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Planning commission recommends denial of St. Patrick Orthodox Church and school at proposed Liberty site, cites traffic and road-safety concerns
Summary
After public testimony and a site visit, the Planning Commission voted to recommend the Board of Supervisors deny a multi-use campus proposal (church, parish hall, preschool and primary school) on Old Marsh Road, citing concerns about narrow local roads, high projected trip counts and inadequate access.
The Fauquier County Planning Commission on Aug. 15 recommended that the Board of Supervisors deny a proposed campus for St. Patrick Orthodox Church and School on Old Marsh Road in the village of Liberty, citing traffic and road-safety concerns.
Staff presented a multi-part application that included a 27,000-square-foot place of worship (300-seat sanctuary), a parish hall of roughly 13,000 square feet, and a school component with figures discussed in the record ranging from 50 to 150 students and roughly 25 staff depending on materials presented. Staff also described a proposed dosed sewage-treatment system sized at 2,400 gallons per day, a private well on a dedicated water-supply lot (tentatively approved by the health department), an underground fire-storage tank and a proposed 53 parking-space layout. The applicant requested up to three years to establish the use rather than the standard one-year window.
Neighbors and several commissioners raised concerns about Old Marsh Road’s narrow width, line-of-sight limitations and the large increase in daily trip counts at full projected enrollment. Commenters and staff discussed VDOT turn-lane warrants (a 100-foot turn lane with a 100-foot taper for a 35-mph roadway), the feasibility of constructing a right-turn lane and potential need to acquire additional right-of-way or easements from adjoining property owners to meet sight-distance and turn-lane standards.
During public comment, nearby residents told the commission they had been surprised by the scope of the proposal and emphasized drainage and potential flooding impacts if site elevations or grading were changed to accommodate entrance improvements. Parishioners and project representatives described the congregation as family-oriented, emphasized outreach to neighbors and said they expect traffic to be predictable and staggered for school pick-up and church services. A civil-engineering representative said Office of Drinking Water staff told him the fire-storage tank is allowable on the well lot and that some grading and potential easements may be required to achieve sight-distance for the entrance.
After deliberation the commission voted to recommend denial to the Board of Supervisors, with commissioners citing the location’s incompatibility due to road-safety and traffic impacts rather than the intrinsic merit of the use.
Next steps: The recommendation will be transmitted to the Board of Supervisors for its review and final decision; staff and the applicant may provide additional materials addressing traffic, access and drainage if the Board schedules the item for hearing.
