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Planning Commission backs Elemental Science STEM Education Center at Woodman Road
Summary
The commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval of a special‑use permit allowing a private STEM education center and a future separate testing center at 55 Woodman Road, subject to five staff conditions including VDOT and VDH approvals and a landscaping plan. The Board of Supervisors will hear the case on July 21, 2026.
The Franklin County Planning Commission voted 7-0 on June 9 to recommend approval of a special‑use permit to allow an Elemental Science STEM Education Center at 55 Woodman Road in the Union Hall District.
Planner Tina Franklin told the commission the existing 1950 building would host seminars, homeschool lab classes and community rentals (approx. 2,530 sq ft) and that a future separate testing center building of about 1,200 sq ft could be added, bringing total built area to around 3,730 sq ft. Staff recommended five conditions, including conformity to the submitted concept plan, compliance with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) entrance regulations, Virginia Department of Health (VDH) confirmation that the septic/well will support the use, and a landscaping and parking plan per county code.
Applicant Stanley Jones, who said he is a faculty member at Ferrum College, told commissioners he wants to provide hands‑on laboratory instruction and a locally accessible standardized testing center so residents would not need to travel to Roanoke. Jones said he has invested about $4,000 to date and anticipates 8–12 students using the facility intermittently. He raised a concern that VDOT requested six hundred feet of sight distance and called that standard "unreasonable" given the rural road conditions and his view that there have been no accidents in the past 15 years.
Adjacent church representatives and neighbors raised liability concerns about children accessing church property, questions about lab chemical storage and disposal, and potential traffic impacts. Rick Arrington, a pastor at the adjoining church, said he worried about liability on the church property. The applicant said lab chemicals would be handled with appropriate training and described his background in green chemistry.
Commissioner Victor Evans moved to approve the permit with the five staff conditions; the motion passed by roll call, 7-0. Chairwoman Mitchell said the Board of Supervisors will consider the case on July 21, 2026.
