PLANNING COMMISSION

Wednesday, March 26, 2003

 

Present:  Mr. Brush, Ms. Hall, Mr. Hoffman, Ms. Russell, Mr. Bruguiere, Dr. Walker, Mr. Giles

 

Absent: Ms. Proulx

 

CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT/HUGHES – Mr. Gregory Hughes requested a permit to allow placement of two manufactured homes on the same parcel of land at 8947 Richmond Highway, Gladstone.  The property is 3 acres and is zoned Agricultural (A-1).  The applicant stated that his son would occupy the second manufactured home.

 

Staff noted no objections to the application, but did remind Commissioners that they had deferred action several months ago on a similar application with a suggestion that the applicant consider subdividing the land to place each manufactured home on a separate parcel.

 

Following no public comment, Mr. Brush said that he felt that a family subdivision would be the simplest way for the applicant to deal with the second manufactured home.  Mr. Boger suggested a one-time division to allow the applicant to keep both parcels in his name.  Commissioners voted 3-4 (Mr. Brush, Ms. Russell, Dr. Walker and Mr. Giles voting no) on a motion to recommend approval of the permit with the number of manufactured homes limited to two.  Mr. Brush explained to the applicant that the Planning Commission would recommend denial of the permit but that the Board of Supervisors would make the final decision.  He noted that the Commissioners believed that a one-time division would be the better option.

 

PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION PLAT/DONOVAN – Mr. and Mrs. Michael Donovan, represented by Mr. Morris Foster, submitted a preliminary subdivision plat to divide 79.10 acres.  17.8 acres of the parcel would be divided into 5 parcels averaging 3.6 acres each.  The remaining 51.3 acres would be the 6th lot.  The property is located at Rt. 151 and Blundell Hollow Road.  Staff noted various permits and bond requirements but indicated no major concerns. 

 

During the Public Hearing, Mr. Dave Harrison, an adjoining landowner, said that he did not believe the subdivision fit into the Comprehensive Plan for that area.  He said that the lots would be clearly visible from Rt. 151, a major tourist route for the county.  Mr. Harrison stated his concerns with disturbing the earth on the slope on the parcels.  Another adjoining landowner expressed the same concerns.

 

Mr. Brush said that everyone’s definition of rural is different and that he considered housing on 2 ˝- to 5-acre lots rural.  He said that the Comprehensive Plan also stresses grouping homes and that doing so near the school makes sense.  Mr. Bruguiere said that allowing the 5 lots plus 1 parcel of 51 acres would provide a huge buffer for the adjoining landowners.  He also noted that the project would still have to have approvals from the Health Department, DEQ and other departments.  Commissioners voted 7-0 to approve the preliminary subdivision plat.  Mr. Boger said that he would present the plat to the Board of Supervisors for their comments.

 

CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT/PHILLIPS – Mr. James Phillips requested a permit to allow placement of a second manufactured home on his 11- acre parcel in Arrizona Subdivision, zoned Agricultural (A-1).  The applicant stated that one manufactured home would be a doublewide occupied by Mr. Phillips and the other would be either a singlewide or doublewide occupied by his son.

 

Staff noted several issues related to the application including that Arrizona is a residential subdivision where people have bought property with the perception that there would be one dwelling per lot.  In addition, Mr. Boger noted the same deferred decision several months ago as mentioned in the Hughes request above.  Mr. Boger suggested a family subdivision be done in order to comply with the intent of the subdivision.

 

With no public comment, Mr. Boger clarified that there are no covenants for Arrizona that prevent two dwellings per lot and that a family subdivision would have to go before both the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors to vacate the plat.  Commissioners voted 2-5 (Mr. Brush, Ms. Russell, Mr. Bruguiere, Dr. Walker and Mr. Giles voting no) on a motion to recommend approval of the permit with the number of manufactured homes limited to two.  Mr. Brush explained to the applicant that the Planning Commission would recommend denial of the permit but that the Board of Supervisors would make the final decision.  He noted that the Commissioners believed that a family subdivision would be the better option.

 

ZONING WORK SESSION – Mr. Boger reminded Commissioners of the Zoning Work Session on Wednesday, April 9 at 7:00pm at the Courthouse.  Mr. Brush suggested that Commissioners consider names for the various designations.  He said that he did not personally like some of the names and noted that the names of the designations have an impact on how people perceived the designations.

 

Meeting adjourned.