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[0:19]
Don't we have something on the
[0:23]
» All right. I'd like to call to order the
[0:25]
August 24th uh premeating. We have a
[0:28]
plan RBA uh to discuss the three notched
[0:31]
trails. So, first so much for for coming
[0:34]
out and we'll turn it right over to you.
[0:35]
>> Thank you. Yeah. Um I'll go ahead and
[0:37]
see if I can share this right quick.
[0:39]
Here
[0:48]
we go. Uh, yes. Thank you for having me.
[0:51]
I am Bill Rian. I am a transportation
[0:54]
planner for Plan RBA and have been there
[0:57]
for about 10 years. Just finished my
[0:58]
10th year. Fellow Mer across the the way
[1:01]
here. Um, I was going to say, um, I've
[1:05]
been working with, uh, Lean Webb and
[1:08]
Megan Heatwall on this this plan. They
[1:10]
are part of our stakeholder team. Um,
[1:14]
it's really the western spine, but we've
[1:16]
been calling it three notches.
[1:17]
[laughter] Three notches is nowhere near
[1:18]
here. It's kind of uh, more of that
[1:21]
corridor between Richmond and
[1:23]
Charlottesville, but it's it's how we we
[1:25]
hope to get a connection between
[1:27]
Richmond and Charlottesville. really if
[1:29]
you think about it all the way down the
[1:30]
peninsula um using the Capitol Trail up
[1:33]
to Stanton. That's an eventual goal of
[1:36]
this but for us it's just within our
[1:38]
region. So um
[1:42]
the you can see on the goals here
[1:44]
identify that preferred corridor along
[1:46]
the western spine. Like I said we've got
[1:47]
a stakeholder team. We've been working
[1:49]
with all the different localities
[1:51]
between Richmond and well the Bana
[1:54]
County U boundary.
[1:57]
But all these are a part of our efforts
[2:00]
here. You know, trying to get a
[2:01]
multi-use trail facility uh to, you
[2:04]
know, enhance regional active
[2:06]
transportation network. That's my main
[2:07]
thing. I'm an active transportation
[2:09]
planner. Uh but trying to get, you know,
[2:11]
safer access uh connecting uh key
[2:15]
locations and and destinations uh
[2:17]
population centers. This particular
[2:19]
study we started last uh summer and you
[2:22]
know, we have to wrap it up by December.
[2:25]
So pretty tight timeline. We've gone
[2:27]
through three of four of the stakeholder
[2:30]
committees. So again, the who we're
[2:33]
working with uh each of the five
[2:34]
localities, Cuchand Powan, Chesterfield,
[2:37]
Enriiko, and the city of Richmond. And
[2:39]
then we've been consulting in the
[2:41]
background with uh Virginia uh Capital
[2:44]
Trail Foundation, which obviously they
[2:46]
set a high precedent with that trail um
[2:49]
the soil and water conservation
[2:50]
district, the Capital Region Land
[2:52]
Conservancy. And then outside of our
[2:54]
region, we've been working with the uh
[2:57]
everything that's west. So our planning
[2:59]
would end in at that Gland Fana boundary
[3:03]
but um we've been working with the
[3:05]
Thomas Jefferson uh planning district
[3:06]
commission city of Charlottesville
[3:08]
Abomar and Fana counties and then the
[3:11]
Ravana trail conservy because it all
[3:13]
kind of started with them and then in
[3:15]
that connectivity for the state the uh
[3:18]
the VOTE state trail state office of
[3:21]
trails.
[3:24]
So what we're what we really are trying
[3:26]
to do is work with what we've already
[3:28]
got. We there's planning in each of the nine localities in the Richmond
[3:32]
region. We've just used some of the
[3:34]
planning that already exists and and and
[3:37]
adding that. Then we're looking at how
[3:39]
do we then connect gaps or close the
[3:42]
gaps I should say uh with all of these
[3:44]
different localities. And you know again
[3:47]
the exercise is to identify that
[3:48]
feasible continuous regionally supported
[3:50]
western spine. you know, Richmond all
[3:53]
the way to or at least toward
[3:56]
Charlottesville. So, again, this is
[3:58]
pulled from our regional bicycle and
[4:00]
pedestrian plan. Some of you may be
[4:02]
familiar with that. It's it was approved
[4:04]
by our policy board um in May of 22 and
[4:07]
we're on every couple years we're
[4:09]
updating all of that data. Um this is
[4:12]
the existing
[4:14]
[clears throat and laughter] facilities
[4:14]
in the region. Um we've got uh
[4:18]
approximately 210 combined miles of of
[4:21]
different bike bike bike infrastructure.
[4:23]
Um you know you see that big blue line
[4:26]
heading off to the southeast there.
[4:28]
That's the capital trail. We're working
[4:29]
on fall line which you can see a little
[4:31]
blue line from that blob in the center
[4:34]
there Ashlin heading down. That's going
[4:36]
to be a 43 mile trail connecting Ashlin
[4:39]
to Petersburg. So that's our north and
[4:41]
south spine.
[4:43]
>> Here's south end. We've got one mile
[4:47]
that's along the Hugenot trail. Uh
[4:50]
Robius Road kind of continues and and
[4:51]
when it gets to the line, there's that
[4:53]
one mile. So, got more work to get done,
[4:56]
but that's the beginning. Okay. Um
[4:59]
here's that spine network. And this is
[5:01]
something that we've had our uh through
[5:04]
our local um technical advisory
[5:07]
committee that they worked uh we worked
[5:10]
with them to to put this together. the spines, the red lines, those are the
[5:16]
uh we're trying to get all these other
[5:18]
trails to connect through those. And
[5:19]
you, as you can see, the red line in
[5:22]
Palatan, that is Hugenat Trail or Route
[5:24]
7-Eleven connecting up uh 522 to Guland.
[5:28]
We've had that as a spine. Um and and
[5:32]
Guland's got Route 6 as their spine. Um
[5:35]
there are gaps within that. The blue is
[5:38]
the spurs. Those are supposed to connect
[5:40]
to other uh trails to feed toward the
[5:43]
spines. And as you can see, there's a
[5:45]
huge gap just to the west in in the
[5:49]
Richmond area. There's no spine. So,
[5:52]
some of that effort, what we were doing
[5:54]
with this committee is is trying to
[5:55]
again identify and strengthen some of
[5:58]
those potential connections. Um, not all
[6:01]
of these exist. This is some existing
[6:04]
like the Capitol Trail. The fall line is being built now, but some of it's
[6:08]
aspirational like our proposed
[6:10]
connections. So again, here's the the
[6:15]
capital trail and you got the the fault
[6:17]
line. That's that spine network. We're
[6:19]
working on the western part. Now, this
[6:22]
is jumbled up, very uh confusing.
[6:25]
There's a lot of proposed and as you can
[6:27]
see in Pitan, I'll just zoom in.
[6:31]
we you have a trails plan. I'm pretty
[6:34]
sure according to Megan, you guys uh
[6:36]
approved all this, but you know, there
[6:39]
was a whole plan and you know, so we're basically working with [laughter]
[6:43]
the Hugenat Trail and 522. Um, but I'm
[6:47]
also here on behalf of how can we work
[6:50]
with this as well, whether it's to get,
[6:52]
you know, funding, which I've been
[6:54]
working with Megan some on, you know,
[6:56]
what could um, you know, what's the low
[6:59]
hanging fruit using, you know, your
[7:01]
existing plan, what's your highest
[7:02]
priorities, which you've identified in
[7:04]
your your trails plan. So, again, you
[7:07]
know, how do we make those things happen
[7:08]
too, not just the the theuh three notch
[7:11]
trail plan? Um, again, I won't go into
[7:14]
too much of this, but on the other side
[7:16]
of Charlottesville, they're working on
[7:17]
the Crosseé Trail, and that's supposed
[7:20]
to connect essentially from western
[7:22]
Charlottesville all the way to Afton
[7:23]
Mountain. Uh, it's a pretty big effort,
[7:26]
kind of similar to um, Gutland and
[7:30]
Powatan in that there's a lot of horse
[7:32]
country here. So again, like is this
[7:34]
trail not just a multiuse trail for
[7:37]
bikes, runners, pedestrians, but for
[7:40]
horses as well? So, you know, every
[7:43]
trail that we've done, uh, fall line is
[7:46]
one where we're like, "Hey, handover,
[7:47]
how much of this should be considered,
[7:50]
you know, horse trail as well, cuz you
[7:52]
really have to plan ahead. You those
[7:53]
trailers when people are bringing
[7:55]
horses, you've probably been to the, if
[7:57]
you've been to the Palatan State Park,
[7:59]
there's a lot of extra parking to to
[8:01]
accommodate those types of vehicles. So,
[8:03]
anyway, that's happening right now. um
[8:06]
you know it's Charlottesville to Aftton
[8:07]
Mountain there terrain uh issues but
[8:10]
they're generally following the rail
[8:12]
line corridor so the slope is more
[8:15]
gradual not going straight up the
[8:16]
mountain like you know you see with 64
[8:19]
as it climbs after again we're working
[8:21]
with other you know the state outdoors
[8:23]
plan uh BOT has uh multiple plans and so
[8:27]
those are advising some of this so we
[8:29]
don't have to reinvent the wheel every
[8:31]
time
[8:33]
um again the the one One other thing and
[8:36]
part of the reason that there is uh any
[8:38]
trail mentioned on um Hugenot trail is
[8:43]
you know there was in 2013 the James
[8:45]
River Heritage Trail plan. So again a
[8:47]
lot of these communities a lot of the I
[8:49]
should say counties and localities use
[8:52]
that uh do I'm sorry department of
[8:54]
conservation recreation plan the James
[8:56]
Heritage Trail to have that orange line
[8:59]
added to their their comp plans. So
[9:03]
again, we're trying to uh build support
[9:05]
for this. This is just being done within
[9:08]
staff. This is not a huge public effort
[9:10]
at this time, but you know, our project
[9:12]
terminating
[9:18]
with Fluana on how would we move through
[9:20]
how would a trail move through the
[9:22]
county to Charlottesville and then um
[9:25]
you know obviously to to the east
[9:27]
there's fall line of Capitol Trail. We
[9:29]
want to make sure we connect all the
[9:30]
way, not just, you know, to Hugenot
[9:32]
Bridge um in in in Reicho and and the
[9:36]
city. We've had three meetings so far
[9:38]
with our stakeholder group with one more
[9:40]
planned in November and that's sort of
[9:42]
the, you know, we uh are near the
[9:46]
finished product and we're going to, you
[9:48]
know, kind of go over it with them at
[9:49]
that time. So um the the previous
[9:52]
meeting uh let's see yeah
[9:55]
all these different lines different
[9:57]
colors are representing each locality um
[10:01]
panz sort of a teal color um but the
[10:05]
point has been we were working through
[10:07]
the stakeholder group to cut away a lot
[10:10]
of these uh to you know the dotted line
[10:12]
that's in Gland that was one of the
[10:14]
first things they said that's not going
[10:15]
to work that's actually three notched
[10:17]
corridor the old um three notched
[10:20]
[clears throat] road was uh in place and
[10:22]
then you know that's how US 250 came
[10:24]
about. Um so but they've sort of settled
[10:27]
on that route six corridor. Um several
[10:30]
of those Henriko lines it's just now
[10:32]
reduced to that one that's closest to
[10:34]
the James River that that darker blue.
[10:37]
Chesterfield has uh Robius Road along um
[10:41]
[clears throat] Hugnot Road into Bonaire
[10:43]
and then there's a series of ones in the
[10:45]
in Richmond because I haven't been able
[10:46]
to get them to really commit fully to
[10:49]
just one line. But um in Pan, we've been
[10:53]
working with U Lian Web and and Megan.
[10:56]
It's sort of incorporating a few extra
[10:58]
lines, but really that 711 corridor is
[11:01]
where we this is aspirational, not like
[11:04]
we've invented something new. It's using
[11:06]
what you've already had in your comp
[11:08]
plans. Um, so we call that the James
[11:12]
River Loop. Yes, sir.
[11:13]
>> Question on that. So, would you have it
[11:15]
going all the way to 522 and then north
[11:19]
um of 522 or or does it cut over
[11:22]
>> that old river trail, which is what that
[11:25]
little blurb is right there? the from
[11:28]
Maidens at 522 that Guchand actually has
[11:31]
a greenway trail planned just east of
[11:35]
the the courthouse. So it's not right
[11:38]
down the middle of the road on on Route
[11:40]
6. Is that is that what you're asking?
[11:41]
>> No, I guess I was just trying to find
[11:42]
out if the trail is obviously it follows
[11:45]
7-Eleven to 522, but there's also that line that goes down the trail as
[11:50]
well.
[11:51]
>> Um yes, that's more of the scenic byway.
[11:54]
Okay. Uh, and I have to say that was not
[11:57]
necessarily on the comp plan, but there
[11:59]
were um again that we followed some of
[12:03]
that scenic byway in that corridor. You
[12:06]
can't see it as well, but as it goes
[12:08]
that center line right right in here, um
[12:13]
that's headed toward the the prison farm
[12:14]
and there's natural surface trail in the um the uh trail plan that points
[12:21]
along the river there. And I kind of
[12:24]
fudged a little bit in the very eastern
[12:26]
heading towards Watkins because the line
[12:28]
doesn't extend past 288, but at one
[12:30]
point we were trying to convince
[12:32]
Chesterfield to stay along the river
[12:34]
from their Robius Landing Park and then
[12:36]
head to Watkins. So something that's
[12:38]
more rivercentric, but yes, that one
[12:41]
outcropping there is is sort of
[12:43]
following Gotcha. I don't remember that.
[12:45]
>> Old River Trail.
[12:46]
>> Okay. Fantastic.
[12:47]
>> Conveniently named.
[12:48]
>> That's probably why I got confused.
[12:50]
So when you say trail, are these just
[12:52]
natural? So is this like the Blue Ridge
[12:55]
um mountain trail?
[12:56]
>> The the the goal would be to have it be
[12:59]
separated from the road, have it be, you
[13:01]
know, 12t wide paved. Could be that, you
[13:05]
know, like if you've ever been to um uh
[13:09]
Hybrbridge Trail Safe Park, that's, you
[13:10]
know, crushed limestone uh surface. Um
[13:14]
anything like that that is uh but safe.
[13:17]
It's it's pulled away. that's somewhat
[13:20]
uh that's a sustainable trail. For
[13:22]
example, you you're not going to have a
[13:23]
lot of rudded um rained out sections,
[13:26]
but the again the goal would be to have
[13:28]
it be separated from the roadway. Is
[13:31]
that is that answering?
[13:34]
>> Yeah, I mean I'm I'm just you're talking
[13:36]
about horses and bikes and stuff like
[13:38]
that. I mean, are all they going to be
[13:40]
all of it multi-use or the horse trail
[13:42]
ends here and then the bike trail starts
[13:44]
there and then you know,
[13:46]
>> some of them
[13:47]
>> is it a walking trail? You know, you got
[13:48]
the Blue Ridge Parkway, you got the
[13:50]
trail that runs all the way from Lake
[13:51]
Maine all the way down. Is it similar to
[13:53]
>> Oh, I see what you're asking. Yeah. I
[13:55]
mean, there's East Coast Greenway will
[13:57]
follow a fall line. That's a trail. It's
[14:00]
just a series of other trails. Um, not
[14:03]
really a consistent surface. Uh, yeah, I
[14:05]
would say the goal would be to have it,
[14:07]
you know, 12t wide, something that is
[14:10]
not a road
[14:13]
>> and like a Blue Ridge Parkway. I mean,
[14:15]
that's obviously a huge roadway, but um
[14:20]
the the idea though is is its own
[14:23]
standalone thing. Robius Road that we've
[14:25]
had there, Chesterfield, you you may
[14:28]
have seen that there are existing bike
[14:29]
lanes along that. It's 45 mph road,
[14:32]
>> trail.
[14:34]
Yes, that's more natural surface as in
[14:36]
you're just on rocks. You're on whatever
[14:38]
the surface is through. And I was going
[14:40]
to say with Roius Road, they're planning
[14:42]
to have a shared use path. uh to the
[14:45]
side and you know move on from having
[14:49]
that really busy traffic uh I'm sorry
[14:52]
the bike lanes right next to that busy
[14:53]
traffic. Um
[14:55]
>> I you said part of this would be on 71
[15:00]
>> in theory. Yes. Um and working with
[15:04]
Ligan Web, you know, that's a very busy
[15:06]
corridor as you all know. I mean
[15:08]
>> it's also no shoulder,
[15:09]
>> right? Well, that's we wouldn't want it
[15:12]
to be on the shoulder. It would be if we
[15:14]
could if the if if your your locality
[15:17]
chose to go forward with something like
[15:19]
that, how do we separate? How how would
[15:21]
there be some separation or
[15:24]
>> how's it mean just to to help provide a
[15:27]
little is it something that we just
[15:30]
>> try to get easements or something along
[15:32]
[clears throat] the trail or how does
[15:33]
that work for
[15:35]
>> Well, I I would say using the the
[15:37]
capital trail as an example like route
[15:39]
five is the the main spine through
[15:42]
there.
[15:43]
>> That's a scenic byway as well. B do
[15:45]
administered that project because
[15:47]
essentially the Capitol Trail acts like
[15:48]
a um an
[15:53]
you know a complimentary route to that.
[15:55]
Again it's sometimes pretty close to
[15:58]
following that the contours of that. Um
[16:02]
sometimes it it very it pulls away
[16:04]
because the opportunity to go through a
[16:05]
certain property um was was easier. Um
[16:09]
there are a few sections in Charles City
[16:11]
County where it's right up next to the
[16:12]
road, which isn't ideal, but it's not
[16:15]
miles and miles of that. Um but yes, it
[16:18]
would be one of those VOTE had to with each of those property owners
[16:22]
negotiate, you know, right away. Um it's
[16:25]
about 11 miles we're trying to cover
[16:27]
with 7-Eleven and it may not all be
[16:31]
convenient to have it, and I know
[16:32]
there's a lot of historic properties on
[16:34]
there. It would be it it'd be a heavy
[16:35]
lift to have it right along that one
[16:37]
corridor. Um that's why we do have some
[16:41]
highlighted options for things that were
[16:43]
identified in the p the u the the county
[16:46]
trail plan that are pulled away. Um the
[16:49]
ones that are closer to the river were
[16:50]
marked as uh natural surface trail. So
[16:54]
you know if that's how we have to settle
[16:57]
if and again this is if you wanted to
[16:59]
proceed with something like this. This
[17:01]
is you know my grandkids might enjoy
[17:03]
this trail kind of thing. [laughter]
[17:06]
>> I don't have grandkids.
[17:07]
>> Go ahead.
[17:08]
Going back to the one mile that you
[17:10]
mentioned that is a POW tan that you are
[17:12]
planning for. Could you bring that show
[17:13]
me where that one mile is again please?
[17:16]
>> Your backyard.
[17:18]
>> My backyard.
[17:18]
>> Yeah.
[17:19]
>> Great. So uh yes this ATV is up and
[17:23]
down.
[17:24]
>> This is 288 and then the the interchange
[17:26]
with Gigi Trail and and 288 here and um
[17:30]
the the county line there. This is I
[17:32]
guess the Winterfield area. So, you
[17:35]
know, th those are bike lanes that are
[17:37]
on the side of the road and it it
[17:40]
continues all the way uh on Robius. This
[17:43]
is uh Polo Parkway and like, you know,
[17:46]
shops at um Bgrade area in Chesterfield.
[17:49]
So, it's a pretty long distance. I I've
[17:52]
biked that plenty of times, but it's not
[17:54]
something I would take an 8-year-old on.
[17:55]
What we're trying to to do is make it to
[17:57]
where somebody who's new to cycling
[17:58]
would be would feel comfortable or you
[18:01]
know obviously if you got a young kid
[18:02]
that you're with, you wouldn't want
[18:05]
[clears throat] tractor trailers or
[18:06]
whatever right next to them. Megan that
[18:09]
one mile, how does it template over the
[18:11]
approved trails plan that we parks and
[18:14]
register does it?
[18:17]
>> I have to go back and look.
[18:18]
>> Okay.
[18:21]
to him.
[18:24]
Um, that was about the the gist of
[18:26]
everything. I was going to say I don't
[18:27]
think I have Yeah, that was it. Um, I I
[18:31]
could answer plenty of questions as best
[18:34]
I can. I was going to say again, I'm
[18:36]
glad you're in the room. We talked a
[18:37]
little bit at our meeting about, you
[18:39]
know, your actual trails plan and and
[18:41]
how can we help uh move that along? uh
[18:44]
you know find find those um
[18:48]
highest priority projects as you've
[18:50]
identified and and you know let's find
[18:52]
some funding for to to move some of
[18:54]
those along. Um, but in particular with
[18:56]
the Three Notch Trail, um, a lot of what
[18:59]
we we just to sum it up, a lot of what
[19:01]
we talked about was, um, access to the
[19:05]
river, being closest to those
[19:07]
recreational sources, uh, trying to
[19:09]
connect some of the existing historical
[19:11]
sites and and, um, what was it? Fine
[19:14]
Creek.
[19:15]
>> Oh, Pine Creek.
[19:16]
>> Yeah. Some of those cooler uh, sites
[19:19]
that are that people would want to get
[19:21]
to
[19:21]
>> destinations.
[19:22]
>> Yeah, destinations. Exactly. along those
[19:24]
corridors. So, um anyway,
[19:28]
yeah. Yeah. Obviously,
[19:30]
I like I like the path. Obviously, it's
[19:32]
going to go through three of the
[19:33]
supervisors districts,
[19:35]
>> right?
[19:35]
>> Um
[19:37]
>> I've run firing mask calls up that
[19:40]
corridor for 26 years.
[19:42]
>> Y
[19:42]
>> So, I I I know it very very well. Um I
[19:45]
know the hazards of it. Uh, but I also
[19:48]
love the idea of bringing
[19:51]
um and and providing something like that
[19:54]
and what it could do to that area. Um,
[19:56]
can you answer a question about funding?
[19:59]
How's this typically done? Is it through
[20:00]
grants? Is it through CVTA funding,
[20:02]
funneling money to them or or what?
[20:05]
>> With Fall Line, like I said, we're
[20:06]
working on we're still working on
[20:09]
funding that fully, but um Fall Line is
[20:11]
a 43 mile trail. Um they just completed
[20:15]
last last fall the first section um
[20:18]
that's basically 5 milesi from just
[20:22]
north and Reicho up to Ashland. That was
[20:25]
mostly with CBTA money. Um CBTA
[20:29]
committed 108 million I think it was in
[20:31]
the first goound. The original estimate
[20:35]
was about 300 million to cost. Now it's
[20:37]
closer to 450 million because when we
[20:40]
started planners are laughing that's
[20:43]
what happens but anyway CBTA was one way
[20:48]
um there have been other contributions
[20:50]
uh state level committed some money um
[20:55]
because there's seven different
[20:56]
localities those seven localities are
[20:58]
trying to fill in some of the gaps
[21:00]
[snorts] right now we're working on
[21:01]
Petersburg up to Chester that's being
[21:04]
like they're they're groundbreaking next
[21:06]
month And most of the funding is in
[21:08]
place for that as well. But the gap the donnut hole essentially from that
[21:13]
Chesterfield section up to Henriiko I
[21:17]
should say Henriiko's funded and almost
[21:19]
all of theirs is there's multiple
[21:22]
funding buckets. So again to answer your
[21:24]
question it's not one funding bucket.
[21:26]
It's the solution.
[21:29]
Isn't it kind of hard to define where
[21:30]
the trails are going to be if you
[21:32]
haven't gotten these ones yet?
[21:35]
>> With fall line, um Richmond's still
[21:38]
working on some of their final lines. Um
[21:42]
Chesterfield had some identified in
[21:44]
their plans. Um and they basically
[21:46]
followed a lot of that corridor. Some of
[21:48]
it had to shift due to a solar farm
[21:51]
being built in the center of one
[21:53]
section. uh a shooting range I think was
[21:55]
near uh they're they were using an old
[21:58]
rail line but those are opportunities
[22:01]
that they had already identified. Uh I
[22:03]
think in what we're talking about here
[22:05]
is sort of a blank slate. We have that
[22:07]
corridor we don't necessarily have you
[22:10]
know lined up a series of property
[22:13]
owners that were already teed up for it.
[22:16]
Capital trail I think was u a lot more
[22:19]
of that you know property by property.
[22:22]
Um it is one of those when they did have
[22:24]
the funding in place and started
[22:25]
building it. It wasn't a march from you
[22:28]
know Jamestown to to Richmond to do the
[22:31]
trail. It was pieces and parts in and as
[22:34]
they were going everybody's like why is
[22:35]
this a gap? Why I have not you have why
[22:38]
haven't you finished my part? You know
[22:40]
point being though that momentum that
[22:42]
helps build that momentum toward having
[22:44]
more funding but it may not always help
[22:48]
if the property owners don't want it.
[22:49]
And I know 7-Eleven has a lot of
[22:51]
historic again a lot of historic
[22:53]
properties and it might be difficult.
[22:55]
Um, so yeah, that's our perspective that
[22:58]
would be awful difficult to fund because
[23:02]
you you can say you want to go this way
[23:04]
and then all of a sudden you got
[23:05]
property owners. Well, now it's got to
[23:06]
go this way. So we dedicate x amount of
[23:10]
dollars, but now the trails got to be
[23:11]
longer because it's got to go around
[23:13]
people that weren't giving willing to
[23:15]
give an easement. So, it's really hard
[23:17]
for the county to budget something like
[23:19]
that, right, when we don't know point A
[23:22]
to point B and what that's going to look
[23:24]
like.
[23:25]
>> It it it is um each of them ends up
[23:28]
being a different u approach, different
[23:31]
um solution uh to those those obstacles.
[23:35]
They're working right now uh an
[23:37]
extension of the Capitol Trail and it
[23:39]
basically matches what you're talking
[23:40]
about from Jamestown towards Newport
[23:43]
News. a lot. It's a tight corridor. A
[23:46]
lot of different waterways that affect
[23:47]
that. And yes, it the the distance has
[23:51]
changed a few times. The the course
[23:54]
they're trying to get get to has
[23:56]
changed, but I would think that if if it
[23:59]
is something that the county was
[24:00]
interested in that you would have at
[24:03]
least some preliminary work, we talked a
[24:05]
little bit about like how how would you
[24:07]
execute a trails plan? you may need some
[24:10]
extra help. Some some uh more than just
[24:14]
one person trying to tackle that. Um and
[24:16]
in in that case, uh if you like say had
[24:19]
a trails manager position that could
[24:21]
help, you know, knock on those doors. My
[24:24]
family's from Martinsville. When they've
[24:26]
uh tried to put together some of the
[24:28]
trails there, they they had a foundation
[24:30]
that was doing some of the door
[24:31]
knocking. But yeah, it's each one of
[24:34]
them has a different approach and a
[24:36]
different solution. I thought good job
[24:37]
for our deputy county administrator.
[24:40]
[laughter]
[24:44]
» Well, I uh I noticed John leaned over
[24:47]
and whispered in Megan's ear. Uh the
[24:49]
foundation is something that Parks and
[24:51]
Wreck has been working on and thinking
[24:53]
about for some time, recognizing that
[24:55]
there's uh there's multiple ways to skin
[24:57]
the cat, you know, and and as not only a
[25:00]
fundraising arm, but a force force
[25:02]
multiplier. And uh yeah, I think that
[25:04]
that's a a great example of how that
[25:06]
group could be leveraged.
[25:09]
>> We talked the other day about you all
[25:11]
have agreements with your farmers market
[25:13]
with groups and having some co-managing
[25:15]
maybe something to that to to that
[25:16]
effect a solution where hey we have a
[25:18]
co-trail issue or not issue but
[25:21]
opportunity you know with
[25:24]
some sort of shared effort. I don't
[25:26]
know. We we were throwing some
[25:28]
[clears throat] fun ideas out and all of
[25:30]
them sound really fun until you start
[25:32]
getting down to how much would this cost
[25:33]
and how would this work? So, it's all
[25:36]
fun games.
[25:38]
[laughter]
[25:39]
>> Whoa.
[25:40]
>> Well, I think the question for me is
[25:42]
like who's going to be making the ask to
[25:45]
the property owners?
[25:48]
We can commit to it all day long, but we
[25:50]
can't we can't can't necessarily force
[25:52]
property owners to
[25:54]
>> Yeah, absolutely. I will say with the
[25:58]
with fall line, they had two design
[26:01]
build sections. That first one that's
[26:02]
completed and the one in the south and
[26:05]
VOTE got to be the bad guy uh for a lot
[26:08]
of that. Um basically the you know
[26:11]
research being done on
[26:14]
here's the general corridor and then you
[26:17]
know assessing which properties may be
[26:19]
effective which side of the road may be
[26:21]
preferred because you don't want to
[26:22]
switch back and forth side sides of the
[26:25]
road especially on a busy corridor like
[26:26]
7-Eleven. But the idea again uh of uh
[26:30]
who's going to handle you know talking
[26:32]
to the public working with so a lot of
[26:34]
the fall line ended up being you know V
[26:37]
dot going through that public process
[26:40]
like I said with this we're just doing
[26:42]
the study trying to get together like is
[26:46]
do are people interested in this and you
[26:49]
know do we pursue it and if we do what
[26:51]
are the potential corridors but um in
[26:54]
the end yeah if you if you did want to
[26:56]
see it through there would be another
[26:59]
level of study. The fall line had an
[27:01]
Ashlin to Petersburg trail study and
[27:04]
that was funded through the governor's
[27:06]
office uh the office of interotal
[27:08]
planning um you know handled that it was
[27:11]
about year plus study. So that's the
[27:14]
more serious version of we really are
[27:16]
going to do some of the environmental
[27:17]
work in you know trying to figure out
[27:20]
traffic volume along roads. Like I said,
[27:23]
I have collected some data. Obviously,
[27:25]
[snorts] 7-Eleven is that collector as
[27:27]
you head especially east toward um 288
[27:31]
and still people that head 522, you
[27:34]
know. So, all those suburban
[27:35]
neighborhoods uh or really exurban
[27:38]
neighborhoods feed towards that corridor
[27:40]
and obviously 60 as well. You know,
[27:42]
that's your two major east west.
[27:45]
But yeah, VOTE would have to be heavily
[27:47]
involved in something to that effect.
[27:51]
And that's not free, but that's, you
[27:53]
know, that's governor's office had
[27:56]
funded, for example, the fall line and
[27:57]
the capital trail.
[28:00]
Mr. Chairman, I want to make sure I'm
[28:03]
not
[28:05]
pushing you along a path that you're not
[28:07]
prepared to walk. Um, no pun intended. I I appreciate the fact that you are now
[28:14]
familiar with our plan.
[28:16]
>> Absolutely.
[28:18]
>> Previously, I I assume you weren't. So
[28:20]
the fact that you're aware of it and can
[28:22]
help facilitate give advice and mostly I
[28:26]
hope help with funding source if you
[28:28]
have some guidance there. So at least
[28:31]
it's good that plan RBA is aware of that
[28:33]
plan. I assume that you weren't
[28:36]
previously.
[28:38]
>> Um I was um and we have that
[28:41]
incorporated in our region.
[28:43]
>> But does that mean it's [snorts]
[28:46]
anywhere past being a plan? No. So, but
[28:49]
if you if you and we were talking a
[28:52]
little bit about this the other day, you
[28:53]
know, you start using the CBTA money or
[28:57]
some other uh we we've talked about some
[28:59]
different um potential uh funding
[29:02]
sources to apply, you know, grants and
[29:04]
so on. any of those, you know, knocking
[29:07]
out a mile or, you know, connecting from
[29:09]
Fighting Creek up to the schools and and
[29:11]
beyond, any [clears throat] of those,
[29:13]
you know, little incremental updates or
[29:16]
trails, too, you know. Oh,
[29:17]
>> yeah.
[29:18]
>> But it certainly has been risen to the
[29:21]
top of any surveys that we've done in
[29:23]
terms of the citizens really valuing uh
[29:25]
the trails and looking for expansion of
[29:27]
them.
[29:28]
>> It's a very thorough plan. I really you
[29:30]
know I did refamiliarize myself with it
[29:34]
uh since um we we started this process
[29:37]
but yeah the it's very thorough and you
[29:40]
know identify as very I mean from my
[29:42]
perspective not living here you know
[29:44]
very workable corridors and necessary
[29:47]
things like connecting schools
[29:48]
connecting through your community
[29:50]
finishing sidewalk networks within the
[29:52]
courthouse area that you know you've
[29:55]
been asking for I don't know several
[29:57]
years as far as I know about how to
[29:59]
connect birth to the middle school.
[30:05]
» We have one person who constantly is.
[30:08]
>> Oh, he's not just a Pan guy.
[30:11]
>> Oh, really?
[30:11]
>> Carl.
[30:13]
>> He's famous.
[30:14]
>> He [laughter] infinitisly is.
[30:16]
>> Yeah. But it, you know,
[30:18]
>> sometimes it works.
[30:19]
>> We have people within the region. We
[30:22]
have people within these the
[30:23]
communities. But yeah, it's it's
[30:24]
wonderful to have people who are
[30:26]
interested and you know I feel like you
[30:28]
know he's he's not ineffective.
[30:31]
>> Oh, he's a knowledgeable guy.
[30:32]
>> Yeah, absolutely.
[30:35]
>> What other questions we got?
[30:37]
I'm still stuck on 7-Eleven because I
[30:39]
don't see how it happens just because
[30:42]
there's a road and then there's a ditch
[30:44]
and the ditch pretty much runs
[30:48]
away because the properties on either
[30:51]
side use that ditch to drain off their
[30:54]
properties.
[30:56]
>> It's it's very similar to Capitol Trail
[30:57]
in that situation.
[30:58]
>> That's how I vision it going from going
[31:00]
up Route Five from from Williamsburg or
[31:02]
Jamestown all the way up to um downtown
[31:05]
Richmond. So you would be asking
[31:06]
>> it's off the road. It's not right on the
[31:08]
road.
[31:08]
>> Yeah. So you'd be asking someone like
[31:10]
Norwood and um with the Sleti Place and
[31:16]
Brooker to really take a sizable chunk
[31:19]
of land off what 15 ft or more
[31:25]
on top of on top of what he got. the
[31:28]
conservancy that no one is in. I I don't know that
[31:34]
permission is the issue. I'm not sure it
[31:36]
can be done that. And I will say it's
[31:39]
part of why we consulted with Capital
[31:41]
Region Land Conservancy because there
[31:43]
are many properties in several
[31:45]
localities. We aren't sure if their
[31:48]
easements I'm sorry, an easement would
[31:50]
be possible.
[31:51]
>> Yeah.
[31:53]
And so if it's going to trek over
[31:56]
7-Eleven, then you have to build a
[31:57]
bridge.
[32:00]
>> Uh well, again,
[32:04]
>> with
[32:05]
>> Capital Trail, there are some crossings,
[32:08]
>> right?
[32:08]
>> You want it to be in a in a in an area
[32:10]
that has, you know, no hills
[32:13]
approaching. You want the best sight
[32:14]
lines you can, you know, uh you know, no
[32:17]
big curves before them. Um, but yeah,
[32:19]
that's that's obviously very important
[32:21]
issue. There's a power line that runs on
[32:24]
certain corridors of of uh 7-Eleven,
[32:27]
just a local power line. But again, like
[32:30]
some of those are opportunities, but
[32:32]
then you you see like, okay, that also
[32:34]
continues across seven people's
[32:35]
driveways and their driveways all have,
[32:38]
you know, the cutout for the driveway
[32:40]
and their their houses are right up to
[32:42]
the road. So, it's very hard to
[32:43]
envision. You could go in the front. I
[32:45]
don't know what there might be to go
[32:47]
behind some of those houses, but that's
[32:49]
part of the the course you might see
[32:51]
with Capitol Trail is going behind some
[32:55]
properties if that is an issue. But that
[32:58]
was a 52 mile trail. We're talking about
[33:00]
11 with or is um at least to 522. I
[33:06]
don't remember how far up to 522. I'm
[33:08]
sorry to the river it is from there. But
[33:11]
uh but anyway, yeah, it's it's not
[33:13]
without uh difficulties.
[33:16]
>> I think it's nine miles from 68 to the
[33:19]
road.
[33:26]
» Any other questions?
[33:29]
>> Any questions for us?
[33:31]
>> You know, I've been mostly asking all
[33:33]
the questions through Megan and now that
[33:35]
there's a foundation, I think, you know,
[33:36]
we got to start. But um it's it's
[33:39]
wonderful that you already have a plan.
[33:41]
Like I said, we that's what we use to
[33:43]
identify these corridors. So yeah, I
[33:45]
mean that was I'm glad you guys are
[33:46]
really enthusiastic about the actual
[33:49]
trail plan. And you know, again,
[33:51]
anything I can do, we can do to help,
[33:53]
you know, start that process of getting
[33:55]
some of those. We always talk about we
[33:57]
don't want to make plans that sit on a
[33:58]
shelf and never do anything with them.
[34:01]
So, that's the same thing with your
[34:02]
trails plan is even if it's all right,
[34:04]
we got something, you know, started uh
[34:07]
and or you know, the uh the priority
[34:11]
list included a couple that were, you
[34:12]
know, connecting the schools. I mean,
[34:14]
that's that's safety right there. Trying
[34:16]
to get the kids, you know, to and from
[34:18]
safely. So, I I don't really have any
[34:20]
other questions, but I know who to
[34:21]
contact if I have any more.
[34:23]
>> Do I have one question?
[34:24]
>> Yes, sir.
[34:25]
>> Ride motorcycles on.
[34:28]
>> Not supposed to. [laughter]
[34:29]
Um, it's a joke. I was going to say
[34:32]
though the horse question, um, I didn't
[34:34]
quite answer that thoroughly. Like in
[34:36]
like say Northern Virginia on the WO
[34:38]
trail, that one has some sections that
[34:41]
are so busy that they have multiple side
[34:44]
by side pieces so that the horses can
[34:46]
have their own space and not be spooked
[34:48]
by, you know,
[34:50]
>> pedestrians and cyclists. And um that
[34:53]
example of the Cros trail out out there
[34:56]
is like, "Hey, you know, you're going to
[34:57]
be talking to the horse farm folks. How
[34:59]
do you get through to them? You know,
[35:01]
come in there right away with the idea
[35:03]
that you're providing a longer trail for
[35:05]
the horses as well." So, it's a tall
[35:08]
ask, you know, because a lot of those
[35:10]
are multi-million dollar farms and I'm
[35:13]
sure there's several in Pitan as well,
[35:16]
but yeah, it's a tall ask uh for some of
[35:18]
those properties.
[35:19]
>> Sure.
[35:20]
>> Yeah. I'm John Kirkland. I'm the vice
[35:22]
chair for the foundation and we've
[35:25]
really gotten the ball rolling with that
[35:27]
foundation. I've already been out
[35:28]
speaking, speaker. Um I truly believe we
[35:31]
will be able to help with some of this
[35:32]
funding and looking forward to working
[35:35]
with uh we've got a good group. We've
[35:38]
got a good board. We're enthusiastic.
[35:40]
We'll have our website up hopefully by
[35:42]
October 1st. convey that to everybody so
[35:45]
they can go in there and actually see
[35:46]
what we're about, what we're doing, what
[35:48]
we're into and where we're trying to
[35:50]
help out in different localities. And I
[35:52]
think it'd be great for the county once
[35:54]
we get that up and running. But we are
[35:57]
live.
[35:59]
>> So if you want to give me some money,
[36:00]
I'll take it. [laughter]
[36:04]
» Can I uh can I mention I I think that
[36:06]
this is a space that we're doing good planning, but we're
[36:10]
doing good work as well. Um it was just
[36:12]
in 2028 that the county reconstituted
[36:15]
the parks and rec advisory commission
[36:18]
and they had the foresight in 2019 to
[36:20]
initiate a parks and recreation needs
[36:22]
assessment which was finalized in 2020
[36:25]
and they did a statistically valid
[36:27]
survey of the uh the county at large
[36:29]
that identified multi-purpose trails as
[36:32]
the number one requested amenity. Um and
[36:36]
uh we we used that information to apply
[36:39]
for a fiscal year 22 community project
[36:42]
funds grant which we are awarded for the
[36:44]
education connection trail. Uh we
[36:46]
applied again in fiscal year 2 uh three
[36:49]
for the ADA trail. Um that's that will
[36:52]
go behind the library. Um and part of
[36:54]
what we've learned is you have to be
[36:55]
careful what you wish for when you get
[36:57]
awarded federal grant money. Uh we've
[37:00]
been working on that since 20 fiscal
[37:03]
year 22. you know, meeting all of the
[37:05]
requirements of federal money. Um, we're
[37:07]
to the point that we're planning a
[37:09]
ribbon cutting in the next two months.
[37:10]
So, uh, near near the finish line on
[37:12]
that one, and the ADA trail will be
[37:14]
right behind it. But I think it's an
[37:16]
area that we're punching above our way
[37:18]
and and parks rec of work to advance the
[37:22]
goal of where you multi- trailing count
[37:25]
as well.
[37:27]
>> Good stuff. That's awesome. Love that.
[37:32]
» Um,
[37:34]
data on the economic at uh the capital
[37:37]
trail.
[37:39]
>> That that is a fantastic question and I
[37:41]
have to say with fall on that was the
[37:43]
same question. We did not do there is an
[37:46]
e economic impact study for the capital
[37:49]
trail. It's from 2018. So um it's pretty
[37:53]
far behind. The nump the dollar figures
[37:55]
are are way behind and obviously the
[37:58]
trail was very new at that time. Um but
[38:01]
we've been using that as a very low
[38:03]
baseline for the impact. Um it's
[38:07]
obviously something that be a tourism
[38:09]
impact but because that's already
[38:12]
busy corridor scenic uh byway Virginia
[38:16]
scenic byway. Um but that's that's what
[38:19]
we have
[38:20]
>> counters.
[38:22]
There are trail counters though um not
[38:25]
all the original 11 are in operation but
[38:28]
yeah that's on the B do website and I I
[38:30]
can provide links to to those um you
[38:34]
know so you get a good sense of how many
[38:37]
people are using not just that trail but
[38:39]
you know around the state. Um but yeah,
[38:42]
it's some of those are
[38:45]
um it's it's how you perceive the you
[38:48]
know how many people pass through
[38:49]
certain areas. Um that doesn't
[38:51]
necessarily mean that somebody stay much
[38:54]
stay in a hotel or anything like that.
[38:56]
Uh but yeah, the economic impact study
[38:58]
like I said they Capital Trail
[39:00]
Foundation is is working to update that.
[39:03]
Who knows if that's next couple of
[39:04]
years, but um fall line that was a big
[39:07]
request like Ann County was that was a
[39:09]
big request for them as well. Like if we
[39:12]
approve this,
[39:14]
how do we know this is going to provide
[39:16]
any benefit to us? Um and in handover's
[39:19]
case, they were the first ones their section was the first completed.
[39:23]
Actually as Ashlin was first, but they kind of count us out. Excellent.
[39:28]
Perfect.
[39:31]
No other questions from the board.
[39:33]
>> I can't identify it.
[39:36]
>> Thank you so much.
[39:37]
>> Thank you.
[39:52]
» Right by my house.
[39:53]
>> Yeah, I do.
[39:56]
>> Good evening. I'd like to call to order
[39:58]
the August 24th, 2026 regular monthly
[40:00]
meetings. Thank you all for coming out.
[40:03]
I'd like to ask Mr. McClung if you
[40:05]
wouldn't mind starting us off with the
[40:06]
pledge of allegiance followed by Mr.
[40:08]
Kenny handling the imitation, please.
[40:12]
I
[40:12]
>> pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[40:15]
United States of America and to
[40:17]
[clears throat] the republic for it
[40:19]
stands, one nation under God,
[40:22]
indivisible with liberty and justice for
[40:25]
all.
[40:27]
Lord Jesus, we thank you so much for
[40:28]
allowing us to gather here tonight.
[40:31]
We thank you for your words that one of
[40:34]
your greatest commands is to
[40:38]
I just pray for peace tonight.
[40:41]
I just pray that you're here in a mighty
[40:43]
way. Father, in Jesus name we pray.
[40:45]
>> Amen. Amen.
[40:50]
» Thank you. Do I have any requests to
[40:52]
postpone agenda items, make any
[40:54]
additions, deletions, or changes in the
[40:56]
order of presentation?
[40:59]
Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to
[41:01]
approve.
[41:02]
>> Oh, second.
[41:04]
>> All in favor?
[41:05]
>> I.
[41:05]
>> Any opposed? Hearing none, that'll bring
[41:08]
us to board updates.
[41:11]
Any uh board updates?
[41:14]
I'll go over one. I went to the uh uh
[41:17]
general government steering committee.
[41:19]
uh that kind of goes over different uh
[41:21]
legislation, different um positions that
[41:23]
Veo takes on different legislation. And
[41:26]
we reviewed several priorities
[41:29]
uh two of which thank you uh two of
[41:32]
which uh focus on opposing any
[41:36]
legislation that removes local authority
[41:39]
and the second priority would be uh uh
[41:41]
opposing anything um that I guess
[41:45]
imposes unfunded mandates on localities.
[41:47]
So, those were the two priorities that
[41:50]
uh Veo's uh taking strong position on uh
[41:54]
moving forward for uh legislation for
[41:56]
the general assembly. Any other board
[41:57]
updates before we move on?
[41:59]
>> Mr. Cherry, I got one.
[41:59]
>> Go ahead.
[42:00]
>> Uh as y'all know, I live on Pierersburg
[42:02]
Road. It's going to be shut down for a
[42:03]
while. So, probably a month or two and
[42:06]
I've been dealing with VOTE on getting
[42:08]
some enhancements [clears throat] to the
[42:09]
Stave Mill Dorset intersection. So, we
[42:12]
got a a couple signs new signs up. I'm
[42:14]
working on getting a flashlight put in
[42:15]
there now to help things out. So, That's
[42:17]
all I got.
[42:18]
>> Thank you.
[42:20]
>> That'll move us to the county
[42:22]
administrator updates.
[42:23]
>> Yeah, thank you. We've uh got some
[42:25]
infographics coming up on the screen. Uh
[42:28]
but want to make you aware that this
[42:29]
Friday is the final movie in the village
[42:32]
um movies in the park series for the
[42:34]
summer. Uh Parks and Recreation puts on
[42:36]
this series through a grant that they
[42:38]
were awarded through the Virginia
[42:39]
Foundation for Healthy Youth. This
[42:41]
Friday's movie is Lilo and Stitch and it
[42:44]
begins at dusk at Turner Park. Um, next
[42:48]
this Saturday is Guchin Palatan
[42:50]
Community Services Board's Hopefest.
[42:53]
This is a community event that focuses
[42:55]
on substance use and recovery. The event
[42:58]
will be held at the CSB's Gland location
[43:00]
and it is free and open to the public.
[43:03]
Um, next is First Friday's event returns
[43:07]
to the village park next Friday,
[43:09]
September 4th from 6:00 to 8th. This is
[43:11]
a free outdoor concert with vendors on
[43:14]
site and the Riverside band will be our
[43:17]
musical guest um next Friday evening. Um
[43:21]
next, our mobile outreach team is
[43:24]
hosting the premiere of Stories of Hope
[43:27]
on Tuesday, September 8th from 5 to 7:30
[43:30]
here in the Village Building Auditorium.
[43:32]
Uh there's a cookout that starts at 5:00
[43:35]
pm and that will be followed by the
[43:37]
premiere of local storytelling videos
[43:39]
that start at 6 pm and this is a
[43:42]
campaign that was created to raise
[43:44]
awareness and reduce stigma around
[43:46]
substance use. Um this is a free event
[43:49]
and it's open to the public. So we'll
[43:50]
hope to see you there. Um, next, Park
[43:53]
and Recreation is offering free yoga in
[43:56]
Village Park on Monday mornings
[43:58]
throughout the month of September with
[44:00]
the exception of Labor Day, which is
[44:02]
September 7th. But otherwise, uh, come
[44:05]
out and participate in free yoga on
[44:07]
Mondays in Village Park. And then the
[44:10]
last update we have this evening is the
[44:12]
Never Forget Run is scheduled for
[44:14]
Friday, September 11th at Powatan High
[44:16]
School. Uh, as you know, the 911 attack
[44:19]
took the lives of nearly 3,000
[44:21]
individuals, 343 of whom were first
[44:24]
responders. Um, so the run involves 343
[44:28]
laps around the high school track, one
[44:30]
lap in honor of each first responder who
[44:33]
died on 911. Uh, so we hope you'll be
[44:35]
able to join us on uh, Friday, September
[44:38]
11th for this event. Thank you.
[44:41]
>> Thank you. All right, that'll bring us
[44:43]
to our public comment period. Um, what
[44:46]
we'll do now is we'll move into that.
[44:47]
And I will tell you, we've got uh three
[44:49]
public hearings. So, if you're here for
[44:51]
any of the three hearings and you've
[44:53]
signed up for the public comment as I
[44:54]
call your name, just let me know and
[44:56]
we'll we'll move to the next name. Um,
[44:58]
so the [clears throat] board will now
[45:00]
hear from citizens who wish to speak to
[45:02]
the board. Speakers will be recognized
[45:04]
in the order in which they signed up.
[45:06]
When your name is called, please come to
[45:07]
the podium and begin by stating your
[45:09]
name and address or voting district.
[45:12]
Each speaker will have three minutes as
[45:14]
an individual or five minutes for a
[45:16]
group as long as you have uh at least
[45:18]
three folks here from your group. Uh
[45:20]
please direct all comments to the board
[45:22]
as a whole and not individual members uh
[45:26]
or the audience or staff or any other
[45:29]
attendee. Refrain from criticizing
[45:31]
specific individuals or groups or using
[45:34]
vulgar, rude or threatening language. We
[45:36]
will begin now with Matt Fischer.
[45:44]
Good evening, chair, chairman, and
[45:47]
members of the board. My name is Matt
[45:49]
Fischer, 945 River States Court, and I
[45:52]
live in district 2 in Palatan County.
[45:54]
Thank you for the opportunity to speak
[45:56]
tonight. I'm here to respectfully ask
[45:58]
the board to remove Motorsports Park as
[46:01]
a conditional use in the Agricultural 10
[46:03]
zoning district.
[46:05]
I believe this change is important
[46:07]
because the A10 district is intended to
[46:09]
protect agricultural land, rural
[46:11]
character, open space, and low inensity
[46:14]
uses. A motorsports park is not low
[46:17]
inensity agricultural use. It is high
[46:20]
impact commercial recreational use, and
[46:22]
it brings concerns that are
[46:24]
[clears throat] very different from
[46:25]
normal farming, forestry, or rural
[46:27]
residential activity. POW Powatan's
[46:30]
adoptive planning priorities speak
[46:32]
clearly about financial stability,
[46:34]
public safety, quality of life, and
[46:36]
economic development that fits the
[46:38]
character of the county. Allowing a
[46:40]
motorsports park in A10 areas works
[46:43]
against those goals. These facilities
[46:45]
can create repeated noise, dust,
[46:47]
traffic, vibration, environmental
[46:50]
concerns, and emergency service needs in
[46:52]
locations that were not planned or built
[46:53]
for the level of that activity.
[46:56]
There's also a physical concern.
[46:58]
Motorsports Park may require sheriff's
[47:00]
office response, fire and rescue
[47:02]
planning, traffic control, road
[47:04]
maintenance, inspections, code
[47:06]
enforcement, complaint response, and
[47:08]
ongoing monitoring. Those costs can fall
[47:11]
on the county and its taxpayers. At the
[47:13]
same time, Palatan does not receive an
[47:15]
emission tax revenue tied directly to
[47:18]
ticket sales. That means the public
[47:20]
burden may not be matched by a clear
[47:22]
proportional public benefit.
[47:25]
Quality of life matters too. People who
[47:27]
live in agriculture areas have made
[47:29]
decisions based on rural zoning, rural
[47:32]
roads, rural quiet, and the expectation
[47:35]
that nearby land uses uses will remain
[47:38]
compatible with that setting. Even if
[47:40]
conditions are placed on a permit, the
[47:42]
county still is left to enforce those
[47:44]
conditions over time. That is not
[47:46]
efficient government and it creates an
[47:49]
avoidable an avoidable conflict between
[47:51]
an intensive event style use and
[47:53]
surrounding rural properties. I want to
[47:55]
be clear that the request is not about
[47:57]
opposing business or recreation in
[47:59]
Palatan. It's about putting the right
[48:01]
uses in the right places. If motorsports
[48:04]
are ever considered an economic
[48:06]
activity, they should be re reviewed in
[48:08]
a district and location where road
[48:10]
access, infrastructure, surrounding
[48:12]
uses, emergency services, and
[48:14]
environmental protections can reasonably
[48:16]
support them.
[48:19]
For those reasons, I've respectfully
[48:20]
asked the board to amend the zoning
[48:22]
ordinance and remove motorsports park as
[48:24]
a conditional use in the A10 district.
[48:27]
Doing so would protect Palatan's
[48:28]
agriculture in rural areas, reduce
[48:31]
avoidable public service burdens,
[48:33]
support the county's long-term planning
[48:35]
goals, and help ensure the future
[48:36]
development remains compatible Powatan's
[48:39]
character. Thank you for your time, your
[48:41]
service, and your consideration.
[48:43]
>> Thank you,
[48:46]
>> Robert Kelly.
[48:56]
Good evening, Robert Kelly, District 2.
[48:59]
Good evening, Mr. Chairman and
[49:00]
Supervisors. I'm rising to speak in
[49:04]
regards to Throttle Therapy's proposed
[49:06]
conditional use permit. Yes.
[49:08]
>> I would ask that you hold your comments
[49:09]
until the public hearing for that.
[49:11]
>> Oh, okay.
[49:13]
>> Thank you.
[49:15]
>> Pete Cisty,
[49:17]
>> same. Mr. Chair,
[49:18]
>> same. Uh, Virginia Morgan.
[49:45]
Hello, my name is Virginia Morgan and I
[49:47]
live at 2649 Glen Ridge Terrace and
[49:51]
Glenn Brook subdivision. I am speaking
[49:54]
in support of an ordinance to prohibit
[49:56]
the discharge of firearms and or
[49:58]
pneumatic guns in residential
[50:00]
neighborhoods in Powatan County. And the
[50:02]
current strategic plan adopted by you,
[50:04]
the board of supervisors, it states that
[50:06]
the safety and well-being of our
[50:08]
residents is paramount. The time is here
[50:11]
for you to stand behind that priority
[50:12]
and take action to ensure this takes
[50:14]
place. From January through June of this
[50:17]
year, law enforcement responded to 115
[50:20]
calls about the discharging of guns in
[50:22]
this county that included at least 18
[50:25]
residential neighborhoods. This isn't
[50:27]
just an isolated issue in Glenbrook. It
[50:30]
is a countywide problem that the county
[50:32]
data confirms. This is a safety issue.
[50:36]
It is not about politics. It's not about
[50:38]
changing the county's history or
[50:40]
culture. And it's certainly not about
[50:41]
infringing on the Second Amendment. I am
[50:44]
a gun owner myself. This issue was about
[50:46]
residents feeling safe on their own
[50:48]
property.
[50:50]
I have invited you all as well as others
[50:52]
out to my home to see the setup
[50:54]
firsthand. Some of you have taken me up
[50:56]
on this and the consensus has been the
[50:58]
same. This is not something that should
[51:01]
be taking place in this environment.
[51:03]
Deputies have told us not to go in our
[51:05]
backyard and some have even refused to
[51:07]
walk onto certain areas of our property
[51:09]
because of the shooting. If this isn't
[51:11]
the definition of unsafe, then I don't
[51:13]
know what is. I want you to ask
[51:15]
yourselves, is this somewhere you would
[51:17]
want to live? What if you were not able
[51:20]
to enjoy your backyard? What if you
[51:22]
didn't feel safe on your own property?
[51:25]
Would you be comfortable if your
[51:26]
children or grandchildren played in our
[51:28]
backyard? I'm sure the answer is no. If
[51:32]
this was happening to you at your home,
[51:33]
you would definitely want action taken
[51:35]
to protect you and your family. Law
[51:38]
enforcement wants help, but until an
[51:40]
ordinance is written that they can
[51:41]
enforce, there's nothing they can do.
[51:44]
This is something that you can fix. You
[51:46]
have the authority to take action. You
[51:49]
have residents asking you for a basic
[51:51]
safety measure to protect them. You also
[51:54]
have a responsibility to ensure the
[51:56]
safety and well-being of the residents
[51:58]
of this county. This ordinance isn't
[52:00]
meant to ban gun use everywhere in the
[52:03]
county. It's about location. It's about
[52:06]
protecting the safety and quality of
[52:08]
life in residential neighborhoods where
[52:10]
homes are closer together while lawful
[52:13]
shooting continues elsewhere in the
[52:15]
county.
[52:16]
You have made commitments. You have said
[52:19]
safety is your priority. Your strategic
[52:21]
plan says so. Law enforcement has been
[52:24]
clear about what they need. The only
[52:26]
thing standing between the residents and
[52:28]
their peace of mind is your followth
[52:30]
through. So, I am asking you to please
[52:32]
do the right thing and approve an
[52:34]
ordinance to protect those of us that
[52:36]
live in residential areas of the county
[52:38]
so that we can feel safe and find peace
[52:40]
in our homes and on our properties.
[52:43]
Thank you.
[52:44]
>> Thank you, Teresa Kelly.
[52:50]
[clears throat]
[52:51]
>> Mr. Chairman, members of the board, I'm
[52:53]
Teresa Kelly and I live in District 2.
[52:56]
Um, thank you for allowing me to speak.
[52:57]
I am also here to respectfully ask the
[52:59]
board to remove motorsports park as a
[53:02]
conditional you conditional use permit
[53:04]
from agriculture 10 zoning in the palan
[53:07]
palatan county strategic plan strategic
[53:10]
priority six rural heritage and resource
[53:13]
preservation. This priority focuses on
[53:15]
ensuring that as palatan grows it
[53:17]
maintains those characteristics that
[53:20]
make it a unique alternative to the more
[53:22]
developed areas of the region. These
[53:24]
features include active farms, managed
[53:27]
and natural re resource, sorry, managed
[53:30]
and natural forests, undisturbed lands,
[53:32]
fields, waterways, and historic
[53:34]
structures. The network of bike trails
[53:37]
by definition is disrupting to a forest.
[53:40]
It requires cutting underbrush and
[53:42]
continuously clearing vegetation. Soil erosion and waterway
[53:46]
pollution. dirt bike trails on rolled
[53:49]
terrain caused severe soil compaction
[53:52]
and accelerated uh erosion. Stripping
[53:55]
the forest of floor vegetation, sorry.
[53:59]
Stripping the floors for a vegetation
[54:01]
cover means that when it rains, mud,
[54:03]
sediment, and trace automotive fluids
[54:06]
will wash directly into local creeks,
[54:08]
rivers, and ponds. This directly
[54:11]
violates the county's commitment to
[54:12]
clean waterways. The purpose of A10 is
[54:16]
to maintain agrarian and lowdensity
[54:18]
rural character of the county that
[54:21]
optimizes economic use of the county's
[54:23]
prime farmland and forest land resources
[54:26]
and defines countryside appearance and
[54:28]
rural character of areas designated as
[54:31]
rural preservation areas in the
[54:33]
comprehensive plan. A commercial or
[54:35]
highintensity recreational ride park is
[54:38]
not a farming or forestry operation. It
[54:41]
introduces an intense non-aggricultural
[54:44]
commercial land use into a zone meant
[54:46]
for quiet countryside living. Please
[54:49]
understand, I am not against motorsports
[54:52]
park or outdoor recreation. However, we
[54:56]
must exercise due diligence to ensure
[54:58]
commercial activities align with local
[55:00]
zoning regulation. For these reasons and
[55:03]
those already stated, I am respectfully
[55:06]
asking the board to amend the zoning
[55:08]
ordinance to remove motorsports park as
[55:10]
a conditional use permit from
[55:12]
agriculture 10 zoning. Thank you for
[55:14]
your time and service to our county.
[55:16]
>> Thank you,
[55:20]
» Tommy Broaden.
[55:29]
Mr. chairman and fellow board members.
[55:32]
I'm Tommy Broton from 2452 Judes Ferry
[55:35]
Road and I'm not uh here to speak about
[55:39]
anything that you have direct control
[55:42]
over, but I would ask you if you could
[55:45]
please pass on to VOTE that the roads in
[55:49]
this county, the grass has not been cut
[55:52]
this year. I've lived in the county for
[55:54]
53 years. It's the first time the road
[55:57]
has never been cut in front of my house
[55:59]
and most everywhere else across the
[56:02]
county. Uh, Route 60 has was partially
[56:06]
cut, but today is the first day of
[56:08]
school
[56:10]
and
[56:11]
that intersection at Judy and Route 60
[56:16]
grass is three feet or more high and
[56:19]
we've got new young drivers there. uh
[56:23]
and they needed to be safe. So, uh as
[56:28]
some of you know, I retired from the
[56:31]
sheriff's office uh some 20 years ago
[56:33]
now, but uh I've been one of the first
[56:36]
responders that has had to go tell
[56:39]
people that their child has been killed
[56:41]
in accidents, and I hate to see any more
[56:45]
have to do that. Uh, and I know of five
[56:49]
or six fatalities at that intersection.
[56:53]
So, I would just ask you to pass the
[56:55]
word on to please do something with the
[56:58]
roads. Thank you.
[56:59]
>> Thank you,
[57:06]
» Steve Barl.
[57:20]
David Baron live third district. Uh had
[57:24]
seen y'all for a while. I'm sure y'all
[57:25]
miss me. Uh I got a couple things
[57:28]
comment from the last meeting. [snorts]
[57:31]
Uh I'm one of those old people. Be 65
[57:34]
years old. I'm one of those people that
[57:36]
supposedly
[57:37]
don't want to pay my taxes, support the
[57:39]
schools. My house, my property is
[57:42]
bringing down the value of this county
[57:45]
according to Barbara Brown. I'm sorry.
[57:49]
That is it is just ludicrous.
[57:52]
I didn't paid taxes in this county
[57:55]
for over 30, 35 years, personal and
[57:58]
business.
[58:00]
I'll tell you as a personal insult. So
[58:02]
the whole lot of other older people in
[58:03]
this county. I'm old. I admit it, but to
[58:06]
say something like that is embarrassing.
[58:09]
Shows lack of knowledge as far as I'm
[58:11]
concerned. Now, I'm going to get to some
[58:12]
other issues. I haven't been here cuz I
[58:14]
got a family member that's pretty well
[58:17]
sick. I'm going to take care of her. We
[58:19]
can't comment. Come to the meetings. The
[58:22]
board before this let you call in, speak
[58:26]
your mind. Now, if you don't want to
[58:27]
take my tax money and my wife's tax
[58:29]
money, I don't care if I can speak or
[58:32]
not, but I have a right to speak just
[58:35]
because I can't make it here and a whole
[58:36]
lot of other older people don't like
[58:39]
driving at night. It's getting harder as
[58:40]
you get older. You'll find out.
[58:43]
So, I'm just saying please go back and
[58:46]
let people call in, voice their opinion,
[58:49]
be heard. You're probably not going to
[58:51]
listen anyway, but at least make us feel
[58:53]
better. Now, if y'all don't want to do
[58:55]
that, there thing called the American
[58:57]
Disabilities Act and it's a group I
[59:00]
can't stand. ACLU, I know they would
[59:02]
love to dive into this because you're
[59:04]
all supposedly a Republican party board
[59:06]
by power county by your taxing and
[59:10]
spending ways. Uh, sorry, that's a joke.
[59:14]
So, I'm just asking you to please
[59:16]
consider that. Since I got another
[59:18]
minute or so, I'll dive into a few other
[59:20]
things.
[59:23]
Last meeting, Mr. Denady, and I like
[59:25]
you. I think you're a nice guy. He
[59:27]
called Mr. Booth out about three or four
[59:29]
times for speaking, making comments.
[59:32]
Told him, "Be quiet. Won't be no
[59:34]
applause. Won't be this." So far
[59:35]
tonight, we have divied away from that.
[59:37]
I think you'll miss Mr. Booth an
[59:39]
apology. He can get a little crazy, a
[59:41]
little radical. I know he's a neighbor
[59:43]
of mine, but he's sincere and he means
[59:46]
what he says. He's trying to do what's
[59:48]
right by this county.
[59:50]
I hope y'all listen to your planning
[59:53]
commission. Y'all obviously didn't last
[59:54]
time with Meltonville and all that
[59:56]
stuff. Now, I got this to say. This gun
[1:00:00]
issue thing
[1:00:01]
been a life member
[1:00:04]
the NRA for 55 years. My wife doesn't
[1:00:08]
like hunting. She owns a gun. The first
[1:00:09]
gift my son got when he was one year old
[1:00:11]
was a life membership in the NRA. I'm
[1:00:14]
telling every one of you sitting up
[1:00:15]
there. Only one I have any dictate over
[1:00:17]
to is Mr. Powers. in my district. Don't
[1:00:20]
mess with the gun rights of people in
[1:00:22]
this county. I'd love to stay, but I got
[1:00:23]
to go home and take care of my wife. God
[1:00:25]
bless you and good luck tonight.
[1:00:34]
» Send
[1:00:49]
Good evening. My name is Cindy Bootton.
[1:00:52]
I live at 4343 Ridge Road, Palatan.
[1:00:55]
Um, couple of issues. First, I wanted to
[1:00:59]
inform the board where I live.
[1:01:03]
Um, I have neighbors that are at least
[1:01:06]
1,500 to 2,000 feet away and they have
[1:01:11]
two children that if the weather permits
[1:01:15]
on their dirt bikes at least 3 hours a
[1:01:18]
day, the evening hours when people like
[1:01:21]
to relax and enjoy their evening after
[1:01:24]
work, have some quiet time. Not at my
[1:01:27]
house.
[1:01:29]
And I don't mean to be mean, but every
[1:01:33]
time I hear them, I hope one of them
[1:01:35]
wrecks.
[1:01:37]
Not that I want them to die,
[1:01:41]
but I'd like one of them hurt bad enough
[1:01:42]
that they gave up the motorcycles so I
[1:01:45]
can enjoy some peace and quiet. I have
[1:01:49]
anxiety issues, and I should be able to
[1:01:52]
relax at home in my yard. The other
[1:01:57]
thing is on and I've got 55 acres. I'm
[1:02:01]
in the middle of it. I did my best with
[1:02:04]
what I could afford to protect myself. I
[1:02:07]
moved out here where there wasn't
[1:02:09]
anybody here.
[1:02:11]
Uh I have neighbors now shooting on all
[1:02:14]
four sides of me and I know the Second
[1:02:16]
Amendment right allows them the right to
[1:02:19]
own a firearm. I don't have a problem
[1:02:22]
with them owning a firearm. What I have
[1:02:25]
a problem with is me feeling like I'm in
[1:02:29]
a battlefield in my own yard. There
[1:02:33]
should be one or two days a week that
[1:02:36]
the board could come up with that it's
[1:02:38]
quiet time for everybody in the county.
[1:02:41]
The guys get to play with their guns.
[1:02:44]
They get to hunt. I can't quit. I can't
[1:02:47]
make this make them stop, but I would
[1:02:49]
appreciate some kind of Nor's ordinance
[1:02:51]
that puts an evening and a morning time
[1:02:56]
be before which they can't shoot and
[1:02:59]
after which they can't shoot. And I
[1:03:01]
would like two days a week when it's
[1:03:04]
quiet time for old people like me
[1:03:08]
to have some peace and quiet and not
[1:03:10]
have to take an anxiety pill. Okay. I
[1:03:14]
think it's only fair they get to have
[1:03:16]
their guns. I should have the right to
[1:03:22]
what's it say?
[1:03:24]
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of
[1:03:25]
happiness.
[1:03:27]
Quiet time is my pursuit of happiness.
[1:03:31]
And I should be allowed that just as
[1:03:33]
much as they should be allowed to have a
[1:03:35]
gun and shoot. And the other thing is
[1:03:38]
the reason I told you about the
[1:03:40]
motorcycle kids, you've got a subject
[1:03:43]
coming up tonight that relates to that.
[1:03:46]
I just wanted you to know how far away
[1:03:48]
from them I live and I still have to
[1:03:52]
deal with the noise. And I'm 70 years
[1:03:56]
old, worked hard all my life.
[1:04:00]
I should I should have been able to earn
[1:04:03]
the right to live in my yard in peace as
[1:04:07]
well as these kids having fun.
[1:04:10]
>> Thank you.
[1:04:13]
>> April May,
[1:04:24]
I'm April May. I live at 3571 Pine View
[1:04:27]
Drive. Thank you, board, for hearing us.
[1:04:30]
I'm here to I'm a horrible speaker too,
[1:04:32]
by the way, so bear with me. Um, for you
[1:04:35]
to deny the CPU in the resoning for
[1:04:38]
throttle therapy.
[1:04:38]
>> Would you mind just hanging on to your
[1:04:39]
comments until we get to that?
[1:04:41]
>> That just gives me more time to
[1:04:42]
practice.
[1:04:42]
>> Absolutely. [laughter]
[1:04:46]
>> Don May.
[1:04:48]
>> Okay. Uh, Janet Newton.
[1:04:58]
» Good afternoon. I'm Janet Newton, 2933
[1:05:01]
Lake Louise Drive, District 3. Um, I'm
[1:05:05]
here again to discuss Lake Louise. Lake
[1:05:08]
Louise has once again come um to the
[1:05:10]
forefront on social media this week.
[1:05:12]
People want answers. I would like to
[1:05:15]
address the instability of the dam that
[1:05:17]
supports Mountain View Road. It
[1:05:19]
continues to grow with every weather
[1:05:21]
event. Um, Lake Louise, for those that
[1:05:24]
don't know, was sold at a delinquent tax
[1:05:26]
auction for $2,500, almost 7 acres of a
[1:05:29]
lake. People say to us, 14 lot owners,
[1:05:33]
uh, you're always up there at the board
[1:05:34]
of supervisors meeting, why didn't you
[1:05:36]
buy the lake? How do you buy something
[1:05:39]
that you don't know is for sale? We were
[1:05:42]
blindsided by this.
[1:05:44]
Reason being a couple of years prior we
[1:05:47]
had um went to the county and asked
[1:05:49]
about purchasing the lake and we were
[1:05:51]
told all back taxes between 20 and
[1:05:54]
$30,000 is what it would take to buy
[1:05:57]
that lake. So yeah, we were blindsided.
[1:06:00]
Jim and Deborah Reynolds bought it for
[1:06:01]
$2,500
[1:06:03]
and then offered it for sale on social
[1:06:05]
media to us for $54,000.
[1:06:09]
when we said we didn't weren't
[1:06:11]
interested in buying it for that um they
[1:06:14]
said we were going to destroy your
[1:06:16]
recreational deed rights and they did uh
[1:06:19]
we have a cave-in now on Mountain View
[1:06:21]
Road and as I said earlier the dam
[1:06:24]
supports Mountain View Road and that
[1:06:25]
cave-in grows with every weather event
[1:06:28]
and we've had a lot of weather recently
[1:06:31]
deeq and V do have all been involved
[1:06:34]
since last year and have requested the
[1:06:36]
rentals to stabilize the area They
[1:06:38]
pretty much thumb their noses at these
[1:06:40]
requests because the situation gets
[1:06:42]
worse as I said every weather event.
[1:06:46]
They destroyed a thriving ecosystem, a
[1:06:48]
7acre lake. We witnessed a horrible fish
[1:06:51]
kill. They uh didn't get any required
[1:06:54]
permits to do this. They did this in
[1:06:56]
broad daylight. And I have pictures of
[1:06:58]
the individual who shoveled out that
[1:07:00]
Virginia protected creek in a lame uh
[1:07:04]
attempt to destroy that lake. our
[1:07:06]
property values tanked by 30%. Thank
[1:07:09]
goodness you guys took that into account
[1:07:11]
and gave us the 25% reduction in our
[1:07:15]
taxes. Um, yes. Ironically, the owners,
[1:07:19]
Jim and Deborah Reynolds, live in Lake
[1:07:21]
Shaun and serve on that board. I'm
[1:07:24]
asking the board tonight, what can you
[1:07:26]
do to compel these folks to comply with
[1:07:29]
stabilizing the area? Trees fall. Um,
[1:07:32]
we've got them off the road. Um, it's
[1:07:35]
very unstable. Sediments flowing
[1:07:37]
downstream, discolored water, please get
[1:07:40]
your well water tested. If you live
[1:07:42]
downstream,
[1:07:44]
if if agencies are keeping a close eye
[1:07:47]
on the instability, are you going at it
[1:07:50]
um from the road? Uh you're not going to
[1:07:52]
get a very good view. Come to my
[1:07:54]
backyard. I invite you to. I have the
[1:07:56]
best view of what's going on at that
[1:07:58]
cavein. And you'll see why I'm up here
[1:08:01]
every month to ask these questions.
[1:08:05]
Thank you.
[1:08:05]
>> Thank you,
[1:08:09]
» James Cave.
[1:08:14]
» Okay. All right. We'll come out of the
[1:08:18]
comment period and move to appointments.
[1:08:23]
There are two library board appointments
[1:08:25]
on the agenda. One for the district
[1:08:27]
three seat and one at large seat. You
[1:08:30]
have three applications in your packet
[1:08:32]
and all three applicants reside in
[1:08:34]
district three.
[1:08:41]
[clears throat]
[1:08:42]
>> Go ahead.
[1:08:45]
I'm asking for board consideration for
[1:08:47]
the appointment of Joanne Fico and of uh
[1:08:51]
Arthur Gregory uh to the uh library
[1:08:55]
board.
[1:08:56]
>> Second.
[1:08:59]
>> All in favor?
[1:09:00]
>> I.
[1:09:01]
>> Any oppose?
[1:09:03]
Hearing? None. That passes and bring us
[1:09:04]
to our consent agenda.
[1:09:06]
>> Mr. Chairman, could I have one more
[1:09:07]
minute? Um
[1:09:08]
>> we were fortunate to have three
[1:09:10]
applicants and uh we only had two
[1:09:12]
positions open. Uh, and I want to just
[1:09:14]
uh call out um Mrs. Fluitt who applied
[1:09:18]
and thank her for her interest in the
[1:09:20]
county and encourage her to continue to
[1:09:23]
look to uh volunteer time. We need as
[1:09:27]
much help as we can get and I thank her
[1:09:29]
for her interest. Thank you, Mr.
[1:09:31]
Chairman.
[1:09:33]
>> Thank you. I'll move us to consent.
[1:09:36]
>> Items A through C on the consent agenda
[1:09:39]
are minutes approvals from prior board
[1:09:41]
meetings.
[1:09:44]
Item D is a budget action to accept
[1:09:48]
state funding, insurance recoveries, and
[1:09:50]
farmers market fees and appropriate
[1:09:51]
these funds for their intended uses.
[1:09:54]
Item E is a budget action to accept just
[1:09:57]
over $9,800 in additional state library
[1:10:00]
aid. Item F is an action referring four
[1:10:04]
zoning ordinance text amendments to the
[1:10:06]
planning commission. uh each addresses
[1:10:08]
changes in state law that uh that
[1:10:10]
require corresponding updates to our
[1:10:12]
county local ordinances. And item G is
[1:10:16]
an annual certification confirming that
[1:10:18]
the county has used CBTA funding only
[1:10:21]
for eligible transportation related
[1:10:23]
projects.
[1:10:26]
» Mr. Agy, item G with that. Do we have
[1:10:29]
that listed anywhere for public
[1:10:31]
knowledge? The uh the projects that
[1:10:34]
we've spent funding on in fiscal year 26
[1:10:37]
are on the Carter Gallier project. Uh we
[1:10:40]
spent just over $4,000 on an appraisal
[1:10:43]
and a rightaway plat. And then we spent
[1:10:46]
uh $512,000
[1:10:48]
on the arch project at Route 13 and
[1:10:51]
Route 60.
[1:10:52]
>> Well, we can make those available if
[1:10:54]
somewhere you were to ask.
[1:10:55]
>> We can.
[1:10:56]
>> Okay.
[1:11:01]
M. Go ahead, Mr. Powers.
[1:11:03]
>> I have one question on F will
[1:11:06]
>> Did he change his name?
[1:11:07]
>> It's okay. Go ahead. Sorry. Go ahead.
[1:11:08]
>> Sorry. Yeah. Um,
[1:11:10]
will on item F,
[1:11:13]
are we before the referral to the
[1:11:16]
planning commission on the voting
[1:11:18]
ordinate text, does the board get to
[1:11:20]
review the text or is that something
[1:11:21]
they're going to draft?
[1:11:22]
>> So, tonight you're just referring these
[1:11:25]
items to the planning commission. And
[1:11:26]
these were the items uh that we talked
[1:11:28]
about during 2 by twos that um
[1:11:31]
legislative changes at the state level
[1:11:33]
has trickled down and now necessitates
[1:11:35]
some adjustment in our local zoning
[1:11:37]
ordinances. So the uh planning
[1:11:38]
commission will pick them up and then
[1:11:40]
they'll come back um to the board after
[1:11:43]
the planning commission's reviewed those four items.
[1:11:45]
>> Thank you,
[1:11:47]
>> Mr. Ch. Mr. Powers. Go ahead. I'd like
[1:11:50]
to ask the board to consider uh some
[1:11:52]
edits to the um minutes of July 27th
[1:11:58]
uh on page 22 of your packet. Um
[1:12:02]
and specifically uh there at the in the
[1:12:05]
first sentence which reads 2850 Red Lane
[1:12:07]
Road, director of Pony Creek
[1:12:09]
Veterinarian House. It should say horse.
[1:12:14]
If you make that change, please. And in
[1:12:17]
the uh third sentence there, it
[1:12:19]
currently says um her existing
[1:12:21]
structures are residential dwellings
[1:12:24]
rather than 180day seasonal camping
[1:12:27]
cabins. Um I'd like to edit that so that
[1:12:30]
the resulting
[1:12:32]
uh phrase it says simply the resulting
[1:12:34]
portion of the sentence should then read
[1:12:36]
her existing 180day seasonal camping
[1:12:39]
cabins.
[1:12:44]
And to that end, I would like to make a
[1:12:46]
motion that we accept um those changes
[1:12:50]
to the minutes as suggested.
[1:12:52]
>> Any uh any comments in reference to the edits?
[1:13:01]
» Second.
[1:13:02]
>> Hearing none, we got a second on the
[1:13:03]
floor. All in favor?
[1:13:04]
>> Just clarify that that's for the entire
[1:13:06]
consent agenda.
[1:13:07]
>> I'm sorry. Yeah, for the entire consent
[1:13:08]
agenda.
[1:13:12]
» All in favor?
[1:13:13]
>> I Any oppose? Hearing none. Moves us to
[1:13:16]
action items.
[1:13:18]
>> Um, item A under action items is a
[1:13:21]
budget action and Miss Schubert is here
[1:13:23]
for an overview.
[1:13:26]
» Item [clears throat]
[1:13:28]
A is resolution R202648.
[1:13:31]
That's budgeting and appropriating uh
[1:13:33]
$219,8465
[1:13:36]
to the fisc year 26 budget in our grants
[1:13:40]
fund. Periodically throughout the year,
[1:13:42]
we get grants and donations that are put
[1:13:45]
in this fund that can only be spent for
[1:13:47]
specific purposes. Uh the majority of of
[1:13:50]
this resolution is for an opioid
[1:13:53]
abatement cooperative grant that we
[1:13:54]
received. Uh we're in a cooperative
[1:13:57]
grant with Chesterfield, Colonial
[1:13:59]
Heights, and Petersburg that we receive
[1:14:02]
money from the state's opioid abatement
[1:14:03]
authority to do outreach, mobile
[1:14:05]
outreach. Um and so that's the majority
[1:14:08]
of the resolution. Uh we also get um
[1:14:11]
national opioid settlement money per
[1:14:14]
periodically throughout the year based
[1:14:15]
on a class action settlement. And so as
[1:14:17]
I receive those we get those
[1:14:20]
appropriated um to be used at a a future
[1:14:23]
time. Um, and then the others are triad
[1:14:27]
library, some animal shelter donations,
[1:14:29]
project lifesaver, uh, sheriff
[1:14:32]
donations, Earth Day, our junior
[1:14:34]
emergency technician donations for that
[1:14:36]
program, and parks and rec scholarship
[1:14:39]
program.
[1:14:44]
» Any questions?
[1:14:47]
All
[1:14:50]
right.
[1:14:52]
Open the floor up for a motion.
[1:15:01]
R 202648
[1:15:04]
that amends the fiscal year two 2026
[1:15:08]
Paladin County operating budget and
[1:15:11]
appropriating $219
[1:15:15]
8465
[1:15:18]
in grants and funding for miscellaneous
[1:15:20]
grants and donations.
[1:15:22]
>> Second.
[1:15:23]
>> All in favor? I.
[1:15:25]
>> Any oppose?
[1:15:28]
Item B is a budget action that assigns
[1:15:30]
$900,000 for use by the state mill turn
[1:15:33]
lane project. And we'll turn it over to
[1:15:35]
Miss. Uh this resolution is amending the
[1:15:37]
fiscical year 27 uh operating budget by
[1:15:40]
900,000 in our central Virginia
[1:15:43]
Transportation Authority fund. Um these
[1:15:46]
this was a grant uh the money this is
[1:15:48]
money being held at the state CVTA. We
[1:15:50]
applied for a grant of 900,000 to help
[1:15:54]
um put an additional turn lane at Stave
[1:15:56]
Mill.
[1:15:58]
>> Can you can you dive into greater detail
[1:16:00]
with the fact that we just approved
[1:16:02]
regional money just a few months ago?
[1:16:07]
» The
[1:16:08]
>> I uh I can dive into that.
[1:16:09]
>> Okay, [clears throat] you dive into
[1:16:09]
that.
[1:16:10]
>> Yeah. So on uh this is a project where
[1:16:12]
we were awarded $1.8 million in CVTA
[1:16:15]
regional funding to complete this turn
[1:16:17]
lane. Um, but we reached out to Wawwa,
[1:16:19]
the developer of the uh of that corner
[1:16:22]
on Stave Mill and Route 60, and we're
[1:16:25]
collaborating with that project to have
[1:16:27]
their contractor build the turn lane uh
[1:16:30]
while they're mobilized for that
[1:16:31]
project. Um, they're going to be able to
[1:16:33]
do that at a reduced cost, which we're
[1:16:36]
estimating at $900,000. So, that's why
[1:16:38]
the amount is different than the 1.8
[1:16:41]
that we were awarded from CBTA regional
[1:16:43]
funding.
[1:16:47]
Any follow-up questions on that?
[1:16:53]
» So, we're not we're basically taking 900
[1:16:55]
of that 1.8 that we were already
[1:16:56]
awarded.
[1:16:57]
>> Exactly.
[1:16:57]
>> Just want to I just want to make sure
[1:16:58]
that that's clear. And [clears throat]
[1:17:05]
I'll make a motion uh that we uh approve
[1:17:08]
resolution R2026-49
[1:17:11]
amending the fiscal year 2027 Palan
[1:17:15]
County operating budget by uh budgeting
[1:17:17]
and appropriating 900,000 in CBTA fund.
[1:17:20]
>> Second.
[1:17:21]
>> All in favor?
[1:17:22]
>> I.
[1:17:22]
>> Any oppose?
[1:17:25]
Hearing none that passes. Thank you for
[1:17:26]
the clarification.
[1:17:28]
Item C is our last budget amendment and
[1:17:30]
this is to the Powank County Public
[1:17:32]
Schools budget and we'll turn it over
[1:17:33]
again to Miss Schubert.
[1:17:34]
>> Uh yes, resolution R202651
[1:17:37]
is actually reducing the school's um
[1:17:41]
operational budget by $164,95.
[1:17:45]
As we know, the state did not approve
[1:17:47]
their budget till June 29th. And so
[1:17:50]
therefore, the schools received the new
[1:17:53]
CL tool from the Virginia Department of
[1:17:55]
Education. And once they applied that
[1:17:57]
with the ADM, they had a reduction in
[1:17:59]
basic aid. And then but they did get um
[1:18:02]
an increase of 70,000 of state sales
[1:18:05]
tax, but a reduction of basic aid of
[1:18:06]
235,191.
[1:18:09]
Um they are proposing they're reducing
[1:18:11]
um instruction by 14,800, operation and
[1:18:15]
maintenance by 24,176,
[1:18:18]
and then the contingency line by
[1:18:20]
$125,929.
[1:18:25]
questions.
[1:18:31]
I'll entertain a motion.
[1:18:36]
» I make a motion we approve resolution R
[1:18:38]
2026-51.
[1:18:41]
» All in favor?
[1:18:43]
>> Any oppose?
[1:18:45]
>> Hearing none, it passes. 50.
[1:18:48]
>> And item D is a resolution to approve
[1:18:50]
the CSB annual performance contract. and
[1:18:53]
Mr. Toby Fritz, who's the executive
[1:18:55]
director for the CSB, uh, is with us
[1:18:58]
tonight for an overview.
[1:19:10]
Good evening everyone. Uh, Chairman
[1:19:12]
Nani, members of the board, and uh, Mr.
[1:19:14]
Hegy, thank you so much for the
[1:19:15]
invitation to come here and speak this
[1:19:18]
evening. Um, I promise I will keep it
[1:19:20]
under the aotted time at 10 minutes. I
[1:19:23]
probably will be done in five. I can
[1:19:24]
talk kind of quickly. I just want to
[1:19:26]
talk briefly first about uh who we are
[1:19:29]
in case some folks here haven't heard of
[1:19:30]
the CSB and then talk about some amazing
[1:19:33]
things that happened in fiscal year 26
[1:19:36]
and then as as Mr. Hegy mentioned the
[1:19:38]
ask tonight to look at our performance
[1:19:40]
contract uh for the next year. So, a
[1:19:44]
community services board, you may hear
[1:19:46]
me say CSB, that a community services
[1:19:48]
board is the uh entity that was created
[1:19:53]
by statute. Um, Gland Palatin Community
[1:19:56]
Services was started in 1982
[1:19:59]
and we are the local option, the local
[1:20:02]
entry point for mental health,
[1:20:05]
developmental, and services and
[1:20:07]
substance use recovery services. We're
[1:20:09]
the public safety net for any publicly
[1:20:11]
funded uh services, the mental health de
[1:20:14]
developmental services and uh substance
[1:20:16]
use recovery. So we are the one door for
[1:20:20]
folks that have questions about any of
[1:20:22]
those types of services to come in.
[1:20:25]
So if you remember anything about
[1:20:27]
tonight, just remember if you have
[1:20:28]
questions about any of those services,
[1:20:30]
start with us, please. So uh what we do,
[1:20:33]
I mentioned those three categories. The
[1:20:35]
one um blog that's up there, same day
[1:20:38]
access. I want to make sure I highlight
[1:20:40]
that we have a service that's available
[1:20:43]
Monday through Friday the working hours
[1:20:45]
that if somebody is in a habit of moment
[1:20:48]
and they want to come get an assessment
[1:20:49]
they can walk in. We call it same day
[1:20:51]
access and last year 187 of our
[1:20:55]
residents took care of it that took
[1:20:56]
advantage of that service here in
[1:20:58]
Palatan. So that was a a number that
[1:21:00]
we're really happy with. Um, so there
[1:21:02]
are a lot of services up there, 23
[1:21:04]
different services actually that we do
[1:21:06]
at the CSB from assessments of a toddler
[1:21:10]
the whole way up through a 2 a.m. crisis
[1:21:12]
call. Now, we partner with um folks in
[1:21:15]
Richmond to cover those uh after hours,
[1:21:18]
evenings, weekends calls because we're
[1:21:20]
too small for that, but we have a lot of
[1:21:22]
services there that we can help
[1:21:23]
somebody. Um, so in fiscal year 26 there
[1:21:27]
was 711 of our neighbors that we served
[1:21:30]
over 24,000 different services. So
[1:21:34]
basically that's one in 45 people in
[1:21:37]
Palatin County that we were able to
[1:21:38]
serve. And throughout the year there
[1:21:41]
were approximately 100 services on any
[1:21:44]
given day that we were open that we
[1:21:46]
delivered for people in Palatin County.
[1:21:48]
So we're really proud of those numbers.
[1:21:50]
Um, another number that I'm a little
[1:21:52]
really proud of is our net promoter
[1:21:54]
score. If you've ever heard of a net
[1:21:56]
promoter score, that's that question you
[1:21:58]
get. How likely are you refer to refer
[1:22:01]
somebody to Palace and Community
[1:22:03]
Services? You probably get that question
[1:22:05]
about a restaurant or a medical office
[1:22:07]
um all the time. But the scores after
[1:22:10]
the calculations are done range from
[1:22:11]
negative 100 to 100. And anything above
[1:22:15]
50 is generally considered excellent. So
[1:22:17]
our score of 74 is something that we're
[1:22:19]
really proud of.
[1:22:22]
Um, one of the programs that folks may
[1:22:24]
recognize is Monikin. We're based right
[1:22:26]
here in this building. Uh, we'll be
[1:22:28]
based over in our new building. When we
[1:22:29]
get it done, I'll talk about our new
[1:22:31]
building here briefly. But one of the
[1:22:33]
things that was very cool um from last
[1:22:35]
year was that our Monican program in
[1:22:38]
their talent show was featured on the
[1:22:39]
cover of the annual uh VACSB, the
[1:22:43]
Virginia Association of Community
[1:22:44]
Services Board on their annual report.
[1:22:46]
So, I thought that was a pretty cool
[1:22:48]
recognition. Um, one of the other pieces
[1:22:50]
of data for that program is the state
[1:22:53]
requires that we hit 50% uh of community
[1:22:57]
engagement. We had 79. So that was uh
[1:23:00]
something that we blew out of the water.
[1:23:01]
Really happy with that. And something
[1:23:04]
that um will mentioned earlier, the uh
[1:23:08]
helpfest, it's a partnership that we're
[1:23:09]
doing with substance use and recovery.
[1:23:11]
But one of the other things that we're
[1:23:13]
happy about with Monikin is a lot of
[1:23:15]
partnerships that we have there that
[1:23:17]
folks participate in in packing the
[1:23:19]
backpacks of love, doing the judging
[1:23:22]
Halloween contest and things like that.
[1:23:24]
So great program that I I love I love
[1:23:27]
seeing. Just to talk briefly about the
[1:23:30]
people who do the work, there are just
[1:23:32]
under 100 folks that work for the CSB.
[1:23:35]
Um and 88% of them last year voted uh
[1:23:38]
Gushland Palace and Community Services
[1:23:40]
as a great place to work. That great
[1:23:42]
place to work certification is an
[1:23:44]
international certification. So it's a third party that does the
[1:23:48]
certification. Uh 88% of CSB workers
[1:23:52]
said that that's compared to 57% of a
[1:23:54]
typical US company. 99% uh feel good
[1:23:58]
about what we do for the community. I
[1:24:00]
think that's a lot of why we're all
[1:24:01]
here. And um every person that completed
[1:24:04]
our survey said they were satisfied with
[1:24:06]
what we have to offer. So some upcoming
[1:24:09]
milestones I mentioned our building. So
[1:24:11]
everybody may have seen our new building
[1:24:13]
that's under construction uh just close
[1:24:15]
to the admin building. We're
[1:24:17]
anticipating being able to occupy the
[1:24:20]
building and start delivering services
[1:24:21]
there in the spring of 2027.
[1:24:25]
Another um project that's underway is a
[1:24:28]
revamp of our website. we were able to
[1:24:31]
get a grant to fund that and hopefully
[1:24:34]
come up with a website that will really
[1:24:36]
invite people in, help uh walk them
[1:24:38]
through our front doors in terms of
[1:24:40]
finding the type of service that they're
[1:24:42]
looking for. Um, and something else that
[1:24:44]
I'm really proud of, um, our
[1:24:46]
developmental services team. I mentioned
[1:24:48]
same day access. That's for mental
[1:24:49]
health and substance use. They created
[1:24:52]
something for developmental services
[1:24:53]
because folks have questions, a lot of
[1:24:56]
questions accessing waiver services. I
[1:24:59]
mean the process there is is complicated
[1:25:02]
and so there's always questions. So they
[1:25:04]
created that um DD access and started
[1:25:06]
that July one and um so that's really
[1:25:09]
great that we have that in place now. So
[1:25:11]
the performance contract so that is the
[1:25:15]
document that is put out by the state
[1:25:16]
that covers all of our um all CSPs. Um
[1:25:20]
so we're in the second year of this
[1:25:22]
current performance contract and so
[1:25:24]
there were amendments that were
[1:25:25]
submitted there with you this evening.
[1:25:28]
Um, so the amendments basically were a
[1:25:31]
requirement on the CSB to maximize what
[1:25:33]
we're doing for Medicaid billing. Um,
[1:25:36]
some updates to patient um to patient
[1:25:39]
education and reporting. Some updates to
[1:25:41]
quality measures and reporting dates.
[1:25:44]
Um, some as federal laws come out
[1:25:46]
regarding uh protected health
[1:25:48]
information, we of course need to update
[1:25:50]
our policies. That's in the performance
[1:25:52]
contract. And there was also some
[1:25:54]
administrative updates regarding um
[1:25:57]
funding processes all the state funds
[1:25:59]
that come to CSBs. That's something that
[1:26:02]
really affects the bigger ones um but
[1:26:04]
not us but it's still something we all
[1:26:05]
have to abide by and some training
[1:26:07]
requirements. So that's good palatin
[1:26:10]
community services. I wanted to stress
[1:26:13]
our uh phone numbers are up on the
[1:26:15]
screen for everybody. 804598-2200
[1:26:18]
that's our palatin office. Our crisis
[1:26:21]
number is 804598-2697.
[1:26:24]
That's a number that anybody can call
[1:26:26]
any time of the day. During business
[1:26:29]
hours, you'll get somebody local after
[1:26:31]
hours. There'll be somebody from
[1:26:32]
Richmond, our partners in Richmond
[1:26:34]
Behavior Health who can answer. And of
[1:26:37]
course 988, one of the things that um
[1:26:39]
I'm very intrigued by is it took 911, I'm sorry, over three decades to
[1:26:45]
fully be widespread and implemented. But
[1:26:48]
uh 988 is now up and running here in
[1:26:50]
Palatine County. It is uh a service that
[1:26:53]
if anybody's having a mental health
[1:26:54]
crisis, they can call and get support
[1:26:56]
right away. And if somebody calls 911,
[1:26:58]
we have now have the connection. Um the
[1:27:01]
PAP team did great. Uh the public
[1:27:03]
service answering uh team did a great
[1:27:05]
job getting that connected in the
[1:27:07]
background. So, a lot of good stuff
[1:27:08]
going on here in Palatin County. I could
[1:27:10]
talk too long, but I'll stop now. Any
[1:27:14]
questions on on the CSB on the
[1:27:17]
performance contract or anything that I
[1:27:18]
presented?
[1:27:20]
>> Any questions from the board?
[1:27:22]
>> No.
[1:27:24]
>> Thank you. Just need a uh a motion to
[1:27:27]
approve the annual performance contract.
[1:27:30]
>> I move we we approve the annual
[1:27:33]
performance contract for the CSP.
[1:27:36]
>> Second.
[1:27:37]
>> All in favor? I
[1:27:39]
>> I oppose. Passes five vote.
[1:27:44]
Thank you.
[1:27:50]
» All right, that'll bring us into our
[1:27:51]
public hearings.
[1:27:53]
>> So, item A is a conditional use permit
[1:27:56]
uh request from a business in District 2
[1:27:58]
and Mr. Web is here for an overview.
[1:28:11]
Members of the board, a
[1:28:14]
quick presentation. Uh as you can see
[1:28:16]
the first one will be Chabakans CU
[1:28:18]
request for rural event venue.
[1:28:57]
There we go. Thank you. Okay. As I
[1:29:00]
stated, uh, case 2605 CUP Commissioner
[1:29:04]
Smith from Arthur Traverick for a rural
[1:29:06]
event venue on Dorset on Dorset Road.
[1:29:11]
As [clears throat] you can see here, the
[1:29:12]
proposal would utilize Chadwickinson's
[1:29:14]
orchid operation and existing structures
[1:29:16]
to host weddings, receptions, and
[1:29:19]
similar private events.
[1:29:21]
Uh, rule event venues are allowable by
[1:29:23]
CUP in the A10 zoning district.
[1:29:26]
Development would be in conformance with
[1:29:29]
the concept plan as you can see here
[1:29:31]
showing the existing dwelling, which
[1:29:33]
would not be part of the operation, but
[1:29:35]
you have a field there to the north that
[1:29:36]
could potentially be for tents. And then
[1:29:39]
over in sort of in the souththeast
[1:29:41]
corner, you can see there is a um a
[1:29:44]
pavilion uh that you know any events
[1:29:46]
could use the whole facility, the green
[1:29:49]
houses and and things like that.
[1:29:54]
As you can see here, here are the three
[1:29:56]
uh three properties just north of Mosler
[1:29:58]
Road on Dorset Road. And you can see uh
[1:30:01]
the zoning of the area is is uh
[1:30:03]
agriculture 10 with to the to the east
[1:30:06]
some single family residential on the
[1:30:09]
future land use map. Uh it is uh rural
[1:30:12]
areas.
[1:30:16]
Proposed conditions it would be a
[1:30:18]
maximum of eight events per month with
[1:30:20]
no more than 75 guests per event with
[1:30:24]
limits on the time events may be held.
[1:30:26]
Final conditions will be subject to a
[1:30:28]
site plan approval and the CUP is good
[1:30:30]
for five years at which point it must be
[1:30:32]
renewed.
[1:30:36]
Uh the request uh [clears throat]
[1:30:39]
requires modification of the rural event
[1:30:41]
venue development standards requiring
[1:30:44]
all buildings, parking areas and so
[1:30:46]
forth uh to be located at least 200 ft
[1:30:49]
from the property line. is you as you
[1:30:52]
can see here uh that number number three
[1:30:54]
there and number six you might remember
[1:30:56]
I think a year or so ago we added
[1:30:58]
there's potential for the board to
[1:30:59]
modify uh uh rural event venues
[1:31:04]
uh the nearest structure would be in
[1:31:06]
that lower southeast corner of that
[1:31:07]
pavilion which is about 20 ft from the
[1:31:10]
property line uh it's it's well set back
[1:31:13]
from the the neighbors a little under
[1:31:15]
275 ft from the adjoining houses and
[1:31:18]
that's the closest point that the uh
[1:31:21]
venue would have two neighbors houses.
[1:31:26]
And I did a just kind of did a little
[1:31:27]
diagram here just to show you. You can
[1:31:29]
see kind of that lower corner the 20 ft
[1:31:32]
and you can see 295 270 to the houses.
[1:31:34]
But if you now go to the north kind of
[1:31:37]
where that field where maybe they would
[1:31:38]
have tents and things like that, uh you
[1:31:40]
then would meet would meet those
[1:31:42]
requirements easily. Uh so just an idea
[1:31:44]
just what the setbacks look like.
[1:31:50]
Since [clears throat] this is a CUP, I
[1:31:52]
just want to note that there are a
[1:31:53]
number of review standards in the zoning
[1:31:55]
ordinance require staff and the board to
[1:31:57]
look at when considering. Won't go over
[1:32:00]
all those. There are in a staff report.
[1:32:05]
Um, the plane director, that's me,
[1:32:07]
recommends approval of CGP requests as
[1:32:10]
amended subject to proposed conditions,
[1:32:13]
including requested modifications to
[1:32:16]
rule event venue development standard 3.
[1:32:18]
Uh, the planning commission last month
[1:32:20]
uh recommended approval by a 5 to zero
[1:32:22]
vote. And just the changes since the
[1:32:25]
planning commission, uh, you can see it
[1:32:27]
went from four to eight events a month.
[1:32:29]
Uh, we've removed restrictions now
[1:32:31]
allowing events in winter months. So, it
[1:32:33]
is allowable all all year, even though I
[1:32:35]
think it would be heavily tilted towards
[1:32:37]
summer and and fall spring. Uh, and the
[1:32:40]
requests adjusting hours from 5 to 9:00
[1:32:43]
p.m. to 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. I think,
[1:32:46]
uh, Mr. Chadwick said garden clubs and,
[1:32:49]
[clears throat] you know, uh, groups
[1:32:51]
like that sometimes will meet during the
[1:32:52]
day. Uh, so that would allow that from
[1:32:54]
the 9:00 a.m. to the 900 pm. Uh, any
[1:32:57]
questions?
[1:32:59]
>> Questions from the board?
[1:33:02]
>> M. Chairman,
[1:33:02]
>> go ahead.
[1:33:04]
>> Uh, Lian, on page 135 of our packet, um,
[1:33:08]
under TR Roman numeral 7, transportation
[1:33:10]
traffic analysis, in the fourth
[1:33:13]
paragraph, it says, "The re recommended
[1:33:16]
cup conditions require the existing
[1:33:18]
Dorset road entrance to be upgraded to a
[1:33:20]
moderate commercial entrance prior to
[1:33:24]
commencement of the rural venue use."
[1:33:27]
Um, in talking with Charity today, um, I think that moderate I didn't know what
[1:33:34]
one was and it depends on VOTE's
[1:33:37]
assessment of the amount of traffic
[1:33:39]
coming in and out. Um, when you've gone
[1:33:41]
to eight events, uh, the turn there off
[1:33:44]
of Dorset is a sharp 90 degree turn. Um,
[1:33:48]
I would encourage you as you do site
[1:33:50]
planning to do as much radius there so
[1:33:52]
that someone coming in doesn't have to
[1:33:53]
stop, make a right-hand turn, can more
[1:33:56]
ease into a turn going into that venue.
[1:33:59]
>> Yeah, I think the the moderate is 18 to
[1:34:03]
30 feet of width at the highway. Um, I
[1:34:07]
think it's probably at least a 20 foot
[1:34:09]
wide, but uh they'll look at that the
[1:34:11]
site plan um as far as widening that and
[1:34:14]
work with VOTE to make sure they're
[1:34:16]
satisfied with that.
[1:34:17]
>> I just want a good radius on it.
[1:34:18]
>> Yes, sir.
[1:34:18]
>> Yeah. Okay. Just if you could bear that
[1:34:20]
in mind as the site planning's done, I'd
[1:34:22]
appreciate it.
[1:34:24]
>> Any other questions for staff?
[1:34:28]
>> Looking as applicant here to present
[1:34:29]
anything
[1:34:33]
» if you so desire. All right, Arthur
[1:34:35]
Chadwick, 1240 Dors Road. Uh, this is
[1:34:39]
just an idea we've hatched to possibly
[1:34:41]
host events at our farm. Maybe weddings,
[1:34:43]
maybe garden club events, wreath making
[1:34:45]
classes, poinsetta grooming, uh, you
[1:34:49]
know, 75 people max. It's we sort of
[1:34:52]
already have a, you know, people,
[1:34:53]
gardening, people come in regularly to
[1:34:55]
our farm. This is more of a an event
[1:34:57]
specific thing, but nothing major.
[1:35:01]
Excellent.
[1:35:01]
>> Any questions for the applicant?
[1:35:07]
All right. Thank you.
[1:35:09]
>> All right. Now, we're going to open up
[1:35:10]
to the public. I'm going to go through
[1:35:11]
this
[1:35:13]
one time for everybody. Uh, as Mr. Barum
[1:35:16]
mentioned earlier, um, I'm going to I'm
[1:35:19]
going to reference something that he
[1:35:20]
mentioned. Um, so the board will now
[1:35:24]
conduct a public hearing. Individuals
[1:35:27]
speaking may speak up to three minutes
[1:35:30]
stating their name and address for their
[1:35:33]
district. A representative of of a
[1:35:36]
legally organized group may speak up to
[1:35:38]
five minutes. After stating their name
[1:35:40]
and address and representation uh
[1:35:43]
provide at least as long as there's at
[1:35:45]
least three members of that group
[1:35:46]
present,
[1:35:48]
speakers shall direct their comments to
[1:35:50]
the board as a whole and not the
[1:35:52]
individual individuals or groups. They
[1:35:56]
may not use any vulgar language, rude or
[1:35:58]
threatening language. All persons in
[1:36:00]
attendance shall observe the board's
[1:36:03]
decorum policy and conduct themselves in
[1:36:06]
a professional manner that demonstrates
[1:36:08]
respect for others and is not
[1:36:10]
disruptive. Applause or outburst during
[1:36:15]
or after speaker comments is not
[1:36:18]
appropriate and violates the board's
[1:36:20]
decorum policy. Everybody hear that? Go
[1:36:23]
like this for me. Thank you. Thank you
[1:36:24]
so much. I appreciate you. All right. We
[1:36:27]
would now like to open this up to the
[1:36:29]
public. Anybody would like to come speak
[1:36:30]
on on behalf of this hearing.
[1:36:37]
Seeing no one, we will close this
[1:36:39]
hearing and open it up to the board for
[1:36:41]
any comments.
[1:36:43]
>> Mr. Chair,
[1:36:44]
>> go ahead.
[1:36:45]
>> Me and Darlene, we traveled around this
[1:36:47]
property. We visited him, Arthur, and
[1:36:49]
his whole place, his whole venue out
[1:36:51]
there uh several times. We we'd love the
[1:36:54]
idea. So, um I will be making a motion
[1:36:57]
to approve this if any comments.
[1:37:01]
>> Any other comments from the board? We
[1:37:04]
have a motion on the floor.
[1:37:05]
>> Second.
[1:37:07]
>> Take a roll call vote, please.
[1:37:08]
>> Mr. McClung.
[1:37:09]
>> I.
[1:37:10]
>> Mr. Powers.
[1:37:10]
>> Hi.
[1:37:11]
>> Dr. Brown.
[1:37:12]
>> I.
[1:37:12]
>> Vice Chair Kenny.
[1:37:13]
>> Hi.
[1:37:13]
>> Chairman Denady.
[1:37:14]
>> I. That passes 5. That'll bring us to
[1:37:16]
item B.
[1:37:18]
>> Item B is a resoning request in district
[1:37:20]
one. And we'll turn things over again to
[1:37:22]
Mr.
[1:37:24]
Yes sir. Thank you.
[1:38:02]
All righty. Uh EWN and Oddell resoning
[1:38:06]
requests request to resone approximately
[1:38:08]
15.2 acres compromise of three parcels
[1:38:11]
on the north side of Anderson Highway
[1:38:13]
near Dorset Road from Commerce Center to
[1:38:15]
A10 and Light Industrial. The request
[1:38:18]
includes several bound line adjustments
[1:38:20]
and replaces existing profers for one of
[1:38:22]
the parcels from the 2024 resoning.
[1:38:28]
Um as you can see here the the
[1:38:30]
[clears throat] current parcels outlined
[1:38:31]
on the left. The two front parcels are
[1:38:34]
zoned Commerce Center with parcels with
[1:38:38]
parcel two including Brewster's Ice Ice
[1:38:41]
Cream Shop. The back parcel is zoned
[1:38:43]
A10. So one you can see and two are
[1:38:45]
Commerce Center. Three in the back is
[1:38:47]
A10.
[1:38:51]
And as you can see here in the future
[1:38:53]
land use map, uh this area is squarely
[1:38:56]
in the gateway business uh future land
[1:38:59]
use designation.
[1:39:04]
Uh this slide shows the intent of the
[1:39:06]
reasonzoning and bound adjustment. The
[1:39:08]
north portion of parcel 2 and the
[1:39:12]
western portion of parcel 3 would be
[1:39:15]
added to parcel one to create a single
[1:39:17]
13.3 acre parcel.
[1:39:20]
The rest of parcel two which contains
[1:39:22]
roosters would remain commerce center.
[1:39:26]
So you can see two there. So you start
[1:39:29]
with three, you end with three.
[1:39:32]
The rest of [clears throat] parcel three
[1:39:33]
which is included includes a restant
[1:39:35]
would remain a 10. Again, three would
[1:39:37]
remain a 10. It has a residence. Partial
[1:39:40]
one would be splitz zoned with the
[1:39:42]
southern 2.7 acres remaining commerce
[1:39:45]
center and the northern 10.6 acres
[1:39:48]
becoming light industrial. So front
[1:39:51]
portion of parcel one you still maintain
[1:39:54]
uh the commerce center.
[1:39:58]
Here is uh a slide just kind of show you
[1:40:01]
the development areas with the buffer.
[1:40:03]
You have a buffer, the corridor buffer
[1:40:06]
along uh Anderson Highway, 30-oot
[1:40:08]
corridor buffer, buffer in between the
[1:40:11]
adjoining properties. And then kind of
[1:40:13]
that gray area shows you the development
[1:40:15]
area.
[1:40:16]
You can also see uh the connection that
[1:40:19]
was part of the 2024 resoning going to
[1:40:22]
what we recently had a proper amendment
[1:40:24]
to clean zone to the property to the
[1:40:25]
west. You can see that that connection
[1:40:28]
uh being allowed to come through this
[1:40:30]
property.
[1:40:35]
This request does follow the previous
[1:40:37]
resoning as stated 2024 for parcel one
[1:40:39]
resone from A10 to Commerce Center. The
[1:40:42]
current application retains the
[1:40:44]
objectives from that resoning including
[1:40:46]
shared access with adjacent properties.
[1:40:52]
Uh as part of the current request, the
[1:40:55]
existing road A to the right of sheets
[1:40:58]
would be improved. You can see existing
[1:41:00]
road A would be improved. Uh and you can
[1:41:03]
see just sort of sort of sort of looking
[1:41:06]
in the future how it could uh
[1:41:08]
potentially be improved all the way to
[1:41:10]
the back in the in the blue there on the north. And then you can also see
[1:41:15]
where uh access road B, that's the
[1:41:17]
green, would come uh through uh the
[1:41:20]
subject property, connect to uh the
[1:41:23]
property to the west, which is just off
[1:41:24]
the screen. And you can also see
[1:41:26]
obviously the existing right in right
[1:41:28]
out uh that is on the property to the
[1:41:32]
west of sheets.
[1:41:38]
As [clears throat] noted the application
[1:41:39]
contains a number of propers including
[1:41:41]
that the boundary adjustments would be
[1:41:43]
completed and reported prior to site
[1:41:44]
plan submission.
[1:41:48]
uh access management limits the the
[1:41:51]
connections on on to 60 to the existing
[1:41:54]
connections. Uh we also have a ultimate
[1:41:57]
rideway pedestrian pedestrian easements.
[1:42:02]
So uh the plan director, that's me,
[1:42:05]
recommends approval of this resoning
[1:42:06]
request with the profers as presented.
[1:42:09]
Uh the planning commission voted 50 at
[1:42:11]
their August 4th meeting to recommend
[1:42:13]
approval.
[1:42:14]
Following the planning commission me
[1:42:16]
planning commission meeting the
[1:42:18]
applicant agreed to profer the extension
[1:42:20]
of the westbound acceleration lane going
[1:42:22]
west on Anderson highway at the right in
[1:42:25]
right out. So will that right in right
[1:42:27]
out is uh we will look at the site plan
[1:42:30]
to extend that uh into an acceleration
[1:42:32]
lane and possibly that could also
[1:42:35]
coordination with the clean sto folks
[1:42:36]
just give a give an acceleration and a
[1:42:38]
turn lane to the right there. So, I
[1:42:40]
appreciate them uh being, you know,
[1:42:42]
openminded to that potential and again
[1:42:44]
that would be reviewed at the site plan
[1:42:46]
and we could be DOT's comment. Um again,
[1:42:50]
uh happy any questions. You have any
[1:42:52]
questions on this this case? M
[1:42:55]
>> go ahead.
[1:42:56]
>> Hey, just just one lean. Um on the
[1:42:59]
parcels that are Commerce Center, is
[1:43:02]
there any proposed development at this
[1:43:05]
time or are we going to wait, they're
[1:43:07]
waiting for the resoning to happen
[1:43:08]
before they deter?
[1:43:09]
>> Um I I'll let the applicant answer that.
[1:43:13]
[laughter]
[1:43:17]
» Uh Dan Jones, 3901 Old River Trail, and
[1:43:22]
I'm privileged to represent the owners
[1:43:24]
of these three parcels on this this
[1:43:26]
resoning. Uh the the buyer of this is is
[1:43:32]
all all the the entire area uh the
[1:43:38]
commerce center on the western parcel
[1:43:41]
plus what is being reszone light
[1:43:43]
industrial that will be one a single
[1:43:46]
user.
[1:43:47]
>> Okay. But I was just curious do we have
[1:43:49]
any idea what kind of business or
[1:43:51]
industry may be going on those parcels
[1:43:53]
at this time?
[1:43:54]
Uh yes, it seems like that's well known
[1:43:57]
on the street, but I'm I'm sworn to
[1:43:59]
secrecy, but
[1:44:00]
>> I'm in the country, so I don't know.
[1:44:01]
>> But but it's a uh a heavy equipment farm
[1:44:04]
implement uh uh sales and service
[1:44:08]
operation.
[1:44:09]
>> Uh I might say maybe somewhat similar to
[1:44:12]
Caterpillar, but not Caterpillar.
[1:44:15]
>> Appreciate that, sir.
[1:44:16]
>> Does that Does that clarify?
[1:44:18]
>> Give their neighbors some give their
[1:44:19]
neighbors some competition. There we go.
[1:44:21]
Love it. Thank you. And and I might add
[1:44:23]
I represent the the the owners on the
[1:44:26]
reszoning uh tailong properties. We we
[1:44:30]
do not represent them on the the sale of
[1:44:33]
the property
[1:44:35]
and uh [clears throat]
[1:44:38]
all I number one I want to thank Lian uh
[1:44:42]
county staff has been incredible and uh
[1:44:45]
I wish Lian well as he moves to uh uh to
[1:44:49]
Prince George County. I just sold a
[1:44:51]
property there and uh I've let my
[1:44:53]
friends know down there that they have a
[1:44:55]
good man uh coming their way. Um
[1:44:59]
just in summary, as you know, this is in
[1:45:01]
the uh the county's designated gateway
[1:45:04]
business district. Uh it's consistent
[1:45:07]
therefore with the comp plan. Uh it uh
[1:45:10]
is a coordinated employment and tax
[1:45:12]
revenue development. Uh I think uh I
[1:45:16]
think it's something that uh I'm proud
[1:45:17]
of and I think you'll be proud of it
[1:45:19]
also. Uh it improves interpartial
[1:45:22]
connectivity uh to the parcel uh to the
[1:45:25]
parcel not only the parcel to the west
[1:45:28]
but it also connects to the parcel the
[1:45:31]
quan parcel uh ju just west of that and
[1:45:35]
uh it complies with the access
[1:45:38]
management uh plan along route 60 uh and
[1:45:42]
supports the county's long-term economic
[1:45:44]
development uh goals. and I'd be happy
[1:45:48]
to
[1:45:50]
answer any questions or concerns you
[1:45:53]
might have.
[1:45:54]
>> Any questions for the applicant or
[1:45:55]
staff?
[1:45:56]
>> Uh, Mr. Chairman, I I would just like to
[1:45:58]
uh Dan, commend you and the applicant
[1:46:00]
for how you've treated the ingress and
[1:46:02]
egress on 60. Um, that that's an
[1:46:06]
accommodation I truly appreciate and I
[1:46:08]
think it'll be far safer to do.
[1:46:10]
>> We we heard your comments on the
[1:46:12]
resoning two years ago.
[1:46:13]
>> Okay, good.
[1:46:15]
someone listens. So, [laughter]
[1:46:19]
» any other questions?
[1:46:20]
>> You you answered my question on
[1:46:21]
interparial connectivity. So, thank you.
[1:46:25]
>> Thank you.
[1:46:27]
>> Any other questions?
[1:46:32]
» We'll open it up to the public if
[1:46:34]
anybody's got
[1:46:41]
» Hello, my name is Carl Schwenderman.
[1:46:42]
from 1727 Teresa Lane. Um, I would like
[1:46:46]
to request that Powatan County ask the
[1:46:49]
developer to physically build the
[1:46:51]
five-foot sidewalk at the exact same
[1:46:53]
time that they're going to build route.
[1:46:55]
They're going to dig up Route 60 because
[1:46:57]
under the proposal, they're going to dig
[1:46:58]
up like a 500 foot section of Route 60
[1:47:00]
and add a whole lane to it and a turn
[1:47:02]
lane. And that's a big road that's a big
[1:47:05]
road project. And what they could do is
[1:47:07]
just ask the the contractor, the
[1:47:09]
engineer when they build that since
[1:47:10]
they're digging up Route 60 and they're
[1:47:12]
going to do lane closures and all that
[1:47:14]
mess. It would be cheaper just to ask
[1:47:16]
the developer to include building the
[1:47:18]
sidewalk between the granite place and across the front of the sheets at
[1:47:23]
the exact same time they're going to dig
[1:47:24]
up Route 60 because it would get the
[1:47:26]
sidewalk settled and it would save money
[1:47:29]
in the future versus trying to go out in
[1:47:31]
the future and try to apply for grants
[1:47:33]
and stuff. It would just be easier just
[1:47:34]
to get the sidewalk built along with
[1:47:36]
Route 60 being built right now.
[1:47:40]
>> Thank you.
[1:47:41]
Anybody else?
[1:47:44]
>> Not seeing anybody. We'll close the
[1:47:46]
public comment for that hearing and open
[1:47:48]
up to board comments.
[1:47:56]
Not hearing any comments. I'll make a
[1:47:57]
motion to approve uh 02026-9.
[1:48:03]
» Second.
[1:48:04]
>> I'll take a roll call vote.
[1:48:06]
>> Mr. McClung.
[1:48:06]
>> I.
[1:48:07]
>> Mr. Powers.
[1:48:07]
>> Hi.
[1:48:08]
>> Dr. Brown.
[1:48:09]
>> Hi.
[1:48:09]
>> Vice Chair Kenny.
[1:48:10]
>> Hi.
[1:48:10]
>> Chairman Dennady.
[1:48:11]
>> I passes five. And that'll bring us to
[1:48:13]
item C, throttle therapy.
[1:48:15]
>> Item C is a conditional use permit
[1:48:17]
request for a motor park in district 4.
[1:48:20]
And Mr. Webs here. [clears throat]
[1:48:22]
>> Uh before I go, this will be my last
[1:48:24]
hearing here. So I just wanted to before
[1:48:27]
we get going just really uh the last
[1:48:29]
it's been a you know short but uh
[1:48:30]
exciting tenure. We've done a lot in two
[1:48:32]
and a half years and I really want to
[1:48:34]
say to the board of supervisors I've
[1:48:36]
worked with a lot of boards and I really
[1:48:38]
mean it from the bottom of my heart.
[1:48:38]
This is an excellent board and the staff
[1:48:41]
feel supported by you and I just going
[1:48:44]
into a big hearing there's no other
[1:48:45]
folks I'd rather go into a hearing and I
[1:48:48]
know your objective and you you want to
[1:48:50]
do what's right for the county. So I
[1:48:51]
appreciate the two and a half years and
[1:48:53]
all of you on the board. So thank you.
[1:48:54]
>> Thank you.
[1:48:58]
[clears throat]
[1:49:01]
» All right. Uh this is case 2603 CUP.
[1:49:04]
Conditional use permit request for vital
[1:49:07]
throttle therapy Amatic River LLC for
[1:49:09]
Motorsports Park on 711 acres west of
[1:49:12]
the intersection of Rocky Ford Road and
[1:49:15]
River Estates Road.
[1:49:18]
You can see here uh map of the subject
[1:49:21]
properties. The proposal will allow the
[1:49:23]
development operation of an off-road
[1:49:25]
motorsports park on two parcels located
[1:49:28]
along the appatics river which are zoned
[1:49:29]
A10. Uh motorsports park is allowable by
[1:49:33]
CUP in the A10 zoning district. Uh the
[1:49:36]
property includes 2 and a half miles of
[1:49:38]
frontage along the AMEX river and is
[1:49:40]
predominantly wooded with the network of
[1:49:42]
existing logging trails and roads.
[1:49:47]
As you can see here from the future land
[1:49:49]
use map, uh rural areas and some natural
[1:49:52]
conservation on the southern portion of
[1:49:54]
the property. Uh also you can see the
[1:49:57]
current zoning agriculture 10 with some
[1:49:59]
residential to the east.
[1:50:04]
The [clears throat] development would be
[1:50:05]
in conformance with the concept plan as
[1:50:08]
shown here. Uh it would utilize existing
[1:50:11]
logging roads and new trail segments to
[1:50:13]
provide amenities including a
[1:50:15]
motorsports track, youth riding area,
[1:50:18]
ATV sidebyside area, single track
[1:50:21]
trails, and extension of the current
[1:50:23]
trail system along with the centralized
[1:50:25]
parking staging and supporting
[1:50:28]
facilities.
[1:50:29]
There is a 300 foot buffer along the
[1:50:32]
exterior property boundaries. The
[1:50:34]
applicant is requesting to use an
[1:50:35]
existing trails within the buffer to
[1:50:38]
provide a pedestrian and bicycle access
[1:50:40]
to the aimatics river.
[1:50:48]
[clears throat]
[1:50:49]
One of the issues has come up related to
[1:50:51]
the property is the status of access to
[1:50:53]
the property. The property is currently
[1:50:55]
accessed from Rocky Ford Road via River
[1:50:57]
States River Estates Road. From the
[1:51:00]
terminus of River States Road, a 1400
[1:51:02]
foot private access road leads to the
[1:51:05]
property and crosses a bridge over
[1:51:06]
Skipper Creek. The private road is
[1:51:09]
governed by a 1985 private road
[1:51:11]
agreement and a 1996 recorded plat for
[1:51:14]
the River Estate subdivision, including
[1:51:16]
a 50-foot buffer subject to public
[1:51:18]
dedication for the future extension of
[1:51:21]
the River Estates Road as a public
[1:51:23]
roadway. A private road application was
[1:51:26]
approved by the plan commission 2001
[1:51:28]
related to a planned 52 lot residential
[1:51:31]
subdivision on the subject property that
[1:51:34]
the pro subdivision includes a primary
[1:51:37]
public access road extending from the
[1:51:39]
end of Riverstates Road into the
[1:51:41]
property using the 50-foot buffer.
[1:51:48]
Key CUP [clears throat] conditions. In
[1:51:50]
the In the event the board is inclined
[1:51:52]
to grant the CUP request, staff has put
[1:51:54]
together a number of recommended
[1:51:55]
conditions. These includes restrictions
[1:51:58]
on the number of riders and vehicles,
[1:52:00]
restrictions on the days and hours of
[1:52:02]
operation, and no more than three
[1:52:04]
special events per year.
[1:52:10]
And there are also requirements to
[1:52:12]
improve the existing access address fire
[1:52:15]
and rescue standards and minimize
[1:52:16]
additional land disturbance. Namely, the
[1:52:19]
existing private road leading to the
[1:52:21]
property would have to be upgraded to a
[1:52:23]
public roadway using again the 50-ft
[1:52:25]
buffer area subject to public
[1:52:27]
dedication. A new bridge would need to
[1:52:30]
be constructed and was an additional
[1:52:31]
road improvements within the property.
[1:52:36]
No motorsport activities could begin
[1:52:38]
until a site plan is approved and all
[1:52:40]
required improvements have have been
[1:52:43]
made. The applicant must obtain site
[1:52:45]
plan approval within 12 months of board
[1:52:48]
approval and the cup would be valid for
[1:52:50]
5 years after the site plan approval
[1:52:52]
with renewal renewal required after
[1:52:55]
that.
[1:52:57]
Again, I want to note that the
[1:52:59]
conditional use permit review standards
[1:53:05]
in the zoning ordinance and they've
[1:53:06]
discussed them in the staff report.
[1:53:11]
Uh the planning director recommends
[1:53:13]
denialist of the C request. The planning
[1:53:16]
commission voted 5 to zero at their
[1:53:18]
August 4th meeting to recommend denial
[1:53:21]
because the property is located adjacent
[1:53:23]
to the AppMax River AFD. state code
[1:53:25]
requires the ex the existence of a AFD
[1:53:28]
shall be taken into account regarding
[1:53:30]
land use planning decisions. The
[1:53:33]
county's AFD advisory committee has
[1:53:35]
recommended denial of this request and a
[1:53:37]
report for from the AFD is included in
[1:53:40]
your agenda packet. Following the plan
[1:53:42]
commission meeting, the applicant
[1:53:44]
requests the the addition of a walking
[1:53:47]
and biking trail in the 300 foot buffer
[1:53:49]
at the northern end of the property,
[1:53:51]
which was included on a previous
[1:53:53]
provided concept plan.
[1:53:56]
As a result, staff has updated the
[1:53:59]
concept plan and adjusted the occupancy
[1:54:01]
limits on profer number 11 to allow up
[1:54:04]
to 125 personal vehicles instead of 100
[1:54:07]
and limit and the limit of 150 riders a
[1:54:11]
day has not been changed.
[1:54:14]
With that, do you have any questions?
[1:54:18]
>> Any questions for staff?
[1:54:20]
>> Mr. Chairman,
[1:54:21]
>> go ahead.
[1:54:23]
So, Legan, on item
[1:54:25]
7B, public road dedication,
[1:54:29]
um I'm assuming that public road has to
[1:54:32]
go from the entrance all the way to
[1:54:35]
where the motorcycles would unload and
[1:54:38]
ride. Correct.
[1:54:40]
>> To to the property, I think within the
[1:54:42]
proximity of the parking area,
[1:54:45]
>> right?
[1:54:45]
>> Which would basically be at the top of
[1:54:47]
the hill.
[1:54:48]
>> Correct. And if you didn't have any if
[1:54:50]
you didn't have 50 feet to play with,
[1:54:52]
then you couldn't put a public road in
[1:54:53]
there. Correct.
[1:54:55]
>> Well,
[1:54:56]
>> I mean, I've driven the road.
[1:54:57]
>> Right. Right. I mean, they do have
[1:54:59]
>> when you get up towards where you're
[1:55:00]
going to park on the property, there's
[1:55:02]
not 50 ft.
[1:55:03]
>> I think the the fit the the fe simple
[1:55:06]
pipes in comes out to Skipper Creek and
[1:55:09]
it's probably at least 60 70 feet of of
[1:55:13]
land that goes all the way back to their
[1:55:15]
property and it, you know, widens out.
[1:55:17]
So I I believe there's plenty of of of property to put 50 foot. Now the
[1:55:22]
road doesn't have to be 50 foot.
[1:55:23]
>> Well, my truck's not 50 ft wide and it
[1:55:25]
barely fit on the road up to the
[1:55:26]
property. I'm just saying if the public
[1:55:28]
roads got to go all the way up there,
[1:55:30]
that would involve a substantial amount
[1:55:32]
of money, wouldn't you think?
[1:55:34]
>> Absolutely.
[1:55:35]
>> Okay. Thank you.
[1:55:36]
>> Yep.
[1:55:37]
>> I have a question. As I understand it, they could not
[1:55:42]
operate until that road was taken care
[1:55:44]
of. Is that true? That's correct. It had
[1:55:47]
to be constructed
[1:55:50]
» there. Is there more than one entrance
[1:55:53]
egress?
[1:55:54]
>> You know, I I believe for the
[1:55:56]
subdivision there was discussions of an
[1:55:59]
ingress. I forget the road to the to the
[1:56:01]
west, but maybe someone from the public
[1:56:03]
knows better than me, but it for a
[1:56:06]
subdivision over 50 or more, you have to
[1:56:07]
have a second egress. I don't know if
[1:56:09]
that's why that subdivision was never
[1:56:11]
developed. Uh but uh again I mean they
[1:56:14]
could have reduced it to maybe a 49 but
[1:56:16]
the current code does you know for a
[1:56:17]
subdivision does require a second egress
[1:56:19]
but I'm not really too familiar
[1:56:21]
with the past conversations. Uh I think
[1:56:24]
fire rescue is comfortable with they
[1:56:26]
would prefer a second egress but they're
[1:56:28]
comfortable with the compromise that
[1:56:30]
building the the actual public road to
[1:56:32]
the property would would be a great um
[1:56:37]
help and obviously access in general. It
[1:56:39]
would it would improve the bridge that
[1:56:41]
cannot maintain the weight of a piece of
[1:56:44]
fire apparatus.
[1:56:44]
>> It would have to be built to VOTE
[1:56:46]
standards as well.
[1:56:47]
>> Was was there was there a VOTE study
[1:56:50]
completed for this project?
[1:56:52]
>> I mean, they gave us review comments. Uh
[1:56:54]
that's in your packet. We've we've
[1:56:56]
talked to them on numerous occasions,
[1:56:59]
met with them. Uh so, you know, it's a new road. So that that's a whole
[1:57:04]
process and engineering and surveys and
[1:57:08]
that's that's quite a quite a process to
[1:57:10]
go through but uh VOTE does it all the
[1:57:12]
time and we we we do it too. Uh but so
[1:57:16]
that would definitely um you know take a
[1:57:18]
lot of review environmental review
[1:57:20]
engineering new bridge. So it's it's a
[1:57:22]
substantial effort to build a road all
[1:57:24]
the way back there for sure. I guess a
[1:57:26]
part of my question too is not saying
[1:57:28]
every rider would, but when you have
[1:57:31]
this many bikes, side by sides,
[1:57:33]
whatever, you're also talking trailers.
[1:57:35]
>> Yes, sir.
[1:57:36]
>> What is a what does a road what can road
[1:57:39]
handle? What does the surrounding roads
[1:57:41]
handle? What happens if a school bus,
[1:57:43]
fire engine, somebody else uh piece of
[1:57:46]
farming equipment meets one of those
[1:57:48]
trailers on one of those roads back
[1:57:49]
there? Well, if they get to a site plan,
[1:57:52]
that would be discussed. And part of
[1:57:55]
what could what might need to happen is
[1:57:57]
at Rocky Ford there that might need to
[1:57:59]
be widened as well, shouldered at the at
[1:58:03]
the entrance at the entrance. I mean,
[1:58:05]
that's quite possible uh that that would
[1:58:07]
be required.
[1:58:08]
Um, but as far as a standard, I don't
[1:58:11]
know, 20 foot road with the base, I
[1:58:14]
mean, that's that would be adequate for
[1:58:17]
pulling a trailer. I don't know if the
[1:58:19]
radiuses at um if the radiuses and uh
[1:58:23]
again we haven't seen an engineer site
[1:58:25]
plan at Rocky Ford are really that great
[1:58:28]
right now. So that would maybe have to
[1:58:29]
be improvement.
[1:58:31]
>> Thanks. Any other questions for staff?
[1:58:35]
Excellent. We'll open up to the
[1:58:36]
applicant now. Thank you.
[1:58:40]
>> Thank you.
[1:58:40]
>> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. [laughter]
[1:58:55]
Good evening, Chairman Denady, members
[1:58:58]
of the board, county staff, and
[1:59:01]
community.
[1:59:03]
Thank you for the opportunity to speak
[1:59:04]
with you tonight. We are deeply grateful
[1:59:07]
to be here and for the privilege to
[1:59:08]
invest in and become members of this
[1:59:10]
community. My name is Scott McAdoo. I'm
[1:59:12]
a police first responder. My partner
[1:59:14]
Alex is a federal law enforcement
[1:59:16]
officer and Iraq veteran. Between the
[1:59:18]
two of us, we are husbands, fathers, and
[1:59:21]
parents to five children. Yes, we
[1:59:24]
currently live in Annapolis, Maryland,
[1:59:26]
but our focus, our investment, and our
[1:59:28]
passion are right here in Virginia. Our
[1:59:31]
journey started quite simply. We fell in
[1:59:33]
love with off-road riding vehicles, and
[1:59:36]
our families and our families fell in
[1:59:38]
love with it, too. But we quickly ran
[1:59:40]
into a major obstacle. It was nearly
[1:59:43]
impossible to find a private, safe,
[1:59:46]
high-quality place for our families to
[1:59:48]
ride together. So, we took a leap of
[1:59:51]
faith. We scraped together our personal
[1:59:53]
savings, took out several loans, and
[1:59:56]
purchased a 93 acre property in Orange,
[1:59:58]
Virginia, right next to Lake Anna.
[2:00:02]
Given what Alex and I see every day in
[2:00:04]
our line of work, we named it Throttle
[2:00:06]
Therapy Lake Anna. For us, getting out
[2:00:09]
on dirt bikes, ATVs, side by sides, and
[2:00:12]
target shooting wasn't just recreation.
[2:00:15]
It was a way to decompress, disconnect
[2:00:17]
from the bad things out in the world,
[2:00:20]
and reconnect with our kids.
[2:00:23]
We decided to share our journey journey
[2:00:25]
on social media, turning the property
[2:00:27]
into a private Airbnb style vacation
[2:00:29]
rental for riding and target shooting.
[2:00:33]
We didn't have all the answers. We just
[2:00:35]
had two months of cash reserves and we
[2:00:37]
made plenty of mistakes along the way.
[2:00:40]
But failure is a great teacher and every
[2:00:42]
setback taught us how to build a better,
[2:00:45]
safer, and more structured operation.
[2:00:49]
Through those lessons, we learned very
[2:00:51]
quickly that there was a massive demand
[2:00:53]
for outdoor recreation in central
[2:00:54]
Virginia and far too far too few places
[2:00:58]
to go. Because Lake Anna was p was a
[2:01:01]
private rental centered around a large
[2:01:03]
farmhouse, our phone started ringing
[2:01:06]
continuously with daily inquiries. We
[2:01:09]
quickly realized a pattern. Not every
[2:01:12]
family needed or could afford a big
[2:01:14]
farmhouse. Many simply wanted a safe
[2:01:16]
place to ride for the day, bring their
[2:01:18]
camper, or stay in a small cabin for a
[2:01:21]
night or two. Families were desperate
[2:01:23]
for a flexible, managed park option. To
[2:01:27]
solve that challenge and give family
[2:01:28]
those options, we went on the hunt for a
[2:01:31]
larger property. That search brought us
[2:01:34]
here to Powatan County, where we fell in
[2:01:36]
love with two things. The incredible
[2:01:38]
rural character of the community and the
[2:01:41]
proximity to Richmond. Our first target
[2:01:44]
was a 1400 acre tract off Brackets Ben
[2:01:46]
Road. We loved how isolated and secluded
[2:01:49]
it was. But when we visited, we found a
[2:01:53]
critical flaw. Access.
[2:01:56]
Reaching that site meant driving
[2:01:58]
directly through a neighborhood, not
[2:02:00]
around it like the property we are
[2:02:02]
discussing here tonight on Rocky Ford
[2:02:04]
Road. To make matters worse, from our
[2:02:07]
calculations, the driveway easement ran
[2:02:10]
through a neighbor's garage and fence
[2:02:12]
line. We knew right away that driving
[2:02:15]
through a neighborhood like that was
[2:02:16]
going to be a huge challenge with the
[2:02:18]
community. Before moving forward on the
[2:02:21]
property, we knew we needed county
[2:02:23]
support. My very first call to Palian
[2:02:26]
County was to board supervisor Mark
[2:02:28]
Kenny. Mr. Kenny, I don't know if you
[2:02:31]
remember that call, but I certainly do.
[2:02:33]
I remember how excited you were about
[2:02:35]
bringing a structured outdoor
[2:02:37]
powersports park to Powatan.
[2:02:39]
Mr. Kenny connected us with M. Mrs.
[2:02:42]
Roxanne Serno, your director of economic
[2:02:44]
development. Mrs. Serno shared that
[2:02:48]
excitement. She saw the vision, families
[2:02:51]
visiting Powatan, staying in local
[2:02:53]
lodging, spending money with local
[2:02:55]
vendors, and enjoying outdoor
[2:02:57]
recreation.
[2:02:59]
All while preserving Powatan Powatan's
[2:03:02]
rural landscape without placing demands
[2:03:04]
on your school system or your taxpayer
[2:03:07]
dollars. When we hit a legislative
[2:03:09]
hurdle discovering that a power sports
[2:03:11]
park
[2:03:13]
parks were not permitted on A10
[2:03:15]
agricultural land, the board took
[2:03:18]
action. While the planning commission
[2:03:20]
voted against the change, you, the board
[2:03:23]
of supervisors, stepped up and amended
[2:03:25]
the code to make outdoor recreation
[2:03:27]
possible on A10 land. We thank you
[2:03:29]
sincerely for that leadership.
[2:03:32]
Eventually, the 1400 acre opportunity
[2:03:34]
fell through and for a moment, we
[2:03:36]
thought our journey with Powatan was
[2:03:38]
over. But then we connected with the
[2:03:40]
owners of the 700 acre property off
[2:03:42]
Rocky Ford Road, Throttle Therapy
[2:03:44]
Appamatics River and Powatan Powersports
[2:03:47]
Park. The 700 acre site is remarkably
[2:03:50]
secluded
[2:03:52]
with very few residents nearby unlike
[2:03:55]
Brackets Bend. Traffic drives around the
[2:03:58]
neighborhood rather than straight
[2:03:59]
through it. Does it have access
[2:04:01]
challenges? Yes. There's a shared
[2:04:04]
driveway and an older bridge, though.
[2:04:06]
That bridge is currently driven across
[2:04:08]
every day by members of the community
[2:04:10]
and patrons of a local public wine
[2:04:13]
vineyard. Just two days after we
[2:04:15]
submitted our conditional use permit
[2:04:17]
application, chairman Dennady ran a poll
[2:04:20]
in P in the Powatan and the no Facebook
[2:04:22]
group regarding the proposed park. I
[2:04:25]
recall that over 70% of respondents
[2:04:29]
supported our park, people wanted this.
[2:04:32]
Yet even with such support for our park,
[2:04:35]
something shifted. Something changed and
[2:04:40]
momentum with county leadership started
[2:04:42]
to cool.
[2:04:44]
To address local concerns, the county
[2:04:46]
recommended we host a community meeting.
[2:04:49]
It wasn't legally required and the
[2:04:51]
county staff helped select 25 neighbors
[2:04:54]
who would be most directly impacted. We
[2:04:57]
purposely kept this off of our social
[2:04:59]
media. We didn't post a single word
[2:05:01]
about Powatan to our followers because
[2:05:04]
we wanted to speak directly with those
[2:05:06]
25 neighbors first. We sent out 25
[2:05:09]
letters, but words spread like wildfire
[2:05:12]
and nearly 90 people showed up on the
[2:05:14]
very first day of our two-day meeting.
[2:05:17]
Unfortunately, many of their minds were
[2:05:19]
already made up before we even opened
[2:05:21]
our mouths. As wild accusations and
[2:05:23]
misinformation began to circulate, we
[2:05:26]
turned to our social media channels to
[2:05:28]
share the actual facts and set the
[2:05:29]
record straight. But it became apparent
[2:05:33]
that no matter what facts we presented,
[2:05:35]
no matter what evidence we showed or how
[2:05:37]
directly we answered their concerns, the
[2:05:39]
oppos opposition simply refused to
[2:05:41]
listen. They didn't like our answers.
[2:05:44]
They didn't want the facts. And in their
[2:05:46]
eyes, we were always wrong, no matter
[2:05:48]
what solution we brought to the table.
[2:05:51]
Since then, the requirements placed on
[2:05:53]
us have only grown. When we included the
[2:05:57]
on-site lodging option in our initial
[2:05:59]
application, which is a key driver for
[2:06:02]
local tax revenue and essential for
[2:06:04]
those families wanting small cabins or
[2:06:06]
camper spots, county staff asked us to
[2:06:10]
remove it from our application. Then
[2:06:14]
after us strip after asking us to strip
[2:06:17]
lodging out, the county turned around
[2:06:21]
and told us that our park wouldn't
[2:06:23]
generate much revenue.
[2:06:25]
On top of that, we required to build and
[2:06:27]
replace a brand new road up to full VOTE
[2:06:31]
standards, a bridge that neighbors and a
[2:06:34]
public vineyard say is unsafe. Yet, no
[2:06:37]
one else in the community is stepping up
[2:06:39]
to fund or repair.
[2:06:41]
Despite these despite these moving
[2:06:43]
goalposts, we have continued to look for
[2:06:45]
ways to give back and align with Powatan
[2:06:49]
County's long-term vision. We read the
[2:06:52]
Powatan County strategic plan with
[2:06:54]
highlights which highlights goals for
[2:06:57]
public access to the Appamatics River as
[2:07:00]
well as expanding expanded public hiking
[2:07:03]
and pedal bike trails.
[2:07:06]
We knew we know that the community
[2:07:09]
members have expressed their desire for
[2:07:11]
more free public public hiking trails
[2:07:14]
and we want to help the community
[2:07:15]
achieve that goal, the county achieve
[2:07:18]
that goal. If the permit, if this permit
[2:07:21]
is approved, we are proposing to
[2:07:23]
dedicate a public trail
[2:07:26]
within our buffer zone along adjoining
[2:07:28]
property lines, creating a lasting asset
[2:07:31]
for non-motorized public recreation in
[2:07:33]
Powatan.
[2:07:34]
It's frustrating when members of the
[2:07:36]
opposition tell us, "We support riding,
[2:07:40]
just not this location."
[2:07:42]
Some of those same individuals have been
[2:07:44]
so determined to see us fail that
[2:07:46]
they've even begun attacking our private
[2:07:48]
farm in Orange County. An action that
[2:07:51]
does nothing except eliminate the very
[2:07:54]
places families rely on to ride safely.
[2:07:57]
and our opponents. If our opponents
[2:08:00]
truly support outdoor recreation, we
[2:08:03]
would welcome the same passion and
[2:08:06]
energy being channeled into helping us
[2:08:09]
find a solution we can all agree on
[2:08:13]
rather than tearing down private family
[2:08:15]
businesses.
[2:08:16]
Members of the board, here's a clear
[2:08:18]
choice for you before you tonight. The
[2:08:20]
current land owners build subdivisions
[2:08:22]
for a living. By right, this property
[2:08:24]
can be developed into a residential
[2:08:26]
subdivision up to 88 lots, permanently
[2:08:29]
changing the landscape and causing its
[2:08:31]
own environmental challenges. A
[2:08:34]
subdivision brings permanent traffic,
[2:08:36]
strain on infrastructure, and heavy
[2:08:38]
financial burdens on public services and
[2:08:41]
schools. However, the owners have agreed
[2:08:44]
to to allow us to lease this land for up
[2:08:48]
to 15 years. This is up to a 15-year
[2:08:52]
lease. This up to 15-year lease provides
[2:08:54]
a vital bridge. It preserves 700 acres
[2:08:57]
of open rural land while development
[2:09:00]
gradually pushes west from Richmond. It
[2:09:03]
supports your strategic plan. It funds
[2:09:05]
local infrastructure repairs. It gives
[2:09:08]
kids and families a safe, controlled
[2:09:11]
place to enjoy outdoor recreation,
[2:09:14]
all while possibly delaying dense
[2:09:17]
residential development until the county
[2:09:19]
is truly ready for it. Alex and I are
[2:09:22]
first responders, veterans, fathers, and
[2:09:24]
small business owners who believe in
[2:09:26]
doing the thing things the right way. We
[2:09:29]
look forward to investing in and
[2:09:31]
becoming members of this community, and
[2:09:33]
we respectfully ask for your approval of
[2:09:35]
our conditional use permit tonight.
[2:09:38]
Finally, I wanted to take a moment to
[2:09:39]
deeply thank all of our supporters.
[2:09:42]
To everyone who has shown so much
[2:09:44]
passion for this project and taken the
[2:09:46]
time to email the board to voice to
[2:09:49]
voice your support for throttle therapy.
[2:09:53]
We hear you. We appreciate you and we
[2:09:56]
would wouldn't be standing here without
[2:09:58]
you. So, thank you. I'd also
[2:10:00]
specifically like to thank Mr. living
[2:10:02]
and web for all his hard work throughout
[2:10:04]
this process and wish him the absolute
[2:10:06]
best moving forward. Thank you for your
[2:10:09]
time, your leadership and your
[2:10:11]
consideration.
[2:10:13]
>> Thank you. What uh what questions we
[2:10:15]
have for the applicant?
[2:10:18]
» I have a question,
[2:10:19]
>> please.
[2:10:20]
>> So, you are willing to bring a road up
[2:10:23]
to VOTE standards and rebuild a bridge
[2:10:27]
on land that you are leasing?
[2:10:30]
>> That would be Yes, ma'am. That would be
[2:10:31]
one of the CR requirements. In order to
[2:10:33]
access to open up, we would be required
[2:10:35]
to build the road up to VOTE standards
[2:10:37]
and build a new bridge. That is correct.
[2:10:42]
>> But you you still don't own the land.
[2:10:44]
>> That's correct.
[2:10:45]
>> Okay.
[2:10:47]
>> That is a big condition of our approval
[2:10:50]
that that access.
[2:10:54]
» I didn't see an economic impact um
[2:10:58]
report in the packet.
[2:11:01]
Um and we have heard that this would
[2:11:05]
help Palatan
[2:11:08]
um generate revenues for
[2:11:13]
businesses and lodging.
[2:11:16]
>> We don't have any lodging.
[2:11:22]
» So this is build it and they're come.
[2:11:24]
So, initially with our application, we
[2:11:27]
when talking to Miss Miss Serno, we
[2:11:30]
wanted to add a campground and bring in
[2:11:32]
parkstyle
[2:11:34]
semi-permanent cabins to bring in the
[2:11:37]
lodging.
[2:11:37]
>> You don't have any water coming in there
[2:11:39]
or any sewer.
[2:11:40]
>> That is correct. We would have to work
[2:11:41]
that. We would have to
[2:11:43]
>> I guess you would.
[2:11:44]
>> We would.
[2:11:44]
>> Yeah,
[2:11:45]
>> we would. Okay.
[2:11:46]
>> And and initially that's what our plan
[2:11:48]
was. And then county staff had asked us,
[2:11:50]
they said, "Why don't we, why don't we
[2:11:52]
just kind of get in there and let the
[2:11:53]
dust settle and then we can we can kind
[2:11:55]
of figure that part out." So, that was
[2:11:56]
one thing that the planning commission,
[2:11:58]
they mentioned that, well, we don't
[2:12:00]
quite see the revenue on that. However,
[2:12:03]
we wanted to bring that with the lodging
[2:12:05]
because my understanding is we don't have a hotel or a motel here in
[2:12:09]
the county. We wanted to help with that,
[2:12:11]
but we were asked to take that out and
[2:12:13]
remove it.
[2:12:14]
>> Okay. I still didn't see an economic
[2:12:15]
impact. What do you think you would
[2:12:18]
generate or the county?
[2:12:20]
>> Are you looking for a specific what?
[2:12:23]
>> I'm assuming as a business person that
[2:12:27]
you have determined a return on
[2:12:30]
investment.
[2:12:31]
>> Mhm. [clears throat]
[2:12:32]
>> So you don't lose your shirt.
[2:12:34]
>> Sure. Um, and part of that would be
[2:12:37]
money that would have to come to the
[2:12:40]
county in terms of taxable income.
[2:12:46]
In your estimate,
[2:12:48]
what is coming to the county? If you
[2:12:51]
haven't gotten there, that's fine. I
[2:12:52]
just I keep hearing economic impact will
[2:12:55]
be positive.
[2:12:58]
And I'll be darned if I could find that
[2:12:59]
in this packet.
[2:13:01]
>> Yes, ma'am.
[2:13:02]
>> It's just a practical question. If
[2:13:04]
you're not there, you're not there.
[2:13:05]
That's fine.
[2:13:07]
>> We are not there because we weren't we
[2:13:09]
were asked to remove the lodging. We
[2:13:11]
were asked to remove the lodging from
[2:13:12]
the application. We wanted to do that.
[2:13:14]
We wanted to bring in those revenue
[2:13:16]
dollars because we understand that would
[2:13:17]
be a vast driver for that.
[2:13:19]
>> Okay. So, that is something you bringing
[2:13:22]
in,
[2:13:23]
>> excuse me,
[2:13:23]
>> how many lodgings were you bringing in?
[2:13:26]
>> How many? We wanted to have up to Alex
[2:13:28]
up to 20. Up
[2:13:29]
>> up to 20.
[2:13:30]
little cabins.
[2:13:35]
No more questions.
[2:13:38]
>> Thank you.
[2:13:38]
You're welcome.
[2:13:39]
>> Any uh any questions?
[2:13:43]
» Scott, I'm um not a writer. Um my life
[2:13:47]
I've been a fireman. So,
[2:13:49]
>> thank you for your service.
[2:13:50]
>> Yeah. I want to give you u
[2:13:52]
[clears throat and cough]
[2:13:54]
you use the word therapy in your in your
[2:13:56]
name. Can you dive into that a little
[2:13:58]
bit for me?
[2:14:00]
>> Yes, sir. So,
[2:14:02]
I've been a I've been a police officer
[2:14:04]
for coming up on 15 years now. Alex was
[2:14:07]
an Iraq war veteran.
[2:14:10]
During during my time in law
[2:14:12]
enforcement, I've seen some really bad
[2:14:14]
things. Um, I've had to notify a lot of
[2:14:16]
make a lot of bad visits to notify
[2:14:19]
family members have passed, children
[2:14:21]
being hurt, killed, messy suicides,
[2:14:25]
and that stuff. I thought I was immune
[2:14:28]
to that. And there's things that still
[2:14:30]
stick with me mentally,
[2:14:32]
things that that haunted me for a while.
[2:14:36]
And then I talked to my wife about this
[2:14:39]
and I said, you know, this is this is
[2:14:41]
bugging me a little bit. And every time
[2:14:42]
I see certain things or I go past a
[2:14:44]
certain road, it reminds me of those bad
[2:14:46]
images.
[2:14:48]
Well, then along came CO. Along came CO.
[2:14:51]
We were all locked down. We couldn't do
[2:14:53]
anything.
[2:14:55]
What we knew to do was let's get outside
[2:14:57]
and get some fresh air.
[2:14:59]
So, Alex lives across the street from
[2:15:01]
me. Other first responders, military
[2:15:05]
members, business owners.
[2:15:07]
We went out, we bought dirt bikes, we
[2:15:10]
fell in love with riding. We went
[2:15:12]
outside, enjoyed the outdoors. We kind
[2:15:14]
of started a little joke and it just
[2:15:16]
was, "Hey, let's go get some throttle
[2:15:18]
therapy today."
[2:15:20]
And when I ride, I found something that
[2:15:22]
I truly love. And I found so many other
[2:15:25]
we've connected with so many other great
[2:15:26]
individuals that when we ride and when I
[2:15:29]
ride I think about just two things I
[2:15:32]
think about it can tune it all out and I
[2:15:34]
can think about riding that bike and not
[2:15:36]
smacking the next tree
[2:15:38]
and I absolutely love it and it's just
[2:15:41]
something that has brought me so much
[2:15:44]
help and and just an opportunity to get
[2:15:47]
out enjoy the rural country and and it's
[2:15:50]
unfortunate because I know We see as a
[2:15:54]
long career in the in the fire
[2:15:55]
department and the police department, we
[2:15:57]
see so many bad images over and over. And there's and I I can't quote
[2:16:02]
the studies, but we there's so many
[2:16:04]
studies those those images, they just
[2:16:06]
slowly cause a little tear in our in our
[2:16:09]
brains. And and that's and so it it it
[2:16:13]
really just kind of started as a little
[2:16:14]
hey, let's go get some throttle therapy.
[2:16:16]
And then talking to
[2:16:18]
other guests and visiting the other
[2:16:21]
tracks. I like to do a lot of interviews
[2:16:23]
and I just ask them, you know, what what
[2:16:25]
is it about riding that you really enjoy
[2:16:28]
and the answers are all very similar as
[2:16:30]
I mentioned and and and I thank you for
[2:16:32]
the opportunity to explain that.
[2:16:35]
>> Thank you.
[2:16:37]
>> Any other questions,
[2:16:38]
>> M? Go ahead.
[2:16:39]
>> So, I do have one other question. You
[2:16:40]
made a couple comments about
[2:16:41]
misinformation. 100% agree with
[2:16:44]
everything that you said about me and
[2:16:46]
being excited because when I looked at
[2:16:47]
that other track of land, there wasn't a
[2:16:49]
house anywhere I could find.
[2:16:51]
>> Mhm. So, I'm really curious because from
[2:16:53]
what I understand, the deal fell through
[2:16:54]
because the landowner wanted to keep
[2:16:56]
that property for land credits. Not that
[2:16:59]
you guys had easement access or anything
[2:17:02]
like that because when I looked at the
[2:17:04]
road to that property, I didn't see it
[2:17:06]
go through a house, neighborhood, or
[2:17:07]
anything. That was the reason why I got
[2:17:09]
so excited about it.
[2:17:11]
>> So, I I'm really confused as to why all
[2:17:14]
of a sudden you're saying access to that
[2:17:16]
property was an issue when there wasn't
[2:17:18]
a neighborhood or structures anywhere
[2:17:20]
around it. So, if I recall, there were
[2:17:22]
two accesses access points to that.
[2:17:24]
There was the one access road right
[2:17:25]
through the neighborhood and it really
[2:17:27]
bottlenecked on that gravel road that
[2:17:29]
would I guess you would call the main
[2:17:31]
access to that. And we went out actually
[2:17:34]
took some measurements with the tape
[2:17:35]
measure and the and their fence was
[2:17:38]
there, their trees were there, and my
[2:17:40]
understanding it was a 25 was it a 50ft
[2:17:43]
easement, Alex?
[2:17:43]
>> I think it was 25, but at the smallest
[2:17:46]
point there's about 16 ft.
[2:17:48]
>> It was it was very tight. CC road.
[2:17:50]
There's another CC road.
[2:17:52]
>> Well, because the road I looked at that
[2:17:53]
went to the property, there weren't any
[2:17:54]
structures around it
[2:17:55]
>> there.
[2:17:56]
>> On the plat I looked at when you guys
[2:17:57]
first contacted me, when I looked at the
[2:17:59]
property and discussed it with the
[2:18:00]
planning department, I didn't see any
[2:18:02]
neighborhoods. I didn't see any houses.
[2:18:03]
Didn't see anything. That's one of the
[2:18:05]
reasons why I was excited about that
[2:18:07]
parcel because there weren't 90
[2:18:09]
neighbors living around it. [snorts]
[2:18:11]
>> We love the parcel as well. We did. And
[2:18:14]
when we came in and met with the realer,
[2:18:16]
we initially, our first thought was, "Oh
[2:18:18]
my gosh." and how we came in and brought
[2:18:19]
it was it was tight. It was tight. And
[2:18:21]
the gentleman's I the the neighbor's
[2:18:23]
garage was right there and I and forgive
[2:18:25]
me not sure which which access point you
[2:18:28]
access because I know there's on the far
[2:18:29]
side there was more of a utility type
[2:18:32]
access on the far side but that that for
[2:18:36]
us looking at the campground and that
[2:18:38]
just didn't seem very very viable for us
[2:18:40]
that option to have that. We wanted to
[2:18:42]
come in through that one access that
[2:18:44]
really bottlenecked and appeared to be a
[2:18:46]
big challenge. I wish I had an I I
[2:18:48]
forgive me this is disrespectful of me
[2:18:50]
for not having a map up of that. We had moved on from that property and
[2:18:54]
is something we were very excited about
[2:18:56]
and unfortunately it fell through.
[2:18:59]
>> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions
[2:19:02]
before you open it up? Thank you, Scott.
[2:19:04]
Alex, appreciate you.
[2:19:05]
>> Thank you. [clears throat]
[2:19:07]
>> All right. Just as a uh just as a
[2:19:09]
reminder here folks,
[2:19:12]
um just want to make sure that speakers
[2:19:14]
that are coming up uh shall direct their
[2:19:16]
comments to the board as a whole. Uh not
[2:19:19]
any individual members uh any individual
[2:19:22]
members of the audience.
[2:19:24]
They shall refrain from using any uh
[2:19:26]
criticizing
[2:19:28]
any individuals or groups using vulgar
[2:19:30]
language, rude or threatening language.
[2:19:32]
All persons in attendance shall observe
[2:19:34]
the board's decorum policy and conduct
[2:19:36]
themselves in a professional manner and
[2:19:38]
demonstrate respect for others
[2:19:41]
and is not disruptive. Applause or
[2:19:43]
outburst dur during or after speaker's
[2:19:46]
comments is not appropriate and violates
[2:19:48]
the board's decorum policy. I'm asking
[2:19:51]
you all to please please please follow
[2:19:54]
that. We have folks that are here that
[2:19:56]
are passionate. And I can tell that
[2:19:58]
you're passionate. When I look at the
[2:20:00]
number of emails in my inbox for both
[2:20:04]
support and opposition, when you total
[2:20:06]
them together,
[2:20:08]
a majority of us have have spent uh
[2:20:11]
three and a half years here, over three
[2:20:13]
and a half years. When you look at data
[2:20:15]
centers, every housing project that's
[2:20:17]
come up, anything that that firearms,
[2:20:20]
anything that that just brings people to
[2:20:21]
the table, put them all together. It
[2:20:24]
still doesn't equal the total number of
[2:20:26]
emails that we've received both in
[2:20:27]
opposition and support for this project.
[2:20:30]
So I beg you, please give people the
[2:20:34]
respect to speak and feel welcome to
[2:20:37]
speak at this podium. Please come
[2:20:39]
forward when you're willing.
[2:20:47]
» Good even [clears throat] Good evening
[2:20:50]
members of the board. My name is Mor
[2:20:52]
Weatherhead. I'm also a paramedic. My
[2:20:55]
idea of therapy is my 10 acres out in
[2:20:58]
the country that I bought purposely to
[2:21:01]
have a quiet place where I could retire.
[2:21:05]
Our community has now spent eight months
[2:21:07]
trapped in this manufactured crisis.
[2:21:10]
They've never had a road.
[2:21:13]
There is no way to make that private
[2:21:15]
easement
[2:21:17]
into a public road. Never in the history
[2:21:20]
of Powen County has there been a hostile
[2:21:23]
taking of a private deed easement.
[2:21:28]
To turn that private easement into a
[2:21:29]
state road would require the signatures
[2:21:32]
of everyone holding a deed.
[2:21:35]
Yeah, the developer owns the underlying
[2:21:37]
dirt and sections of the road, but the
[2:21:39]
state requires that the whole road be
[2:21:41]
dedicated. And owning the underlying
[2:21:43]
dirt doesn't take away the rights of the
[2:21:45]
deed easement owners.
[2:21:48]
That private easement crosses the back
[2:21:51]
of my property.
[2:21:53]
That 50-foot buffer on my property
[2:21:56]
is from 30 years ago.
[2:22:00]
That same developer who 5 years later
[2:22:03]
bought that 711 acres, put that on my
[2:22:07]
plat.
[2:22:08]
It's not even legal. He didn't own that
[2:22:11]
road. He couldn't put
[2:22:15]
a subject to public dedication on a road
[2:22:17]
that he didn't own. Only those people
[2:22:20]
living back there could do that. There
[2:22:22]
is no signature on my platform from the
[2:22:24]
people living back there because they
[2:22:26]
didn't sign off on that. That's their
[2:22:28]
private easement. Yes, he owns a part of
[2:22:32]
that easement as of 2001. My plat was
[2:22:36]
written in 1996.
[2:22:38]
So tell me how the county plans to take
[2:22:42]
our private property to make a public
[2:22:45]
road.
[2:22:48]
Taking that 50-foot buffer would take
[2:22:51]
both me and the fisher property out of a
[2:22:54]
egg 10.
[2:22:57]
I told Egan all of this at the very
[2:23:00]
beginning that there's no way to make
[2:23:02]
that road into a state road without all
[2:23:05]
of us signing off on it. A 30-year-old
[2:23:08]
plat note isn't even valid. It's
[2:23:11]
considered vacated. The county has never
[2:23:14]
taken care of that road. We've paid the
[2:23:16]
taxes on that property. That is our
[2:23:18]
property you're talking about taking. So
[2:23:22]
I think my property rights and my rights
[2:23:25]
to the therapy of living in my house on
[2:23:27]
a 10 should certainly supersede an
[2:23:31]
incoming commercial venture which
[2:23:33]
they've never had the ability to make
[2:23:35]
that estate road at any time.
[2:23:38]
Thank you.
[2:23:39]
>> Thank you.
[2:23:43]
» Um Jess Walters and 6075 Captain
[2:23:47]
Yansancy Road. I'm actually from Elton,
[2:23:48]
but I'm speaking on behalf of a group.
[2:23:50]
So, I would ask for all of them to
[2:23:52]
stand, please.
[2:23:56]
All right. Mr. Chairman and members of
[2:23:58]
the board of supervisors, my name is Dr.
[2:24:00]
Jess Walters, and while I am a current
[2:24:02]
resident of Rockingham County, I grew up
[2:24:04]
in Powatan and I am the sole heir to
[2:24:06]
both 1033 and 1013 Rocky Ford Road in
[2:24:09]
District 4. Furthermore, I'm
[2:24:11]
representing each of my family members
[2:24:13]
who make up the land owners beyond
[2:24:14]
Skippers Creek Bridge on the CCC road.
[2:24:17]
First, I would like to thank you all for
[2:24:19]
the thorough analysis of all
[2:24:21]
contributing factors in this decision.
[2:24:23]
Understandably, this is a divisive topic
[2:24:25]
that is both emotionally charged and
[2:24:27]
controversial, but each factor does hold
[2:24:29]
merit. I want to share just a little bit
[2:24:31]
about some of the people that this will
[2:24:32]
truly affect. The family-owned parcels
[2:24:35]
of land accessing this road were
[2:24:36]
purchased by my grandfather in the 1930s
[2:24:39]
as one of the founding farmers of this
[2:24:40]
county. He along with my grandmother and
[2:24:43]
their six children operated one of the
[2:24:45]
largest dairy farms in Powatan, playing
[2:24:47]
a pivotal role in the county's early
[2:24:48]
days of agriculture. Not only did he aid
[2:24:51]
in the development of this road, he and
[2:24:53]
my grandmother wrote the 1985 CCC road
[2:24:56]
agreement as a formal agreement between
[2:24:57]
each landowner, even though most were
[2:24:59]
immediate family. Today, those land
[2:25:02]
plots make up a large parcel of property
[2:25:04]
belonging to second, third, and fourth
[2:25:06]
generations of my family. While my
[2:25:08]
family members have spent their lives
[2:25:09]
living on and maintaining the
[2:25:11]
surrounding land in rural preservation,
[2:25:13]
social media supporters of the applicant
[2:25:15]
have stated, "People forget they bought
[2:25:17]
two acres and want to control 50 more
[2:25:19]
around them. Everyone moves to and wants
[2:25:21]
the country life until country life
[2:25:23]
turns into country life. A bunch of
[2:25:25]
suburb people move to the rural counties
[2:25:27]
and then want to stop country folks from
[2:25:28]
doing country things. Anyone who doesn't
[2:25:31]
support this place should move. and
[2:25:33]
you're in a state that is eat up with
[2:25:34]
mental illness and people that are
[2:25:36]
totally Supporters have called
[2:25:39]
my aunts Karens, communists, a-holes,
[2:25:43]
threatened to mail blast all of the
[2:25:44]
major insurance carriers to make them
[2:25:46]
aware of EMS constraints on the bridge
[2:25:48]
and among others not appropriate to read
[2:25:50]
for this audience. My personal favorite
[2:25:52]
stated one was an old busy body cat
[2:25:54]
lady. Why? For quietly voicing their
[2:25:57]
opposition and for posting signs on
[2:25:58]
their own property to prevent
[2:26:00]
trespassing. Because my family stays
[2:26:02]
most mostly quiet on social media, I'd
[2:26:04]
like to reiterate the type of people
[2:26:05]
that they are. My grandfather was one of
[2:26:07]
the most wellrespected members of this
[2:26:09]
county, paying for everything in cash or
[2:26:11]
an IOU. My mom and aunts are some of the
[2:26:13]
most hardworking country women I have
[2:26:15]
ever met. They got up every morning at
[2:26:17]
3:00 a.m. and milked cows before going
[2:26:19]
to schools or their jobs. They worked
[2:26:21]
hard to keep this land for their
[2:26:23]
children. These women and their
[2:26:24]
descendants are all hardworking land
[2:26:26]
owners who were not only founding
[2:26:27]
farmers of Powatan County, but are those
[2:26:30]
who continue to commit their land into
[2:26:32]
the rural preservation of Powatan
[2:26:33]
through the county's agricultural and
[2:26:35]
forestal district program. Each of them
[2:26:37]
has contributed taxes and business to
[2:26:39]
the county for more than 50 years. My
[2:26:41]
cousins and I went to Powatan County
[2:26:42]
Public Schools and their children have
[2:26:44]
done the same. This family truly
[2:26:46]
supports the county and has only wanted
[2:26:48]
to live out their lives and raise their
[2:26:49]
children and grandchildren on land
[2:26:50]
passed down through generations. Now,
[2:26:52]
let's discuss the legality here,
[2:26:54]
specifically of one of the conditions of
[2:26:56]
the cup, the condition to build a public
[2:26:57]
road from the terminus of River Estates
[2:26:59]
Road to the property while not accessing
[2:27:02]
the CCC road. Briefly, the 1985 CCC road
[2:27:06]
agreement written by my grandfather was
[2:27:08]
signed by all property owners, including
[2:27:10]
immediate and extended family as well as
[2:27:11]
non-family, stating the easement shall
[2:27:14]
run with the land to successors and
[2:27:16]
assigns of the parties hereto. This eman
[2:27:18]
this easement agreement was notorized
[2:27:20]
and filed on record in Powatan County.
[2:27:22]
Virginia code 55.1-308
[2:27:25]
states that dedication for public use
[2:27:27]
may only be obtained with the written
[2:27:28]
consent of every holder of any
[2:27:30]
restrictive covenant or easement prior
[2:27:32]
to making such dedication. According to
[2:27:35]
this code and Virginia property law, a
[2:27:36]
single lot owner cannot unilaterally
[2:27:38]
offer someone else's property rights to
[2:27:40]
the county. By definition, easement
[2:27:42]
holders hold a protected fractioned
[2:27:44]
property interest in the road. Whether
[2:27:46]
or not the developer owns property on
[2:27:48]
either side of the road or has a buffer
[2:27:50]
subject to de public dedication is
[2:27:51]
irrelevant. There is no access to the
[2:27:54]
property in question without crossing
[2:27:55]
the easement affected by this agreement
[2:27:57]
in at least two places. The potential
[2:27:59]
buffer including the easement which is
[2:28:01]
subject public dedication is on the
[2:28:03]
left. His property on a narrow strip is
[2:28:05]
on the right and the 711 acres in
[2:28:07]
question is to the left of the CCC road.
[2:28:10]
In 2001, an attempt was made to develop
[2:28:13]
the 711 acre piece of property. Noting
[2:28:15]
then the need for a public road for
[2:28:17]
access. Even with the approval of the
[2:28:19]
internal road network, the planning
[2:28:21]
commission then recommended deferral of
[2:28:23]
the request due to the question legality
[2:28:25]
of the rightway. They gave the applicant
[2:28:27]
four months to provide time to submit
[2:28:29]
verification that the rightway was
[2:28:30]
available to improve the road. No other
[2:28:33]
continuation or further approval records
[2:28:34]
are available and there's no public
[2:28:36]
record of resolution. Given the legal
[2:28:38]
challenges, the history of the
[2:28:39]
surrounding properties, and the detailed
[2:28:41]
analysis provided by both the planning
[2:28:42]
director and the agricultural and
[2:28:44]
forestal district committee, I encourage
[2:28:46]
you all to follow the recommendation of
[2:28:47]
the planning staff and planning
[2:28:49]
commission to deny this conditional use
[2:28:50]
permit. Thank you.
[2:28:51]
>> Thank you.
[2:28:58]
» Uh,
[2:29:00]
good evening, Bob Kelly, District 2.
[2:29:02]
Good evening, Chairman Dennady and
[2:29:05]
Supervisors. I'm here to speak about
[2:29:08]
throttle therapy's proposed conditional
[2:29:10]
use permit for the motorsports park. I
[2:29:12]
am asking that the board follow the
[2:29:14]
unanimous recommendation of the planning
[2:29:16]
commission and reject this proposal. I
[2:29:18]
understand why folks are enthralled by
[2:29:20]
throttle therapies marketing. We
[2:29:22]
remember our teenage years spent riding
[2:29:24]
dirt bikes and ATVs over old dirt roads
[2:29:26]
and through sand and gravel pits.
[2:29:28]
Today's different. No trespassing signs
[2:29:31]
are everywhere and it's tough just to
[2:29:32]
find a place to ride. Kids need exciting
[2:29:35]
things to do and throttle therapy
[2:29:37]
promises that. While that being said,
[2:29:39]
throttle therapy is a business. Their
[2:29:42]
goal is not to let make life better for
[2:29:44]
the people of Powatan. Throttle therapy
[2:29:46]
exists to generate maximum profits for
[2:29:48]
their owners. They will bring in
[2:29:50]
customers from across Virginia and
[2:29:52]
neighboring states. Kids from Powatan
[2:29:54]
will not be able to just take their dirt
[2:29:56]
bikes to Throttle Therapy on a whim and
[2:29:58]
ride. They will need to make online
[2:30:00]
reservations weeks in advance. And the
[2:30:02]
price may be too rich for some of our
[2:30:04]
neighbors. Folks coming in from Virginia
[2:30:07]
Beach, Stanton, Smith Mountain Lake, or
[2:30:10]
Kentucky will bring heavy traffic to
[2:30:12]
Rocky Ford Road and to River Estates
[2:30:14]
roads. These streets are narrow and
[2:30:16]
curvy. They are not built to handle the
[2:30:18]
volume of traffic that would come to
[2:30:20]
throttle therapy.
[2:30:22]
The AFD environmental impact study
[2:30:24]
include with the board agenda just
[2:30:26]
shows, excuse me, shows just how
[2:30:28]
damaging throttle therapies operations
[2:30:30]
will be. First, the decibel level from
[2:30:32]
all of those bikes and ATVs running at
[2:30:34]
the same time will significantly impact
[2:30:37]
the quality of life and damage property
[2:30:39]
values in the neighborhoods adjacent to
[2:30:41]
the park. Second, this will cause
[2:30:44]
significant damage to local wildlife,
[2:30:46]
especially to the birds that are
[2:30:47]
indigenous to the Appamatics Riverbank.
[2:30:51]
My late friend Pat Aspenwol was an
[2:30:53]
amateur aven photographer. Her home was
[2:30:56]
near the property in question and she
[2:30:58]
would be shocked that this board would
[2:31:00]
even consider a proposal that would
[2:31:01]
permanently harm our local environment.
[2:31:04]
And then finally, what does Powane get
[2:31:06]
out of this? Throttle Therapy will, by
[2:31:09]
the nature of their business, require
[2:31:10]
more emergency services. Are they're
[2:31:12]
offering to pay for road improvements? I
[2:31:14]
guess the road up to there they will.
[2:31:16]
Are they offering to buy a new fire
[2:31:18]
truck, police vehicles, police
[2:31:20]
equipment? And finally, just to reflect,
[2:31:24]
there's nowhere better to watch a sunset
[2:31:25]
than the parking lot of Graceland
[2:31:27]
Baptist Church. It's that peaceful
[2:31:29]
feeling that I never want to lose.
[2:31:31]
Throttle therapy offers too much
[2:31:33]
disruption without bringing equivalent
[2:31:34]
benefits to the people of Palatan.
[2:31:37]
Therefore, I urge you to reject the cup.
[2:31:39]
Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Next.
[2:31:47]
Good evening, honorable chairman, other
[2:31:50]
distinguished members of the board.
[2:31:53]
My name is Pete Cy. I live in district 4
[2:31:55]
on our family farm at 1687 Capeway Road
[2:31:58]
here in Powatan.
[2:32:00]
Tonight, I am speaking as a member of
[2:32:04]
and on behalf of the board of directors
[2:32:06]
of the Powatan County Farm Bureau. And
[2:32:08]
at this time, I'd like to read a
[2:32:11]
prepared statement.
[2:32:14]
With unanimous consent, the board of
[2:32:16]
directors of the Palatan County Farm
[2:32:18]
Bureau respectfully request that you
[2:32:22]
resend ordinance 0202603
[2:32:26]
adopted by the Palatan County Board of
[2:32:28]
Supervisors in January 26th that amends
[2:32:32]
chapter 83 zoning section 83160
[2:32:37]
10 section 83 162 conditional uses by
[2:32:41]
adding number 61 motorsports park as a
[2:32:44]
use allowable by conditional use permit.
[2:32:48]
We further note the work on this
[2:32:50]
ordinance is not yet complete as
[2:32:52]
evidenced by this staff statement as
[2:32:54]
follows. And I quote, "Further
[2:32:57]
supplemental use regulations and
[2:32:58]
performance standards may be developed
[2:33:00]
or refined in the future to guide
[2:33:03]
expectations related to operational
[2:33:06]
impacts and to ensure compatibility with
[2:33:09]
surrounding rural properties.
[2:33:13]
Additionally, we apart from the
[2:33:15]
president of the Powatan Farm Bureau
[2:33:18]
request the board of supervisors deny
[2:33:20]
approval of the current application 2603
[2:33:23]
cup by Throttle Therapy Appamatics River
[2:33:26]
LLC for the operation of a motorsports
[2:33:29]
park off Rocky Ford Road in District 4.
[2:33:33]
The board of the Palatan County Farm
[2:33:35]
Bureau hopes you take these two requests
[2:33:38]
under consideration and thanks you.
[2:33:42]
Now, if I may make a few comments as a
[2:33:44]
citizen and a land owner in the county.
[2:33:48]
A few years ago, we placed our farm in a
[2:33:50]
perpetual conservation easement to
[2:33:53]
protect those 250 acres of fields and
[2:33:55]
forests from ever being developed. Our
[2:33:58]
commitment to keeping Palatan
[2:34:00]
agricultural is real. It also formed the
[2:34:03]
core of the Rocky Ford Agricultural and
[2:34:07]
Forestal [clears throat] District.
[2:34:09]
Having said that, I have no personal
[2:34:11]
aversion to motorcycles. I've owned
[2:34:13]
four. I even rode one to California and
[2:34:16]
back when I was in my 20s. I get it.
[2:34:19]
It's fun. It's thrilling even. I also
[2:34:22]
think four-wheelers have a place in
[2:34:24]
agricultural settings. They're
[2:34:25]
invaluable and checking miles of pasture
[2:34:27]
fence or transporting harvested deer
[2:34:29]
home over long distances. I agree.
[2:34:32]
Riding around outdoors is a great way to
[2:34:34]
get kids off screens and into something
[2:34:36]
they can enjoy with their siblings. and
[2:34:38]
parents. But let's not kid ourselves.
[2:34:41]
This proposed venture is a commercial
[2:34:43]
operation owned and managed by
[2:34:45]
non-county residents. This is not a
[2:34:47]
casual ride around the property of mom
[2:34:49]
or dad or your grandparents. And this is
[2:34:52]
a terrible location for this venture.
[2:34:54]
The environment, the wildlife, and the
[2:34:56]
homeowners in the surrounding
[2:34:57]
neighborhoods just did not sign up for
[2:35:00]
this. Thank you.
[2:35:02]
>> Thank you.
[2:35:04]
[clears throat]
[2:35:05]
Can I limit the applause, please?
[2:35:10]
April, May, 3571 Pine View Drive. The
[2:35:14]
one lady hit a lot of what I was going
[2:35:16]
to say. They did a noise cuz that has
[2:35:18]
been a big issue with the residents
[2:35:20]
around and I don't fit in their little
[2:35:22]
speck bubble, but on my back porch I
[2:35:25]
could hear the noise. Um the planning
[2:35:30]
commission they did an acoustical study
[2:35:32]
and as uh on page 239 of the cup it says
[2:35:36]
acoustical study did not use lab
[2:35:38]
calibrated acoustical equipment and were
[2:35:40]
not intended to establish compliance and
[2:35:42]
or non-compliance with county's noise
[2:35:45]
ordinance. Planning director also stated
[2:35:47]
this was during summer foliage in a
[2:35:50]
single visit and should not be
[2:35:51]
interpretive as a predictive of future
[2:35:54]
conditions under different seasons,
[2:35:56]
writer volume, or operational
[2:35:58]
circumstances.
[2:36:00]
They stated they had 50 to 60 riders
[2:36:02]
that day. They're looking up to up to
[2:36:04]
150 riders on their day visits. Um, when
[2:36:09]
the planning commission asked Throttle
[2:36:11]
Therapy how they were going to staff
[2:36:13]
this, uh, neither owner of Throttle
[2:36:16]
Therapy had any ideas on the staffing of
[2:36:19]
this business. Um, at the planning
[2:36:21]
commission meeting when asked the cup on
[2:36:23]
page 214 states at a minimum there's one
[2:36:27]
manager on site during business hours.
[2:36:30]
From his Facebook post, it will be
[2:36:33]
online memberships and reservations. So,
[2:36:36]
in my hands, it looks like off-site
[2:36:38]
management
[2:36:40]
from while they live in Maryland. They
[2:36:43]
still in the CPU talks about dry camping
[2:36:46]
and portaotties. So, does that mean
[2:36:48]
staffing is going to have to stay
[2:36:49]
overnight with these dry campers to make
[2:36:51]
sure nobody's trespassing on other
[2:36:53]
people's property that surround and how
[2:36:56]
waste and
[2:36:58]
water issues are going to be disposed
[2:37:00]
of? Is there going to be monitoring of
[2:37:02]
that? The creek that runs underneath the
[2:37:04]
bridge runs through my property and we
[2:37:06]
were all on wells. So, what happens when
[2:37:08]
something a spill happens? Who's going
[2:37:10]
to clean that up? Are they responsible?
[2:37:12]
Is the county responsible? Um, I am a
[2:37:15]
business owner. I'm a hairdresser.
[2:37:17]
Services in the state are not taxed. You
[2:37:20]
don't pay sales tax per visit on a
[2:37:23]
service that you provide. How is the
[2:37:25]
taxing on this? How's the county going
[2:37:27]
to make money in order to support all
[2:37:29]
the stress on EMS and fire? Um,
[2:37:36]
how's the county planning on making this
[2:37:38]
a public road? Are we going to
[2:37:39]
confiscate private citizens property? I
[2:37:42]
don't believe that that's how we run
[2:37:44]
this country. Um,
[2:37:49]
and the cup is only for 5 years. I know
[2:37:51]
the land owner has tried to develop this
[2:37:53]
in the past for neighborhoods and that's
[2:37:57]
been posted multiple times, but you have
[2:37:59]
one access in, one access out, and it's
[2:38:02]
private roads. And unless you confiscate
[2:38:04]
somebody's personal property to do that,
[2:38:06]
I don't see how this is a viable
[2:38:08]
business.
[2:38:09]
>> Thank you.
[2:38:14]
» Hey guys. Um, Sheenar Connor is I'm from
[2:38:18]
voting district 63. Actually, I I drove
[2:38:21]
down from Stafford just to come to this
[2:38:23]
meeting. So, because obviously I brought
[2:38:27]
the stuff, if you could pretend this is
[2:38:29]
a motorcycle helmet, but pretend it's an
[2:38:31]
ATV helmet cuz I was my family was
[2:38:33]
riding ATVs up in actually Maryland this
[2:38:36]
past weekend at my wife's parents house.
[2:38:38]
Anyway, and look, some people made some
[2:38:40]
really good arguments. I go to a lot of
[2:38:42]
these board meetings up in Stafford. You
[2:38:43]
guys should all be glad. Um Stafford,
[2:38:46]
Spennsylvania, they're crazy. It's like
[2:38:47]
Jerry Springer board meetings. So, be
[2:38:50]
glad that it's not like that here, okay?
[2:38:51]
It's you guys are cool. Um, but I mean,
[2:38:54]
they got like pride parades with drag
[2:38:56]
queens twerking on kids for money. Like,
[2:38:58]
it's it's nuts, okay? It's crazy. So,
[2:39:01]
I'd love to come down here and I don't
[2:39:04]
know how you going to work this out.
[2:39:05]
Like, the road thing, that's a big deal.
[2:39:07]
Like, you know, obviously you don't
[2:39:09]
steal people's private property. That'd
[2:39:10]
be stupid. But, so I'm really all about
[2:39:13]
freedom. Um, you might have maybe you
[2:39:16]
guys have heard my name Shamgar Connor
[2:39:17]
since it's a one in the world. Shamgar
[2:39:20]
is a Bible name. Anyway, I got kicked
[2:39:21]
off the kidney transplant list at UVA
[2:39:23]
because I didn't get the COVID vaccine.
[2:39:25]
And then after that, I got like stalked
[2:39:27]
by all these like crazy lunatics that
[2:39:29]
were like I'm they they said I should
[2:39:31]
die and my kids should die, my wife
[2:39:33]
should die, and then like it was nuts.
[2:39:35]
Crazy, right? But so I'm all about
[2:39:36]
freedom. I just want people to have
[2:39:38]
freedom to do what they want. And I
[2:39:39]
think if you guys could work it out,
[2:39:41]
this would be awesome. I mean, I'd love
[2:39:43]
to come down here all the time. I mean,
[2:39:44]
I drove it down took me an hour and a
[2:39:45]
half just to get here today just to talk
[2:39:47]
about this, but I mean, [clears throat]
[2:39:49]
we've been doing this kind of stuff our
[2:39:50]
whole lives. I'll tell you a cool story.
[2:39:52]
Um, we had um like you know those Power
[2:39:55]
Wheels things. So, I modified my kids my
[2:39:58]
son's Power Wheels when he was was 3
[2:40:00]
years old and I put two giant lawnmower
[2:40:02]
batteries in it and crosswired it so it
[2:40:04]
was 24 volts. So, there he is. He's like
[2:40:06]
3 years old
[2:40:08]
like hold on and I'm running after him
[2:40:10]
full speed. I can't catch him. And he's
[2:40:12]
riding all around the yard. We got three
[2:40:13]
acres of land. And it was awesome,
[2:40:15]
right? And I'm I'm screaming. Hey, get
[2:40:16]
back here. Don't worry. Ah, these, you
[2:40:18]
know, but and this was his helmet. Look
[2:40:20]
at this. I mean, that's pretty cool,
[2:40:21]
right? Look at that. Mohawk riding
[2:40:23]
around like crazy having fun. Like those
[2:40:25]
are the kind of memories that you love
[2:40:27]
to make. I really think if you guys
[2:40:28]
could work something out where you guys
[2:40:29]
get this going, like you guys could have
[2:40:32]
a lot. You could build your whole town
[2:40:33]
like around this in a positive way. You
[2:40:36]
know, we I was up at Stafford and then
[2:40:39]
they didn't want Bies built there and I wore a BES costume and I went
[2:40:42]
there and I did a taste test on the
[2:40:43]
microphone at the board meeting. I
[2:40:45]
started eating. I'm like, "Oh, it's
[2:40:47]
yummy." Right? And then they approved the thing. It was pretty
[2:40:50]
funny, right? I mean, but the point was
[2:40:52]
it was just to say, "Yeah, I think it's
[2:40:55]
cool. If you guys can work things out to
[2:40:56]
bring a business, they eventually
[2:40:58]
obviously you're going to make money.
[2:40:59]
You bring people here. I know. I guess
[2:41:01]
there's no lodging. I don't even know
[2:41:02]
that. That's crazy. But I mean, maybe
[2:41:04]
they'll build some. You never know,
[2:41:06]
right? So, I think it's awesome. So,
[2:41:07]
look, let me put on this helmet to for
[2:41:09]
like for purpose of the video. Look. All
[2:41:12]
right. Ready? There. I'm ready. Ready.
[2:41:15]
Okay. Start your engines. Wait. Let's go
[2:41:19]
get some throttle therapy.
[2:41:22]
There we go.
[2:41:24]
>> Thank you. Boom. Boom.
[2:41:42]
Good evening. My name is Monica Gallier
[2:41:45]
and I live at 920 Rocky Ford Road, right
[2:41:48]
up the road from River Estates, right up
[2:41:51]
the road from Orthod Throttle Therapy.
[2:41:54]
Hopefully will be. I support it first
[2:41:57]
and foremost. I want that to be known.
[2:42:00]
Sorry I didn't have time to dress up or
[2:42:02]
change. My husband and I drove in from
[2:42:04]
West Virginia today where we went to
[2:42:07]
drive our side by side.
[2:42:10]
A lot of people out here, a lot of
[2:42:11]
people online, a lot of people
[2:42:12]
everywhere talking about how this
[2:42:14]
impacts the animals,
[2:42:17]
the wildlife.
[2:42:19]
While we were driving
[2:42:22]
in West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky
[2:42:25]
this past weekend, we saw wild horses
[2:42:29]
who would run up to our side by sides,
[2:42:32]
follow us,
[2:42:34]
so we would stop,
[2:42:37]
licking my machine, sticking their heads
[2:42:39]
in the my machine, wanting to come with
[2:42:42]
us in our machine.
[2:42:45]
Not afraid of them. They heard us
[2:42:48]
coming. They wanted to see us. We wanted
[2:42:50]
to see them, too, because it was fun.
[2:42:54]
So, saying that the wild animals will be
[2:42:56]
affected
[2:42:59]
is not 100% true.
[2:43:02]
My husband and I bought our property in
[2:43:04]
1998.
[2:43:06]
We built our home with our own hands. We
[2:43:09]
own both of the both sides of the
[2:43:12]
property of Grace Church on Rocky Ford
[2:43:14]
Road and behind it.
[2:43:19]
I support it. I live on Rocky Ford Road.
[2:43:23]
I have shown my support by speaking
[2:43:25]
about this. I have shown my support by
[2:43:27]
showing up to the community meetings,
[2:43:29]
the planning commission meetings,
[2:43:31]
posting signs on my property supporting
[2:43:34]
this. Soon as I put the signs up on my
[2:43:37]
property, someone called Palatan
[2:43:40]
Historical Society, Grace Church is
[2:43:42]
owned by the Palatan Historical Society.
[2:43:45]
Someone said those signs were on Grace
[2:43:48]
property. They were in front of the
[2:43:50]
church.
[2:43:52]
They weren't. That was a lie.
[2:43:56]
Those signs were on my property.
[2:44:00]
There have been
[2:44:02]
horrible things said by people on both
[2:44:05]
sides.
[2:44:10]
People who are opposed of this,
[2:44:14]
they try to put themselves in the high
[2:44:15]
ground. They've said some awful things
[2:44:17]
online also.
[2:44:19]
They've said hurtful, threatening, mean,
[2:44:24]
degrading, bullying things. Both sides
[2:44:27]
have. And that's not right.
[2:44:31]
But no one from the supporting side that
[2:44:35]
I know of, and I've talked to people,
[2:44:38]
have trespassed on someone's private
[2:44:40]
property and stole the signs.
[2:44:47]
I have more, but I don't have time.
[2:44:49]
>> Thank you.
[2:44:55]
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of
[2:44:57]
the board.
[2:44:59]
Let's get to my notes here.
[2:45:02]
Want to thank you for your time and
[2:45:03]
service to our county. I'm Luke Huddle,
[2:45:04]
District 2. This application has become
[2:45:08]
one of the most discussed issues here in
[2:45:09]
Powatan.
[2:45:11]
And while there's disagreement, there's
[2:45:13]
also real common ground.
[2:45:16]
What I've repeatedly what I've heard
[2:45:18]
repeatedly is that many people,
[2:45:20]
including some who oppose the location,
[2:45:22]
actually support the idea of a
[2:45:24]
motorsports park here in the county. If
[2:45:27]
we could take a simple show of hands
[2:45:29]
tonight, I believe you'd see how many of
[2:45:30]
us on both sides truly support the idea
[2:45:33]
in this county in the right location.
[2:45:36]
County staff has worked closely with the
[2:45:39]
applicant to create a thorough set of
[2:45:40]
conditions that protect public health,
[2:45:42]
safety, and welfare. staff has noted the
[2:45:44]
applicant's willingness to collaborate
[2:45:46]
and adjust. I can personally confirm
[2:45:48]
that. I've worked directly with the
[2:45:51]
applicant to address my own concerns and
[2:45:54]
concerns raised by others. If you
[2:45:56]
approve this application, I'm confident
[2:45:58]
that the applicant will continue working
[2:45:59]
with neighbors, outside agencies in the
[2:46:01]
county to ensure this park operates
[2:46:03]
responsibly under the conditions set.
[2:46:06]
Because most opposition centers on
[2:46:08]
location, I've looked for alternate
[2:46:10]
large parcels across Powatan.
[2:46:13]
I did not find one more balanced than
[2:46:15]
this property. It was recently logged,
[2:46:17]
meaning the ecosystem has already been
[2:46:19]
disturbed.
[2:46:21]
And a supervised maintained park could
[2:46:23]
actually help stabilize it as it
[2:46:24]
regrows. There are about 16 homes within
[2:46:27]
a onem radius of the activity area. For
[2:46:30]
comparison, there was a motocross track
[2:46:31]
that operated here in the late 90s and
[2:46:33]
2000s.
[2:46:35]
That's where I grew up riding. It had
[2:46:37]
more than 220 homes in the same radius.
[2:46:41]
With similar hours and a far higher bike
[2:46:44]
per acre density,
[2:46:46]
this property is large enough to spread
[2:46:48]
riders out, reducing density and
[2:46:51]
lowering the impact on the neighbors. In
[2:46:53]
recent months, you've approved a senior
[2:46:55]
care facility, zoning for a data center,
[2:46:57]
a highdensity multi-use development, and
[2:46:59]
you're considering a possible tax
[2:47:00]
increase coming up.
[2:47:02]
You've taken steps to support revenue
[2:47:04]
growth in our aging population which
[2:47:06]
matters. But that population resents,
[2:47:09]
excuse me, represents less than half of
[2:47:10]
Palatan. Tonight is an opportunity to do
[2:47:13]
something meaningful for the younger
[2:47:14]
generation,
[2:47:16]
something not driven by revenue,
[2:47:18]
something the broader community and our
[2:47:20]
guests can actually enjoy.
[2:47:23]
And this proposal goes beyond
[2:47:24]
motorsports. The applicant plans hiking
[2:47:27]
and biking trails to meet the
[2:47:29]
comprehensive plan's goal of providing
[2:47:30]
public access to the Appamatic River as
[2:47:32]
well. I believe they will continue
[2:47:34]
expanding low impact outdoor recreation
[2:47:36]
that appeals to families, young people,
[2:47:38]
and everyday residents who simply want
[2:47:40]
more ways to enjoy the outdoors. You
[2:47:42]
have a real opportunity in front of you.
[2:47:44]
The applicant is willing to work with
[2:47:46]
us. We simply need to be willing to work
[2:47:48]
with them. I respectfully urge you to
[2:47:51]
vote yes on this application. Thank you
[2:47:53]
for your time.
[2:47:53]
>> Thank you.
[2:47:58]
Good evening board. My name is Matt
[2:48:00]
Stevens, 311 Timber Trace Court,
[2:48:03]
Powatan.
[2:48:05]
I'm here to say that I fully support the
[2:48:08]
recommendation to deny the CUP
[2:48:10]
application for the reasons that have
[2:48:11]
already been stated. Thank you very
[2:48:13]
much.
[2:48:14]
>> Thank you.
[2:48:17]
» Hello, my name is Carl Schwenderman. Um,
[2:48:20]
I think Powatan County should use this
[2:48:22]
be this uh resoning to um ask that they
[2:48:25]
extend the pros bicycle trail along. You
[2:48:28]
know the the flood how you have the
[2:48:29]
flood plane along the Appamax River
[2:48:31]
that's 2 and a half miles long and then
[2:48:33]
you have the the main land. Could Powan
[2:48:35]
County ask them to extend the proposed
[2:48:38]
bike trail along the edge of the flood
[2:48:40]
plane along the Appamatics River for 2
[2:48:42]
and a half miles? Because Powan County
[2:48:45]
would Poutan County should use this as a
[2:48:47]
chance to have a 2 and a half mile long
[2:48:49]
bike trail and side and a pedestrian
[2:48:52]
trail along the edge of the Appamatics
[2:48:54]
and then they could extend it to the
[2:48:56]
Fighting Creek Park trail system. So I
[2:48:59]
think that Powen County should use this
[2:49:02]
chance to uh get a profer to ask for an
[2:49:05]
ease like a a small easement like 8 foot
[2:49:08]
wide easement or a a 20 foot wide
[2:49:10]
easement along the edge of the
[2:49:11]
Appamatics River flood plane for a trail
[2:49:15]
to go from a Millor road to um the to
[2:49:21]
[clears throat] um
[2:49:23]
Rocky Ford Road because next to Rocky
[2:49:24]
Ford Road at the Appamatics River
[2:49:27]
crossing there's 100 acres owned by
[2:49:29]
Chesterfield County. So, this would be a
[2:49:32]
great way to get a beautiful o to open
[2:49:34]
up the Appamatics River by asking for a
[2:49:38]
section of the Fighting Creek Park trail
[2:49:39]
system along the edge of the Appmax
[2:49:41]
River.
[2:49:43]
Thank you.
[2:49:47]
» Hi, my name is Donald May. at 3571 Pine
[2:49:51]
View Drive about a mile and a half as
[2:49:53]
the crow flies from Throttle Therapy's
[2:49:56]
proposed site. That dude, that other
[2:49:58]
dude was awesome. That's all I got to
[2:49:59]
say. My god, he was funny. I've lived on
[2:50:03]
my 10 acres for over 15 years and I feel
[2:50:06]
content and hopefully a little solid as
[2:50:08]
a solid member of the community. That
[2:50:10]
being said, pales in comparison with the
[2:50:12]
family, farmers, and residents that have
[2:50:15]
lived in this area for generations. They
[2:50:18]
had children born, families grow, and
[2:50:20]
family members die in these homesteads.
[2:50:22]
All the while being great stewards of
[2:50:25]
this land that surrounds them. Listen to
[2:50:28]
these folks who have lived there. They
[2:50:31]
all want what's good for the community.
[2:50:33]
Throttle Therapy Group lives, this is
[2:50:35]
honest, they live in Annapolis,
[2:50:37]
Maryland. And I would argue that the
[2:50:39]
endeavor they are pursuing would need
[2:50:42]
daily attention and management from the
[2:50:44]
owners. It's not a side job you can
[2:50:46]
manage via FaceTime or Skype. I don't
[2:50:50]
way back. Throttle Therapy Group has
[2:50:52]
never opened or I suspect worked at a
[2:50:56]
solely motor park facility. They've
[2:50:59]
gained their knowledge by owning an
[2:51:00]
Airbnb in Lake Anna. I'm not dogging it.
[2:51:04]
I'm just saying that's what they did. Oh
[2:51:06]
yeah. But they did have a b a dirt bike
[2:51:09]
path there if you were staying.
[2:51:12]
Their knowledge is pur purely anecdotal.
[2:51:15]
The info that they get acquire that they
[2:51:18]
acquire is not by experience but by
[2:51:20]
asking questions to folks that own
[2:51:23]
motorpark establishments or they have
[2:51:26]
owned in the past. So they're asking
[2:51:28]
these people questions and that's how
[2:51:30]
they acquire their knowledge and we get
[2:51:33]
to be their guinea pig. Nah. What people
[2:51:36]
are saying at this meeting that are
[2:51:38]
against the proposal like noise
[2:51:40]
pollution, air pollution, water
[2:51:41]
pollution, street issues are all
[2:51:43]
relevant. Please hear what they are
[2:51:46]
saying. Please take a drive the proposed
[2:51:48]
area. Please honestly visualize how this
[2:51:51]
will work. What will all the added
[2:51:54]
trucks, trailers, and cars do to these
[2:51:57]
existing roads like Rocky Ford? And that
[2:52:00]
should not be tested.
[2:52:02]
I can tell you um um throttle therapy
[2:52:05]
has pleaded and delayed this vote long
[2:52:07]
enough. So, let's move on. Lastly, I
[2:52:11]
find it interesting the majority of the
[2:52:13]
pro park folks live in other counties or
[2:52:16]
own businesses that m the majority that
[2:52:19]
own business that would make money on
[2:52:20]
this park. I listen to the owners of
[2:52:23]
Throttle Therapy. They don't answer how
[2:52:26]
this will negatively affect our property
[2:52:28]
values, which it will. They don't have
[2:52:31]
answers for sales volume or staffing.
[2:52:34]
I am glad writing has been therapeutic
[2:52:37]
for you. I'm more than grateful for your
[2:52:39]
service. My daughter's in boot camp
[2:52:41]
right now, so I feel it. To the question
[2:52:44]
of what kids can do in the county. I
[2:52:47]
will tell you this, we are building a
[2:52:49]
10,000 square foot wrestling facility at
[2:52:52]
Blackhawk Gym right now.
[2:52:55]
Thank you.
[2:52:59]
» Terry Terry Adcock, 5719 Cartersville
[2:53:02]
Road, District 5. And I'm here to
[2:53:06]
introduce the um speaker for the
[2:53:08]
Agricultural Forestal District Advisory
[2:53:10]
Committee's report this evening. He's a
[2:53:13]
Powatan County resident and a member of
[2:53:16]
our AFD advisory commission. And Dr. Dr.
[2:53:19]
James Riley is a research biologist at
[2:53:22]
Rutgers University and I'm really glad
[2:53:25]
that we've got somebody this well
[2:53:27]
knowledgeable and that can help us on
[2:53:29]
our AFD committee to help protect the
[2:53:33]
wildlife of Powatan County.
[2:53:39]
» Hi there. Um, so if we could uh uh the
[2:53:43]
point here, I'm going to go ahead and
[2:53:45]
summarize the AFTD report and um
[2:53:49]
then give you guys a chance to have
[2:53:51]
questions if you want to. Um, if you if
[2:53:53]
you could uh show or turn to page
[2:53:57]
uh 283 in the um packet.
[2:54:02]
Uh that's so I'm just going to go
[2:54:04]
through the figures here. So this is a
[2:54:06]
map of the proposed site as it was
[2:54:09]
originally presented. Um it's a there
[2:54:11]
have been a few minor changes to it but
[2:54:14]
um this is just to show um you know
[2:54:17]
there's basically two main concerns from
[2:54:19]
the perspective of the of the um AFD
[2:54:23]
relating to um how this will impact the
[2:54:27]
environmental um concern. So um it's the
[2:54:31]
direct destruction of sensitive habitats
[2:54:34]
along the Appatics River um due to
[2:54:37]
building a dense network of trails in
[2:54:40]
there and uh also from the noise given
[2:54:43]
the uh large scale of this project the
[2:54:46]
noise you know is probably going to be
[2:54:49]
considerable. So what we did was we
[2:54:51]
designed a computer simulation to um
[2:54:55]
basically simulate
[2:54:57]
placing down a whole bunch of dirt bikes
[2:54:59]
in this area and then calculating the
[2:55:02]
noise values that would propagate out
[2:55:04]
from that. Um so if you'll turn to uh
[2:55:08]
the next figure in that report
[2:55:14]
uh on page 284
[2:55:16]
um that shows the um results of the
[2:55:19]
noise simulation. Um so what we did was
[2:55:23]
we um assumed a noise value. It's a
[2:55:27]
mid-range noise value for a riding um
[2:55:31]
dirt bike. And that's all those little
[2:55:33]
um yellow dots on the graph there are um
[2:55:36]
the random placement of the simulated uh
[2:55:40]
dirt bikes on that um the different
[2:55:43]
areas that were indicated in their
[2:55:45]
proposal.
[2:55:47]
And um we assigned a decibel value of 96
[2:55:50]
dB to each of those dirt bikes which is
[2:55:52]
a sort of a conservative mid-range value
[2:55:56]
for them.
[2:55:57]
And what we've um what you can see there
[2:56:00]
is that the the noise
[2:56:02]
dissipates um out from those sources. Um
[2:56:07]
you know they sort of merge together and
[2:56:09]
add in in a mathematical way. And then
[2:56:12]
so when if you look on the on the
[2:56:14]
diagram the orange areas are the highest
[2:56:16]
noise and as it gets out toward purple
[2:56:18]
that's the lowest. Um and we uh plotted
[2:56:22]
on this figure um a contour yellow
[2:56:25]
contour at 45 dB
[2:56:28]
um which is a value that um in the
[2:56:32]
literature
[2:56:33]
uh is very important for wildlife
[2:56:35]
especially birds. Um, you know, we're
[2:56:38]
focusing on birds here because they're
[2:56:40]
very uh sensitive group of animals to
[2:56:43]
noise, you know, being uh that they they
[2:56:45]
communicate by singing and um even you
[2:56:50]
know small amounts of noise increase can
[2:56:52]
be detrimental to them. And the uh the
[2:56:54]
literature shows that 45 dB is about the
[2:56:57]
level uh where they become affected. And
[2:57:01]
um at that level they have um reduced
[2:57:06]
success with raising their nestlings.
[2:57:09]
they have um you know if you do surveys
[2:57:12]
you'll find that birds um occur in fewer
[2:57:14]
numbers and they also are fewer species
[2:57:17]
of birds in areas where they have that
[2:57:19]
um you know often these studies are
[2:57:21]
based on traffic noise. Um so that's uh
[2:57:25]
that's just showing and we have here in
[2:57:26]
this figure a version that has 100 dirt
[2:57:29]
bikes um on the left and 200 on the
[2:57:33]
right. Um you can see how how far that band extends out there.
[2:57:39]
Uh okay. So we could turn to the the
[2:57:42]
next uh figure. Um this is basically
[2:57:46]
overlaying those noise contours on
[2:57:50]
um the Powen County um priority
[2:57:53]
conservation area in purple along the
[2:57:55]
Appamatics River there. Um and the um
[2:57:59]
Appamatics AFD in outlined in green in
[2:58:02]
the north.
[2:58:04]
And uh you can see that the the 45
[2:58:07]
decibel band encompasses the whole width
[2:58:10]
of that corridor along the Appetics
[2:58:11]
River there. Um which will definitely
[2:58:16]
decrease its ability to act as a
[2:58:18]
wildlife corridor. Um and then if we
[2:58:21]
look down at the uh the bottom two
[2:58:23]
panels, this is the same but for the
[2:58:25]
state of Virginia's wildlife diversity
[2:58:27]
corridor um that's made by the DCR.
[2:58:31]
And you can see that uh they recognized
[2:58:33]
this particular area as a very sensitive
[2:58:36]
important area for um environmental
[2:58:39]
protection and um animal movement
[2:58:42]
through through central Virginia. And
[2:58:44]
this noise band does also basically
[2:58:47]
envelop their whole corridor. Um so
[2:58:53]
uh
[2:58:55]
that's and that's the gist of it. So, if
[2:58:57]
there's any questions about how we did
[2:58:59]
that or what it means.
[2:59:00]
>> No, I apprec I appreciate the
[2:59:01]
information. It's not a Q&A though,
[2:59:02]
unfortunately.
[2:59:03]
>> Okay, great.
[2:59:04]
>> Thank you.
[2:59:11]
» Cindy Booten, 4343 Bridge Road. This is
[2:59:14]
district three. I have a friend whose
[2:59:18]
property is
[2:59:20]
close to this and she's spent years
[2:59:25]
and a lot of money of her own and also
[2:59:28]
grants from government agencies
[2:59:32]
in reing,
[2:59:34]
getting rid of invasive species,
[2:59:38]
planting our native species, basically
[2:59:42]
reing over 300 acres. was very close to
[2:59:46]
this.
[2:59:49]
I think you will kill her if you approve
[2:59:51]
this. I think she will die because she
[2:59:54]
has poured her life into it.
[2:59:58]
Next point is the businessmen who have
[3:00:02]
proposed this ark talk about it as if
[3:00:05]
it's a church camp and we're going on a
[3:00:08]
church camp picnic.
[3:00:11]
I'm sorry. You saw the gentleman who
[3:00:13]
came in with his motorcycle
[3:00:16]
uh outfit and helmet. [clears throat]
[3:00:20]
How would you like 125 of those
[3:00:23]
characters next door to you
[3:00:26]
riding and revving up their motorcycles?
[3:00:30]
And are you kidding? Who wants to go on
[3:00:33]
a walking path with 125 people on dirt
[3:00:38]
bikes? I mean, I'm glad that they get
[3:00:41]
their therapy from that, but I look at
[3:00:45]
it, this is more entertainment.
[3:00:49]
And we're talking about one group's
[3:00:52]
right to have the entertainment they
[3:00:55]
prefer
[3:00:56]
and then the land owners and the people
[3:01:00]
adjacent to this, the wildlife. We're
[3:01:04]
talking about the very quality of their
[3:01:06]
life. with the wildlife and the bird
[3:01:09]
thing we just heard. We're talking about
[3:01:13]
nesting grounds, flyways,
[3:01:15]
things that affect the population.
[3:01:19]
Okay, it's two different things on a
[3:01:22]
scale. It doesn't weigh out. These are
[3:01:24]
people from another
[3:01:27]
um state coming in here to put in their
[3:01:31]
little park, their little play park. Um,
[3:01:34]
as a Palatan resident, I told you I live
[3:01:37]
about 2 thou 2,000 yard of feet from two
[3:01:42]
dirt bikes.
[3:01:45]
My right to have peace and quiet. And
[3:01:49]
I'll say, I'm a nurse practitioner. I
[3:01:52]
worked in the ER. Talk about
[3:01:54]
post-traumatic stress. From what you've
[3:01:56]
seen,
[3:01:58]
I need quiet. So do these people who
[3:02:02]
have lived on this land for generations.
[3:02:05]
There's no comparison. Tell them to go
[3:02:08]
somewhere else. I also
[3:02:11]
come from an area where they put this in
[3:02:14]
and it's a mess. My sister lives in one.
[3:02:17]
It's a mess. They go riding across the
[3:02:20]
highway in front of cars. It's
[3:02:22]
dangerous.
[3:02:23]
>> Thank you.
[3:02:29]
Good evening. Debbie Madison, 964 Rocky
[3:02:32]
Ford Road, District 2. I fully support
[3:02:35]
the planning commission's vote to deny
[3:02:36]
the applicants conditional use permit
[3:02:38]
2603 cup. Now, let's look look closely
[3:02:42]
at the access management and safety
[3:02:44]
statistics for Rocky Ford Road. From
[3:02:47]
January 2025 to June 2026, there were
[3:02:50]
262 calls to 911 on this road. 44% of
[3:02:54]
those calls were priority 1 and priority
[3:02:56]
two emergencies. What is alarming is
[3:02:58]
that 47% of those priority emergencies
[3:03:01]
occurred during the exact days and hours
[3:03:04]
the applicant wants to operate.
[3:03:06]
Furthermore, DMV Treads data shows 36%
[3:03:09]
of all incidents on Rocky Ford Road over
[3:03:12]
the last 5 years resulted in injury and
[3:03:15]
53% of all incidents were speed related.
[3:03:18]
The applicant's revised conditional use
[3:03:20]
permit calls for a traffic increase by
[3:03:22]
up to 125 vehicles per day on weekends
[3:03:24]
and federal holidays. That's a 12.5%
[3:03:28]
spike in traffic volume. Any 911 call
[3:03:31]
volume increase over 1% will negatively
[3:03:34]
impact emergency response, will increase
[3:03:36]
the demands on county services, and will
[3:03:39]
unpleasantly impact local residents days
[3:03:41]
of rest, recovery, and personal time. It
[3:03:43]
is clear the surrounding infrastructure
[3:03:45]
simply cannot handle any increase in
[3:03:47]
vehicle traffic not designed for
[3:03:49]
residential use. VOTE itself noted that
[3:03:52]
the local residential roads are not
[3:03:54]
designed for trailers, campers or other
[3:03:56]
vehicles serving in a commercial
[3:03:58]
recreational use. Moreover, there were
[3:04:01]
no safe turn lanes outlined in the
[3:04:03]
applicant's permit for Gento Rocky Ford
[3:04:06]
River Estates or Old Buckingham Roads.
[3:04:09]
Without safe turn lanes, incidents will
[3:04:11]
rise. Genito Road has ranked in the top
[3:04:14]
two or three cluster for high crash
[3:04:16]
locations for the past five years per
[3:04:19]
DMV Virginia highway safety. VOTE also
[3:04:22]
noted that the intersection of River
[3:04:24]
Estates and Rocky Ford Road may require
[3:04:27]
widening and major structural changes to
[3:04:29]
accommodate larger turning area areas
[3:04:32]
for vehicles with trailers. The top two
[3:04:35]
rural high-risk categories for our
[3:04:37]
district for the past two years include
[3:04:40]
both roadway departure and
[3:04:41]
intersections, which are common on rural
[3:04:43]
roads. Yet, the applicant completely
[3:04:46]
omitted an access management plan for
[3:04:48]
this intersection in its submission.
[3:04:50]
These unknown infrastructure changes and
[3:04:53]
geometric modifications threaten our
[3:04:55]
private property rights. County
[3:04:57]
Ordinance 0202602
[3:05:00]
requires a 10acre minimum for A10 lots.
[3:05:03]
Widening these roads could cut into
[3:05:05]
existing properties, including my
[3:05:08]
property, pushing private property
[3:05:10]
owners below the legal 10 acre limit.
[3:05:12]
While land can be taken for public
[3:05:14]
infrastructure improvements, private
[3:05:16]
land cannot be taken to benefit a
[3:05:18]
private commercial recreational
[3:05:20]
business. This conditional use permit
[3:05:22]
request has already caused an
[3:05:23]
unreasonable absorption of time and
[3:05:25]
taxpayer dollars on meetings, outreach,
[3:05:28]
foyer request, etc. It's time to say
[3:05:30]
when. I urge you to protect the
[3:05:32]
residents, uphold the unanimous vote,
[3:05:34]
and deny this conditional use permit.
[3:05:37]
Thank you.
[3:05:38]
>> Thank you.
[3:05:42]
» Good evening. My name is Gail Nunnelly.
[3:05:44]
I live at 310 Skippers Ridge in Powatan.
[3:05:48]
I've been in this county for 30 years. I
[3:05:51]
am here to say that I fully support the
[3:05:53]
recommendation to deny case 2603
[3:05:56]
cup throttle therapy. My reason is my
[3:06:00]
daughter and I own the house at 961
[3:06:02]
Rocky Ford Road. This is the first house
[3:06:05]
on River Estates Road. When you turn on
[3:06:07]
River Estates, there she is. On
[3:06:10]
Saturday, June 20th, 2026, I was sitting
[3:06:14]
on the porch at my daughter's house when
[3:06:16]
multiple vehicles began showing up with
[3:06:19]
ATVs, motorcycles, and other off-road
[3:06:22]
vehicles. Knowing that the cup had not
[3:06:25]
been voted on at that time, we were
[3:06:27]
confused as to why they were there. I
[3:06:30]
called a few neighbors and they were not
[3:06:32]
aware of anything going on at the
[3:06:34]
location, but had also seen the traffic
[3:06:37]
coming in.
[3:06:40]
Many neighbors called the sheriff's
[3:06:41]
office to come and investigate. The
[3:06:44]
applicant did not have the courtesy to
[3:06:46]
let the neighbors know what was going
[3:06:48]
on.
[3:06:50]
We later learned the applicants had
[3:06:52]
invited people to come in and help with
[3:06:54]
a sound test.
[3:06:56]
My main concern is the traffic in front
[3:06:58]
of my daughter's house every Friday,
[3:07:01]
Saturday, Sunday, and holiday. How would
[3:07:04]
you like to wake up to the possibility
[3:07:06]
of a line of vehicles in front of your
[3:07:08]
house waiting for the park to open? How
[3:07:11]
would you like to sit on your front
[3:07:12]
porch and watch anywhere from 30 to 125
[3:07:16]
vehicles drive in and out every weekend
[3:07:20]
and holiday? Her children will no longer
[3:07:22]
be able to go outside alone due to
[3:07:24]
stranger danger. This would turn a quiet
[3:07:28]
country lane into an overrun busy throw
[3:07:31]
affair every weekend and holiday. We
[3:07:34]
have already posted no trespassing signs
[3:07:37]
to hopefully keep people off of her
[3:07:39]
property. If this cup is passed, we will
[3:07:42]
be forced to install a privacy fence in
[3:07:45]
front of her home. The driveway will
[3:07:47]
also be roped off to keep vehicles from
[3:07:50]
using it as a turnaround. Thank you for
[3:07:52]
your service to Powaton County.
[3:07:54]
>> Thank you.
[3:07:58]
» Good evening. My name is Samantha Piper,
[3:08:00]
4301 Old Buckingham Road. I would like
[3:08:02]
to speak on the environmental impact of
[3:08:04]
Throttle Therapy's proposed business, as
[3:08:06]
I believe that impact was minimized to a
[3:08:08]
large extent in both the presentations
[3:08:10]
for the park and in the planning staff
[3:08:12]
report. The site lies within the upper
[3:08:14]
Appamatics River corridor directly
[3:08:15]
across from the Amelia Wildlife
[3:08:17]
Management Area and includes mature
[3:08:18]
forests, wetlands, and streams that
[3:08:20]
support diverse wildlife, including
[3:08:22]
migratory birds. As previously
[3:08:23]
mentioned, while a physical trail may
[3:08:25]
take up little space itself,
[3:08:26]
environmental disturbance involves
[3:08:28]
broader surrounding areas in the natural
[3:08:30]
landscape. This business would impact
[3:08:32]
not just this propert, but all of the
[3:08:34]
previously mentioned surrounding
[3:08:36]
properties in addition to all of the
[3:08:37]
homeowners. Ample research has
[3:08:39]
demonstrated a clear negative impact
[3:08:40]
from off-road vehicle trail use on
[3:08:42]
entire ecological systems. Wildlife is
[3:08:44]
harmed and displaced. Vegetation is
[3:08:46]
damaged or altered. And the land itself
[3:08:47]
is irreparably degraded. Many studies
[3:08:50]
have found profound impacts on
[3:08:51]
vegetation. Effects include vegetation
[3:08:53]
loss, reduced height, greatly reduced
[3:08:54]
cover, and increased injury to
[3:08:56]
vegetation itself. These effects can
[3:08:58]
facilitate the spread of invasive
[3:08:59]
species such as kudzu, which can easily
[3:09:02]
and aggressively take root in freshly
[3:09:04]
disted ground. I don't know if you know
[3:09:05]
how hard kudzu is to deal with, but it's
[3:09:07]
a nightmare. Besides wildlife and
[3:09:09]
vegetation, the actual land itself is
[3:09:11]
negatively impacted. Off-road vehicle
[3:09:13]
activity leads to soil compaction, soil
[3:09:15]
penetration resistance, and altered soil
[3:09:17]
chemistry. Physical alterations to the
[3:09:19]
soil structure occur, resulting in
[3:09:20]
erosion, and changes to hydrarology.
[3:09:22]
Runoff said sediments into streams,
[3:09:24]
degrading water quality, and damaging
[3:09:26]
habitat critical for fish spawning and
[3:09:27]
freshwater muscles. These impacts have
[3:09:29]
been shown to occur even when no new
[3:09:31]
trails are constructed and even under
[3:09:32]
sporadic use. Recently, a motorsports
[3:09:35]
park in Pennsylvania County was shut
[3:09:36]
down partially due to the considerable
[3:09:38]
effect they were having on the soil. It
[3:09:40]
is also significant that Powatin's
[3:09:42]
comprehensive plan designates all of the
[3:09:44]
property as priority conservation area
[3:09:46]
or otherwise protected land. The county
[3:09:48]
already knows this land is particularly
[3:09:50]
vulnerable and worth protecting. This
[3:09:52]
significant environmental impact clearly
[3:09:53]
conflicts with the intent of priority
[3:09:55]
conservation area designation. The plan
[3:09:57]
also notes that property zoned A10
[3:09:59]
within these areas should not be
[3:10:00]
reszoned to a higher intensity zoning
[3:10:01]
classification. It seems clear that a
[3:10:03]
motorsports park inviting hundreds of
[3:10:05]
riders a day, as stated in their cup,
[3:10:07]
would absolutely lead to higher
[3:10:08]
intensity use than what is intended. In
[3:10:10]
my opinion, granting this use in this
[3:10:12]
location would lead to profound
[3:10:13]
irreversible negative impact on the
[3:10:14]
local environment and essentially amount
[3:10:16]
to approving a loophole circumventing
[3:10:18]
the intent of a zone zoning. A10 zoning
[3:10:21]
powatin's rural character and natural
[3:10:23]
resources are among its most valuable
[3:10:25]
assets, and once lost, they are
[3:10:26]
impossible to restore. I respectfully
[3:10:28]
ask you to consider the long-term
[3:10:30]
environmental impacts and the
[3:10:31]
incompatibility of this intensive
[3:10:32]
commercial use within this sensitive
[3:10:34]
environmental setting and vote to deny
[3:10:36]
recommendation. Thank you for your time
[3:10:37]
and for your service to Powatin County.
[3:10:39]
>> Thank you.
[3:10:43]
» Good evening, chair, members, and the
[3:10:45]
board. My name is Eric Burr and I reside
[3:10:46]
at 12554 Gento Road in Ameilia
[3:10:49]
Courthouse, Virginia. My home is located
[3:10:52]
approximately 150 ft from a proposed
[3:10:54]
trail.
[3:10:56]
Um, the property lies I'm not here to
[3:10:59]
discuss my concerns. I'm here to talk
[3:11:00]
about the ones that don't have a voice,
[3:11:02]
and that's the wildlife. This property
[3:11:04]
lies within the Appamatics River
[3:11:06]
Preservation Corridor and migration
[3:11:10]
for a wide variety of species. This is a
[3:11:12]
thriving ecosystem.
[3:11:15]
One species of particular concern is the
[3:11:17]
northern long-eared bat, which is
[3:11:19]
federally listed as endangered. Under
[3:11:22]
the Endangered Species Act, the
[3:11:23]
Appamatics River Corridor is a known
[3:11:25]
habitat for these bats and they depend
[3:11:27]
on roosting, breeding, and raising their
[3:11:29]
young. The US Fish and Wildlife Service
[3:11:31]
and the Virginia Department of Wildlife
[3:11:33]
Resources recognize the protection of
[3:11:36]
maternity colonies and roost habitat as
[3:11:38]
a critical conservation priority. The
[3:11:41]
Northern Long Ear bat relies on quiet,
[3:11:43]
undisturbed horse habitat to roost,
[3:11:47]
forage, and successfully rear its young.
[3:11:49]
Disturbance during the maternity season,
[3:11:51]
generally from midmay through August,
[3:11:53]
can interfere with breeding and pup
[3:11:55]
rearing activities and raises serious
[3:11:57]
concerns under the Endangered Species
[3:11:59]
Act when habitat supporting endangered
[3:12:02]
bats is adversely affected. The
[3:12:04]
Endangered Species Act prohibits the
[3:12:06]
unauthorized disturbance of all
[3:12:08]
endangered species such as the northern
[3:12:10]
long-eared bat. Migatory Bird Treaty Act
[3:12:14]
prevents protects na native migatory
[3:12:16]
birds, their nest, and their eggs. The
[3:12:19]
bald eagle bald and golden eagle
[3:12:21]
protection act prohibits disturbing bald
[3:12:23]
or golden eagles in ways that interfere
[3:12:25]
with breeding, feeding, sheltering,
[3:12:27]
productivity or cause nest abandonment.
[3:12:30]
The Clean Water Act prevents protects
[3:12:33]
wetlands, streams, and waters connected
[3:12:35]
to the Appamatics River. This is not
[3:12:38]
simply a land use decision. It's a
[3:12:40]
decision about whether we protect a
[3:12:42]
critical wildlife corridor or place it
[3:12:44]
at risk. We can build recreation
[3:12:46]
facilities elsewhere. We cannot recreate
[3:12:49]
an endangered bat's habitat. We cannot
[3:12:53]
replace wetlands once they are damaged.
[3:12:56]
And we cannot restore wildlife corridor
[3:12:59]
once its ecological
[3:13:01]
function is lost. The Endangered Species
[3:13:04]
Act, the Matory Treaty Act, Matory Bird
[3:13:07]
Treaty Act, the Bald and Golden Eagle
[3:13:09]
Protection Act, and the Clean Water Act
[3:13:11]
exist because we have learned that once
[3:13:13]
critical habitat is lost, the species
[3:13:15]
that depend on it often disappear as
[3:13:17]
well. Violations can result in
[3:13:19]
substantial fines, criminal penalties,
[3:13:22]
imprisonment, or both. Future
[3:13:24]
generations will never ask why we
[3:13:26]
protect an endangered species, clean
[3:13:28]
water, and wildlife habitat, but they
[3:13:30]
will ask why we failed to protect them
[3:13:32]
when we had the chance. For the northern
[3:13:35]
long-ear bat, migatory birds, bald
[3:13:37]
eagles, hawks, the Appamax River, its
[3:13:39]
wetlands, and the natural heritage of
[3:13:41]
both Palatan and Ameilia counties, I
[3:13:43]
respectfully ask you to vote no and deny
[3:13:45]
this application. Thank you.
[3:13:47]
>> Thank you.
[3:13:53]
Good evening, chairman and members of
[3:13:54]
the board. My name is Katherine
[3:13:56]
Freedomire and I am from district 1. I'm
[3:13:58]
here tonight asking that you deny the
[3:14:00]
conditional use permit for proposed
[3:14:01]
thyrotheral therapy motor sports and
[3:14:03]
campground. I want to be clear that I am
[3:14:05]
not opposed to motor motor sports or
[3:14:08]
responsible development in Palan. My
[3:14:10]
concern is whether this isn't the right
[3:14:12]
use for this specific location.
[3:14:15]
This proposal is approximately 711 acres
[3:14:17]
of motorsports and campground RV use if
[3:14:20]
that is allowed to be done in the
[3:14:22]
future.
[3:14:25]
Assessed from the end of RIP access from
[3:14:28]
the end of River Estates Road about 3/4
[3:14:30]
of a mile from Rocky Ford Road. The
[3:14:32]
county's comprehensive plan designates
[3:14:34]
this area as rural areas and natural
[3:14:36]
conservation. That designation matters
[3:14:39]
because the impacts of the property of
[3:14:40]
this scale do not stop the at the
[3:14:42]
property lines. Every vehicle, trailer,
[3:14:45]
RV, employee, and visitor must travel
[3:14:47]
our rural road network to reach the
[3:14:49]
site. These roads were not designed for
[3:14:51]
this level of traffic or intensity. This
[3:14:54]
is not just inconvenience. It's a matter
[3:14:56]
of public safety. Increased traffic from
[3:14:58]
high volume recreational use increases
[3:15:00]
the risk of serious accidents. And when
[3:15:02]
incidents occur, who must we must ask
[3:15:06]
who responds?
[3:15:08]
Pouty and Fire and Rescue already serves
[3:15:10]
a growing county with limited resources,
[3:15:12]
handling more than 9,000 emergency 911
[3:15:16]
calls and over 60,000 total calls
[3:15:18]
annually. According to last report, our
[3:15:20]
emergency personnel cannot be everywhere
[3:15:22]
at once and they must still travel these
[3:15:24]
same rural roads to reach this site. In
[3:15:27]
an emergency, minutes matter. We must
[3:15:30]
also consider the surrounding community.
[3:15:32]
This area includes established farms and
[3:15:34]
a strong ecoin community. Horses depend
[3:15:37]
on a calm and predictable environment.
[3:15:39]
Motorsports activity induces constant
[3:15:41]
engine noise, sudden acceleration, and
[3:15:43]
increased traffic. A frightened horse is
[3:15:46]
not a minor issue. It can result in
[3:15:48]
injury to the animal, the rider, or
[3:15:50]
those handling it on the ground. That is
[3:15:52]
a real and legitimate safety concern.
[3:15:54]
I've been a horsewoman for over 40
[3:15:56]
years. I have been injured multiple
[3:15:59]
times, had falls at shows in Palatan
[3:16:02]
County, broken bones, and at that time
[3:16:05]
rescue was not available due to being
[3:16:07]
called out for another accident
[3:16:09]
somewhere else. A frightened horse is
[3:16:12]
not I'm sorry, we must also produce
[3:16:14]
protect our water and environment. This
[3:16:16]
property lies within anatics river
[3:16:18]
wershed, includes environmentally
[3:16:19]
sensitive areas. Any approval must
[3:16:22]
ensure strong enforceable protections
[3:16:23]
for wetlands, storm water, erosion,
[3:16:25]
runoff, and groundwater before
[3:16:27]
development occurs, not after the sorry
[3:16:30]
after impacts are realized. Finally, I
[3:16:33]
want to address the county zone process.
[3:16:35]
When motorsport parts was considered in
[3:16:37]
the zoning ordinance, the paneling
[3:16:39]
commission voted against the amendment,
[3:16:41]
noting the need for stronger standards.
[3:16:44]
The board instead chose a conditional
[3:16:46]
use permit process so conditions could
[3:16:48]
be applied to individual projects. But
[3:16:50]
conditions cannot fix fundamental
[3:16:52]
incompatibilities. If the roads cannot
[3:16:54]
safely handle the traffic, the emergency
[3:16:58]
access is insufficient and other reasons
[3:17:01]
behind at any case they will need to do
[3:17:04]
the same conclusion and please do not
[3:17:06]
approve the cup.
[3:17:08]
>> Thank you.
[3:17:13]
Good evening, Mr. Chairman and members
[3:17:15]
of the board. My name is Matt Escobar,
[3:17:17]
975 Rocky Ford Road, and I'm asking you
[3:17:19]
to deny the condition conditional use
[3:17:21]
proposed for Throttle Therapy
[3:17:22]
Motorsports Park. I want to make
[3:17:24]
something clear at the offset. This is
[3:17:26]
not a debate whether motorsports are
[3:17:28]
good or bad. People should have places
[3:17:29]
to enjoy these activities. The question
[3:17:31]
before you was much narrower. Is this
[3:17:34]
the right for this particular property
[3:17:36]
in Palatan County? I believe the answer
[3:17:38]
is no. And I am not alone in reaching
[3:17:40]
that conclusion. After reviewing this
[3:17:42]
proposal and hearing from the public,
[3:17:43]
the Palotan Planning Commission voted 50
[3:17:46]
to recommend denial. That unanimous vote
[3:17:49]
deserves significant weight. Five
[3:17:50]
commissioners considered this proposal
[3:17:52]
and not one voted for approval. I won't
[3:17:54]
spend my limited time repeating
[3:17:56]
everything the planning commission
[3:17:57]
discussed, but the concerns they
[3:17:59]
identified, including traffic, public
[3:18:00]
safety, demands on resources, ingress
[3:18:03]
and egress, noise, pollution, and impact
[3:18:05]
of the neighboring properties have not
[3:18:07]
been resolved. I would also like to
[3:18:09]
address some of the arguments being made
[3:18:10]
in support of this project. We have
[3:18:12]
heard suggestions that there that the
[3:18:14]
alternative to this proposal could be a
[3:18:16]
data center or a housing development.
[3:18:18]
There are no such proposals before you
[3:18:20]
tonight. We've also heard that this
[3:18:22]
project is needed to pro provide trails
[3:18:24]
and access to nature. But directly
[3:18:26]
across from the river more than 2200 acres of public land in the Amelia
[3:18:31]
Wildlife Management Area. Those
[3:18:33]
arguments should not distract you from
[3:18:34]
the question before you. Is a commercial
[3:18:37]
motorsports park an appropriate use for
[3:18:39]
this property? Property rights matter,
[3:18:41]
but so do the property rights of the
[3:18:43]
people who actually live nearby, own
[3:18:45]
land, and operate businesses. A
[3:18:47]
landowner's right to use private
[3:18:49]
property should not automatically
[3:18:50]
outweigh the effects that an intensive
[3:18:53]
commercial use may have on the
[3:18:54]
surrounding property owners and
[3:18:56]
characters of the comm character of the
[3:18:57]
community. Throttle therapy may be a
[3:18:59]
worthwhile concept somewhere, but that
[3:19:02]
does not mean this is the right place
[3:19:03]
for it. The planning commission has done
[3:19:05]
its job. It's reviewed the proposal,
[3:19:07]
considered its impacts, and unanimously
[3:19:10]
recommended denial. Now, the decision is
[3:19:12]
yours. I respectfully ask that the board
[3:19:14]
follow that recommendation. Protect the
[3:19:16]
residents, businesses that are already
[3:19:18]
there, protect POW's rural character,
[3:19:21]
and deny this conditional use permit.
[3:19:23]
Thank you for your time and your service
[3:19:24]
to Powan County.
[3:19:26]
>> Thank you.
[3:19:30]
» Good evening, and thank you for your
[3:19:32]
time. My name is Melissa Christian at
[3:19:33]
1950 Pine Creek Ridge Terrace. I live on
[3:19:36]
District 2. Um, so I do want to be
[3:19:39]
clear. I am not opposed to motorsports.
[3:19:41]
We have our Harleyies, we have our
[3:19:43]
Jeeps, and we love outdoor adventuring.
[3:19:46]
However, we do not think this is the
[3:19:48]
right location for this particular
[3:19:50]
activity. I've repeatedly heard that
[3:19:52]
there is nothing out to do in Powatan
[3:19:55]
for families, and that's just simply not
[3:19:57]
true. We have a beautiful state park. We
[3:20:00]
have the James River where there's
[3:20:01]
hiking, biking trails, kaying, fishing,
[3:20:04]
boating, horseback riding, hunting, and
[3:20:06]
many other ways to enjoy the outdoors.
[3:20:09]
And motorsports are not prohibited here.
[3:20:11]
People with sufficient acreage can ride
[3:20:13]
on their own property. The question is
[3:20:15]
whether a commercial motorsports park
[3:20:17]
belongs on this particular 718 acres of
[3:20:20]
land that are surrounded by residents,
[3:20:23]
farms, and businesses that depend upon
[3:20:25]
the rural character and relative peace
[3:20:27]
of this area while also raising
[3:20:29]
legitimate concerns about wildlife,
[3:20:31]
waterways, noise, dust, and increased
[3:20:33]
traffic. I've also heard, would you
[3:20:35]
rather have houses or a data center? And
[3:20:37]
that's just a false choice. There's no
[3:20:40]
data center proposal before you tonight.
[3:20:42]
And housing and a powersports park are
[3:20:44]
not equivalent. Housing is a basic human
[3:20:47]
need. A powersports park is recreation.
[3:20:50]
You cannot have a growing population
[3:20:52]
while insisting housing never grow with
[3:20:54]
it. Taken to its logical conclusion, if
[3:20:57]
we truly want no additional homes in
[3:20:59]
Powatan, we'd also have to stop having
[3:21:02]
children.
[3:21:04]
So obviously that is not uh realistic
[3:21:06]
nor desirable. Housing growth should be
[3:21:09]
managed responsibly, but a family's need
[3:21:11]
for a home is fundamentally different
[3:21:12]
from someone's desire to have their
[3:21:15]
recreational hobby closer to home. And
[3:21:17]
that brings me to the riders themselves.
[3:21:19]
The people participating in this sport
[3:21:22]
bought their bikes, trailers, and
[3:21:24]
equipment before the idea of this of the
[3:21:26]
park ever existed. They chose this hobby
[3:21:29]
already knowing that participating might
[3:21:31]
require owning enough land to ride or
[3:21:33]
traveling to an appropriate riding
[3:21:35]
facility. The riders chose their hobby
[3:21:38]
knowing its requirements. The neighbors
[3:21:40]
chose their homes knowing the existing
[3:21:43]
character of the area. The neighbors
[3:21:45]
aren't asking riders to change their way
[3:21:47]
of life. The proposal is asking the
[3:21:50]
neighbors to change theirs. I understand
[3:21:53]
that driving an hour to ride is
[3:21:55]
inconvenient, but your convenience
[3:21:57]
should not come at your neighbor's
[3:22:00]
permanent burden. And equally important,
[3:22:02]
you don't get to divi define what is or
[3:22:04]
isn't burden for somebody else. If you
[3:22:07]
won't be living beside the noise,
[3:22:09]
breathing the dust, dealing with the
[3:22:10]
additional traffic, or experiencing
[3:22:12]
changes to the peace and character of
[3:22:14]
your property, you cannot tell people
[3:22:17]
what their that their concerns are not
[3:22:19]
significant. Power 10's rural character
[3:22:22]
isn't simply the absence of houses. It's
[3:22:25]
our farms, horses, wildlife, waterways,
[3:22:28]
open spaces, neighbors, and peace and
[3:22:29]
quiet. Not I'm not asking you to reject
[3:22:32]
motorsports in Powan. I'm just asking
[3:22:34]
you to reject this location. Thank you
[3:22:36]
for your time.
[3:22:37]
>> Thank you.
[3:22:45]
» Good evening, Mr. Chairman. Um my name
[3:22:47]
is Wanda Escobar, 975 Rocky Ford Road.
[3:22:51]
For almost 35 years, I have operated
[3:22:54]
Saddlebrook Stables. I am asking you to
[3:22:57]
deny the conditional use permit for
[3:22:58]
throttle therapy. For me, it isn't an
[3:23:00]
abstract discussion about land use. This
[3:23:03]
is my home, my farm, my livelihood, and
[3:23:06]
something I have spent nearly 35 years
[3:23:08]
building. My property would be one of
[3:23:10]
the largest tracks directly affected by
[3:23:12]
this proposed motor sports park. Anyone
[3:23:16]
who has spent time around horses that ex
[3:23:19]
understands that they can be extremely
[3:23:21]
sensitive to sudden unfamiliar sights,
[3:23:23]
sounds, a frightening horse is a danger
[3:23:26]
to everyone around. That's why placing a
[3:23:29]
motorsports parked next to an
[3:23:31]
established horse farm concerns me so
[3:23:33]
deeply. For decades, I have invested my
[3:23:36]
time and money into creating a safe
[3:23:37]
environment to keep, ride, and care for
[3:23:39]
horses and to teach other um young
[3:23:43]
children and adults how to ride their
[3:23:45]
horses. The repeated sound of
[3:23:47]
motorcycles and ATVs accelerating and
[3:23:50]
operating nearby would introduce
[3:23:51]
something completely different from the
[3:23:53]
normal sounds of rural agricultural
[3:23:55]
life. I've heard a great deal about what
[3:23:58]
can be done to make this new business
[3:23:59]
work. I want to ask you to consider the
[3:24:04]
business that's already there. Me, I did
[3:24:07]
not move next to a motorsports park.
[3:24:10]
They are asking permission to move next
[3:24:12]
to my farm. I have operated legally and
[3:24:15]
responsibly on this property for nearly
[3:24:17]
35 years. I should not have to change my
[3:24:20]
operation, accept new safety risk, or
[3:24:22]
potentially close my farm because the
[3:24:24]
county approves an incompatible
[3:24:26]
commercial use next door. Agriculture
[3:24:29]
isn't something we just talk about
[3:24:31]
preserving in Powatan. These are real
[3:24:33]
people operating real farms who depend
[3:24:35]
upon the rural character of this county.
[3:24:40]
The supporters say they need a place to
[3:24:42]
ride. Well, so do I. I ride and I need a
[3:24:46]
place to ride on my property and so do
[3:24:48]
the hundreds of folks who have come
[3:24:50]
through my property. My therapy is the
[3:24:53]
horses.
[3:24:54]
I respectfully ask you to deny this
[3:24:57]
conditional use permit and allow me to
[3:24:59]
continue doing what I have done here for
[3:25:01]
almost 35 years.
[3:25:02]
>> Thank you.
[3:25:11]
» My name is John Schlicking. District 4.
[3:25:15]
Um,
[3:25:17]
I spoke at the planning commission
[3:25:19]
meeting regarding the potential impact
[3:25:20]
this proposed motor park could have on
[3:25:23]
the property values of the surrounding
[3:25:25]
homes. At that meeting, I explained that
[3:25:27]
my concern was not hypothetical.
[3:25:30]
My home is currently for sale and
[3:25:32]
prospective buyers who viewed the
[3:25:34]
property specifically raised the
[3:25:36]
proposed motor park as a concern and a
[3:25:38]
reason they were not interested in
[3:25:40]
pursuing the purchase. Since that
[3:25:43]
meeting, the situation has become even
[3:25:44]
more concrete. We have now had another
[3:25:47]
prospective buyer cancel a scheduled
[3:25:49]
showing because the proposed motor park.
[3:25:52]
I think that it is important for the
[3:25:53]
board to consider. We don't have to
[3:25:56]
speculate about whether the possibility
[3:25:58]
of a motocross facility can affect
[3:26:01]
nearby homeowners. We are already seeing
[3:26:03]
an effect before the facility has even
[3:26:06]
been approved. And the financial impact
[3:26:08]
does not stop with individual
[3:26:10]
homeowners. If surrounding property
[3:26:12]
values decline, those decreases will
[3:26:15]
eventually be reflected in property
[3:26:16]
assessments. Lower assessments mean
[3:26:19]
lower real estate tax revenue to Powatan
[3:26:21]
County. So, when considering the
[3:26:23]
economic benefit this product project
[3:26:26]
may bring to the county, I believe the
[3:26:28]
board should also consider the potential
[3:26:30]
economic loss created by declining home
[3:26:33]
values and of the existing tax base
[3:26:36]
surrounding it. My family and other
[3:26:38]
homeowners in this area made significant
[3:26:40]
investments in our properties based on
[3:26:43]
the existing character and use of this
[3:26:45]
community. We should not have to absorb
[3:26:48]
a reduction in the marketability or the
[3:26:50]
value of our homes so that the private
[3:26:52]
commercial venture that this private
[3:26:56]
commercial venture can operate in a
[3:26:58]
location that may simply be incompatible
[3:27:00]
with the surrounding residential
[3:27:01]
properties. The planning commission
[3:27:04]
voted unanimously 5 to zero to recommend
[3:27:07]
denial of this cup. I respectfully ask
[3:27:10]
the board to consider not only the
[3:27:12]
noise, traffic, environmental, and other
[3:27:14]
concerns that have been raised tonight,
[3:27:16]
but also the very real financial
[3:27:18]
consequences for the families who
[3:27:20]
already live here and ultimately for
[3:27:23]
Powatam County itself. Please protect
[3:27:26]
the investments existing Powatam
[3:27:28]
homeowners have made in this community
[3:27:30]
and deny this cup. Thank you.
[3:27:33]
>> Thank you.
[3:27:39]
» Hello, I'm Danielle Stevens. I'm at 3116
[3:27:43]
Timber Trace um Court District 2. Um I
[3:27:47]
wasn't planning to speak today um as
[3:27:49]
I've already written those letters that
[3:27:51]
you've already received. I don't like
[3:27:53]
speaking in public. I get very very
[3:27:54]
nervous but I wanted to stand up today
[3:27:58]
to speak to you. Before I get into my
[3:28:00]
personal reasons for standing up, I
[3:28:02]
wanted to say that I agree with that
[3:28:04]
what others have already stated about
[3:28:06]
environmental impacts, infrastructure
[3:28:08]
and public safety, noise and property
[3:28:11]
values. I wanted to also speak about the
[3:28:14]
noise. I'm one of those people um that
[3:28:17]
those gentlemen um at Thought of Therapy
[3:28:19]
have talked about. I grew up with a mom
[3:28:21]
that had schizophrenia, bipolar, and
[3:28:24]
multiple personality disorder. My
[3:28:27]
husband and I moved to Powatan for the
[3:28:29]
peace. I didn't grow up in a safe um
[3:28:32]
household. My home in Powatan is the
[3:28:36]
first time I've ever felt safe. Um it is
[3:28:39]
a sanctuary for me where I enjoy most
[3:28:41]
weekends um sitting on my front porch
[3:28:44]
listening to the quiet of the wildlife.
[3:28:46]
This is my therapy. Um, we could clearly
[3:28:50]
hear them on Sunday, May 17th, and
[3:28:53]
Saturday, June 20th. So, please don't
[3:28:56]
take away my sanctuary, my therapy.
[3:28:59]
Please deny the coat. Thank you for your
[3:29:01]
time.
[3:29:02]
>> Thank you,
[3:29:06]
» Heather Escobar, 975 Rocky Ford Road.
[3:29:10]
Good [clears throat] evening, board. I
[3:29:12]
am speaking tonight to ask that you deny
[3:29:14]
the proposed throttle therapy cup. I
[3:29:16]
spoke at the planning commission meeting
[3:29:18]
in regards to the environmental concerns
[3:29:20]
that I have as a National Geographic
[3:29:22]
certified educator and conservationist.
[3:29:25]
However, tonight I would like to make
[3:29:27]
this more personal and express my safety
[3:29:29]
concerns towards our family presented
[3:29:32]
from this whole process. After politely
[3:29:35]
discussing concerns that I had for our
[3:29:37]
family horse farm located at 975 Rocky
[3:29:40]
Ford Road, um I was met with threats and
[3:29:43]
cussed out on social media. social media
[3:29:46]
by supporters of throttle therapy. Our
[3:29:49]
family keeps to ourselves and are very
[3:29:51]
private in regards to our daughter's
[3:29:53]
successful horse riding career. In 2023,
[3:29:57]
she represented the USA for region 1 at
[3:29:59]
the North American Youth Championships,
[3:30:02]
otherwise known as the Junior Olympics.
[3:30:04]
She participated in the Parade of
[3:30:06]
Nations and competed against riders from
[3:30:09]
countries as far away as Argentina. She
[3:30:12]
travels to different states to qualify
[3:30:14]
for this competition and we knew this
[3:30:16]
first when we purchased the horse and we
[3:30:19]
don't complain about it. Um she is
[3:30:23]
currently training a young horse to
[3:30:24]
represent the USA again at the same
[3:30:26]
competition and trains out of the family
[3:30:29]
farm with international trainers. She
[3:30:32]
also trains with high-profile trainers
[3:30:34]
including George Williams who is the
[3:30:36]
president of the United States DR
[3:30:38]
Federation and the USA Youth Coach. If
[3:30:41]
this motorsports park were to be placed
[3:30:42]
directly next to our horse farm, she and
[3:30:45]
many others would be unable to continue
[3:30:47]
training at this location and clinics
[3:30:49]
that are currently held at our farm
[3:30:51]
would be unable to continue. Horses are
[3:30:54]
bred for a variety of reasons and while
[3:30:56]
the supporters will mention seeing
[3:30:58]
videos of horses and dirt bike riders
[3:31:00]
riding side by side, Dr. horses are
[3:31:03]
different. They compete in a quiet
[3:31:06]
environment with minimal distractions.
[3:31:08]
Even if you watch the Olympics, you'll
[3:31:10]
see DR horses spooking in the ring, even
[3:31:13]
when it's quiet. Due to this very public
[3:31:16]
process and our safety concerns after
[3:31:18]
being threatened online, her horse is
[3:31:20]
now no longer located in Powatan. Now I
[3:31:24]
ask you why our daughter's training as a
[3:31:26]
previous and soontobe again member of
[3:31:28]
the USA D team at our family farm which
[3:31:31]
has been here for 35 years my
[3:31:33]
mother-in-law just spoke should be
[3:31:36]
ceased in order to accommodate a
[3:31:37]
motorsports park supporting mostly out
[3:31:40]
of town visitors including the owners of
[3:31:43]
the proposed site.
[3:31:45]
You have a junior Olympian with a bronze
[3:31:47]
medal using a farm here in Powatan to
[3:31:50]
train. If you approve this cup, Powatan
[3:31:52]
will lose this honor as she will no
[3:31:55]
longer safely be able to train on the
[3:31:57]
family farm that she will inherit in the
[3:31:59]
future. Thank you for your time and your
[3:32:01]
service.
[3:32:02]
>> Thank you.
[3:32:06]
» Dr. Nicole Shot, aologist, 7:30
[3:32:08]
Appamatics Trace. Tonight, I
[3:32:10]
respectfully ask that you deny the
[3:32:11]
throttle therapy cup. Throughout this
[3:32:13]
process, we have repeatedly asked one
[3:32:14]
fundamental question. What will a fully
[3:32:16]
operating motorsports park actually
[3:32:18]
sound like to the people who live around
[3:32:19]
it? Following throttle therapy sound
[3:32:21]
demonstration, I contacted Dr.
[3:32:23]
Robertson, a professor whose work
[3:32:25]
includes physics and acoustics of
[3:32:26]
motorcycle noise. I provided him with
[3:32:28]
the existing track layouts, land survey,
[3:32:30]
demonstration methodology, and a
[3:32:32]
photograph of the sound level meter and
[3:32:33]
its settings. His conclusion should
[3:32:35]
concern this board. Using standard sound
[3:32:37]
propagation calculations, Dr. Robertson
[3:32:39]
estimated that a dirt bike producing
[3:32:41]
approximately 96 dBA at the half meter
[3:32:43]
could produce roughly 70 dBA at 150 ft
[3:32:46]
under flat reflective conditions. He
[3:32:48]
also modeled a 100 dirt bikes operating
[3:32:50]
simultaneously near the center of this
[3:32:51]
complex at approximately 1 half mile. He
[3:32:54]
calculated potential maximum of roughly
[3:32:56]
80 dBA at the property boundary. He
[3:32:58]
acknowledged that terrain vegetation
[3:33:00]
could reduce that level, but ultimately
[3:33:02]
stated that he strongly suspects nearby
[3:33:04]
residents would be impacted by track
[3:33:05]
noise and that the facility would be
[3:33:07]
plainly audible. That matters in an
[3:33:09]
exceptionally quiet rural environment.
[3:33:11]
Dr. Robertson explained that the ambient
[3:33:12]
sound here could be as low as 30 to 35
[3:33:14]
dBA. Against that background, even
[3:33:17]
approximately 50 dBA would be clearly
[3:33:19]
discernible. Dirt bike noise also
[3:33:21]
contains low frequency components that
[3:33:22]
can travel significant distances, and a
[3:33:24]
single broadband measurement does not
[3:33:26]
fully characterize how intrusive that
[3:33:27]
sound would be. His analysis helped
[3:33:29]
explains what residents experienced
[3:33:31]
during that demonstration. The reported
[3:33:33]
number suggested one thing. While
[3:33:34]
residents standing on their own
[3:33:35]
properties could clearly hear the dirt
[3:33:37]
bikes. Additionally, there were
[3:33:38]
significant limitations in that demo,
[3:33:40]
including no documented calibration
[3:33:42]
information, measurements primarily in
[3:33:44]
one direction, no established ambient
[3:33:46]
baseline, limited monitoring, and no
[3:33:48]
meaningful analysis of the frequency
[3:33:50]
characteristics. Even the planning
[3:33:51]
director's report acknowledges that the
[3:33:53]
demonstration was not a formal
[3:33:54]
acoustical study and was not intended to
[3:33:56]
establish compliance with the noise
[3:33:57]
ordinance. And tonight, you're not
[3:33:59]
considering that limited demo. You're
[3:34:01]
considering a long-term facility
[3:34:02]
allowing up to 150 riders during regular
[3:34:05]
operations and up to potentially 500
[3:34:06]
participants during special events.
[3:34:08]
Palatan's ordinance asked whether dirt
[3:34:10]
bike noise is plainly audible at 150 ft.
[3:34:13]
Yet, we still don't have an adequate
[3:34:14]
independent independent acoustical study
[3:34:16]
demonstrating the full operations of
[3:34:18]
this cup. These concerns all converge.
[3:34:21]
Residents heard the the dirt bikes. The
[3:34:23]
Palatan AFDAC independently raised
[3:34:25]
concerns about sound extending beyond
[3:34:27]
the property and a neutral third-party
[3:34:29]
review reached many of the same
[3:34:31]
conclusions. Noise is more than an
[3:34:33]
inconvenience. Chronic environmental
[3:34:34]
noise is associated with sleep
[3:34:36]
disturbance, stress, hypertension,
[3:34:38]
cardiovascular risk, impaired
[3:34:39]
concentration, and diminished quality of
[3:34:41]
life. It will also disrupt wildlife
[3:34:43]
communication, breeding, and habitat
[3:34:45]
use. These families chose this rural
[3:34:46]
community for its peace and quiet. They
[3:34:48]
should not have to sacrifice that first
[3:34:50]
and then spend years filing complaints
[3:34:52]
trying to get it back. The burden should
[3:34:54]
be on the applicant to demonstrate
[3:34:55]
compatibility before approval, not on
[3:34:57]
residents to prove the harm afterward.
[3:34:59]
Thank you.
[3:35:00]
>> Thank you.
[3:35:04]
» Hello. Um Ken Jamerson, uh 910 River
[3:35:08]
States Court, District 2. Um it's going
[3:35:12]
to be a bit of a surprise to my I'm in
[3:35:14]
opposition of the of the cup. First off,
[3:35:16]
I had a whole speech planned for the
[3:35:20]
non-traditional sports that uh Palatan
[3:35:23]
offers. Um, and my kids excelled at, but
[3:35:26]
my consciousness got the best of me. So,
[3:35:28]
I felt the need that I needed to uh
[3:35:30]
write a new speech and present it and
[3:35:35]
hopefully it'll make the point. And I'd
[3:35:36]
like to start off by saying I want to
[3:35:38]
apologize to the writing community for
[3:35:39]
the statements that were made earlier.
[3:35:43]
As you've already heard from the
[3:35:44]
applicant tonight, and because of the
[3:35:45]
plethora of misinformation and false
[3:35:47]
narratives that we have been subjected
[3:35:49]
to in the past four months, it's vitally
[3:35:52]
important that this be stated on the
[3:35:54]
record. I believe that I speak for
[3:35:57]
probably every member of the opposition
[3:35:59]
of the cup, with the exception of maybe
[3:36:01]
one. I wish to be perfectly clear that
[3:36:04]
in no way, shape, or form, do we ever
[3:36:07]
condone the injury, whether by accident
[3:36:09]
or purpose, as a means to resolve policy
[3:36:12]
disputes. Wishing physical harm to
[3:36:15]
anyone for any reason, is never
[3:36:17]
acceptable to resolve community
[3:36:19]
differences.
[3:36:21]
I believe that this process should be
[3:36:22]
honored and respected to manage the
[3:36:24]
county in an orderly and responsible
[3:36:26]
manner.
[3:36:28]
On a personal note, I'm truly upset
[3:36:31]
about the comment as well. Since the
[3:36:33]
beginning of this application, I've
[3:36:34]
worked to minimize the risks in our
[3:36:36]
community and tried to convey the most
[3:36:38]
truthful information that I could. I
[3:36:41]
lost a close friend as a child to a dirt
[3:36:43]
bike accident. I don't want to shed pain
[3:36:46]
on anyone else. Thank you.
[3:36:48]
>> Thank you.
[3:36:52]
» Good evening, chairman and supervisors
[3:36:54]
of the board. My name is Karen Dinardy.
[3:36:56]
I live at 3289 Sparrow's Place in
[3:36:58]
District 4. I come to you with some
[3:37:01]
experience as a prior mortgage
[3:37:03]
underwriter and current compliance
[3:37:04]
adviser in the banking industry. There
[3:37:07]
is a process for anybody who purchases a
[3:37:09]
home, refinances a home, takes out a
[3:37:12]
home equity loan that will involve the
[3:37:14]
banking the bank determining if an
[3:37:17]
appraised value of the home is required.
[3:37:20]
Through this process, there is an option
[3:37:24]
that will result most likely with the
[3:37:27]
proposed motorsports park in a negative
[3:37:31]
valuation in comparison to other sales
[3:37:34]
in the area. It will be dependent upon
[3:37:37]
proximity to the pro property and where
[3:37:40]
the prior where the comparable sales
[3:37:42]
are. Given that our property is within
[3:37:46]
about a mile of the proposed property,
[3:37:49]
there is most likely a detriment to our
[3:37:52]
property value. That is not what I want
[3:37:55]
to see. I've worked very hard to obtain
[3:37:58]
what I own. I have lived in this county
[3:38:00]
for 18 years now. I call this my home. I
[3:38:04]
feel safe here. I moved from a home that
[3:38:06]
was burglarized.
[3:38:08]
This place made me feel safe again.
[3:38:12]
On a second note, there are choices. We
[3:38:16]
made a choice to purchase a property and
[3:38:18]
build a house in an area that was zoned
[3:38:21]
as residential and agricultural.
[3:38:25]
There's a difference between moving into
[3:38:27]
a location like that versus moving into
[3:38:30]
a location that already has a proposed
[3:38:32]
motorports park or already has a
[3:38:34]
motorsports park. The addition of a
[3:38:37]
motorsports park changes the landscape
[3:38:39]
of the area.
[3:38:41]
I ask and recommend that you agree with
[3:38:44]
the planning department and the planning
[3:38:46]
commission in denial of the cup. Thank
[3:38:49]
you for your time and service.
[3:38:50]
>> Thank you,
[3:38:55]
» Mr. Chairman, members of the board. I'm
[3:38:56]
Teresa Kelly, um, District 2. My husband
[3:38:59]
and I have enjoyed living our peaceful
[3:39:01]
in our peaceful neighborhood for 29
[3:39:03]
years this month. First, I want to thank
[3:39:06]
you for your dedication and service to
[3:39:08]
our county and for the unimaginable
[3:39:10]
amount of time, energy, and effort and
[3:39:12]
that you and the county staff have spent
[3:39:14]
on this application. I fully support the
[3:39:18]
recommendation to deny this request, and
[3:39:20]
I hope you do. Also, um I'm concerned
[3:39:23]
about potential accidents and increased
[3:39:25]
calls to our emergency services. While
[3:39:28]
motorsports park, powers sports parks
[3:39:31]
take precautions and put safety measures
[3:39:33]
in place and riders know the risks and
[3:39:37]
they sign waiverss. However, accidents
[3:39:40]
still happen at the Lake Anna location.
[3:39:43]
Track and trail use is strictly limited
[3:39:45]
to on-site renters, maxing out at 23
[3:39:48]
people. The owners hold an annual day
[3:39:51]
riding event over two days with 130
[3:39:53]
riders each day. Assuming the property
[3:39:56]
is rented at full capacity on average
[3:39:58]
four days a week for 51 weeks and they
[3:40:01]
hold the annual day event, it could see
[3:40:04]
5,472 riders per year. For this proposed
[3:40:08]
park, the applicants want to be open
[3:40:11]
Friday through Sunday for 42 weeks plus
[3:40:14]
seven federal holidays, maxing out at
[3:40:17]
150 riders per day. Plus, they want to
[3:40:20]
have three special events with
[3:40:21]
approximately 500 riders each day for
[3:40:23]
two days. That is 22,950
[3:40:28]
riders per year, a 400% more compared to
[3:40:32]
Lake Anna. In the past year, they've had
[3:40:36]
two emergency service calls to the
[3:40:38]
property. I reviewed the emergency logs.
[3:40:40]
One was a sidebyside rollover involving
[3:40:43]
two people, one with a head injury. Both
[3:40:45]
were transported toos to the local
[3:40:48]
hospitals. The other one was a call. It
[3:40:51]
was a head-on four-wheeler con collision
[3:40:54]
involving a 5-year-old. My heart sank
[3:40:57]
when I read this.
[3:40:59]
The dispatch record noted that someone
[3:41:01]
was screaming in the background, excuse
[3:41:03]
[clears throat] me, and the child
[3:41:05]
suffered lacerations to the forehead,
[3:41:07]
arms, legs, and behind the ear and bru
[3:41:09]
bruising and lacerations around the
[3:41:11]
chest area. That child was transported
[3:41:13]
to the hospital. I sincerely hope
[3:41:16]
everybody in each of those accidents
[3:41:18]
fully recovered. I mentioned these to
[3:41:20]
bring attention to the fact that safety
[3:41:22]
measures were in place. Precautions were
[3:41:24]
taken yet accidents still happen. How
[3:41:27]
many will happen here? Will poutine
[3:41:29]
emergency service have the capacity to
[3:41:31]
not only address an increase in calls on
[3:41:34]
local roads but also this park? For
[3:41:36]
these reasons and those that have
[3:41:37]
already stated, it is my hope that you
[3:41:39]
will also support the recommendation to
[3:41:41]
deny this request. Thank you again for
[3:41:44]
your dedication and service to our
[3:41:45]
county.
[3:41:46]
>> Thank you.
[3:41:52]
Good [clears throat] evening, chairman
[3:41:53]
and members of the board of supervisors.
[3:41:56]
My name is Matt Fischer. I live in
[3:41:58]
District 2. I own Plat 10, 945 River
[3:42:01]
States Court, and I'm here to
[3:42:03]
respectfully oppose case number 26-3 cup
[3:42:06]
as currently conditioned.
[3:42:08]
My concern is straightforward. The cup
[3:42:11]
appears to require the loss or
[3:42:12]
dedication of more than an acre of my
[3:42:14]
private property. So, a private
[3:42:16]
commercial motorsports facility can
[3:42:18]
obtain roadway access it does not
[3:42:21]
currently have.
[3:42:24]
That is significant burden on one
[3:42:26]
landowner for the benefit of a private
[3:42:28]
applicant.
[3:42:30]
I understand my plat states that the
[3:42:32]
land is subject to public dedication,
[3:42:34]
but that language should not be treated
[3:42:35]
as a blank check to compel the transfer
[3:42:38]
of private property whenever a
[3:42:40]
commercial project needs infrastructure.
[3:42:43]
Any taking or dedication should serve a
[3:42:45]
legitimate public purpose, follow a
[3:42:47]
clear legal process, include
[3:42:49]
compensation where required, and be
[3:42:52]
proportional to the proposed use.
[3:42:55]
Because the dedication of my property
[3:42:57]
appears to be a requirement of this cup,
[3:42:59]
I requested a step-by-step explanation
[3:43:02]
of how the county attends to acquire it
[3:43:05]
for a public road to be adopted by VOTE.
[3:43:09]
I have not received a response.
[3:43:16]
that raises serious concerns about
[3:43:18]
notice, due process, public purpose,
[3:43:20]
compensation, and whether this condition
[3:43:22]
is legally supportable. I don't know.
[3:43:25]
The impact is real. If the dedication
[3:43:27]
occurs, I lose more than an acre of
[3:43:29]
land. I fall below the 10acre threshold
[3:43:31]
for my A10 zoning. I lose acreage,
[3:43:34]
property value, future land use,
[3:43:36]
flexibility, and the zoning expectations
[3:43:38]
that existed when I purchased the
[3:43:40]
property. At the same time, nearby
[3:43:42]
residents in the county will absorb the
[3:43:44]
impacts of use increas incre increased
[3:43:47]
traffic, roadware, noise, emergency
[3:43:50]
response demands, enforcement concerns,
[3:43:52]
and neighborhood disruption with no
[3:43:54]
clear showing that the public benefit
[3:43:56]
offsets those burdens.
[3:43:59]
This also creates a dangerous precedent.
[3:44:01]
If the county can condition approval of
[3:44:03]
a private commercial project on the
[3:44:05]
transfer or loss of neighboring owners
[3:44:07]
land without first providing a clear
[3:44:10]
legal process and justification, any
[3:44:12]
rural land owner could face the same
[3:44:14]
situation when an applicant needs access
[3:44:16]
to infrastructure.
[3:44:18]
I respectfully ask the board to deny
[3:44:20]
case number 26-3 cup or a minimum remove
[3:44:24]
any condition that depends on taking
[3:44:26]
dedicating a burden in my property for
[3:44:28]
the private commercial use. If the
[3:44:30]
project cannot function without
[3:44:32]
acquiring adjoining land and damaging
[3:44:34]
existing property rights, it has not met
[3:44:36]
its burden for approval. Private
[3:44:38]
property should not be the price of
[3:44:39]
admission for a private motorsports
[3:44:41]
park. Please protect Powatan land owners
[3:44:43]
A10 zoning and my property rights by
[3:44:46]
refusing to let the cup move forward on
[3:44:48]
the assumption that my land can be taken
[3:44:51]
or used for access without a clear legal
[3:44:53]
process and lawful public justification.
[3:44:57]
Thank you for your time, your service,
[3:44:58]
and your consideration.
[3:45:00]
>> Thank you.
[3:45:05]
» Hello, I'm Milton Weatherhead at 935
[3:45:08]
River Estates Court.
[3:45:11]
Um,
[3:45:13]
last month in the uh committee meeting,
[3:45:15]
there was a jaw-dropping moment.
[3:45:19]
Okay. somebody that we didn't know from
[3:45:21]
Palatan that attended that meeting and
[3:45:25]
he shared with us that um his house, his
[3:45:31]
trees, okay, were receiving bullets from
[3:45:34]
across the river uh from Amelia Wildlife
[3:45:37]
Refuge.
[3:45:39]
Now,
[3:45:40]
I don't know any parent that wants to
[3:45:42]
see,
[3:45:44]
you know, a child, even though it's a
[3:45:47]
family event, you wounded or or shot
[3:45:50]
down or or killed. I don't know of a of
[3:45:54]
a government official that would like to
[3:45:57]
set something up, the risk of a child or
[3:46:00]
some adult being killed. And when I saw
[3:46:04]
the maps today and how close that was, I
[3:46:09]
thought it was important that you
[3:46:10]
understand that uh they've already
[3:46:13]
cleared out many of the trees.
[3:46:16]
So those bullets from the hunters and
[3:46:19]
Amelia that missed the deer are going
[3:46:23]
straight across the river into that
[3:46:26]
area. Okay, this it's a this is in some
[3:46:32]
cases a life or death decision and I I
[3:46:36]
oppose the uh proceeding
[3:46:41]
for this this uh whatever they call it.
[3:46:44]
But uh thank you.
[3:46:46]
>> Thank you.
[3:46:51]
» Good evening. Peter Shrivever, 916 Rocky
[3:46:54]
Ford Road, District 2. I oppose the uh
[3:46:58]
cup as it's been put together at this
[3:47:01]
point. It strikes me as being a little
[3:47:03]
bit like some of these bills in
[3:47:04]
Washington where you have to pass the
[3:47:07]
bill to figure out what's actually in it
[3:47:09]
because we don't really know how we're
[3:47:11]
going to access the property. There
[3:47:13]
seems to be some questions that we just
[3:47:15]
heard from the previous gentleman's. We
[3:47:17]
have questions about the road
[3:47:18]
conditions. We've talked to VOD a little
[3:47:20]
bit about it, but we don't know is Rocky
[3:47:23]
Ford Road going to be a safe turning
[3:47:25]
access onto River Estates Road from
[3:47:28]
either direction. I pull a 30-foot
[3:47:30]
camper and I live on Rocky Ford Road. I
[3:47:33]
always make a left turn no matter what
[3:47:36]
direction I'm my final direction is
[3:47:38]
going to be to my destination. But I
[3:47:41]
make a left turn, get down to Jennato
[3:47:43]
Road, so I can use roads like Dorset
[3:47:46]
Road that are a little bit less twisty
[3:47:47]
and turny than Rocky Ford just for
[3:47:50]
safety. I think I can keep my trailer on
[3:47:54]
Rocky Ford Road on the correct side of
[3:47:56]
the road. Seems to be some people in
[3:47:58]
Powatin that have a little difficulty
[3:48:00]
with that once in a while.
[3:48:02]
Uh then we also have the impression that
[3:48:05]
sometimes it seems like we're going to
[3:48:07]
have Granny from uh uh what was the
[3:48:10]
show? But anyway, Granny who was always
[3:48:13]
you sort of like this little meek mild
[3:48:15]
lady driving a four-wheeler on the
[3:48:19]
property and it's going to be a nice
[3:48:20]
quiet little activity.
[3:48:22]
The problem I have with that analysis is
[3:48:26]
although they have to keep very careful
[3:48:28]
records of the number of vehicles on the
[3:48:32]
property, they don't have a check-in
[3:48:34]
procedure that says we're going to
[3:48:37]
enforce. And I suspect that and and
[3:48:39]
trust the applicants will at some level,
[3:48:43]
but it says that there'll be no modified
[3:48:46]
exhaust systems. It'll be manufacturer
[3:48:48]
specifications. I did a quick check on
[3:48:50]
Amazon for motorcycle aftermarket
[3:48:53]
motorcycle exhaust, found 945 and just
[3:48:57]
hitting it once. So, how do you make
[3:48:59]
that determination? Is there an exhaust
[3:49:02]
or is there not? Now, I'm sure without
[3:49:04]
the exhaust, you'll know it quick.
[3:49:08]
But is the enforcement going to be
[3:49:10]
calling up the county police sheriff's
[3:49:13]
office and saying, "Hey, we think
[3:49:15]
there's some noisy vehicles down there.
[3:49:18]
Apparently, there's no requirement at
[3:49:20]
this point that you do recordkeeping on
[3:49:22]
that. And we all need therapy. I agree
[3:49:25]
with that. Obviously, I need some
[3:49:29]
uh I do it by pulling it going out of my
[3:49:33]
driveway, making a left turn, running up
[3:49:36]
the road, using my two feet. I do it by
[3:49:39]
going over to the power tan pool and
[3:49:41]
swimming. I also do it every morning.
[3:49:44]
The dogs jump in bed and say, "Come on,
[3:49:46]
Dad. Let's go for a walk out in the
[3:49:47]
field. And we walk around my 6 and 1/2
[3:49:50]
acre field that I fenced in one post at
[3:49:52]
a time. And that's some of my therapy. I
[3:49:56]
can hear the traffic on Janitor Road.
[3:50:01]
Every morning when I'm doing that,
[3:50:03]
that's how quiet the area can be. I will
[3:50:07]
hear throttle therapy.
[3:50:10]
My footsteps aren't that noisy. Thank
[3:50:13]
you.
[3:50:18]
Good evening. Kelly Crockett, District
[3:50:21]
5, Carterville Road. I'm here tonight to
[3:50:24]
ask you to deny this conditional use
[3:50:26]
permit. If this cup application is
[3:50:29]
approved, even with the proposed
[3:50:31]
condition requiring upgrades to the road
[3:50:34]
and bridge to VOTE standards, you are
[3:50:38]
essentially permitting a property rights
[3:50:41]
dispute and exposing the county to
[3:50:44]
litigation.
[3:50:45]
Additionally, Powan County's current
[3:50:48]
noise ordinance reads in part, "Sound
[3:50:51]
produced by any motorbike, motorcycle,
[3:50:54]
ATV, or by any other machine or device
[3:50:57]
in such a manner or with such volume or
[3:51:00]
duration that it is plainly audible at a
[3:51:03]
distance of 150 ft or more from the
[3:51:06]
sound source, or inside the confines of
[3:51:09]
a dwelling unit, house, or apartment of
[3:51:12]
another person, or plainly audible
[3:51:14]
within a
[3:51:15]
business or place of worship
[3:51:19]
is prohibited.
[3:51:21]
Um, I'm so excited for this to end
[3:51:24]
tonight.
[3:51:26]
Please deny this application. Thank you.
[3:51:30]
>> Thank you.
[3:51:35]
» Howdy. I'm [clears throat] just some guy
[3:51:37]
from District 2. Um, I have a a thing
[3:51:41]
I've been listening to everybody talking
[3:51:42]
tonight is there it sounds like there um
[3:51:46]
is a lot of things that would that come up
[3:51:52]
to me as progression risk to be able to
[3:51:54]
think through of um a proven something
[3:51:56]
like this like a a lot of um downstream
[3:51:59]
effects that would happen not only now
[3:52:01]
but over the next proposed um 15 years.
[3:52:04]
I I can only assume that these were
[3:52:05]
things the um planning committee had
[3:52:07]
gone over. I've tried to look online and
[3:52:10]
it says like I'm citing noise and
[3:52:12]
environmental concerns. Um this is
[3:52:15]
somewhat of a um a question. I don't
[3:52:17]
know if anybody here could point me in
[3:52:19]
the right direction. Is is there any
[3:52:20]
actual like report that they've put
[3:52:22]
together that would have this kind of
[3:52:24]
compiled this information. It's the same
[3:52:26]
concerns seen coming up over and over
[3:52:28]
where it's been kind of thought through
[3:52:30]
and say this is our um you know this is
[3:52:33]
what we hear as what your concerns are.
[3:52:36]
um this is the impact that it would
[3:52:38]
have. This is what we would plan to do
[3:52:40]
on to mitigate it. These are things that
[3:52:42]
are still outstanding. These are things
[3:52:44]
that we just don't know. Like is there
[3:52:47]
anywhere that this has been compiled to
[3:52:49]
where this information would be
[3:52:52]
available
[3:52:55]
anybody in I mean I'd be willing.
[3:53:01]
» No. Yeah. Okay. All right. Well, thank
[3:53:02]
you. If anybody's got that information,
[3:53:05]
I would be more than ask.
[3:53:11]
» Mike Chris, District 4.
[3:53:13]
Uh,
[3:53:18]
I work in Mechanicsville.
[3:53:21]
I started watching this when it started.
[3:53:25]
When this issue was brought up, I sat
[3:53:27]
there and I watched the gentlemen come
[3:53:29]
up and made their passionate plea.
[3:53:34]
But everything I've watched and listened
[3:53:36]
to on the hour drive back here.
[3:53:42]
If you're a Washington politician,
[3:53:44]
approve it.
[3:53:46]
But if you are listening to your
[3:53:50]
constituents,
[3:53:51]
the people that put you where you are
[3:53:54]
now,
[3:53:57]
and you have not lied to them,
[3:54:02]
then deny this request.
[3:54:05]
>> Thank you.
[3:54:11]
» I don't public speak either, so bear
[3:54:13]
with me. My name is Judy Carter, 969
[3:54:15]
Rocky Ford Road. My driveway is the
[3:54:19]
access road. My house can see the access
[3:54:22]
road. I hear every vehicle that goes
[3:54:25]
down that road. I heard the hunters that
[3:54:28]
went down that road. And that's when the
[3:54:30]
ground was fully covered with trees. I
[3:54:33]
heard the loggers. I heard them all. The noise that they produced on their
[3:54:38]
test runs was unbearable. The dust that
[3:54:42]
will come my way will be unbearable.
[3:54:46]
I'm asking you to deny this. I've lived
[3:54:48]
in this county all my life and on that
[3:54:50]
property 40 years. Lots has changed and
[3:54:54]
things will change, but this is not the
[3:54:57]
right change. And signs have disappeared
[3:55:00]
on ours too saying no motor parts. So,
[3:55:04]
nobody's picking up signs and they're
[3:55:05]
probably just kids acting out. But the
[3:55:08]
fact of the matter is my therapy on my
[3:55:11]
property is quiet.
[3:55:14]
I don't mind an occasional car. I will
[3:55:16]
hear 150 Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,
[3:55:21]
and on holidays. That is not fair to me.
[3:55:25]
Please vote no.
[3:55:27]
>> Thank you.
[3:55:41]
Curtis Gaunt, 3285 Sparrow's Place. My
[3:55:45]
neighbor Karen's over there. My other
[3:55:46]
neighbor John's over here. Worried about
[3:55:48]
property values for sure. We heard a lot
[3:55:51]
about their presentation about uh you
[3:55:54]
know, making memories and families and
[3:55:56]
that type of thing. And I think that's
[3:55:58]
what the lady just said right here. This
[3:56:02]
is our families. This is our memories
[3:56:03]
and our weekends and our holidays and I
[3:56:06]
have Thanksgiving in my house and
[3:56:08]
everybody comes and they marvel at Look
[3:56:10]
at everything. It's quiet out here. It's
[3:56:11]
so quiet. This is great. Look at the
[3:56:13]
animals out here. This isn't right. I'm
[3:56:16]
in the blast zone, not circle or we're
[3:56:19]
just outside, right? Depends on who's
[3:56:21]
drawing the lines. But I don't want to
[3:56:24]
hear it. I don't want to smell it. I
[3:56:25]
don't want to drive around the traffic
[3:56:26]
that that road can't handle. I don't
[3:56:29]
want to have it in my water. Um, I don't
[3:56:32]
have anything against ATVs or the people
[3:56:34]
that ride them. Uh, I don't have
[3:56:37]
anything about uh people making
[3:56:39]
memories. I'm all about that. That's why
[3:56:41]
I'm here. That's why we're in Pow Town.
[3:56:44]
Um, I'm all for freedom like that guy
[3:56:46]
said. But this is not the right place.
[3:56:50]
Thank you.
[3:56:51]
>> Thank you.
[3:57:10]
My name is Lori Malcolm. I'm Judy
[3:57:12]
Carter's sister, Betty Jane's cousin,
[3:57:15]
and we're from the heritage of how this
[3:57:18]
whole property got started. There are
[3:57:21]
about 50 of us still that live in the
[3:57:23]
county, still have raised their children
[3:57:25]
in the county, some have stayed in the
[3:57:28]
county, some's gone to surrounding
[3:57:29]
counties, but just as the previous
[3:57:31]
customer or client or taxpayer, whatever
[3:57:34]
we're called, um, has stated, we have
[3:57:37]
our holidays here. We have our children
[3:57:40]
here. We stand, Judy and myself stand to
[3:57:43]
inherit property right next to our
[3:57:46]
father owns property still there that we
[3:57:48]
jumped off of a rope into the creek into
[3:57:51]
the Applamics River and our memories are
[3:57:53]
here. We know that things change. We
[3:57:55]
know that you as representatives see
[3:57:57]
change and we know it's getting to be a
[3:58:00]
late night. I thought that my father of
[3:58:02]
85 was going to come up and close the
[3:58:03]
meeting, but I think he's probably said
[3:58:06]
things in other meetings that I haven't
[3:58:07]
been able to stay to meet. He is the
[3:58:10]
oldest of our family heritage right now
[3:58:13]
and he is here tonight. However, he
[3:58:16]
probably feels like it's all been said.
[3:58:18]
What I don't think has been said is all
[3:58:21]
of us that were born in this county have
[3:58:23]
lived in this county. We want the county
[3:58:25]
to remain as country as it can for as
[3:58:27]
long as it can. And of course, all of
[3:58:30]
us, as previous people spoke, I'm a big
[3:58:32]
motorcycle rider myself and horses and
[3:58:34]
every other outdoor activity. Water is
[3:58:37]
my friend. I we we have a lot of things
[3:58:40]
going on in this county that I don't
[3:58:42]
think the throttle therapy group knows
[3:58:44]
about because obviously they didn't
[3:58:46]
listen to the beginning of the meeting
[3:58:47]
of all the wonderful outings that we
[3:58:49]
have available to the county. I think
[3:58:51]
it's a wonderful idea but not for this
[3:58:53]
county. Thank you for your service.
[3:58:57]
>> Thank you.
[3:59:01]
» Yes, Daddy.
[3:59:03]
[laughter]
[3:59:04]
>> He'd like to speak from back there.
[3:59:09]
» [laughter]
[3:59:11]
>> Understood.
[3:59:15]
» Anybody else?
[3:59:17]
>> Yeah, I'll try.
[3:59:19]
>> Get up.
[3:59:25]
» I hate speaking. I'm nervous. My name is
[3:59:27]
David Kelly. I live at 925 River States
[3:59:30]
Court with my wife who's here tonight.
[3:59:32]
sure by now that the board is well aware
[3:59:34]
of all the many concerns that have been
[3:59:36]
presented concerning the proposed
[3:59:37]
motorsports park noise in the traffic
[3:59:40]
and all the other things that have been
[3:59:41]
mentioned. So I do not want to address
[3:59:44]
that. What I do want to talk about is
[3:59:46]
the people who have expressed these
[3:59:48]
concerns concerns that they're very
[3:59:50]
passionate about
[3:59:53]
uh the individuals who will be affected
[3:59:55]
in inconvenience the most by this park
[3:59:57]
on a daily and an hourly basis. These
[4:00:00]
are people who choose to live where they
[4:00:02]
built their homes because of the peace
[4:00:04]
and tranquility of Palatan County. Many
[4:00:07]
of them have lived on their properties
[4:00:08]
for decades. Some of the lands been
[4:00:11]
passed down through generations.
[4:00:13]
Most of the people expressing these
[4:00:15]
concern live within a two-mile radius of
[4:00:17]
the proposed location.
[4:00:19]
It will most definitely have a severe
[4:00:21]
effect on their daily lives. My entire
[4:00:24]
neighborhood is well within this 2-m
[4:00:25]
radius. There are also two businesses
[4:00:28]
currently operating in close proximity
[4:00:30]
that will surely suffer if this park is
[4:00:32]
allowed. I believe there are somewhere
[4:00:35]
in the neighborhood of well over 350
[4:00:37]
individuals who have signed a petition
[4:00:40]
opposing this park. Most live within
[4:00:42]
this two-m radius. Several surrounding
[4:00:45]
neighborhoods have also come together
[4:00:47]
with a powerful voice in opposition.
[4:00:50]
This includes residents in the county of
[4:00:52]
Amelia as well.
[4:00:54]
The message of many is always the same.
[4:00:57]
This type of activity in our rural area
[4:00:59]
of Palatan will jeopardize the solitude
[4:01:02]
of quiet country living. It will surely
[4:01:05]
destroy some of it. I know there are
[4:01:08]
those who would love to have this become
[4:01:09]
a reality. I wonder how many of these
[4:01:11]
live in this two-mile radius. I wonder
[4:01:14]
if they would still welcome it if it
[4:01:16]
also inconvenience their daily lives.
[4:01:19]
I've heard that the applicant was quoted
[4:01:21]
as saying that sometimes there has to be
[4:01:23]
sacrifices. Yes, we all have to have
[4:01:26]
sacrifices in our lives.
[4:01:30]
My question is why should the residents
[4:01:32]
of this quiet community sacrifice what
[4:01:35]
we have all come to work for and love is
[4:01:37]
home. I and many others think that there
[4:01:40]
is any sacrifice to be suffered here, it
[4:01:42]
should not be the residents of this
[4:01:44]
community.
[4:01:46]
I would hope that as board members you
[4:01:48]
will take into consideration the human
[4:01:50]
factor in your decision making. Is this
[4:01:53]
proposal right for Palatan County? Is
[4:01:55]
this a right choice for the residents of
[4:01:57]
Palatan? Thank you.
[4:01:59]
>> Thank you.
[4:02:14]
My name is Bob Wolf. I live in Palatan.
[4:02:17]
I have no idea what zone I'm in. I was
[4:02:20]
riding my a bike tonight and I saw the
[4:02:22]
bunch of cars outside. I came to
[4:02:24]
complain about flock cameras. Instead, I
[4:02:27]
saw this. Gentlemen, I personally
[4:02:30]
believe I'm not affected by this at all,
[4:02:32]
but I personally believe that if you
[4:02:33]
pass this thing and let that motorports
[4:02:36]
thing go, you're out of a job. Thank
[4:02:38]
you.
[4:02:39]
>> Thank you.
[4:02:46]
» Anybody else?
[4:02:50]
» All right. With that, I'm going to close
[4:02:52]
the public comment period and open up to
[4:02:55]
board comments. Uh, I don't want to
[4:02:57]
steal anybody's thunder. I know District
[4:02:59]
2 and District 4 representatives have some things to say. U, but, um, I
[4:03:05]
want to thank you all for for being
[4:03:07]
civil. Um, it's a passionate topic and I
[4:03:11]
know a lot of people are very
[4:03:14]
uh,
[4:03:16]
a lot of strong opinions, a lot of
[4:03:18]
strong ideas and and thoughts about the
[4:03:20]
issue. So, so thank you for that. And
[4:03:23]
it's a it has been a long road. Um,
[4:03:26]
[clears throat]
[4:03:28]
there sometimes I wish I could just take
[4:03:29]
all of all of the comments and just kind
[4:03:31]
of bald it into to one statement and
[4:03:34]
just say ditto, but I I can't do that.
[4:03:38]
So, uh, my background is is is very
[4:03:41]
purely focused on on safety and, uh, I
[4:03:44]
look at I look at traffic and I look at
[4:03:46]
the impacts there. Um, that's that's my
[4:03:50]
biggest concern. Um, but more than that,
[4:03:55]
I care about what brings you peace.
[4:03:58]
That's what's important. We talk, we
[4:04:00]
talked about a lot of impacts. We talked
[4:04:01]
about environmental impacts. We talked
[4:04:02]
about all sorts of different impacts,
[4:04:04]
but more than anything, it it's what
[4:04:07]
brings you peace.
[4:04:09]
Um, and for me, that's that's what was
[4:04:12]
heard more than anything tonight. Uh, so
[4:04:15]
thank you for that.
[4:04:18]
Any other board [clears throat]
[4:04:18]
comments,
[4:04:20]
>> Mr. Chair? Go ahead.
[4:04:22]
>> I'll go first since I'm two and four.
[4:04:24]
So, it looks like most of the people
[4:04:26]
that uh are up here are district two and
[4:04:30]
I represent y'all. So, I will never go
[4:04:32]
against y'all. Um apologize to throttle
[4:04:36]
therapy for putting y'all through this
[4:04:38]
and apologize to the my my constituents
[4:04:41]
Palian County for the suffering y'all
[4:04:43]
went through for the past three or four
[4:04:44]
months. Um I'm going to keep it short
[4:04:48]
and sweet. All my district two people
[4:04:50]
were here and they were spoke violently.
[4:04:51]
I mean I think it was one person from
[4:04:53]
district 2 that approved this. So I will
[4:04:55]
be totally against this. I will be a
[4:04:57]
vote no. And I would also like to make a
[4:05:00]
second motion after this motion to
[4:05:02]
remove
[4:05:04]
uh motorsports park from A10. So
[4:05:16]
go ahead Mark. Any
[4:05:19]
other board comments?
[4:05:24]
» Mr. Chairman,
[4:05:25]
>> George,
[4:05:29]
» thank everybody from District 4. I've
[4:05:31]
had to play counselor. Um, I've gotten a
[4:05:33]
lot of phone calls, a lot of emails, got
[4:05:36]
to have some heart-to-he heart
[4:05:37]
conversations with some people, and I've
[4:05:39]
enjoyed every minute of it. One of the
[4:05:42]
hardest, and there's two things since I
[4:05:44]
got elected that I will never do. I will
[4:05:46]
never not listen to my constituents and
[4:05:48]
I will do everything I can to protect
[4:05:50]
the rural character of this county. You
[4:05:52]
know, I have a lot of feelings about
[4:05:53]
this. I live on Rocky Ford as well along
[4:05:56]
with a lot of you folks. But the one of
[4:05:58]
the hardest things a supervisor has to
[4:06:00]
do is when he makes a motion,
[4:06:04]
he has to set the feelings aside and he
[4:06:06]
has to look at the review standards of
[4:06:09]
the conditional use permit and does the
[4:06:13]
applicant demonstrate the proposed
[4:06:15]
conditional use.
[4:06:17]
So one, the applicant has not
[4:06:20]
appropriate. It's not an appropriate
[4:06:23]
location.
[4:06:24]
It's not compatible with the genital
[4:06:26]
character of the surrounding lands.
[4:06:30]
It does not avoid significant adverse
[4:06:32]
odor, noise, glare, vibration impacts on
[4:06:36]
surrounding lands regarding refuge
[4:06:38]
collection, service delivery, parking
[4:06:41]
and loading signs and lighting. It does
[4:06:44]
not avoid significant deterioration of
[4:06:47]
water and air resources, scenic
[4:06:49]
resources and other natural uh
[4:06:52]
resources. It does not maintain a safe
[4:06:55]
and convenient ingress and egress and
[4:06:58]
traffic flow into and through the
[4:07:01]
vehicles by and pedestrians and safe
[4:07:05]
road conditions at the site. So with all
[4:07:08]
that in mind, I make a motion that we
[4:07:09]
deny the motors parks part C based on
[4:07:13]
those review standards.
[4:07:14]
>> Second.
[4:07:18]
>> Any other any other comments before we
[4:07:20]
move to a roll call vote?
[4:07:22]
>> Sure.
[4:07:23]
>> Um I want to thank everyone here. It
[4:07:27]
it's it's been interesting over the last
[4:07:29]
three years to deal with passion. Um,
[4:07:33]
and I appreciate it and I appreciate the
[4:07:35]
passion you all have shown this evening
[4:07:36]
for your positions and mostly the fact
[4:07:40]
that you've been able to express your
[4:07:42]
passion civily and I I genuinely
[4:07:46]
appreciate that. Um the standards of the
[4:07:49]
cup that my colleague just just read
[4:07:52]
really speak to um the whole concept of
[4:07:55]
property rights and the fact that um we
[4:07:58]
have to respect them until these sorts
[4:08:02]
of standards are not being lived up to.
[4:08:05]
These are called externalities and we we
[4:08:08]
can't tolerate
[4:08:11]
uh externalities being imposed on others
[4:08:14]
by virtue of a property right. So, um,
[4:08:18]
for that reason, for all these
[4:08:19]
standards, and for all that I've heard
[4:08:21]
today, um, I I also concur with my
[4:08:24]
colleagues. I will not be supporting
[4:08:27]
this cup.
[4:08:29]
>> Dr.
[4:08:34]
» I find that regardless of what the
[4:08:38]
applicant has said, there's nothing
[4:08:41]
there's not a lot to back it up
[4:08:44]
that we would um see growth as I pointed
[4:08:47]
as they said in um our hotels.
[4:08:53]
We don't have a hotel. It would be nice
[4:08:55]
if we did, but we don't. um that it
[4:08:58]
would have a positive economic
[4:09:02]
um
[4:09:03]
uh stream of money to the county. They
[4:09:06]
don't have that in there. We have no
[4:09:09]
idea what it would make from the
[4:09:13]
planning commission that I viewed. They
[4:09:16]
don't know what their staffing would be.
[4:09:18]
I think this I think the business plan
[4:09:22]
is too loose at this point in time.
[4:09:26]
um if I was going to start something, I
[4:09:30]
would have that laid out and the
[4:09:32]
resources and what would be laid down.
[4:09:34]
That's just me. Um I for all the other
[4:09:40]
reasons, mine is I don't see the
[4:09:42]
business plan in operation
[4:09:45]
and I think there's too many holes where
[4:09:47]
there shouldn't be.
[4:09:50]
>> Thank you. We'll take a roll call vote,
[4:09:53]
please.
[4:09:54]
>> Mr. McClung
[4:09:56]
>> I
[4:09:58]
I'm sorry. Nay.
[4:09:59]
>> No. It's a motion to deny.
[4:10:01]
>> Oh, the motion to deny. So,
[4:10:02]
>> yes.
[4:10:03]
No.
[4:10:04]
>> Yes.
[4:10:06]
>> Feel like I'm at home.
[4:10:10]
>> We're good.
[4:10:13]
>> Mr. Powers.
[4:10:14]
>> Uh, yes. No.
[4:10:17]
[laughter]
[4:10:18]
>> Hi. Thank you,
[4:10:20]
>> Dr. Brown.
[4:10:21]
>> Hi,
[4:10:22]
>> Vice Chair Kenny. I
[4:10:24]
>> chairman Dennady
[4:10:25]
>> I
[4:10:27]
All right, that'll break bring us out of
[4:10:29]
the uh public hearing. Um
[4:10:33]
[clears throat]
[4:10:38]
that
[4:10:39]
>> we're laughing now.
[4:10:41]
>> County Attorney comments.
[4:10:45]
>> County Minister comments. I
[4:10:46]
>> just want to say thank you to uh Mr.
[4:10:48]
Lian Webb. He's he's migrated to the
[4:10:50]
back of the room, but uh Ligins accepted
[4:10:52]
an opportunity in another another
[4:10:54]
locality, but he went out of his way to
[4:10:56]
make sure he guided us through tonight's
[4:10:58]
meeting. So, wish you well and thank you
[4:11:00]
very much.
[4:11:07]
» Board comments,
[4:11:08]
>> Mr. Chair.
[4:11:09]
>> Good. like to ask staff to prepare an
[4:11:11]
amendment to bring to the next meeting
[4:11:12]
to begin the process to refer to the
[4:11:14]
planning commission to remove
[4:11:16]
motorsports park from HM
[4:11:31]
» is a motion that you
[4:11:35]
» second.
[4:11:37]
>> All in favor? I I
[4:11:39]
>> Any oppose?
[4:11:41]
>> Hearing none, that passes 5. Any other
[4:11:42]
board comments?
[4:11:43]
>> I just have one. I just I again want to
[4:11:45]
thank everybody that reached out to me
[4:11:47]
via email and phone call. Um it was a
[4:11:49]
true pleasure getting to meet every one
[4:11:50]
of you and um and if you need anything
[4:11:53]
again, just give me a shout. Thanks
[4:11:55]
again.
[4:11:56]
>> Yeah,
[4:11:57]
>> I will uh I'd like to mention that um
[4:12:00]
Lian Webb, thanks so much for for your
[4:12:02]
time and thank you for finishing strong.
[4:12:05]
>> Thank you.
[4:12:06]
>> Like a pro. Yeah. Any other comments?
[4:12:11]
Meeting adjourned.