Purcellville CM Joel Grewe slows down zoning work with questionable accusations

By Valerie Cury

Purcellville’s Planning Commission is laser focused on aligning the Town’s zoning ordinance with its new Comprehensive Plan. In that ongoing work, the Town’s seven Planning Commissioners have listened to the citizens and heard loud and clear that they want the Comprehensive Plan to ensure that Purcellville’s small-town character is preserved.

But one Purcellville Council Member, Joel Grewe, is making it loud and clear that he is not on board with that community vision. He was the lone vote on the Town Council against the Comprehensive Plan, and the sole vote for annexing the 118.81-acre Warner Brook property on Purcellville Road.

According to members of the Planning Commission, Grewe has taken to disparaging commissioners through social media in his effort to undermine the zoning work and its preservation direction. 

At the Oct. 26, 2021 Purcellville Town Council meeting, Nedim Ogelman, then Chair of the Planning Commission, came to speak in the citizen comments portion of the meeting and addressed Council Member Grewe’s Facebook comments regarding the Commission.

“I am here to address postings brought to my attention on Council Member Grewe’s Facebook site. The bullying, hypocrisy, and lies in these postings target me and the Town’s Planning Commission, of which I am a member. I am here to set the record straight.

 “He weaves these lies without engaging those he accuses,” said Ogelman, “to mislead citizens and smear volunteers who are helping turn into zoning the wishes of citizens as voiced in the Comprehensive Plan.” 

Meanwhile, Grewe asserted that an investigation of Ogelman and the rest of the Planning Commission had been conducted and “the results substantiated the violations.” 

Ogelman responded, “No credible person has informed me through proper channels that there have been investigations. Nor have I been asked for my views … Denying due process rights to the accused are not our way here in the United States.” 

Ogelman said if there were such an investigation, “it is that that needs to be investigated.” 

Grewe also asserted that Ogelman refused to follow Virginia Freedom of Information law by failing to provide him with government records related to the investigation. “There has been no FOIA request of me,” said Ogelman. Grewe also noted that the Planning Commission had a contentious approach to anything they don’t like. 

Grewe himself is not without FOIA infractions. In early 2020, Council Members Grewe, Tip Stinnette, Ted Greenly, later joined by Chris Bledsoe, violated FOIA by holding an unannounced meeting with the representative of someone seeking high density zoning. This meeting involved more than two Council Members after a Town Council meeting had ended. Grewe said the meeting involved only two Council Members, but changed his story when notified that there was a video of that meeting.

Grewe replied that he was careful and “made sure I could back everything I said with evidence. I can produce that.” He said he had materials and a report that “all Council is privy to … I have a report of the investigation. Every Council Member has that as well.”

He continued, “I have the recommended letter that was to be sent to the Planning Commission and the rest of the committees addressing their behavior. It was not acted on by the Council … I have pretty much evidence for all of it.”  

Mayor Kwasi Fraser said he needed to better understand the issue. “What was the investigation, and what was the outcome of the investigation?” He added that he was looking forward to seeing the investigation report.

To date, no report has been presented to Mayor Fraser, or to Council.  As of the end of March 2022, in fact, there has been no report or record of Ogelman violating FOIA. The Town has provided no report or evidence of Grewe’s allegations.

Council Member Grewe is the only Council Member who openly opposed the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. Council Member Tip Stinnette had worked on and supported the Comprehensive Plan, but then has opposed or resisted Planning Commission efforts to bring the zoning ordinance in alignment with the Comprehensive Plan.

Zoning laws are the most important ways that communities and government have a say in the development of area real estate. The zoning laws control what uses go in specific areas. These laws also address setbacks – which define the required minimum distances structures must be set apart from lot lines.

Zoning also covers building heights in different areas and building coverage – which is the allowable percentage of a lot that can be covered by commercial or residential structures, barns, or sheds.

Purcellville citizens have expressed their desire to sustain existing zoning in large areas of the Town, such as areas that allow exclusively single-family detached houses. The work of the Town Council, Planning Commission, and Planning staff is to make sure that zoning fulfills the residents’ desires as expressed in the Comprehensive Plan.