UPCOMING: - Thursday, January 8th - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 3:00pm The Nelson Center - Tuesday, January 13th - BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2:00/7:30pm Courthouse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Rural Nelson Community Dance Party at The Hamner Theater - Saturday, January 31st. Doors open at 8:00pm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION Wednesday, January 7, 2009 PRESENT: Ms. Philippa Proulx, Ms. Linda Russell, Mr. Mike Tapager, Mr. Tommy Bruguiere ABSENT: Ms. Emily Hunt, Mr. Mike Harman FAMILY SUBDIVISIONS - Commissioners considered amendments to Section 3-2 (4) to read (proposed changes in all caps): "A single division of a tract or parcel of land for the purpose of sale or gift to a member of the immediate family of the property owner if: (i) THE PROPERTY OWNER AGREES TO PLACE A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ON THE SUBDIVIDED PROPERTY THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY TO A NONMEMBER OF THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE (5) YEARS. Any parcel thus created having less than five (5) acres shall have a right-of-way of no less than thirty (30) feet wide providing ingress and egress to and from a dedicated recorded public street. Only one such division shall be allowed per family member, and shall not be for the purpose of circumventing this ordinance. For the purpose of this subsection, a member of the property owner's immediate family is defined as any person who is a natural or legally defined OFFSPRING, STEPCHILD, SPOUSE, SIBLING, GRANDCHILD, GRANDPARENT, OR PARENT OF THE OWNER." In addition, Commissioners considered changes to Sections 4-2 and 4-2-1 of the Zoning Ordinance to change references to "division rights" to "lots". Proposed language of "A family division pursuant Appendix B, Section 3-2, A (Subdivision Ordinance) of the Code of the County of Nelson, Virginia 1989 as amended is exempted from the provisions of the above table." was deleted from the draft under consideration. Commissioners also agreed to a draft amendment to the definition of "Subdivision" for both the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances to read, "A parcel of land which has been subdivided into smaller parcels or lots for the purpose, either immediate or future, of transfer of ownership or building development. The term 'subdivision' includes 'family subdivision' and 'resubdivision', when appropriate to the context, shall relate to the process of subdividing or to the land subdivided." SEASONAL DWELLINGS - Commissioners considered a proposed amendment to add Section 2-35a (Cabin*) a single, permanent dwelling unit which may or may not contain cooking and/or bathroom facilities dedicated to temporary occupancy for purposes of recreation, education or vacation. Rental properties meeting the above description shall be considered (cabins*)." Also included in the proposed amendment is Conservation District Section 3-1-a Uses - Permitted by Conditional Use Permit 3-1-12a (Cabin*) and Agricultural District Section 4-1-a Uses - Permitted by Conditional Use Permit 4-1-24a (Cabin*). *Note: Commissioners directed staff to insert the same term used in the Virginia Statewide Building Code for a seasonal dwelling. Commissioners directed staff to advertise the proposed amendments for public hearing on Wednesday, February 11th at 7:30pm. Commissioners set Wednesday, January 21st at 7:30pm for another work session on: - Historic neighborhood stores; - Small wind energy ordinance; - Revisions to the Communication Tower ordinance; and - Clarifications on various time allowances for consideration and decisions on issues coming before the Planning Commission. Meeting continued to January 21st. Copyright 2000-2009 by Rural Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Reports may be reprinted or excerpted with attribution. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OF INTEREST: - Saturday, January 17th - 7:00pm - "US Water Supply & Effects of Climate Change" - Speaker Ken Frederick will talk about understanding the dynamics as well as the limits of resources that affect economies and life styles on the planet. This is the first of three lectures presented in the Wintergreen Nature Foundation 2009 Winter Lecture Series. All lectures will take place at the Rockfish Valley Community Center off Rt. 151. Individual lectures: $15 members/non-members or the entire series for $40 for members/$45 for non-members. Register by calling 434.325.8169 or online at http://www.twnf.org/programs/wls.asp. Visit the website for complete information on each lecture and the speakers for each. Call 434.325.8169 between 12pm-5pm the day of each lecture for questions concerning inclement weather. - Sunday, January 18th - 12noon - 3pm - Chili & Chat at the Tuckahoe School Clubhouse at the main entrance to Stoney Creek - Join the Almost Home Pet Adoption Center for a lunch of chili and fixin's and an open discussion on volunteer opportunities, fund raising activities and venues for adoption events. For more information, contact Ellen English at 325.2012 or rosa-ellen@verizon.net or Krista Waibel at 361.2522 or Krista.waibel@lhg.com. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 This report, sent to over 600 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 Lovingston, VA 22949 434.263.5000 www.ruralnelson.org