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

DATE: SATURDAY, April 2, 1994                   TAG: 9404020061
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

COUNTRY CLUB REQUESTS REZONING, PERMIT TO REBUILD

The Blacksburg Country Club has filed for rezoning and a permit that will allow it to rebuild after a devastating fire gutted its clubhouse in February.

The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission will hold a public hearing April 25 on the request to rezone the club's 186 acres from a residential classification to the community business designation.

The Ellett Valley club also is seeking a special use permit for the clubhouse, golf course, restaurant and business offices.

Country club officials would like to either renovate a portion of the burned-out clubhouse or erect a temporary building for business offices and to provide limited food services.

To do so, the club needs rezoning and the permit.

On Monday, the supervisors set the public hearing date in an unusual step designed to speed up the rezoning application process. The Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the supervisors on the issue after the public hearing.

The clubhouse sustained an estimated $450,000 in damage in the Feb. 27 fire that authorities allege was deliberately set in a misguided attempt to rescue the country club from financial difficulties. Judy Dean, who was the club's general manager at the time, is awaiting trial on an arson charge.

by CNB