TO: The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, and County Council

DATE: January 28, 2026 
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION to Special Use Permit 25-1667 
PROPERTY REFERENCES: Tax Map #79-A-166, 79-7-1, 79-8-4, 79-8-4A, 79-8-5

We, the undersigned residents and property owners of Linville and surrounding, formally petition Rockingham County to DENY the application for Special Use on the properties listed above.

Our opposition is based on the following material concerns regarding public safety, infrastructure incompatibility, and environmental hazards:

1. INCOMPATIBILITY WITH LAND USE & COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
   • Contradiction of Vision: The proposed industrial/commercial use contradicts the County’s Comprehensive Plan, which designates this area for agricultural preservation and low-density residential use.
   • De Facto Rezoning: Keeping the zoning as A2 while allowing a facility to function solely as industrial/commercial is a "spot use" that bypasses appropriate zoning protections.
   • Irreversible Loss: Once agricultural land is paved for industry, it is lost forever. We urge the Agricultural Preservation & Protection Committee to recognize the loss of active cattle grazing land and the threat to adjoining livestock breeding operations.
   • Better Alternatives Exist: Similar facilities have been successfully located in designated industrial parks (e.g., Jessup, MD). There is no compelling need to industrialize this specific farmland when industrial-zoned properties are available elsewhere in the county.
     
     
2. PUBLIC SAFETY & INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURE
   • Roadway Inadequacy: Kratzer Rd is already heavily trafficked by commuters to Lakeside Book Company, Harrisonburg City, and across Gravels Rd for I-81 access. The proposed entrance near Lindale Rd and Kratzer Rd is too narrow to safely accommodate opposing flows of 18-wheelers and residential traffic.
   • Intersection Danger: The addition of a commercial entrance opposite ValPro Dr. creates a high-conflict zone at an intersection that is already hazardous.
   • Vulnerable Populations: Linville Edom Elementary School and the daycare at Lindale Mennonite Church are both within one mile of the site. Increased heavy truck traffic creates an unacceptable risk to school buses and children at play.
   • Emergency Access: The proposed rail station creates potential blockages of traffic patterns, creating delays for emergency services and provoking aggressive driving.
     
     
3. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS & "KARST" TOPOGRAPHY
   • Water Supply Contamination: This community relies solely on private wells, some of which are shallow. The site contains visible limestone veins (Karst topography), meaning any surface runoff or leakage from the proposed waste facility has a direct, rapid conduit to the groundwater aquifer and Linville Creek.
   • Spill Risks: The transport of biological waste (poultry litter, food waste, etc.) presents a biohazard. Nearby roadways already suffer from organic waste spills from similar industries (e.g., Darling Ingredients); increasing this traffic increases the biological threat.
   • Explosive Potential: If the permit allows for the collection/transport of gases from anaerobic digestion, the transport of these volatile materials via rail or road introduces a risk of catastrophic explosion near residential homes.
   • Seismic Disruption: Due to karst topography, blasting during site preparation has the potential to disturb or damage surrounding residential foundations.
     
     
4. NUISANCE & QUALITY OF LIFE
   • Air & Noise Pollution: The area already bears the burden of an existing processing plant. Additional industrial activity—including constant operation noise, rail car slamming/coupling, and excavation/blasting of limestone terrain during construction—will destroy the peace of the residential area.
   • Light Pollution: Industrial lighting will degrade the rural night sky, impacting sleep habits and privacy for adjoining properties.
   • Sewage Management: The lack of municipal sewer requires a massive on-site septic system. Given the limestone geology, this poses a high risk of soil contamination and failure.

CONCLUSION The proposed use is incompatible with the established residential and agricultural character of Linville. It imposes industrial risks on a community that relies on well water and rural infrastructure.

We urge the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to protect our community’s future and vote NO on Special Use Permit 25-1667.