Planning Commission Regular Meeting   8/25/2026

We are now live.

Madam Clerk?

Mr. Clayborne?

Here.

Mr. Murray?

Here.

Mr. Moore?

Here.

I have Mr. Carrazana and Ms. King are not here right now.

Mr. Williamson.

It's good to be with you in person.

Welcome.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

We have a motion to approve those minutes.

So moved.

All right, we can call the roll, please.

Ms. Firehock?

Aye.

Mr. Clayborne?

Aye.

Ms. Brown?

Aye.

Thank you.

May we have the staff report?

I'd be happy to revisit any slides and take any questions that the commission may have.

No questions.

I was just wondering if the, thank you for the presentation, just if the special exception applications were also going to be, is that

They were included in the presentation just for the information.

Yeah.

Yeah, so the vehicle access aisles, and you said it was one of the special exceptions, correct?

Yeah.

without a special exception granted by the Board of Supervisors, which is what they are applying for.

So this may be a little more than 10%.

That's what I gathered.

I just kind of want to double check the, thank you.

Mr. Perry.

Yeah, the Secretary of State wrote right now, that's unpaved, correct?

It is paved.

That section is paved?

It's a paved public road maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation.

I think you are correct that there is a section of Secretary Sand, but I think it would be Old Sand Road.

Old Sand.

So that's much farther to the south than this property.

Okay, thank you.

So could you talk a little bit about how you guys came up with that range?

Thank you.

So I didn't realize that the county has an ordinance that talks about quiet hours and has a set time for those.

And that's consistent with what the condition is.

But the planning commission could determine that a earlier quiet hour was appropriate.

Yes, it would just be a modification of the condition.

But we'll leave that for now.

Commissioner Firehock, the commission would just need to be able to find that it was mitigating an impact of the special permit being requested.

Mr. Shimp.

I'm only going to speak for a moment, let them come up and tell you a little bit about their vision for the property and how they came to the site.

But let me go through a couple slides here.

And I'll be happy to answer any questions, technical nature that may arise.

Can I just please state your name and location in the county?

We live in Northern Virginia right now, but we own the property in question.

Is that sufficient for that part?

So thank you for your consideration of the project.

I have one or two, but anyone else?

And I just wondered how that impacts yoga classes.

You're welcome.

Any questions?

So what measures do you plan to take to prevent erosion, given the steepness of the gravel driveway that's being proposed?

So those are the things we take into consideration, not at this point typically, but because it's a site plan, all the drainage gets reviewed at that stage, basically.

Thank you.

Is that the intention?

Well, I think there was a note in the staff report about there's actually a rule about fires in this particular special use permit, and you all maybe can clarify that better than I can.

So does the answer yes or?

of the

Does there need to be a condition around complying with seasonal burn bans and droughts or does that not matter since this isn't a traditional campground?

Thank you.

I'm trying to get a sense of the rhythm of visitation to your site and the numbers of people.

That's essentially the idea.

Do you have a sense of like, if you're wildly successful, let's say you are, what's the sort of visitation that you expect to be coming and going from your site if you were sort of at your dream capacity?

in accordance with the VDOT and other things.

It's just really just quiet.

And that's not preferred being able to have a space where they can enjoy the calm is what we're looking for and why we bought the property.

Anyone wants to comment on this particular proposal for the yoga center?

Is there anyone online to comment?

So I'm sure there will be a demand for this in addition to those stressed out Charlottesvilleians.

Well, what I was thinking also is that and I certainly hope the business does very well, but even if it doesn't, what we're leaving behind is essentially one large house that won't go to waste.

Is there a second?

Second.

Ms. King?

Mr. Clayborne?

Aye.

Mr. Murray?

Aye.

Mr. Moore?

Aye.

Thank you.

Give the staff a moment to get ready.

Thank you all for

So if anyone needs to go to the beach for a minute, go ahead.

That's crossing town.

We all need yoga.

Thank you all.

We'll have the staff report now.

At this point, I am happy to revisit any slides and take any questions that the commissioners may have.

I don't have any questions for staff.

Could you talk a little bit about how traffic would be controlled coming into the site and out of the site for those large events of 150 folks?

Thank you.

as there have been any discussions about offering a couple extra feet of pavement so that when cars are going down that road, they have a little space to pass a bike or two because bikes are there now, a lot of bikes every day.

So far, it has not been considered as part of the proposal.

And if a turn lane is required by VDOT's study, does that factor into changing the character of the area?

And if it's not required, then of course no change occurs.

Are you saying that they're offering classes that are not strictly, what would be usual and customary versus not just for the benefit of the audiences?

So that's not related to the agricultural use of the property and therefore would not be deemed usual and customary.

Would that put them in a different category and they would not need to be here tonight?

And all of those events regulated by that section are not being considered as part of this proposal and would be reviewed on their own merits under that section.

Right, but it wouldn't come to the Planning Commission for hearing.

There are certain, I will say, there are certain criterion that do require a special use permit under 5-158, but these listed here would not come to the Planning Commission, no.

Can you elaborate a little bit more on your finding of no substantial detriment, like how you came to that, what you look at?

And because of the conditions that we've authored to limit those things, we believe that with those conditions, there would be no substantial detriment to adjoining properties.

I think my fellow commissioner has a question.

Or I'm talking both things.

and per staff's analysis that would be a limit on the events that they could have under section 5143 and would be in addition to events that could be had under 5158.

So 24 non-customary plus they could potentially have additional agricultural events that were customary.

You can state your name, your general location of residence, and you will also get the lights coming on, but you have more time than three minutes.

Thanks.

Don't worry.

Hi, everyone.

Let me just scroll through so you can see the last slides.

This shows just about out of time.

Thank you so much.

You can stay here because this is the period where we ask questions to the applicant.

A number of people if you look at it from the maximum.

But we're flexible to the advice of obviously this body and what you

They still have access to the rights given by the special use permit, which might not be as responsible and respectful as you all plan.

Thank you.

Why limit your events to 150 when it sounds like a wonderful place that a lot of people might enjoy?

And we really come here as your neighbor.

I've heard a number of facilities in sort of that part of the county that talk about being open to the public and being accessible and it kind of, they say that and it doesn't always feel that way and I was just wondering what you had in mind in terms of making it available to people.

So we know it's a wide kind of dynamic proposal, but we really think this is going to serve as a place where folks love to be and not love to be loud and not love to be late, but just love to be.

Thanks.

Would you be willing to scratch out some of these, like, eliminate weddings as a use?

It's not the business that we want to be in for a million different reasons.

I don't know if you considered any ways to provide a safe place for bikes to be passed in that area or other ways to make your little segment a little safer for cyclists on this national bike route.

So yes, we would be happy to be in conversation with VDOT and any measures they think would improve bicycle safety and also just automotive safety, both.

So, you know, absent, you know, an actual bike lane or an actual more formalized thing, just adding more paved, you know, shoulder there might be a really great thing that you could do, especially if you could get, took me a four feet or something like that.

I think, Eric, if there's any technical side to speak to that or?

You would have to come to the microphone and stay true.

Thanks.

And so I just want to preface that VDOT has not given us that final answer, but it's possible.

that would require a special use permit.

Thank you.

That was one of my questions.

So yes, and products for sale as well.

And there's a kitchen in the building, I'm assuming, since you've talked quite a bit about.

and one has the kitchen functionality, which we think will work really well, especially with dinners and things like that being a real goal of ours.

And if you had events that had an outdoor tent, an open tent, would that be a permanent structure or temporary?

But regardless, far enough back that no one is going to see it from the road with the level of screening and grade change.

You'll have a chance to come back up after we hear from the public.

Thank you so much.

Watch the lights, and when it gets to red, you're done.

I worry about that.

So thank you very much for listening.

Thank you.

Yes, we're recording this, so it's important she can hear you too.

Thank you.

So thank you.

The next three people we have signed up are Nancy Lauer, John Lauer, Meredith Wu.

So thank you.

OK. Meredith Wu is not here, I assume.

Thank you.

Next on deck, we have Bray Morgan, Zachary Miller, and Richard Fox II.

I think we're potentially creating a mitigated disaster and I oppose it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, the last three people I have signed up on the sign-in sheet are Steven Dunstan, Kyle McCrary, and Maury Carr.

Thank you.

I hope we can welcome and support this project moving forward.

Thank you.

I'm aware of the safety concerns and I have full respect for those and again think that is an issue we need to take on as a county together but I just think what a gem of a human and what a gem of a neighbor so thanks for the chance to say that.

and state your name and residence.

Thank you.

Just come on up.

Thank you.

I think I have another gentleman to come up.

Thank you.

OK, with that, the applicant has a chance to come back up and respond to any comments they heard.

Thank you.

Pardon?

Take a break.

So we'll take a five minute recess and we'll resume at 8 10.

We're live again.

But anyway, who'd like to go first to talk about your impressions and

Well, I actually wondered if I could get a clarifying question again from staff.

Absolutely.

Just because I think we've got the agricultural events, the farm events that are allowed by right.

They will happen anyway.

Yeah, that could just happen, right?

Yes, those would fall under 5158, generally speaking, the examples you're giving.

I do, I think probably several of us have a similar idea about the friendly amendment to condition two just to add weddings are not permitted, but.

Well, I have our legal counsel weigh in on that and your ability to change zoning.

provide a condition excluding events that are already defined as events allowed as special events in the zoning ordinance.

So if you thought that impacts to traffic and noise and whatnot would be too much at the current number of events that's in the application?

If there is a reasonable relation to the impact that it may cause, there could be a condition to restrict or limit that.

Thanks for the clarification.

She has comments she'd like to make.

A wonderful project, I have no problems with it.

Other perspectives or comments?

So those are the things I would like to discuss.

We could decide to limit the number of events, but also the number of people per event as well.

The commission could make a recommendation that if they wanted to recommend approval, but with the condition that it's limited to X number of events and X number of attendees per event, you could, that could be part of your recommendation.

Go ahead.

So I don't really know that I find it like substantially different if they're just like watching a film instead of, you know, learning about botanicals.

We don't have, this commission does not have a lot of power to substantively limit the amount of visitors and activities at this.

That's exactly what I understand.

I mean, I don't know that the number of people, if we allow 200 people by right to do an ag-related thing, allowing 150 people to do something that's less ag-related doesn't feel like it.

And then if you say they can also, if you just go with the application as stated, then you're doubling the number of events they can have.

You're not having 50 events that are weddings.

Maybe it doesn't, but I think we ought to discuss that.

That's the thing that we could strike, correct?

If the Commission finds there's an impact that needs to be addressed, yes.

the total number of events and acquire when you add it to the agricultural events that can already occur when you maximize both those things together not saying the applicant would do that but some future person certainly could do that and I've been in Albemarle County long enough to see properties do change hands and you know there's loopholes that occur when people inherit a property that has that you know some additional use so

You wanted to make a point, I think.

But I feel like there's probably a lot of room for you to accomplish what you want to do with a lower number of events under the special use permit.

Okay, so back to us, we're the ones who have to make the recommendation.

So if we say we want to limit it to 12, they still get to go before the Board of Supervisors and the Board of Supervisors will say, well, no, they should be higher or lower and some argument could be made, right?

Correct.

I mean, I would like to see some limitation on outdoor amplified music.

I would simply say no outdoor amplified music.

No outdoor amplified music.

What do other commissioners think?

I don't know why, based on vibes, we would want to limit necessarily the economic viability of what seems like a good business proposal.

in the general area.

So I wouldn't feel comfortable asking them to restrict that.

And so.

I just want to quickly say that I don't think that water is a factor because they're going to be on a well.

That's very much a factor.

And they're going to have port-a-johns for the big events.

So it's not unlimited.

It's actually less impactful than the two houses.

But I'd like to see if we can get to a motion to let these good people get on with their lives and prepare for the next step of the process.

So might I suggest that we propose the conditions and let them be voted up or down?

You can make a motion to deny.

Yes.

and then somebody could also make a motion for a friendly amendment to the conditions and we can also go from there.

Is that what you were asking?

We would simply, we can discuss more what the conditions might be.

What she said.

Does the commission also recommend the other conditions as recommended in the staff report?

Thank you.

Is there a second?

I'll second just to move us along.

So the way you stated the condition was that 150 or less for no more than 12 events, does that mean they can not have more than 12 events?

Because, I mean, there's definitely a number where I don't care.

Do you mean like an event for 60 people?

Yeah, between, there we go, we can say 60 to 150 people.

We can't give a range, you're either capping it or you're not.

I think it has to be one or the other.

I would lean in closer to eight

Effectively limiting weddings in the future because you're not going to have very many weddings of only 65 people.

It's been he Yes, go ahead and withdraw the motion.

Yeah, I'll withdraw the motion.

I was wondering if we can talk about that a little bit more, like the thinking behind that.

Now, that's why I initially said amplified music only during the daytime.