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

DATE: SATURDAY, February 18, 1995                   TAG: 9502200001
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

COUNTY `VISION' INCLUDES RESIDENT INPUT

Roanoke County residents who like to complain about their local government can put their money where their mouth is now: Their comments are being solicited during the county's ``visioning'' process, under way now.

The process is a precursor to updating the county's comprehensive plan, a detailed study of which parts of the county should grow, which should remain rural, and what kind of zoning and management tools will be used to protect resources.

The visioning concentrates on the same kinds of issues, but on a broader, less specific scale. The goal is to find out what residents want their community to be like in the next 20 years.

``Visioning is more based on the values of the whole community, rather than geography,'' as is the comprehensive plan, Planning Director Terry Harrington said.

Virginia Tech researchers began a phone survey of 500 residents this week, asking questions about quality of life, zoning, the environment, affordable housing and economic development.

Ideas that have been tossed around by the Board of Supervisors also are included, to gauge residents' reaction. Ridge-line protection, clean water in the Roanoke River, bike trails and the Blue Ridge Parkway all are included.

Junior and senior high school students and members of the business community also are being asked to take the survey.

All residents are invited to attend a community meeting April 1 at Cave Spring High School for a presentation on the county's employment situation, resource protection and cultural opportunities. Some of the survey findings also will be discussed.

The Planning Department then will form about 10 task forces to study specific issues, such as resource protection, housing, economic development and tourism.

``We want it to be a community-driven process,'' planner Janet Scheid said. When a project is run by government, citizen participation may lag because people are intimidated, she added.

The visioning process runs through July and will be overseen by a steering committee of community leaders from civic leagues, local organizations and cultural groups.

In June, a second community meeting will be held to ``build consensus'' among the task forces and draft a document for the steering committee to tackle, Harrington said. Supervisors have approved up to $40,000 for the visioning project.

After the steering committee submits a report to the Planning Commission in July, the commission will begin updating the comprehensive plan. The state requires localities to update comprehensive plans every five years.

``I think if the visioning process is successful, the comprehensive plan process will be much easier,'' Harrington said.

The plan is supposed to guide all growth within a jurisdiction.

by CNB