ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610040023
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: MARK CLOTHIER STAFF WRITER
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on October 10, 1996.
The Blacksburg Planning Commission last week suggested to the Town
Council a series of changes in the town's new zoning ordinance. It was
incorrectly reported in last Friday's Current that the commission
recommended approval of the proposed ordinance. The proposed ordinance
is now before the Town Council for action.
The Blacksburg Planning Commission, after two nights of consideration, recommended approval of a sweeping update to the town's zoning rules Wednesday, but with several changes to appease landowner concerns raised at a Tuesday public hearing.
The recommendation now goes to Town Council, which will hold a public hearing of its own next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 300 S. Main St.
Among the concerns was that the maximum height allowed for some of the buildings in the proposed General Commercial District would drop from 60 feet to 45 feet. Buildings in the Downtown Commercial District could not exceed 45 feet either, but the restriction was not controversial because no buildings there now exceed that height, according to town officials.
Part of the new General Commercial District would begin at Turner Street, run north along North Main Street through the Patrick Henry Drive area and extend to Giles Road's upper intersection with Main Street.
This zoning change would affect buildings like Bogen's Restaurant, which owner Bill Ellenbogen said stands more than 45 feet high. The reduction in allowed height would affect Ellenbogen if the building were damaged in a fire. If he were to rebuild, the new Bogen's would have to conform to the new rules; that means the restaurant as it stands now couldn't be duplicated.
Councilman Ron Rordam, also a Planning Commission member, said he hopes citizens realize the purpose of the public hearing was to hear the very concerns that were voiced.
"I think what everybody needs to understand is that this is a proposal and nothing is set in stone," he said.
"We want to hear people's opinions," he said. "Some we were able to do something about and some we weren't, but we did go through and talk about each and every one of them."
Ellenbogen said Thursday he appreciated the Planning Commission's responsiveness.
"The people raised very legitimate concerns and it looks like the Planning Commission has responded," he said. "It seems like they've done the right thing. I'm pleased. I think that's the way government should operate."
The Planning Commission's 10 recommendations to Town Council are to:
*Look at more houses throughout town to decide if the proposed ordinance's standard for floor-area ratio and lot coverage won't make too many homes nonconforming.
*Re-examine the Mountain View Drive area beside Blacksburg Middle School. There are some multifamily buildings there but the new zoning ordinance would zone it for single-family homes only.
*Extend the Old Town Residential district to Jackson Street between Penn and Bennett streets behind the Blacksburg Fire Department Station. The zone was originally proposed to extend between Roanoke and Jackson streets.
*Change the zoning for the three vacant North Main Street lots from multiunit residential use to commercial use. The lots, between 1601 and 1713 North Main St., sit next to the Aztec Rental Center and across from Anchy's Restaurant.
*Re-examine the zoning for the 700 and 800 blocks of the east side of Montgomery Street just north of downtown. Specifically, consider whether it should be zoned Transitional Residential rather than the proposed Low-Density Residential.
*Move the boundary line for Medium Density Multi-Unit Residential to include 406 Lee St., so the property can stay the way it's now zoned.
*Allow parking in the front of buildings in the General Commercial, Office, Multifamily or Research and Development districts.
*Increase the height allowance in the General Commercial district from 45 feet to 60 feet. Up to 70 feet would be allowed with certain restrictions. No buildings in the Downtown Commercial district would exceed 45 feet.
*Allow additional commercial retail use, by special-use permit, in the proposed Office District. The goal is to allow low-traffic businesses, like the ones there now, and to avoid high traffic business, like fast-food outlets.
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