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Location, Zoning and
Current Land Use:
The property is located on
the east side of Midland Road (Route 610) and zoned Rural
Agricultural (RA). A portion of the parcel is the site of
the Range 82 recreational shooting range with the remainder
being farmed.
Zoning Map
Surrounding Zoning and
Current Land Use:
The majority of the
surrounding property is zoned Rural Agricultural (RA), with
the exception of parcels to the west which are zoned
Residential (R-1). The surrounding property consists of
farm land and single family dwellings.
Planning Commission
Action March 26, 2009:
The Planning Commission
discussed this item at its work session where they voiced
concerns regarding the number of ranges, hours of operation,
sound, and details of the lease agreement. A public hearing
was held where eight people spoke in opposition of the
request. The speakers were concerned about noise and
property values. One petition was submitted in opposition
of the request and several letters in opposition were
received from members of Ebenezer Baptist Church. These
items are included as Attachment 11. The public hearing was
closed.
Planning Commission
Action April 30, 2009:
The Planning Commission
discussed this item at its work session where several
Commissioners reiterated their previous concerns regarding
the location, number of ranges, hours of operation, sound,
and details of the lease agreement. The Planning Commission
unanimously voted to recommend denial of the applications.
It was stated that the site did not meet the guideline to
efficiently and economically serve the greatest number of
residents. Furthermore, it was felt that the fire-training
facility would put the County and citizens at unnecessary
risk being located on leased land. Overall, the Planning
Commission did not believe this was a good location for the
use.
Board of Supervisors
Action June 11, 2009:
The Board of Supervisors
held a work session where they were briefed on the
applications by staff. A public hearing was held at which
seven individuals spoke in opposition to the request citing
noise, safety and existing violations on the property as
their major concerns. One individual spoke in favor of the
request, stating the County would reap benefits by having a
safe place to train that in turn would increase the County’s
tax base. The applicant’s representative spoke on behalf of
his clients. The Cedar Run Supervisor stated that he was
not comfortable with the applications and had concerns about
the safety of the facility. The Supervisors voted
unanimously to postpone action on the application until the
July public hearing.
Recommendation:
If the Board of Supervisors
wishes to recommend approval of the applications, staff
recommends doing so subject to the conditions of approval
contained in the attached resolution. The conditions of
approval, as drafted, require an approved Lead Management
Plan prior to commencement of any new activities on-site.
If the Board of Supervisors
wishes to recommend denial, a resolution has been prepared
for that action as well. |