ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, October 18, 1996 TAG: 9610180073
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRISTINA NUCKOLS STAFF WRITER
A nine-hole golf course, a hotel and a restaurant in a 1940s dairy barn are some of the possibilities Vinton officials will be considering for the 100-acre McDonald farm.
Three days of public meetings on what to do with east Roanoke County's largest undeveloped tract of land ended Thursday with a presentation by landscape architects Carlton Abbott and David Hill.
Their designs incorporated public suggestions for a golf course and walking trails. Such a use would serve as a buffer between future commercial development on the tract and the adjacent Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding subdivisions.
Within the commercial area, the proposal includes options for a 100-room hotel, a bed-and-breakfast, cottage-style specialty shops, a restaurant in an existing barn, small high-tech industries and business offices.
A secondary proposal swapped those commercial uses for a college campus, based on suggestions that the former farm on Hardy Road could be used by the College of Health Sciences.
Roanoke County Supervisor Harry Nickens, who is also president of the college, said he discussed locating a campus on the site with town officials before American Electric Power offered to donate land near Dixie Caverns.
During Tuesday's brainstorming session, some nearby residents suggested using the site for an elementary school or college. Vinton officials also received a written proposal from L.T. McGhee, a Vinton real estate agent, that the College of Health Sciences be considered. Nickens said McGhee was one of several people he consulted nearly two years ago when he first began looking for campus sites.
Both town and county officials, along with several local residents, said Thursday they preferred the mixed commercial plan
The town purchased the Roanoke County farm 10 years ago for $500,000. Vinton officials opted for a public planning process because the project will require cooperation from the county, the National Park Service and existing neighborhoods.
In addition to broader land use issues, designers also addressed specific concerns raised this week. The plans allow for an optional access route - possibly reserved for emergencies - through the McDonald farm into Montgomery Village, an adjacent subdivision with only one entrance.
"They all wanted a second entrance into Montgomery Village, but nobody wants it in front of their house," said subdivision resident Bob Mansfield. "The whole process is a compromise. They've tried to incorporate everything in there. So far, it's good."
Turnout for the three nights was lower than Vinton and county officials had hoped. Only 30 people showed up Thursday, but those who did attend were able to watch as their ideas were turned into conceptual designs. Abbott and Hill used pencils and colored chalk to draw the plans as visitors watched.
Local residents applauded the plans they saw Thursday. Lloyd Enoch of Montgomery Village said he had been skeptical that Vinton would agree to anything but an industrial development.
"That's about what the people that were here were talking about," Joel Hypes said as he scanned the designs. "It looks real nice."
"This is democracy," added Brian Leacock. "This is wonderful. I love it."
Roanoke County Administrator Elmer Hodge proposed the formation of a residents' group to work with town and county planners on the next phase, drawing up building guidelines.
Vinton Town Manager Clayton Goodman said the group will be assembled after the architects' final report is completed next month.
"We're talking at least a couple more years working on this," he said.
County officials said the public design process has worked well with the McDonald farm, and said they may well use it for other projects.
"Land is getting scarce, and you're not going to be able to develop anything in the future unless the citizens are involved," said Melinda Cox, a county economic development specialist.
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