TOWN WANTS TO MOVE ONE TROLLEY STOP

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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 20, 1992                   TAG: 9202200217
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium
TOWN WANTS TO MOVE ONE TROLLEY STOP
Town Council voted to ask Blacksburg Transit if a downtown stop for the Two Town Trolley can be changed.
A study by the transit department found few people using a bus stop at the health department at U.S. 11 and Depot Street.
The street committee recommended Tuesday that the stop be moved to the Greyhound-Trailways bus station on Roanoke Street.
"We're going to try and see if this works better," said Councilman Truman Daniel, who's on the street committee. "There are a lot of students using the service and since many use the bus station, they might use this stop more." The transit's study, completed over an 11-day period in October, found that of 1,993 riders, only seven got off at Depot Street. That "makes it not very practical," Daniel said.
No study has been done yet to see if a new stop will be used more, but Daniel said it may be "more beneficial to the riders and to the bus service."
No one could be reached at Blacksburg Transit to say what this change would mean monetarily, since the route map and bus schedule would have to be changed.
Council voted unanimously, with Councilman Jack Via absent, to send a request for the change to Blacksburg Transit.
In other action, council unanimously voted to amend the sign ordinance.
Owners or lessees of a lot with 200 feet or more of public street frontage can have one single-faced or double-faced sign off premises that advertises a commodity or service at a place other than the sign's location.
No fractional distance can increase the number of signs permitted. For example, only one such sign is permitted on a lot having 350 feet of public street frontage.
A previous loophole could have allowed property owners to lease a minimum amount of space for off-premise signs, which could have allowed for many signs in a small area.
Council also:

Unanimously accepted a bid from Lifeline Emergency Vehicles for a new Rescue Squad ambulance that will have a net cost to the town of $50,000.

Delayed a discussion of the bingo ordinance until its next meeting March 3.

Set public hearings on requests for conditional use permits from the Kiwanis Club for a carnival and for Dr. Stephen Davie, who wants to erect a building at 1355 Mud Pike.

Approved a committee's recommendation to help C&S Door Corp. extend Scattergood Drive to provide access for a building. The town will build the extension and the property owners will provide the materials.

Unanimously approved the rezoning of Diamond Crest subdivision from agricultural to residential 1-A. The property has 13 lots.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB