James City County planning commission delays review of contractor’s equipment yard at Lakeview Drive

The James City County Planning Commission on Feb. 5 voted to postpone a public hearing on a special use permit (SUP) application for a contractor’s office and outdoor equipment storage yard at 232 Lakeview Drive until the commission’s April regular meeting.

Staff presented the application as a retroactive request to regularize existing outdoor storage associated with a contracting business operated by James Beaver of Williamsburg Contracting LLC. “If approved, this SUP application submitted by Mr. Beaver will bring the land use in compliance with current zoning regulations,” said Mr. Ribeiro, the staff presenter.

Staff told commissioners the property is zoned A-1, General Agricultural, and designated in the comprehensive plan as rural lands and community character conservation, open space or recreation. The portion of the site used for outdoor storage is adjacent to Little Creek Reservoir and lies near what staff described as a Resource Protection Area (RPA) buffer of approximately 100 feet; however, an RPA delineation has not been completed. The applicant agreed to an RPA delineation and staff recommended deferral to allow that delineation and, if impacts to the RPA are confirmed, review by the Chesapeake Bay Board.

Commissioners’ questions and comments focused on the site’s proximity to the reservoir, existing on-site operations, and erosion and drainage risks. Commissioner Rogers described equipment and vehicles already parked on a gravel pad and the steep bank down to the reservoir, saying there was “a good chance with the gravel there and the rain that we’re going to get contamination that goes in there.” Other commissioners asked why the outdoor storage had been established without prior SUP approval and whether the county’s building permit workflow should have flagged the use earlier.

A principal planner explained that the zoning administrator is included in the building-permit workflow and had flagged the property during permit review, which prompted a letter to the owner asking that an SUP be pursued. Staff also noted that stormwater rules will apply to any gravel or parking improvements and that the Chesapeake Bay Board and wetlands review would consider slope, drainage and mitigation if the RPA delineation shows impacts.

After discussion, the commission opened the advertised public hearing and then voted to postpone action to the April regular meeting to allow the RPA delineation and, if appropriate, Chesapeake Bay Board review. The motion carried on a roll-call vote of six ayes and no recorded nays.

Next steps recorded in the meeting: staff will obtain the RPA delineation agreed to by the applicant; if the delineation confirms impacts to the RPA, staff will coordinate review with the Chesapeake Bay Board and return the item to the commission with recommended conditions or mitigation options. The public hearing remains open and the SUP application is not approved or denied at this time.