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PC_03-02-11_Meeting_MinutesMEETING MINUTES ® OF THE FREDERICK COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION Held in the Board Room of the Frederick County Administration Building at 107 North Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia on March 2, 2011. PRESENT: June M. Wilmot Chairman /Member at Large; Roger L. Thomas, Vice Chairman/ Opequon District; Brian Madagan, Opequon District; Gary R. Oates, Stonewall District; J. Stanley Crockett, Stonewall District; Lawrence R. Ambrogi, Shawnee District; H. Paige Manuel, Shawnee District; Charles E. Triplett, Gainesboro District; George J. Kriz, Gainesboro District; Greg L. Unger, Back Creek District; Kevin O. Crosen, Back Creek District; and Nate Adams, Winchester Planning Commission Liaison. ABSENT: Christopher M. Mohn, Red Bud District; Philip E. Lemieux, Red Bud District STAFF PRESENT: Eric R. Lawrence, Planning Director; and Renee' S. Arlotta, Clerk. ® CALL TO ORDER & ADOPTION OF AGENDA Chairman Wilmot called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Upon motion made by Commissioner Kriz and seconded by Commissioner Triplett, the Planning Commission unanimously adopted the March 2, 2011, Planning Commission agenda as presented. COMMITTEE REPORTS Development Review and Regulations Committee (DRRC) — 2/24/11 Mtg. Commissioner Unger reported the DRRC discussed and recommended approval of a proposed ordinance amendment to allow the Board of Supervisors to waive the public hearing requirement for proffer revisions when the revision does not affect use or density. In addition, there was discussion on revisions to the zoning ordinance to require a conditional use permit for aboveground public utilities. Further discussion will need to take place on this topic. He said the DR-RC also discussed their 2011 work program priorities. C Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2729 Minutes of March 2, 2011 -2- Conservation Easement Authority (CEA) — 2/24/11 Mtg. • Commissioner Triplett reported that the CEA had their annual organizational meeting with the election of new officers, adoption of bylaws, and selection of meeting dates and times. He said a new member was nominated, Mr. Ron Clevenger. In addition, there was discussion about fund - raising methods and the potential use of discount IPAs (Installment Purchasing Agreements) for easement financing. Historic Resources Advisory Board (HRAB) — 02/15/11 Mtg. Commissioner Oates reported that the 14RAB discussed a review of resources impacted by the construction of the Trans - Allegheny Interstate Line (TrAIL). He said several mitigation methods were discussed, such as a monetary contribution or screening; however, this was referred back to legal counsel because of questions. The other topic was along the same lines, but for PATH; however, PATH has now been withdrawn. I Comprehensive Plans & Proerams Committee (CPPC) — 02/14/11 Mtg. Commissioner Kriz reported that the CPPC held their election of officers and discussed ® possible committee structure for the upcoming year. Commissioner Kriz said the CPPC decided to have the executive committee with supporting working groups as necessary because this has worked well in the past. He said the Draft Reliance Road Area Land Use Plan was also discussed. Transportation Committee — 02/07/11 Mtg. Commissioner Kriz reported the following discussion and action items by the Transportation Committee: 1) A revision to the Secondary Road Project Prioritization placing Redbud Road Realignment first and Hopewell /Brucetown Road Intersection Alignment second after Sulphur Springs Road; 2) Requested VDOT's traffic engineer make a site visit to Reliance Road before a recommendation is made to request a traffic study; 3) Approved a VDOT request to close the Carpers Valley Road/Old Winchester Road at Opequon Creek/County Line for the bridge replacement in 2015; 4) Requested that final comments on the Comprehensive Policy Plan review be sent forward asap; 5) Critical comments on the Route 522 Study have not yet been addressed and it was agreed the document should not be adopted in its current form; work is continuing to resolve the issues; 6) Agreed to conduct further study and possibly development of the County's own strategy regarding sidewalk funds; 7) A Draft Millwood Avenue Closure Study is available, however, there does not appear to be a need for comment from the County at this time; 8) Recommended approval of the Revised Railroad Fund Application and Resolution for Carmeuse Lime & Stone's Middletown operation, as it will promote the use of rail instead of trucks for hauling product. 11 Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2730 Minutes of March 2, 2011 -3- ® Sanitation Authoritv (SA) Commissioner Unger reported that rainfall for the month of January was .89 inches; rainfall for the previous two months has been less than two inches, which is poor for this time of year; quarries were operating well with the North Plant at 661.8 mgd, flow at Parkins Mill Plant is 1.7 mgd; and daily average water use is at 3.7 mgd. He said the problem of rags in the sewer lines at Stephens City is continuing. There were no new updates to report on the water tank at Silver Lake. A court date has been set to settle the debate at the north quarries regarding who is responsible for certain bills. Economic Development Commission (EDC) — 02/04/11 Mtg. Commissioner Madagan stated the meeting was predominantly focused on the EDC's annual report of economic measures, new client inquiries, and existing business activity. In general, new client inquiries were down, but the general consensus was that activities were still better than what's expected in a recession. The National Cost of Living Index for the City and County combined was down somewhat from last year, but this seemed to be reasonable as well. Winchester Planning Commission ® Winchester Planning Commission Chairman, Nate Adams, reported that the update of the Winchester Comprehensive Policy Plan is a major topic of discussion for the Planning Commission at this time. Mr. Adams said they intend to have a hearing in April before the Planning Commission on the new Comprehensive Policy Plan and they expect to have a hearing with the City Council for its adoption in May. He said the plan is posted on the internet at the www winchesterva.gov \planning website. He invited County residents with any concerns, suggestions, or comments to contact the Planning and Zoning Department for the City of Winchester. Mr. Adams said this will be a brand new document and the emphasis appears to be economic sustainability for the area, which he referred to as preserving the character of Winchester while promoting opportunities. Committee Appointments Chairman Wilmot announced the appointment of Mrs. Marjorie Copenhaver and Mr. James Golladay, both former Planning Commission members, to the executive committee of the Comprehensive Plans and Programs Committee. • Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2731 Minutes of March 2, 2011 -4- CITIZEN COMMENTS ® Chairman Wilmot called for citizen comments on any issue not on this evening's agenda. No one came forward to speak and Chairman Wilmot closed the citizen comment portion of the meeting. COMMISSION DISCUSSION MIDDLETOWN LAND USE PLAN Planning Director, Eric R. Lawrence, provided a brief history of thel Middletown Land Use Plan/ Draft Reliance Road Area Joint Land Use Plan to explain how this plan has Ideveloped to date. Mr. Lawrence reported that about a year ago, the Town of Middletown approached the County and expressed interest in a possible boundary line adjustment to the east of the current Town boundaries. He noted that 1 -81 is essentially the eastern boundary for the Town and they expressed interest in moving that boundary east to incorporate some lands along the Reliance Road area. A Reliance Road Steering Committee (RRSC) was established, consisting of two County Board of Supervisors members, Gary Lofton and Bill Ewing; Frederick County Planning Director, Eric R. Lawrence; the Mayor of Middletown, Mark Brown; Middletown Councilor John Blaisdell; and Middletown Staff member, Fred Wharton. Mr. Lawrence stated that the committee members worked together for nine months to establish the draft plan presented for discussion. In 2005, the Town of Middletown adopted the Foresight Middletown Plan, which was ultimately incorporated into the Town's Comprehensive Policy Plan in 2005. Foresight Middletown had contained a conceptual land use scheme for this particular area, which incorporated business and technology opportunities. The RRSC believed the business and technology uses made sense and they used this as a foundation for the Draft Reliance Road Area Land Use Plan. Therefore, the Joint Land Use Plan calls for approximately 44 acres of commercial uses to serve the travelling public, such as hotels, gasoline service stations, and restaurants. The commercial opportunities would be located southeast of the interstate interchange on the south side of Reliance Road and could be implemented through the B2 (Business General) Zoning District. The technology uses are envisioned both north and south of Reliance Road, covering approximately 138 acres. Based on the targeted businesses identified by the Winchester - Frederick County Economic Development Commission, the technology uses would include economic sectors such as: Advanced Security, Assembly, Business Services, and Life Sciences. These land uses would be implemented through the OM (Office Manufacturing) Zoning District. Mr. Lawrence pointed out that the proposed Joint Land Use Plan has no visions for future residential uses beyond what is allowed in the RA Zoning District. No UDA (Urban Development Area) expansion nor suburban -type development was supported. Mr. Lawrence stated that while the existence of I -81, Exit 302, is a strong asset to the areas' transportation network, the actual configuration of the interchange and its close proximity to Buckton Road is not conducive to accommodating future traffic demands. He said in order for the interchange to operate efficiently and effectively in the future, it would be essential to migrate the existing intersection of Reliance and Buckton Roads further east, creating a greater separation distance from the I -81 northbound on /off ramps. Mr. Lawrence said that increasing this separation distance will avoid significant degradation of the interchange similar to what has occurred at Exit 307 in Stephens City. In u Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2732 Minutes of March 2, 2011 -5- addition, it was also believed that continuing the boulevard with managed access along the east side of ® Reliance Road was a good idea. Ultimately, public water and sewer is needed to facilitate the types of uses envisioned. In working with the FCSA, there are no future plans for County facilities to serve uses in this particular area, so the Town's water and sewer service would need to be utilized to accommodate future growth. It was noted that the Town recently completed an upgrade to its wastewater treatment facility which enables treatment upwards of 400,000 gpd. Reflective of the slowing economy and the Town's limited water availability, the wastewater facility is currently operating at less than 30 percent capacity; the facility is therefore available to service future wastewater demands. However, existing limitations in water availability and the conveyance lines under the interstate may hinder development in the near future. As the Town secures additional water availability, upgrades to the conveyance system could easily be undertaken. Mr. Lawrence stated that through this nine -month process, a public /community meeting was held in the Town of Middletown on November 18. About 40 -50 citizens, representing residents within the Town and the County, attended the public meeting. He said many of those who attended were adjacent to the study area and did not want houses or additional growth near them; the County representative also did not believe housing was appropriate, therefore, the plan was scaled back to concentrate on the technology and business uses. i Mr. Lawrence concluded his presentation by reviewing the key ifactors that were considered in creating the Draft Land Use Plan which included: Property Owners Interest; Water Availability; Transportation Network; Fiscal Impacts; and Public Support. He added that the Town of Middletown has initiated some water studies. Furthermore, the Draft Land Use Plan does not include any • expansion to Frederick County's SWSA (Sewer and Water Service Area). A member of the Planning Commission asked Mr. Lawrence where the Town currently gets its water and how much water it would take to serve the commercial and technology uses proposed in the Joint Land Use Plan. Mr. Lawrence replied that the Town gets its water from the City of Winchester; however, there is not an opportunity to get additional water from the City. He said the Town of Middletown is having discussions to determine if there is an opportunity to acquire water from Strasburg. A Commission member believed this plan would be beneficial for the future, although it may be somewhat restrictive with a high- technology center from the standpoint of supplying support criteria, such as fiber optics. Commissioners believed the Town of Middletown should decide how they would get their water. Commission members also believed it would he best not to move further with the Joint Land Use Plan until Middletown had demonstrated they had the capability to get the water necessary for development. Another Commissioner raised a question regarding the relocation of Buckton Road; specifically, what would trigger its relocation, as well as who would finance the move. Mr. Lawrence replied that anyone interested in the technology uses would need to go through the rezoning process and logically, with the rezoning, the necessary transportation improvements would need to be addressed. Mr. Lawrence noted that another unique situation with this plan is the existing 132 -zoned properties and the fact they have no rights to water and sewer. He said this could create an opportunity to get some road improvements and relocations in exchange for getting rights to water and sewer. He pointed out that all of this is conceptual at this time. Mr. Lawrence stated that he would forward the Commission's remarks to the Board of Supervisors. 11 Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2733 Minutes of March 2, 2011 2011 PLANNING COMMISSION RETREAT SUMMARY Planning Director, Eric R. Lawrence, presented a meeting summary of the discussion that took place at the Planning Commission's Annual Retreat held on Saturday, February 12, 2011, in the Frederick County Public Safety Building. Mr. Lawrence said the staff was very pleased with the day's discussion and believed it was successful. In reviewing the discussions, as well as input the staff received since the day of the retreat, Mr. Lawrence said the Planning Staff is prepared to move forward on the following projects during the next year: 1) Eastern Frederick Area Land Use Plan; 12) Finalize TND (Traditional Neighborhood Design) ordinance to implement the Urban Center concepts from the UDA Study; 3) Develop LEED, Wind Energy, and MED Cottage standards; 4) Further the planning, design, right -of -way acquisition, and construction of Route 37; 5) Access Management Plan /Policy. Everyone agreed the abbreviated format led to good discussion and interaction. The Commission supported the 2011 Planning Projects proposed by the staff. OTHER Chairman Wilmot suggested the cancellation of the Commission's March 16, 2011 ® meeting, since there were only one or two low- priority items to discuss. She said the April 6, 2011 meeting will be a significant meeting because it will include the public hearing on the Comprehensive Policy Plan. Upon motion made by Commissioner Thomas and seconded by Commissioner Kriz, the Planning Commission unanimously agreed to cancel their regularly scheduled meeting on March 16, 2011. ADJOURNMENT No further business remained to be discussed and upon motion made by Commissioner Kriz and second by Commissioner Thomas, the meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. by a unanimous vote. Respectfully submitted, June M. Wilmot, Chairman Eric R. Lawrence, Secretary Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2734 Minutes of March 2, 2011