Recommend This StoryRezoning may allow planned neighborhood
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By Joe Beck -- jbeck@nvdaily.com
FRONT ROYAL -- A rezoning for a large planned neighborhood in the Leach Run area inched closer to completion Monday when the Town Council informally agreed to tentatively schedule a public hearing for the project.
Town Manager Steven M. Burke set a date of Feb. 27 for the public hearing for the Swan Estates project owned by Heptad LLC.
The rezoning has been almost seven years in the making. If approved, the development will cover close to 100 acres in the area formerly known as Swan Farm.
Swan Estates representatives explained new proffers submitted last year to the Planning Commission that contain more than $7 million -- $4 million of it going to the town for construction of part of the Leach Run Parkway and the rest going to the county for schools and social services.
The proposed development would carry a density of more than 41/2 units per acre covering about 55 acres with another 43 acres of open space, most of it reserved as conservation land.
The 43 acres of open space is up from the 25 acres called for in an earlier version of the project.
The housing units will consist of 37 single family units, 112 townhouses and 252 multi-family units.
The public hearing date is subject to rescheduling depending on how the Virginia Department of Transportation responds to a revised traffic impact statement requested by the developers.
Jeremy Camp, director of planning and zoning, said he "didn't see any huge problems" to VDOT's comments about the project but still wanted to see the agency's reaction before proceeding with the public hearing.
However, Heptad representatives at the meeting persuaded Burke and town council members to go ahead with the hearing unless they hear specific objections from VDOT.
In another matter, Burke, at the urging of Mayor Timothy W. Darr, agreed to report back with some ideas for expanding the hours when people can pay their bills at the town utility office, which currently closes at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Kim Gilkey-Breeden, director of finance, said she faced several obstacles to adding hours, most of them related to a lack of staff and money to pay for overtime.
"I've heard about all the problems here, but I haven't heard any solutions," Darr said, adding he was still troubled by the difficulty some citizens are having in paying their bills.
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Kim Gilkey-Breeden, director of finance, said she faced several obstacles to adding hours, most of them related to a lack of staff and money to pay for overtime.
"I've heard about all the problems here, but I haven't heard any solutions," Darr said, adding he was still troubled by the difficulty some citizens are having in paying their bills.
Why is it not possible to have one employee start thier work day later, so they can stay until 6 pm? Ms. Gil-Key Breeden could implement a rotating fixed late shift for her employees, that would require an employee to spend one or two week(s) on a late shift (staying until 6 pm), then it would rotate to another employee for the same period.
Many employers utilize these fixed shifts as necessary to meet customer's needs, and still maintain HR hiring limits.