Loading...
HRABMinutes2023September19Frederick County Historic Resources Advisory Board (HRAB) September 19, 2023 First Floor Conference Room of the County, Administrative Building 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, VA Members Present: Gary Crawford, Lucas Cook, David Sforza, Robbie Molden, and Jack Owens Members Absent: Dana Newcomb, Steve Cantu, Robert Meadows, William Orndoff, and Nicholas Powers Staff Present: Kayla Peloquin, Maral Kalbian, David Frank (Pennoni), and Marisa Whitacre (Greenway Engineering) Agenda Items: Call to order at 6:00 p.m. Item 1: Minutes The March 21, 2023 minutes were approved unanimously. Item 2: Review of Hopewell Rezoning Application The HRAB has been asked to provide a review agency comment pertaining to a rezoning application of +/- 38.99 acres consisting of multiple parcels (Property Identification Numbers: 33-A-114A, 33-A-122, & 33- A-163) from the RA (Rural Areas) Zoning District to the B2 (General Business) Zoning District with proffers. The properties are located near Interstate 81 Exit 321, north of Hopewell Road (Route 672) and west of Martinsburg Pike (Route 11) in the Stonewall Magisterial District. David Frank stated that with the current proposal, the Stine House (DHR ID#034-0931), which was build circa 1905, would be demolished. The barn on the property would be disassembled and reassembled in another location. David Frank stated the Frederick County Comprehensive Plan envisions this area to be commercial. There was a discussion on how the General Development Plan (GDP) would reroute traffic from the existing offset Hopewell Road/Brucetown Road intersection. Members discussed the best place for an interpretive sign. Gary Crawford made a motion to recommend approval of the application and recommended the applicant conduct a phase 2 architectural study of the Stine House prior to it being removed as well as proffer an interpretive sign to be placed in Land Bay 3 of the GDP about the Stine House. David Sforza seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Item 3: Review of Winchester Gateway Rezoning Application The HRAB has been asked to provide a review agency comment pertaining to a rezoning application of +/- 34.26 acres of a +/- 71.85 acre parcel (Property Identification Number 63-A-80I) from the RA (Rural Areas) Zoning District to the M1 (Light Industrial) Zoning District with proffers. The remainder of the property is zoned M1, approved through REZ #01-15, known as the Blackburn Rezoning. The HRAB comments from that rezoning are attached for information. The property is located near the intersection of Apple Valley Road (Route 652) and Middle Road (Route 628) in the Back Creek Magisterial District. Marisa Whitacre mentioned that previous rezonings and affordable housing initiatives on this parcel have been denied in the past, mainly due to neighbor opposition. There was a discussion of the potential impacts to the viewshed due to the construction of new buildings that could be as tall as 60’ in height to meet the Zoning Ordinance standard for the M1 (Light Industrial) Zoning District. Robbie Molden recommended approval of the application and recommended the applicants proffer a height restriction for new buildings not to exceed the height of existing structures on adjoining M1 zoned parcels. Lucas Cook seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Item 4: Review of Stephenson Depot Rezoning Application The HRAB has been asked to provide a review agency comment pertaining to a rezoning application of +/- 6.98 acres made up of four (4) parcels (Property Identification Numbers: 44-A-42, 44-A-43, 44-A-47, 44- A-48A) from the RA (Rural Areas) Zoning District (1.2 acres), the B2 (General Business) Zoning District (2.78 acres with proffers), and the M1 (Light Industrial) Zoning District (3 acres with proffers) to the B2 Zoning District with proffers. The properties are at the northeastern corner of the intersection of Martinsburg Pike (Route 11) and Old Charles Town Road (Route 761) in the Stonewall Magisterial District. Marisa Whitacre introduced the applicants and discussed the future road plans for a roundabout at the intersection of Old Charles Town Road and Martinsburg Pike to be constructed by VDOT. Members discussed the connection with the adjoining parcel to the south of Old Charles Town Road owned by SVBF which will be open to the public. Jack Owens made a motion to recommend approval of the application and recommend the applicants extend the open space shown on the GDP along Old Charles Town Road to preserve the remaining portions of the original road and conduct a Phase 2 architectural study of the Burton Hoover House located at 2452 Martinsburg Pike (DHR ID# 034-0945) to update the Virginia Cultural Resources Information System (VCRIS) records. Lucas Cook seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Item 5: Historic Plaque Program Staff provided an update on the Historic Plaque Program for which eight letters were mailed out to the properties identified at the February 21, 2023 HRAB meeting notifying landowners that they have been selected to receive a plaque. At a Board of Supervisors meeting in April, announcements were made for the five properties that accepted the plaque. Currently, there are two remaining plaques from the 1995 order of 40 plaques. Members suggested mailing two letters out to the owners of Long Green and Hackwood. There was a discussion on if future funding were to be secured to continue the program, a contest for a new plaque design could engage the public and raise awareness of the program. Members directed staff to see if there is any of the original funding that HRAB secured in 1993. There was little optimism regarding funding opportunities available to continue the program, particularly for jurisdictions that are not a Certified Local Government (CLG). The meeting was adjourned at 7:37 p.m.