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

DATE: THURSDAY, August 12, 1993                   TAG: 9308120119
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

TOWN COUNCIL TABLES APARTMENT ORDINANCE

Town Council, as expected, decided Tuesday to table an ordinance aimed at reducing the number of apartments in single-family homes until its Aug. 24 meeting.

A few minor wording changes have been made to the ordinance since a public hearing was held last month and the council decided to table the ordinance until the public could review the revisions.

The changes, presented to the council at a work session last month, were so minor that the ordinance wasn't referred back to the planning commission.

At the suggestion of Councilman Lewis Barnett, a clause was added making it difficult for a homeowner to abuse a section of the ordinance allowing up to two years of absentee ownership. The way it was written a person could go on a sabbatical for two years, come back for a day and leave for another two years, Barnett said.

Along with a few other minor changes to the ordinance, Richard Kaufman, Blacksburg's town attorney, and Bill West, Blacksburg's planning director, developed a document that answers the most commonly asked questions about the ordinance.

by CNB