THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY

By Ben Orcutt

The Front Royal Town Council approved several measures Monday night that it believes will encourage economic development within the town.
Foremost was approved of amendments for the future development of the Avtex site. The amendments target clean-up, implementation of the closure of contaminated basins, and construction of an eco-industrial park.
The amendments include the development of riverfront activities, expansion of Ed Stump Park and the development of a soccer complex, incorporation of the Conservancy Park Master Report prepared by EDAW as part of the Town Plan, and changing the conservation area west of the railroad to a preservation designation on a future land use map.
The Avtex plant produced rayon, and closed its doors in 1989 after a failed appeal of a State Water Control Board decision.
An ordinance defining technology businesses also was adopted. The purpose of the ordinance is to help technology zones.
Technology businesses who will be defined as those businesses that engage in electronic information operations, Internet service providers, and sales, software design and development, computer assembly and peripheral sales, design and building of computer hardware and software, telecommunications service, assembly and manufacture, and call centers.
A related ordinance will allow technology businesses to locate in designated Industrial Employment Districts - in the Happy Creek Industrial Park and on Kendrick Lane - by right, according to industrial zoning.
With the adoption of an additional ordinance, technology businesses may mow locate in the Downtown Business District by right, with the exception being businesses that use communication or broadcast towers or manufacturing operations.
The council also approved several ordinances relating to buildable lots, principal strictures curbs, gutters and sidewalks, and local street widths.
A buildable lot is now defined “as a lot that meets the lot size requirements of the zoning ordinance.” A principal structure is defined “ as a structure in which the principal or primary use of the properties is carried out.”
Town code now will require that curbs, gutters and sidewalks be installed on existing public streets when buildable lots are created.
New local and cul-de-sac streets will be 32 feet wide. The town staff felt this was a safer width that the 40 foot street width in many of the newer subdivisions because narrower streets should discourage speeding. Narrower streets also should be more economical for developers and homeowners, they said.
Other measures adopted Monday night:

• Bringing town code into conformance with state code so that the town can no longer tax snack items, fruit, factory sealed beverages. And other miscellaneous food items.
• Approval of $396,449 of interfund transfers for the fiscal year ending June 30 and $163,132 in contingency reserves.
These transfers include the purchase of the Adelphia building and the drainage project on Portsmouth Road.
• Purchase of a new street sweeper at a total cost of $109,352.

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