Board approves reuse of New Baltimore fire hall for trade school and contractor office

The Fauquier County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on May 8 to approve a pair of land‑use requests to reuse the former New Baltimore Fire Hall: a category 7 special exception to operate an indoor technical school and contractor's office in the public safety building, and a category 13 special permit to use a nearby residential structure as a business office with six or fewer employees.

The board’s approval followed a staff presentation describing the proposal and conditions recommended by the planning commission. The applicant proposes the contractor's office on the fire hall’s first floor with up to six full‑time employees and 10 parking spaces, and an indoor technical school in the basement with up to 25 students per session, two sessions per day, and three instructors per session. The applicant also proposed 39 total parking spaces and said three 15‑passenger vans would be used to transport students if needed to reduce parking demand.

County staff said all activities and storage would be indoors, that the applicant would abandon existing well and septic systems and connect to public utilities, and that the school would require an enclosed student training area in place of an existing shed. The planning commission recommended approval 4-1 with conditions that limit hours of operation, require use of ride‑sharing vans for classes over 15 students, restrict storage to indoors, and require landscaping, screening, and a site plan.

Attorney Marianne Harders, representing the applicant, said the proposal aligns with the county comprehensive plan’s office‑park guidance for the New Baltimore Service District and described vocational training as a tool for creating local jobs. “This applicant is bringing to Fauquier County an excellent opportunity,” she told the board.

Joe Mariano, who said he will direct the Virginia Mechanical Trade Institute if the project proceeds, described accreditation and workforce goals and noted the program would offer night classes and apprenticeship pathways. “This school matters,” Mariano said.

A neighboring resident testified to concerns about notice and asked that the board separate review of the office/headquarters use from the school. Linda Hammelman, who said she has lived on Hillside Drive for almost 50 years, requested the application be tabled so the board could separately evaluate the two uses.

Supervisors and staff discussed square‑footage figures and the location of proposed fencing and landscaping screens; staff said the fence would be set behind a vegetative buffer and that conditions address the indoor‑storage limitation. The board removed language from the motion’s title referring to “material storage yard” to align the resolution with the conditioned indoor‑only storage.

The board’s motion approving the special exception and special permit passed unanimously. The approval is subject to the conditions adopted by the planning commission and as amended in the resolution; a site plan and required permits will follow before occupancy or construction.