Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 13, 1995 TAG: 9506130075
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SHANNON D. HARRINGTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
City Council on Monday unanimously voted to rezone a 1.4-acre tract of land along Cleveland Avenue across from the rose garden behind the Fishburn Mansion.
Part of the land was designated for light manufacturing and part for residential. City Council's action rezoned all of the land to residential, clearing the way for Habitat to build on the site.
Portions of the land were donated to Habitat by the heirs of J.B. and Grace Fishburn and Norfolk Southern Corp. The southeast corner of the land was purchased by Habitat.
The proposed houses will be different from other Habitat homes. Roof pitches will be higher and front porches will be added, according to a Roanoke City Planning Commission report, and at least two of the homes will have four bedrooms.
At a public hearing last month, the Planning Commission recommended the rezoning. During the hearing, the commission and Habitat agreed on several design conditions, including the roof pitch and front porch.
The planning commission wanted to ensure the houses would "blend in" with the surrounding Mountain View neighborhood, said John Marlles, director of community planning.
As a safety measure, Habitat will build a 6-foot chain-link fence behind the homes on the edge of a 30-foot drop, said David Camper, Habitat president. Below the drop are railroad tracks.
The new homes will sell for about $30,000, the cost of construction. Buyers get interest-free mortgages, Camper said. Buyers are also required to volunteer 300 hours of their time with the organization.
Habitat foots the bill for about half the cost of the homes and raises the remainder from local churches, businesses and charities, who act as "sponsors" for the houses.
Roanoke College has already raised $4,000 and plans to raise another $4,000 in September.
The five new homes would bring to 15 the number Habitat expects to complete by the end of the year. That includes four recently built on Kellogg Avenue and one on Salem Avenue. Habitat plans to build 20 houses in 1996 and 25 in 1997.
"We want to grow about 25 percent a year," Camper said.
In other action Monday, council rezoned a sliver of land in Old Southwest from residential to commercial. The move will allow a law firm to expand parking behind their building.
The rezoning, for Carter Brown & Osborne at 1401 Franklin Road, affects only one-fifth of an acre along Woods Avenue behind the law firm's office building.
Residents of Old Southwest opposed the rezoning at a hearing before the Planning Commission in May.
The commission voted to deny the application. But last week, the residents and law firm reached a compromise that allowed the rezoning to go forward.
Staff writer Dan Casey contributed information to this story.
by CNB