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

DATE: THURSDAY, January 21, 1993                   TAG: 9301210457
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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ZONING

JUST 21 days into 1993 and already we have a candidate for Waffler of the Year. Consider the Franklin County Board of Supervisors' record:

Dec. 15. Board votes 4-3 for countywide zoning. Gets spooked by 200 angry protesters. Decides instead to ask state legislature to permit referendums in the county's three unzoned districts.

Jan. 4. Decides, no, that would be wrong. Board should live up to its responsibilities to make local-governing decisions. Well, in a couple of weeks. New vote scheduled for Jan. 19.

Jan. 19. Board member Charles Ellis says board should have stuck with its 4-3 vote on Dec. 15. Angry crowd of 1,000 says "boo!" Board decides no, it was right the first time. Er, make that the second time. Will scrap (again) the countywide zoning idea, and proceed before the General Assembly.

The referendums, if permitted, would be advisory only. Presumably, the board still will have to decide the zoning issue. Some day. Maybe.

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