Supervisors allow woman to keep home

Before a standing-room-only crowd of about 60 people, the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors unanimously granted an exemption — with strings attached — to zoning rules that could have forced 77-year-old Alice Johnson off her Stevensburg-area property.

After hearing a chorus of affirmative votes, Stevensburg District supervisor and board chairman Bill Chase looked out at the crowd.

“So be it,” he said.

The room erupted into applause.

Last month, the Culpeper County Planning Commission voted to deny Johnson a renewal of her emergency hardship use permit to occupy a trailer on her property on Carrico Mills Road.

The trailer does not have indoor plumbing, water is brought in daily and a portable toilet serves as the home’s bathroom.

Under the exemption, Johnson has six months to bring the home into compliance with state health codes. A pump-and-haul septic system will be required, and the permit will only be valid for as long as Johnson lives at the site.

Johnson, who did not attend Tuesday’s meeting due to health reasons, will have to ensure that her property is free of junk cars and debris.

“My mom feels good about the decision,” said Brenda Banks, Johnson’s daughter.

Banks expressed confidence that church and community groups would provide whatever support is needed — including financial — to keep the residence in full compliance with the law.

Already, Shiloh and Cedar Mountain Baptist churches have pledged their support, as has the Virginia Manufactured and Modular Housing Association.

Dozens of Johnson’s friends, family and fellow community members attended the meeting, including former Town Councilwoman Emma Richards.

“I have known Mrs. Johnson for many years,” Richards told the board. “It would be awfully devastating if she had to leave her house.”

During the hour-long public hearing, nearly all of the approximately 12 people who spoke agreed that a residence without indoor plumbing, while not ideal, is not an isolated circumstance in Culpeper and elsewhere in the region. They also said Johnson should not be forced to make the upgrades if she doesn’t have the means.

Kurt Christensen of Richardsville harshly criticized the Planning Commission’s decision, specifically — without mentioning him by name — Planning Commission member Dewayne Payne, one of four members who voted to deny the request.

Payne, who is running for Stevensburg District supervisor, recently wrote a letter to the Star-Exponent explaining his decision. He was present at the meeting but did not make any public comments.

“I think it was very inappropriate what they did,” Christensen said, referring to the Planning Commission’s decision last month to deny Johnson’s request.

However, supervisors Larry Aylor, Tom Underwood, Steve Nixon and Brad Rosenberger spoke up, defending the Planning Commission. They said the group made an appropriate decision based on the information presented to its members.

Rosenberger explained that the Planning Commission does not have the authority to create exemptions to county zoning rules, but the supervisors do.

No one spoke in favor of the Planning Commission’s recommendation to deny the exemption.

“I really don’t care what the ordinances say,” Chase said after closing the public comment period. Exemptions, he added, are for cases like this.