Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 14, 1994 TAG: 9405160008
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RINER LENGTH: Medium
The senior government classes at the high school presented a panel discussion, "Riner Residents, Are You Ready for Change?" this week, and invited area residents to hear what state officials and local real estate agents had to say about development in their community. Riner is currently the fastest growing area of Montgomery County.
About 35 people showed up for the meeting Thursday night, concerned primarily with how a higher population would affect schools, and how a traditionally agricultural area is seeing more and more housing developments.
Joe Powers, director of planning in Montgomery County, was part of the panel. He said that while lower property taxes are available as incentives to farmers to keep their land, the Planning Commission "is not doing a good job" on controlling development that is occurring on Riner's spacious farmland.
However, he said, "things are going to change ... you can either keep up with it, or complain about it." Change, he said, is inevitable, and what he would like to see is better planning.
Karl McNeil and Randy Gardner of McNeil Realty were in the hotseat on the panel, representing the real estate agents' aspect of development in Riner. Gardner gave a brief introduction of the company's motives in buying and selling Riner farmland.
"We're not absentee developers," he said, stating that both he and McNeil are from Riner and that they "are very careful to walk away proud of what we've done."
"We love Riner," he said.
The two men said that various farmers have asked them to sell their land, and that they didn't - and still don't - actively seek out that property. However, once they bought the property, they found a large demand for housing in the Riner area.
"We found that people wanted arm-stretching room," McNeil said. "By offering larger lots with the freedom of having a few horses or some livestock, we really ... feel like we're helping the community."
Gardner and McNeil were asked to verify or dispel this rumor heard by one citizen: That land in one of the developments, already excavated, didn't "perk" (drain).
McNeil adamently denied that charge, which would have meant that sewer and water lines could not be installed under health department guidelines.
Also, the two were asked how much housing development land has sold. Gardner said nine of the 20 plots in the Lawrence Farms subdivision have sold, along with half of the 26 lots in Ridgeway Estates. Only one of those buyers does not plan to build and live on the property.
The most in-demand speaker of the evening was John Martin, assistant superintendent of Montgomery County Schools. Martin stressed that the development occurring in Riner is outgrowing the schools' capacity.
"And it's all because of these guys," he said jokingly, pointing to Gardner and McNeil.
Riner and Bethel elementary schools have a capacity of 450 pupils, but there are currently 493 between the two schools. Auburn High and Middle School's capacity is 500 and 490 students now attend the school. Martin said that because he did not anticipate the new subdivisions and mobile homes, school student projections have been off by about 5 percent this year, compared to the usual 1 percent disparity.
Other speakers on the panel included David Clark of the Virginia Department of Transportation who spoke on road conditions and the effect Interstate 73 will have on Riner; Holly Lesco and Steve Via of the Fourth Planning District who addressed development strategies by the New River Economic Development Alliance; Ed Whitmore of the New Century Council who spoke on the importance of taking a regional approach to communities like Riner; and Michael Tentowski, of the Economic Development Assistance Center who discussed options for small businesses.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***