Board splits on short‑term rental permits after heated resident opposition in several lake neighborhoods

Three separate special‑use permits to allow short‑term tourist rentals drew lengthy public hearings and roll‑call votes at the Jan. 20 Board of Supervisors meeting.

234 Waterwood Drive: Planning staff said the house (three bedrooms, three baths) would be limited to six adults and must register annually and meet county STR supplementary regulations. Applicant Michael Fair said the home would be used as a quiet, family‑oriented rental, with a local property manager available for complaints. Neighbors said they feared noise, traffic and inexperienced boaters in the cove. The Board approved the permit with the Planning Commission’s six recommended conditions; Chair Smith voted no and the motion carried by roll call.

108 Pennsylvania Avenue (Kennedy Shores): That application prompted the most intense turnout. The Kennedy Shores HOA president and multiple full‑time residents presented a petition of more than 100 households opposed to adding STRs to the subdivision, citing covenants that both permit STRs only by special‑use permit and elsewhere restrict commercial activity and screening that could block lake views. Applicant Dan Kovarik said covenants permit STRs subject to SUP approval and said he needed to rent the property to satisfy a 1031 exchange; he pledged house rules and rental screening. After public comment and debate, the board approved the SUP with the Planning Commission’s conditions plus additional conditions (a local property manager requirement and a two‑year review/limit on the permit and stricter trash containment rules noted during deliberations).

500 Blue Bend Road: Applicant Perry Leonard described the house as a future retirement property and said he would temporarily rent it while family needs required. Neighbors and long‑time residents of Blue Bend and adjacent hamlets raised safety concerns about the narrow curving state road and emphasized deed restrictions that limited commercial uses in the subdivision. After public comment, the Board voted 4–3 to deny the SUP.

Across the three hearings, recurring themes included neighborhood character, water‑safety and cove congestion, septic capacity, the enforceability of HOA covenants versus county SUP authority, whether short‑term rentals represent a commercial use, and whether property‑managers should be local for timely response. The Board’s decisions varied by location and local context rather than adopting a blanket policy.

Several supervisors proposed additional conditions to address enforcement: time‑limited SUPs with review after two years, proof of liability insurance, stricter trash and parking rules, and a requirement that property managers maintain a local presence in Franklin County. Supervisors and staff said they expect to refine permitting rules and to coordinate further with HOAs and VDOT where road safety or common amenities are at issue.

Outcomes: 234 Waterwood Drive — approved (roll call); 108 Pennsylvania Avenue (Kennedy Shores) — approved with added local‑manager and time‑limit conditions (5–2); 500 Blue Bend Road — denied (4–3).