ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 12, 1996 TAG: 9612120014
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: MARK CLOTHIER STAFF WRITER
A community of 56 homes, one or two shops and about 15 acres of open space should begin to take shape this May in the rolling farmland of Blacksburg's Toms Creek Basin.
Town Council approved a developer's request to increase the number of homes allowed per acre there despite concerns by some residents that the still-rural character of the area would be jeopardized. The rezoning sought by developer Jim Lucas will allow up to two homes per acre, but requires they be built in a cluster with half the land left open space.
The request was approved 5-1, with Councilman Lewis Barnett the lone opposing vote. Councilman Michael Chandler was not at Tuesday's meeting.
The request to allow a greater density of houses in the basin was the second since last March when the town applied a new rural residential zone to the area, which is still largely undeveloped farmland.
The development, Brookfield Village, will have 56 single-family homes, about two houses per acre, as well as plans for two commercial buildings, a general store and personal services type business - a wide category that can include shoe repair, a dry-cleaning drop-off site and florists.
Brookfield Village will be located at U.S. 460 and Toms Creek Road in its northwest quadrant.
Toms Creek Basin residents formed the bulk of the opposition to the project, voicing the concern that more homes would take away from the area's natural beauty.
Council delayed the vote twice: at its Nov. 12 and Nov. 26 meetings.
Bill Allen, president of the Deerfield Homeowners Association, a nearby development where homes are scattered on more traditional large lots, said he didn't oppose the basin's development, he just wanted to limit the number of houses built there.
"We're disappointed," Allen said. "But we had our day in court. We had an opportunity to speak and Town Council was patient in listening."
After the vote, Allen walked over to Lucas, shook his hand, and wished him well.
"This was not a problem with Mr. Lucas," Allen said. "He does good work and is well respected."
Barnett said he opposed the project because Lucas didn't successfully justify his request to build more homes.
Lucas said the added homes per acre were needed to justify the cost of building a development that will have a $100,000 sewer pump station and sewer lines connected to the town's system. The sewer line and station will be given to the town. The project also includes curbs and gutters and the relocation of the Toms Creek Road end of Redbud Road, which will be moved down Toms Creek Road to line up with the as-yet-unbuilt Spring Valley Road.
Mayor Roger Hedgepeth called the project well-planned and well-developed.
"And a vote for it is not a disregard for citizens who opposed it," he said. "Town Council has given this a lot of thought. And when Toms Creek Basin is built out - and it'll be many years from now I think history will show we made the right decision on the rezoning."
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