ROANOKE TIMES

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

DATE: SATURDAY, September 17, 1994                   TAG: 9409200024
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short


COUNTY-BLACKSBURG TEAM PLANNING APPROACH SOUGHT

The Montgomery County Planning Commission is calling for a team approach with Blacksburg to study the proposal to transform 300 rural acres north of town into a 1,500-unit retirement community.

"The two planning commissions could hold joint meetings to solicit public input, and perhaps a joint public hearing," county planning Chairman Malvin Wells wrote Thursday to his town counterpart.

Developers unveiled the retirement project last month. Before they can seek rezonings from the county and town, both local governments will have to amend their comprehensive plans.

Nearly 20 percent of the land is in Blacksburg; the bulk is in Montgomery, between Mount Tabor and Happy Hollow roads to the north and east and Harding Road to the south.

Both governments got their first detailed looks at the project last month. Team work suits Blacksburg fine. "We would welcome that, as we would [working together on] the provision of utilities," Town Manager Ron Secrist said Friday.

The county Planning Commission talked the idea over Wednesday night. It would give the two commissions "a chance to exchange ideas and to develop a consistent approach to land use in the area," Wells wrote.

Two Floyd County men, William Farr and Joseph Edone, hold options on the land. The project manager is Wendell White of Virginia Beach and the architect is Bob Rogers of Blacksburg.



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