HRAB 12-20-05 Meeting MinutesFrederick County Historic Resources Advisory Board (HRAB)
December 20,2005
Held in the Board of Supervisors Executive Session Room of the County Administrative Building at
107 North Kent Street, Winchester, VA.
Members Present: Rhoda Kriz, Harold Lehman, Virginia McClure, Martin Killingbeck, Elizabeth Fravel,
Felicia Hart, Travis Saunders, Maral Kalbian (Consultant), Patricia Gochenour (Planning Commission Liaison)
Members Absent: Jamie Lupton, James Lockard
Staff. Candice Perkins -Planner Il, Kevin Henry -Planning Technician, Mike Ruddy -Deputy Planning Director,
John Kirby -Zoning Inspector
Applicants/Presenters: Chuck Maddox with Patton Harris Rust & Associates, PC, Mr. Stinson -O -N Minerals
(Chemstone) Representative, Diann Jacox (National Park Service), Elizabeth McClung (Belle Grove
Foundation), Mike Kehoe and Mark Brown (Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation).
Agenda Items: November 2005 Minutes, Review of the Chemstone-Middletown Property proposal, submitted
by Patton Harris Rust & Associates, PC. (PHR&A)
Other: None
The meeting began at 6:30 pm.
The first agenda item was the November 2005 minutes, which were approved.
The second item was a discussion on the rezoning proposal for the Chemstone-Middletown Property (O -N
Minerals) submitted by Patton Harris Rust & Associates, PC. The rezoning consists two parcels that total 691
acres. The current zoning is RA (Rural Areas) and the requested zoning is EM (Extractive Manufacturing).
Staff made a brief presentation for the proposal and then gave the floor over to Mr. Chuck Maddox of
PHR&A. Mr. Maddox stated that limestone mining is going to take place on the site and out of the 691 acres
only 80 acres or 11 % (approximate) will be disturbed. He also stated that environmental and ground water
studies were conducted on the site in 1992 and that water rights have been acquired by the Sanitation
Authority. Some of the minerals from the quarry could be transported across the Cedar Creek by conveyor to
the Strausburg quarry, as well as by truck through the Town of Middletown to Route 11. Mr. Maddox also
stated that the Town of Middletown had provided comments to the Board of Supervisors to review. While site
is not part of the National Park area, Civil War troops traveled through some of the site and there were some
camps on the property. This site also contained what is called the "Nieswander's Fort" which was demolished
about 25 years ago. Mr. Maddox stated that the quarry will be shielded by a berm that could contain trees.
There were numerous comments from representatives that attended the meeting, they are as follows:
Mike Kehoe: The property contains significant historic resources which he marked on a map many years ago,
and battles took place on the southern portion of the property. There is a cemetery on the northern portion of
the property that needs to be protected and research further. He also expressed concern regarding the viewshed
of adjoining historical properties.
Elizabeth McClung: Stated that there may be an ability to have the quarry provide tours since it is an historical
quarry and possibly a geologic museum. There are many concerns about the viewshed from Belle Grove due
to the large red berms that are around the existing quarry. She also stated that they would like a timeline for
the mining north of Belle Grove as well as identification of future visual impacts.
Mr Stinson: Stated that he will clarify the mineral rights to the HRAB, as well as address any issues that the
battlefield foundation may have.
The HRAB then discussed the proposal. The following recommendations were formulated:
• A Phase I Archeological Survey needs to be done on the site, focusing on core battlefield areas and the
site of the Nieswanger Fort. If warranted by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources,
subsequent studies should be performed. (Phase IVIII).
• A detailed Viewshed Mitigation Analysis/Plan needs to be completed that will show the effects ofthe
new quarry operation from key points (critical areas and views/pull-offs to be determined by the
National Park Service, Belle Grove and the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation). This plan needs to
be completed before any land disturbance is allowed on the site and implementation of any
suggestions that may result from the plan should be given a proffered timeline. In addition, the
viewshed study should also ensure that views from Chapel Road are not impaired.
• Cedar Creek should be bridged so that quarry trucks can use this route instead of going through
historic Middletown and passing by the Belle Grove entrance.
• The conveyer system being discussed should be studied further to ensure that it does not impact the
viewshed or create noise issues. The amount of traffic this system will alleviate should be provided as
well. The applicant should propose a plan for the conveyer system that will not have a huge visual
impact on the surrounding landscape.
• A timeline for the removal of the existing stockpile of dirt (overburden) that can be seen from the
Cedar Creek Battlefield needs to be provided with this proposal.
• Strategic landscaping needs to be looked at, as well as preserving natural existing landscaping, as
opposed to high berms to try to screen the operation. A detailed landscaping study needs to be done
for the site.
• The location for the overburden from the new quarry operation needs to be provided so that large piles
of dirt similar to the current operation are not present, maximum elevations for new berms need to be
proffered. A documented plan for any new berms and overburden stockpiles needs to be provided.
• Perimeter fencing and lighting details need to be provided so that they do not affect the adjacent
historic uses.
• The proffers provided to the HRAB included an eight acre reserve for Belle Grove. The proffer states
that, "Said reserve shall be set aside for future dedication to Belle Grove Foundation". This proffer
includes no timeline for the dedication of the property and as provided, the dedication could never
happen. A specific timeline for the dedication of this property needs to be provided to ensure that the
Foundation is given this property.
There was a recommendation by the HRAB to approve the rezoning so long as the issues discussed above were
mitigated.
At the end of the meeting Ms. Gochenour (Planning Commission Liaison gave a brief speech regarding her
service on the Historic Resources Advisory Board, as it was her last meeting. She stated that the HRAB had
improved greatly since the beginning of her term and that she would continue to be involved in the County
processes. The HRAB acknowledged that Patricia Gochenour's service as Planning Commission Liaison was
greatly appreciated.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30pm