ZONING WORK SESSION Wednesday, May 14, 2003 Present: Mr. Brush, Ms. Proulx, Ms. Russell, Ms. Hunt, Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Bruguiere (Staff: Mr. Boger, Ms. Owings) Absent: Dr. Walker and Mr. Giles PLANNED SHOPPING BUSINESS DISTRICT - The District is to provide locations for community and sub-regional scaled retail commercial and business service. This district would govern all community-scaled shopping centers planned for within the Development Model areas. Typical uses in the District would include supermarkets, drug stores, department stores, specialty stores, movie theaters and entertainment centers, personal service establishments and general offices. The by-right maximum size of the District shopping center would not exceed a total gross floor area of 150,000 sq ft (including all planned buildings) or a total site size of 10 acres. The size limits correspond with the land area requirements for a prototypical neighborhood or community shopping center. A shopping center larger than 150,000 sq ft or a business use that exceeds 60,000 sq ft of floor area would require a Special Use Permit. Commissioners then reviewed and made minor changes to the uses permitted by-right, those permitted by Special Use Permit and Additional Regulations governing the District. LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT - The District is intended to provide locations for research technology, development and training, corporate employment offices, and light manufacturing and warehousing uses operating under high environmental performance standards. From a design standpoint, the District is intended to promote development of light intensity land uses in planned business park settings with an emphasis on low density, well landscaped and screened development. Outdoor storage and outdoor industrial uses are discouraged but may be permitted by Special Use Permit with appropriate design. After reviewing both the proposed ordinance and the existing ordinance, Commissioners decided to have Mr. Boger work on the proposed language to incorporate more of the language of the existing ordinance. The Light Industrial section of the existing ordinance was added after lengthy discussion five years ago. HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT - The District is intended to provide locations for future medium and heavy intensity industry including heavy equipment facilities, construction and maintenance yards, fuel businesses and other intensive industrial activities. Potentially hazardous uses would require environmental impact analysis and public review. Commissioners reviewed the by-right uses, those permitted by Special Use Permit and those prohibited making minor changes to each. Commissioners agreed to continue the Zoning Work Session following their regular Planning Commission meeting on May 28. The Chapters to be covered are Rural Residential Village and Rural and Farming District. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ANNOUNCEMENTS: - "Conservation Easement Seminar for Landowners" sponsored by the Piedmont Environmental Council - Tuesday, May 20 6:30-8:30pm at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Rt. 250 in Greenwood. Speakers will focus on the new tax benefits, appraisals and the market for land under easement. The seminar is free but advance registration is required. Call 434.977.2033, Ext. 3. - Blue Ridge Railway Trail Grand Opening of Phase I - Saturday, June 7 from 8am until. 8am Bird Walk; 10am Ribbon Cutting; 10:30am Plant Walk; 1pm Bicycle Safety demonstration with an art show all day in the Depot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This report, sent to over 525 Nelson County citizens, was made possible by the generous donations of Rural Nelson members and supporters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kim T. Cash Field Officer Rural Nelson, Inc. P. O. Box 401 (622 Front Street) Lovingston, VA 22949 434.263.5000 Email: info@ruralnelson.org www.ruralnelson.org