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PC_03-07-12_Meeting_MinutesMEETING MINUTES ® OF THE FREDERICK COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION The meeting was held in the Board Room of the Frederick County Administration Building at 107 North Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia on March 7, 2012. PRESENT: June M. Wilmot, Chainman/Member at Large; Gary R. Oates, Stonewall District; Lawrence R. Ambrogi, Shawnee District; Charles E. Triplett, Gainesboro District; Kevin W. Kenney, Gainesboro District; Greg L. Unger, Back Creek District; Kevin O. Crosen, Back Creek District; Christopher M. Mohn, Red Bud District; Philip E. Lemieux, Red Bud District; RosI Spicer, Board of Supervisors' Liaison; and Roderick B. Williams, County Attorney. ABSENT: Roger L. Thomas, Vice Chairman/ Opequon District; Brian Madagan, i pequon District; J. Stanley Crockett, Stonewall District; and H. Paige Manuel, Shawnee District; STAFF PRESENT: Eric R. Lawrence, Planning Director; Candice E. Perkins, Senior Planner; and Renee' S. Arlotta, Clerk. CALL TO ORDER & ADOPTION OF AGENDA Chairman Wilmot called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. A m tion was made by Commissioner Oates to adopt the agenda for this evening's meeting as presented. This motion was seconded by Commissioner Kenney and unanimously passed. MEETING MINUTES Upon motion made by Commissioner Oates and seconded by Commissioner Triplett, the Planning Commission unanimously approved the minutes of the February 15, 2012 meeting. Development Review & Re2ulations Committee (DR-RC) — 2/23/12 Mtg. Commissioner Unger reported the DRRC reviewed the waiver opportunities within the zoning and subdivision ordinances and discussed changes regarding the approving entity for some of the waivers. i Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2836 Minutes of March 7, 2012 Sanitation Authority (SA) — 2/21/12 Mtg. -2- Commissioner Unger stated the SA reported February rainfall at 2.4 inches, which is slightly down from average; water production at the Diehl Plant is about 2.2 mgd; water production at the Anderson Plant is about 1.6 mgd; about 869,000 gallons /day was purchased from the City of Winchester; the daily average use is about 4.7 mgd compared with the previous use at 4.5 mgd; and the water level at the Diehl Quarry was down about 1.5 feet. Commissioner Unger said the SA also discussed the decision not to construct a water tank for Silver Lake on Route 50, but to use an underground pumping system. 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 comments portion of the meeting. ® PUBLIC HEARING An ordinance to amend the Frederick County Code, Chapter 144, Subdivision of Land, Article V, Design Standards, Section 144.18, Sidewalks and Pedestrian Walkways. This proposed ordinance amendment will provide revisions to sidewalk and pedestrian walkway requi Iements in master planned industrial parks. Action — Recommended Approval C� J Senior Planner, Candice E. Perkins, presented a proposed amendment Ito the sidewalk and pedestrian walkway requirements within master planned industrial parks. Ms. Perkins reported that the subdivision ordinance requires these facilities to be constructed on both sides of collector and arterial streets in all zoning districts within the Urban Development Area (UDA) and the Sewer and Water Service Area (SWSA). She said this proposed amendment would allow the Zoning Administrator to waive the sidewalk requirement for one side of a collector road within a master planned industrial park when a ten -foot asphalt pedestrian facility has been or is planned to be constructed on the opposite side of the collector roadway and only in such cases when the sidewalk has been deemed unnecessary along said collector roadway. Ms. Perkins explained this amendment also revises two other waiver opportunities to show them as Zoning and Subdivision Administrator waivers instead of Planning Commission waivers. She said the Board of Supervisors discussed this proposed amendment at their January 25, 2012 meeting and they were in favor of the amendment with the Planning Commission's recommendation that the waivers become administrative. Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2837 Minutes of March 7, 2012 E -3- Ms. Perkins said the Board of Supervisors instructed the staff to proceed with a public hearing. She said this proposed amendment is being presented as a public hearing and the staff is seeking a recommendation from the Planning Commission for the proposed amendments. Commissioner Oates commented that the subdivision ordinance applies to both arterial and collector roads; however, this proposed amendment is solely for collectors. Commissioner Oates inquired if Snowden Bridge Boulevard was an arterial or a collector and Ms. Perkins replied it was a collector road. No other questions were raised by Commission members. Chairman Wilmot opened the public hearing and called for anyone in the audience who wished to speak regarding the proposed ordinance amendment. No one came fori yard to speak and Chairman Wilmot closed the public comment portion of the hearing. Upon motion made by Commissioner Oates and seconded by Commissioner Unger, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Frederick County Planning Commission does he unanimously recommend approval of an ordinance to amend the Frederick County Code, Chapter 144, Subdivision of Land, Article V, Design Standards, Section 144.18, Sidewalks and Pedestrian Walkways. This proposed ordinance amendment will provide revisions to sidewalk and pedestrian walkway requirements in master planned industrial parks. (Note: Commissioners Thomas, Crockett, Manuel, and Madagan were absent from the meeting.) COMMISSION DISCUSSION: SUMMARY OF PLANNING COMMISSION RETREAT HELD FEBRUARY 25,,2012: Planning Director, Eric R. Lawrence, provided a review and summary of the Planning Commission's 2012 Retreat which was held on February 25, 2012. Mr. Lawrence said there were two main topics of discussion, the Senseny /Eastern Frederick Urban Area Plan (SEFUAP) and a study to examine business development opportunities within the County. Mr. Lawrence reported that staff presented the draft SEFUAP which was recently created and endorsed by citizen -led work and facilitator groups. That plan was presented at the retreat to make sure it is on target with where the Board and Planning Commission believed the County should be going. He said the SEFUAP will provide guidance for future land use for the next 20 years, for a 16,000 -acre area of the County bounded by Route 7, the Opequon Creek, Parkins Mill Road, and I -81. He noted the four main areas of study were: 1) Urban Areas and Residential Development; 2) Business Development; 3) Transportation; and 4) Natural Resources, Historic Resources, and Public Facilities. Mr. Lawrence commented that staff received positive feedback from the members of the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. He said the next step is to take the SEFUAP to a public meeting for community participation and this will take place on Wednesday, March 21, 2012, in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room at 7:00 p.m. Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2838 Minutes of March 7, 2012 ME Chairman Wilmot believed it was important to get those citizens who were involved at the beginning of the study back together to see the draft product and to provide feedback. Mr. Lawrence said the staff has initiated the running of display ads in the newspaper to inform the public about the upcoming meeting and notices were sent to the facilitator group members who helped to draft the plan. He anticipated those members will disseminate the information to their membership onithe work group. Mr. Lawrence said the second topic discussed at the retreat was, i`Implementing the Comprehensive Plan Through Economic Development." Mr. Lawrence said the technique was used to find ways to use the Comprehensive Plan through economic development in order to create and maintain the necessary tax base. He noted that during the retreat, Prince William County offered an overview of their success in integrating land use planning and economic development. This in the idea of creating a work group in Frederick County with members consisting of elected officials, appointees, and other individuals with specific expertise to study what Frederick County can do it implement its Comprehensive Plan through economic development. Mr. Lawrence said basically, this involves getting industrial sites and economic business development sites "shovel- ready." He noted there is already considerable land use planning occurring in the County and the best locations are identified for various land uses; however, now there is a need to study and evaluate for opportunities to help property owners prepare their sites, so that when a targeted industry comes to this community, there are sites readily available for them. He said the staff is recommending that a core work group be established, consisting of two members from the Board of Supervisors, two members from the Planning Commission, two from the Economic Development Commission, and two from the Sanitation Authority. I lr. Lawrence said meetings will be held on a regular, continuing basis and experts from VDOT, the County Engineer, and others will not only help to identify the best sites within the County for business development, but will also make sure those sites are prioritized. Chairman Wilmot announced the core members of the work group as follows: Supervisor Chuck DeHaven and Supervisor Ross Spicer from the Board of Supervisors; Mr. John Stevens and Mr. Walt Cunningham from the Frederick County Sanitation Authority; Supervisor Gary Lofton and Commissioner Stan Crockett from the Winchester- Frederick County Economic Development Commission; and Commissioner Gary Oates and Chairman June Wilmot from the Planning Commission. Mr. Lawrence announced the kick -off meeting for this group, which will be called the Business Development Advancement Study Work Group, is scheduled for Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., and will be held in the First Floor Conference Room of the Frederick County Administration Building. Mr. Lawrence said he will send out notices to the appointees, but anyone who has an interest is invited to attend. Mr. Lawrence reported that the final topic of discussion at the retreat was the "Open Discussion: Planning Department's Work Program Projects for 2012." He stated the Long Range Planning Projects include: the Southern Frederick Area Plan and the Development of Urban Center Design Plans. He noted the Urban Center Design Plan will take place first because it's the next step after completion of the Senseny Study; the Senseny Study identified three areas that should have urban centers. Mr. Lawrence said design experts and experienced community developers will be pulled together to develop a prototype urban center design. Mr. Lawrence continued, stating that under the current planning projects, the TND (Traditional Neighborhood Design) ordinance will be revived in order to implement the urban centers. He said the TND will provide the opportunity for residential and commercial uses within a compact Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2839 Minutes of March 7, 2012 r] -5- development. In addition, there will be continued review of the availability of waivers in the zoning and subdivision ordinances, along with a review of the RP Housing District. Under Transportation Planning, Mr. Lawrence said the two main projects are: 1) the continued promotion of Route 37 through right -of -way acquisition and design planning, and. the continued solicitation of money from federal and state agencies; and, 2) facility maintenance standards, which has been primarily discussed by the Public Works Committee, and includes road standards and maintenance. Planning Commission members had positive comments about the yeti thought the retreat was well- attended and the guest speaker was knowledgeable information. ADJOURNMENT No further business remained to be discussed and upon motion by and second by Commissioner Mohn, the meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. by a unanin Respectfully June M. Wilmot, c R. Lawrence, Commissioners provided good nmissioner Oates vote. Frederick County Planning Commission Page 2840 Minutes of March 7, 2012