Commission on Local Government reviews proposed Front Royal–Warren County annexation settlement

The Commission on Local Government met in Front Royal on Nov. 18, 2013 to hear oral presentations on a proposed voluntary settlement agreement that would annex approximately 604.7 acres of Warren County into the Town of Front Royal. The property owner, Front Royal Limited Partnership (FRLP), the Town and Warren County presented competing perspectives on transportation, utilities, fiscal impacts and school enrollment projections.

David Vazzana representing FRLP and Bill Barnett of the Front Royal–Warren County Economic Development Authority outlined the project history and a vision for mixed development connecting the subject land to the existing Town. They said the proposal anticipates an East–West Connector through the annexation area to address local traffic; an interchange at I-66 and Route 606 was discussed historically but Mr. Barnett and Mr. Vazzana said the Federal Highway Administration did not support building an interchange solely to relieve local traffic. FRLP representatives said an initial phase ("Community 1") could include about 350 units and that a larger development would be needed for VDOT or FHWA to prioritize an interstate interchange. The filings that initiated review by the Commission were submitted Sept. 20, 2012.

Steven Burke, Front Royal Town Manager, told commissioners the Town has roughly $40 million in utility upgrades under way to meet environmental requirements and said the town’s water, sewer and electric systems have "significant excess capacity" to support the annexation area. He also explained the Town’s authority to accept proffers and noted a local Payment In-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) program allows certain commercial users outside town limits to pay town-equivalent taxes in exchange for in-town utility treatment and rates.

Blair Mitchell, Warren County Attorney, said the County’s principal concern is the impact on local schools. Using the settlement’s maximum build-out assumptions, the County estimated the proposal could generate about 213 elementary, 87 middle and 91 high school students from up to 818 market-rate units. Mr. Mitchell said the agreement guarantees an average of about $12,500 in cash proffers per unit—more than the County has previously received—but that the County would have preferred higher per-unit proffers to offset educational costs.

Jeremy Camp, Front Royal Planning Director, and other Town representatives explained that detailed proffers and traffic reviews are ordinarily considered at rezoning and that VDOT has declined to review the conceptual proposal until a formal rezoning case is submitted. The Town reiterated that it supported the settlement as a mechanism to bring the property into town jurisdiction and to coordinate any required proffers at rezoning.

Commission staff (Zachary Robbins and Ed Lanza) noted supplemental materials were requested and received; staff also reminded the Commission that the record would remain open for additional information and citizen comment through Dec. 2, 2013, that a public hearing was scheduled for 7 p.m. that evening in Front Royal, and that the Commission’s written report is expected by the end of January 2014. The Commission took no formal vote during the oral presentations and adjourned at 5:07 p.m.

Next steps: the Commission will accept additional written material and public comment through Dec. 2, hold the advertised public hearing that evening, and complete a written report to the affected localities and the courts by the end of January 2014.