Planners OK special events enterprise
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

By a 3-2 vote last week, the Chesterfield Planning Commission recommended approval by the county board of a special use permit for a bed and breakfast and special events business owned by Circuit Court Judge Timothy J. Hauler and his wife.

Commissioners Dan Gecker (Midlothian District), Jack Wilson (Bermuda) and Sherman Litton (Dale) voted for it while Wayne Bass (Matoaca) and Russ Gulley (Clover Hill) opposed.

The deciding factor seemed to be an unannounced visit during an evening event earlier this month to the Woodpecker Road site. Gecker said he and Planning Director Kirk Turner concluded there was "no adverse effect on the neighborhood" during events.

Hauler's business is adjacent to Matoaca High School, and the county has an ordinance that prohibits selling alcohol within 500 feet of the school. However, the ordinance may be rewritten since it apparently allows someone renting Hauler's facilities to get an ABC license to serve alcohol. Gulley called that legal omission "a loophole."

Earlier, Bass proposed a three-year approval with a 50 decibel limit on noise and alcohol not served within 500 feet of the school, but the motion was defeated 3-2. The size of Hauler's tent for special events requires a building permit, according to Bass, which he said the judge had not secured. The case now moves to the board of supervisors.

Last summer, the county used a state police helicopter to videotape guests at an event drinking alcohol within 500 feet of the school.

In other actions:

More homes for Swift Creek

By a 4-1 vote, the planning commission recommended the approval of 484 residences to be built on 220 acres south of the Village of Swift Creek, extending to near Alberta Smith Elementary School.

Developer Robert Sowers is paying full proffers. Transportation Director John McCracken liked the north-south connector road that the developer would pay for, because it would help "alleviate congestion on Hull Street and Bailey Bridge roads." The planning commission supported the rezoning, in part, because it wanted the road improvements paid for by the developer.

Chesterfield continues to wrestle with less state funding for roads and is increasingly turning to developers to improve and build roads.

But, with road funding comes more development. "Can we build our way out of these problems?" Gecker asked philosophically of his fellow commissioners.

Church given leeway

The planning commission gave Woodlake United Methodist Church a financial break and unanimously approved a 24-acre site plan to construct a new sanctuary and other church buildings in the southwest quadrant of Route 360 and Hampton Park Drive. With 1,600 members, the church has outgrown its Woodlake location and needs to build a second location.

It wanted to pay for a 1,200 feet eastbound lane of Route 360 during the fourth phase of its five-phase development, which the county transportation department estimated would cost $300,000 today. Other developers must make road improvements prior to construction.

A compromise allowed the church to add the lane prior to getting an occupancy permit for phase three. Gecker questioned whether the church would ever build the lane.

"Every time we deviate from the long-term [road] plan, we do so at our own peril," he warned.

Citizen activist Andrea Epps reminded commissioners that Route 360 road improvements were "critical...Would we be discussing this [road improvement] if the applicant was not a church?" she asked.

The church will also build a 2,000-foot sidewalk on its frontage with Hampton Park Drive.

Town center approved

The commission unanimously recommended the Watermark Town Center to the county board for final approval. Commissioners were pleased that the neo-traditional town concept was occurring on 112 acres of an infill site off Route 10 north of Route 288.

The development would include 650 cluster residential, townhouse and multifamily housing units up to six stories high. A clubhouse and 220,000 square feet of office and retail is also planned.

Reservoir restaurant denied

The commission followed the advice of the planning department and unanimously denied a recommendation for a restaurant to be built on 4.2 acres in the southwest quadrant of the intersection of Genito and Woolridge roads. The restaurant would backup to the Swift Creek Reservoir.

"A 10,000-square-foot restaurant could generate 1,300 average daily [road] trips," the staff report said.

During the public hearing, five of the six citizens who spoke opposed the rezoning from agriculture to commercial. Several residents complained that Bracey, LLC had not been forthcoming with its plans.