Veterinarian Clinic Gets Permit
Published 5:09 pm Thursday, November 29, 2012
BUCKINGHAM – A new veterinarian clinic for small and large animals received a green light from the board of supervisors during its November meeting.
After a public hearing on a special use permit request by Dr. Bryan Auten to operate the clinic on approximately 50 acres off Route 665 at 809 Twin Creek Road, the board, with a motion by Supervisor Bill Talbert, gave its unanimous approval.
Prior to the hearing, Zoning Administrator Rebecca Cobb provided an overview of the SUP request.
She said the planning commission held its hearing on the SUP request during its September 24 meeting. At that time, one person spoke with concerns about the business turning into a boarding facility and its visibility along the property line.
Cobb advised supervisors that the commission was recommending approval of the SUP with conditions.
After Chairman Monroe Snoddy opened the hearing, Eddie Slagle was the only speaker to the podium.
He began by sharing that his reason for speaking was a little bit selfish because he has horses.
“As you know we lost, to my knowledge, the only small animal veterinarian that we had to an adjoining county,” stated Slagle. “And, I think what Dr. Auten has planned is something that is really going to be beneficial to the county.” He noted that Auten would be treating both small and large animals.
Sharing that he has talked with Auten about his plans, Slagle stated, “It is something that the horse community around here and I'm sure that the small animal community would really appreciate.”
Slagle concluded, “I am glad to see a new business locate into Buckingham County. He added, “And, I hope it is the board's pleasure to approve this and we can get this started and we don't have to travel out of the county to take care of our animals' needs anymore.”
In another unanimous vote, supervisors approved a rezoning request from Ian Jackson, of I&J Home Builders, to rezone approximately 120 acres off Route 665, Twin Creek Road, from Agricultural, A-1, to Residential Planned Unit Development, RPUD.
Jackson, who has been working with the planning commission and zoning administrator for more than a year regarding this request, sought the rezoning to construct a 44-unit development with plans for single story homes and townhouses.
Cobb advised that she and Jackson met with VDOT personnel regarding the commercial entrance and existing road. She said VDOT personnel walked the current road with them and pointed out the issues that need to be corrected.
Some of those issues must be completed to satisfy insurance standards of a commercial entrance for a subdivision, explained Cobb. She noted that Jackson wants to wait until spring to do that work.
In addition to the conditions vetted by the commission, Cobb said she would like to include the condition that the road, which is currently named Windsor Place and enters into and leads through Phase I of the Tudor Place Subdivision, be completed and accepted by VDOT prior to the issuance of the first building permit for the RPUD.
Jackson shared that he was agreeable with the added condition.
Subsequently, Supervisor Cassandra Stish moved to approve the rezoning as proposed by the planning commission and Cobb.
After the board's unanimous vote supporting the rezoning, County Administrator Rebecca Carter offered, “This is the county's first RPUD.”
Following a round of applause, Stish thanked Jackson for his patience while working with the planning commission and supervisors.
Jackson offered, “This will be a development that we all can be proud of.”
Moving on to several goals the board agreed upon as a result of its recent work sessions, Chairman Snoddy addressed the issue of establishing and appointing a Business Growth Taskforce, which during the October meeting he asked to bring back in November.
“I've looked at that and it looks like to me that we have everything we need in place there,” said Snoddy. He offered that the county has its Industrial Development Authority, the county administrator, assistant county administrator, and zoning and planning administrator. “I can't see why we need it, if I'm looking at it right,” he added.
Continuing, the chairman said he felt the same way about the next item on the agenda, establishing and appointing a Broadband/Internet Taskforce.
“You have Jamie. I guess you couldn't get any better,” stated Snoddy, referencing Jamie Shumaker, the county's IT manager.
Stish reminded that the formation of the taskforces was an outcome of the board's goal setting for the county.
Noting that the taskforces/committees would include county personnel as well as citizens, Stish said that the board felt the committees would offer resources within the community that would help enhance what the staff provides.
Specifically addressing broadband, Stish offered, “That is highly specialized and requires a large amount of resources, connections, networking, grant writing, brainstorming, regional planning. There is a lot that is involved there.”
Supervisor Joe Chambers questioned, “So what you are saying is that we don't have qualified people to do this?”
Stish responded, “No sir. That is not what I am saying.” She stated, “I'm saying that the staff would appreciate the guidance and input from this board.”
Continuing, Stish shared, “We are charged with setting a vision and a pace and we are also charged with finding the correct resources from within the community to help the staff to enhance their job and their performance.”
Talbert interjected, “Mr. Chairman, this was put to you to make a decision. I respect your decision and I support your decision.”
He stated that the board needed to realize that the county administrator serves as an ex officio for every committee. “If you have ten different committees, she's got to serve on everyone of them,” shared Talbert, adding that both the county administrator and the assistant administrator are doing an excellent job with the work at-hand.
“So let's move on. You've made your decision Mr. Chairman and I support it,” stated Talbert.
After thanking Talbert, Snoddy moved on to the next item on the agenda.
With delinquent taxes for the year 2009 and back totaling $493,162.90, supervisors agreed to advertise that delinquent taxpayers have 30-days to contact the treasurer's office and pay their taxes or their names will be published in the newspaper.
The board agreed to advertise the 30-day notice in the newspaper. Then, after the 30-day period, a list of all delinquent taxpayers through 2009 will be published.
Supervisors accepted the low bid of $4,900 from Pearson Construction, Inc. to replace piping in the dam area of the pond at Gene Dixon Sr. Memorial Park.
Installed in the early 1970s, the pond is leaking because the current piping has rusted and is beginning to collapse.
Concurring with a request from Margaret Thomas, Buckingham Registrar, supervisors approved appropriating the $10,000 received in response to a grant Thomas applied for and received from the State Board of Elections for two optical scan voting machines.
According to Thomas, the voting machines will be used for the county's Central Absentee Precinct.
Chambers led with a successful motion to give employees a three percent bonus, the same as they received last year.
Supervisors unanimously supported appropriating $1,000 to pay the Commonwealth Regional Council for assisting the Buckingham Public Library with a grant application to the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation.
The library is seeking the funding to pay for the completion of the schematic design for the new library.
The board, with a motion by Chambers, unanimously concurred with a recommendation from its engineers to award the bid for the Courthouse Streetscape project to JIREH Construction Company, which submitted the low bid of $166,556.
However, because the low bidder's total bid was higher than the project budget, the engineers recommended award of the contract excluding Additive Bid Item No. 8. With that change, the bid award would be for $145,476.
The contract is contingent upon approval from VDOT, which oversees the Transportation Enhancement Grant that is funding the project.
In conjunction with the board's goal setting initiative, supervisors accepted a proposal from Robinson, Farmer and Cox for a five-year comprehensive financial forecast at a cost not to exceed $12,500.
Carter explained that with the forecast, which will include various scenarios based on those goals, the upcoming reassessment, and other circumstances, the board would be in a better position to carry out its goals while meeting the county's ongoing fiscal responsibilities and obligations.
With winter approaching, the board awarded contracts for snow removal for the 2012/13 season to Myer's Hauling with a bid of $7,000 for the courthouse area and $3,000 for the county's solid waste sites.
Supervisors agreed with its personnel committee that employees receive extra time off for the holidays. With the revised schedule, the county administration office was closed on Wednesday, November 21; and will be closed December 26, and, January 2.
