Government Briefs

Storage Business Recommended

The long-vacant former Loughheads building supply store at Natural Bridge Station is being eyed as a location for a storage business and perhaps other enterprises. Kenneth A. Watkins has applied for a special exception permit to establish Cave Mountain Mini Storage there at 1467 Wert Faulkner Highway.

Watkins wants to use a portion of the existing building for his storage business. The remaining portion is to be used as office space for the storage facility as well as Watkins’s existing Cave Mountain Construction business and, potentially, for office space for a camper and recreational vehicle service/repair business.

An existing warehouse to the east would house the repair business. Office spaces and repair businesses are permitted uses in the general business (B-1) district, which the property is zoned. Only the storage business requires a special exception permit.

Watkins told the Rockbridge County Planning Commission last week that he’s bringing this long-dormant business property at the intersection of Wert Faulkner Highway and Natural Bridge School Road “back to life.” The property is owned by Judith Loughhead.

The Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval of the special exception permit.

Text Change Endorsed

A zoning text amendment was recommended for approval by the Rockbridge County Planning Commission last week that would make it easier to have apartments and condominiums in the general business (B-1) district.

The proposal would eliminate the requirement of obtaining a special exception permit for such residential dwellings in a business district. Upper and lower story apartments and condominiums would be permitted uses in the B-1 district, provided, at a minimum, 90 percent of the ground level space is for business use.