ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 13, 1996 TAG: 9606130017
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
A 58-unit apartment project that worries some of its neighbors has been put on hold until an engineering firm reviews it.
The Pulaski County Planning Commission made that decision twice Tuesday night on the proposed Silvanway Apartments complex east of Belspring Road (Virginia 600) in the Cloyd District.
"I think a project of this size definitely should be designed by a professional engineer," said commission member Basil Scott.
The motion passed 5-1, with Dr. Bruce Fariss voting against it. Fariss said afterward that the motion should have outlined specific concerns that developer Mark Wiley needs to address "if we don't want to go through this again 10 times."
The commission already has been going through it since late last year, when the project was proposed. A lack of living quarters in Pulaski County has been cited by economic developers as a problem in bringing in new industry and school officials as a possible reason for annual drops in student populations.
Wiley runs the 28-unit Camelot III Apartments at Fairlawn. He said the Silvanway Apartments would have two-tone vinyl siding on each building.
Other commission members agreed with Fariss, and ended up revising their decision Tuesday. The requirement for a professional engineering review stayed, but added provisions for a buffer zone between the apartments and neighboring properties, a play area for children, lighting and fencing.
Nothing was said about who would hire the engineer for the review. Apparently, that is being left up to Wiley.
The biggest concern of neighboring property owners seemed to be over whether water and sewer runoff would spill over onto their land.
A review by Skyline Soil and Water Conservation District representatives found that the project's erosion and sediment control plan meets the conditions required by the county, District Director J. Mack Baker said by letter.
A soil scientist brought to the meeting by Wiley also said such concerns are groundless. "That soil, no matter what you may think, will take water," Steve Feldman said.
Neighboring property owner Bill Watson said he dug some test holes of his own parallel to where the drainage field would be, and found them extremely dry. Feldman said the area contains different types of soil in different places.
Judy Ruben, a Belspring Road resident, questioned the commission considering a site plan Tuesday night for the Silvanway project before considering the erosion and sediment control plan. If the latter plan is changed to use a detention pond for waste control, for example, as was discussed Tuesday, it would affect the site plan.
Several commission members agreed that she had a point, and made a motion to reverse the order of consideration. Fariss, Doug Warren and Don Rainey voted yes, and Scott, Larry Hancock and Andrew Hall voted no. Chairman Bill Breedlove declared the motion defeated.
Wiley said public discussion on both plans was helpful, even if no decision could be made immediately on either one, because it helped him see what the public concerns are.
Rainey, an engineer and land surveyor who became a commission member six weeks earlier, had expressed some concerns previously about the project but said the county zoning administrator and commonwealth's attorney found no conflict of interest on his voting on matters concerning it.
"It could be construed that I'm pandering for work. I assure you that I'm not," he said.
Martha Hilton, another of those attending the meeting who are upset at the project, challenged commission members to look her in the eye and say they were approaching it in a professional manner. "I can look you in the eye," Fariss said.
Breedlove put a stop to that discussion. "We've been through this project. It's a very emotional project. We don't feel like being berated," he said.
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