Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Use Permit Sawmill topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves on-site sawmill for St. Dunstan’s Academy with limits on hours, horsepower and commercial use
Summary
A special‑use permit allowing a permanent sawmill on St. Dunstan’s Academy property was approved 3–0; conditions require hours between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. (no Sundays), a 25‑horsepower motor limit, a 100‑foot buffer from adjoining property lines, and that lumber be used only for on‑site projects.
The Nelson County Board of Supervisors granted Special Use Permit #24‑0157 on Sept. 10 to allow a permanent sawmill at St. Dunstan’s Academy, a proposed non‑profit boarding school on 452 Modoc Lane in Roseland. The permit passed unanimously (3–0) and includes conditions intended to limit off‑site commercial lumber sales and minimize neighborhood impacts.
Thomas Fickley, headmaster and the applicant, said the on‑site sawmill will let the school harvest and process timber from its roughly 110 wooded acres to construct timber‑framed buildings for classroom and residential use as part of its trades curriculum. Father Mark Perkins, assistant headmaster, added the program emphasizes craftsmanship and trade education rather than lumber production for sale.
The Board adopted four conditions recommended by the Planning Commission: the harvested lumber must be used only for projects on the subject property (no commercial sale of raw lumber), hours of operation are limited to 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Sundays excluded), the sawmill motor cannot exceed 25 horsepower, and the sawmill must be sited at least 100 feet from any adjoining property line. Planning staff confirmed property owners can apply later for amendments if they choose to change equipment or operations.
Supervisors discussed whether the horsepower cap should be broader; several members agreed the 25‑horsepower limit matched the applicant’s current system and helped respond to neighbors’ concerns. Planning staff clarified that wood products finished and sold as crafts or agricultural products at markets would remain permissible under county rules, but raw lumber production intended for commercial sale was restricted by the adopted condition.
What happens next: With the permit in place, St. Dunstan’s may proceed with timber harvesting and processing for on‑site construction under the conditions; any substantive change in equipment or commercial intent would require a permit amendment or another application to the county.
