UPCOMING: - Thursday, December 2 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 4:00pm Courthouse - Thursday, December 2 PLANNING COMMISSION ZONING WORK SESSION 7:00pm Courthouse - Tuesday, December 14 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2:00/7:30pm Courthouse ------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLANNING COMMISSION ZONING WORK SESSION Wednesday, December 01, 2004 All Commissioners present. PLANNED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT - reviewed with minor changes. CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT - intended to add protection and design controls to the county's primary entrance corridors (Rt. 29, Rt. 151, Rt. 56 and Rt. 60). Mr. Boger noted that the overlay would apply to any new commercial development within 1,000 feet on either side of Rt. 29 and within 500 feet on either side of the other named routes but would not apply to agricultural, forestal or single- and two-family residential. Mr. Boger also noted that protecting the entrance corridors was one of the identified priorities in the county-wide survey and Comprehensive Plan process. Mr. Bruguiere said that the county should not review any commercial development. Ms. Russell said that many beautiful counties had been ruined by not protecting their entry corridors and that the overlay would not preclude anyone from coming here. Mr. Harman asked whether the county was supposed to be planning now for limited-access plans for Rt. 29 and Mr. Boger said is supposed to be. Dr. Walker asked whether Mr. Bruguiere objected to the concept of the corridor overlay or the requirement for a review board for the overlay. Mr. Bruguiere said that he objected to the whole thing as zoning already included controls on where you could put a business. He said that if he wanted to put up a metal shell building on Rt. 29 for his business, he should be able to do so. Ms. Russell said that the purpose of the overlay is not to have cookie-cutter buildings, but that at present there are no controls at all. Dr. Walker said that if the county does not protect the corridors, it would compromise both the Comprehensive Plan and the tourism industry. She said that the overlay does not mean that a business cannot build, just that there would be an additional layer to consider what the building would look like. Ms. Russell pointed out that in the past some businesses have been unwilling to make design concessions, noting the lighting at Liberty/McDonalds as an example. Mr. Bruguiere said that that business had a design they needed to use. Dr. Walker said that other localities have gotten buildings that fit into the environment, but that this county got the cheapest they could build. Commissioners agreed by majority consensus on the need for the Corridor Overlay District. HISTORIC PRESERVATION OVERLAY DISTRICT - reviewed with minor changes. FLOODPLAIN OVERLAY DISTRICT - reviewed with minor changes. LIMITED BUSINESS DISTRICT (B-1) - Commissioners reviewed Mr. Boger's draft, which modifies the Service Enterprise (SE-1) district in the current ordinance to include uses from the existing Business (B-1) district. The district would allow by-right craft and antique shops, bed and breakfast inns, restaurants, along with retail businesses, limited to a maximum of 9,000 square feet in total floor area, and service-type businesses, also limited to 9,000 square feet in total floor area. Uses permitted by Special Use Permit would be a hotel/motel and any permitted use requiring more than 9,000 square feet in total floor area. Commissioners agreed by consensus to include the Limited Business District, although Mr. Bruguiere objected to the 9,000 square feet limit. DEFINITIONS - reviewed with minor changes. Commissioners also asked Mr. Boger to propose a definition for "race track" which is not currently included in the definitions section. Meeting continued to Thursday, December 2nd at 7:00pm at the Courthouse. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OF INTEREST: - Sunday, December 5th NELSON COUNTY CHRISTMAS PARADE - 3:00pm Front Street, Lovingston ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This report, sent to over 580 Nelson County citizens, was made possible by the generous donations of Rural Nelson members and supporters. We need your help to continue this service. Please consider donating. 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