Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Exception 25 08 01 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission forwards Parrish land-division special exception to supervisors despite unresolved buildability questions
Summary
The planning commission recommended approval of special exception 25-08-01 (division of land for Mr. Parrish) to the Board of Supervisors with conditions requiring engineer comments on the plat; commissioners expressed continuing concerns about setbacks, drain-field capacity and potential unbuildable lots.
The Rappahannock County Planning Commission voted to forward special exception 25‑08‑01 (division of land for Mr. Parrish) to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval subject to the recorded plat, inclusion of engineer Richie, P.E.'s comments on the plat, and a 50‑foot right‑of‑way condition.
Staff told commissioners the applicant had supplied the materials requested last month: an updated survey, a soils letter revalidating a previously approved drain‑field, and a memo from an engineer about a possible stormwater‑easement crossing. Several commissioners said these documents improved clarity but stressed that final buildability depends on additional site‑specific work and buyer due diligence.
Commissioners repeatedly raised two outstanding technical concerns. First, drain‑field and reserve‑area requirements may reduce usable building footprint on the newly created lots; one commissioner estimated a practical buildable area of roughly 23,000 square feet in the back lot after setbacks and reserve drain‑field areas were considered. Second, potential costs and permitting to cross a stormwater easement for access could materially affect a buyer's ability to develop a lot.
Some commissioners argued the applicant had met the items requested by the planning commission and that further study was a buyer responsibility; others said approving the division without verifying that both lots will yield usable building sites risks misleading future purchasers. The commission took a middle course: it required that engineer comments (Richie, P.E.) and plat notes be recorded, and it asked staff to include code‑ and VDOT‑related conditions where appropriate.
A motion to forward the special exception to the Board of Supervisors with those conditions was seconded and carried in roll call (at least four ayes and one nay recorded). The Board will consider the application at a future meeting; planning staff and commissioners recommended that any outstanding VDOT access and stormwater easement issues be resolved or noted prior to supervisors' final action.
What happens next: the Board of Supervisors will review special exception 25‑08‑01 in January; staff will ensure engineer comments and applicable code references are included in the record and on the recorded plat.
