Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 27, 1995 TAG: 9506270020
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: STEPHEN FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Billed as a precedent-setting proposal, the subdivision - which will preserve almost half the land as open space while allowing more than twice the number of houses than the original zoning would have permitted - brought out plenty of argument.
Rezoning battles are a common story for town- or county-beat reporters, and when this one was over, it revealed a little about what and what not to say and how and how not to say it when discussing such sensitive issues.
Councilman Waldon Kerns and resident Moises Quinones found themselves at odds when Quinones, a local doctor whose home neighbors the subdivision land, wrote Kerns a letter attacking some of the councilman's statements.
Quinones referred to a petition signed by 110 people opposed to the number of homes - "density," it's called - Spring Valley would allow on its acreage. In his letter, he quoted Kerns as having said earlier that the petition didn't mean a thing, because the residents didn't know what they were talking about.
For the record, Kerns said he didn't recall making the statement exactly as Quinones quoted him, and said it didn't apply to Spring Valley specifically, anyway.
Kerns maintained that he was referring to citizens' understanding of issues such as density, open space, clustering of homes and other complexities being discussed as the town revises its zoning ordinances.
Legally speaking, the decision on Spring Valley had to be made according to current zoning laws. Council couldn't vote the development down just because it didn't adhere to zoning ordinances planned for but not yet enacted. Practically speaking, however, the subdivision was looked at as a model of such potential future zoning.
Kerns, who is chairman of the committee rewriting the ordinances, has commented before that residents didn't completely understand the issues involved. He said he placed more weight on the comments of those who attended committee and public information meetings than he did on those who signed the petition.
However, it is easy to see why such a statement - by an elected official - angered a constituent.
On the flip side, developer Don Wells' congeniality, apparent sincerity and boundless enthusiasm placed him in good stead with plenty of people, even before Spring Valley's merits and shortcomings were debated.
Wells and his partner, Robert Mills, met with town planners, officials and this reporter months before their intentions were clear even to themselves and continued to provide information as they negotiated and made changes in their proposal.
They also decided, before the public hearing process even began, to talk to potential neighbors about their plans. At the hearing, several residents, even if in disagreement, described Wells as open and friendly.
One opponent described Wells as having a "silver tongue," a characterization which invoked a smile from the silver-haired developer and restaurant owner.
Never hurts to have people like you, even if they're against you. That goes doubly in a rezoning battle.
by CNB