CF Council Holds Hearings, Tables Special Use Permit Request Armory Authority 2nd Public Hearing Set March 9th   Clifton Forge, VA (FEb. 24, 2021) - Clifton Forge Town Council held three public hearings Tuesday night, concerning two zoning requests; the newly-created Armory Authority to replace the Armory Committee; and a third for the town to apply for a Community Development Block Grant. The only public comment came from Diana Kling Smith, concerning the Armory Authority. “I publicly applaud the members of the Amory Committee, and I believe this authority will protect the members from any future liability.â€� The two zoning requests were for 1417 Main Street, to be rezoned from business to residential, and a special use permit for 321 Commercial Ave., the former Harvey Building. Town Manager Chuck Unroe and Smith, who is a member of the Clifton Forge Planning Commission, explained that the owner of the Main St. property has a potential buyer, who wishes to obtain a residential rather than business loan. Smith said that the planning commission had voted to approve the rezoning request. The property has been used as a group home by Commonwealth Lifespan Services. The special use permit was requested in order for the Commercial Ave. property to be used as an indoor self-storage facility, but Smith said that the owner had not given the planning commission enough time to notify adjacent property owners, so the commission had recommended tabling the request to a later date. Council member Shorty Wolfe pointed out that there is no parking around the Commercial Ave. property and wondered if a self-storage facility would be a good idea for the historic downtown area. Council adjourned following the public hearings, convened for a called meeting, and tabled the Commercial Ave. request and a second public hearing for the Armory Authority to March 9.

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