Campbell County Planning Commission, March 24, 2025 Campbell County Planning Commission Minutes March 24, 2025 The regular meeting of the Campbell County Planning Commission was held on Monday, 24, 2025, in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room, Walter J. Haberer Building, Rustburg, Virginia. The following members were present: Dean B. Monroe John Thilking Michael S. Condrey Trish R. Hedges David Gough Robert J. Otero Charlie Watts, Board of Supervisors Representative Members Absent: Megan Witt Staff Members present: Paul E. Harvey, Assistant County Administrator Austin R. Mitchell, Director of Community Development Crystal J.. Machhi, Staff Secretary / Chairman Monroe called the meeting to order with the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance at 7:00 p.m. /I Chairman Monroe asked for corrections or comments on the minutes from the February 24, 2025 meeting. With none, Chairman Monroe made the motion to approve the minutes from the February 24, 2025 meeting. /I PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR CONSIDERATION / PL-25-012 (Rezoning-273 Dog Trail) / Chairman Monroe stated this is a request by Thomas Sullivan, agent for Heathers Keep LLC, to rezone property located at 273 Dog Trail and further identified as tax map parcel 18-A-39 from Agricultural to Business General Commercial to allow for construction and operation of a plumbing business. I Mr. Austin Mitchell, Director ofCommunity Development, stated the applicant is seeking to rezone the parcel to Business - General Commercial to allow for construction and operation of a plumbing business. The concept plan shows a 5,000 square foot garage/warehouse building for the plumbing business. The concept plan also shows a proposed new entrance and access road from Village Terrace to serve the business. There is proposed parking for three (3) employees and three (3) company vehicles. The request is not proffered, so the preliminary plan and proposal are conceptual and non-binding. / Commissioner Condrey asked ifVillage Terrace is a private road. Mr. Mitchell responded that it is aj public road. Campbell County Planning Commission, March 24, 2025 /1 Commissioner Hedges asked about public water. Mr. Mitchell responded that public water is available on Village Highway but they are not required to hook up to it. / Chairman Monroe opened the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. / Mr. Thomas Sullivan, 128 Autostop Lane, stated his wife owns the property and he plans to build a garage and essentially rent the facility from himself. There is construction happening near his current business location that is restricting the entrances SO he has been looking for a new location. He bought this land when it came available with the intention of moving his business there. / Commissioner Hedges asked how many employees he has and ifthey take their trucks home. Mr. Sullivan stated he has 10 employees and they take the trucks home. His intention is to make the garage big enough to be able to pull trucks inside as well. / Commissioner Thilking asked what his operating hours are. Mr. Sullivan stated they schedule work between 8am-5pm and typically are not back to the shop any later than 6pm if they come back. Initial arrival time is between 7:45-8:15am. The trucks are well stocked sO they typically don't come back to the shop during the day unless needed. There are supply houses in Lynchburg that they can buy supplies from. II Commissioner Gough asked what kind ofe equipment hel has. Mr. Sullivan stated he has 3 excavators varying in sizes, a tractor, and trailer. He may house them under a lean to or shed later on. II Commissioner Condrey asked ifhe does 24 hour on call work and if so would the employees have to come to the shop at night or already have their truck. Mr. Sullivan responded that there is a slim chance they would have to come back to the shop at: night. He does not advertise emergency service but will ifhe: needs to. / Commissioner Thilking asked if he will have heavy security lighting. Mr. Sullivan stated he has not thought that far ahead but thinks there needs to be some kind of lighting for the parking area. /I Commissioner Condrey asked if he is leaving the vegetation. Mr. Sullivan stated he plans on logging the property. Commissioner Condrey asked if he plans to leave a buffer. Mr. Sullivan responded he hopes to leave some trees as a buffer or will plant new ones. I Chairman Monroe asked if a buffer was required. Mr. Mitchell responded that it is part oft the site plan process and if the rezoning was approved then there would be a required buffer whether it is existing or new. I Commissioner Thilking asked what the distance is between the proposed building and the neighbor's property line. Mr. Sullivan stated he doesn't know the distance but it is a signifiçant distance. I Commissioner Hedges asked ifl he had met with his neighbors. Mr. Sullivan stated he talked with some of his neighbors and they had questions of things he hadn't thought of. / Ms. Rebecca Humphrey, 60 Village Terrace, stated she is thankful he got the property and not contractor's that would potentially build apartments. He told her upfront what his plans were and is in favor. / Mr. Jeremiah Melvin, 206 Village Terrace, stated he is not entirely against it as there could be worse situations such as apartments. He asked how the land use area is defined and what in code determines the area and the radius of similar zoning areas. He asked about county code section 22- 12.1.A.22.A regarding service establishments and if this falls within that code and also about Campbell County Planning Commission, March 24, 2025 section 22-12.1.A.26 regarding public utility structures requiring special use permits. He cited the county code definition for a garage and said this seems more like an accessory structure. Mr. Mitchell responded to those questions and stated there is nothing in code about a certain distance. The staff report mentions the differences with this property related to other nearby commercial properties. This business falls under the service establishment use and the public utility structure refers to a utility substation or something similar. He stated in this case the building is proposed as a service establishment business and that would be the primary use of the property. IfMr. Sullivan were to build the shed that he mentioned that would be an accessory structure. Mr. Melvin stated in the letter he received from Mr. Sullivan said he would not visibly alter the neighborhood but believes clear cutting the property will do that. He believes it would be most reasonable to leave a natural buffer of matured trees. He asked if it is taken into account that Concord is called a bird sanctuary. Chairman Monroe stated it is a by right use and he can clear cut his timber and zoning requirements would be the only restriction they can enforce. /I Ms. Patricia Hunter, 261 Village Terrace, stated she doesn't have a problem as long as there is a buffer and the property is kept up. She is concerned about the school bus stop at the end ofthe road. I Mr. Dwight Kirchner, 52 Virginia Circle, stated he owns Dog Trail and there is a gentleman agreement for the houses on that road. The research he did said it was aj private drive and not made for commercial or logging traffic. He is concerned that the trucks will tear up the road and doesn't believe it is safe for them to pull out onto Village Highway. He doesn't think clear cutting the property will be a nice sight from his property. / Ms. Sherry Harding, 189 Village Terrace, stated she had a cordial conversation with Mr. Sullivan to get answers to their questions. She believes in property rights but is mostly concerned about a buffer on the residential area side that would screen light, noise, and dust. She would like to see a buffer to keep the aesthetic. She hopes that his business will prosper. / Joe Harding, 189 Village Terrace, stated he believes there needs to be environmental consideration concerning the stream that runs through the property. There are gullies created from the rain and would like to see a bridge or culvert. He also does not want to see the wildlife driven out from the clear cutting. / Ms. Barbara Callahan, 198 Village Terrace, stated she bought her home in 1995 because it was a rural residential neighborhood without a lot oftraffic. She is fine ifhe puts his business further over where they hardly know it's there. She is concerned about the wildlife. / Mr. Thomas Sullivan stated he spoke to Mr. Mitchell about different options for rezoning as he thought about splitting it off for his family. The zoning could limit what can be done with the property and doing more would require a state maintained road that would come with high costs. He is considering dividing the property and putting the business on the front property on Village Highway instead of on the back property. He planned to use the money from the timber to help pay for the garage. / Mr. Austin Mitchell made Mr. Sullivan aware that if he changes to the front property then that would require withdrawing this request and starting over again with the different parcel. / Commissioner Hedges asked how much of the land was going to be cut. Mr. Sullivan said he assumes not all the way to the property line but his plan is to let the hardwood trees naturally grow back within 5-10 years for a buffer. / Commissioner Condrey suggested meeting with his neighbors to come up with a solution for the road and buffer concerns. Campbell County Planning Commission, March 24, 2025 / Mr. Charlie Watts, Board of Supervisors Representative, suggested developing the front and leave the back to do with it as he wants. // Chairman closed thej public hearing at 7:41 p.m. This matter will go before the Board ofSupervisors meeting on May 6, 2025. / Chairman Monroe made the motion to recommend approval of PL-25-053 for rezoning. Commissioner Condrey seconded the motion. /I Chairman Monroe believes the buffer issue can be solved and doesn't have any issues with it. / Commissioner Condrey has no issue with the business being there but does understand the buffer and road concerns. There are by right uses he could use the property for if he keeps it zoned agricultural. The vote was: Aye: Monroe, Condrey, Hedges, Otero, Gough, Thilking Nay: None Absent: Witt I PL-25-058 (Special Use Permit-683 Candlers Mountain Road) II Chairman Monroe stated this is a request by Cynthia Bomar, agent for CBB Realty LLC, for a special use permit to operate a tourist house on property zoned Residential - Multi Family. The property is located at 683 Candlers Mountain Road in an area designated as medium to high density residential per the current Comprehensive Plan. II Mr. Austin Mitchell, Director ofCommunity Development, stated the applicant is the owner oft the property and wishes to rent out the entire home for overnight guests using a platform such as Airbnb. The home has two (2) bedrooms and one (1) bathroom. The applicant has replaced the roof, windows, and siding and plans to renovate the interior as well. The Airbnb rental would be managed by a property management company. The applicant lives 45 minutes from the property and has other properties in the area. / Chairman Monroe opened the public hearing at 7:45 p.m. / Ms. Cynthia Bomar, 3040 Stage Coach Road, stated she is retired from the USDA Rural Development and became a real estate investor. She thought this would be a good fit for an Airbnb as it is close to Liberty University. It is surrounded mostly by woods that creates a buffer between residences. There is al house to the left but there is a good distance between the two. / Commissioner Hedges asked if she does Airbnb for any other properties that she has in the area and is the management company local. She stated she has others she is working on for an Airbnb but this is the first one. She plans on using a national company called Evolve for the management company. She lives about 45 minutes from the property but is in Lynchburg almost daily. / Commissioner Gough asked what percentage of the time it would be rented out. Ms. Bomar stated 20 days out of the month. / Commissioner Thilking asked if this would be just for short term. Ms. Bomar responded that it would be daily rentals. Campbell County Planning Commission, March 24, 2025 / Commissioner Condrey asked who would be the closest contact in the event of an emergency. Ms. Bomar stated she would be. / Commissioner Thilking stated there is a concern about close oversight and reaction time. Ms. Bomar stated she has a great relationship with the neighbors and could possibly partner with them for any situations. She would have an hour response time at most for emergencies. / No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the special use permit request. Chairman Monroe closed the public hearing at 7:54 p.m. This matter will go before the Board of Supervisors meeting on May 6, 2025. I Chairman Monroe made the motion to recommend approval ofPL-25-058 for a Special Use Permit. Commissioner Hedges seconded the motion. / Commissioner Gough stated it sounds like a good thing and there is a need for Airbnbs in this area especially for Liberty University. I Commissioner Thilking stated they are more concerned about these in a tight neighborhood but this seems like a good fit. / Commissioner Condrey commended her for going through the application process and doing it the right way. / Chairman Monroe was pleased she did SO much due diligence ahead of time and there were no neighbors present to object. He is concerned about her being 45 minutes away and that she has a national management company and recommended she have someone close by. The vote was: Aye: Kirk, Condrey, Hedges, Monroe, Gough, Thilking Nay: None Absent: Witt / SUBDIVSION MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION / None / MATTERS FROM THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR None / MATTERS FROM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT None / MATTERS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION Campbell County Planning Commission, March 24, 2025 /I Chairman Monroe confirmed with the Commissioners that electronic submission of the Planning Commission packets is acceptable and they received a copy of the bylaws. / Next scheduled meeting is April 28, 2025. / Chairman Monroe adjourned the meeting at 7:59 p.m: Dean B. Monroe, Chairman