PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA REQUEST

Sponsor: 

Board of Supervisors Meeting Date:

Planning Commission

June 8, 2006

Staff Lead:

Department: 

W. Todd Benson, Assistant Zoning Administrator

Community Development

Topic:  

A Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to Section 2-410 to Allow Emergency Vehicle Access to Lots on the Higher Standard Street When the Lot has Frontage on Two or More Streets

Topic Description:

This proposed text amendment is designed to improve response time of emergency vehicles by allowing emergency personnel to have immediate access to the road that best serves their needs.

Requested Action of the Board of Supervisors:

Conduct a public hearing and consider adoption of the attached Ordinance. 

Financial Impact Analysis:

No financial impact analysis has been conducted.

Summary Staff Report: 

This proposed amendment was brought to the County’s attention by the Catlett Volunteer Fire Department’s application to build a new combined fire and rescue station.  The proposed facility will be located at the intersection of Virginia Route 28 and Gaskins Lane. It will house the Catlett Volunteer Fire Department and the Cedar Run Volunteer Rescue Department.  The existing Ordinance provision precludes this site from accessing Route 28; the amendment provides that opportunity with VDOT approved access.

The purpose of the new facility is to enable both volunteer departments to reduce their “response time”, the time between the dispatcher receiving a call and the unit reaching the scene of the emergency. 

This proposed amendment was initiated on March 30, 2006 by the Planning Commission. On April 27, 2006 the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing and voted unanimously to recommend adoption of the proposed ordinance.

Identify any other Departments, Organizations or Individuals that would be affected by this request:

Economic Development

ORDINANCE

A ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT TO SECTION 2-410 TO ALLOW EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS TO LOTS ON THE HIGHER STANDARD STREET WHEN THE LOT HAS FRONTAGE ON TWO OR MORE STREETS  

WHEREAS, on March 30, 2006, the Board of Supervisors initiated this text amendment; and

WHEREAS, on April 27, 2006, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on this issue and forwarded the proposed text amendment to the Board of Supervisors recommending its adoption; and  

WHEREAS, on June 8, 2006, the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on this amendment; and

             WHEREAS, the adoption of this text amendment would be in the spirit of the Zoning Ordinance, consistent with public convenience, general welfare, and good zoning practices, consistent with the adopted Comprehensive Plan, and is in the best interest of the citizens of Fauquier County; now, therefore, be it

ORDAINED by the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors this 8^th day of June 2006, That Section 2-410 of the Fauquier County Zoning Ordinance be, and is hereby, amended as follows:

2-410 Access to Lots Fronting on More than One Street

A. Where a lot has frontage on two or more streets, vehicular access shall

not be permitted to the higher standard street unless the following

conditions are met:

            1. The higher standard street has a posted speed of 35 mph or less.

            2. On an undivided street, the proposed access aligns with existing

            accesses.

            3. The proposed access is no closer than 200 feet to the centerline of

            any street intersection.

            4. The lot is located in a service district or village.

            5. The lot is zoned Commercial or Industrial.

            6. Provisions for combined access to adjacent lots are provided where

            appropriate.

            7. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has approved

            the access as necessary to improve public safety and the Board of

            Supervisors concurs with the VDOT finding.

B. Subsection A does not apply to entrance and exit of emergency vehicles garaged on such lots with multiple entrances provided VDOT has approved the access.