[00:00:02]
WE'D LIKE TO BRING THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER.[I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL]
WE HAVE MR. BRAD TURNER THAT IS PARTICIPATING.TELEPHONICALLY JUST LISTENING IN.
HE'S NOT GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING OR VOTING TONIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN THE MEETING WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IF YOU COULD JOIN ME. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
REVEREND, COULD YOU LEAD US IN A PRAYER? YES.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME TO COME TOGETHER TO TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
FATHER, WE PRAY NOW THAT YOU GIVE US ARTICULATION OF SPEECH, WISDOM, CLARITY AND UNDERSTANDING.
AND, FATHER, THAT WE'LL DO WHAT'S PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT.
WE GIVE YOU GLORY IN ALL THINGS AND IN ALL THINGS WE GIVE YOU THANKS.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO OUR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TONIGHT.
I'M JACK RANDALL, THE VICE CHAIRMAN.
I'M GOING TO BE THE CHAIRMAN TONIGHT BECAUSE OUR LEADER AND CHAIRMAN, MR. DRAKE, IS NOT PRESENT.
WE HAVE EVERYONE PRESENT. WE HAVE MR. TURNER TELEPHONICALLY, WHO AGAIN, WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING.
AND WE HAVE MR. DRAKE THAT IS ABSENT.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
WE'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO SECTION TWO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
IF EVERYONE COULD LOOK THE MINUTES OVER.MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. AND CALL.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE ON OUR AGENDA, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
[III. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD]
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE PERIOD WHEN ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING PUBLIC CONCERN OR COMMENT.IF YOU COULD JUST PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND YOU'LL HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT DURING THIS PERIOD.
SO, I'D OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON OUR AGENDA.
I LIVE AT 29018 DARDEN POINT ROAD, NOT FAR FROM YOU AND DR.
EDWARDS. IN FACT, A FEW MINUTES AGO, DR.
EDWARDS TOLD ME THAT WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE PENTAGON WHO ARE ALLEGEDLY INVESTIGATING THE SALE OF THE CUTCHEONS' FARM TO A GROUP POSSIBLY CONTROLLED BY THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.
HE SAYS THEY HAVE 90 DAYS, WHICH IS NOT QUITE UP.
I THINK EVERYONE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY KNOWS THAT CHINA IS NOT OUR FRIEND.
I SUSPECT EVIL INTENT WITH THIS PURCHASE.
AND FURTHERMORE, I SUSPECT THAT THE PENTAGON WILL DO A VERY CURSORY AND INCOMPLETE INVESTIGATION AND PROBABLY ENDED UP TELLING US NO PROBLEM. I HOPE I'M WRONG ABOUT THIS.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING THE PUBLIC SPEAK.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SHERRY STODDARD.
I LIVE AT 28303 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD, APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES FROM THIS PROJECT.
MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED UP TO SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY 16 YEARS AGO FROM FLORIDA.
I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
PASSING ON TURNS, AND I'VE ALMOST BEEN HIT MULTIPLE TIMES TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY.
[00:05:04]
I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THAT REGARD.YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IN PRIVATE WELLS AND SEPTIC SYSTEMS. THESE ARE WAREHOUSES.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, PUBLIC WATER, SEWER, TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION LIKE THIS.
I'M OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF FARMLAND.
MY WELLS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED DURING DROUGHT TIMES BY THE PIVOTS THE FARMERS RUN.
MY WELL PUMP IS CURRENTLY AT THE LOWER LEVEL OF MY BASEMENT.
IF YOU PUT WELLS FOR THESE WAREHOUSES IN PLACE, I HAVE CONCERNS OF WHAT WHAT HAPPENS IF WE HIT AN EXTENDED DROUGHT AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT MY WATER? THANK YOU.
MA'AM, COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS ONE MORE TIME? YES. IT'S 28303 SMITH'S FERRY.
AND YOU'RE SPEAKING IN REFERENCE TO THE APPLICATION THAT IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
AND FOR EVERYONE, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THAT APPLICATION.
OH, I'M SORRY, DID I SPEAK IN THE WRONG.
NO THAT'S OKAY. NO YOU CAN DO EITHER OR OKAY.
COME BACK IF YOU WANT TO. YEAH.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GEORGE DUNLOP.
I LIVE AT 27079 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD.
IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR SKETCH OR PICTURES UP THERE, I AM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
BETWEEN A WHOLE BUNCH OF WAREHOUSES.
MY HOUSE IS AT THE END OF THAT LINE, ABOUT 1000FT FROM THE ROAD.
I'VE BEEN DOWN FOR ALMOST 18 YEARS AND I LOVE IT THERE, AND I THINK IT'S JUST SENSELESS FOR A CHINESE PERSON TO GET IT.
AND THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A LITTLE JOKE, BUT OF COURSE IT WASN'T FUNNY.
BUT I WOULD LIKE, I'D LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED.
I WON'T LIVE THERE ANOTHER 17 YEARS.
I LIKE THE PLACE. I TAKE CARE OF THE PLACE.
I CUT IT AND ALSO IT'S A PLACE FOR STRAY ANIMALS.
I HAVE NINE OUTSIDE CATS THAT I TAKE CARE OF AND HAVE BEEN FOR 17 YEARS.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE. I WOULD LIKE IT.
A LOT OF CONSIDERATION PUT INTO THIS.
I DID NOT REALIZE WE COULD NOT USE IT.
I LIVE AT 27215 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD.
I LIVE ON THE PROPERTY AS WELL.
TRAFFIC IS HORRENDOUS ON THAT ROAD.
THERE IS A TWO LANE ROAD WHEN YOU'RE TURNING ON OR TURNING OFF TO YOUR HOUSE.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE TO WAIT 15 OR 20 MINUTES.
TRAFFIC DOES BACK UP BEHIND YOU.
WHILE THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO TURN INTO THAT.
THERE'S RUMBLE STRIPS THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT ROAD.
THEY ARE LOUD ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.
I WOULD IMPLORE YOU GUYS TO COME TO MY HOUSE AND SIT ON MY PORCH FOR ONE HOUR JUST TO LISTEN TO THE TRAFFIC, SEE THE 18 WHEELERS THAT ARE FLYING BY? IT'S 55 AT A MINIMUM.
IT'S A RECOMMENDED SPEED LIMIT AT A MINIMUM FOR MOST PEOPLE.
I HAVE SEEN QUITE A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OUT THERE.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS ON THAT ROAD.
THIS START OF THIS PROPERTY IS IN A CURVE.
IT IS ABOUT A HALF A MILE FROM THE CITY OF FRANKLIN.
IT IS THE THOROUGHFARE BETWEEN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE CITY OF FRANKLIN.
I'M ABOUT A MILE FROM THE LOVE'S TRUCK STOP, COMING IN ON 258.
I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT MY NEIGHBORS, THE VALUES OF THEIR HOMES.
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM WHEN I'M GONE IF THIS DOES BECOME A WAREHOUSE? YES, I DO RENT MY HOME, BUT I WOULD BE GONE.
[00:10:04]
MY CONCERN IS MY NEIGHBORS, MY FRIENDS, THE TRAFFIC.MY ALSO CONCERN IS THERE'S THREE OF US ON THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY THAT DO RENT.
RENTALS RIGHT NOW ARE CRAZY EXPENSIVE TO MOVE.
THE MOVING EXPENSES, THE COST OF THAT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS.
A LOT OF THEIRS IS AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM.
A LOT OF THESE WAREHOUSES ARE AUTOMATED.
THERE'S SOME TALK ABOUT THESE LANDS IS FARMED RIGHT NOW.
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE FARMING IS AUTOMATED NOW.
SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT IS AUTOMATED.
YOU'RE NOT LOSING JOBS BECAUSE OF THAT.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, 1600 JOBS WITHIN A 25 MILE RADIUS ON.
INDEED. THEY'RE SAYING THAT THIS WAREHOUSES WOULD BRING JOBS.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF JOBS RIGHT NOW.
NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR IMMEDIATE HIRE LISTED ON INDEED.
THAT IS JUST IN A 25 MILE RADIUS.
AND I'M ASKING YOU, WHAT'S THE FUTURE PLAN OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY? IS IT WAREHOUSES? IS IT CONCRETE? IS IT BUSY ROADS? IS THE CHANGE IN THIS BECAUSE OF TAX INCOME VERSUS AN AGRICULTURAL GOING TO AN INDUSTRIAL? I HAVE JUST A LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
MY ONE LAST QUESTION I'LL LEAVE WITH YOU.
WHY IS THIS LAND ALREADY DESIGNATED AS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN RIGHT NOW, AS INDUSTRIAL, WHEN THIS HAS NOT BEEN VOTED ON AND IT HAS NOT BEEN SPOKE ABOUT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS STILL OPEN.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO APPROACH AND HAVE ANY COMMENTS AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD? WHEN WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT ANY TOPIC THAT IS ON THEIR MIND.
MY NAME IS MARGARET JOHNSON AND I LIVE AT 27079 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD.
IT'S A RENTAL OF MR. DAVID'S DORMS. IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
WE LOVE THE HOUSES IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO FIELDS.
WE HAVE DEER, TURKEY, CATS COME UP, STRAY DOGS.
IT'S JUST NOT A PLACE FOR INDUSTRIAL.
GOING THROUGH DRIVING TO MURFREESBORO.
PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT CRAP.
THEY WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY SEE.
MY NAME IS RICH SENNETT. I'M FROM 30350 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD.
I MOVED HERE BECAUSE IT WAS QUIET AND THE ATMOSPHERE.
ARE THEY GOING TO WIDEN THE ROADS? THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF PROPERTY FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE WHERE WE'RE SET.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE PEOPLE DO NOT SLOW DOWN THERE.
SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET HURT.
AND IT ALSO BREAKS AWAY THE ESTHETIC OF WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE.
PEOPLE DON'T MOVE HERE TO BE IN WORK, IN WAREHOUSES, BE HERE BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE AREA.
IT'S QUIET AND PEOPLE ARE NICE.
OKAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD? OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
OPEN. ANY COMMENTS ABOUT ANY TOPIC ON YOUR MIND?
[00:15:05]
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS SECTION FOUR PUBLIC HEARING.
[IV. PUBLIC HEARING]
MS. LEWIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE TOPIC THAT IS ON OUR AGENDA FOR SECTION FOUR? THANK YOU. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.THIS IS A 2023-01, AN APPLICATION BY JOHN SUZUKI OF THE TIMMONS GROUP ON BEHALF OF DAVID STORMS CEDAR LANE LLC, THE OWNER, FOR A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FROM A-2 AGRICULTURAL TO CM-1 CONDITIONAL LIMITED INDUSTRIAL FOR TAX PARCELS 93-11, 93-12, 93-13 AND 93-13A.
THE PROPERTY TOTALS 101 ACRES OF THE 120.1 ACRE TRACT.
IT'S LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF SMITHS FERRY ROAD, WHICH IS US 258 AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH HOWELLS CORNER ROAD, WHICH IS STATE ROAD 770. THE PROPERTY IS IN THE SOUTHEAST VOTING DISTRICT AND THE FRANKLIN MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
THIS IS AN APPLICATION TO AMEND THE ZONING, THE ZONING MAP, TO PERMIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY.
THE PART ALONG THE RIGHT ALONG THE SMITHS FERRY ROAD IN THE 2001 PLAN HAD A DESIGNATION OF RESIDENTIAL, LIKELY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTING RESIDENCES, BUT SINCE THE 2007 ADOPTED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND EACH SUBSEQUENT PLAN, THE WHOLE PROPERTY HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS INDUSTRIAL.
THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN WITH SIX POTENTIAL BUILDING SITES.
THE SUMMARY INCLUDES 78.7 ACRES OF POTENTIAL BUILDINGS, 5.8 ACRES FOR INTERIOR ROADWAYS, 3.8 ACRES OF PERIMETER LANDSCAPE BUFFERS, AND 11.7 ACRES OF STORMWATER FACILITIES.
THESE AREAS FOR STORMWATER FACILITIES WILL.
THE AREA IS SHOWN ON THE MAP IS NOT EXACTLY WHERE THE BMPS WILL BE.
IT WILL DEPEND ON HOW THE PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED, BUT THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA HAS STORMWATER REGULATIONS THAT REQUIRE STORMWATER TREATMENT, JUST LIKE IT'S TAKEN CARE OF HERE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, JUST LIKE IN THE REST OF VIRGINIA.
SO. THOSE POTENTIAL BMPS MAY MOVE, THEY MAY RESHAPE.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW THE PROPERTY DEVELOPS.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS SURFACE THERE IS ON THE SITE.
THE IN THE M-1 ZONING DISTRICT LOT COVERAGE BY STRUCTURES NOT INCLUDING PARKING IS LIMITED TO 75%, AND THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN ALSO INCLUDES 75 FOOT BUILDING SETBACKS ALONG SMITH'S FERRY ROAD AND THE NORTHERN PROPERTY LINE THAT ABUTS RESIDENCES ON THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
THE APPLICATION INCLUDED A LIST OF THINGS THAT WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED ON THE PROPERTY, THINGS THAT ARE IN THE M ONE ZONING DISTRICT BUT WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED ON THE PROPERTY, AND THESE THAT ARE LISTED ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH PAGE OF THE OF THE STAFF REPORT.
THERE ARE SOME ON THE BACK TABLE.
SO THAT LEAVES SOME THINGS IN THE M-1 DISTRICT THAT COULD STILL BE CONSIDERED ON THE PROPERTY CAN HAVE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE M-1 DISTRICT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF 30 ACRES OF OR MORE AND VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING SITES.
THEY LEFT UTILITY SCALE SOLAR AS A POTENTIAL PERMITTED USE ON THIS PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, THAT WOULD NOT MEET THE COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE UTILITY SCALE SOLAR WITHIN ONE MILE OF AN INCORPORATED PLACE, AND THAT INCLUDES THE CITY OF FRANKLIN AND THE CITY OF SUFFOLK.
SO, UTILITY SCALE SOLAR WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED ON THE PROPERTY.
THE THE PROPERTY HAS WETLANDS ALONG THE WEST ALONG THE EASTERN SIDE.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP THAT THEY HAVE A ROUGH LINE OF WHERE THOSE WETLANDS ARE, BUT BEFORE ANY DEVELOPMENT COULD TAKE PLACE, THOSE WETLANDS WOULD HAVE TO BE DELINEATED. AT THIS PLAN SHOWS LANDSCAPE BUFFERS ALONG SMITH'S FERRY ROAD AND ALONG THE THE PROPERTY
[00:20:02]
LINE THAT IS NORTHWEST OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS TOWARD SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY.THAT'S NOT REQUIRED IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, BUT THEY HAVE INCLUDED LANDSCAPE BUFFERS, AS YOU KNOW.
SO WHEN ANY APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED, WE SUBMIT IT TO VDOT.
THEY REQUIRE A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS.
THEY AGREE OR DISAGREE OR ASK FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, AND ANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS WILL HAVE TO BE DONE BY THIS DEVELOPER, WHOEVER THE DEVELOPER IS AT THE TIME THE DEVELOPMENT IS MADE.
WHERE IS THE WETLANDS LINE THAT YOU JUST REFERENCED? BECAUSE I'M NOT SEEING IT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR MAP, IT'S THE GREEN AREA TO THE BACK, THE GREEN AREA.
SO, ALL OF THE GREEN AREA IS WETLANDS.
YES. AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THIS DEVELOPMENT AT ALL.
THEY LOOKED AT THIS POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND DECIDED THAT THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE ENTRANCES AND EXITS TO THE SITE. THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY OFF SITE IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED.
AND THEY CAME UP WITH A NUMBER OF THIS STUDY THAT THEY BASED THIS ON IS 370 4 A.M.
PEAK HOUR TRIPS, AND 3267 AVERAGE DAILY TRIPS FOR 100 ACRES OF LIGHT INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
AND IF VDOT DECIDED THAT OFF SITE IMPROVEMENTS WERE NEEDED, THEY WOULD BE DETERMINED AT THAT TIME AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THEM AT THAT TIME, ANY OFF SITE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE MADE BY THE DEVELOPER AND USERS OF THIS PROPERTY, NOT BY VDOT OR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. THE SOIL STUDY REVEALED THAT ABOUT 57.5% OF THE PROPERTY IS DESIGNATED AS PRIME FARMLAND.
12.5% DESIGNATED AS PRIME FARMLAND IF DRAINED, AND 30% AS NOT PRIME FARMLAND AS WAS MENTIONED.
THERE ARE NO PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER FACILITIES IN THIS AREA, SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO DEVELOP WITH PRIVATE SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND PRIVATE WELL SYSTEMS. THERE ARE NO GAS LINES IN THE AREA EITHER.
AT THE TIME THAT THIS STAFF REPORT WAS PREPARED TO SEND OUT TO FOR YOUR AGENDA PACKAGE THERE.
NOTICES ARE MAILED TO ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO, AND I HADN'T HAD ANY COMMENTS AT THAT POINT.
AND THE AD WAS IN THE NEWSPAPER AS REQUIRED.
UM, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE. THERE WAS A COMMENT IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
OBVIOUSLY, THE 2001 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS PUBLISHED PURSUANT TO STATUTE AT A PUBLIC HEARING AND EVEN HAD MULTIPLE, WHAT DO WE CALL THEM NOW? NEIGHBORHOOD. NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
MEETINGS, YES. AND THAT WAS ALL PURSUANT TO STATUTE.
I'M ASSUMING THOSE ARE NOT REQUIRED AT ALL.
ALL THIS REQUIRED. IT WAS IN A, GOT PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT'S CORRECT. BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT IT WASN'T VOTED ON.
BUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS ALWAYS PUT TO THE PUBLIC, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO COME AND COMMENT WHEN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS ADOPTED. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. AND THE 2007 PLAN AND 2016 PLAN? YES. AND ARE YOU AWARE? I UNDERSTAND IT'S IN THE REPORT AND I CAN REMEMBER, OR AT LEAST SOME OF THAT.
UM. THAT WE DESIGNATED THAT, OR I GUESS IT WAS DISCUSSED BECAUSE OF THE THE PROXIMITY TO THE
[00:25:09]
ROADS IS MY RECOLLECTION.AND WE DISCUSSED, IS IT ALL INDUSTRIAL ALL THE WAY TO 58? DO YOU RECALL WHAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? YES. SO BASICALLY FROM THIS POINT, AND I BELIEVE A LITTLE BIT PAST THIS POINT TOWARDS THE SOUTH AND THEN ALL THE WAY TO 58. THAT'S CORRECT.
I MIGHT NOTE THAT THERE ON THE FRONT PAGE, THE ADJACENT ZONING.
MR. MESSINA POINTED IT OUT TO THE WEST.
SOME OF THAT PROPERTY IS ZONED M-2 WHERE HIS SHEET METAL SHOP IS.
OKAY. WANT TO MAKE THAT CORRECTION? DOES ANYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. LEWIS? I'VE GOT ONE, I GUESS ON REFERENCING PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER IS THE LOVE'S TRUCK STOP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 258.
IS THAT SERVICED BY PUBLIC UTILITIES? YES, IT IS THE CITY OF FRANKLIN.
AND IS THAT THE CLOSEST THAT LINES COME TO THIS PROPERTY? YES, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
OKAY. AND THAT'S LESS THAN A HALF A MILE I HAVE, YES.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE CITY OF FRANKLIN AND AS.
THEY HAVE A POTENTIAL INDUSTRIAL USER IN THEIR INDUSTRIAL PARK WHO HAS PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.
IT'S NOT KNOWN YET HOW MUCH WATER THEIR INDUSTRIAL USER WILL USE.
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO SHARE.
OKAY WHEN THE WHEN THE MILL CLOSED AND WAS THEN IT REOPENED.
BUT THEIR WATER WITHDRAWAL PERMITS WERE REDUCED QUITE SUBSTANTIALLY.
SO, THEY HAVE THEY'RE SHORT OF WATER.
YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHESSON. I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND I GUESS LISTENING TO.
THOSE WHO SPOKE DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND ALSO READING THIS DOCUMENT AND.
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS PERHAPS THE 2001 PLAN.
THOSE PLANNERS HAD FORESIGHT AS TO WHAT THAT AREA SHOULD BE, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME IT WAS MORE RESIDENTIAL AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLIC DOES NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT.
OF CHANGING DESIGNATIONS IN A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, AS IT STANDS NOW, THE ZONING IS THE SAME AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BACK IN 2001.
OKAY. AND HEARING SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND ALSO READING THIS DOCUMENT, THERE JUST SEEMS TO BE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THAT WOULD IMPACT THE RESIDENTS BUT ALSO NEED TO BE ADDRESSED PRIOR TO THIS LAND BEING.
CHANGED INTO INDUSTRIAL, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE SOME INGRESS AND EGRESS ISSUES, AND TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM UNLESS THE ROADS ARE CHANGED OR THERE'S A NEW ENTRANCE OR SOMETHING TO THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN VERY PROTECTIVE OF PRIME FARMLAND.
WE'VE DISCUSSED IT MANY TIMES AS WE'VE LOOKED AT THE UPDATES ON OUR EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE FORETHOUGHT INTO INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON SEWER AND WATER.
I THINK. AND AGAIN, I THINK PUBLIC DOES NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN SOMETHING IS CHANGED, YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT.
[00:30:03]
THERE MAY BE WAREHOUSES OR INDUSTRY MOVING IN ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOUR HOUSE AND THAT THE TRAFFIC FLOW EVENTUALLY.SO, I JUST HAVE A LOT OF HESITATION ON ANY CHANGES TO THIS PROPERTY AT THIS POINT.
OKAY. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MISS LEWIS SO WE CAN OPEN THE THE PUBLIC HEARING? HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THE APPLICANT SPEAK.
OKAY. SO WE'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR RCA 2020 301 APPLICATION BY JOHN.
I'M NOT GOING TO PRONOUNCE THAT LAST NAME.
OH, HE'S NOT OKAY WITH THE TIMMONS GROUP FAMILIAR WITH TIMMONS GROUP ON BEHALF OF DAVID STORMS, WOULD THE APPLICANT OR ANY OF THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES LIKE TO COME FORWARD TO SPEAK ON THE PROJECT? AND IF YOU COULD JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF WHO YOU'RE WITH? YES. GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A COLD.
I DON'T HAVE COVID. I'VE TAKEN THE TEST, SO.
DAVID STORMS IS MY FATHER IN LAW.
AND SO HE'S THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OF THE CEDAR LANE LLC PROPERTY.
HE AND HIS WIFE PURCHASED THAT PROPERTY SOME 35 YEARS AGO IN 1988.
HE'S 89 YEARS OLD NOW, AND HE'S FINALLY DECIDED TO RETIRE.
SO, HE'S NOT INTERESTED IN MANAGING THE PROPERTY ANYMORE.
AND HE'S GOT THREE CHILDREN, AND NONE OF THE CHILDREN ARE INTERESTED IN MANAGING THE FARM.
THEY'RE ALL SCATTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CARL.
AND SO WE THINK THAT WE'RE COMPLYING WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY TRYING TO INTRODUCE THIS PROPERTY TO FOLKS AS INDUSTRIAL.
AND WE'RE NOT SURE THAT WAREHOUSES ARE GOING TO GO THERE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO GO THERE RIGHT NOW.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS HAVE A 100 ACRE PARCEL THAT'S SHOVEL READY TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE TAX ROLLS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. IF A POTENTIAL CLIENT COMES KNOCKING ON CARL'S DOOR FOR SOME PROPERTY.
SO OUR ENGINEERS ARE HERE TONIGHT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
WE DID. WE SPENT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY WITH TIMMONS DOING THE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY, AND THEY WORKED WITH THE FOLKS IN RICHMOND FROM VDOT.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT VDOT IS HAPPY WITH THE EGRESS, INGRESS AND EGRESS TO GET TO THE PROPERTY.
AND AS BETH SAID, IF A MORE INTENSIVE USE COMES ALONG, THEN THE 6 OR 7 BUILDINGS WE HAVE OUT THERE NOW, THAT THAT PERSON, THAT ENTITY WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO VDOT AND DO ANOTHER STUDY.
AND IF IT REQUIRED WIDENING THE ROADS, THAT DEVELOPER WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR US.
SO, IT'S FOR SEEING JUST FOR A GENERAL INDUSTRIAL USE, BUT NO SPECIFICS IS PLANNED AT THIS POINT. NOT A SPECIFIC SITE PLAN, JUST A PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN.
WE DID PROFFER SOME DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE WOULD NOT DO THERE.
THERE ARE 55 DIFFERENT THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? ALL RIGHT. I MEAN, YOU WANT ME AND US TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND SO WE'D HAVE TO DECIDE ON THE OUR WORST NIGHTMARE OF THOSE 55 THINGS.
SO, I HAVE A PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, FROM THE BEGINNING.
NOW I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M REZONING THIS FOR.
THERE'S 55 DIFFERENT THINGS RIGHT HERE.
RIGHT. SO, I HAVE A PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE NOT LETTING US KNOW.
OR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AROUND THERE KNOW, WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING IN THERE?
[00:35:02]
WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IF SOMEBODY HAS TO GET A SITE PLAN, IF THEY WANT TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, AND I GUESS THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE.BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO GET THAT APPROVED.
SITE PLAN APPROVAL IS ADMINISTRATIVE.
AND IF IT MEETS THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND THE PROFFERS, IT'S APPROVED.
I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO COMPLY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR WHOEVER THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE AT THE TIME APPROVED THIS PROPERTY TO BE INDUSTRIAL.
I MEAN, I JUST COPIED THIS OFF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WEBSITE.
AND SO OUR PROPERTY, CEDAR LANE, IS RIGHT HERE OFF OF 58.
SO, ALL THIS RED, ALL THIS AREA IS INDUSTRIAL.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT INDUSTRIAL PURPOSE IS GOING IN THERE.
SO, IF YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT, THEN I DON'T LOOK VERY FAVORABLY ON THIS.
THERE'S 55 DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO IN THERE.
OKAY. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE? I GUESS I DON'T REALLY KNOW.
MY WORST NIGHTMARE WAS THAT YOU GOT 55 DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN GO IN HERE.
YOU'RE ASKING ME FROM MY POINT RIGHT NOW TO MAKE A DECISION WITH NO INFORMATION? OKAY, I UNDERSTAND.
ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OKAY. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN FOR THE 2023-01.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS AND REFERENCE TO THIS APPLICATION? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MY NAME IS ASH CUTCHEON AND I STILL LIVE ON GARDEN POINT ROAD.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THE WORD NIMBY.
N-I-M-B-Y. PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.
NOBODY WANTS INDUSTRY IN THEIR BACK YARD.
I HAVE A FARM OUT NEAR THE FRANKLIN AIRPORT, AND SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE OFFERED TO PUT INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS THERE, BUT IT HAS 11 ACRES OF WETLANDS ON ABOUT 150 ACRES.
AND SO THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS KEEPS TELLING US, NO, YOU CAN'T DO IT.
NO, YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT MITIGATION.
TWO FOR ONE MITIGATION, WHICH YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT.
I WAS PLANNING TO COME UP HERE AND SUGGEST THAT YOU APPROVE THIS BEFORE.
I HEARD THE NEIGHBORS OPPOSITION AND THE SUBJECT OF WELLS COMES UP.
I DON'T THINK YOU OUGHT TO APPROVE ANY OF THIS KIND OF THING UNLESS THERE'S PUBLIC SEWER AND WATER.
SEVERAL OF MY NEIGHBORS LOST THEIR WELLS A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN UNION CAMP DRILLED WELLS PARALLEL TO THE BLACKWATER RIVER, BETWEEN THE BLACKWATER RIVER AND ROUTE 258 BETWEEN FRANKLIN AND WALTERS, NEAR THE AIRPORT.
MY BROTHER HAD TO DRILL A NEW WELL.
WATER IS A PROBLEM IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY, BUT IT'S A PROBLEM HERE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET ANY MORE.
WE CAN'T TAP INTO THE LAKE GASTON PIPELINE.
I THINK ONE OPPORTUNITY WE HAD YEARS AGO IS OVER WITH, AND I THINK THAT THE NEIGHBORS FEELINGS ABOUT IT SHOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CONSIDER.
[00:40:01]
MY NAME IS BRIAN SIMONELLI.I RUN A SMALL BUSINESS ON 2.6444 DOGWOOD BEND ROAD.
I UNDERSTAND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS AND I SUPPORT IT.
SO IF THE APPLICANT PROVIDES THE INFORMATION OR ANY OTHER APPLICANT AS FAR AS THAT GOES, I SUPPORT IT IN THAT VICINITY. THAT'S ALL I GOT.
I'M RICHARD MESSINA AND MY BUSINESS IS AT 26460 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD AND I'M ZONED M-2 INDUSTRIAL.
I UNDERSTAND ALL THE NEIGHBORS CONCERNS, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CAUSE A STORM HERE, BUT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS LOOKING FOR MORE INCOME, AND SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO HAVE BUSINESS GROWTH TO GET IT.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE THERE FOREVER.
I'M GOING TO EVENTUALLY RETIRE, PROBABLY EXPIRE.
IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE BYPASS.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE.
MAYBE THEY CAN PAY FOR SEWER TO BE REACHED OUT TO THAT LOCATION THAT COULD BE LOOKED INTO.
I'M KIND OF WAVERING IN THE MIDDLE.
DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE AMERICAN OWNED.
TO WHAT'S HAPPENED ACROSS FROM THE CHURCH AND BEHIND THE SCHOOL.
THIS WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE THAN WHAT'S ALREADY TAKEN PLACE THERE.
I AGREE WITH YOU, SIR, ON YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING THERE.
SO MAYBE THE DEVELOPER COULD DO A LITTLE MORE WORK AND TRY TO FIND INTERESTED PARTIES THAT WANT TO PUT A BUSINESS THERE THAT MIGHT BE AN ADVANTAGE TO THE COMMUNITY, POSSIBLY HIRING PEOPLE RATHER THAN JUST HAVING A LOT OF TRUCKS.
THE ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE RECENTLY IS THE RUMBLE STRIP GOING PAST OUR HOUSE.
WE'RE IN THE CURVE OF THE ROAD AT 28535 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD, AND IN SPITE OF THE TRUCKS, 100 OF THEM A DAY, GOING BY LOG TRUCKS, FREIGHT TRUCKS, FARM TRUCKS, I'VE LEARNED TO SLEEP IN SPITE OF IT.
MR. MESSINA. MR. MESSINA. MR. MANN HAS A QUESTION. HOW BIG IS YOUR.
HOW BIG IS YOUR LOCATION? ACRES WISE, FOUR AND A HALF ACRES.
GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT. TAKE YOUR TIME.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS HEATHER SENNETT.
I LIVE AT 30350 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD.
Y'ALL MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
THAT CURVE. YEAH, I'M SMACK RIGHT AFTER THAT.
MY HUSBAND YOU ALREADY HEARD FROM.
WE RETIRED HERE SEVEN YEARS AGO.
HIM BEING A MILITARY MAN, WE'VE LIVED SMALL TOWNS, BIG TOWNS, SMALL CITIES, LARGE CITIES.
WE WERE STATIONED AT LANGLEY AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE AREA OUT HERE.
I GUESS MY CONCERN IS, AND I'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE IN OTHER TOWNS, IS WHEN YOU CHANGE A ZONING CODE AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING IN, THEN ONCE IT'S CHANGED, YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN WHEN THEY PUT SOMETHING IN YOU DON'T LIKE.
AND YEAH, THOSE RUMBLE STRIPS ARE LOVELY.
ARE THEY GOING TO WIDEN OUR ROAD LIKE THEY DID IN SUFFOLK? ARE WE GOING TO LOSE OUR FRONT YARDS? BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET IT IN THERE, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OUT.
[00:45:03]
AND ONCE YOU START PUTTING IN STUFF, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OUT.AND IF YOU REZONE IT AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING IN IT, YOU HAVE NO SAY ON WHAT THEY PUT IN IT.
WE BOUGHT THREE ACRES OF LAND NEXT TO OUR HOUSE.
AND WITHIN A MONTH OF US OWNING THAT LAND, WE HAVE BEEN BARRAGED WITH PEOPLE TRYING TO BUY IT.
WE LIKE THE QUIET. WE LIKE THE PEACE.
NOT FOND OF THE RUMBLE STRIPS, BUT WE KNOW THEY'RE A SAFETY THING.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO WIDEN THAT ROAD? MAYBE NOT NOW, MAYBE NOT IN FIVE YEARS.
ARE WE ALL GOING TO. EMINENT DOMAIN.
LOSE PART OF OUR PROPERTY SO THAT THIS BUDDING AREA THAT WE ARE GOING TO REZONE, THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING IN, IS GOING TO CREATE A NIGHTMARE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO LIVE THERE IN PEACE.
I LIVE AT 30040 SMITH'S FERRY ROAD, WHICH IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF 189 AND 258.
I'VE LIVED THERE SOME 1953 TO 1976 AND THEN LEFT FOR A WHILE AND CAME BACK IN 2016.
SO I PRETTY MUCH HAVE GROWN UP IN THIS AREA THAT'S UNDER QUESTION AT THE MOMENT.
AND BEGINNING IN THE EARLY 80S, FAIRFAX UNDERWENT A TREMENDOUS GROWTH BOOM.
AND THE COUNTY WOULD ALWAYS COME BACK AND SAY, DON'T WORRY, IT'S ALL GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WINDS UP WITH THE TAX BASE HAVING TO GO UP TO THAT.
SO THESE ROADS ARE CRAMPED UP.
YOU CAN'T MOVE ABOUT UNTIL EVENTUALLY, MANY YEARS LATER, THEY BEGIN TO IMPROVE IT.
AND BEING AT THE INTERSECTION OF 189 AND 258, I HAVE CONCERNS THAT THE TRUCK TRAFFIC IS GOING TO INCREASE QUITE A BIT, BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL START MAYBE TAKING 189 DOWN AND TURNING IT OFF, AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT MORE TRAFFIC COME OUT OF NORTH CAROLINA.
BUT ANY WAY YOU CUT IT, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME SORT OF TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
VDOT SEEMS TO THINK, OH, IT'S JUST MINOR IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED.
WELL, ONCE THIS IS LIKE THE NOSE OF THE CAMEL IN THE TENT KIND OF THING, IF THAT WAS TO GO FORWARD AS LIKE SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALLUDED, THAT POTENTIALLY IT COULD BE A WAREHOUSE THING, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF TRUCK TRAFFIC COMING AND GOING.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED, WELL, TWO THINGS IN A SENSE, THE WETLANDS ISSUE, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE INDUSTRIAL THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SIGNIFICANT MITIGATION TO ENSURE THAT THE WETLAND AREA BEHIND THERE IS PROTECTED.
BUT ALSO IF THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU NEED TO GET WATER, THEN YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DRILL WELLS.
WELL, THAT OPENS UP A CAN OF WORMS. IN TERMS OF ALL OF US WHO HAVE PRIVATE WELLS.
SERVICE. THE POTOMAC AQUIFER IS NOT GROWING MUCH OVER THE YEARS HERE, AND THE MORE YOU DRILL INTO IT, THE MORE WATER YOU TAKE OUT OF IT, THE MORE LIKELY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE WELLS START RUNNING DRY.
AND THEN LASTLY, I GUESS I AM SOMEWHAT TAKEN ABACK IN THAT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WANTS TO MAKE THESE CHANGES SEEMS TO BE VERY UNSURE AS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME, THEY WOULD HAVE A FAIRLY CONCRETE PLAN, SO THAT THE CITIZENS IN THAT AREA WOULD AT LEAST HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT TYPE OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND INSTEAD IT'S ALL VERY HAZY AND WE'RE NOT SURE.
AND WE HAVE TO DO THIS KIND OF THING.
SO, I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS BOARD WOULD REALLY LOOK CAREFULLY INTO THIS AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT A LOT OF CITIZENS IN THERE WOULD BE NOT HAPPY WITH INCREASED TRAFFIC IF PROPER SAFEGUARDS AND MITIGATIONS AREN'T PUT IN PLACE.
THANK YOU. BRINGS A QUESTION UP FOR ME.
FOR THE APPLICANT OR ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S VERY MINIMAL MITIGATION TO WETLANDS.
LOOKS VERY DE MINIMIS TO ME AT LEAST.
IS THAT CORRECT WHERE THE WETLANDS ARE.
[00:50:03]
JURISDICTIONAL. WELL, SO NO IMPACTS AT ALL.OKAY. AND I BELIEVE YOU CAN IMPACT IT.
BECAUSE THE FACT THAT THE EC IS GOING TO START TAKING ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE, YOU CAN POTENTIALLY IMPACT WE'VE CHOSEN NOT TO DO THAT HERE.
THANK YOU. AND YOUR NAME, SIR DAVID TAYLOR.
OKAY. THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 2023-01 IS STILL OPEN.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LISA CLINTON.
MY ORIGINAL INTENTION WAS JUST TO COME TO THE MEETING TONIGHT TO SEE HOW THINGS WENT.
BUT I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN HEARING.
AS I SAID, I LIVE ON CAMP PARKWAY AND THIS REZONING ISSUE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, HAS BECOME A NIGHTMARE FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE ON CAMP PARKWAY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING THE REZONING OF THE INDUSTRIAL, THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL PARK AT THE END OF CAMP PARKWAY SINCE 2016.
OF COURSE, AS WE'VE STATED BEFORE THIS MEETING, THAT CHINESE OWNED COMPANY HAS BOUGHT THE PROPERTY AND THEIR INTENTIONS ARE TO BUILD A WAREHOUSE FACILITY WHEN THE REZONING WAS BEING LOOKED AT BY THE COUNTY, ORIGINALLY, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL TO HAVE A WAREHOUSE FACILITY BUILT THERE BY THE FACILITIES, WHO, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, LIVE IN VIRGINIA BEACH.
WE HAD NO IDEA HOW THIS WAS GOING TO TURN OUT.
NOW WE'RE IN 2023, THE CELLS ARE NO LONGER INVOLVED.
AS DR. EDWARDS SAID, ONCE THAT AREA IS REZONED, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US IN FIGHTING AND WHAT GOES THERE? MY CONCERNS ARE THAT I WAS NOT BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, BUT I MOVED HERE IN 2007 FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS STATED WHY THEY LIVE HERE, FOR THE RURAL ATMOSPHERE, FOR THE SMALL TOWN FEEL, BECAUSE IT WASN'T.
I'M GOING TO SAY I'M FROM PORTSMOUTH.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE IN A CITY ANYMORE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE WITH THE CRIME.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE WITH THE TRAFFIC.
I STILL HAVE TO TRAVEL THERE OCCASIONALLY AND DRIVE THROUGH SUFFOLK, WHICH IS.
I WOULD RATHER TAKE BAMBOO SHOOTS UNDERNEATH MY FINGERNAILS THAN TO DRIVE THROUGH SUFFOLK.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY.
IT'S BECOME SO CONGESTED, AND LARGELY IN PART BECAUSE OF THE WAREHOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT THERE.
AND JUST PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE ANY DECISIONS ARE MADE.
MY NAME IS JANE RIDDICK FRIESE.
MY ADDRESS IS 30319 CAMP PARKWAY, COURTLAND.
I PROMISE NOT TO SPEAK AS LONG AS I DID AT THE LAST PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
I THOUGHT ABOUT REHASHING A PAST SPEECH THAT I MADE TO YOU IN THE PAST BY TAKING OUT CAMP PARKWAY AND INSERTING ROUTE 258 AT SMITH'S FERRY ROAD. MOST OF WHAT I SHARE TONIGHT WILL BE THE SAME THOUGHTS AND REASONS AS TO WHY I'M AGAINST REZONING THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY TO INDUSTRIAL, AND WHY I DO NOT THINK IT IS IN THE BEST DECISION AND INTEREST FOR THE FUTURE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
AND I APOLOGIZE IF MY THOUGHTS AND MY REASONS ARE DIFFERENT WITH OTHERS HERE IN THIS ROOM.
THAT IS WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT.
[00:55:02]
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THE APPLICATION TO REZONE IS VERY VAGUE AS TO WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS INTENDED FOR THE LAND, AND WHO THEY WANT TO SELL THIS LAND TO.WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2023, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA PASSED A BILL PREVENTING FOREIGN ADVERSARIES FROM OWNING AGRICULTURAL LAND IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA SIGNED THE BILL INTO LAW ON APRIL 12TH, 2023.
TO BE EFFECTIVE AS OF JULY 1ST OF 2023, THE NEW LAW PROHIBITS CHINA, CUBA, IRAN, NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA, AND VENEZUELAN POLITICIAN NICOLAS MADURO FROM OWNING AGRICULTURAL LAND IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
THEREFORE, IF THERE IS A FOREIGN INTEREST IN THIS LAND, AS THERE WAS WITH THE CAMP PARKWAY PIECE OF LAND, THEN TO SELL IT TO A FOREIGN ENTITY, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REZONED TO INDUSTRIAL FOR IT TO BE PURCHASED BY A FOREIGN ENTITY.
AND IT SEEMS, BASED ON THE CAMP PARKWAY DEAL, THAT FOREIGN ENTITIES ARE WILLING TO PAY THREE TIMES THE ASSESSED VALUE FOR OUR LAND IN OUR AREA.
SINCE THE COMPANY THAT PURCHASED THE LAND ON CAMP PARKWAY PAID $11.4 MILLION FOR LAND THAT WAS ASSESSED FOR LESS THAN $4 MILLION AND WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED FOR LESS THAN 2 MILLION.
SO WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS THE SAME EXACT SCENARIO AS THE CAMP PARKWAY DEAL.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WILL BE GETTING.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY JOBS WOULD COME WITH THIS, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE NEW OWNER COULD BE.
IT COULD VERY WELL BE A FOREIGN BASED ENTITY.
IF WE REZONE IT TO INDUSTRIAL.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE ROOM WHO ARE NOT AWARE, THE LAND ON CAMP PARKWAY WAS SOLD ON JUNE 27TH, 2023 TO SOUTHAMPTON LANDS LLC, WHICH HAS CONNECTIONS TO A FOREIGN BASED ENTITY AND IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE AIR FORCE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS.
DUE TO CONCERNS OVER HOMELAND SECURITY ISSUES DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE NAVAL BASE.
FROM WHAT I CAN TELL FROM THE APPLICATION, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE SIX SITES FOR BUILDINGS OR SOMETHING ON THE DESIGN, WHICH COULD VERY WELL END UP BEING WAREHOUSES. IF SUFFOLK WANTS TO GO FROM BEING THE PEANUT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD TO THE WAREHOUSE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, THEN THAT IS THEIR CHOICE.
THEIR LEADERSHIP'S VISION IS, IN MY OPINION, A TRAGEDY.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE NORFOLK PORT AND OUR PROXIMITY TO IT.
SOME HAVE SAID THAT IT IS INEVITABLE THAT THOSE WAREHOUSES EVENTUALLY WILL MAKE IT TO OUR COUNTY, BUT IT IS ONLY INEVITABLE IF WE ALLOW IT.
WE ARE IN CONTROL OF OUR FUTURE, OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND OF OUR VISION FOR OUR AREA.
JUST BECAUSE THOSE IN POSITIONS HIGHER THAN US WANT IT TO BUILD A LARGER PORT TO IMPORT STUFF MADE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO BOW DOWN TO THEIR VISION.
WE CAN CONTROL WHAT TYPE OF INDUSTRY AND GROWTH WE WANT AND BE SPECIFIC ABOUT IT THROUGH A STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN. AND IF WAREHOUSING IS OUR GOAL, THEN PUT IT IN APPROPRIATE EXISTING INDUSTRIAL PARKS.
OTHER REASONINGS FOR REZONING ARE THAT AGRICULTURE IS NOT A GROWING INDUSTRY.
IT EMPLOYS VERY FEW PEOPLE DUE TO MORE TECHNOLOGY.
THERE IS MORE TECHNOLOGY THOSE JOBS WILL BE IF THEY ARE NOT ALREADY DONE BY ROBOTS.
HERE IS AN INTERESTING THOUGHT.
GULF AMERICAN LAND SAID THEY WERE GOING TO BRING 200 PLUS JOBS TO OUR AREA.
TODAY THEY EMPLOY, I BELIEVE AT MAX THREE PEOPLE.
[01:00:01]
WE NEED TO TAKE OUR PERSONAL FEELINGS OFF THE TABLE AND TRULY THINK ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR AREA 25 YEARS FROM NOW.OTHER AREAS WERE REVIEWED AS PLACES WHERE WE COULD WORK TOGETHER, INCLUDING MERGING FRANKLIN CITY AND SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND CITY GOVERNMENT. AND THOUGH IT WOULD BE HARD TO DO AND TAKE VERY HARD CONVERSATIONS AND A LOT OF TIME, THE CHANCES ARE HIGH THAT THIS WOULD SAVE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY AND BE A MORE EFFICIENT WAY OF OPERATING, ESPECIALLY DUE TO OUR SMALLER POPULATION.
IF THE CONCERN IS REALLY ABOUT TAX REVENUES AND MORE MONEY TO FUND ALL OF OUR SERVICES, I ASK WHAT CAN WE ACCOMPLISH IF WE MERGE AND BECOME ONE? WHAT SAVINGS FOR THE TAXPAYERS WILL THERE BE BY OPERATING AS ONE GOVERNMENT, ONE SCHOOL SYSTEM? WHAT EDUCATION CAN BE PROVIDED TO OUR CHILDREN IF WE ARE WORKING AS ONE STRONG SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH ONE STRONG LEADERSHIP UNIT, ONE SUPERINTEND AND ONE SUPERINTENDENT SALARY, ONE BOARD AND ONE ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT SAVINGS WILL WE SEE WHEN WE ARE MORE EFFICIENT BY COMBINING OUR SERVICES? JUST AS IN BUSINESS, TOUGH DECISIONS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
LET'S NOT MAKE DECISIONS NOW THAT WE WILL REGRET, OR OUR GRANDCHILDREN WILL REGRET 25 TO 50 YEARS BY BEING WILLY NILLY WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURSUITS AND THE REZONING OF OUR LAND.
I SEARCHED LAST NIGHT ON INDEED.COM FOR AVAILABLE JOBS WITHIN A 35 MILE RADIUS OF FRANKLIN.
THERE WERE OVER 6000 JOBS AVAILABLE THAT RANGED FROM ENTRY LEVEL STARTING AT 1250 AN HOUR TO SENIOR LEVEL STARTING AT 3750 OR MORE WITHIN A 25 MILE RADIUS.
THERE WERE CLOSE TO 2000 JOBS.
YOU CAN GO ON FACEBOOK RIGHT NOW, AND THERE ARE COMPANIES IN FRANKLIN AND SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY LOOKING FOR SKILLED FORKLIFT DRIVERS, LICENSED CDL DRIVERS, NURSES, SCHOOL TEACHERS, TUTORS, POLICE OFFICERS, TELLERS.
EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR EMPLOYEES.
I PROMISE YOU, I AM NOT AGAINST AN INDUSTRY OR CREATING JOBS OR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
HOWEVER, I AM AGAINST UNPLANNED GROWTH AND NOT BEING STRATEGIC IN HOW WE GROW.
HAVE WE DONE A STUDY TO DETERMINE WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE TYPES OF JOBS NEEDED HERE? I ASK IF THERE ARE 2000 TO 6000 JOBS POSSIBLY AVAILABLE WITHIN A 35 MILE RADIUS, THEN WHY AREN'T THEY BEING FILLED? I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A JOB PROBLEM, BUT MAYBE IT'S MORE OF A WORKFORCE PROBLEM AND AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROBLEM.
PERHAPS THE LAND WOULD BE BETTER SUITED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN ONE OTHER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MEETING AND THERE ARE TWO MORE IN THE FUTURE.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER THE OTHER MEETINGS OR THE FUTURE ONES, OR WHAT HAS BEEN SHARED AT THE FAIR OR OTHER VENUES, BUT NO ONE CAME AND SPOKE AT THE LAST PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND SAID, I WANT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO HAVE MORE LAND AND ZONING FOR WAREHOUSING.
NO ONE CAME AND SAID, LET'S TURN OUR RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL LAND INTO INDUSTRIALLY ZONED LAND.
NO ONE CAME AND SAID, WE NEED A SO AND SO INDUSTRY.
INSTEAD OF BOWING DOWN AND ACCEPTING ANYBODY WHO FINDS OUR LAND APPEALING, PERHAPS WE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRATEGIC IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. PERHAPS WE DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF BUSINESSES WE WANT, AND THEN WE PURSUE THOSE SPECIFIC BUSINESSES.
AND WHILE WE ARE DOING IT, LET'S LOOK AT AMERICAN OWNED COMPANIES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SAID EARLIER IS THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE, AND I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE MEETINGS COMING UP AND THERE'S A BROCHURE IN THE BACK.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS JUST THAT.
IT'S A PLAN. AND JUST BECAUSE IT'S DESIGNATED ON THE PLAN DOESN'T MAKE THAT THE LAW.
IT DOESN'T MAKE THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE STILL HAVE TO REZONE IT TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE CONVERSATION THAT IS LISTED IN THIS BROCHURE SURE IS WAYS TO PROTECT AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, REFLECTING OUR COUNTY'S HERITAGE.
[01:05:01]
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE MUSIC, HERE ARE SOME VERSES FROM A SONG ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BY JONI MITCHELL AND REDONE BY THE COUNTING CROWS.THEY PAVED PARADISE, PUT UP A PARKING LOT WITH A PINK HOTEL, A BOUTIQUE AND A SWINGING HOT SPOT.
DON'T IT ALWAYS SEEM TO GO THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT TILL IT'S GONE? THEY PAVED PARADISE AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT.
THEY TOOK ALL THE TREES AND THEY PUT THEM IN A TREE MUSEUM.
AND THEY CHARGED THE PEOPLE A DOLLAR AND A HALF JUST TO SEE THEM.
THEY PAVED PARADISE AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT.
HEY, FARMER, FARMER, PUT AWAY THAT DDT.
NOW GIVE ME SPOTS ON MY APPLES, BUT LEAVE ME THE BIRDS AND THE BEES.
THEY PAVED PARADISE AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT.
DON'T IT ALWAYS SEEM TO GO THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT TILL IT'S GONE? THAT SONG MAY HAVE MANY CONNOTATIONS, BUT HERE'S A FACT.
ONCE THE CONCRETE IS LAID, THERE IS NO PULLING IT UP.
ONCE THE FARMS ARE GONE, WHAT THEN WILL BE OUR FOOD SOURCE? WILL THIS HAPPEN IN OUR LIFETIME? PROBABLY NOT.
BUT IT IS ON US TO MAKE THE DECISIONS TODAY THAT WILL IMPACT OUR CHILDREN'S GRANDCHILDREN.
AND NOT ONLY REQUEST THAT YOU VOTE NOT TO REZONE THIS TO INDUSTRIAL, BUT ALSO AS PART OF YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE RE DESIGNATE THE LAND AS AGRICULTURAL AND RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT TILL IT'S GONE.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. THANK YOU SIR.
I'M CARL HECK FROM FRANKLIN SOUTHAMPTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SO IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THE REASONS WHY THIS PARCEL CAME TO US IS THE STORM'S INTEREST IN DEVELOPING IT, AND ALSO ITS STRATEGIC LOCATION NEAR TWO MAJOR ROADS WITH EASY ACCESS THAT WOULD ALLOW A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO GET ON AND OFF 58, WHICH IS THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE THERE. AND IT'S ALSO NEAR OTHER PARCELS THAT ARE INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL.
SO THAT'S THE MAIN GOAL HERE WITH THIS PROJECT.
SO THERE ARE IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT TIMMONS AND THE APPLICANT NEED TO ANSWER, WE WILL WORK WITH THEM TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, THE AMOUNT THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH INDUSTRIAL LAND AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THE COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING THE BEAL FARM.
THERE'S BEEN INTEREST IN THAT.
WE'VE HAD PRELIMINARY INTEREST IN THIS PROPERTY AS WELL, AND THE ANSWER IS COME BACK TO US WHEN IT'S REZONED SO THE PEOPLE CAN KIND OF FIGURE OUT.
OBVIOUSLY THE LOGISTICS IS A MAJOR USE IN THIS AREA, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ONE.
SO, THE BY KNOWING THE APPLICANT WANTED TO KEEP THEIR OPTIONS OPEN.
SO THAT'S, I'LL TALK TO THEM ABOUT THAT AFTERWARDS.
BUT THAT'S WE HEAR YOUR COMMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
THE PROPERTY IS SOLD, WE HEAR.
I KNOW THEY HAVE NOT BROKEN GROUND YET, BUT THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S A REGULAR COMMENT THAT WE GET.
THE SOUTHAMPTON BUSINESS PARK HAS ABOUT 30 ACRES IN IT.
THE COMMERCE AND LOGISTICS CENTER HAS 220 ACRE PARCELS, EXCEPT THE BEAL FARM IS COMING ONLINE AND THAT HAS ABOUT 200 ACRES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. SO, I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF THE UNIVERSE OF INDUSTRIAL LAND THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH AT THE MOMENT, AT LEAST ON THE PUBLIC SIDE.
AND DEMAND HAS BEEN FAIRLY STRONG.
SO WE HOPE THAT CONTINUES THAT WAY.
AND LOGISTICS ISN'T THE ONLY INDUSTRY THAT WE ARE SEEING INTEREST IN, BUT IT'S OBVIOUSLY A KEY ONE BECAUSE THE POOR AND EVERYBODY CAN SEE ALL THE VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN CENTER POINT AND THE OTHER PLACES IN SUFFOLK.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE'LL BE GLAD TO HELP.
[01:10:04]
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS? I'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION IF YOU COULD APPROACH, SIR.SURE. AS I SAID, WE ALSO LIVE ON SMITH'S FERRY ROAD AT 28535 IN THE CURVE.
RICHARD, WHO ARE YOU ADDRESSING YOUR QUESTION TO? THE QUESTION IS, IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT WE MAY HAVE INCREASED TRAFFIC FROM CAROLINA.
I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IF SOMEONE DID A SURVEY OF THE TRAFFIC THAT WE PRESENTLY HAVE.
HAVING BEEN IN THE LOGGING BUSINESS, I KNOW THAT WE SEE A LOT OF FARM TRUCKS, COUNTY TRUCKS TO THE WASTE DISPOSAL AND ANYTHING RELATED TO THE TIMBER INDUSTRY AND THE FARMING INDUSTRY, PRIMARILY FROM NORTH CAROLINA. THERE ARE FREIGHT TRUCKS, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE ANYWAY.
THEY ALREADY ARE. LIKE WALMART'S GOT TO GO TO AHOSKIE.
THAT SAID, MOST OF THE TRAFFIC IS FROM I'M ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY SHOP.
258. BUT I'M JUST SAYING THIS ONLY BECAUSE IF I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC FROM THE SITE TO 58 BY OUR HOUSE, I WOULD BE HOLDING HANDS WITH EVERYBODY THAT I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE IT AT ALL.
CAN I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? SURE. THERE WAS A TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN REFERENCE TO THIS APPLICATION.
IS THAT TRAFFIC STUDY AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION? SURE. SO, I BELIEVE YOU COULD SEE MISS LEWIS TO GET A COPY OF THAT TRAFFIC STUDY.
OKAY. THERE WAS A THERE IS A TRAFFIC STUDY IN OUR APPLICATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER ONE RCA 2023-01.
I WOULD CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? DON'T ALL SPEAK UP AT ONCE.
I HAD A FEW THINGS HERE TO JOT DOWN.
THEN I'LL. NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO JUMP IN.
THERE HAPPENS TO BE 53 ACRES OF FARMLAND HERE.
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAS 12% OF THE STATE'S A-1 FERTILE FARMLAND 12%, AND I'D LIKE TO TRY TO KEEP IT. I'VE ALWAYS FELT BEING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR 34 YEARS NOW, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE FIRST SHOULD GET FIRST CONSIDERATION.
AND WHAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT IS I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY THAT LIVES IN THAT AREA.
WHO WANTS THIS? SO, MY FIRST CONSIDERATION WOULD BE TO THEM.
ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS LIST, THERE ARE 55 THINGS ON HERE THAT YOU CAN DO.
OKAY, SO MOST OF IT I JUST I CAN'T REMEMBER ANY CONDITION, ANY REZONING IN THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONDITIONAL.
THAT IS, THE APPLICANT COMES AND TELLS US EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING IN THERE SO WE CAN MAKE A DECISION.
BUT THERE ARE 55 THINGS IN HERE.
WHAT'S GOING ON OR HAD RUMORS OF A TRUCK OF A STORAGE.
AND I SEE THERE'S 3267 TRIPS IN AND OUT DAY AND NIGHT.
I GUESS THAT'S SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
WHATEVER. THAT'S THAT'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT THE ESTIMATE HERE IS 3267.
[01:15:06]
SO, I'M ALSO THE JOB OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS TO DO THE BEST FOR THE COUNTY.AND IT'S ALSO TO PROTECT THE COUNTY.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DID NOT VOTE POSSIBLY FOR THIS AND WILL NOT DO SO.
TWO THINGS. WHAT DOES? WOULD AN INTERMODAL PARK FIT WITHIN THESE 55.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT. I SEE A TRUCK TERMINAL, BUT I DON'T SEE AN INTERMODAL PARK.
WOULD THAT FIT THE NARRATIVE OF THAT? YES. OKAY, SO INTERMODAL PARK, I'M ASSUMING YOU HAVE A LOT MORE TRAFFIC.
SO NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT WOULD INITIATE A TRAFFIC STUDY? WHEN YOU GET UP TO X NUMBER OF TRUCKS CARS COMING DOWN THE ROAD TO WIDEN THE ROAD.
AS TO THE YOUNG LADIES IN THE BACK COMMENT, WHAT WOULD INITIATE THAT? HOW MANY HOW MANY VEHICLES PER DAY? THE. THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD, SIR.
NO PROBLEM. NAME IS SCOTT DUNNE WITH THE TIMMONS GROUP.
THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF A NORMAL TWO LANE ROAD IS APPROXIMATELY 12,000 VEHICLES PER DAY.
TODAY, THERE'S 4400 VEHICLES ON SMITH'S FERRY ROAD.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WOULD DO ABOUT 3300 TRIPS A DAY, WHICH TAKES YOU TO ABOUT 7700 TOTAL.
SO YOU'RE STILL UNDER THE TWO LANE ROAD CARRYING CAPACITY.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN IMPROVE THAT CAPACITY 12,000 BY ADDING TURN LANES.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY SORT OF THE BREAK POINT BETWEEN TWO LANES AND ADDING ON.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT IF YOU HAVE 12,000 VEHICLES DRIVING BY, YOU ALSO WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND ALL OTHER KINDS OF CONTROL MECHANISMS TO PARTICULARLY WITH HEARING SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT TRYING TO TURN INTO YOUR RESIDENTIAL AREA.
SO I'LL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AS BEST I CAN.
TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE DICTATED BY MAINLINE VOLUMES AND SIDE STREET VOLUMES.
SO USUALLY COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS MORE LIKELY TO WARN A SIGNAL THAN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU SIR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS OR ANY MOTIONS? WELL, I THINK I EARLY ON SAID THAT I DID NOT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THE ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY.
I THINK THERE ARE TOO MANY AREAS OF UNKNOWN.
I THINK THAT THE COUNTY NOW NEEDS TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE DESIRABLE BUSINESSES THAT COULD COME INTO OUR COUNTY, INTO AREAS THAT WOULD NOT BE AS DISRUPTIVE TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT? NOT BE AS DISRUPTIVE AS AS WAREHOUSES.
SO FOR THAT REASON, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF CHANGING.
AND MAY I INTERJECT BEFORE ANYONE STARTS TALKING ABOUT MOTIONS? YOU HAVE A PAPER HERE.
THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REQUESTS THAT YOU USE THE LANGUAGE SHOWN HERE.
THIS MOTION IS MADE IN CONSIDERATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY, PUBLIC NECESSITY, CONVENIENCE AND IN THE EXERCISE OF GOOD ZONING PRACTICES AND IN PURSUIT OF THE BODY'S STATUTORY AUTHORITY.
SO HE ASKS THAT YOU MAKE THAT MOTION IF YOU THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT.
YOU KNOW, YOU COME IN HERE AND THIS IS SITTING HERE TONIGHT.
NOBODY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS HAD TIME TO LOOK AT THAT AND DIGEST THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S A CONSIDERATION FOR NEXT MEETING.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.
[01:20:02]
WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.AND I AGREE, NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING THERE IS A CONCERN.
WE WE NORMALLY DON'T DO THAT EVEN WITH THE SOLAR FACILITIES.
WE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW WHO WAS BACKING IT SO THE ECONOMIC CRAIG COULD WORK WITH THIS APPLICANT AND SEE WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE, RATHER THAN JUST US OPENING THE DOOR TO ANYTHING.
AND THAT WOULD GIVE US TIME TO LOOK AT THIS AND GIVE THEM TIME TO WORK IT.
WORK WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
CRAIG, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE KNOWN A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT AND THE THING IS, 258 IS RIGHT, THAT 258 IS RIGHT THERE AT THE TRUCK STOP.
I MEAN, IF YOU CAN'T, YOU REALLY CAN'T GET ANY A BETTER SPOT THAN RIGHT, RIGHT AT THAT LOCATION.
I GOT A FOOT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE.
I DON'T LIKE NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING THERE.
BUT. THE TRUCK STOP BRINGS IN A LOT OF BUSINESS RIGHT THERE, AND IT'S A SPOT THAT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN EVENTUALLY IN THE FUTURE.
MIGHT NOT HAPPEN WITH THIS PROJECT, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE COULD COULD BE TABLED THIS THIS COMMISSION COULD.
AND I'M OKAY. I'M OKAY WITH TABLING IT.
AND THAT GIVES US TIME TO LOOK AT THIS AND GET WITH THE ATTORNEY AND GIVE THEM TIME TO GET THEIR HEADS TOGETHER TO, WELL, IF HE'S GOT TO CHANGE IT TO A CONDITION ZONING, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RE ADVERTISE IT AND HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
OR ARE WE NOT? IF YOU'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE SITUATION AROUND IF HE MAKES IT MORE RESTRICTIVE.
BUT TO MAKE IT MORE RESTRICTIVE, TO TAKE AWAY SOME OF THE USES TO NARROW THE SCOPE, ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED, BUT THE PUBLIC HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON THEN.
WE'RE HERE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AND TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION WITH ALL THE FACTS.
WELL, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THIS MEETING, THEY HAVE THE MINUTES OF THIS MEETING.
AND I'M SURE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE ARE GOING TO KEEP UP WITH IT AS WELL.
AND NOW THAT ALL THESE MEETINGS ARE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE AS WELL.
THE VIDEO AND THE AUDIO, I MEAN THE VIDEO AND THE TRANSCRIPT.
WE DON'T HAVE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, DO WE? WE DO NOT. WELL, AS WE'LL GET THIS OVER WITH, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DENY THE APPLICATION FOR THE REASONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE STATED.
SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE A PROPER SECOND.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? DISCUSSION. MY POSITION.
I'M KIND OF LIKE MR. MANN AND ALSO LIKE DR.
I LIKE DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED TO BE DEVELOPED.
BUT I LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING IN THEM.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IN THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT TO HAVE PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER SERVICING MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN OUR COUNTY.
AND BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO REASONS, I WILL.
OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WANT TO GIVE EVERYBODY THEIR THEIR $0.02.
SO WE'RE VOTING TO TURN THIS DOWN TONIGHT.
THAT IS THE MOTION AND A PROPERLY PROPER SECOND.
ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[01:25:04]
CHAIRMAN? I DON'T BELIEVE I VOTE BEING THE CHAIRMAN.YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IF YOU WANT TO.
AND ALL IN FAVOR? ALL AGAINST THE MOTION.
SO THE MOTION TO DENY THE APPLICATION CARRIES 5 TO 1.
OKAY. WHAT IS THAT? WE WILL BE MOVING ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS SECTION FIVE.
[V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
EVERYONE THAT IS HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO STEP OUT.YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY WELCOME TO DO THAT.
YOU'D LIKE TO STEP OUT? PLEASE DO SO NOW.
WE WILL BE GOING FORWARD WITH SECTION FIVE OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE DISCUSSION OF OUR LANDSCAPE PLAN. SO WHAT DOES EVERYONE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR LANDSCAPING ISSUES? I DIDN'T WANT TO JUMP IN THE BOAT TAKING CARE OF.
THEY WEREN'T IN PLACE WHEN SOUTHAMPTON SOLAR WENT IN.
CAN I POINT OUT SOMETHING REAL QUICK? MS. FRIESE? THAT SPEECH WAS A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THE LAST ONE I HAD MY STOPWATCH ON, SO THAT WAS FACTUALLY INCORRECT.
I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT TO YOU.
THERE'S MORE AD LIBBING GOING TO.
ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT A MINISTER IN A FORMER LIFE? I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU DIDN'T SING THE SONG.
ALL RIGHT, BACK TO LANDSCAPING.
THOUGH THE UTILITY SCALE SOLAR REGULATIONS DO INCLUDE SOME PERIMETER LANDSCAPING.
AND THE PLANNED OFFICE AND INDUSTRIAL ZONING DESIGNATION INCLUDES LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS.
SO AS YOU SEE FROM THAT EMAIL FROM MR. THROWER, I FORWARDED YOUR COMMENTS TO MR. THROWER ABOUT LITTER PICKUP AND TAKING CARE OF THE TRAFFIC CIRCLES AND SO FORTH, AND AND HE EXPLAINED HOW MUCH IT COST TO MOW AND CLEAN UP AND THEN SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS BEFORE WE GO FORWARD WITH ASKING FOR PUBLIC EXPENDITURES ON BEAUTIFICATION, THAT WE.
CONSIDER THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
CONSIDER LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS.
IS THERE SOME SUGGESTED LANGUAGE OF ADDITIONS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT? WELL, IN YOUR PACKAGE YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE FRANKLIN LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS.
AND THOSE HAVE THOSE WERE UPDATED WHILE WE WERE SHARED DEPARTMENT THERE.
THEY'RE NOT OVERLY ONEROUS ON PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN GO SEE WHAT THE LANDSCAPING WOULD LOOK LIKE.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DOLLAR GENERAL AND THE WAWA AND DR.
PATEL'S PROPERTY OUT BY THE HOSPITAL, SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE TYPE OF LANDSCAPING AND BESIDES STREETSCAPE LANDSCAPING, WHAT THIS DOES IS HELP WHEN YOU HAVE USES THAT ARE RATHER INCOMPATIBLE NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
IF YOU HAVE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOMEONE WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL OFFICE NEXT TO IT, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAVE TO PUT IN A BUFFER THAT SEPARATES THE TWO PROPERTIES AND BUFFERS THE RESIDENTIAL USE.
YOU HAVE AN EXAMPLE IN THERE OF BUFFERING THAT WAS ADDED WHEN THE ROCK CHURCH ADDED THEIR GYM BUILDING BEHIND THEIR EXISTING BUILDING TO PROTECT THOSE HOUSES BACK THERE.
BOTH. YEAH. YOU TALKED ABOUT BUFFERING AND AND THAT SEEMED VERY LOGICAL THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD ADD, PARTICULARLY WITH COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. AND WHEN BOTH PIECES ARE VACANT, THEN THE WHATEVER PROPERTY IS BEING DEVELOPED FIRST PUTS IN HALF OF THE BUFFER AND WHOEVER DEVELOPS SECOND PUTS IN THE OTHER HALF OF THE BUFFER.
BUT IF THAT'S FAIRLY RARE THOUGH, RIGHT?
[01:30:01]
I MEAN, WHEN YOU HAVE TWO CONTIGUOUS PIECES DEVELOPING AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, THE LUNAR ECLIPSE.I MEAN, THAT'S FAIRLY I MEAN, THINK OF WHEN THAT'S HAPPENED, THOUGH FAIRLY RARE.
RIGHT? WELL, YOU MEAN NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
WELL, TWO DEVELOPMENTS TOGETHER THAT ARE TOUCHING EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT GOING ON.
YOU'RE TALKING OF TWO PIECES THAT ARE IN CONJUNCTION, DEVELOPING BESIDE EACH OTHER, RIGHT? RIGHT. BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME.
OKAY. LOOK AT BELMONT PEANUTS THEY DEVELOPED AND THERE'S FARMLAND AROUND THEM.
IF THIS IF AN ORDINANCE WAS IN EFFECT, THEY WOULD HAVE PUT IN HALF THE WIDTH OF THE BUFFER.
DEVELOPMENT TOOK PLACE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROPERTY LINE.
THAT SECOND DEVELOPMENT WOULD PUT IN THE OTHER HALF OF THE BUFFER.
BUT LET'S WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THE ROCK CHURCH, THE OTHER SIDE WAS ALREADY DEVELOPED.
THERE ARE ALREADY HOUSES, SO THE NEW DEVELOPMENT PUTS IN THE WHOLE WIDTH OF THE BUFFER.
YOU END UP WITH A 30 OR 40 FOOT WIDE BUFFER, BUT WHO PUTS IT IN WHEN IS DEPENDENT ON WHAT'S THERE FIRST? SO, IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
AND WITH THE FRANKLIN ORDINANCE, YOU CAN GO SEE A LONG AT ALONG ARMORY DRIVE.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S THERE, BUT IT DOES GIVE YOUR EYE AND YOUR BRAIN A BREAK.
AND IN THE SUMMERTIME, IT PROVIDES SOME SHADE, RIGHT? PARKING LOTS ARE HEAT ISLANDS, AND WHEN YOU WALK ACROSS THE PARKING LOT AT THE FOOD LION IN AUGUST AT 5:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.
IT'S PRETTY TOUGH, RIGHT? THERE'S DEFINITELY. AND I'VE FOUND THIS OUT THE HARD WAY BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO PAY FOR IT.
BUT THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE WITH LANDSCAPING BUFFERS FOR BUSINESSES.
IT RELATES TO, SAY, INDUSTRIAL.
AND THE ONE EXAMPLE THAT I HAD WITH THE BANK, WHICH WAS FARMERS NOW TOWN BANK, AND WE HAVE CRAPE MYRTLES IN THE FRONT, COULDN'T GET CRAPE MYRTLES ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE THERE WAS A DISEASE OF CRAPE.
WE HAD TO PUT HOLLY TREES BECAUSE ALL OF THEM WERE DEAD.
YOU COULDN'T FIND THEM OTHER THAN A DIFFERENT COLOR.
BUT THE BANK REQUIRES THOSE CRAPE MYRTLES, WHICH I REALLY LIKE.
CRAPE MYRTLES. THAT'S WHY THEY WERE THERE.
THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUT THE DOOR ALL THE WAY THROUGH 58.
THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING BLOCKING BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD HIDE.
SO, THERE'S A LOT OF SECURITY ISSUES.
AND THEN FOR AN EXAMPLE WITH STORAGE WHAT DO PEOPLE LIKE.
AND I'M TALKING I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CONTAINER STORAGE I'M TALKING ABOUT SELF STORAGE.
THEY WANT LIGHTING THEIR STUFF DRY AND THEY WANT TO FEEL SAFE.
SO THEY WANT THAT OPENNESS OF THE PARKING LOT AND EVERYTHING TO BE WELL LIT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE FULL RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS INTERESTING.
IF THERE WAS A BERM THERE OR SOMETHING KIND OF BLOCKING.
258 MOST OF THE COMMERCIAL PEOPLE WOULDN'T LIKE COMING IN THAT PARKING LOT.
WELL, THAT'S IT'S JUST INTERESTING.
SOME STUFF WE WANT TO BLOCK WITH LANDSCAPING AND OTHER STUFF WE WANT TO DO THE OPPOSITE EFFECT WITH THE FARMERS BANK AND TOWN BANK, AND I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT UNTIL, YOU KNOW, FARMERS AND TOWN HAVE ALL THESE EXPERTS FOR EVERYTHING TO COME IN AND EVALUATE THE PARKING LOT FOR SAFETY.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU KEEP STREETSCAPE PARKING, LIKE IN FRONT OF YOUR BUILDING.
YOU LIMIT IT TO TREES WITH TRUNKS.
AND THERE IS A DISCUSSION IN HERE ABOUT EVERGREEN SHRUBS THAT BLOCK VISION.
SO I THINK THIS DOCUMENT REALLY ADDRESSES A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT IF WE CAN INCORPORATE IT INTO OUR PLAN. IT MAKES YEAH.
DO WE HAVE TO DO IT TONIGHT? BECAUSE I HAVE I HAVE ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT WE HAVE A LANDSCAPING EXPERT ON THIS PANEL, MR. TURNER. HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HIM GO THROUGH THIS AND MAYBE ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
MR. TURNER, I FORGOT ABOUT YOU.
CAN YOU BE PREPARED TO DO THAT NEXT MEETING?
[01:35:02]
YES, SIR. I CAN DO THAT.SO IT WOULD HAVE THE REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARINGS, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ZONING AMENDMENT.
AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY ON ANY APPLICATION TO ADD, I GUESS, OUR OWN TOUCH, OR WE CAN REQUEST IT AT ANY TIME THAT THEY SAY, ADD SOME CRAPE MYRTLES OR ADD SOME TYPE OF BUFFER OF LANDSCAPING.
WE ALWAYS HAVE THAT ABILITY, RIGHT? IF IT IS A CONDITIONAL ZONING REQUEST, YES YOU CAN.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY IT'S AN APPLICATION FOR A REZONING.
AND THE DISCUSSION IS IS ABOUT.
WELL, IT WOULD BE LIKE I REMEMBER MR. CHESSON DID THAT ONE TIME.
WELL, IT SURE WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD HAVE X, Y, AND Z.
THAT'S CORRECT. SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE ABILITY.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE DISCRETION WITH THE EXEMPTION.
IF THEY DON'T, THEN THAT'S IN YOUR ANALYSIS FOR DENIAL, RIGHT? I THINK I THINK THAT BECAUSE EACH SITE IS DIFFERENT FROM A COMMERCIAL PERSPECTIVE, FROM AN INDUSTRIAL PERSPECTIVE, FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT DISCRETION. RIGHT.
WE ADDRESS THINGS LIKE TONIGHT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
CORRECT? AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE FREE MARKET IF SOMEBODY.
IF THE PUBLIC, TO THE COMMISSION, AND THE COMMISSION HAS A SUGGESTION.
IT WOULD JUST BE SMART FROM AN ECONOMIC BUSINESS.
HEY, TO BE SUBMISSIVE TO THAT.
JUST TEN CRAPE MYRTLES ON THE FRONT IS A BUFFER.
CERTAINLY WHEN THEY APPLY, MRS. LEWIS IS CERTAINLY GOING TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT.
YEAH, BUT MRS. LEWIS CAN'T EXPECT BECAUSE THINGS COME UP AS YOU'RE.
I MEAN, MR. MANN WILL BRING SOMETHING UP.
I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE HERE.
SO I THINK THAT THE LANDSCAPE, AND I'D LIKE MR. TURNER TO LOOK AT IT, BUT I THINK IT'S PRETTY THOROUGH, WAS MY THOUGHT WHEN I READ THROUGH IT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO BAD, I GUESS.
IS THAT THE IMPRESSION WHEN YOU ALL READ IT THAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK, MS. LEWIS? AND IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN TWEAK.
I EXPECT THAT MR. TURNER PROBABLY HAS COMPUTER PROGRAMS THAT PERHAPS HE CAN MAKE A VISUAL FOR YOU.
IF I DID IT, IT WOULD BE CIRCLES AND TRIANGLES AND, YOU KNOW, COLORED PENCIL.
BUT MR. TURNER OR SOMEONE HE WORKS WITH COULD CERTAINLY HAVE SOME MUCH MORE EXPRESSIVE VISUAL FOR YOU TO LOOK AT IF YOU WERE CONSIDERING.
BUT THIS IS JUST A STARTING POINT TO THINK ABOUT.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP, I THINK, IN 2017 AND AGAIN IN 2019, SO WE'LL JUST KEEP PLUGGING AWAY AND SEEING NOW WHEN THERE ARE PARKING LOTS WHERE HEADLIGHTS SHINE ONTO THE HIGHWAY OR A WELL-TRAVELED ROAD.
TODAY. MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? CERTAINLY. HEY, MY QUESTION IS, WHEN THESE APPLICANTS PRESENT THEIR SITE PLAN, WITH THE LANDSCAPE BUFFERING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO ALL THE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES IS LIKE AS THINGS DIE AND IT'S NOT MAINTAINED, IS THAT IN A FORCIBLE OFFENSE TO THE COUNTY GOES TO THE BUSINESS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS REPLANTED, IF IT'S REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE AND IT'S INSTALLED AND IT'S AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, IT'S DEAD, THEN YES, THAT'S AS MUCH A VIOLATION OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE AS IF THEY TOOK OUT TWO OR 3 OR 5 PARKING
[01:40:09]
SPACES IF IT'S REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE AND IT WAS PART OF THEIR APPROVED PLAN, THEN YES, THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.OKAY. AND OFTENTIMES THERE ARE SOME LANDSCAPING THAT IS PART OF THE STORM WATER THE STORM WATER BMP AND THE THE GRASSY AREAS AT BELMONT PEANUTS ARE PART OF THEIR STORM WATER REQUIREMENTS.
SO, WE DO GET SOME GREEN THAT CAN SERVE TWO PURPOSES.
IT CAN SERVE A STORM WATER PURPOSE AND IT CAN SERVE A PURPOSE TO.
YOU KNOW, PERHAPS MAKE THE WALK ACROSS THE PARKING LOT LIKE FOOD LION IN AUGUST A LITTLE LESS ONEROUS IN SOME LOCALITIES REQUIRE.
AND THE FRANKLIN ORDINANCE DOES AND NOT IN A IN A STRIP PARKING LOT LIKE MR. RANDALL'S. THE STREETSCAPE TREES PROVIDE TREES FOR THAT WOULD COUNT FOR PARKING LOT TREES TOO.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A SQUARE, RECTANGULAR PARKING LOT SHAPED LIKE THE FOOD LION PARKING LOT, A PARKING SPACE HAS TO BE NO MORE THAN 60FT FROM THE TRUNK OF A TREE.
SO A TREE SERVES 100 120FT EACH WAY, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO SHADE THAT WHOLE 120FT ALL DAY.
BUT PART OF THE DAY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND PARKING SHADED PARKING SPACE.
OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR UNFINISHED BUSINESS? DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? I THINK YOU COULD ALWAYS MAKE A COMMENT.
I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE SEVERAL TIMES AND IT TOOK ME 3 OR 4 TIMES DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY TO REALIZE THERE WAS A FOOD LINE AND A HARDWARE STORE, BECAUSE THE LANDSCAPING IS JUST THE MOST IMPRESSIVE YOU'VE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE.
IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR LANDSCAPING? YES. THEY PRESERVE WHATEVER'S THERE.
YES. IT ENCOURAGES PRESERVATION OF THE EXISTING TREES.
YES. WELL, IT ENCOURAGES IT OR REQUIRES IT.
SOME SOME ORDINANCES REQUIRE IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN MANY CASES IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO TAKE OUT.
YOU KNOW, EXISTING GROWN TREES TO PLANT SEEDLINGS SOMEPLACE ELSE IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN DO IT, IF YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, MOVE A BUILDING FIVE FEET.
AND NOT HAVE TO PLANT AS MANY REPLACEMENT TREES.
MANY PEOPLE WILL CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
AND TO MAKE MR. DRAKE PROUD HERE.
MR. DAY, MR. MANN AND MR. DRAKE AND I WERE IN NEWSOM'S TUESDAY EVENING.
THERE WERE AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE THERE.
SOME WERE, SOME STAYED AFTER THE MEETING, BUT 5,6,8 CAME IN AFTER THE RARITAN MEETING.
SO DID MR. DRAKE PROVIDE REFRESHMENTS LIKE HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO? WELL, THERE WERE LEFTOVERS FROM THE RARITAN DINNER.
IT SMELLED REALLY GOOD WHEN WE.
SO HE GETS CREDIT FOR THAT THEN? WELL, PERHAPS HE DOES.
I BET MISS UPDIKE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.
AND, MR. CHESSON, WILL YOU BE AT THE YOUNG FARMERS CLUB NEXT TUESDAY EVENING, LORD WILLING? YES, MA'AM. OKAY.
MY INTENTIONS ARE TO BE THERE.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ALONG.
FROM UNFINISHED BUSINESS TO NEW BUSINESS AND SECTION SIX.
[VI. NEW BUSINESS]
ANYBODY HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS? WELL, THIS PROBABLY FALLS INTO ALL OF IT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AWARE THAT.AND MR. FULLER CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK IT WAS IN AUGUST WE HAD ANOTHER FIRE AT A SOLAR FACILITY ON OUR END OF THE COUNTY.
[01:45:01]
DID Y'ALL WERE Y'ALL AWARE OF THAT? I WAS NOT YEAH, I MEANT TO BRING IT UP AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT WASN'T IT IN AUGUST? WE HAD ANOTHER ONE TODAY.OH, YOU HAD ANOTHER ONE TODAY? YES, SIR. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT ONE.
SO THIS IS OF THE NEWSOM'S SOLAR ONE THAT, THAT I'M THINKING AT CROSS KEYS.
AND WHEN THE HOT RUBBER DROPS DOWN ON THE GRASS, IT JUST SETS THE GRASS ON FIRE.
OKAY, WHO TAKES? WHO PAYS FOR THE FIRE SUPPRESSION IF YOU SEND THEM A BILL? NO, SIR. ALL VOLUNTEER.
WE ONE IN AUGUST AND THE ONE TODAY WAS CONTAINED WITHIN THE FENCED IN AREA.
OR WE HAVE HAD SOME TO GET OUTSIDE THE FENCE ENTRY INTO THE WOODED AREA ADJACENT TO THE HOME.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE AWARE OF IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE STRANGE.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT.
AND AT SOME POINT, IF YOU GET A CHANCE, MR. FULLER, IF YOU HAVE A GRAPH OR SOMETHING THAT SHOWS THIS AND YOU CAN SEND IT TO BETH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN JUST KIND OF KEEP UP WITH IT.
AND BUT THERE ARE UNMANNED FACILITIES.
SO, IT'S ALWAYS, I GUESS, THE ONE TODAY SOMEBODY SAW IT AND CALLED IT IN.
SO JUST WITH THE IDEA IS THAT IF WE GET AN IF WE GET ANY MORE APPLICATIONS AND IF THEY ARE THE CONDITIONS ADDED TO THEM, OR IS THERE A CONDITION THAT WE COULD PUT IN THERE THAT WOULD MINIMIZE FIRE? WELL, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY HAD SO MUCH SURVEILLANCE AND THEY COULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE FACILITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT IT'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE CALLING IN THE FIRE AND NOT THE FACILITY.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF SURVEILLING THAT GRASS CUTTING.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S, I MEAN, UNBELIEVABLE.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT OUT, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ONE TODAY.
IF YOU TAKE THIS LIST HOME AND LOOK AT IT.
YOU LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED.
ANYTHING ELSE? UNDER NEW BUSINESS UNDER SECTION SIX.
ALL RIGHT. CONCLUDE NEW BUSINESS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.