The Blacksburg Planning Commission held its regular meeting on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, at 7:30 PM in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers of the Blacksburg Municipal Building. The meeting addressed several consent agenda items, public hearings on two rezoning requests and a related right-of-way vacation, and the election of officers.
Staff presented a request to rezone 4.215 acres from R-5 Transitional Residential to PR Planned Residential for construction of a four-story, 276-bedroom multifamily building. The proposed density (66 bedrooms per acre) exceeded the Comprehensive Plan's medium-density residential designation (20 bedrooms per acre). Key issues included neighborhood compatibility, parking ratio (0.8 per bedroom), traffic impacts near the Rescue Squad, and sanitary sewer capacity. The applicant (Green Valley Builders) presented revisions including a bus shelter, trail connection, full-access entrances, and enhanced buffering. After public comment, the Commission discussed concerns over density, compatibility, emergency response times, and the lack of a prior Comprehensive Plan amendment. A motion to recommend denial passed 6-2, with Colley, Davis, Jones (Mr.), Jones (Ms.), Langrehr, and Sutphin in favor, and Kassoff and Moneyhun opposed.
Staff presented a request to rezone 3.818 acres from PR with conditions and RM-27 to PR with amended conditions for construction of a 298-bedroom apartment building and four-unit townhomes. The proposed density (75 bedrooms per acre) far exceeded the medium-density designation (20 bedrooms per acre). The applicant (ACC OP (Warren Street) LLC) highlighted a private bike-share program, LEED certification, shuttle service, and a neighborhood improvement association. Public comment raised concerns about traffic, stormwater, and impacts on Stadium Woods. The Commission discussed the modifications to use and design standards (reduction of open space, parking in front of building line, parking layout for townhomes). A motion to approve the modifications failed 4-4 (Colley, Jones (Ms.), Kassoff, Sutphin yes; Jones (Mr.), Langrehr, Moneyhun, Davis no). A subsequent motion to recommend approval of the rezoning also failed 4-4 (same vote split). The related right-of-way vacation (ROW17-0001) similarly failed 4-4.
Okay, I'd like to welcome everybody to the uh November 6, 2018 regular meeting of the Planning Commission held the first Tuesday of every month here at Blacksburg Town Hall here. Roger Hedge Peth change chambers. Call this meeting to order and start with a roll call. Mr. Sutton? Here. Mr. Davis. Here. Mr. Colling? Here. Mr. Lambrer. Present. Mr. Jones? Ms. Money Hunt? Here. Ms. Jones is absent. I'm Andrew Cassov. We have a core. Okay, on the agenda, we have to consider the consent agenda. First item is approval planning commission minutes from October 2nd, 2018. Second item is an interesting one, a street name change. Review of a request for proposed name change to change Chickahominy Drive to Givens Lane. Why would we ever want to do that? Chickahominy Drive. Third one is zoning ordinance amendment number 39. We have actually two on the consent agenda. The first one is an ordinance to change the general commercial zoning district to clarify the allowed location of support facilities, such as parking for the ground floor for the upper story residential in the district and an allowance for residential on the ground floor with criteria through the conditional use permit process and modify the use and design standards for the hotel motel use. That uh public hearing will be on December 4th. The second zone ordinance amendment number 40 is an ordinance to change the development standards in the R4 low density residential zoning district to allow for averaging of front yard building setbacks for infill lots to limit the size of new driveways or driveway expansions in the district and increase the allowed floor area ratio for single family homes and to include attic and basement spaces within the far calculation. That's also will be heard on December 4th. Next one on the uh on the agenda for December 4th is a right of way uh request to vacate approximately 0.129 acres by Adam and Tanya Chisnowski. Uh it's a right of way known as Glade Road. Uh about 5700 square feet. And then last uh to be uh that was to be heard is we're canceling the November 6th public hearing date. It was it was supposed to be heard today, a rezoning number 18 000 six, a request for zone three acres of vacant land from RM48 medium density residential to planned residential at 1435 Tom's Creek Road. That was supposed to be heard this evening. It's been canceled and it'll be rescheduled for a later date. Okay, we have a um several items on the consent agenda to consider. Move to approve. Second. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? All right. Zero.