>> BUILDING THAT THEY'RE USING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
[I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL]
[00:00:04]
IT IS 7:30 ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024.THIS IS A MEETING OF THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE FIRST THING TO DO IS NOTE THAT EVERYONE IS HERE INCLUDING MR. DRAKE.
[II. ELECTIONS/APPOINTMENTS/SCHEDULE ]
THE SECOND THING TO DO IS AN ELECTION FOR A CHAIR.DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR A CHAIR?
>> I MOVE WE NOMINATE MR. DRAKE.
>> WE HAVE A NOMINATION OF MR. DRAKE AND A SECOND.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS? HEARING NONE.
>> A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR FOR MR. DRAKE TO BE THE CHAIR?
>> LOOKS UNANIMOUS. HERE'S YOUR GAP BACK MR. DRAKE. [LAUGHTER]
>> I SEE YOU'RE BACK IN THE SADDLE.
>> WE WOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL FEBRUARY TO DO THIS IF YOU HADN'T COME BACK TONIGHT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I'LL DO THE BEST JOB I CAN DO.
BUT THE REASON MY JOB IS EASY IS BECAUSE OF YOU ALL.
IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK TONIGHT.
THE SECOND MATTER OF BUSINESS IS TO ELECT A VICE CHAIR.
NOW THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR NOMINATION FOR A VICE CHAIR.
>> I MIGHT NOMINATE MR. RANDALL.
>> I HAVE A MOTION AND MULTIPLE SECONDS FOR MR. RANDALL FOR VICE CHAIR.
>> HAVE A PROPER MOTION FOR THE NOMINATION TO BE CLOSED.
>> PROPER SECOND. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE FOR MR. RANDALL BEING OUR VICE CHAIR.
>> ANY OPPOSED? IT IS UNANIMOUS.
DO I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR OUR SECRETARY FOR THE COMING YEAR?
>> MAY THAT BE EASY? DO I HAVE A SECOND?
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? PLEASE SAY NO.
I'LL SAY NOMINATION BE CLOSED AND A SECOND.
FOR SECRETARY, WE HAVE MRS. BETH LEWIS.
>> VOTE LIKE SIGN AND IT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> THE SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS UNDER ITEM NUMBER 2 IS THE ADOPTION OF OUR 2024 MEETING SCHEDULE.
I THINK THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET.
IF ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I ACTUALLY WAY THE MEETINGS ARE OUTLINED FOR THE COMING YEAR.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE STILL HAVE THE ALLOWANCE FOR THE FARE, CORRECT?
>> EVERYTHING IS PRETTY MUCH THE SECOND THURSDAY.
>> MOTION TO ADOPT THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR 2024 AS PRESENTED.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHESSM. MOTION AND MR. TURNER, MR. LUCAS IS SECONDING THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME.
WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THAT NEXT. THANK YOU, DR. EDWARDS.
HAVE A PROPER MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE SCHEDULE FOR 2024. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
IT OCCURS UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, MR. EDWARDS.
I'M GOING TO ASK AT THIS TIME BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, IF WE WILL ALL STAND IF WE RECITE THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO OUR FLAG.
>> I'M GOING TO ASK IF EVERYONE WOULD REMAIN STANDING AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A BRIEF INVOCATION, PLEASE.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE GIVE THANKS, LORD, FOR OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW YEAR THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE ONES THAT ATTENDED TONIGHT FOR THE 100% ATTENDANCE ON OUR BOARD AS WELL AS THE ONES WHO HAVE COME TONIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING.
LORD, WE JUST ASK YOUR CONTINUED BLESSINGS UPON OUR COUNTY FOR THIS BOARD TONIGHT AS WE HEAR THE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT LORD,
[00:05:01]
THE DECISIONS MADE HERE TONIGHT WILL BE PLEASING TO YOU.LORD, WHEN WE FINISH THIS MEETING TONIGHT, HELP US ALL TO BE HOME TO OUR RESPECTIVE HOMES SAFELY.
THESE AND ALL THINGS BEEN ASKED IN YOUR SON'S NAME, JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.
>> YOU MAY BE SEATED. ON BEHALF OF THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TONIGHT, WE DO WELCOME THE ONES WHO HAVE COME TO BE A PART OF THE MEETING TONIGHT AND OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WHO IS WELL REPRESENTED TONIGHT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AS WELL.
ONE OTHER COMMENT, AND I'LL BE VERY BRIEF, IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK AFTER MY RECOVERY, WHICH I'M STILL DOING THERAPY, BUT I WANT TO THANK AT THIS TIME, WELL, THOSE IN ATTENDANCE BECAUSE SEVERAL IN ATTENDANCE THAT ALSO CAME AND PAID ME VISITS AND I DON'T LEAVE ANYBODY OUT.
BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE VISITS AND THE CARDS AND THE PRAYERS AND THE BEAUTIFUL PLANT.
I GOT TO LOOK AT MY FOLDER AND GET THAT PLANT RIGHT.
MS. LEWIS, MY WIFE TOLD ME IT'S CALLED A DISH GARDEN ARRANGEMENT AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I STILL HAVE IT IN MY DEN AND IT HAS THE PRETTIEST YELLOW BOW ON IT.
I WISH I COULD HAVE BROUGHT IT AND SHOWED IT TO YOU ALL.
BUT YELLOW IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE COLORS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS INTENTIONAL OR NOT.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, WHEN YOU'RE SICKLY OR LAID UP IN THE BED, ACTS OF KINDNESS, WHETHER IT'S A TELEPHONE CALL OR A PLANT OR A CARD OR THAT POP IN VISIT, IT JUST MEANS A WHOLE LOT.
I GUESS I REALLY HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I HADN'T BEEN ON THE RECEIVING SIDE BEFORE.
I JUST WANT SINCERELY AND ONES IN THE AUDIENCE TOO.
I'M NOT GOING TO POINT NAMES OUT BUT SEVERAL HERE, YOU ALL REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO MY RAPID RECOVERY.
I TOLD SEVERAL ON THE BOARD TONIGHT, I REALLY THINK IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, I THINK I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO WALK ON MY OWN AGAIN.
I KNOW PICKING UP AND LIFTING IS GOING TO BE A WHILE DOWN THE ROAD BUT GOD IS GREAT.
HE REALLY IS AND IT'S REMARKABLE AND I REALIZE HOW BLESSED I AM.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
[III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE'RE GOING DOWN ON OUR AGENDA TO ITEM NUMBER 3, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING.OF COURSE, I WAS LISTENING ON THE TELEPHONE BUT I READ THROUGH THE MINUTES AND THAT DON'T MEAN ANYTHING, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED SOMETHING BUT I THOUGHT EVERYTHING LOOKED IN ORDER.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT OR A CORRECTION? DID YOU SPOT ANYTHING IN THE MINUTES THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED?
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
>> I GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
>> MR. TURNER, GIVE US A PROPER SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE? IF NOT, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED SAY AYE.
AT THIS POINT, WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER 4, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
I'LL OPEN UP THE PERIOD NOW AND ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD THAT WANTS TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ABOUT ANYTHING RELATING TO THE COUNTY THAT WE MIGHT AND COULD HELP YOU WITH, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. ANYONE? I TAKE IT EVERYTHING IS GOOD IN THE COUNTY.
THAT'S WONDERFUL. IF NOT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
[V. PUBLIC HEARING ]
ON OUR AGENDA, WE'RE GOING TO ITEM NUMBER 5, IT'S OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.I'M GOING TO ASK IF MISS LEWIS TO REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND ANY COMMENTS THAT SHE'D LIKE TO MAKE, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS A CUP 2023-03.
THIS IS AN APPLICATION BY FRANCIS WOOD MEYER, PROPERTY OWNER, FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A MINING OPERATION.
THE PROPERTY IS KNOWN AS A 26.27 ACRE PORTION OF TAX, PARCEL 106-15-4, WHICH IN TOTAL ENCOMPASSES 71.27 ACRES.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 3,500 FEET WEST OF ITS INTERSECTION WITH SMITHS FERRY ROAD.
THE PROPERTY ADDRESS IS SPECIFICALLY, WELL, 33180, SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD.
REMEMBER A FEW MONTHS AGO YOU WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS TO TAKE THE PROPERTY OUT
[00:10:03]
OF A VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURE AND FORESTAL DISTRICT SO AS TO PERMIT THE SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION TO OPERATE A SAND MINE THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.THIS IS THE NEXT STEP FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, THE APPLICATION WAS ORIGINALLY REVIEWED BY VDOT.
THEY WILL REQUIRE A COMMERCIAL ENTRANCE, AND THEY WILL DETERMINE WHERE THE ENTRANCE WILL BE ON THE PROPERTY.
THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS FROM THE NEARBY PROPERTY OWNERS AS TO WHERE THAT ENTRANCE MIGHT BE.
MR. WOOD MEYER OFFERS THE FOLLOWING PROFFERS.
THE SITE WILL OPERATE IN STRICT ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS OF ANY LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL AGENCY THAT HAS AUTHORITY OVER SUCH OPERATIONS.
THE EXCAVATION AREA SHALL BE DEFINED ON THE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING OFFICE.
NO BLASTING SHALL TAKE PLACE ON THE SITE.
VEHICLE LOADS SHALL BE PROPERLY SECURED PRIOR TO LEAVING THE SITE.
THE PROPERTY WILL BE POSTED AND SECURE WITH A LOCKED GATE TO DETER UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY AND TO CONTROL VEHICULAR ACCESS TO THE SITE.
RECLAMATION WILL BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF BDMME AND SETBACKS ARE PRESCRIBED BY THE BDMME.
MINING OPERATIONS SHALL BE LIMITED TO 6:00 AM TO 7:00 PM.
STRUCTURES THAT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR SAND WASHING OPERATIONS, WHETHER TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, WILL BE BUILT IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCES UNDER THE A1 ZONING DESIGNATION.
THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT MAY BE REVOKED FOR FAILURE TO ABIDE WITH THE ABOVE STATED CONDITIONS.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE, HIS REPRESENTATIVE IS HERE.
I RECEIVED NO CALLS FROM ANY OF THE ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS OR ANYONE ELSE.
IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT THIS TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THE SECOND PAGE OF THE STAFF REPORT, YOU'LL SEE THAT ONLY THE NEMO SANDY LOAM IS DESIGNATED AS PRIME FARM LAND.
IF DRAINED, THE RISK IS NOTED, THAT'S NOT PRIME FARMLAND.
THE APPLICANT PROVIDED AT THE VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURE DISTRICT HEARING THAT THE PROPERTY WAS NOT VERY SUITED TO GROWING MUCH AND THAT'S BUT IT IS VERY SUITED TO MINE SAND.
THAT BRINGS UP HIS APPLICATION.
VDOT SAYS A LOW VOLUME COMMERCIAL ENTRANCE SHALL BE REQUIRED AND THEY HAVE THEIR STANDARDS, AND THE APPLICANT SHALL INSTALL FIXED POST TRUCKS ENTERING HIGHWAY SIGNS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FROM MISS LEWIS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME.
IF SOMEONE LIKE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE APPLICANT, MR. RIDER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
IT'S ESPECIALLY NICE TO SEE YOU, MR. DRAKE.
>> GLAD YOU'RE HEALED UP, FOR HEALING UP.
WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS A PRELIMINARY MATTER, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROFFERS ATTACHED TO THE APPLICATION I FILED ON BEHALF OF MR. WOOD MEYER UNDER MY LETTER OF NOVEMBER 17, I PUT THE OLD ACRONYM FOR, WELL, ACTUALLY I'VE GOT IT WRONG.
IT'S CALLED VIRGINIA ENERGY AND THEY'VE GOT A DEPARTMENT OF MINING.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THAT'S A MISTAKE THAT APPEARS UNDER PROFFER 6 AND 7.
IT'S THE SAME ENTITY, MUCH LIKE THE GAME DEPARTMENT HAS CHANGED ITS ACRONYM LATELY AND MANY OF US HAVE A HARD TIME REMEMBERING THE NEW ONE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK THE STAFF REPORT, WHEN IT SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO ONE OTHER THAN MR. WOOD MEYER THAT OWNS A RESIDENCE WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF THE PROPOSED MINING SITE.
IT WAS IN AG AND FORESTAL DISTRICT.
THERE ARE NO HOMEOWNERS OR ANYTHING THAT WILL BOTHER NOBODY'S COMPLAINT.
THE USE IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONTEMPLATES AND USES IN THAT DISTRICT.
SAND MINING IS OBVIOUSLY NOT UNCOMMON IN SOUTHAMPTON.
THIS WON'T CREATE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OR TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. VDOT HAS NO CONCERNS.
WITH THAT SAID, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
[00:15:03]
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. RIDER.
>> I HAVE JUST A COUPLE. LOOKING AT, I GUESS, THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH, IS THIS MR. WOOD MEYER'S HOME THAT'S BACK HERE? I CAN'T TELL IF IT'S CUT OFF, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE [OVERLAPPING]
>> YES, THAT'S MR. WOOD MEYER'S HOME.
>> THERE'S NO RESIDENCE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE TOTAL PARCEL, I WAS LOOKING AT THE SURVEY AND I THINK IT'S A 2015 SURVEY.
>> THE TOTAL ACREAGE THERE IS 71.27.
THE PROPOSED MINING AREA IS 26.27.
>> THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE FIELD? I'M JUST MAKING SURE I UNDERSTAND.
>> THE BLUE AREA IS THE FIELD, AND THAT'S THE 26 ACRE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. A PORTION OF THE OPEN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY WOULD BE MORE ACCURATE.
>> HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION. HOLD ON.
IT'S PARCEL A, CORRECT? IS THAT RIGHT? I'M TRYING TO FIND A PICTURE.
>> IT'S NOT THE ENTIRE OPEN FIELD?
>> NO, IT'S NOT. IT'S THE 26.27 ACRE.
>> IF THIS FLAT REPORT, THE BLUE AREA YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT'S ON THE ON THE BACK SIDE, IT'S GOT 25A.
IT IS WHAT'S COMING IN MY MIND IN OUR BRIEF.
>> THE FLAT CAN BE A LITTLE HARD TO FOLLOW WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF A TITLE EXAMINATION BECAUSE IT SHOWS A SMALLER PIECE AND IT CHOSE PIECES OWNED BY MR. JONAH WIGGINS PRIOR THAT MR. WOOD MEYER HAS ACQUIRED.
>> THE MAJORITY OF THE PROPERTY IS AN OPEN FIELD?
>> WELL, THE MAJORITY OF THE 26.27 ACRE MINING SITE IS OPEN LAND.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE ANY REMOVAL OF TREES, OR PROBABLY ANY REMOVAL OF CROP LAND.
THAT'S WHY MR. WOOD MEYER WAS SEEKING AN ALTERNATIVE USE.
IT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR FARMING OR GRAZING, OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. THOSE WERE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS I HAVE.
THEY ARE MORE FOR JUST CLARIFICATION THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
>> OF THE BUFFER ZONE, I GUESS, AND IT GOES BACK TO THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT WHERE IS THIS AREA TO BE MINED OF THE 70 ACRES BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING TO REZONE THE 70 ACRES, NOT THE 25 ACRES, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE REZONING HAS TAKEN PLACE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR 25 ACRES THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE.
HAS THERE BEEN ANOTHER MAP? I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS ANOTHER MAP INITIAL ON THE OTHER APPLICATION, MAYBE BACK SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
UNLESS I INCLUDED A MAP, AND I DON'T HAVE THAT BEFORE ME, OF THE OTHER PROPERTY IN THE AG AND FORESTAL DISTRICT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANOTHER MAP.
NOW, I KNOW YOU WERE SPEAKING TO SETBACKS.
I BELIEVE THE VIRGINIA ENERGY REQUIRES 60 FOOT SETBACKS.
I REMEMBER AT THE INITIAL MEETING MAYBE A MEMBER OR TWO HAD INQUIRED ABOUT LARGER SETBACKS.
THE CHARACTER OF THE PROPERTY WOULD MAKE THAT NOT FEASIBLE.
IF WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THIS RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD, WE WOULD ASK THAT THE REQUIREMENTS BE IN ADDITION TO OUR PROFFERS, WHATEVER VIRGINIA ENERGY REQUIRES, AND OBVIOUSLY ANY OTHER LAW, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, COMMONWEALTH, OR THE COUNTY.
REASON I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT INCREASE THE ACTUAL SETBACKS IS THAT IT'S A LARGE SLOPE.
IF YOU MADE IT 100 FEET, IT MAY COST MR. WOOD MEYER THREE OR 400 FEET INSTEAD OF 100 AT 60 FEET.
THE CHARACTER OF THE PROPERTY WOULD CREATE THAT.
AGAIN, FROM ACTUALLY BEING ON THE SITE AND REVIEWING THE MAPS, THE MINING AREA IS NOT CLOSE TO ANYONE ELSE'S IMPROVED PROPERTY AT ALL.
>> JUST TO THE SOUTH OF IT IS ANOTHER SAND MINE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. I BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO MORE SAND MINES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
I BELIEVE HUNTER DARDEN OWNS ONE AND MAYBE PERK TAYLOR OWNS THE OTHER.
[00:20:05]
>> LARRY BROWN OWNS ONE JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROPERTY LINE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S THREE THERE IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY.
I GUESS THAT PROBABLY SPEAKS TO THE QUALITY OF SOIL.
IT'S GOOD FOR SAND, NOT GOOD FOR FARMING.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> MR. RILEY, LOOKING AT YOUR PROFFER NUMBER 8, ACTIVITIES LIMITED TO 6:00 AM AND 7:00 PM, THAT'S SEVEN DAYS A WEEK?
>> YES, SIR. UNLESS ANYONE HERE HAS AN OBJECTION.
IF YOU WERE INCLINED TO RECOMMEND IT AND WANTED TO LIMIT IT, THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH, BUT WE DID PUT THAT.
>> MAYBE WE COULD ELIMINATE SUNDAY.
>> PERHAPS, OR MAYBE PART OF THE DAY.
[NOISE] I DON'T WANT TO BE PRESUMPTIVE.
WE HAVEN'T GIVEN ANY INCLINATION OF WHAT THE VOTE IS GOING TO BE, SO I DON'T WANT TO BE PRESUMPTIVE, BUT I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT CUTTING ALL OF SUNDAY OUT UNLESS IT'S AN ABSOLUTE DEAL BREAKER TO THIS GROUP OR THE BOARD.
>> WELL, DOES ANYONE KNOW? MR. TURNER, NOW, YOU INTO LANDSCAPING, DO YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY BORROW PITS THAT'S OPEN ON SUNDAY? COULD YOU GO AND GET A DUMP TRUCK LOAD OF SAND? DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OPEN OR CLOSED?
>> WE'RE OPEN ON SUNDAY. WE SELL IT AT OUR STORES.
[LAUGHTER] IT'S A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS.
I THINK IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS, THERE'S TIMES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON SUNDAY NOW.
YOU GOT TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR CUSTOMERS THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY TOO.
>> WELL, BEING A FARMER, THE PIT THAT I FREQUENT IS ON THE EDGE OF NORTH CAROLINA BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE VERY FAR NORTH CAROLINA.
BUT THAT PARTICULAR PIT, IT'S CLOSED ON SUNDAY. BUT THAT'S NORTH CAROLINA.
I'M GOING TO ASK, DO YOU KNOW OTHER BORROW PITS IN THE COUNTY? ARE THEY CLOSED OR OPEN? I DON'T MEAN TO CAUSE ANY HEARTACHE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO, I SAY, SET A PRECEDENT.
BUT IT'S NOT REALLY IN A CONDENSED HOUSING AREA, SO I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCATION, BUT SUPPOSE THERE WAS AN INSTANCE WHERE THERE WAS A BORROW PIT GOING THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL OR BY A CHURCH THAT SERVE SUNDAY MORNING.
I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE AN ISSUE.
I DON'T WANT THEM COMING BACK TO SAY, WELL, SO AND SO PIT IS OPEN ON SUNDAY, OUR PIT SHOULD BE OPEN ON SUNDAY.
BUT DOES ANYBODY KNOW ARE PITS TRADITIONALLY OPEN OR CLOSED ON SUNDAY?
>> I HAD THOUGHT THAT IN THE PAST THAT WE HAD MADE THE PROFFERS FOR NOT TO OPERATE ON SUNDAY.
>> I CAN REMEMBER THE PROFFERS FROM ONE THAT SAID THEY WOULD ONLY BE OPEN ON SUNDAY IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY AND VEDA NEEDED THE MATERIAL, BUT THEY WOULD TYPICALLY BE CLOSED ON SUNDAY.
>> I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANYBODY WHO SHUTS DOWN ON SUNDAY LIKE THAT. NO.
>> I DON'T MIND TELLING YOU. I SPEAK COMMERCIAL READY MIX PIT IN THE BRIDGE AREA.
I KNOW THEY'RE CLOSED ON SUNDAYS.
THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I CAN COMMENT ON.
MR. MANN, WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW? DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S CUSTOMARY?
>> I'VE SEEN THEM WORK ON SUNDAYS WHEN THERE WAS SNOW ON THE ROAD, GETTING PREPARED FOR SOMETHING COMING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE MOST IS HE'S GOT TO GO RIGHT BY HIS OWN HOUSE.
>> I DON'T KNOW. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DON'T NEED TO BE OBJECTIVE.
I'M JUST SPEAKING OUT. MS. LEWIS, WOULD IT COME BACK LATER? IF THERE WAS A BORROW PIT AND HAD TO GO THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL SECTION, COULD THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT TRUCKING ON SUNDAY MORNINGS?
>> NOT UNLESS THE COUNTY HAD REGULATIONS AGAINST TRUCKS RUNNING ON SUNDAY MORNINGS.
WHEN YOU LIVE IN AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY WHERE THERE'S AGRICULTURE AND LOGGING.
>> IT'S NO MORE THAN A GRAIN COMBINE. THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE.
MR. MR. WOOD MEYER, CAN I JUST ASK, DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF BUSINESS ON A SUNDAY?
>> THAT SATISFIES ME. I'M GOOD.
[00:25:02]
I THINK MR. WOOD MEYER, FOR YOU ALL THAT MAY NOT KNOW HIM, HE'S A ROOFING CONTRACTOR FOR A LIVING.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A SIDELINE BUSINESS.
HE'S NOT ANTICIPATING FROM THE SIZE OF IT DOING A TON OF VOLUME OR SUNDAY WORK.
BUT SEEING THAT IT'S A BUSINESS THAT HE'S GOING TO DO OUT OF NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS, I WOULD ASK THAT IF YOU ALL WERE INCLINED TO LIMIT WHAT HE COULD DO ON SUNDAY AS FAR AS OPERATIONS, THAT YOU DID IT PERHAPS DURING CHURCH HOURS OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARY OR NOT.
MR. WOOD MEYER HAS SHARED WITH ME IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WHAT I CALL FULL SCALE, 100 TRUCKS GOING IN AND OUT EVERY DAY.
NO DISRESPECT, SIR, BUT BE ON A SMALLER SCALE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARY OR NOT BEING IT IS SOMEWHAT OF A SMALLER BORROW PIT TO BE FORMED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARY OR NOT.
>> I THINK YOU SATISFIED THAT QUESTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR PLANS FOR THE PROPERTY AFTER THE 25 ACRE PIT'S BEEN DUG?
>> NOTHING CONCRETE AT THIS TIME, I REMEMBER THAT COMING UP AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT I BELIEVE THE QUESTION WAS RAISED, WERE THERE GOING TO BE HOUSES BUILT THERE, ETC, AND THE WHOLE THING I THINK MISS LEWIS COULD SPEAK TO IT.
REALLY PUTTING A DEVELOPMENT THERE IS NOT WITHIN THE COUNTY SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME.
I WOULD TELL YOU MR. WOOD MEYER IS AN ENTREPRENEUR FOR A LIVING, SO IF HE SEES A WAY TO MAKE A PROFIT SOMETIME AFTER THE SAND MINING IS COMPLETED, IF IT'S WITHIN WHAT HE CAN DO LEGALLY, HE MAY WANT TO DEVELOP IT AT SOME POINT, BUT AT THIS POINT IT'S RURAL LAND OUT OFF OF 258, AND REALLY IN THE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
SO HE HAS NO IMMEDIATE PLANS FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT THERE OR ANY PLANS AFTER THE MINING IS COMPLETE OTHERWISE.
OKAY. I JUST KNOW THIS BOARD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF LAND USE PLANNING.
I KNOW THERE'S A PLAN TO DIG A 25 ACRE POND, BUT AFTER THAT THERE'S BEEN NO OTHER THOUGHTS? NO, SIR. NOT AT THIS POINT, OTHER THAN OTHER THAN DOING WHATEVER RECLAMATION ACTIVITIES ARE REQUIRED BY VIRGINIA ENERGY.
HE INTENDS TO COMPLY WITH IF HE'S GRANTED THE PERMIT OF ANY LAW APPLICABLE TO HIM.
OTHER THAN THAT WHAT HE'S REQUIRED BY LAW, HE DOES NOT HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN, OR A LONG TERM LONG RANGE PLAN WITH IT OTHER THAN PROBABLY JUST TO ENJOY HIS POND.
THE RURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONING DESIGNATION WOULD PERMIT, OUT OF THE 70 ACRES, 75 ACRES OR WHATEVER, IF SOMEONE WENT THROUGH THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT PROCESS, YOU COULD GET TWO LOTS.
RIGHT, UNDER THE STATE OF THE CURRENT LAW, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT HE COULD DO AT LEAST DEVELOPMENT WISE.
MR. WOOD MEYER, GOT A QUESTION? ALSO IF YOU NOTICE ON THE MAP, THE ROAD FRONT IS EXCLUDED FROM THE MINING PORTION.
[NOISE] MAYBE I CAN GET TWO LOTS, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A PLACE WHERE THE TWO LOTS COULD BE IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I HAVE NO PLANS TO DO ANY HOUSING OR DEVELOP THE PROPERTY ANY FURTHER THAN MINING SAND.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PONDS IN THE BACK BEHIND MY PROPERTY, YOU CAN SEE THAT ALL THAT LANDS THERE WAS NO FUTURE YOU USE DESIGNATED THAT LAND EITHER.
IT'S AGRICULTURAL LAND SURROUNDING ALL THOSE PONDS, AND MY LAND WILL CONTINUE TO BE BASICALLY A TREE FALL SURROUNDING THIS POND SIMILAR TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ALL THE REST OF THE PITS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY MINE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THAT OPEN AREA THAT'S ON THE BACK OF THIS MAP, HOW MANY ACRES IS THAT A WHERE THE PASTURE WHERE YOU GOT THE PASTURE? PASTURE IS ABOUT 20 ACRES, THE REASON WHY WE PUT IT AT 26 ACRES,
[00:30:03]
I BOUGHT THAT PROPERTY BY ITSELF.THERE IS THE EXACT SURVEY OF THE EXACT PARCEL THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BASICALLY REEVALUATE;.
THERE IS A SURVEY OF THAT DONE BECAUSE WHEN I BOUGHT THE PROPERTY FROM JOT WIGGINS WAS ALL ON ONE PHONE, AND I ACTUALLY BOUGHT PARCELS OF THE THREE DIFFERENT PARCELS I BOUGHT ONE AT A TIME, AND EACH ONE OF THEM HAD THEIR OWN SURVEY DONE.
SO WE DIDN'T JUST TAKE A MAGIC MARKING ON THE DRAW LINE AND JUST SAY THAT THIS IS 20 SOMETHING ACRES.
IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN SURVEY PROFESSIONAL.
WELL, I HEARD THE COMMENT MADE WHILE AGO THAT 25A WAS WHERE IT WAS GOING TO BE, BUT I ACTUALLY WENT 25A AND 19A, AND 28B LAND TYPE.
THAT'S THE LAND TYPE [OVERLAPPING] I SEE IT.
I THOUGHT THAT MY MISTAKE I GOT THAT WAS MY MISTAKE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I SAID ALSO.
>> SO PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THAT OPENING, ALL THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THAT WHILE AGO, YOU 60 FOOT SETBACK, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST? NO, THAT'S THE QUESTION WAS RAISED.
I LOOKED IT UP ON VIRGINIA ENERGY'S REGULATIONS BECAUSE THE QUESTION WAS RAISED LAST TIME ABOUT MAYBE PUTTING A LARGER SETBACK UPON CONSULTATION WITH MR. WOOD MEYER, HE SAID THE SLOPE OF THE GRADE ON THE BOUNDARIES WOULD MAKE THAT NOT FEASIBLE.
WHERE THE LONGER YOUR SETBACK IS, THE HARDER IT WOULD BE TO MINE THE PROPERTY, AND THE MORE WOULD BE LOST.
WHEN I WAS THINKING WITH THE MINING, IT WAS THE SETBACKS REQUIRED A 25 FEET.
BUT YOU LOOKED IT UP AND YOU'RE SEEING 60 FEET.
NOW YOU'RE YOU'RE IN THE MINING BUSINESS AND I MAY HAVE LOOKED IT UP INCORRECTLY, BUT I YOU KNOW, I LOOKED IT UP ON MY TELEPHONE TODAY BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I SAW.
BUT WHAT HE WOULD BE ASKING RESPECTFULLY WOULD BE FOR WHATEVER VIRGINIA ENERGY REQUIRES.
WELL, THEY THEY HAVE A REQUIREMENT AND LIKE THE NAME, THEY COULD HAVE CHANGED IT OVER TIME.
YOU AND I WAS THINKING IT WAS 25 FEET AND THEN THE SLOPE WOULD START, BUT THEY COULD'VE GOTTEN IT TO 60.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES THEY DO SET SETBACKS TO PROTECT THE ADJOINING LAND.
ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? IF NOT, THANK YOU, MR. DAN.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK? MY NAME IS ASH CUTCH AND I LIVE ON DARDEN POINT ROAD.
I TOLD MR. MAYOR, I DIDN'T COME HERE TONIGHT TO SAY ANYTHING AND I DIDN'T PLAN ON IT, BUT I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO REMIND YOU.
BUT I'D LIKE IT TO GO INTO RECORD THAT HIGHEST AND BEST USE IS THE RULING PRINCIPLE OF ANY LAND.
AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT SUITABLE FOR GROWING COTTON, OR CORN, OR PEANUTS OR SOY BEANS.
IN MY 23 YEARS OF APPRAISING, THE MOST EXPENSIVE PROPERTY PER SQUARE FOOT THAT I FOUND IN FRANKLIN WAS A DRIVEWAY THAT GOES BEHIND WHAT WAS PARKER DRUG.
IT'S NOW SERVED RESTAURANT FOR PUBLIC PARKING, PRIVATE PARKING, AND THERE'S NO FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE EXAMPLE THAT THIS IS EVER GOING TO BE SUITABLE FOR A PAID PARKING LOT.
SO WITHOUT THAT CONSIDERATION, I WOULD SAY THAT THE NEXT HIGHEST AND BEST USE IS AS A SANDPIT.
I RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE THIS REQUEST.
HOWEVER, MISS LEWIS MENTIONED THAT V DOT WILL DECIDE WHERE THE ENTRANCE COULD BE, AND I PRAISED A PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR A LADY ON 258 BETWEEN WINDSOR AND SMITHFIELD, THERE WAS A CRESCENT SHAPED PIECE AND I CALL VDOT.
THE TAX ASSESSOR HAS SAID IT WAS A $20,000 HALF ACRE BUILDING LOT.
BUT V DOT SAID THERE WAS NO PLACE ALONG ITS CURVE THAT YOU HAD 1,500 FEET OF VISIBILITY.
SO THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW ANYBODY TO BUILD A HOUSE ON IT.
SO I'M SURE VDOT WILL KEEP THIS IN MIND.
IF THERE'S A CURVE ON THIS PROPERTY, I CAN'T VISUALIZE EXACTLY WHERE IT IS, BUT V MAY DISAPPROVE WHATEVER, ALL DECIDE IF IT DOESN'T MEET THAT VISIBILITY REQUIREMENT FOR AN ENTRANCE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? WELL, I'LL MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT AND THEN I'LL OPEN THE PANEL UP FOR ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.
ANYONE ELSE FIRST? IF NOT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING THE APPLICANT.
[00:35:04]
I HAD THE PROPERTY FOR ABOUT A YEAR.IT'S BEEN A WHILE, MR. WHITMER?
>> IT'S BEEN A WHILE PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR.
>> MAYBE ABOUT ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I GUESS NOW.
ANYWAY, ACTUALLY I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE GROWING SEASON, PUT IT OUT OF THE WAY.
NO DISRESPECT AT ALL BUT IT'S JUST NOT SUITABLE FOR CROP LAND.
THE BEST USE OF THAT PROPERTY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD GROW REALLY GOOD TREES.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR A BORROW PIT FOR SAND, GRAVEL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT BECAUSE IT'S SO PREVALENT IN THAT AREA.
I GUESS THE MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO WHEN THAT WATERSHED, I GUESS, IS WHAT CREATED THAT LAYER OR THAT VEIN OF SAND AND MR. WOOD MEYER BOUGHT A PIECE OF IT.
HE HAS A LOVELY HOUSE AND A LOVELY BARN BUT HE ACTUALLY HAS SOME HORSES AND SOME COWS OUT IN THE PASTURE AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE DIDN'T GROW REALLY GOOD CROPS.
IN THIS CASE, HE KNEW IT WAS AGRICULTURAL LAND.
I WOULD CERTAINLY BE IN FAVOR OF GRANTING THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO HIM, AND I WOULD WISH THAT HE WOULD HAVE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS DAY TO GO ALONG WITH HIS ROOFING BUSINESS AND OTHER THINGS THAT HE DOES.
I WILL OPEN IT UP TO ANYONE ELSE ON THE PANEL FOR ANY COMMENTS AND I WILL ALSO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
HOW WILL Y'ALL WANT TO PRESENT IT? WELL, WE'VE GOT A V DOT LETTER BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT RESTRICTS HIM FROM PUTTING THE ENTRANCE IN THAT, CORRECT? I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED BACK TO THE SIGNAGE, AND I THINK THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF MR. BROWN'S COMMENT FROM SEVERAL MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE TRUCKS ENTERING.
I THINK THAT WOULD SATISFY HIS ONLY CONCERN.
NOT A COMPLAINT BUT A CONCERN.
AND I THINK THEY'VE GOT CEMENT UP AGAINST THE ASPHALT.
I THINK THAT'S REQUIRED FOR COMMERCIAL INTEREST.
I KNOW IT CAME UP SO THAT'S WHY I WAS [INAUDIBLE] THAT.
BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER, I DON'T WANT TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING.
I'M UNDERSTAND BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE SAME BUSINESS. THANK YOU.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I WOULD SECOND WITH THE LISTED CONDITIONS.
THAT THE LISTED PROFFERS PROVIDED BY THE [OVERLAPPING] GOOD. I HAVE A PROPER MOTION AND A PROPER SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. MAN HAS ASKED TO BE REFRAINED FROM VOTING.
IF NOT, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
VOTE LIKE SIGN. EVERYBODY IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD, MR. MAN'S ABSTAINING.
MISS LEWIS, WHEN WOULD THE BOARD SUPERVISOR HEAR THIS? AS SOON AS THEY WOULD HEAR IT WOULD BE THE FEBRUARY MEETING.
FEBRUARY MEETINGS, WE WISH YOU THE BEST.
THANK YOU FOR YOU AND MR. RAY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND I THINK Y'ALL ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS TONIGHT.
WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, GOODBYE. [OVERLAPPING] THAT TO ME TOMORROW.
WE WILL GO DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 2.
WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING THE LANDSCAPING REGULATIONS FOR THE COUNTY CODE, AND I'M GOING TO ASK IF MISS LEWIS AGAIN WILL ALLUDE ON THAT.
YOU'VE LOOKED AT THIS ORDINANCE A COUPLE TIMES.
YOU STARTED WITH SOME FROM VARIOUS LOCALITIES, YOU DECIDED THAT THE ONE AT FRANKLIN WITH A FEW ORDINANCE, WITH A FEW AMENDMENTS WAS PRETTY GOOD.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE, IS THIS ORDINANCE, IT DOESN'T APPLY TO ONE IN TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.
IT REQUIRES LANDSCAPING BETWEEN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CATEGORIES BETWEEN CLASS 1 AND CLASS 2 USES, WHICH ARE LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND QUIETER OTHER USES.
BETWEEN THAT AND CLASS 3 AND 4 WHICH IS HIGHER IMPACT COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USES.
BUT BETWEEN COMMERCIAL USES, IF IT'S A COMMERCIAL USE TO A COMMERCIAL USE, THERE'S NO INTERNAL BUFFER REQUIRED.
IT DOES REQUIRE LANDSCAPING ALONG THE ROADWAY, LIKE MR. RANDALL HAS ALONG HIS PROPERTY ON 58.
IT REQUIRES PARKING LOT LANDSCAPING TO HELP MAKE LARGE AREAS OF
[00:40:02]
ASPHALT LESS OBJECTIONABLE IN JULY AND AUGUST, AND IT REQUIRES THE RETENTION OF EXISTING NATURAL HEALTHY TREES.I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS LEWIS? I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT. WHAT PERIOD OF TIME DO THE TREES HAVE TO LOOK NATURAL AND STILL LIVING? IS THERE ANY TIME FRAME THERE? ONCE A SITE PLAN IS APPROVED WITH LANDSCAPING ON IT, THOSE TREES HAVE TO STAY LIVING AS LONG AS THAT SITE'S THERE.
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY CAN LET THEM DIE IN TWO YEARS.
JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ELEMENT OF A SITE PLAN, PARKING SPACES, OR LIGHTING OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THE CLASS 1 DESIGNATION, I GUESS, OF THE FARMER THAT COMES ALONG AND SAYS, I WANT TO CARVE OUT A HOUSE LAND AND BUILD A HOUSE ON THIS PARCEL.
JUST ONE HOUSE. IS THAT APPLICATION GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO THIS LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE? THIS LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE DOESN'T APPLY TO ONE OR TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
ON THE FIRST PAGE AT THE BOTTOM, NUMBER 5, IT SAYS, APPLICATION, THE REQUIREMENTS SHALL APPLY TO ALL REAL PROPERTY, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING.
AND NUMBER FIVE IS ONE AND TWO FAMILY DWELLINGS.
VERY GOOD. SORRY, I DID MISS THAT. THANK YOU.
AS YOU RECALL THAT UTILITY SCALE SOLAR DEVELOPMENT IS EXEMPTED BECAUSE THAT CHAPTER HAS EXTENSIVE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS IN IT.
AND NUMBER 4 ON THAT LIST IS PROPERTY DEVELOPED UNDER PLANNED OFFICE AND INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
AND THAT ZONING DISTRICT HAS EXTENSIVE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
>> MISS TURNER, I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE YOU NOW.
YOU AN AUTHORITY IN THIS CATEGORY.
[LAUGHTER] DID YOU HAPPEN TO NOTICE ANY DISCREPANCIES ON ANYTHING WE NEED TO BE ALERTED?
>> I THINK IT'S A GOOD COMPROMISE WHERE IT GIVES SOME LEEWAY TO THE LANDOWNERS BUT ALSO MAKES IT APPEALING.
>> WE GRILLED THEM GOOD WHEN WE WERE VERY SPACIOUS.
>> ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS ORDINANCE AND THE TEMPLATE THAT WE USED IN FRANKLIN WAS IN INSTANCES WHERE INTERIOR LANDSCAPING IS REQUIRED BETWEEN USES.
FRANKLIN'S ORDINANCE SAYS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS MANY PIECES OF VEGETATION AND A WIDTH, AND MR. TURNER SUGGESTED THAT WE TAKE OUT THE WIDTH.
IT DEPENDS ON THE PROPERTY AND WHAT'S GROWING THERE.
AND SO THE NUMBER OF TREES AND SHRUBS AND EVERYTHING REMAINS THE SAME, BUT THERE'S NO SPECIFIED WIDTH.
>> IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>> YEAH. I HAD ONE OTHER TOO AND JUST MORE OF A DEFINITION.
I KNOW WHAT A STREET IS, AND I KNOW WHAT A YARD IS.
>> IT'S THE GREENERY THAT IS ALONG THE STREET.
IT IS WHERE YOU WOULD PLANT THE LANDSCAPING THAT'S REQUIRED BETWEEN THE PARKING LOT OR THE BUILDING AND THE STREET.
>> SOME OF MR. CHURN'S LINGO THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW.
>> YEAH, [LAUGHTER] THAT'S A NEW ONE.
>> THAT'S A NEW ONE FOR ME TOO BUT I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> I'VE BEEN IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE GREEN AREA IN BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE STREET, AND I WAS THINKING, WELL, MAYBE THAT'S THE STREET YARD.
>> WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PIECE OF PROPERTY, IT'S THE SIDE OF THE PROPERTY THAT FACES THE STREET.
SO THAT'S WHAT I GOT STREET YARD.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT SECTION, IT SAYS, THIS SECTION IS INTENDED TO ESTABLISH A LANDSCAPE AREA ADJACENT AND PARALLEL TO ANY PUBLIC STREET, RIGHT OF WAY.
THIS STREET YARD SHALL BE PLANTED WITH LIVE HEALTHY TREES.
SO IT'S NOT THE AREA BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE CURB, THAT'S THE UTILITY STRIP.
IF THERE WAS A SIDEWALK, IT WOULD BE ON THE BACK SIDE, ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
[00:45:01]
>> IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>> SO I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO AT THIS TIME, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD TO SPEAK, ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THE LANDSCAPE REGULATIONS AND THE COUNTY CODE, COME FORWARD.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
ON PAGE 1, IT TALKS ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND INTENT AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SAYS PRESERVATION OF EXISTING TREES.
THAT'S ABOUT THE FOURTH LINE OF TEXT, AND MY QUESTION IS, DOES THIS APPLY TO A SUBDIVISION OF 2030, 40 LOTS IN A WOODED SECTION, LIKE WHERE MR. RANDALL AND DR. EDWARDS AND I LIVE, THAT WAS 100 ACRES OF WOODED LAND BEFORE, AND SOMEBODY'S GOING TO COME THROUGH AND PUT IN 101 ACRE LOTS OR 51 ACRE LOTS.
DOES IT APPLY TO THEM, TO THAT DEVELOPER?
>> THAT LAND CLEARING THAT TOOK PLACE TO DEVELOP A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE YOURS WAS UNDER THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORMWATER REGULATIONS.
THIS WOULDN'T APPLY TO AREAS THAT ARE 100 ACRES THAT'S BEING CLEARED FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS ORDINANCE WOULDN'T APPLY.
>> SO SOME OTHER PLACE THAT DIDN'T HAVE THIS TYPE OF EROSION CONTROL, THAT APPLIES TO WHERE WE LIVE, AND SO 100 ACRES OF WOODED LAND, THE DEVELOPER COULD CLEAR EVERY TREE OFF OF IT?
>> EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL APPLIES THROUGHOUT VIRGINIA.
SO IF SOMEONE CAME IN WITH 100 ACRES AND WANTED TO BUILD A NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WOULD FIRST HAVE TO SATISFY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, WHICH SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAS ADOPTED EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS AND STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS.
SO IT IS UNLIKELY IF SOMEONE HAD 100 ACRES OF PROPERTY THAT THEY WANTED TO BUILD ON, THEY COULD CLEAR 100 ACRES BECAUSE THEY WOULD NEVER MEET THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORMWATER REQUIREMENT.
BUT THIS DOESN'T REQUIRE EACH HOUSE TO HAVE LANDSCAPING.
>> WELL, THAT ONE LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
IF THE DEVELOPER DEVELOPED 100 ACRES INTO 50 OR 60 LOTS AND MET THE SEDIMENT AND EROSION CONTROL AND THEN SOLD ONE ACRE LOTS, COULD THEN THE HOMEOWNER WHO PLANS TO BUILD A HOUSE ON HIS ONE ACRE LOT, COULD HE THEN GO THROUGH AND CLEAR EVERY TREE AND MAKE IT A VACANT LOT?
>> THERE ARE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS IF YOU'RE CLEARING MORE THAN AN ACRE.
IF YOU'RE CLEARING LESS THAN AN ACRE, YOU COULD IF YOU BOUGHT AN ACRE IN THE SUBDIVISION AND YOU WANT TO CLEAR IT ALL AND TAKE DOWN EVERY TREE, THEN YES, YOU COULD DO THAT.
>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ANYBODY WOULD WANT TO, BUT YOU'D ALLOW THAT.
LIKE MR. RANDALL CLEARED MOST OF THE TREES OFF OF HIS LOT, AND I LEFT MOST OF THE TREES ON MY LOT, AND THAT'S OUR PERSONAL CHOICE.
BUT NEITHER ONE OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN VIOLATING ANY KIND OF REGULATION THAT THIS IS GOING TO ESTABLISH [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S CORRECT. AND THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO ONE AND TWO FAMILY DWELLINGS.
>> THERE'S HIGHER ORDER REGULATIONS THAT APPLY TO SUBDIVISIONS AND CLEARING.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD? IF NOT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE HEARING.
AT THIS TIME IS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION?
>> WE'RE JUST VOTING TO APPROVE IT TO SEND IT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR APPROVAL; IS THAT RIGHT?
>> CORRECT. IT'S A RECOMMENDATION. CORRECT.
>> I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AS I'M ON READY.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE.
RECOMMEND IT AND SEND IT ON TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
>> HAVE A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO SEND THE ORDINANCE UP AS PRESENTED IN A PROPER SECOND.
AGAIN IS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
IT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS LEWIS FOR PREPARING THAT.
NOW, WE'VE NAMED ITEM NUMBER 6 AND A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT.
[VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
I THINK THAT'S IN FRONT OF ALL OF US TONIGHT.MISS LEWIS, I WILL LET YOU PROCEED WITH THAT, PLEASE, MA'AM.
>> WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE MOST RECENT DRAFT WITH ALL THE AMENDMENTS AND TINA BRADSHAW AND THE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE GOT ALL THE PAGES NUMBERED,
[00:50:05]
WHICH I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO.THE PICTURES ARE ALL FACING THE CORRECT DIRECTION.
THERE WERE A COUPLE THAT WERE 90 DEGREES OFF.
THE BACK ARE ALL THE PLANNING AREA MAPS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS, NOW'S THE TIME TO MAKE THEM.
WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE THIS FOR A PUBLIC HEARING?
>> YES. THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE NEEDS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ATTENTION.
THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WELL, THERE ARE UPCOMING, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION, CHANGES TO THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORM WATER REGULATIONS AND THE FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS.
AS WE LEARNED WHEN THE VERIZON TOWER CAME BEFORE, OUR TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORDINANCE IS OUTDATED TOO, BECAUSE THE STATE HAS CHANGED AND LOTS OF THINGS THAT OUR ORDINANCE REQUIRES, THE STATE DOESN'T REQUIRE THEY PROVIDE ANYMORE.
THERE'S A LIST OF FIVE OR SIX ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL NEED TO LOOK AT SOMETIME IN THE NEXT AFTER BUDGET SEASON, SOMETIME IN 2024.
BUT I'LL WORK WITH MR. THROWER AS TO HOW HE WANTS TO DO A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IF HE WANTS THIS BOARD TO HOLD IT, IF HE WANTS A JOINT ONE WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, IF HE AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WANT TO HAVE A WORKSHOP WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION HOLDS A PUBLIC HEARING.
>> THESE ARE THE LAST THREE COVERS OF YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO RECOMMEND THE COVER LOOK LIKE.
FRANKLIN SOUTHAMPTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
MR. HECK HAS LOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHS.
I ASKED IF HE WAS GOING TO GET A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE NEW COURTHOUSE WHEN IT WAS DONE, AND HE SAID, YES, THEY HIRE A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER, BUT HE HAS LOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT THE COVER TO LOOK LIKE, BUT WE CAN START THINKING ABOUT IT.
>> CAN WE MAKE SUGGESTIONS OR NOT? YOU COME BACK NEXT MONTH, BECAUSE I LIKE THAT COTTON PICKER.
BUT MR. MAY, WE NEED A RYAN BILL PICKER, RIGHT?
>> WE GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR PEANUTS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THIS WAS ADOPTED IN 2015, SO THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE FROM THE EARLY TEENS, AND MR. HECK HAS LOTS OF NEW PHOTOGRAPHS.
IF YOU HAVE CERTAIN ONES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO INCLUDE LIKE COTTON PICKING, PEANUT PICKING.
>> THE COURTHOUSE. I THINK THE COURTHOUSE MAGNIFICENT.
>> IT'S BEEN A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR YEARS AND YEARS, SO IT SEEMS TO BE TOPICAL.
>> TOPICAL, YES. I'M SORRY, TOPICAL.
YEAH. I JUST HADN'T SEEN IT FOR A WHILE.
>> SO IT MAY NEED A PLACE ON THE COVER TOO.
>> BUT I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT. IT'S VERY PRETTY.
>> NOT THAT IT'S THAT BIG OF A DEAL, BUT ON THE FRONT PAGE OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED WITH, I THINK IT'S GOT AN EXTRA H IN IT, I MIGHT BE WRONG.
>> OKAY. WELL, I'LL CHANGE THE SPELLING.
I'LL CHECK AND MAKE SURE TO SEE WHAT THE SPELLING IS.
>> I DON'T KNOW. YOU THINK THERE'S AN EXTRA H? I REALLY DON'T KNOW. OKAY.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO BE THINKING ABOUT THE COVER PAGE, OF COURSE.
THAT'LL BE OUR RECOMMENDATION AGAIN TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND WE'LL THINK ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WE NEED TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING BEFORE WE HAVE THE HEARING, BUT WE COULD THINK ABOUT THAT ALSO BETWEEN THEN AND NEXT MEETING. BUT VERY GOOD.
WE APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THAT TOGETHER.
PLEASE REVIEW IT IN THE COMING 30 DAYS AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE'VE MISSED OR NEED TO ADD OR WHATEVER.
WELL, I'D SAY IT'S BEEN A LENGTHY PROCESS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S BEEN GOOD THAT WE COULD DO IT IN-HOUSE AGAIN.
MISS LEWIS, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE LEGWORK YOU DO FOR US TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
>> WHEN DID WE OFFICIALLY START ON THIS?
>> YOU OFFICIALLY STARTED ON THIS IN 2019, BECAUSE IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2015 AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REVIEWED EVERY FIVE YEARS.
SO YOU STARTED EARLY AND YOU STARTED IN 2019.
[00:55:03]
>> THEN COVID HIT AND THEN SOLAR HIT, AND YOU SPENT A YEAR DOING SOLAR.
>> BUT THE STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT YOU REVIEW IT EVERY FIVE YEARS TO SEE IF IT NEEDS UPDATING, AND YOU DID.
YOU REVIEWED IT IN 2019 AND DECIDED IT DID NEED UPDATING.
SO YOU FULFILLED THE STATE LAW.
>> I THINK WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A TIMETABLE IN OUR NEXT MEETING.
>> YES. I WILL SPEAK TO MR. THROWER ABOUT HOW HE WANTS THIS TO PROCEED.
>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. ARE WE DONE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? SECOND. ALL RIGHT. MISS LEWIS, YOU WANT TO GO OVER TO SUMMARY OF OUR 2023 ACTIVITIES.
>> YOU JUST HAVE A LIST OF OF THE NUMBERED ACTIONS THAT YOU TOOK AND A LITTLE SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
WE WERE LOOKING AT IT JUST A MINUTE AGO. THERE IT IS.
LOOKED AT THE FIREWOOD OPERATION AND MR. WOOD MEYER, VOLUNTARY AG DISTRICT, THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER, THE CEDAR LANE PROJECT, WHICH IS STILL ON HOLD, AND THE TRUCKING AND WAREHOUSE FACILITY THAT YOU LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
IT'S A LITTLE SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW PROCESS, THE INFORMATION GATHERING PROCESS, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WE WENT THROUGH, AND YOUR LITTER CONTROL AND MAYOR'S MEETING THAT YOU HAD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THEN WE LOOKED AT THE CAMP PARKWAY PROJECT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN YOU AMENDED YOUR BY-LAWS TO PERMIT MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE BY PHONE OR REMOTELY.
>> OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT?
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT IT JUST JUMPS OUT AT ME THAT BUSINESSES, WHEN WE GET SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF IT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO JUST REMEMBER THAT, AND LOOKING BACK FOR A YEAR, THAT SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER THINGS AND TRY TO PUT THINGS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, PHILOSOPHICALLY.
>> HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LAST YEAR THAT THAT WE MISSED?
>> NO, I'M SPEAKING GENERALLY THAT FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF ACTIVITY.
>> OKAY. MISS LEWIS, WHEN IS OUR ZONING ORDINANCE? IS THERE A TIMELINE THAT WE GO THROUGH THAT LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO OR WE JUST DECIDED THAT WE WANT TO UPDATE IT?
>> WE JUST DECIDE, THERE'S NO STATE LAW.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN AMENDMENTS MADE OVER THE YEARS.
THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE, THE SOLAR ORDINANCE.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, YOU DEFINED AND SEPARATED COMMERCIAL FROM PRIVATE HUNT CLUBS, ADDED EVENT SPACES A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, EVENT FACILITIES.
A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, YOU ADDED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, AND FAMILY CARE UNITS, DEFINED THE WORD LODGE.
THE ORDINANCE USED TO SAY A LODGE IS PERMITTED, BUT THERE WAS NO DEFINITION, AND SO IF SOMEONE CAME TO ME AND SAID THEY WANTED TO BUILD A LODGE AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE SAID YOU COULD HAVE A LODGE, I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS A SKI LODGE WHERE PEOPLE SPENT THE NIGHT, IF IT WAS HOWARD JOHNSON'S LODGE WHERE HE HAD DINNER, IF IT WAS A WHERE FRED FLINTSTONE AND HIS FRIENDS HANG OUT, OR VFW LODGE.
SO NOW THERE'S A DEFINITION FOR LODGE.
THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES MADE OVER THE YEARS.
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS PROBABLY DUE FOR A ZONING ORDINANCE REVAMP AS A WHOLE.
THERE ARE USES IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW EXIST ANYMORE, SO TIN-SMITHING.
>> ALL RIGHT. [OVERLAPPING] GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY.
>> WE HAVE IN THE PAST DONE BUILDING PERMITS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, SHOWN THE HOUSES,
[01:00:01]
AND WE HAD AN OUTLAY OF THAT, AND I GUESS I'M PICKING UP ON MR. RANDALL'S PART.THESE ARE THE COMMISSION'S ACTIONS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NOT OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON IN THE COUNTY THAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED IN AN AREA THAT WAS ALREADY ZONED, AND ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS COME TO YOUR OFFICE AND SIGN OFF ON IT.
>> THIS IS WHAT COME ACROSS OUR DESK.
>> YEAH, IT DOESN'T COME ACROSS OUR DESK, BUT IT IS AN IMPROVEMENT OF THE COUNTY.
>> SO MAYBE IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE, COULD WE HAVE LIKE THE NUMBER OF BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED?
>> WELL, WE CAN DO THAT, AND EVERY MONTH IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AGENDA PACKAGE, THERE IS ALL THE BUILDING PERMITS THAT WERE ISSUED FOR NEW PROJECTS, AND THEN SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS AND A LIST OF ALL THE NUMBER OF PLUMBING PERMITS AND MECHANICAL PERMITS, AND ALL THE INSPECTIONS THAT WERE DONE FOR THE MONTH.
THAT'S IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AGENDA PACKAGE EACH MONTH.
BUT NEXT MONTH, I CAN CERTAINLY BRING YOU A 2023 [OVERLAPPING] EVERYTHING.
>> YEAH. AND IT'S NOT THIS YEAR, BUT WE HAD THE HAMPTON PHONES DO THE PLACE UP THERE RIGHT THERE ON 58, AND THEN THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPROVEMENTS I THINK THEY ADDED ON AROUND HERE.
BIRDSONG DID THAT SIDE A FEW YEARS AGO.
>> THOSE ARE ALL IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AGENDA PACKAGE EVERY MONTH.
>> SO THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN GET DONE THAT ARE DONE THAT DO NOT COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
>> AND IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF OUR PLANNING AND IT SHOWS US THE PLANNING AND THE EFFECTS OF WHAT WE DID..
>> TO ANSWER MR. RANDALL'S CONCERN, THE BOARD IS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
IN FACT, THERE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY AND THE CITY THAT ARE GETTING TOGETHER ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO LOOK AT THESE PROBLEMS. SCHOOLS, DEVELOPMENT, YOU NAME IT, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT, AND I'M NOT SURE WHEN WE'LL COMPLETE THAT ANALYSIS, BUT IT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY, BUT IT IS BEING LOOKED AT.
I THINK THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS WE NEED TO WORK WITH FRANKLIN.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE ASPECTS.
>> WE'RE GOING TO GET READY TO CLOSE THE MEETING HERE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT MISS LEWIS, BRIEFLY, IS THERE ANY WAY SOMEONE FROM THE [INAUDIBLE] LINES, THEY'RE FINALLY COMING INTO NUISANCE, BY THE WAY, IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET A SPOKESPERSON TO GIVE US UP DATE?
>> THAT WOULD BE MR. HECK FROM FSEDI.
>> IS ANYBODY ELSE GOT ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT? THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS BEING ASKED AS WHEN THE HOUSEHOLDS WILL BE HOOKED EVEN THOUGH THE LINE IS COMING.
>> I TALKED TO HIM RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AND HE SAID THEY GOT A ANOTHER COUPLE OF CREWS FROM WISCONSIN TO COME DOWN TO HELP THEM.
SO INSTEAD OF LAYING A MILE A DAY, THEY'RE LAYING SIX MILES A DAY, SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE PROBABLY LIKE SIX MONTHS.
>> THAT'S UPDATED ON EACH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, THAT LITTLE TOPIC AND WHAT'S GOING ON TO DO SOMETHING, WHATEVER, PART OF THE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
>> YOU CAN GO TO FSEDI'S WEBSITE AND THERE'S A MAP THAT THEY KEEP UP THAT SHOWS THE MOVEMENT OF THE PROJECT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WHEN WE WERE AT REVEREND LUCAS' CHURCH, MR. HECK WAS THERE AND HE SAID, YES, THEY USED TO MOVE A MILE A DAY, AND NOW THEY'RE MOVING SIX MILES A DAY, AND I BELIEVE HE SAID THEY EXPECT TO BE DONE THIS SUMMER.
>> THAT'S WHAT HE SAID. THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD ME.
THEY WERE WAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
>> IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS AS FAR AS THE BOARD GOES, MS. LINDA UPDIKE IS THE ONE WHO HAS FOLLOWED THAT MORE CLOSELY THAN ANYBODY ON THE BOARD AND PROBABLY KNOWS MORE ABOUT THAT THAN ANYBODY ON THE BOARD, SO I'M SURE SHE WOULD PROBABLY ENTERTAIN YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> VERY GOOD. SIGNS AND LIGHTNING.
LET'S SEE, I GUESS THAT WAS NEW BUSINESS.
>> IN THE LAST MEETING, WE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE SOLAR FARM SITUATION, THE 8,000-9,000 ACRES, ACTUALLY CLOSER TO NINE, I'VE BEEN TOLD OFFICIALLY THAN EIGHT.
I HAD CONTACT WITH ONE OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SUSSEX COUNTY AND OUR ADMINISTRATOR IS MR. THROWER HAS CONTACTED THEIR ADMINISTRATOR AND WE'RE GOING
[01:05:03]
TO TRY TO GET TOGETHER WITH THEM AND FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.FROM THIS BOARD MEMBER, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE BEING INUNDATED WITH SOLAR COMPANY.
AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, HE SAID THERE WERE 18 NEW APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE SHARED OUR SOLAR ORDINANCE WITH THEM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH IT.
IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE TO DO A WHOLE LOT, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT.
I THOUGHT I'D LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT US ASKING THE BOARD TO GET INVOLVED, WE HAVE AND WE WILL KEEP EVERYBODY POSTED WITH WHAT WE FIND.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP, AND THIS AFFECTS PEOPLE ALONG OUR COMMERCIAL AREA.
ARE YOU AWARE OF THE ARCHIVE ROAD PLAN?
>> NO. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? PART OF THE BYPASS THAT WAS WELL RECOMMENDED.
>> VDOT HAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AN ARCHIVE PLAN, WHICH IT'S A COMPLICATED LOOKING THING TO ME, AND IT INVOLVES EVERYTHING IN YOUR AREA ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD.
IT MAY BE SCHEDULED ANYWHERE FROM THREE YEARS TO SIX YEARS FROM NOW, WE'RE NOT SURE, BUT IT'S COMING TO THE BOARD FOR A RECOMMENDATION, YES OR NO.
I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME SORT OF PRESENTATION HERE NEXT MONTH TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION SO EVERYBODY KNOWS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THEIR COMMERCIAL AREA.
PEOPLE IN THE COMMERCIAL AREA, IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, THEN YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
>> I MADE SEVERAL COMMENTS IN THE PAPER ABOUT IT.
>> WELL, THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MET ON IT LAST WEEK [OVERLAPPING] AND VOTED 3-1 AGAINST IT, BUT I THINK JUST FOR PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'M LOOKING AT IT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO HURT COMMERCIAL BUSINESS AND IT MAKES IT HARD TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU GET WHERE THERE, ESPECIALLY IF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT YOU DIDN'T DIDN'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO.
SO I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THE BOARD THIS COMING MONTH, BUT THEN THE BOARD WILL, I BELIEVE, ACT ON IT FEBRUARY.
SO THIS BOARD WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT IN FEBRUARY MEETING BEFORE THE BOARD, AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE.
IF YOU WANT TO, FINE, BUT MAYBE JUST SOME SORT OF OPINION ON IT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE I THINK, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT AREA, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT YOU.
WE HAVE ASKED VDOT, WE CAN'T WAIT FIVE OR SIX YEARS TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY SITUATIONS THERE, AND WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO TO COME TO THE BOARD WITH SOME PLAN.
I'VE ALMOST BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL PLACES.
I'VE HARDLY BEEN THERE 20 MINUTES OUT OF THE LAST THREE MONTHS, BUT I'VE SEEN TWO ACCIDENTS AND SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS.
SO I JUST THOUGHT, UNLESS SOMEBODY OBJECTED, MAYBE MISS LEWIS COULD GIVE US A QUICK RUNDOWN ON IT NEXT MEETING, AND DON'T NEED A PUBLIC HEARING OR ANYTHING, SO EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON BEFORE IT HIT THE BOARD LEVEL.
>> MISS LEWIS, IF YOU THINK YOU CAN GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR A POSSIBLE SPOKESPERSON JUST TO GIVE US AN OUTLINE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I WILL RECOGNIZE MR. CUTCHINS IF YOU GOT A COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU. I GOT TWO COMMENTS.
ONE CONTAINS OF WHAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
I SPENT A TERM ON THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND WE HAD SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THIS R-CUT.
IF YOU DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS, VDOT GAVE A PRESENTATION WITH A VIDEO AND IT SHOWED IT WAY OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS WITH NO BUILDINGS ANYWHERE AROUND.
AND WHAT IT WOULD INVOLVE, MR. RANDALL, IS IF I WAS AT GRAYSON AND EMMA'S AND WANTED TO COME TO SEE YOU, I'D HAVE TO TURN RIGHT AND GO TOWARDS FRANKLIN AND GO HALFWAY TO NOTTOWAY HOUSE AND MAKE A U-TURN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM FRANKLIN, AND THEN COME AND STOP AT THE STOP LIGHT AT STORYS STATION ROAD AND THEN COME TO YOUR PLACE.
>> THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY STOP LIGHT.
>> THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY STOPLIGHT.
>> THERE WOULD BE NO STOP LIGHT, I FORGOT THAT, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD INVOLVE.
AND IF YOU WANTED TO GO TO MEL'S AUTO REPAIR DOWN THERE BEYOND NOTTOWAY HOUSE, YOU'D HAVE TO TURN AND GO TO CORTLAND, HALFWAY TO CORTLAND,
[01:10:01]
AND TURN IN FRONT OF HELENA CHEMICAL AND COME BACK.SO IT'S COMPLICATED WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC.
AND I THINK THE VDOT VIDEO IS VERY MISLEADING BECAUSE IT SHOWS IT OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS IN A VERY REMOTE AREA, AND IT WOULD WORK THERE BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE 100 TRUCKS COMING AT YOU FROM FRANKLIN AS YOU WANTED TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN, THE U-TURN AT NOTTOWAY HOUSE AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE 100 TRUCKS COMING FROM EMPORIA IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE THE U TURN AT HELENA CHEMICAL.
SO I THINK VDOT IS SELLING US A BAG OF WORMS, REALLY, TRYING TO PROMOTE IT.
THEY HAVEN'T CONVINCED ME THAT IT'S SAFER, BUT THEY SAY STATISTICS SHOW THAT IT'S SAFER, BUT I TRY TO IMAGINE MYSELF COMING FROM GRAYSON AND EMMA'S AND GOING TO YOUR OFFICE, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE SAFER.
>>I AGREE WITH YOUR SENTIMENTS AND I'LL SAY THIS PUBLICLY.
I THINK IT'S MORE TO GET THE TRUCKS FROM THE PORT TO I 95 AND I85 THAN IT IS FOR SAFETY.
>> THAT'S A PILE OF MONEY AND YOU COULD USE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLION OUT OF 35 MILLION AND GOD KNOWS SIX YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, 100 MILLION.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE A MAIN IN MAINE AND SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, AND I SAW THE VIDEO AND IT WAS COMPLETELY MISLEADING.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE POLITICS OF IT, BUT OUR MAIN IN MAINE IS STORYS STATION, ROUTE 58, WHERE WE HAVE A LIGHT.
WE HAVE HAD REDESIGNS THAT HAVE HURT BUSINESSES, NOT MY BUSINESS, BUT I AM VERY SYMPATHETIC.
FOR AN EXAMPLE, LET'S JUST USE FREDDIE'S AS AN EXAMPLE.
THE WAY THEY DID THE TURN LANE, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE THAT I DO NOT THINK HELPED THAT PARTICULAR BUSINESS.
I'M JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND, BUT IT'S VERY HARD TO COME AROUND THAT CORNER AND SEE THAT BUSINESS AND REACT QUICKLY.
I'M FOR BUSINESS, BUT I AM FOR SAFETY.
BUT I'M NOT FOR SAFETY THAT'S GOING TO ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATE BUSINESS AND THAT IS WHAT THIS PLAN IS DOING.
THE ONE INTERESTING THING IS WHEN I INQUIRED INDIVIDUALLY, YOU GET THREE DIFFERENT ANSWERS FROM THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S WHY I UNDERSTAND MY CHAIRMAN'S PERSPECTIVE.
HE BROUGHT ME ONTO HIS SIDE BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE HIS PERSPECTIVE CLEARLY.
NOW EVENTUALLY BECAUSE I'VE GOT A THICK SKULL, I CAME AROUND TO IT ABOUT SOLAR PANELS BECAUSE THAT'S IMPACTING HIS LIVELIHOOD.
BUT BUSINESS IS MORE MY LIVELIHOOD THAN FARMING, EVEN THOUGH I DO A FEW FOOD PLOTS.
BUT I HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY AND MY PRICE PER ACRE IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.
MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE, MR. TURNER CAN TELL YOU.
BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A COMMON SENSE APPROACH THAT WE DON'T SCARE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY.
NOW AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOARD, IS TO SMELL OUT THE FRAUDS.
LIKE A NUISANCE, WHEN WE HAD OUR FIRST SOLAR PANEL, I'LL CALL THAT A FRAUD.
I FEEL SAFE SAYING THAT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST NOT INTUITIVE WHAT THEY PRESENTED AND WHAT HAPPENED.
THAT'S WHAT OUR JOB IS TO DO, IS TO BALANCE THE SAFETY, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO OVER GOVERNMENT IT, TO BASICALLY SCARE EVERY ONE AWAY AND THEN WE GET INTO ISSUES THAT DR. EDWARDS WAS TALKING ABOUT.
PERSONAL PROPERTY, HOW HIGH OUR TAXES ARE, IT HAS TO BE A BALANCING ACT THAT WE INVEST IN THE RIGHT AREA.
BUT IF THAT'S OUR MAIN & MAIN, AND THEN THEY'RE COMING UP WITH THESE IDEAS.
LET'S JUST CALL THEM WHETHER RIGHT OR WRONG, WHY IS SOMEBODY GOING TO COME AND INVEST A LOT OF MONEY IF WE DON'T HAVE STABILITY IN OUR MAIN & MAIN? IF WE DON'T HAVE STABILITY IN OUR MAIN & MAIN, WHY IS THAT? IS IT PROXIMITY? WE GOT TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
THAT'S FOR NOT THE APPOINTED LEADERS LIKE OURSELVES, BUT FOR OUR POLITICAL LEADERS TO GIVE OUR LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT JUST FOR MAIN & MAIN BUSINESS, IT'S FOR MR. MAN RUNNING THE SANDPIT.
IT'S FOR OUR FARMERS AND OUR FORESTERS THAT THEY CAN DEPEND ON
[01:15:04]
THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO DO SOMETHING REASONABLE AND NOT OVERDO IT.BECAUSE WHAT DOES GOVERNMENT WANT TO DO? THEY WANT TO SELL US.
>> WE SPEND A LOT AND I WON'T EVEN BRING UP THE ROUNDABOUTS [OVERLAPPING] AND HOW THEY LOOK.
>> THAT BRINGS ABOUT WHAT RONALD REAGAN SAID, THE NINE MOST HORRIBLE WORDS IN THE WORLD, I'M FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND I'M HERE TO HELP YOU.
>> WELL, I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT THAT'S UNRELATED TO THIS J CUT OR R CUT, BUT SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY I'VE HAD TO TAKE MY WIFE OR MYSELF TO NORFOLK OR VIRGINIA BEACH FOR A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT.
I'VE DRIVEN FROM THE COTTON GIN IN SUFFOLK THROUGH SUFFOLK TO NORFOLK.
I ASK YOU ALL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LONG RANGE PLANNING, THAT'S YOUR JOB.
DO WE WANT ANY PART OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY TO LOOK LIKE SUFFOLK LOOKS FROM THE COTTON GIN TO THE OVERPASS AT MCDONALD'S OR HARDEE'S? YOU ASK YOURSELVES, THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT.
THEY WANT TO COME HERE AND MAKE US LOOK LIKE THAT STRETCH OF 58 FROM THE COTTON GIN IN SUFFOLK TO DOWNTOWN SUFFOLK, AND IT'S ABYSMAL.
IF I LIVED ANYWHERE NEAR IT, I'D PUT MY HOUSE ON THE MARKET TOMORROW.
YOU PEOPLE, THE LONG RANGE PLANNERS, KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND THAT THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY DON'T WANT THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE LIVE HERE AND ON INSIDE. THANK YOU.
>> THE BOARDS WILL HAVE YOUR TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE VOTED THREE TO ONE AGAINST IT.
>> WE DID, BUT I'M NOT ON IT ANYMORE.
I'VE BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE MY TERM EXPIRED, SO SOMEBODY ELSE IS ON THAT TRANSPORTATION.
>> I'LL TAKE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD CAN GET TO MAKE A REASONABLE DECISION IN FEBRUARY WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT IN DRIVER RECOMMENDED WHEN THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA WAS THEY DIDN'T WANT IT BECAUSE THEY'D HAVE TO GO HALFWAY TO EMPLOYER TO COME BACK FOR AN ACCIDENT EAST OF THE INTERSECTION.
>> I THINK THAT WAS IMPORTANT.
I KNOW IT'S A CRITICAL POINT BEING BROUGHT ACROSS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CUTCHINS. WE'LL LET MISS LEWIS SEE IF SHE CAN GET SOMEONE TO COME.
I'M CURIOUS. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT PRESENTATION.
>> I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THE VIDEO.
>> WE'LL SEE WHAT SHE'S ABLE TO COME UP WITH SUCH A NOTICE.
>> I WOULD ASK THAT THIS BOARD CONSIDER I GUESS I'M INUNDATED WITH PAPER.
I'M ALSO, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER Y'ALL HAVING THE SAME EXPERIENCE OF THE US POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY THAT I AM IN THE IVOR AREA, BUT IT STINKS.
I WOULD ASK THAT THIS BOARD CONSIDER MAYBE GOING TO IF THAT'S AN OPTION WITH THE COUNTY AND THE [INAUDIBLE] TO ISSUE US IPADS AND HAVE AN ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF THIS PACKET OF INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN ELIMINATE THIS PAPER.
>> YOU HAD THEM SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
>> I KNOW. I GUESS THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN.
WE'VE GOTTEN INTERNET BETTER AND THE COMPUTERS HAVE CHANGED.
THEY'VE GOTTEN BETTER AND FASTER AND EASIER TO USE.
I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE CONSIDER THAT AGAIN BECAUSE AT ONE POINT IN TIME WE DECIDED WE DIDN'T WANT IT, BUT I'M ASKING THAT IT BE BACK ON THE TABLE.
>> BUT ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION FOR THIS MEETING IN YOUR PACKAGE IS ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE THE FRIDAY THAT THESE GO IN THE MAIL, SO IF YOU EVER DON'T GET IT, IT'S ALWAYS THERE.
>> DOUG, I LIKE YOUR SUGGESTION VERY MUCH, BUT I ALSO LIKE TO KEEP THE TIMBER BUSINESS GOING TOO.
[LAUGHTER] JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
>> IS THAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? [LAUGHTER]
>> I'M SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO CONSIDER THE PAPER INDUSTRY.
>> WELL, I HAVE TO ADMIT I LIKE A PAPER COPY.
A LOT OF TIMES I LOOK AT STUFF ON THE COMPUTER AND I HIT THE BUTTON AND PRINT BECAUSE I CAN SCRATCH ON IT, I CAN ADJUST IT, AND I GROW TREES.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE REASON I PUSHED THE PAPER.
MOST EVERYTHING I LOOK AT ON THE COMPUTER, I HIT THE PRINT BUTTON.
>> I'M GOING TO ASK, CAN WE GO ON DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 7? ANY UPDATES? IF NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN.
[01:20:03]
>> I ALSO HAVE A PROPER MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADJOURN.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION, AND EVERYBODY HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME. THANK YOU, MY FRIEND.
>> GOOD JOB.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.