Planning Commission
Staff Analysis Archive
NOTE: The Staff Reports appear in the order in which they are scheduled
to be heard during the Planning Commission Public Hearing. Once the Public Hearing
has be held, the Reports will be moved to the archive.
Sarah M. Wall (Agent: Mac Wall), Special Use Permit Request
I. Summary of Request
Sarah M. Wall (Agent: Mac Wall) requests a special use permit (SUP) to allow
a creamery for the manufacture and sale of dairy products from the farm. The area
to be considered for the SUP is 6.7 acres of a 19.72 acre tract. The property
is currently zoned Agriculture (A-1) and is also part of Agricultural and Forestal
District #1. The attached letter gives a brief description of the proposed use
of the property.
II. Location
The subject parcel is located in the southeast quadrant of the Prices Fork and
Merrimac Road intersection in the Prices Fork Magisterial District. The property
is just west of the Town of Blacksburg Corporate limits. The properties to the
south of this site consist of large tracts of agricultural lands zoned Agriculture
(A-1). To the north, across Prices Fork Road, are small to medium sized tracts
consisting of single family dwellings and are zoned Agriculture (A-1). To the
west is the Phillips Acres subdivision. This subdivision is zoned Residential
(R-1) and consists of small tracts with single family homes. The property to the
east, across Merrimac Road, is zoned Community Business (CB). This property currently
contains two commercial structures. The area surrounding this site is a mixture
of Residential (R-1,R-2,R-3) zoning to the west, Agriculture (A-1) zoning to the
north and south and rural residential zoning to the east (Town of Blacksburg).
III. Impacts
The proposed creamery facility will have an impact on traffic in the area of
the site. This office has received no formal response from VDOT regarding the
proposed entrances as of the date of this report. However, VDOT’s draft Blacksburg
/ Christiansburg Regional 2020 Transportation Plan calls for future improvements
to both Prices Fork Road and Merrimac Road. On Prices Fork Road (SR 685), annual
average daily traffic is projected to increase from 10,000 in the year 2000 to
19,000 in the year 2020. Accordingly, the Transportation Plan calls for widening
the existing roadway to a 4-lane divided highway. On Merrimac Road (SR 657), the
annual average daily traffic is projected to increase from 1,600 in the year 2000
to 9,000 in the year 2020. Much of this projected increase in traffic on Merrimac
Road is due to its future role as a connecting road linking Prices Fork Road and
the proposed Southgate Drive Extension. Accordingly, the Transportation Plan calls
for improvements to Merrimac Road while it would remain a 2-lane road.
This project may also impact the Agricultural and Forestal District (AFD) designation
that this property currently contains. The AFD Advisory Committee is scheduled
to meet on January 7, 2002 to discuss the compatibility of this proposed use with
the AFD designation. Other potential impacts on the area from this project are
noise, impact on groundwater and lighting. The applicant has offered no proffers
to address these potential impacts, however, the Board could impose any conditions
it deemed necessary.
IV. Comprehensive Plan
The property lies in an area designated as Agriculture in the Comprehensive Plan.
The property is currently zoned Agriculture (A-1) and there is no proposed change
to the zoning of this property. The property owner is requesting a Special Use
Permit for creamery business on the property. The comprehensive plan states that
agriculture is an important industry in Montgomery County. The plan goes on to
state "Local initiative is especially important in protecting farmland and
it is the primary intent of this section to encourage the preservation and proper
use of Agricultural areas for the long-term benefit of all citizens of Montgomery
County."
The proposal is an agricultural related business that will help to maintain an
existing family farm and provide a retail benefit to the surrounding community.
Therefore, this request is determined to be in conformance with the comprehensive
plan.
V. Analysis
The proposed use is a new use for the county and does not appear anywhere in
the zoning ordinance. The zoning administrator has determined that this use most
closely reflects an agri-business use and could be permitted with a Special Use
Permit in Agriculture (A-1) This proposed use is substantially similar to or contains
many uses that are permitted by special use permit in (A-1) such as: (a) custom
meat cutting, processing and packaging; (o) General store or specialty shop; (r)
Grain mill, feed mill; and (ff) restaurant.
The proposed use should be limited in the amount of production and retail sales
to maintain the rural character of the area and to maintain the agricultural aspect
of the business. A facility with unlimited production capacity and working hours
could easily become an industrial operation which is not in keeping with the area.
Traffic is a major concern that must be addressed. Safe entrances for customers
and passing motorists are essential. In addition, service and delivery vehicles
should be discouraged from using the proposed entrance on Prices Fork due to the
current speed of travel. A thorough evaluation of traffic patterns should be performed
to determine adequacy of entrances, turn lanes and taper lanes.
Water and sewer services must be provided by on site systems since the site does
not currently have access to public water or sewer. The applicant is working with
the State of Virginia to obtain approval for the well and septic system. The processing
portion of the business will require a separate system from the restrooms. All
of these facilities must be approved prior to issuance of any building permits.
In addition, a site plan will be required to ensure that all site development
standards such as parking, lighting, and landscaping will be met.
The Environmental Quality and Land Use Committee (a subcommittee of the Blacksburg
Planning Commission), has reviewed the request and supports the proposal provided
it encourages a rural and/or agricultural appearance for all structures related
to the creamery (see attached).
VI. Staff Recommendation
This request appears to be a new agri-business use that would be a benefit to
the county and surrounding community while protecting the rural character of the
Prices Fork area.
The staff's preliminary recommendation is for approval of the special use permit
with the following conditions:
- Project shall be constructed in substantial conformance with the concept plan
dated December 3, 2001.
- Project shall occupy no more than 6.7 acres and will contain no more than
2000 square feet of retail sales of items not handcrafted, grown or produced
on the Wall Farm. Project must be subordinate to an ongoing agricultural operation.
- Entrances shall be approved by VDOT prior to issuance of any building permits.
All service and shipping traffic will use the Merrimac Road entrance.
- Ten (10) feet of additional right of way along the entire eastern property
line shall be granted to facilitate the future widening of Merrimac Road.
- All structures related to the creamery shall exhibit a rural and/or agricultural
appearance.
In addition, the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors can impose any
additional restrictions that they feel necessary to govern the use permitted under
the SUP. This office has not received any telephone calls inquiring about the
nature of this request. However, adjacent property owners or other interested
parties may be present at the public hearing to present their views on this request.
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