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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRRC 05-24-18 Meeting Summary 1 DRRC Meeting Summary for 05/24/2018 Members Present: Kenney, Stowe, Shenk, Ambrogi, Banks, Wagner, & Unger Members Absent: Oates, Thomas & Wilmot Staff Present: M. Tyler Klein, AICP, Planner Others Present: 2 members of the public The meeting was called to order at approximately 7:00 PM by Chairman Unger. Item #1 – Updates from previous DRRC discussions. Mr. Tyler Klein, Planner, provide an update on two (2) previous DRRC items: solar farms, and residential separation buffers. Staff noted the solar farms ordinance amendment was still in the discussion stage by the Board of Supervisors and he was hopeful the item would be moved forward later in the summer. Further, Staff provided a summary of discussion from the May 9, 2018 Board of Supervisors w here they Board had directed Staff to “revoke” the text ordinance which changed the required Residential Separation Buffers between certain housing types back to a Category B requirement. Staff noted, the Board cited concerns regarding allowing sites to utilize the full density, with increased capital impacts. Staff noted the item was going to a public hearing before the Planning Commission on June 6th. Item #2 – Self-Storage Facilities in the RA District. A discussion of a proposed text amendment to allow mini self-storage facilities in the RA (Rural Areas) Zoning District as a conditional use. Mr. Klein stated the proposed text amendment was previously discussed by the DRRC and sent forward to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors for additional discussion in 2015. The text amendment was ultimately denied by the Board of Supervisors in late 2015. At the April 4, 2018 Planning Commission meeting, the Commission directed Staff to take this item back to the Committee for additional discussion and revisions. Staff noted the 2015 proposal included three (3) additional supplemental uses for self-storage facilities in the RA district: properties must be within a designated Rural Community Center as identified in the Comprehensive Plan, that all development would conform to B2 (General Business) Zoning District standards for screening and dimensional requirements, and that all developments shall have direct access to paved state roads. The DRRC discussed the merits of each supplemental use. The DRRC expressed concern with allowing these facilities only in Rural Community Centers, as these are “loosely” defined in the Comprehensive Plan and not an exact defined area, which Staff agreed. The DRRC also discussed requiring these facilities to access a state road but noted that many roads in the RA District are state owned/maintained but not paved. Further, given this would require a CUP, VDOT would have to comment and approve each proposal taking into consideration the condition of the road and site access. The DRRC stated they would support the text amendment, with additional supplemental uses as follows: adherence to B2 District standards, and access onto a state roadway. The Committee unanimously agreed to send this item forward for discussion, with the amended supplemental uses. 2 Item #3 – Shipping Containers as Accessory Storage. Discussion of a proposed text amendment to restrict the use of shipping containers as accessory storage. Staff stated that the original proposal prohibited shipping containers as accessory storage only on residential lots in the RP, R4, R5, and RA Zoning Districts; and that the DRRC had discussed this amendment in February 2018 and recommended changes to the original draft proposal, including additional restrictions for shipping containers as storage in business and industrial districts. Staff noted this item went to the Planning Commission for discussion on April 4th and the Board of Supervisors on May 9th. The Board of Supervisors directed Staff to take the item back to the Committee for additional consideration by the DRRC based on the Board’s discussion with the following comments: • Shipping containers as accessory storage should be allowed in all business and industrial districts. Shipping containers are integral to business and industrial uses for transportation services, warehousing, and distribution. Existing regulations for outdoor storage and tractor trailer parking may already regulate this use and additional restrictions may not be necessary. Shipping containers are designed to be stacked. • Shipping containers as accessory storage may conflict with residential uses and it may be appropriate for Frederick County to prohibit their use on residential lots of all sizes, including rural residential subdivisions. The Board of Supervisors did not all agree this was an issue that needed to be regulated. • Prohibiting storage containers as storage in the RA (Rural Areas) Zoning District by lot size (i.e. 6- acres or more, or 6-acres or less) may be arbitrary, for example some farms could be as small as 1-acre. Staff noted they were seeking additional revisions on the request by the DRRC. The DRRC discussed if this was really an issue in the County, and Staff responded they had received calls inquiring about use of shipping containers on residential lots for storage (or as a residence) and Zoning Staff had seen some on residential properties. The DRRC was split on if the shipping containers were really an issue, including in the RA district. Staff noted they are and they are not, and that the Planning & Development Department operates on a complaint basis and would only issue a violation on a shipping container if they received a call from a neighbor. The DRRC agreed with many of the comments from the Board and directed Staff to draft a revised amendment, addressing the Board’s comments, and bring it back at a future meeting for additional discussion. Staff noted this would also give the DRRC an opportunity to think about the issue and if it needed to be regulated or not. Item # 4 – Other. Staff concluded the meeting noting they were working with the County Attorney on a comprehensive re-write of the sign ordinance, to bring it into conformance with a recent Supreme Court Case, Reed v. Town of Gilbert, that upheld that sign ordinances should be “content neutral.” Staff noted this item would come to the DRRC later in the summer for discussion. There were no other items discussed. Staff noted the next meeting would be Thursday June 28, 2018. The meeting concluded at 8:10 PM.