Harrisonburg Planning Commission Meeting - April 8, 2026
Harrisonburg Planning Commission Meeting - April 8, 2026
The Harrisonburg Planning Commission held its regular meeting on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting lasted approximately 1 hour and 42 minutes, adjourning at 7:42 PM. Five commissioners were present (Baugh, Porter, Dent, Kettler, Seitz), with two absent (Alsindi, Jezior). The commission considered three public hearing items, initiated two zoning ordinance amendments, and clarified two prior actions from its March 11, 2026 meeting.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (March 11, 2026): The minutes were approved 5-0 after staff requested an amendment to include a written public comment from Robert and Mary Sease of 286 Paul Street, who clarified they were the callers opposed to a rezoning request during that meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 4b (Short-Term Rental at 165 South Main Street): Luke Smith, a resident of 298 Campbell Street, spoke in support of the application, stating he hoped the commission would vote in favor.
- Item 4c (Collicello North Master Plan Amendment):
- Margot Zahner (910 Collicello Street) expressed support for the project but said she was surprised as the only homeowner that the developer had not contacted her directly; she invited communication.
- Tom Benevento (910 Collicello Street) asked for assurances on building quality and energy efficiency, emphasized the importance of trees and green space, and inquired about plans for the existing brick house on the property (which the developer said would be rehabilitated and used residentially or potentially mixed-use).
- Todd Rhea (1141 South Dogwood Drive), a former colleague of the original developer Dean Weaver, provided context and endorsed the amended plan as practical and needed for workforce housing.
Discussion Items
- Item 4a – Special Use Permit at 140 East Wolfe Street (Restless Moon Brewing): The applicant requested a SUP to allow manufacturing, processing, and assembly (a canning line) in the B-1 Central Business District. Staff recommended approval with a condition limiting operations to the canning line area as depicted. Applicant Jeffery Moon stated he was fine with the condition and explained that the canning line helps meet ABC requirements (20% of on-site sales must be manufactured on-site). Moon answered questions about truck traffic (maximum of four trips per week in his personal truck) and a “no dancing” sign to avoid nightclub classification and costly fire suppression. Councilmember Dent asked about future use by the Friendly City Food Co-Op (no plans). The commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval to City Council on May 12, 2026.
- Item 4b – Special Use Permit at 165 South Main Street (Short-Term Rental): The applicant sought a SUP for a short-term rental in Apartment 203 of Ruby’s Lofts. The property owner, Margaret Clark, stated the income was vital to maintaining the building and that her tenant Tess Sherman would act as operator. Staff recommended conditions limiting the rental to one guest room, a maximum of four guests, and a nuisance revocation clause. Chair Baugh noted the operator must reside on the property. The commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval to City Council on May 12, 2026.
- Item 4c – Collicello North Master Plan Amendment (Rezoning): The applicant requested amendments to the 2013 approved master plan for a 2.96-acre R-7 development. Proposed changes included: removing the solar panel requirement (units will be solar-ready), eliminating specific building designs for flexibility, removing a planned transit stop (due to proximity to an existing stop), removing project phasing and the POA declaration from the master plan, and updating the landscaping table to require at least two large deciduous trees and six smaller deciduous trees in common areas. Staff supported the amendments, finding they do not alter the overall vision. Commissioner Seitz recused himself from any business relationship but expressed support, noting the original designs were by his firm (no ongoing interest). Commissioner Kettler praised the design for its moderate size and green space. Chair Baugh noted that in 2013 there was more opposition. The commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval to City Council on May 12, 2026.
- Item 5a – Initiation of Zoning Ordinance Amendments: Staff requested a motion to initiate three amendments: (1) add poultry hatcheries as a by-right use in M-1 district (to fix inadvertent nonconforming status), (2) codify a flexible parking calculation for shopping centers, and (3) move forward with the Zoning Ordinance Update Project. After discussion about the relationship to the Comprehensive Plan and the need for a presentation next month, Vice Chair Porter moved to initiate only the first two amendments. Councilmember Dent voted no because she preferred to bundle all three. The motion passed 4-1. The third item (ZO Update Project) will be considered after a presentation at the May meeting.
- Item 5b – Clarify Action on 851 Madison Street SUP: On March 11, 2026, the commission voted to approve a SUP with a condition prohibiting future subdivision of the lot. Staff advised that this condition was not reasonably related to the parking reduction SUP. The commission voted 5-0 to clarify that the approval should include only staff’s original condition: “The special use permit shall apply only to the two planned dwelling units as shown on the conceptual layout.”
- Item 5c – Clarify Action on The Link Apartments Rezoning: During the March 11 meeting, the commission voted on the rezoning but no formal motion was stated. The commission voted 5-0 to clarify that the intended action was a motion to recommend approval of the rezoning to City Council.
Key Outcomes
- Recommended approvals to City Council (May 12, 2026):
- Special use permit at 140 East Wolfe Street (canning line) – passed 5-0.
- Special use permit at 165 South Main Street (short-term rental) – passed 5-0.
- Master plan amendment for Collicello North (rezoning) – passed 5-0.
- Initiated Zoning Ordinance amendments:
- Amendment for poultry hatcheries in M-1 district and shopping center parking calculations – passed 4-1 (Dent opposed wanting all three).
- Clarified prior actions (both 5-0):
- 851 Madison Street SUP – condition revised to staff recommendation.
- The Link Apartments rezoning – clarified as a vote to recommend approval.
- Next meeting (May 13, 2026) will include a presentation on the Zoning Ordinance Update Project and several public hearings including short-term rentals, rezonings, and special use permits.
- Commissioner Alsindi may request a presentation on downtown pedestrian transportation for a future meeting.
Meeting Transcript
In that case, I will call to order the April 8, 2026 meeting, the Harrisonburg Planning Commission. I'll note note for the record that Commissioners Al Cindy and Jezi were not with us this evening. The other five are present, and that we do have a quorum. So with that, next item is review and approval of minutes from the March 11 meeting. And I know we got the re the note from staff of a requested correction to the uh original set that we were given. Yeah, if you would uh give me a moment for the record and for the public to hear uh uh if you recall from our March 11th meeting, there was a resident who called and the phone call was difficult to understand. Um following the meeting, uh Robert and Mary Case of eight sorry two eighty-six Paul Street contacted staff stating that they were callers and are opposed to the rezoning request. Uh their email has been accepted in the record as a written public comment that has been received. And so um I had provided you all with draft a draft statement that we would like to include in the minutes. Right. Does that statement need to be read or just incorporated in? Uh I guess um you have to, as we just want to, as long as it's clear that we're we're adopting it. Yeah, yeah. Uh motion to approve minutes uh with the um amendment presented by staff. Right. Okay. Second. Moved by Commissioner Kettler, seconded by Vice Chair Porter. Uh any additional discussion. All those in favor of approval of the minutes of the March 11 meeting say aye. Aye. Opposed, no. All right, minute stand approved. Gets us to new business, first public hearing item four A, consider request for special use permit at 140 East Wolf Street. Good evening. I'm Nirma Soffle, uh, planner, community development. So the applicant is requesting a special use permit per section ten three eighty-five subsection one to allow manufacturing processing and assembly operations, provided that provided the use does not employ more than 15 persons on the premises in a single shift, and that all storage activities are conducted within a building in the B-1 central business district. The plus or minus 16,600 square foot property is addressed as 140 East Wolf Street and identified as tax map number 34 and 7. The comprehensive plan designates this area as mixed use, which is intended to combine residential and non-residential uses in neighborhoods. Uh mixed use designation. The site was formerly known as Gamer Oasis. It shares a wall with the Friendly City Food Co-op and the Post Office. It's adjacent to Klein's Dairy Bar and El Bas Elfano Bakery. And across East Wolf is a church and across East Rock Street behind it is the colonnade, a mixed-use building. So on August eighth, twenty twenty-five, the applicant submitted a building alteration permit requests for interior modifications and a change of use from retail to a tavern and arcade. The applicant describes in their letter that the primary use of the premises will be a tavern and arcade style entertaining venue offering food and beverage service, along with recreational activities such as classic arcade games and community events. Beer produced there would be kegged, and then that beer would be brought to 140 East Wolf Street to be canned and packaged. Some of the canned beer would be served and sold on site, and some would return to the other facility for sale at that location. The canning and packaging line would operate in the rear portion of the building as shown on their concept plan. If approved, the scale of operations could change over time, or the property could be sold in other manufacturing processing and assembly operations could operate at this location. This could result in a more intensive industrial use and may increase truck traffic in the area. Which was not evaluated for this request. Therefore, staff recommends the following condition. The canning bottling and packaging operations shall be limited to the canning line area as depicted on the concept plan. The special use permit is consistent with the comprehensive plan's mixed use designation. And with the recommended conditions is not expected to have adverse effects on adjacent properties. Staff recommends approval of this with the suggested condition. Any questions? This probably isn't our purview, but how does this work with the ABC licenses? I mean, does the ABC license that they have for the original Wall Street location extended this?
openpublica.com