After hearing from the public on several cases Tuesday night, the James City County Board of Supervisors approved new regulations and zoning restrictions for pawn shops, an addition to the Shops at Carolina Furniture and proposed amendments to landscaping regulations.
The board also considered issuing bonds for WindsorMeade debt restructuring, requesting an extension on the county’s bond authority for acquiring greenspace and preserving lands, and awarded two contracts for a new tax software system and a Longhill Road corridor study.
Pawn Shops
Pawn shops will now be specially permitted uses only in general industrial and limited business and industrial districts following a unanimous vote by the board.
The general industrial district is primarily “for industrial operations which are not compatible with residential or commercial service establishments,” such as equipment storage yards and indoor sports facilities. The limited business and industrial district is for businesses not compatible with locations near residential developments, such as printing services and lumber supply businesses.
The Planning Commission Policy Committee worked with staff to write zoning regulations for pawn shops and payday and title lenders. Making the businesses specially permitted uses gives the county a better ability to regulate where the businesses locate and how many open in the county.
Shops at Carolina Furniture
A special use permit for up to a 5,000-square-foot addition and minor repairs was approved for the Shops at Carolina Furniture on a unanimous vote.
Owner Joseph Steele II also plans to put an 18th-century façade on the entire building and update the roof.
Steele owns two adjacent pieces of property where Carolina Furniture is located: one along Richmond Road and one farther from the road. The two lots are separated by the Moose Lodge but are connected by a strip of land; they would need to be merged to create an appropriately sized buffer under current county ordinances. County staff recommended the two properties be joined by eliminating the property line.
Steele has entered into a signed contract with the Moose Lodge owner to share the lodge’s parking spaces. County regulations would require Carolina Furniture to have 132 parking spaces once it expands, and the contract with the lodges makes 183 spaces available.
Landscaping Amendments
Amendments will be made to the county’s landscaping requirements in an effort to cut down on overplanting as a result of a unanimous vote.
In addition to preventing overplanting, the amendments also redefine “enhanced landscaping” to include ornamental fencing, public art, hardscapes and other items in place of too many trees or bushes.
WindsorMeade
On a 3-2 vote, with Stonehouse Supervisor Jim Kennedy and Berkeley Supervisor Mary Jones opposed, a resolution was approved to issue bonds to Virginia United Methodist Homes of Williamsburg Inc. for WindsorMeade in an amount not to exceed $50 million.
Jones was concerned issuing bonds to a company unable to make payments would affect the Economic Development Authority’s ability to issue future bonds and could potentially affect the county. Attorney Lisa Williams of McGuireWoods, who serves as bond counsel for the county, said neither the county nor the EDA would be affected if the bonds could not be repaid, but she could not quell Jones’ concerns. Jones said she did not feel right about voting to approve the bonds, despite caring about the citizens who live in WindsorMeade and feeling sorry over the current circumstances.
Approval of the resolution was supported by the James City County Economic Development Authority following its adoption of an approving resolution at its March 14 meeting.
The bonds are a part of restructuring debt associated with WindsorMeade.
Bond Authority
The board will seek a two-year extension of its General Obligation bond authority to acquire greenspace and preserve land in the county following a 3-2 vote, with Kennedy and Jones opposed.
In 2005, voters approved a ballot question allowing the county to issue General Obligation bonds in an amount up to $20 million to purchase and preserve land. In December 2006, $6 million in bonds were used to acquire the Jamestown Beach Campground and Jamestown Yacht Basin properties. No additional funds have been used to date, despite $14 million in bonds remaining.
The county was granted an eight-year period to use the $20 million, which expires Nov. 7. The two-year extension will give the board until Nov. 7, 2015, to issue the remaining $14 million if it sees fit to do so.
Tax Software System
PCI, LLC was awarded a $650,000 contract to purchase a new Integrated Tax Revenue Software System to upgrade the current tax and revenue collection system on a unanimous vote.
The current system is 18 years old and cannot be upgraded or maintained, according to a staff memo to the board. The new system would be simpler, easier for county staff and more citizen-friendly.
The funds to purchase the system were allocated in the fiscal year 2013 Capital Improvements Program budget. Additional funds are anticipated for implementing the system and proposed fiscal year 2014 budget includes those necessary funds.
Longhill Road Corridor Study
The board voted unanimously to approve a $229,900 contract award to Kimley-Horn and Associates for a corridor study of Longhill Road.
In July last year, the board approved a resolution to appropriate $500,000 to the Special Projects Fund to pay for the corridor study and to give County Administrator Robert Middaugh the authority to administer a Local Project Administration Agreement between the county and the Virginia Department of Transportation. The funds for the project came from Federal Regional Surface Transportation funds through the Hampton Roads Transportation Organization; $300,000 was allocated in fiscal year 2012 and $200,000 was allocated in fiscal year 2013. Because the funds were federal aid, the LPA agreement was necessary.
Longhill Road was identified by the board as the top priority in the county’s Secondary Six Year Plan, according to a staff memo to the board from July 2012. The memo also explains traffic volumes on Longhill Road between Route 199 and Centerville Road were approaching 18,000 trips daily.
The corridor study will focus on all aspects of transportation on the section of Longhill Road between Route 199 and Olde Towne Road, including buses, bicycles, pedestrians and cars. The six-year plan identifies the potential to widen the section of the road from two to four lanes. Whether a complete street with multiple bus pull-offs and bicycle and pedestrian right-of-ways will be examined, as well.
