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Planners approve of selfstorage units in Ashwood
BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER
 | | This 1.23-acre lot along U.S. 220 in Ashwood will become home to six buildings of self-storage units under plans submitted to the county by Rolf Brunner. Monday, the Bath County Planning Commission recommended approving the conditional use permit. The Board of Zoning Appeals will make the final decision Oct. 15. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) |
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WARM SPRINGS - The Bath County Planning Commission recommended approval of a conditional use permit for self-storage units on a 1.23-acre lot in Ashwood Monday.
Moving through the short agenda quickly with only three members present, vice chair Lynn Ellen Black needed little prompting on proper procedures with one public hearing for the Ashwood self-storage facility scheduled and Rolf Brunner, the applicant, the only member of the public in attendance.
Brunner's application calls for erecting six mini-selfstorage units on concrete pads on the open lot south of the building housing Bath County Logowear, Bath Community Hospital Transportation Services and apartments. The facility would be open 24 hours per day and would use one existing entrance and require another entrance at the south end of the lot.
County planner and zoning official Sherry Ryder said the lot is not in a flood zone. Commissioner Mary Lynn Riner said, "That whole lot was inundated with great huge gullies" in a flood a few years ago. She said she felt the Federal Emergency Management Agency is wrong to not specify the area in the 100-year flood plain.
Brunner said the previous owner, Virginia Strasser, had three-foot concrete pipe installed across the property after the flood in 1985 and the last flood only impacted the property because logging created runoff and debris that clogged the drain pipe.
In addition to the existing drain under the property, Brunner pointed out the rip-rap lined ditch along the back of the property proposed as part of the plans would protect the buildings from flooding.
"I've been approached by several people, there definitely is a need" for this type of business, Brunner said. While the facility would be open 24 hours, seven days a week, Brunner plans to use motion-activated lights to minimize impact on residences in the area. Brunner agreed to plant a pine or other evergreen border for screening if necessary.
No one came to the meeting to speak for or against the proposal and Ryder said no comments have been received from citizens. The application packet included an aerial photo with lot-lines for that area of Ashwood and photos of the lot.
Riner pointed to the aerial photo and said she felt that whole area from the nursing home to Rose Lane should be rezoned. There is a mix of business and residential usage along U.S. 220 in Ashwood.
In a bit less than 20 minutes, the commissioners covered their concerns and questions. Riner moved to recommend approval of the permit. Lucille Swink seconded the motion, which passed on a 3-0 vote.
The Board of Zoning Appeals makes the final decision on permit applications in Bath County. The BZA will hold a public hearing on the Brunner application at its meeting Oct. 15 in room 115 of the courthouse.
In other business, Ryder and the commissioners discussed an ongoing issue with an apparent violation of the zoning ordinance. Enforcement of the zoning ordinances came up during a recent public hearing before the board of supervisors on the section of the comprehensive plan dealing with animal husbandry in residential zones.
"Why do we have regulations when no one will do anything about them?" Ryder asked. While expressing some frustration with the process of obtaining a summons, Ryder expects the current issue to resolve itself when the people in question close on a piece of property next week. No specific information about the property or property owners is available since no official action has been taken.
The commission voted to attend a joint work session with the supervisors on dark skies Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. Riner commented she had friends who visit from New York and always remark that the night in Bath County is "as dark as the inside of a cow."
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