Town asked to provide water, sewer

By Linwood Outlaw III -- loutlaw@nvdaily.com

FRONT ROYAL -- The Warren County Board of Supervisors is asking town officials to provide water and sewer service to the proposed site for a regional jail being planned with Shenandoah and Rappahannock counties.

The supervisors voted 4-1 at their meeting on Tuesday morning to formally make the request.

The supervisors are considering two parcels totaling 28 acres on U.S. 340-522 in the Cedarville Enterprise Zone as a potential site for the jail. The site is zoned both commercial and industrial. Water service crosses the front of the site along U.S. 340-522, and the town's sewer main crosses the back portion of the property, County Administrator Douglas P. Stanley said.

Shenandoah District Supervisor Richard H. Traczyk voted against the motion. Traczyk said while he supports the concept of a regional jail, he remains displeased with the proposed location for the facility.

Happy Creek District Supervisor Tony F. Carter, however, said the location appears to be the most sufficient among others that were considered. "I don't think any of us are really enthused about the actual location," Carter said. "We've exhausted all other possibilities. ... I don't think we had much choice."

Between six and 12 sites were considered before the panel settled on the current location, Supervisors Chairman Archie A. Fox said.

Moseley Architects officials said water and sewer usage estimates for the jail were based on a final build-out of 623 inmates and 155 staff members. The facility's design has not progressed far enough to determine a final fixture count, but the size of the water line is being proposed "for the worst case scenario, which is fire protection," architects say in a letter forwarded to Stanley. A planning study for the regional jail proposes tying into the existing 12-inch water main along U.S. 340/522 and 10-inch sanitary sewer line.

Also on Tuesday, the supervisors:

* Approved the extension of the lease agreement submitted by the Front Royal Cardinals for the operation of the concession stand at Bing Crosby Stadium for the 2010 baseball season in the amount of $2,100.

* Agreed to advertise a public hearing on proposed ordinance changes to set maximum allowable heights for temporary real estate signs in residential and other districts; maximum area and height of monument signs for buildings with 80 feet of frontage or less; and maximum wall coverage of wall signs. Under the proposed ordinance, no more than two special sales event signs announcing promotions, grand openings, new management, going-out-of-business sales or similar events will be allowed upon issuance of a permit.

A maximum size of 16 square feet and 6 feet in height is being proposed for signs at buildings with 80 feet frontage or less.