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Sam and Beth Rowe were granted a conditional rezoning Monday so they can proceed with plans to have an Airbnb in the historic Lucas House in Brownsburg.
There were no citizen comments at a public hearing held prior to the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors approving the rezoning of the .26-acre property at 8 Hays Creek from general residential (R-1) to general business (B-1). The absence of comments was quite a contrast to two public hearings before the Planning Commission the past two months in which neighbors offered opinions both for and against the rezoning.
At the earlier public hearings, some Brownsburg residents contended that a short-term rentals business would disturb the peace and tranquility of the neighborhood while others said they would welcome visitors to their historic village.
Following the second of those public hearings on June 14, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend the rezoning. The three supervisors who were present Monday – Jay Lewis, Dan Lyons and Leslie Ayers – all voted to approve the rezoning.
The Rowes reiterated to the supervisors a point they’d made earlier to the planners – that Brownsburg is a mixed use community with properties zoned for business located to the north and south of the Lucas House. Among these properties are the former Sprint Centel building, the former Brownsburg bank building, the Brownsburg Post Office and the Old South Antiques Store, now being converted into an Airbnb.
Rowe noted that Brownsburg was historically a thriving hub of commercial activity and that the Lucas House itself was utilized for business purposes for much of its 238 years – a tradition he would continue. “The guests that come to stay at the Lucas House will generate revenue for Rockbridge County – stores, meals, wineries, breweries, the horse center, museums, restaurants and the sort,” he pointed out.
A proffer associated with the conditional rezoning requires that only one or two bedrooms be available for short-term rentals. The Rowes have said that they will limit the rentals to four overnight guests at a time and that pets are prohibited and young children discouraged. They anticipate the rentals occurring primarily on weekends in the fall, spring and summer.
- Another conditional rezoning to allow for short-term rentals at 679 Long Hollow Road was also approved by the supervisors on Monday.
Everette Beverly of Mountain Valley Rentals sought the rezoning from R-1 to B-1 for his property on the west side of the intersection of Long Hollow Road (Va. 631) and Middle Road (Va. 704).
