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1.
Background Information:
On November 17, 2003, the Board of Supervisors adopted the
Warrenton Service District element of the Comprehensive
Plan. Based on Supervisor Richard Robison’s subsequent
request, the Board of Supervisors appointed a Citizen
Planning Committee on March 14, 2004 (refer to the attached
list). The Committee’s assignment was, for example, to
review final element revisions that were adopted in 2003 and
recommend refinements as appropriate, with special focus
placed: on Community Business and Campus Office & Employment
land use designations, service district boundary
adjustments, consideration of more detailed transportation
network improvements for Board of Supervisors
consideration.
Examples of just some of the Committee’s recommended actions
or areas of refinement are as follows:
ü
Affirmed the Community Business land use
designations along U.S. 15/29 occurring north of Warrenton;
ü
Changed the Moriah Farm from its Campus &
Employment land use designation to Rural Agriculture;
ü
Removed Moriah Farm and Central Park Complex
from the Service District;
ü
Recommended a revised street access plan for
the general area affecting the restaurants, car dealerships
and the Comfort Inn along U.S. Route 15/29;
ü
Recommended transportation network options for
the eastern service district to better link and serve the
growing Town and County neighborhoods; and
ü
Added the collector road connecting Rt. 211
and Rt. 17 as a last resort, if improvements on Broadview
Avenue fail to effectively move anticipated levels of
increased traffic volumes. This roadway option was to have
a more neighborhood character, rather than serve as a
regional arterial.
The Committee unanimously approved the draft Warrenton
Service District Plan on February 12, 2005, and presented it
to the Planning Commission at its March 31, 2005 meeting.
2.
Key Discussions at the Planning Commission:
The public hearing was conducted on April 26, 2005.
Significant public testimony and concerns were raised during
the hearing from Gold Cup, Silver Cup and other adjoining
neighborhood residents that spoke in opposition to Timber
Fence Parkway becoming a 4-lane divided connection between
Route 211 and Route 17.
Considered discussion and coordination occurred with the
Town officials on the latter issue and the overall
transportation network internal to and surrounding
Warrenton. In these work sessions, the Planning Commission
and Town representatives discussed the Timber Fence Parkway
issue in conjunction with its review of the Rappahannock –
Rapidan Regional Commission’s (RRRC) Route 211 Corridor
Study. The study demonstrated significant traffic volume
increases expected along Rt. 211 into Warrenton (e.g.,
2004 VDOT Vehicles Per Day (VPD) Counts: 15,061;
2018 Projection: 41,335 VPD); with growing traffic
distribution expected through Fauquier County via Rt. 522
(Rappahannock County) to Rt. 688, Rt. 647, and I-66
connections. These ramifications of these impacts and the
study were discussed with Town officials.
The principal focus of improvements was Broadview Avenue,
and that Town position was well stated within the RRRC
study. The study expressed the following regarding both the
latter improvements and the contested connection between
Route 211 and Route 17 (reference p. 8 of the RRRC Study):
“As new traffic signals are installed on Broadview Avenue
to deal with increasing traffic, there is concern about the
need to interconnect all the signals and to provide
supplemental access to Broadview Avenue using a collector
between Route 211 and Route 17. Town and Fauquier County
officials are beginning to explore such solutions through
meetings of the Warrenton Service District and better
coordination of strategic and comprehensive transportation
planning.”
In addition, the following Committee’s Draft Plan (reference
p. 23) language made Broadview Avenue improvements the
principal priority:
“…the County will assist the Town of Warrenton in the
effort to find funding through the VDOT 6-Year Improvement
Program for the restructuring of this important element of
U.S. 15/29 (Business). In addition, as represented in
Figure 10-WA-1, the plan proposes the reservation of a
future collector road right-of-way between Routes 211 and
17.”
Due to the public comment from the Gold Cup and Silver Cup
subdivision community regarding Timber Fence Parkway, there
is a demonstrated need to more effectively involve that
community directly into the design of any future link
between Route 211 and Route 17. Just its formal name and
the existing +90 foot r-o-w summon a road not
currently envisioned by these neighborhood residents running
through their community.
As a result, the Planning Commission crafted the following
language be added to this section:
For this future collector, both the
Town and County need to effectively collaborate with the
local and affected neighborhoods in developing a public road
design that: (a) safely and compatibly fits the residential
neighborhood community environment; (b) allows external
roadway linkages; (c) controls vehicular speed with a
variety of traffic calming and management techniques (e.g.,
median and refuge islands, paving treatments, bike path and
landscaping treatments); and (d) ensures a safe and walkable
community for local residents.
Transportation Network (Maps 10-WA-2.1 and 10-WA-2.2).
Chris Mothersead, Director of Planning for the Town of
Warrenton, indicated at the Planning Commission June work
session that the expanded and proposed network represented
in the Draft Plan was consistent with their needs. More
detailed technical work and funding (VDOT and private) would
be needed for its implementation.
Public Sewer and Water Services. The Planning
Commission has included additional maps in the draft plan
representing in parcel detail where Town of Warrenton or WSA
utilities exist or are planned. Enclosed are graphics that
display the availability of public water and public sewer
services. The areas designated as existing Town Sewer or
Water and Authorized Potential Customers are graphically
part of a signed agreement between both the Town of
Warrenton and the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors. The
WSA water supply areas are also similarly marked and have
been noted in the Service District Plan and are part of the
Water and Wastewater Master Plan (Camp Dresser &
McKee; Date: 1997), which was prepared for the WSA and Board
of Supervisors. The maps also identify community wastewater
treatment facilities that will exclusively serve the Raymond
Farm and Warrenton Chase communities and, once permitted,
constructed and operational, will be transferred to WSA for
its ownership, operation and maintenance.
Note that all Planning Commission revisions have been
incorporated within the text of the plan amendment.
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