Town ofOnancock, Virginia Planning Commission Meeting  Tuesday September: 19,2017 5:30P P.M.  CalltoOrderand Roll Call:  Chairman Fletcher Fosque called the meeting to order at 5:301 P.M.  Commission members Bill Bagwell, Ridgway Dunton, Fletcher Fosque, Judith Grier, Scott Schreiber, and Buck' Walters were present. Commission member John Simpkins was absent.. A quorum was  established. Minutes: presented.  Chairman Fosque asked iftl there were any changes or additions to the] July 18, 2017 minutes as Ar motion was made by Commission member Bill Bagwell to approve the minutes as presented. Commission member Judith Grier: seconded thei motion. The minutes were approved by unanimous  voice vote. Items of Business: Comprehensive Plan Review Section One: Population  Discussion: Chairman Fosque stated he and' Town Manager William Kerbin are: still working on this section. Commission member Judith Grier stated that the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Survey shows the state ofVirginia increasing inj population in the future but Accomack and Commission member Grier: stated there were one thousand two!l hundred sixty-three residents in Onancock according to the 2010 Census and added we were an aging population.  Northampton counties with declining population int the future.  Section Two: Land Use  Discussion: Chairman Fosque noted that no one. has been assigned to review Section Two. He stated that zoning in Onancock was adopted in 1962 and at1 that time there were nott that many districts Discussion continued about the different types ofzones. Chairman Fosque stated that int the Residential R1A district the lot: sizes were ten thousand square feet with at thirty-five foot set! back  just Residential (R1) and Business.  1    and at leasta as seventy-five foot width, in R1B the lot sizes were. smaller, in R1Citi is manufactured homes which would allow a double wide trailer, Residential 2 (R2) is multifamily homes, Business1 (B1) is the downtown businesses, B2 is business highway allowing for the: same thing as B1 but also businesses like gas stations and Business' Waterfront (BW) businesses at the wharf which allow recreational type businesses as well as the commercial landing ofs seafood. He stated that additional zones include Parks and Open Space (POS) and Cultural, Recreational and Community Facilities Chairman Fosque read the goals and objectives for Section 2: Land Use and: stated thatzoning enforcement: is by complaint. He: added the Town has been very protective ofthe residential areas, not: allowing businessesi ini the R1 areas especially since much oft the available downtown business space is not being used. Chairmen Fosque also stated that the only type ofbusiness allowed int the R1 districti is al bed and breakfast, al home occupation (with no retail sales) and nowl home stays. Chairman Fosque also noted that some communities are changing their residential districts to allow for multiple uses. He stated there is more demand in Onancock for residential use rather than business use, soi itr makes more. sense to expand the residential use. He added the Town is trying to allow multiple uses ini the downtown business district (B1) and noted that everything that is allowed in B1 is allowed inl B2. He gave as an example; apartments over al business. Commission member Scott Schreiber said he was generally supportive oft the comprehensive plan but not optimistic about the commercial areas since it would take al lot ofmoney to fix up some of A general discussion followed comparing Onancock's downtown business area to the towns of Cape Charles and Exmore. The main concern was the need for more people to make the business districts Chairman Fosque reviewed the goals and objectives for Section 2: Land Use and asked for comments. He: stated this was a very important section for the future of Onancock and noted again Chairman Fosque asked for clarification in this section oft the plan under Business land use; discouraging large-scale commercial development which would detract from the existing character ofthe town, nots sure what this means. Town Manager' William Kerbin said he would check with the Chairman Fosque stated the: sign ordinance was fairly restrictive and routinely violated. Ageneral discussion followed about the sign ordinance; whati is allowed and what is not allowed. Commission member Schreiber stated our comprehensive plan document is not meant to tell people how to do things, he gave an example of the sentence Simplicityi is the keyt to successful signs" and wants to clean up the wording, "less opinion".I He asked ifthe document was something we want going into the future that will change based on who sits around this table or a document  which are both self-explanatory.  the old buildings.  more viable.  that more people and more: sewer hookups would be helpful.  town attorney John Custis.  that leads going forward and is not! based on who sits around this table.  2    Town Manager William Kerbin: stated some oft the content may notl bel legal ifyou are regulating Commission member Bill Bagwell asked about the planned streetscape: for Queen Street and what was! happening with that. Town Manager Kerbin stated there was no moneyi in the budget for the project adding it was al low priorityi item but could looki into grant funding fori it. Commission member Bagwell asked what the project might cost and whether businesses and homeowners might bei interested in helping with the funding ift they could seei it would be al benefiti to the future A general discussion followed about Queen Street, how projects get prioritized, whati is a pleasing Chairman Fosque stated he thoughtLand Use was one oft the mosti important parts ofthe comprehensive plan, He addedi it was overly wordy and needs al lot ofwork. Chairman Fosque asked ifeveryone understood the: zoning map and: stated we: need better maps. Chairman Fosque suggested the commission pick a few: sections, make a working draft and tryt to simplify the language. He asked ifl Lisa could get the numbers for Section 1. He: also suggested the  content.  value of their property. streetscape and who decides.  draft be emailed to everyone before the next meeting.  Public Comment: None Adjourn:  Commission member Scott Schreiber made a motion to adjourn.  The meeting was adjourned at 6:301 P.M.  Mtohh  Fletcher Fosque, Chair  thhl Mariellen Mearsheimer, Deputy Clerk  3