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Topic Description:
Proposed
Amendment
Proposes to substitute the applicant in lieu of
County staff for the posting of property subject to public
hearings for specific land use categories.
Summary analysis:
At
present, the Zoning Ordinance requires the County staff to post
properties subject to public hearings scheduled for specific
application categories, such as rezoning, special exception,
special permit, and variances, as well as appeals.
These cases occur before the Board of Supervisors, the
Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.
The property posting and public notices have specific
Zoning Ordinance and Virginia Code requirements and timelines,
which must be met.
The actual field
posting at the affected case site is time consuming as well as an
outdated and inefficient use of staff time.
Two surrounding communities, Loudoun and Prince William
Counties, require the applicants to post their properties for
applications requiring Planning Commission, Board of Zoning
Appeals and Board of Supervisors public hearing and action.
This amendment proposes to substitute the applicant in lieu
of County staff for posting the property.
The Department of Community Development will provide the
prepared signs with the requisite information regarding the
proposed application and its public hearing.
Note that the applicant will be responsible for posting
pursuant to the requirements identified in the proposed text
amendment included as Attachment 1.
The Department will continue to provide the written public
notices to the adjoining property owners regarding the public
hearings or action.
If the Board of
Supervisors wishes to approve the proposed text amendment, staff
recommends the new regulation become effective January 1, 2003 to
allow a smooth transition. That
transition will include notifying local attorneys, engineering and
consulting firms of the change, plus the creation of instructional
pamphlets to aid applicants and their representatives in the
proper placement of the posters.
All recommended
revisions are noted in the attached proposed Ordinance as either
underlined or strikethrough for ease of reference.
There are also Virginia Code references, which were updated
due to legislative actions (i.e., 15.1-431 is now 15.2-2204).
Even though the
Department will continue to require its designated project planner
to complete site visits to understand any land development
application proposal, become familiar with the adjoining
properties and road network, this text amendment will save staff
time which can be better allocated toward project analysis,
coordination and other assignments.
Planning
Commission Action:
The
Fauquier County Planning Commission held a public hearing on this
proposed text amendment on September 26, 2002 and voted to
recommend approval.
The Board of
Supervisors may want to use this opportunity to change the color
for Board public hearing posters to a lighter background.
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