FSM PRC Meeting – October 3, 2024: Chapter 8 Amendments and DOAM Recommendations
FSM PRC Meeting – October 3, 2024
The Facility Standards Manual (FSM) Public Review Committee (PRC) met on October 3, 2024, beginning after a delayed start due to the absence of a quorum. A quorum was eventually achieved, and the committee proceeded with agenda items including approval of previous minutes, an annual report update, continued discussion of FSM Chapter 8 amendments, an update on the 10‑year reserve fund for private streets, and formal recommendations for two Development Ordinance Amendment (DOAM) items. Public comment was not received.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were offered or received during the meeting.
Discussion Items
- Annual Report Update: Staff presented a minor change to the annual report, converting from a calendar year to a fiscal year format. The report is scheduled for the Transformation and Landings Committee on October 17, 2024, on the consent agenda.
- FSM Chapter 8 Amendments (sections 8.101 through 8.103 and beyond): The committee discussed revisions to plat and plan requirements, focusing on:
- Requiring limestone mountainside and Natural and Environmental Resources (NERS) to be shown on an informational exhibit rather than on the plat, with a note referencing the exhibit or associated application number.
- Adding an existing conditions sheet (section 8.106/8.107) to consolidate topography, watercourses, wetlands, NERS, overlay districts, cultural resources, pollution sources, and other features.
- Clarifying the use of topographic analysis for steep slopes: if a preliminary plat uses a contour interval of two feet or less, a topographic analysis is required; otherwise, Web‑based GIS (Logis) data may be used.
- Revising language to allow floodplain boundaries to be shown using Logis when no floodplain study or alteration is required.
- Adding the requirement to show the location and purpose of land‑disturbing activities on informational exhibits.
- The committee discussed the need for notes to alert property owners to the presence of overlay districts or NERS, ultimately agreeing to require a note without prescribing specific wording, allowing flexibility (e.g., referencing subject property or specific lots).
- An extended debate occurred on whether to include site plans in cross‑references; staff agreed to add site plans to relevant sections.
- 10‑Year Reserve Fund for Private Streets Update: Members reported ongoing research into state law requirements and proffer examples. The committee noted that while Virginia law requires a reserve study, it does not mandate upfront funding. A proffer in Fairfax County was cited as an example of an HOA contribution required at settlement. The update is still being compiled for presentation to the F‑2 Technical Advisory Group.
- Approval of Previous Minutes (September 19, 2024): The minutes were approved by acclamation after minor wording adjustments.
- DOAM Recommendations: Staff requested the committee’s formal position on two DOAMs:
- DOAM 2024‑002 (Dam Break Inundation Zone amendments) and DOAM 2024‑003 (Zoning Ordinance Implementation – three tag‑line amendments). The committee recommended approval of both amendments for the Planning Commission public hearing scheduled for October 22, 2024.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes Approved: The September 19, 2024 meeting minutes were approved unanimously by acclamation.
- Chapter 8 Amendments: The committee agreed to:
- Use informational exhibits for selected features (NERS, overlay districts) with a flexible note requirement.
- Allow Logis data for floodplain depiction when no study/alteration exists.
- Require topography analysis for preliminary plats using ≤2‑ft contours.
- Add location and purpose of land‑disturbing activities to exhibits.
- Include site plans in cross‑references for easement plats.
- DOAM Recommendation: The committee voted to recommend approval of DOAM 2024‑002 and DOAM 2024‑003 to the Planning Commission.
- Reserve Fund Update: Staff will compile further research and present findings at the next meeting (October 17, 2024). The committee may invite representatives from the F‑2 zone to discuss funding mechanisms.
- Next Meetings: Scheduled for Thursday, October 17, 2024, and Thursday, November 7, 2024. Upcoming topics include sidewalks/shared use paths, DCR/DWR information, remedial revegetation, and ADU conversion processes.
Meeting Transcript
We're gonna try to start the meeting, just can't take any official actions with only until we have a quorum here. Okay, every boot. No remote. Staff is gonna have a short presentation about chapter eight revisions that'll kind of slide us into the actual text, but I was hoping we'd have everyone here to hear that because it'll five questions before we get into the text. I don't I don't think we should do it. Yeah, don't really don't. I think we need to have because if we if we do it, we've got the forum we're gonna have to do it. Yeah, we have one more person. Yeah, one more day. How many how many do we need for a quorum? Eight two but fifteen now, right? Yeah. Eight including us. Where's your I wish friend? Two more. Well, see, we could go through it. We may just need to come back and get them. I don't want to go through it if not everyone's here because they'll ask the same question. That's right. We have enough people here to uh vote the others who weren't here, so just go for it. I feel like it'll be a waste of my time because people who aren't here will ask questions anyone. We'll wait till 10 after, okay, just to try to why doesn't dev start then. Oh, this is sorry then it's all good. 15 minutes, so now I'll just push your 15 minutes. We can get a go home early. Yeah, maybe real early. Instead of 445, you get to go home. Why don't I we're fighting about who gets to go first? Yeah. He's gotta read his statement. Yeah, I'd like to call to order the October 3rd, 2024 facility standards manual public review committee meeting. No members are permitted participating remotely, and committee members disclose that they are members of one or more affected groups. Great, and their respective declarations of interest are kept on file in the minutes of the facility standards manual public review. All right. So we don't have any public comment. It doesn't look like here. Um why don't you do the annual report? Take two seconds, I know, but everything to do. Oh, I don't know report. Okay, never mind. Um, so for the annual report, there was a minor change to the annual report since you all saw it. Um when Betsy reviewed it, she noted that we were transitioning from a calendar year format to uh um fiscal year format. So we lost the first six months of 2023, and so we didn't want to lose that all the work in the meetings. So we just um added that into the presentation. Kevin helped me do it at our PRC coordination meeting that we have with him. Um, and so that's a minor change in the staff report. We'll address that and just say we're converting from calendar year to fiscal year. So just wanted to make you all aware that we just made a minor update to the report. And that's supposed to go to Transformation and Landings Committee on October 17th, and it looks like that's gonna be on consent. So Pete, I probably you can phone in if you would like.
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