Planners postpone comp plan, review rezoning request By CHARLES GARRATT • Staff writer
WARM SPRINGS - Bath planners reviewed three requests for rezoning Monday, and postponed a public hearing on the new comprehensive plan until April 12.
The planning commission delayed the hearing on the land use plan because county planner Miranda Redinger was unable to get all the copies of color GIS maps prepared due to equipment failures. The Homestead provided some copies for Redinger on Monday, but she still expects it will be the end of this week before the final bound copies are available for review.
The new plan updates and replaces the current plan adopted in 1999. State law requires localities to update comprehensive plans at least every five years. Once the commission approves the new plan, the board of supervisors will have a public hearing and make the final adoption.
Rezoning, permit requests
By a unanimous vote, the commission recommended approving an application for a conditional use permit by Danny and Sherrie Morton to operate an RV storage yard at the Hitching Post.
The Mortons took over operation of the business in December and discovered the previous permit for RV storage had expired. County ordinances require a new application, according to Redinger.
Chairman Mike Grist asked the Mortons to consider additional screening between existing white pines. The Mortons agreed to proffer additional screening as part of their application. The permit request will go before the board of zoning appeals for final action.
After considerable discussion, the commissioners voted 4-1 to recommend approval of a request to rezone a parcel of land along U.S. 220 in Ashwood from R-1 (residential limited) to B-1 (convenience business). Chris Skovira applied for the rezoning in order to continue to operate an antique and home furnishing business.
Ryan Hodges spoke on behalf of Skovira, telling planners, "The goal is not to acquire any new opportunities. The goal is to insure that the zoning there correctly reflects the use that has always been there."
Lynn Ellen Black, the only planner to vote against approval, expressed concern that antique dealers were not currently listed under the B-1 district. She pointed out a couple of times during the evening that the zoning ordinance needs to be updated to reflect actual usage and realistic future uses within districts.
Planners voted 2-3 against recommending a rezoning request by Rodger and Cynthia Martin. The couple requested rezoning of their 10-acre lot in Ashwood from R-1 to A-1 (agricultural limited).
Cindy Martin told the commissioners the property was purchased so she and her husband could "raise children and horses." When the Martins looked at the property, she said, horses were grazing on the land.
Redinger said grazing horses on the property could be considered a grandfathered, non-conforming use. However, since a neighbor has complained and the Martins want to build a barn on the property, a change to agricultural zoning was recommended.
Black, who voted against the request, said the problem "needs to be addressed in the land use regulations rather than by rezoning." Changes to the regulations in recent years do not allow horses in residential areas no matter how many acres are owned, according to Redinger.
The property is platted into 17 individual lots although only one house is on located on the property. As a proffered condition, the Martins suggested a new plat of two, five-acre lots and later agreed to a single 10-acre lot.
But even with the proffered changes and plans to move the horses to the rear of the property, the commission majority did not recommend approving the request.
The Skovira and Martin applications will be forward to the supervisors for final decisions.
In other action, the commissioners began to create a citizen committee to review and update land use regulations. Redinger suggested the committee should be in place and ready to go to work as soon as supervisors approve the new comprehensive plan.
Redinger, who will be leaving her job as county planner soon to move with her husband to Seattle, told the commission she plans to provide notes on needed changes to the regulations before she leaves. She doesn't think the committee will have to go through the regulations "page by page," but she did note the "regulations have a lot of holes."
Anyone interested in serving on the committee should contact Redinger at (540) 839-7236. She points out this is a chance to "make the laws of the county."
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