Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 29, 1994 TAG: 9411290112
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
By a unanimous vote, City Council on Monday took its first step toward developing a system of linear parks in Roanoke, asking the city manager to figure out how to develop "greenways" here.
Council also signaled that it may begin funding a greenways program in 1996, directing that it be an item on the table during budget deliberations next year.
The vote followed a presentation by a group of linear park proponents that began pushing the issue here this year.
One of them, local builder Bob Fetzer, called council's action "a major step. It's a commitment on the part of the city to start forward on this."
Lynchburg, Galax, Bedford, Danville and the town of Marion are already in the pipeline to receive federal funding for planned greenway systems in their jurisdictions, Fetzer told council earlier.
Roanoke, by contrast, has shelved five separate greenway plans over the past nine decades. The first plan originated in 1908 and the most recent came in 1987.
"Now is the time to move. Greenways have been studied and restudied, planned and replanned," said Lucy Ellet, another greenways activist and president of Valley Beautiful.
Because they wind in long stretches through communities and among neighborhoods, greenways are more easily accessible to greater numbers of people than traditional parks.
Once thought of as a purely environmental issue, greenways are now embraced by business people who see them as a key quality-of-life ingredient in economic development efforts.
Linear parks would complement many of the city's long-range goals, such as promoting high-end housing, tourism and business development, Fetzer said.
That lesson has already been learned in cities with long-standing greenways networks, such as San Antonio, Texas; Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Raleigh, N.C. Raleigh expects to have 200 miles of greenways by the year 2000.
Roanoke is ideally situated to develop greenways, Fetzer said. The city owns the banks of the Roanoke River and is home to many unused railroad rights of way. Both are prime candidates for linear parks.
Fetzer said he hoped the system could also be connected to two of the nation's finest examples of greenways: the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway - perhaps even to Explore Park.
He and Ellett were asking Mayor David Bowers to appoint a Greenways Committee. Council deferred action on the request until City Manager Bob Herbert reports back.
"I don't want to do any more studies," said Councilwoman Linda Wyatt. "It looks like it's been studied to death."
In other action, council also:
Agreed to ask the General Assembly for authority to enact an ordinance banning handguns from city parks as part of the city's legislative program for 1995. The charter amendment as drafted wouldn't prohibit assault weapons and other rifles in city parks.
Councilman William White, who last week wanted to expand the prohibition to all firearms, said a handgun ban may be hard enough to enact, given the strength of pro-gun rights forces in Richmond. Gov. George Allen last year vetoed a similar law that applied only in Richmond.
"Handguns are the place to start. I would hope that in future years we would address assault weapons and rifles and shotguns. I think parks should be weapons-free," White said.
Approved giving city employees an additional day off for the holidays. In a preliminary vote, Friday, Dec. 23, was designated as a "floating holiday" for municipal workers. That means city government will function that day. Employees may take that day off or any other before June 30.
The idea came from City Manager Bob Herbert, who suggested it in light of additional work performed by city workers during ice storms early this year. Council scheduled a formal vote on the matter for Dec. 12.
by CNB