Joint Public Hearing on Special Use Permit for Company Garage at 1305 East Lee Highway (Old Rainbow Autel)
You have in your agenda packet information relating to Mr. Robert Taylor requesting a Special Use Permit (Conditional Use Permit) for placing a garage at 1305 East Lee Highway. The Joint Public Hearing will be held with the Planning Commission on September 8, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
In the packet I enclosed several sheets of documentation. They include the application for the company garage; the sections of the zoning ordinance requiring a Special Use Permit; procedures for obtaining the same; general requirements for evaluation the issuance; the Public Hearing Notice and adjoining property owner notices; and, pertinent sections of the Code of Virginia, as amended. A full packet of information will be sent to you with a cover letter in the packet.
Mr. Taylor has recently contacted me saying that he wants the Public Hearing deferred until the flood plain issue is worked out. As I understand it from his surveyor, the site would have to be raised two feet, nine inches. Mr. Taylor is concerned that that could cause some issues with adjoining property owners. He has inquired if there could be some others methods to address the flood issue as opposed to raising the property. I told him I would have to research that possibility in relation to our ordinance, but could not give him an answer immediately.
I consulted with Town Attorney Paul Cassell about postponing the Hearing. I told him that Public Hearing Notice had already come out in the Smyth County News on August 24 and would again on August 31, at the time of our conversation. He also advised to go ahead and send the required letters to the adjoining property owners. He said that if the Public Hearing for the permit was postponed it would have to be advertised and held again in the future if the permit was to be considered. It is my understanding that the Planning Commission could defer its recommendation, and Council’s approval, until a later date following the formal Public Hearing.
Situation with Solid Waste Towns / County In Lieu of Bristol Landfill Closing
In wanting to keep you posted on the situation with the closure of the Bristol Landfill that Smyth County was taking the solid waste to, I learned more information at the Smyth 12 meeting on August 18. As you recall I have written and spoken to you about this issue since this Summer.
At the Smyth 12 meeting, County Administrator Shawn Utt said the County had signed am “emergency” contract with Echo Smart Landfill in Blountville, Tennessee for a six month period. I believe that the contract began on August 10. I believe Shawn said the landfill is owned by Waste Management, Inc. They will charge the county $35.00 a ton, while the Bristol landfill was charging $17.51. As a result of that increase charge of about $17.49 per ton, and the additional mileage and wait time at the new landfill, the County will be increasing the charges from $56 per ton to $80 per ton, or $24 more.
I had initially told Council that the additional charge Green for Life (GFL) would incur for taking our garbage would be in the $18 range. Now that increase, if completely passed on by contract to the Town, would be in the $24 range. The extra charges would be around $1.50 - $2.00 per can / per customer. At an $18 increase I estimated it would be in the $1.10 - $1.50 range.
While an increase in the aforementioned $1.50- $2.00 range to from GFL to the Town would not be a huge budget issue, in light of the margin of what we are charging now, this is certainly something we would need to visit in fiscal year 2023 -24. Additionally, the County is looking for other landfill alternatives for the long run.
East Lee Highway II Pedestrian Project Bids
Follow the East Lee Highway pedestrian project 14 reports, January 2022 to November 2023
The advertisement for the project was put in both the Bristol Herald Courier and Roanoke Times on August 14. Our engineer Thompson and Litton also placed the contract documents an on-line plan room. The non-mandatory prebid conference was held on 23 and one contractor was present.
As you may recall, one of the delays of the project being bid out was because of an anticipated increase in the project cost. I sent a letter on May 27, 2022 asking for an additional $134,868 for the project. We received that additional funding from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in the 80% amount $107,895, with the Town committing the additional 20% or 26,973.
The bids will be received on September 6, 2022 at 2:00. The construction estimate is $455,217, which is a public record and can be found on the VDOT website. The bid tabs will be presented to Council at the meeting for consideration and approval.
Respectfully Submitted,
John E. B. Clark, Jr.
Town Manager