ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 16, 1990                   TAG: 9005160381
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARK LAYMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium


INDUSTRIAL ZONING CONSIDERED/ BONSACK RESIDENTIAL SITE SOUGHT

Representatives of Fralin & Waldron Inc. and Roanoke County's economic development staff met with 25 Bonsack residents Tuesday to explain optional development plans for a 53-acre tract off West Ruritan Road and U.S. 460 east.

The tract, which is owned by Fralin & Waldron, currently is zoned RE, residential estates. The county wants to rezone all or part of it M-1, light industrial, to increase its inventory of potential industrial sites.

The rezoning has been slowed by objections by the county Planning Commission and nearby residents.

Four options were presented to residents Tuesday:

Development of the site without a rezoning. The current zoning would allow construction of 210 single-family houses.

Construction of 64 houses on 18 acres along West Ruritan Road and the north side of the tract and rezoning of the remaining 35 acres to M-1.

Construction of 33 houses on 12 acres along West Ruritan Road and rezoning of the remaining 41 acres to M-1.

Rezoning of the entire site to M-1.

"We are not trying to cram something down anybody's throat," said Fralin & Waldron's Steve Claytor.

But, he continued, "The property will be developed - unless somebody out there wants to buy it from us and donate it to the county for a park."

Claytor said it would be awhile before Fralin & Waldron takes the rezoning request to the Board of Supervisors.

In addition to deciding on a development plan, it needs to get permission from Roanoke to build an access road to the tract from the city's Centre for Industry and Technology. That would keep industrial traffic off West Ruritan Road.

Residents formed a committee to continue to work with Fralin & Waldron and the county.



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