Supervisors considered zoning changes on 3 items

The Board of Supervisors heard three petitions for proposed changes to the county’s zoning ordinance during the January 25, 2022 meeting.

Two of the petitions received the nod from the supervisors. They head for the Planning Commission, which will review the proposals and either recommend denial or approval to the Board of Supervisors.

The Supervisors denied a third petition.

One of the requests that would move forward came from Matthew Snare and AAA Entertainment, Inc. The business is currently located in Roanoke City and the applicant wants to move it to Botetourt County. The new land use category of “Equipment Rental and Leasing” as a by-right use in the Business (B-2) Use District would allow for construction of a new facility to operate a business that rents party supplies and recreational equipment. The planning commission will make a recommendation to the Board at a future date.

Another approved request was for a new land use category of “Donation Collection Center” as a by-right use in Business (B-3) Use Districts. Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, Inc., indicated in information supplied to the Supervisors that the company would like to take the empty Carter Trust Bank building in Blue Ridge and turn it into an attended donation center. The .77 acre property is already zoned B-3, which is a business use designed for heavy commercial activities. The Planning Commission will take up this proposal at a future date.

The supervisors denied a request from Jonathon Wolford for a new land use category of “Storage Building Display and Sales” as a by-right use in the Business (B-2) Use District. Staff told the Supervisors that while there is no use in the county’s zoning ordinance that specifically permits the display and sale of storage buildings, Staff had previously determined such uses fell under the land use “Automobile, truck, trailer, motorcycle, RV, modular and mobile homes sales and rental” use that is allowed as a permitted use in the Business (B-3) Use District.

Business (B-2) Use Districts are designed for community shopping and service businesses. Staff told the supervisors that the requested use was not compatible with the intent and design of the B-2 district. The Board followed staff recommendations in denying the application.

                                                                                          — Anita Firebaugh, Special to The Botetourt Bee