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I’m here at the Louisa Town Council meeting tonight where council will hold a public hearing re: a special use permit: Louisa County, the applicant, want to move the Louisa Registrar’s office to the Henson Building, a county-owned property in a largely residential neighborhood.
I grew up in the Town of Louisa and I think this is the first council meeting I’ve ever attended. Here’s the agenda. I’m interested in the special use permit and will share highlights re: that item. https://www.louisatown.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/November-17-TC-Agenda.pdf
This is a joint meeting between council & town planning commission. Jeff Ferrel, County’s rep, is now presenting re: special use permit to move registrar’s office to Henson Building.
Ferrel notes that the building was first built as Girl Scouts house then used as a public library. It is now used by Girl Scouts, Louisa Parks & Rec etc.
Ferrel notes that the county wants to use this building for the office of general registrar, which currently employs two but might expand to 3, plus voting equipment. This would also serve as early voting site.
Ferrel suggests that early voting at the site would be light? I think he said one to two voters a day but it’s possible I misheard. I believe Louisa averaged several hundred early voters a day during the 2020 cycle, the first year of no excuse early & absentee voting.
Ferrel says the parking lot, which is small, would be reconfigured. They are working on boundary line adjustment with adjacent property owner. He says this building would provide more space for registrar and storage for voting equipment.
He suggests traffic would decrease from current use. He says the registrar only has a couple employees and gets a visitor or two a day. Is he not aware of early voting numbers? Why is the parking lot being reconfigured if visits will decrease?
He says the county will use CARES funding for this project. He says the county will accommodate those currently using the building.
Public hearing re SUP: First speaker who lives next door opposes. She wants the street kept residential. She is worried about speed limit & her property value.
Next speaker is a Girl Scout leader. Her scouts meet at the Henson Building. It was built in 1938 for the Scouts, she says. She loves the building and wants it to continue with this use.
During his presentation, Ferrel noted that the move would help Louisa County navigate Covid and its been suggested the move could be temporary. Still, no guarantees on that.
Next speaker opposes. She notes the huge turnout for early voting in Louisa. She wants to keep the building registrar’s office. Next speaker does yoga in the building. She says it’s a beautiful building and doesn’t want it used as office space.
Email submissions now being read. First emailer opposes. She too does yoga in building. Owners of Boxley Place Inn oppose. They want the neighborhood to stay as is. Two more emailers oppose.
Another emailer opposes. She does yoga in the building as well. So far, no commenter supports this project.
Next speaker says she worked at the early voting site this year. It was very busy. She doesn’t believe parking is adequate. She thinks it presents safety concerns. Public hearing closed. Planners now asking Ferrel questions.
Planner asks Ferrel about flow of traffic in and out of lot during busy times. She is worried about emergency vehicle access. Ferrel says EV was busy because it was a presidential year. Those #s will go down in non prez year. He also says EV only takes place 15 percent of yr.
He says EV would likely attract only a couple voters a day during non prez year. He says even in 40 voters a day visited parking lot could accommodate. He says the county could use another satellite EV site during presidential year. (This does not sound like a temporary move.)
I’m not certain on this but pretty sure that the registrar’s office must provide early voting. Even if a satellite was used during prez years, the Henson Building would likely still be a popular EV site.
Ferrel says that even if SUP is denied for registrar’s office does not mean that yoga and Girl Scouts will stay. He says county needs to get most “bang for its buck” re: Henson Building.
Another planner doesn’t see how the use county proposes benefits town. She is not a fan of Jeff Ferrel...says he is only here because “it’s required” and he’s not “working for the people.”
An audience member asks about lighting outside building. Ferrel says lights would be on building but not erected in parting lot. He says the registrar’s office closes at 4:30. Planner asks Ferrel if this move would be temporary. He can’t commit to temporary use.
Public Hearing closed. Planners now discussing.
Planners unanimously recommend denial of SUP. Town Council now discussing. Only one vocal council member. He says moving the registrar’s office doesn’t make much sense to him. He calls it a “remote” location. He wants the Henson Building to be used as a recreation site.
So continue with current type of uses. He doesn’t support the SUP but would be willing to table. He notes no one can find the current SUP that allows current uses. He’d like more research. Another council member sees no point in tabling.
This property is in town’s general residential zoning but possibly existed pre-zoning. Ferrel won’t commit to continued current uses. He again notes that county is spending money on the building, needs to maximize use.
Motion on the floor to deny SUP. Passes unanimously. SUP is denied.
