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

DATE: SATURDAY, April 22, 1995                   TAG: 9504240026
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                 LENGTH: Short

MEETING TO DISCUSS TOM'S CREEK FUTURE

The town will hold a citizen involvement meeting Monday, this one focusing on the Tom's Creek Basin and what measures should be taken to preserve or develop it in the years to come.

The basin, 6.2 square miles of land annexed by the town in 1973, makes up about a third of the town's total area and represents the last major swath of undeveloped land inside the corporate limits.

Last year the town held several meetings delving into how the land should be used. The overriding issue centers around striking a balance between preserving open space and the area's rural character, and how to cater to potential development in a way that won't destroy the natural amenities of the area.

Much of the land in the basin is farmland, zoned agricultural or limited residential. Under current zoning, the area could see hundreds of houses on one-acre lots built, without regard for open space or unique views. Town planners are seeking input on how it can be creatively developed, even as they look to extending sewer service and improving roads in the area.

The meeting will be held 7-9 p.m. in the Blacksburg Community Center on Patrick Henry Drive. Anyone seeking information can call the town's planning and engineering department at 961-1114 or e-mail the town at town.plan.eng.lr.bev.net.

by CNB