HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-10-23 Planning Commission MinutesCommissioners Present: Kevin Meyer, Chairman; AJ Schrantz; Van Taylor, Terry Hale, Frank Niece
Commissioners Absent: Rachel Arthur
Town Staff: Summer Bork, Town Planner.
Call to Order
Chairman Meyer called the Planning Commission to order at 6:01 p.m.
Roll Call of Commission
A quorum was determined with five commissioners present.
Review and Approval of Minutes
Chairman Meyer called for a review of the minutes and asked for any corrections. The commission asked to correct “abused” to “abuse” on page 2 of the minutes. Mr. Taylor moved to adopt
the minutes as corrected; Mr. Schrantz seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
4. Public Hearing—A zoning text amendment to section 11.2 adding a definition for “Gas Station.”
Ms. Bork explained that the Commission had voted to move the following definition for the use of “Gas Station” to a public hearing: Gas Station—a building, lot, structure, or facility
with pumps and storage tanks where fuel, gasoline, oil, or other similar products are dispensed, sold, or offered for sale at retail. Car washes, automobile service stations, and convenience
stores may be accessory uses. Such a building, lot, structure, or facility shall not operate as an automobile graveyard.
Mr. Meyer opened the public hearing. No public members were present, and Mr. Meyer closed the public hearing. He asked members of the Commission if they had comments.
Mr. Taylor confirmed that the uses mentioned in the definition, particularly that of “automobile graveyard,” were defined in the town’s zoning ordinances. He then made a motion to recommend
to the Council the addition of the definition of Gas Station to section 11.2 of the Pulaski Zoning Ordinances. Mr. Schrantz seconded the motion, which was unanimously passed with a
roll call vote.
5. Old Business
a. Council’s Request to revisit the language of “Substance Abuse Disorder Services”
Ms. Bork recapped where the Commission had left off when they had decided to table the discussion.
Mr. Taylor moved to resume the discussion of the definition of “Substance Abuse Disorder Services.”
Mr. Niece stated that “substance abuse” was a more apt name than “substance use,” in his opinion.
Mr. Niece moved to schedule a public hearing to amend section 11.2 of the Pulaski Zoning Ordinances, substituting the word “services” to “clinics” in the Medical Office definition.
Mr. Hale seconded the motion, which was unanimously passed by roll call vote.
Mr. Taylor then moved that an amendment to add the following definition to Pulaski Zoning Ordinances section 11.2 be moved to a public hearing: Substance Abuse Disorder Clinic(s): An
outpatient establishment where patients receive diagnosis, assessments, treatments, and follow-up care for suspected cases of substance use or abuse disorders, which dispense and/or
administer controlled substances on the clinic premises that are not available to non-patients. Mr. Niece seconded the motion, which passed unanimously via a roll call vote.
b. Review and Revision of Hospital Definition
Mr. Niece moved to resume discussing to revise the town’s hospital definition. Ms. Bork explained that upon review of the town’s definition, it is not clearly articulated, and she requested
that the Planning Commission review the town’s current definition and amend it to articulate the use more clearly. She provided the commission with examples from state code and nearby
communities and crafted initial language for the Commission could react.
Mr. Schrantz questioned whether adopting Pulaski County’s definition would be in the town's best interest for maintaining consistency among jurisdictions.
After further discussion regarding the definition as it encompassed the use of a hospital. Commission members agreed to the following definition. Hospital(s): A facility licensed by
the Commonwealth of Virginia, primarily providing in-patient, but may also provide outpatient, diagnosis treatment, psychiatric, and surgical care that treats two or more unrelated
individuals. The following are acceptable accessory uses: outpatient diagnostic and treatment centers, substance abuse disorder clinics, rehabilitation facilities, offices, laboratories,
teaching facilities, meeting areas, cafeterias, maintenance, parking facilities, and ancillary services.
Mr. Meyer tabled the matter, so the Town Attorney could review the language before the Commission acted to set a public hearing.
6. New Business—NA
7. Other Business – NA
8. Staff Report
Ms. Bork reported that the letter Mr. Schrantz drafted had been sent to Town Council. The Commission was appreciative of Mr. Schrantz for drafting the letter. Mr. Meyer said he was glad
the Commission’s views and opinions were known.
Ms. Bork asked Commissioners to share input regarding exploring the town’s uses for medical definitions and select some priorities to address the town’s zoning ordinances. The commissioners
said they would review the information provided and give her what they thought should be priorities to be addressed. She also pointed out several issues with the current zoning ordinances,
including definitions that do not appear as uses and uses with no definitions.
The Commissioners agreed that the uses that appear in the ordinances as “convalescent homes, rest homes, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities” should be individually defined
and used within the town’s zoning.
9. Commissioner Comments
Mr. Meyer made the following comments:
He thanked Mr. Schrantz for his efforts in writing the letter to Council
He requested that Ms. Bork draft a meeting calendar for 2024, and send it to the Commissioners.
He provided commissioners with a copy of the state legislature regarding meetings and work sessions (section 2.2-3701).
10. Adjournment
With no further business, Mr. Hale moved that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. Schrantz seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
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Kevin Meyer, Chair
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Summer Bork, Town Planner