUESS WITH CURRENT, YOU KNOW, AIR CONDITIONING TECHNOLOGY AND THE COOLING REQUIRED, THEY MAKE A HELL OF A LOT OF NOISE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING WAS THAT APPARENTLY THERE'S A BIG CONCERN ABOUT DECOMMISSIONING
[00:20:01]
THEM AND THE ISSUES AROUND DECOMMISSIONING.SO, UM, I ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE POWER GENERATION AND POWER DISTRIBUTION ISSUES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH 'EM, BUT I, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS FASCINATING AND, AND, AND MY ROLE IN THE CREATIVE PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION NOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT THERE TOO, AND IT JUST A LOT OF, A LOT OF INTERESTING, INTERESTING THINGS TO CONSIDER ABOUT THOSE THERE.
YEAH, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT WAS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AT THE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR WAS DATA CENTERS AND THE RELATED IMPACTS AND DEVELOPMENT, WHAT VARIOUS COUNTIES, MOST OF THEM NORTH OF US ARE DOING AS FAR AS HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THEM RELATED TO THEIR ZONING ORDINANCE, THE PROCESS FOR REVIEWING THOSE.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, HOW TO ADDRESS, UM, YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT POWER GENERATION, POWER DRAIN GENERATION ON SITE AS WELL AS ALSO, UM, GETTING POWER TO THE PROPERTY AND THE TRANSMISSION CORRIDORS AND THAT COUNTIES ARE DEALING WITH THAT AS A SECONDARY ISSUE OF, UM, POWER COMPANIES ARE HAVING.
AND OF COURSE, THE OWNERS OF THE DATA CENTERS OR DEVELOPERS OF THE DATA ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH HOW TO GET POWER TO THE PROPERTIES, UM, FROM THE TRANSMISSION LINES THAT THAT'S A MAJOR ISSUE AS WELL.
SO IT'S INTERESTING TO ME, YOU KNOW, LOUDOUN COUNTY IS LIKE THE LEADING IN THE COUNTRY, IF NOT THE WORLD, RIGHT? YES.
AND AND MY COMPANY HAS AN OFFICE NEARBY AND SO WE BOUGHT A COMPANY IN NEW YORK, HAD 50 PEOPLE, MOVED THEM TO UH, TO UM, TO FAIRFAX COUNTY EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND, AND NOW HERE IT IS, NINE MONTHS LATER, THEY'VE DOUBLED THEIR EMPLOYEES.
YEAH, VIRGINIA IS THE LARGEST, HAS THE LARGEST, UH, NUMBER OF DATA CENTERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
TEXAS WAS NUMBER TWO AND SOUTH CAROLINA WAS NUMBER THREE ACCORDING TO THE, WHAT THEY PRESENTED AT THE CONFERENCE.
AND, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE ONES IN VIRGINIA, LIKE YOU SAID, ARE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
ANOTHER INTERESTING TIDBIT RELATED TO THAT WAS ALL THE POWER IS PROVIDED FROM WHAT, WHAT THEY INDICATED THE CONFERENCE ANYWAY WAS ALL GENERATED IN WEST VIRGINIA AND CAME FROM WEST VIRGINIA.
ALL THE POWER FOR THE DATA CENTERS IS WHAT WE WERE, WAS EXPLAINED TO US.
AND I WOULD YOU AGREE THAT ANYTHING GENERATED FROM WEST VIRGINIA IS PROBABLY GAS NOW, RIGHT? HMM.
THEY INDICATED COLE, BUT THAT, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WAS STATED AT THE CONFERENCE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING POINT THAT THEY DISCUSSED.
THE REASON I BROUGHT IT UP WAS BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ATTRACTIVE IN SOME WAYS, CERTAINLY, RIGHT? BUT, UH, UM, YES, YOU KNOW, THE, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH POWER AND TO, TO GO TOTAL ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND DATA CENTERS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
IT'S JUST CRAZY TO ME WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHICH BRINGS UP THE SECOND THING.
DID THEY TALK ABOUT THE SMALLER NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS THAT ARE NOW STARTING TO BE PROPOSED? THEY DID MENTION THAT THERE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM DUKE ENERGY THERE, AND HE KNEW AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WORKED FOR MICROSOFT AND TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT, THAT MICROSOFT IS PURSUING THAT ON THEIR OWN, UM, UTILIZING THE SMALL NUCLEAR POWER.
SO I LIKE WATCHING WHAT MY COMPANY DOES.
MY COMPANY, LIKE I SAID, BOUGHT A A A COMPANY LAST YEAR, LATE LAST YEAR AND HAS DOUBLED IT SINCE.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE BROUGHT IT, UH, TO VIRGINIA TO SUPPORT, UM, UM, THE DATA CENTERS.
BUT MY COMPANY BOUGHT A MODULAR NUCLEAR REACTOR DESIGN FIRM THIS WEEK,
SO I'M GONNA GET EDUCATED ON THAT PRETTY SOON, I HOPE.
SOMETHING WAS MENTIONED EARLIER TONIGHT.
I JUST THROW OUT, WHEN, AT WHAT POINT DO WE TALK ABOUT STREET LIGHTING WHEN THERE'S DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COUNTY IN PLACES LIKE WEST PETERSBURG OR EVEN, UH, JORDAN POINT, I MEAN, WELL, LAKE JORDAN, EXCUSE ME.
NOT JORDAN POINT, LAKE JORDAN.
WHEN DO YOU SAY, HEY, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO PUT, YOU KNOW, A STREETLIGHT EVERY SO OFTEN IN THERE SO THAT THERE'S SOME LIGHTING FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT ONLY JUST FOR THEM, BUT FOR SECURITY MM-HMM
[00:25:01]
AND FOR EMS OR ANYBODY ELSE THAT GOES IN THAT AREA? YEAH, CURRENTLY IN THE COUNTY, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE NORTHERN END OF THE COUNTY, UM, THAT HAVE, UH, STREETLIGHTS AND HAVE HAD THEM, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
AND THE COUNTY ACTUALLY DOES PAY FOR THOSE, UH, STREETLIGHTS.
THE, THE POWER BILL ANYWAY FOR THOSE RIGHT.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE ANY, UM, ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROVIDING STREETLIGHTS, UM, WITH A NEW DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS TRIED TO WORK WITH EITHER HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS OR INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS ABOUT, NOT GUIDE THEM, BUT, UM, TRY TO TELL THEM WHERE TO GO AND, AND HOW TO APPROACH THAT ABOUT PROVIDING STREETLIGHTS.
BUT IF WE'RE, WE DON'T REQUIRE IT CURRENTLY IN ANY OF OUR, OUR SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE OR ZONING ORDINANCE, BUT IN REZONING CASES FOR SUBDIVISIONS AND ALL, I FEEL LIKE THAT COULD BE, THAT COULD PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
THAT COULD CERTAINLY BE, WE NEVER STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS.
THAT COULD CERTAINLY BE A CONCERN, UM, AS PART OF DEVELOPMENT, AN IMPACT TO DEVELOPMENT THAT, UM, FROM A SECURITY SAFETY STANDPOINT.
UM, I FEEL ALMOST THE SAME WAY ABOUT SIDEWALKS TOO.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME IN, IN EVERY CASE, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED JORDAN POINT, FOR INSTANCE.
I, I JUST, I, I, I THAT WAS, WAS WAS THAT IN YOUR FIRST TENURE? YES, LAKE JORDAN CAME AROUND WHEN I WAS HERE ON MY FIRST TENURE AT THE PLANNING COMMITTEE.
SO THAT'S WHEN I WAS JUST GETTING KIND OF ORGANIZED TO JOIN.
BUT, UM, I REMEMBER, UH, THINKING, YOU KNOW, HERE'S A WHOLE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE POST OFFICE IN SULAND, YOU'RE NOT GONNA WALK TO THE POST OFFICE IF YOU WALK TO CHARS FOR A SODA POP.
YOU'RE PICKING YOUR LIFE IN YOUR OWN HANDS AND THERE'S NO PLACE TO REALLY WALK.
THEY CAME TO US, UH, UH, WHAT, A FEW YEARS AGO ABOUT THE TRAIL THAT I NOTICED GOT MUST HAVE GOTTEN WASHED OUT WITH THE FLOOD.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT'S A COMMUNITY THAT'S A FAIRLY LARGE, RELATIVELY DENSE COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE LIGHTING OR SIDEWALKS OR ANY AMENITIES WHATSOEVER.
BUT, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, PEOPLE BOUGHT THE HOUSES.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE TOWN MCKINNEY WHERE GREW UP, BUT, YOU KNOW, SO WHO BOUGHT THE HOUSES? ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT AERS AND THEN COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RACETRACK? I HAVE A QUESTION.
IS THIS A NEW, YOUR NEW EMPLOYEE? YES.
I ASSUME THAT WILL BE UNDER PLANNING DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS? YES.
I'D BE, I I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I YEAH, I'D BE GLAD TO ADDRESS THAT.
I WANTED TO ASK HIM IF, IF MR. HARROW YES.
IF YOU WERE GIVING HIM A HARD TIME OR ANYTHING.
THIS IS OUR, UH, NEW EMPLOYEE, ONE OF OUR NEW EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE A PLANNER, ONE HALEY KEEN AND MATTHEW CULBERTH, WHO'S WITH US THIS EVENING.
HE IS OUR, UH, NEW ASSISTANT PLANNING DIRECTOR, ZONING ADMINISTRATOR COMES TO US FROM, UM, CITY OF EMPORIA.
HE'S BEEN PLANNING DIRECTOR THERE FOR OVER THREE YEARS.
HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE THERE.
UM, SIMILAR TO MYSELF FOR, WELL, HIS ENTIRE TIME THERE, UM, PRETTY MUCH HE WAS THE, THE PLANNER, UM, THE PERSON WHO HAD TO DO IT ALL FOR THE CITY OF EMPORIA RELATED TO PLANNING AMONG OTHER THINGS.
HE, HE DID, UM, RUN SOME, UM, ADMINISTERED SOME GRANTS FOR EMPORIA AND WAS SUCCESSFUL OBTAINING GRANTS AND ADMINISTERING THOSE, UM, FOR THE CITY, UH, CITY OF EMPORIA.
UH, SO HE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, UH, AND HE'S REALLY COME FULL CIRCLE TO US BECAUSE, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UM, ON AND OFF, UM, BETWEEN SCHOOL, UM, HE WAS AN INTERN WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, SO HE HAS EXPERIENCE WITH US, PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH US, UM, HIS, ONE OF HIS SUPERVISORS YOU ALL KNEW WELL, WAS JAMIE SHERRY, UH, THE FORMER, UH, SENIOR PLANNER, ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, UM, DID A LOT OF WORK WITH HER.
SO MATTHEW'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH DEWEY COUNTY AND, UH, HE SAW SOME OF YOU KNOW HIM A LITTLE BIT, I THINK, UH, FROM THE PAST.
BUT HE'S, UH, BORN AND BRED IN DENWOODY COUNTY.
SO HE'S GOT A VAST KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE COUNTY, UH, IN GENERAL.
SO WE'RE VERY, VERY, VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM WITH US.
[00:30:01]
MORE THAN WELCOME TO SAY A COUPLE WORDS IF YOU'D LIKE MATTHEW.DON'T GIVE HIM A HARD WAY TO GO.
MR. CHAIRMAN, PLAINTIFF MEMBERS, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SHAKING EACH ONE OF Y'ALL'S HAND EXCEPT FOR MR. TUCKER AND MR. Y'ALL CAME IN A LITTLE LATE AND INTRODUCE MYSELF LIKE HE SAID.
HE SAID HE CAME IN A LITTLE LATE.
SO, UH, LIKE YOU SAID, MY NAME'S MATTHEW COBRA.
UM, I'M A RESIDENT IN WOOD, THE COUNTY OF 25 YEARS.
UM, BOTH MY PARENTS, UH, WORKED FOR THE DEWEY COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UH, MY FATHER TEACHES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
MY MOTHER IS THE PRINCIPAL AT SOUTH SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, AS MARK SAID, I STARTED MY CAREER HERE AS A, AS A, AS A STRAPPING 18-YEAR-OLD, FRESH OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, I'M A GRADUATE OF RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE, UM, AS WELL AS VIRGINIA TECH.
UM, AND LIKE MARK SAID, THE LAST THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY OF EMPORIA, UH, AS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR THERE.
UM, ME AND MARK HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SIMILAR EXPERIENCES WORKING AS AN ARMY OF ONE, UH, WITH, WITH NO STAFF AND LITTLE SUPPORT.
UM, BUT I JUMPED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HOME, SERVE THE COMMUNITY THAT I GREW UP IN.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU ALL AND, UH, KEEP MOVING TO WIT INTO THE FUTURE AND, UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER WE NEVER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? WE, WE ARE NEVER LATE.
[11. PLANNING DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS]
ALL RIGHT.UM, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MR. CHAIR THIS EVENING.
WE DO HAVE CASES PLANNED FOR OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT.
BUT WE WILL HAVE CASES FOR OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING.
ANYTHING CONTROVERSIAL OR HOPEFULLY NOT
THAT MEANS NO SOLAR, RIGHT? NO SOLAR.
WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, ONE NEW SOLAR PROJECT.
UM, THEY'RE NOT PREPARED TO COME FORWARD YET, BUT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE PROBABLY WILL BE HAVING AN ANOTHER SOLAR PROJECT.
UM, CELL PHONE TOWER, UH, CELLULAR TOWERS.
WE ARE, WE HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH, UM, CONCERNING TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR NEW BUILD CELL TOWERS, SO MAYBE HAVING THOSE IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE ONE NEAR ME AS WELL.
SO THEY'RE DOING TWO? UH, YES.
MR. HARVILLE? YEAH, I'M SORRY TO BACKTRACK, BUT I I JUST HAD ONE LITTLE SMALL QUESTION.
ARE THERE IN EXISTENCE ANY MORE OF THE R ONE, UM, TRACKS IN WEST PETERBURG? OH, YES IT IS.
YEAH, I HAD DISCUSSIONS TODAY WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S PROBABLY GONNA BE MAKING APPLICATION FOR, UH, RE ANOTHER REZONING IN THE WEST PETERSBURG AREA.
UM, AND THEN ALSO HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH TWO OTHER POTENTIAL APPLICANTS OH, OKAY.
FOR REZONING REQUESTS AS WELL.
SO, SO HOW LONG AGO HAS IT BEEN SINCE THE LAST ATTEMPT TO DO THAT IN A BLANKET FASHION? OH, BLANKET FOR WEST PETERSBURG.
I WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT I KNEW THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WITH THAT.
I'D HAVE TO SAY IT WAS PROBABLY, WAS IT THAT LONG AGO? NINE, 10 YEARS AGO THAT FAR BACK.
YEAH, SO, BUT, BUT YOU JUST COULDN'T, WE, WE COULDN'T GET CONSENSUS WITH THE, IN GENERAL TO, NO, WE HAD A, WE HAD TWO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND YEAH, THERE WAS NEVER A REAL CONSENSUS TO DO THAT.
UM, DO YOU FEEL LIKE NOW THAT WE'VE HAD WHAT, FOUR CASES NOW THAT HAVE COME AND IT PASSED, THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO? UH, I BELIEVE SO, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD, YOU KNOW, A DIRECT DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD ABOUT POSSIBLY GOING BACK AND HAVING A COMMUNITY MEETING AND SEEING IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE COMMUNITY COULD BE SUPPORTED OF, OF REZONING THAT AREA.
WELL, KIND OF RELATED TO THAT, UM, I HAD FORGOTTEN I GUESS, THAT WHEN YOU ANNOUNCING
[00:35:01]
THAT EARLIER, THAT ONE HAD BEEN, WAS DISAPPROVED, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.AND I, I JUST DIDN'T REMEMBER WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE DISAPP APPROVAL.
THAT ONE WAS, THE TWO LOTS THAT WERE PROPOSED FOR REZONING WERE LOCATED BETWEEN TWO EXISTING RESIDENCES.
UM, AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE, AND OF COURSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND OTHERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAME AND SPOKE IN OPPOSITION.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, UM, SOME THAT WAS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CHURCH THAT'S VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, SOME OF THE CHURCH MEMBERS CAME AND SPOKE AS WELL, UM, ABOUT LIKE, THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT WAS APPROPRIATE, UH, GIVEN, YOU KNOW, HOW CLOSE IT WAS TO THE EXISTING RESIDENCES THERE AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT WAS IN CHARACTER WITH HOW THAT GENERAL AREA WAS CURRENTLY DEVELOPED AS FAR AS THE, HOW CLOSE THE HOMES WERE TOGETHER AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
ANYBODY ELSE MAKE A MOTION? WE ADJOURN.