Supes Vote for Measures to Make JCC Friendlier to Small Businesses

By Desiree Parker Wednesday, February 10, 2010

James City County Supervisors voted on a pair of slight changes to zoning in certain business districts on Tuesday evening. On one of the two votes, like many others having to do with growth, supervisors were split down party lines.

Staff recommended supervisors change some specially permitted uses to permitted ones in two specific business/industrial zoning districts in the county, upon recommendation by a report from the Business Climate Task Force.

Supervisors agreed unanimously to change five special use criteria to permitted ones without much discussion in the general business (B1) district. When it came to changing the limited business (LB) district permitted uses, though, supervisors disagreed (see breakout for details).

Jamestown supervisor John McGlennon, a Democrat, pointed out the special use permit (SUP) process is a way for residents to address any concerns they may have about certain types of new businesses that may affect them. He also had concerns about the idea of “taverns” being permitted, especially if it were a disruptive business, when the county couldn’t control the hours of operation.

Powhatan Supervisor and fellow Democrat James Icenhour agreed that the new allowances offered “no protection for the community” in which one of the permitted business types might go.

Bruce Goodson, Roberts district supervisor and a Republican, said he felt the changes would make things easier on small businesses that find it hard to start up, especially in the current tough economic climate. He pointed out the SUP process takes a long time and is expensive, and landlords as well as business owners don’t like the idea that the SUPs aren’t guaranteed.

“Business people don’t like uncertainty,” said Goodson, an industrial equipment business owner. “Not coming from the business community, you wouldn’t understand,” he told McGlennon, a William and Mary government professor.

Goodson said he wanted the county to be a little friendlier to small business, or those businesses might look to York County instead.

Icenhour proposed making the current SUP process simpler and shorter, and County Administrator Sandy Wanner said that sometimes SUPs can be expedited, as was the case when WalMart first approached the county.

Supervisor Mary Jones, also a Republican, said that SUPs cost $1,000, which is expensive for small business owners watching every penny. She agreed with the idea that fees could be reduced, but said she felt that there was enough control in the permitting process with a staff review of each case.

McGlennon said he might support expedited service in some instances, and he understood that small business owners faced challenges and didn’t like uncertainty, but “homeowners are looking for certainty, too,” on the businesses close to their homes.

He also said SUPs could be problems in transitional areas, and that was why there was an SUP process in the first place.

Supervisors voted 3-2 to approve the change (with the word “taverns” omitted), with McGlennon and Icenhour dissenting.

Other business
Supervisors deferred discussion on a proposed cell tower near Hospice House after the applicant requested deferral again. The public hearing is continued until the March meeting.