Town ofOnancock Planning Commission Meeting Tuesday February 18, 2020 5:30P.M.  Call to Order and RollCall:  Chairman Judith Grier called the meeting to order at 5:30P.M.  Commission members Bill Bagwell, Robert Bloxom, Larry Frey, Judith Grier, Scott Schreiber and Matt Spuck were present. Commission member Ridgway Dunton was absent. Town Manager Bill Kerbin and Deputy Clerk Mariellen Mearsheimer were present. Onancock residents John Boddie, Mayor Fletcher Fosque and Janet Fosque, Barbara Johnsen and  Jim McGowan were also present.  Minutes:  Chairman Grier asked for a motion to approve the January 21, 2020 minutes. Commission member Robert Bloxom made a motion to approve the minutes as presented. Commission member Larry. Freyseconded the motion. The motion was approved by unanimous voice vote.  Items of Business: (RAFT)Text  a. Discussion of the Comprehensive Plan - Draft Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool Chairman Grier asked ife everyone had read the summary of the RAFT text prepared by Jim McGowan and stated the RAFT text would be part oft the Town's Comprehensive Plan. Mr. McGowan stated he read through the forty-seven page RAFT document and summarized the scores and recommendations from that report. He also read through the Main Street Program and has text for that as well but did not get it sent out to the Commission members. He stated one of his concerns with the RAFT document is with the maps; they show the area but not a lot of detail for Onancock. He stated that the maps show that a lot oft the worst problems are outside of Commission member Schreiber asked how the report fits into the Comprehensive Plan? Commission member Spuck asked if a snapshot in time belonged in the Comprehensive Plan? Mr. McGowan answered, not necessarily. He stated they made five recommendations and the recommendations could bej put in at the end oft the plan. The recommendations are to complete the comprehensive plan, design a resilient waterfront, repair the bulkhead and the boat ramp, improved drainage to prevent flooding, and investigate how investments in resilience now will promote economic development in the future. The report indicates 2065 as the date given to make improvements associated with sea level rise but Mr. McGowan was not sure what kind of sea! level rise they are talking about. He also stated ift the Town wanted toj protect the wharf, the parking lot at the wharf would have to be raised. Mr. McGowan asked, how do you time that?  Onancock.  Do you wait for it to get bad or plan for it in the future?  1    Commission member Bagwell stated the Eastern Shore Historical Society is raising the deck seven inches, in front ofThe Old Hopkins Brothers Store Property at the wharf and it was pointed out to him that any higher and you would have problems with the finger piers, getting on Commission member Schreiber asked how the RAFT plan fit into what residents need to do to protect their property and asked ift the Town can require residents to follow standards set for town public properties. Mr. McGowan stated the town could require a certain elevation level or freeboard level and stated that Accomack County had al high rating in the state for flood planning because of extra requirements in the county zoning ordinance. Mr. McGowan stated hei is looking at. Accomack County's Hazard Mitigation Plan. Mr. McGowan finished by stating the maps ini the RAFT plan are more appropriate for County planning than for the Town and the  and offboats.  Planning Commission needs better maps of Onancock. Chairman Grier thanked Mr. McGowan for all his hard work.  b. Preliminary Discussion on Homestays in Business District Downtown (B1) Chairman Grier had Town Manager William Kerbin read an email sent to the Planning Commission by resident Caleb Fowler (6 Queen Street) who was unable to attend the meeting. (See attached email). In: summary the Fowlers intend to submit an application that would permit 581 Market Street being used as an airbnb. They are uncertain about how to apply since 58 Market Street is in the B1 Business district. Mr. Fowler stated the property was built as aj private home and as far as anyone knows, it has continually been occupied as ai residence. He stated there were three options 1; Add airbnbs as aj permitted use in the B1 district by right under Section 24-32.2; Add airbnbs as a special exception in the B1 district under Section 24-33.3; Recognize its' defacto residential status and allow the use as a special exception. Mr. Fowler stated in his letter that once they know how the Planning Commission would like to proceed they would submit an Commission member Robert Bloxom asked how many residences are in the B1 district? Commission member Bagwell asked ift this would enable someone to buy a building and turn it Commission member Spuck asked if we allow mixed use, business downstairs, residence Commission member Bagwell stated it would not be automatic, you would need a special Commission member Bagwell stated that the objections to airbnbs are ini residential areas and noted that Mr. Fowlers property at 581 Market Street has businesses on all sides. Commission member Bloxom asked ifit could be re-zoned residential since it has always been Mr. Kerbin stated Town Attorney John Custis was looking into that. Commission member Scott Schreiber asked what the Commission members thoughts were about Mayor Fosque pointed out that the Fowlers residence at 6 Queen Street which is inl Residential Chairman Grier asked ifyou allowed special exceptions in the Business Downtown district (B1)  application and appear before the Commission.  into a residential structure?  upstairs, would you then be able to make the residence an airbnb?  exception.  used as a residence? spot zoning?  1A shares a border with the 58 Market street property. how would that change the flavor of downtown?  2    Resident Janet Fosque (16 Market Street) asked ift this change were made would the zoning ordinance then allow for one homestay per landowner in town or one per district? Mr. Kerbin stated it would be only one. homestay per landowner in town. Mayor Fosque asked ift the owners can rent out each room in the house as airbnbs orj just rent the Mr. Kerbin stated that iti is not specified in the zoning ordinance. Commission members agreed Discussion followed, after which the Commissioners agreed the best course ofaction for the Fowlers would be to ask the Town Council for ai text amendment to rezone the property, then  whole house as an airbnb?  the zoning ordinance needed to be more specific. apply to the Planning Commission for al Homestay.  Public Comment:  Town resident Mr. Boddie (5 Sturgis Street) was surprised not to see any mention of the sewer treatment plant in the RAFT document and thought it should be part of the planning process. Commission: member Bloxom stated that there was only a small portion ofthe property that was in the flood zone but not the facility itself and the elevation was high enough that it was not a concern oft the people that did the RAFT planning and added ift the Town decided to keep the Commission member Spuck asked if there was a timeline established for finishing the Chairman Grier stated there was a timeline established when the group began working with Mr. McGowan and that he did not want to work on the plan in aj piecemeal fashion. She told the group she had contact with Mr. McGowan on a regular basis and would find out more about  treatment plant we: might be able tol look at flood insurance.  Comprehensive Plan?  when to expect a document ready for discussion.  Adjourn:  Chairman Grier askedj for a motion to adjourn. Commission member Bloxom made a motion to adjourn. Commission member Bagwell seconded the motion. The motion was approved by  unanimous voice vote.  The meeting adjourned at 6:101 P.M.  lan Clerk Deputy  Judith Grier, Chair  Mariellen Mearsheimer,  fk  3