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This
text amendment and map amendment, in conjunction with a special
exception application to be filed by the applicant, would permit
the operation of an abattoir (a commercial
slaughterhouse) on a portion of the property owned by Calvin
Ritchie located at 5177 Ritchie Road (PIN# 7808-42-4186).
The subject property is a
96-acre site zoned partially I-1/Industrial, with proffers and
partially RA/Rural Agriculture.
Mr. Ritchie and the prospective slaughterhouse operator,
Mr. Andy Wilfong, proceeded through a series of County approvals
last year with the goal of opening an abattoir on the property.
On
May 20, 2002
the Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning request to amend
zoning proffers on the I-1 portion of the site to allow the
abattoir use. On
June 6, 2002
, the Board of Zoning Appeals
approved a special permit request to locate a meat processing
facility and conduct associated retail sales pursuant to Section
3-317 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Mr.
Ritchie and Mr. Wilfong have been unable to proceed through the
process and begin construction and operation of the facility,
primarily because of an error in the County’s zoning map, on
which they relied. It
was determined, after they received their approvals, that the
County’s zoning map incorrectly showed the portion of the lot
zoned I-1 and therefore the proposed facility was partially
located on land zoned RA, where the use is not allowed.
Attempts to move the use to be entirely within the I-1
zoned area led to an intrusion into the floodplain.
Difficulties in siting the use and its drainfield within
the one acre limitation of the zoning category also arose.
Changing
the official zoning line between the I-1 and RA zoning to the line
that has been shown on the County Zoning map for over a decade
will provide the necessary space within the I-1 area for the
proposed use and will allow it to be located where it was
originally planned, just south of an existing shed and
driveway/parking area. The
text amendment will make the abattoir a separate use under the
Zoning Ordinance, removing the restriction that the use occupy no
more than one acre. While
the proposed building is no larger than originally anticipated,
the drainfield location expands the area to more than an acre.
Mr.
Wilfong and/or Mr. Ritchie will need to file a special exception
under the proposed language of the text amendment.
A waiver of fees for that application is also requested, as
the applicants have already paid fees for a rezoning and special
permit application for this precise use.
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