Warren County Planning Commission recommended approval of two conditional use permits — a short-term rental at 927 Bowling Green Road and an accessory dwelling unit at 82 Pilgrims Way — forwarded both to the Board of Supervisors with staff conditions; the commission also accepted its 2025 annual report and heard public comment expressing concern about data centers and local water capacity.

Discussion Points

•A public commenter raised concerns about regional data-center proposals and local water capacity.
•Commissioners requested better tracking of short-term rental activity (approved vs active vs dropped permits).
•Staff described two CUP applications (short-term rental and ADU) and recommended conditions addressing health, building, septic, and setback waiver issues.

Decisions

•Accept and forward the Planning Commission 2025 annual report to the Board of Supervisors.
•Forward CUP 2026-01-02 (82 Pilgrims Way ADU) to the Board of Supervisors with staff conditions (approved by voice vote).
•Forward CUP for 927 Bowling Green Road to Board of Supervisors with staff conditions (approved by voice vote).

Directions

•Staff to compile counts of issued certificates of zoning and business licenses to help identify active short-term rental operators.
•Staff to prepare Board packet materials for forwarded CUPs.

Feb

Board of Supervisors Special Meeting—Feb 10, 2026

At a short special meeting, the Warren County board met in closed session under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and voted unanimously to appoint Dr. David Martin as interim county administrator effective Feb. 17, 2026, contingent on negotiated salary without benefits; the meeting then adjourned.

Discussion Points

•Board discussed candidate interviews for county administrator in closed session (applications for county administrator).

Decisions

•Motion approved to appoint Dr. David Martin interim county administrator effective 2026-02-17, contingent on salary negotiations; board certified closed-session compliance.

Directions

•Appoint Dr. David Martin as interim county administrator contingent on negotiated salary without benefits; acting county administrator to revert to deputy administrator at prior salary on effective date.

Feb

Board of Supervisors Work Session—Feb 10, 2026

The Warren County board held a short special meeting to enter a closed session on county administrator applicants, certified compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act after the closed session, and voted unanimously to appoint Dr. David Martin as interim county administrator effective Feb. 17, 2026, contingent on salary negotiations that exclude benefits; the acting county administrator will return to deputy county administrator at her previous salary.

Discussion Points

•A motion was made and approved to appoint Dr. David Martin as interim county administrator effective Feb. 17, 2026, contingent on salary negotiations excluding benefits.
•Closed session was convened to consider applicants for county administrator.
•Upon return, the board certified the closed session compliance with the Virginia FOIA.

Decisions

•Dr. David Martin appointed interim county administrator effective 2026-02-17 (contingent on salary negotiations without benefits).
•Existing acting county administrator to revert to deputy county administrator at previous salary on same date.

Directions

•Negotiate salary for interim county administrator without benefits prior to effective date.

Feb

Board of Supervisors Meeting—Feb 03, 2026

Warren County Board of Supervisors met on 2026-02-03. Major items: closed session for litigation and the county administrator resignation, certification of the closed session, appointment of Jane Meadows as acting county administrator with a temporary pay increase, VDOT maintenance/project updates, public comments raising audit delays and water-supply concerns, nonprofit budget presentations, and an IT procurement briefing.

Discussion Points

•Board heard VDOT maintenance updates, multiple nonprofit presentations, and an IT procurement briefing.
•Board noted health department authority over well approvals and limited county regulatory reach.
•Board requested finance staff follow up with reconciliations and supporting documentation.
•Board requested financial details and asked staff to include requests in the budget process.
•Closed-session topics included litigation (Exalta Coding Systems USA LLC v. Warren County) and county administrator resignation/candidates.
•Phoenix Project requested $15,000; Saint Luke detailed equipment needs for dental services; Northwestern summarized behavioral-health services and did not request additional county funds.
•Public allegations about delayed audits, uncleared checks and large fund-variance figures.
•Public commenters alleged audit delays and questioned the resignation/severance process.
•Residents reported rapidly dropping private-well levels and urged county action.
•Safety review for Shenandoah Shores emergency access prompted recommended speed-limit changes and signage.
•South Street project discussed; turn-lane and rumble-strip work scheduled in future (possible 2027 start).
•Winter-weather response and road-clearing efforts; Rocky Hollow Road rehab delayed by freezing and environmental issues.

Decisions

•Closed session certified.
•Jane Meadows appointed acting county administrator with a temporary pay increase.
•Minutes and consent agenda approved.
•No forensic audit authorized during the meeting.
•No funding decisions made at the meeting; requests to be considered in budget process.
•No immediate policy or financial action was authorized during the meeting.
•No new design approvals or votes taken; informational presentation and scheduling direction only.

Directions

•Board to publish closed-session certification in minutes; process acting administrator appointment paperwork.
•Board to submit secondary-road priorities for the six-year plan work session.
•County staff to integrate nonprofit funding requests into the budget review and return with clarifying documentation and recommendations.
•County to schedule recruitment/search for permanent county administrator and consider interim recruitment services (Berkeley Group).
•Finance department to supply reconciliation details and documentation at upcoming budget meetings.
•Staff to continue investigating long-term water-planning options and potential financial assistance mechanisms; item may return to committee/work session and the budget process.
•Staff to provide hard quotes and funding options for IT procurement (speaker 11 to return with quotes).
•VDOT to continue environmental remediation and return contractors when weather permits.

Jan

Board of Supervisors Special Meeting—Jan 28, 2026

Warren County board met in a special session Jan. 28, voted to enter a closed session under the personnel exemption of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to consider the resignation and employment of the county administrator, certified the closed session, accepted the administrator's resignation and adjourned. A board member publicly questioned spending related to a severance and the recent recruitment cost.

Discussion Points

•Board certified after the closed session that only FOIA-exempt matters were discussed.
•Board invoked the personnel exemption of Virginia FOIA to discuss employment/resignation and prospective candidates in closed session.
•Unidentified board member raised questions about a reported $113,000 severance and a $34,500 professional recruitment search cost and urged those subjects be discussed in open session.

Decisions

•Board accepted the county administrator's resignation and adjourned.
•Board certified the closed session upon reconvening.
•Board entered and held a FOIA-exempt closed session regarding the county administrator.

Directions

•No explicit assignment of staff to release further details was recorded on the public record.

Jan

Board of Supervisors Meeting—Jan 20, 2026

Warren County Board of Supervisors met Jan. 20, 2026. The board opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, heard a lengthy public comment period (water, taxes, short-term rentals), held multiple advertised public hearings (several short‑term rental CUPs, a contractor storage yard, rezoning, and a proposed rooster exception), approved a number of consent items including an RFP to replace the county AS/400 financial system, and tabled the rooster ordinance for further work to the board's March meeting.

Discussion Points

•Applicant described speculative build for warehouse; neighbors raised road capacity concerns; engineer committed to further traffic study and VDOT coordination.
•Applicant intends to consolidate the parcel with 13 adjacent commercial lots; board asked about nearest houses and fire department proximity.
•Board emphasized system must support treasurer and commissioner of revenue, FOIA/data access, and audit needs.
•Extensive public testimony for and against; concerns centered on enforceability of 'insulated coop' and noise impacts versus food security and rural character.
•Many speakers urged either denial or a rewrite with clear, enforceable standards and more public input.
•Public commenters raised ADA, neighborhood, and enforcement concerns; planning staff described conditions and neighbor notification process.
•Whether to suspend or reorganize the finance/audit committee while staff focuses on audits; consultant work recognized as effective.

Decisions

•Board approved committee assignments with Chair's change and left finance/audit committee seats to be resolved at Feb. 1 meeting.
•Board approved CUP with planning/staff conditions.
•Board approved multiple CUPs with staff conditions.
•Board approved rezoning and accepted proffers.
•Board authorized procurement and contract execution authority for project.
•Ordinance tabled to the board's second regular meeting in March.

Directions

•Applicant to consolidate lots and comply with proffers prior to development.
•Applicant to perform required traffic/warrants and prepare site plan for county review.
•Place committee assignments and potential bylaws revisions on Feb. 1 agenda for action.
•Planning staff to share short‑term rental study breakdown by magisterial district with supervisors.
•Send ordinance back to planning staff/commission for redrafting; hold a public charrette; consider enforceable noise metrics and free‑range rules.
•Staff to include key offices in scoping and finalize RFP; consultant support to continue.

Jan

Planning Commission—Jan 14, 2026

Warren County Planning Commission reorganized officers, heard public comment on several land-use applications including two short-term rental requests, a controversial building-service CUP in Cedar Ridge Estates (commission recommended denial), and forwarded zoning text amendments on backyard beekeeping and front-yard setbacks to the Board of Supervisors.

Discussion Points

•Both short-term rental applications met minimum setback and occupancy criteria presented by staff; health records required before certificate of zoning issuance.
•Commissioners questioned county authority to enforce private HOA covenants and the appropriateness of the use in a residential/agricultural setting.
•Concerns were raised that smaller setbacks could allow larger homes on small lots and complicate future road widening; staff explained how state-route designation and subdivision proffers interact with setback enforcement.
•Neighbors reported alleged overnight occupancy, police visits, and storage of vehicles and equipment on the site.
•No public speakers opposed; commissioners signaled general comfort with the proposed safeguards.
•Officer elections completed by voice vote; agenda and minutes approved.
•Staff described conditions that would be required for approval, including VDOT and health-department compliance and screening measures.
•Staff described the proposed regulatory limits (hive density, setbacks, permit review) and referenced state code and administrative code guidance.
•Staff proposed 50-foot setbacks adjacent to state-maintained roads and 35 feet elsewhere, noting slope and septic constraints on some lots.
•Staff recommended annual well testing for E. coli/coliform and septic servicing every five years; commissioners did not alter those conditions.
•Staff will circulate updated short-term rental study and schedule commissioner training.

Decisions

•CUP-2025-1202 and CUP-2025-1204 to be forwarded to Board with recommendation to approve.
•Elections and consent items approved; meeting adjourned.
•Motion carried to forward CUP-2025-1203 with recommendation to deny.
•Planning commission recommended forwarding Z-2025-090 to the Board of Supervisors with recommendation to approve.
•Planning commission recommended the amendment be forwarded to the Board with a recommendation of approval.

Directions

•Forward amendment text and supporting analysis to the Board of Supervisors.
•Forward both CUPs to Board with staff-recommended conditions.
•Forward recommendation and associated staff report to the Board of Supervisors.
•Forward the draft text amendment and supporting code citations to the Board of Supervisors.
•Staff to send study and arrange training.

Jan

Board of Supervisors Work Session—Jan 13, 2026

Warren County Board of Supervisors held a January 13 work session that included approval of the agenda, an overview of Warren County’s Virginia 250 tourism events, a presentation of an updated Emergency Operations Plan and staffing change, and an extended discussion of 2026 committee assignments and the county budget calendar.

Discussion Points

•Added evacuee preparedness checklist and expanded evacuation transportation planning
•Budget calendar changes: daytime department meetings and joint school sessions for Feb. and March
•Committee membership should aim for district representation; terms to run with board member terms suggested
•EOP updated to reflect current practice and state/federal guidance
•Formalized funding submission process for event requests
•Removal of continuous physical presence requirement for county attorney in EOC
•Signature events scheduled Feb–Oct 2026 and partner involvement
•Updated website and social media for VA250 outreach
•Whether finance and audit committee should be restructured; concern about audit delays

Decisions

•EOP to be presented for approval at the next regular Board of Supervisors meeting
•Most draft committee assignments to move forward; finance/audit committee left unassigned pending review; staff to return materials for formal adoption

Directions

•Continue coordination with Town of Front Royal and partner agencies; promote VA250 channels
•Invite all partner agencies to present; limit under‑$25,000 requests to 15 minutes
•Staff to add printable evacuation checklist to county website; supervisors may request one‑on‑one briefings before formal approval
•Staff to compile list of committees, bylaws, membership by district; return revised budget calendar

Jan

Board of Supervisors Meeting—Jan 08, 2026

Warren County Board of Supervisors held its annual meeting to elect officers, hear a lengthy public comment period focused on Samuels Public Library and water/well concerns, debate and temporarily adopt changes to meeting procedures, approve a large rezoning, and repeal a recently adopted legal-transparency resolution.

Discussion Points

•Applicant requested delay from Dec. 9 hearing to Jan. for taxation timing; staff summarized parcels and justification.
•Multiple residents called for disbanding the county library board, restoring funding to Samuels Public Library, and reopening negotiations for a memorandum of understanding.
•Nominations for chair and vice chair; roll-call indications recorded; agenda order change to prioritize public comment.
•Whether to adopt Robert's Rules and appoint a parliamentarian; sponsorship requirement for ordinance changes; closed session reading and notice; quarterly reporting of legal expenditures; balance between FOIA transparency and attorney‑client privilege.

Decisions

•Cheryl Cullors elected chair; Tony Carter elected vice chair; agenda reordered to move public comment earlier.
•Legal‑transparency policy repealed; schedule change approved; further procedural refinements to be considered later.
•No formal disbanding action taken at this meeting; matter remains for future board consideration.
•Rezoning approved; post‑hearing administrative steps assigned to Planning and Zoning.

Directions

•Adjust meeting calendar (no regular July meeting)
•Planning to update maps and notify applicant.
•Remove the legal‑services transparency and review resolution (repealed)

Dec

Planning Commission—Dec 10, 2025

Warren County Planning Commission heard public presentations, held multiple public hearings on short-term rentals, a contractor storage yard, a rezoning request and zoning text amendments on roosters and backyard beekeeping; the commission forwarded most land-use applications to the Board of Supervisors and recommended denial of the rooster exception.

Discussion Points

•Applicant characterized traffic impact as minimal (~30 employees, ~5 trucks/day); commissioners pressed staff on whether future users would be limited to listed storage types.
•Commissioners discussed enforcement, health/animal welfare and secondary population growth if eggs are fertile.
•Commissioners probed traffic impacts and whether VDOT had reviewed access; staff said VDOT and site plan review will address access improvements.
•Neighbors testified about noise, parties, trespass and loss of long‑term housing; staff stressed complaint pathways and revocation as enforcement.
•Opponents stressed noise (claimed up to 90 dB) and lack of objective insulation standards and enforcement resources.
•Questions about how proffers for vehicle trips apply once parcels are consolidated; staff said proffers were intended to address the project as a whole.
•Speaker questioned outside audit contractor payments, lodging and miscellaneous line items and expressed concern about taxpayers 'paying more than their share.'
•Staff described standard conditions for STR permits: health‑department occupancy limits, annual well testing, septic servicing, local manager within specified miles, restrictions on firearms/ATVs/fire pits in conditions.
•Staff reiterated multiple agency reviews (VDOT, DEQ, public works) during site plan phase and screening/landscape requirements.
•Staff reported STRs represent about 1.07% of county housing stock and transient lodging tax revenue between Jan 2021 and Jun 2025.
•Supporters argued rural character and parity with Front Royal municipal code allowing roosters on parcels over one acre and presented a 260‑signature petition.

Decisions

•Multiple STR CUPs forwarded to Board of Supervisors with recommendation of approval and staff conditions (CUP20251101, CUP20251102, CUP20251103, CUP20251105).
•Planning Commission forwarded the CUP to the Board of Supervisors with staff conditions.
•Planning Commission recommended denial; motion carried with one abstention.
•Recommend approval to Board of Supervisors.

Directions

•Forward to Board with recommendation to approve; require site plan and VDOT review for access improvements.
•No instructions to draft specific insulation standards were recorded.
•Require site plan and agency reviews before development; include fencing and screening conditions.
•Staff to forward the record and the recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.
•Staff to prepare Board packet and schedule items for upcoming Board of Supervisors meetings.
•Staff to reduce vehicle counts and adjust property management plans where noted; staff to continue sharing STR permit list with sheriff and fire/rescue.

Dec

Board of Supervisors Meeting—Dec 09, 2025

Warren County Board of Supervisors met Dec. 9, 2025. Supervisors heard a community farm proposal, approved multiple short-term rental and accessory-dwelling conditional-use permits, tabled a contested large-scale rezoning for Slate Run Farms, adopted a legal-services-transparency policy, approved ambulances purchase, and passed a Second Amendment sanctuary resolution.

Discussion Points

•30‑day minimum rental prohibition to limit short‑term rental circumvention
•ADU definition and compliance with county code
•Concerns about prior construction truck activity using neighborhood roads
•Concerns about water availability for large industrial uses and data centers; staff noted current water commitment to town and geology concerns
•Delivery timeline (estimated 18 months from execution)
•Discussion included suggestions to modernize language to avoid confusion with immigration 'sanctuary' terminology
•Donations to local food banks to address food insecurity
•Education hub for local schools and surrounding counties
•Importance of procuring now to avoid longer lead times
•Market shift from shared lodging to whole‑home short‑term rentals increases local housing and traffic concerns
•Origin of funds (prior board resolution earmarking library funds for SAFER grant / capital if grant not awarded)
•Policy reaffirms support for Second Amendment language used previously in 2019
•Potential seed funding interest from Valley Health and grant-based fundraising
•Proffered 150‑foot active vegetative buffer seen as insufficient by neighbors; calls for 350‑foot buffer and berms
•Proffers include $0.15 per sq ft contribution for fire and rescue, with escalator if construction delayed
•Quarterly reporting on legal expenditures and categories to improve oversight
•Questions about lodging tax collection and revenue transparency
•Requests for a transparent rubric to reduce perceived arbitrariness
•Require specificity for closed-session motions and a 48‑hour advance notice when possible
•Require written legal analysis as default for substantive matters
•Resident safety and pedestrian risk from possible truck traffic using neighborhood emergency access
•Site screening and shared driveway arrangements
•Volunteer-run farm with eventual single paid position if funding allows

Decisions

•CUP approved with standard conditions
•Procurement approved; staff to report on grant notice and delivery timelines.
•Resolution adopted
•Resolution adopted by roll call
•Rezoning was tabled to allow proffers and entrance/site‑plan language to be clarified and enforceable prior to a decision.
•Three CUPs approved with planning‑recommended conditions

Directions

•County Administrator to implement quarterly reporting and develop procedures to operationalize written legal work product and emergency exceptions
•Execute contracts; continue to track grant outcomes and return to board if budget changes needed
•Proceed with permit issuance once inspections and Health Department records are approved
•Staff and applicant to work on clearer enforcement language for emergency access, confirm updated site‑plan entrance exhibit initialed 12/02/2025, and return in January 2026
•Staff to coordinate with revenue and treasurer on tax compliance and report back; staff to consider rubric options for future agendas
•Staff to work with Jarrett Fox to develop a formal proposal and budget

Nov

Board of Supervisors Meeting—Nov 18, 2025

Warren County Board of Supervisors meeting covering the Shenandoah Farm Sanitary District year-end report, two land-use public hearings (a conditional use permit for private camping and proposed subdivision text amendments), public comments about county financial reporting, routine approvals of appropriations/accounts and the consent agenda, and praise for the Department of Social Services’ response during the recent federal shutdown.

Discussion Points

•Applicant said family uses property for intermittent camping and had remedied neatness complaints.
•Board agreed to allot time in the finance/audit committee to review the materials.
•Completed long‑standing road projects (Young’s Drive, Lake Drive, Old Oak) with county cooperation.
•District staff completed Thompson’s Mill repair for about $56,000 vs. an $850,000 engineering estimate.
•Proposal to spend about $500,000 per year from capital improvements fund, subject to future review.
•Public commenters requested relief for family hardship (building for elderly parent).
•Public comments raised concerns about scanned images and unclear formatting of financial reports.
•Recommendation to keep sanitary district fee steady and budget at approximately $900,244.
•Staff described CUP conditions and Planning Commission recommendation.
•Staff explained proposed text amendments to relax criteria for family subdivision variance applications.
•Staff said corrected/explained files were sent and would be published with agenda/minutes.

Decisions

•Appropriations and transfers approved; accounts approved by recorded roll call (3–1).
•Conditional use permit approved with conditions.
•No final vote recorded in the provided transcript; item moved to discussion and potential future action.

Directions

•Staff to post corrected and reformatted files and provide more detailed breakdowns to the committee.

Nov

Board of Supervisors Work Session

Warren County Board of Supervisors work session on November 12 covered an adult protective services presentation, a proposed contract to complete FY24 cash reconciliations, a draft legal-services transparency policy, and a discussion about industrial-scale groundwater protections and possible next steps.

Discussion Points

•Board members expressed concern about costs, attorney relations and FOIA compliance; agreed to further review and break the draft into components.
•Board requested clearer completion date and continuing updates.
•Consensus to refer to planning staff for legal review and drafting options.
•Need to complete reconciliations for bank accounts ending 8443 and 2941; auditors scheduled to return week of Jan. 12; BerryDunn described collaborative process, reporting cadence and contingency fee.
•Presentation of APS remit and FY24 statistics; explanation of screening criteria and voluntary nature of services; guardianship responsibilities and Medicaid waiver options.
•Proposal requires 48-hour written notice for closed-session recommendations with FOIA-exemption citation; written legal work product proportionate to matter; quarterly legal-expenditure reports.
•Whether to pursue prohibition language vs. zoning/CUP tools to limit industrial well use in corridor; limited local groundwater in corridor per staff; potential requirement to hook to municipal water.

Directions

•Refer concept to planning staff for legal/technical analysis and options; engage county attorney for FOIA/closed-session constraints if needed.
•Seek county attorney input and FOIA counsel; break draft into discrete elements for further review.

Nov

Board of Supervisors Meeting

Warren County Board of Supervisors met Nov. 5, 2025. The board adopted its agenda and minutes, heard a Sheriff's Office personnel introduction, debated whether to solicit an economic development consultant and how to allocate a previously appropriated $100,000, amended the FY25–26 budget to set a 50/50 split between staff and consulting for that allocation, and heard multiple public comments calling for timely financial audits and, from several speakers, criticism and praise tied to recent local elections.

Discussion Points

•Calls for a forensic audit versus targeted staff assistance to complete audits
•Concerns that delayed audits impede accurate budget-making and public transparency
•County Attorney advised against issuing a vague solicitation due to risk of addenda or cancellation
•Introduced new SROs, patrol deputies and investigators, and noted training completions
•Multiple overdue audit extensions for FY2021–22 through FY2023–24 raised by residents
•Need to review prior EDA studies and statement of need before issuing RFP
•Sheriff thanked staff and Major Winner for maintaining operations during sheriff's attendance at the FBI National Academy
•Some supervisors oppose using one-time funds for staff before consultant report

Decisions

•Approve modification of FY25–26 budget to appropriate $100,000 with $50,000 for staff and $50,000 for consulting

Directions

•Administration to locate and circulate prior economic development studies
•Draft solicitation scope and return to board for review before issuing RFP

Oct

Board of Supervisors Meeting

Discussion Points

•Applicant proposes 220,000-sq-ft building; proffers include use restrictions and monetary contribution for fire/rescue.
•Board members requested written legal analysis, clearer definitions and staff input before advertising.
•Early budget work sessions underway; joint sessions requested for Nov. 13 and Dec. 10; benefits bid timing expected in February.
•Planning commission recommended approval with conditions; staff clarified employee limit linked to occupancy/septic.
•Presentation by geophysicist on tight aquifer, recharge variability, and recommendations for data update and storage options.
•Public commenter raised concerns about opening the use to others and potential scale; applicant described existing use and business needs.
•Public commenters urged stronger action and broader watershed protection.
•School board to announce new superintendent Nov. 5; finalists toured district schools.
•Skyline High School tennis-court repairs near completion; Warren County High School next.
•Staff noted Town of Front Royal granted out-of-town water connection of 4,500 gpd for development as submitted; earlier application numbers were larger and revised.
•Staff recommended allowing building service establishments in Ag district by CUP with supplementary regs.
•Supervisors requested objective impact information for Fire & Rescue and clarified scope of proffers and parking conditions.

Decisions

•No formal board action; informational report to guide joint budgeting process.
•Ordinance authorization to advertise: no action (item tabled).
•Rezoning and associated CUP tabled to the December meeting for further technical input.
•Zoning text amendment approved; CUP approved with conditions listed above.

Directions

•Administration to gather technical comment from Fire & Rescue and relevant agencies, and to consult USGS resources.
•Applicant to submit illustrative development plan for staff review and to comply with VDOT, Building Inspections and Health Department requirements.
•County administration to request and publish a written legal analysis on the ordinance.
•Planning staff to solicit written input from Fire & Rescue and the health department regarding emergency-response and water implications.
•School district and county to hold joint budget work sessions on Nov. 13 and Dec. 10.
•Staff to confirm water connection and abandoned-well retirement requirements with Town of Front Royal and Health Department.

Oct

Board of Supervisors Liaison Meeting

Discussion Points

•Business community confusion over jurisdictional boundaries and potential efficiency gains from collaboration
•Concerns about industrial/consumptive wells and effects on private wells (presenter cited ~70% of residents rely on private wells)
•County obtained vendor quote ~ $50,000–$60,000 to modernize model (previously referenced $100,000 estimate)
•County residents deliver a notable share of yard waste; staff check stickers or driver’s license to determine jurisdiction
•County’s fiscal impact/proffer model last updated in 2018 and is currently a locked legacy file
•County supervisor presented groundwater protection ordinance and supporting background report citing DEQ, Virginia Tech, and Loudoun County studies
•Duplication of websites, social media, and budgets while sharing one visitor center
•Historical issues with EDA and institutional fragmentation noted
•History of joint tourism program and reasons for separation in 2023
•MOU dating 12/21/2004 (updated 2011) commits joint marketing and preservation of McKay house ruins
•New assessment software complicated tax-book generation and estimates
•Past efforts included pad‑site studies, floodplain analysis and boundary‑line adjustments but no sale finalized
•Proposal scope: institutional integration analysis, cooperation models, strategic position recommendation, implementation framework
•Reassessment delays in 2023 and 2025; high volume of appeals postponed final records
•School board has updated construction and enrollment cost inputs and warned outdated model understates needs
•Shenandoah Battlefields Foundation expressed interest and provided preliminary numbers and economic impact material
•Town experienced approx. $472,000 revenue decrease due to equalization timing and moved due date to June 20
•Town farm site services (scrap metal, white goods, yard waste, mulch) and FY26 grinding budget ($50,000)
•Town has invested in water infrastructure and said municipal water remains under town control
•Town has ordinance covering voluntary, mandatory and emergency water restrictions; enforcement outside town limits is challenging because town police lack county jurisdiction
•Town to consider cost‑sharing and report back
•Two options proposed: $15 per‑load fee for county residents (ticket purchase required) or internal accounting changes to stop town subsidizing county users
•VDOT stated U.S. 522 access for this parcel is unlikely, which affects marketability

Decisions

•No cost‑sharing commitment at this meeting
•No fee adopted at this meeting; consensus leaning toward internal accounting option but not finalized
•No formal decision; agreed to explore collaboration and return with proposals
•No formal policy change beyond previously made town code amendment to June 20 due date
•No ordinance adoption or enforcement change at liaison meeting
•No procurement decision recorded; follow-up required from county staff
•No sale or binding commitment; agreed to continue talks and host a presentation

Directions

•Bring consolidated ideas back to the liaison committee in ~4 weeks or next liaison meeting
•County IT and planning staff to recover the legacy model file and pursue vendor modernization; coordinate with school staff for updated inputs
•County staff to circulate the groundwater background report; both jurisdictions to examine legal means for enforcement and coordination during restriction periods
•Invite battlefield foundation to present to boards; review VDOT access and pad‑site constraints; evaluate homesteader farmstand pilot as temporary use
•Town and county staff to assemble short proposals and circulate them; Lizzie Lewis to provide operational detail from visitor center
•Town requested joint meeting with county revenue officials, treasurer and staff to refine process and calendar
•Town to continue work-session deliberations, prepare signage and communication, and bring options back to liaison members
•Town to raise proposal at council work session and provide decision to liaison committee; if both parties agree, draft scope and procurement plan

Oct

Board of Supervisors Work Session

Discussion Points

•A resigning planning commission member announced departure.
•Board confirmed appointment by roll call.
•Board members moved to appoint Paul Barnhart to the Fourth District seat.
•Cody presented reasons: small-scale farming, flock protection, breeding control, community resilience, 250-signature petition.
•Comparisons cited from Shenandoah County and Clark County allowing roosters under certain rules.
•Motion to cancel the contract was offered during the working session.
•No substantive discussion of service alternatives or budgetary impact recorded.
•Presentation asserted county groundwater is stressed and that industrial users, especially data centers, can consume water at scales far above household use (household 80–100 gal/day; small industrial 50k–100k gal/day; data centers 360k–5,000k gal/day).
•Proposed ordinance would prohibit new industrial groundwater withdrawals, exempt residential and agricultural wells, allow industrial development on municipal water, and grandfather existing businesses with conditional exemptions.
•Resident proposal to allow roosters in R‑1 with conditions: minimum one-acre lot, noise‑dampening coop, enclosed area, quiet hours 10 p.m.–7 a.m.
•Short recess taken to allow county court clerk to administer oath.
•Staff noted the draft includes joint school-board meetings and anticipates late state budget adoption could require amendments after July 1.
•Staff proposed consolidated proposed-budget presentation in March and office-hour departmental reviews (March 4–6).
•Supervisor argued prior closed-session requests (Aug. 19 and Oct. 7) to seek counsel on proposed ordinances were problematic because they lacked specific threatened litigation or a discrete legal question tied to a known party.
•Supervisor presented legal standard for FOIA: open meetings are the default; closed sessions are the exception and require narrow statutory justifications such as probable litigation with a known party or specific legal advice tied to a discrete legal question.
•Supervisors requested more time for departmental review, printed ClearGov line-item reports, and assurance that audits and health-insurance rates can be incorporated.

Decisions

•Appointment of Hugh Henry approved and oath administered; term runs to 12/31/2025.
•Appointment of Paul Barnhart to Fourth District planning commission approved by roll-call vote.
•Contract cancellation approved by roll-call vote.
•No final vote at work session; calendar scheduled for final approval at next regular meeting.
•No formal board vote taken (work session). Administrative referral of materials to planning staff agreed on the record.
•No formal vote on the Groundwater Protection Ordinance at the work session; board recorded direction to staff and counsel to provide written analyses and refine ordinance language.

Directions

•Board to consider adopting a FOIA policy within 30 days to set standards for when closed sessions are appropriate; several supervisors requested possible FOIA Council review or second opinions.
•Board to have Cody's materials sent to planning department for staff review and potential drafting of a text amendment to be considered by planning commission and returned to the board.
•Clerk to record oath and update rosters.
•County attorney to prepare a comprehensive written statutory analysis addressing county authority, Dillon's Rule/preemption concerns, case law, likelihood of litigation and alternative regulatory approaches; analysis to be made public.
•Planning and legal staff to refine ordinance definitions (municipal use, grandfathering, exemptions) and to return with clarified language before any formal adoption process.
•Planning Department to process appointment paperwork.
•Procurement/legal staff to process termination and notify the sanitary district.
•Staff to revise calendar and provide ClearGov and printed materials; return the calendar for final approval at next regular meeting.

Oct

Planning Commission

Discussion Points

•Applicant seeks intermittent, noncommercial camping for owner, family and guests in a lot located within a special flood-hazard area.
•Commissioners flagged possible borrowing of chicken ordinance language and the need to refine setbacks, hive counts, and signage.
•Commissioners raised concerns about deep cuts, fill, and potential effects on groundwater and the nearby watershed; staff noted DEQ and geotechnical reviews were part of agency approvals.
•Draft adds language allowing the subdivision administrator to waive certain ownership-period criteria for family-subdivision variances when a personal hardship has arisen since the owner acquired the property.
•Neighbors argued restrictive covenants prohibit commercial activities and expressed concerns about traffic, noise, parties and privacy.
•Public commenter described a case of needing to build near an elderly parent; commissioners discussed trust vs. personal ownership distinctions, appeals and safeguards to prevent commercial misuse.
•Public commenters, including organized beekeepers, objected to sale restrictions and some numeric limits and asked for clearer site/lot guidance.
•Site plan for a 230,200 sq ft manufacturing/warehousing/distribution facility was presented with agency approvals on file as of Sept. 15, 2025.
•Staff noted the dwelling has a health department permit for up to 10 occupants and that management plans and local managers are typical condition elements for short-term rentals.
•Staff presented draft accessory-use language and a proposed management plan reviewed by Virginia Cooperative Extension.
•Staff recommended conditions addressing health department compliance, storage, posting parcel ID for emergency services and an emergency egress plan for removal of RVs prior to flood events.

Decisions

•Commission voted to forward the proposed ordinance with recommendation of approval.
•Motion to approve the site plan passed.
•Motion to forward the CUP with recommended conditions passed.
•Motion to table the amendment and return with revisions and authorization to advertise passed.
•Motion to table until management plan and manager are provided passed.

Directions

•Applicant to return with a revised property management plan that addresses signage, guest misdirection and on-call management; secure a local property manager before item is considered again.
•Approve the site plan as compliant with county code §180-64; ensure geotechnical and DEQ requirements are met prior to construction and final approvals.
•Forward the draft ordinance to Board of Supervisors with recommendation to approve; staff to include safeguards and guidance to prevent premature resale for profit.
•Recommend approval to Board of Supervisors with staff-recommended conditions; staff to verify health department compliance and emergency egress measures prior to final certification.
•Staff to revise the draft ordinance considering public input; consider easing sale prohibition and re-evaluating hive limits; coordinate with Virginia Cooperative Extension for management plan language.

Oct

Board of Supervisors Meeting

Discussion Points

•Applicants addressed site-access questions and road-improvement commitments (example: estimated $10,000 for Indian Pipes Road improvements).
•Board considered waivers to the 100-foot setback where adjacent owners signed letters of support.
•Groundwater is essential for residents; recent droughts and neighboring Loudoun County study indicate declining groundwater conditions.
•Industrial users (e.g., data centers) can consume large volumes of water; potential local impacts to private wells.
•No formal board action was taken during the public-comment period on library governance or funding.
•Presenters described scope of 4‑H activities (community clubs, school club, overnight camp) and research-aligned outcomes.
•Public commenters alleged lack of transparency in library-board meetings, criticized book selections and the actions of county supervisors who they say influenced library funding.
•Some supervisors cited pending grant and development timelines as a reason to act sooner.
•Staff reiterated standard CUP conditions: health-department occupancy limits, annual well tests where required, septic servicing.
•Supervisor cited Virginia statutes and Eastern Shore precedents to support local regulatory authority.
•Supervisors thanked presenters and shared personal recollections of 4‑H.
•Whether to solicit a consultant now or first hold a joint conversation with the town about shared EDA roles and cost-sharing.

Decisions

•Multiple short-term tourist rental CUPs were approved with conditions and setback waivers where applicable.
•Procurement item tabled to Nov. 5; board to pursue a joint meeting with town officials.

Directions

•Hold a joint county–town meeting to discuss economic development roles and revisit procurement on Nov. 5.
•Place the draft ordinance and supporting documentation on next weeks work session agenda for further review.
•Planning staff to monitor compliance with health, septic, well-testing and property-management conditions.

Jul

Warren County Planning Commission—Jul 09, 2025

Discussion Points

•25-foot breezeway limit intended to prevent circumvention; commissioners discussed shorter length.
•Applicant intends to use the Guard Hill property primarily for storage and staging; principal office would remain at 702 North Commerce Avenue.
•Applicant purchased property Nov 2024; briefly advertised without CUP and stopped bookings upon application.
•Building-code inspections will enforce number of bedrooms and occupancy counts.
•Comments from neighborhood association advising four-wheel drive in inclement weather.
•Commissioners expressed concern about retail or walk-in customers, scale on small lots, differentiation from home occupations, and possible impact on rural character.
•Definition of ADU to replace guest-house definition; by-right attached/internal ADUs vs CUP for detached ADUs in agricultural districts.
•Health department occupancy permit: maximum of four occupants for the two-bedroom dwelling.
•Minimum lot-size threshold discussed (staff recommended 3.5 acres; commissioners discussed 2 acres but left staff recommendation).
•Organizational consolidations (commercial/industrial site plans, rezoning line items).
•Procedural options considered: advertise now vs. delay to allow commissioner absence to attend; legal note that citizen-initiated text amendments have a 100-day window for the commission to act on recommendation.
•Property under construction; staff used foundation-location surveys for accurate setback measurement.
•Proposed fee increases: exempt subdivision fee to $1,000; BZA variance/appeal fee to $1,000; zoning text amendment fee to $1,000; right-of-way vacation to $750.
•Question about GIS shapefile fees and whether county should make more data available online; staff to evaluate storage and update options.
•Replacement of the old subdivision class system with exempt/nonexempt classification; addition of nonexempt and cluster-housing subdivision fees.
•Setback and site conditions (closest residence ~170 feet).
•Short-term-rental prohibition for ADUs and enforcement tied to health-occupancy permits.
•Speaker asked who citizens should contact when individuals violate county rules and requested clarification on the addition of the County Library Board to local code.
•Speaker cited state-code oath language and said supervisors violated that oath by limiting petition/referendum rights and allowing religious intervention in government.
•Speaker claimed that appointments to the library board were biased and cited county code provisions allowing removal for misconduct or neglect of duty.
•Staff proposed supplementary regulations: VDOT-approved state-road access, illustrative site plan, limits on employees/customers tied to certificate-of-occupancy/septic capacity, 25-foot screening setback for outdoor storage, off-street parking, landscaping, lighting, and hours-of-operation conditions.
•Standard CUP conditions recommended (health, building, fire code; septic service every five years).
•Unit size window 750–1,500 sq ft with county-attorney provision up to 3,000 sq ft for below-grade or conversions.

Decisions

•Commission authorized advertising of the revised text amendment and associated CUP after staff redraft; no final code change enacted at this meeting.
•Motion to forward fee schedule passed; staff instructed to review shapefile policy separately.
•Planning Commission recommended approval to Board of Supervisors.
•Recommendation to Board of Supervisors made; no final CUP approved by the commission.
•Recommendation to Board of Supervisors made; no final zoning change enacted by the commission.

Directions

•Forward CUP to Board of Supervisors with staff conditions.
•Forward fee schedule to Board of Supervisors with recommendation of approval; staff to study GIS shapefile fee removal or online publication and report back.
•Forward text amendment to Board of Supervisors with recommendation of approval.
•Forward the CUP to the Board of Supervisors with the four staff-recommended conditions.
•Remove text amendment from consent agenda, have staff rework draft to remove retail, authorize advertising of revised draft for August meeting, and reconsider the accompanying CUP advertisement as directed.

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