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Record of Proceedings

Blacksburg Planning Commission Work Session and Regular Meeting - July 2, 2019

Planning Commission — Tuesday, July 2, 2019
BodyBlacksburg, Virginia
SessionPlanning Commission
DateTuesday, July 2, 2019
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:09

Welcome to the regular meeting of the Blacksburg Planning Commission.

0:13

These meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7.30 here in the Edge Path Chambers in Blacksburg Municipal Building at 300 South Main Street.

0:23

Citizens may address the Planning Commission during specified times on the agenda and are requested to adhere to the following.

0:30

Please speak at the podium.

0:32

Please state your name and address.

0:35

Please direct your comments only to the commission.

0:38

Please limit speaking time to a maximum of three minutes.

0:42

And speak only once during a specific hearing or comment period.

0:47

If you need a wireless microphone, one is available to anyone requesting assistance.

0:53

Please silence your cell phones, show respect for all speakers, and allow all opinions to be expressed in the tolerant atmosphere.

1:02

With that, we'll call the meeting to order.

1:05

And we have a roll call.

1:07

Mr.

1:08

Collin?

1:08

Here.

1:09

Mr.

1:09

Davis?

1:10

Here.

1:10

Mr.

1:11

Jones?

1:12

Here.

1:12

Ms.

1:12

Jones?

1:13

Here.

1:14

Mr.

1:14

Cassall?

1:15

Present.

1:16

Mr.

1:16

Langreyer?

1:17

President.

1:17

Ms.

1:18

Munning Hun?

1:19

Here?

1:19

Mr.

1:19

Sutton?

1:20

Here.

1:23

First thing on our item is our consent agenda.

1:26

And the consent agenda includes the approval of the Planning Commission minutes from May 7th to June 4th.

1:32

Additionally, the CEP 1900 two, a request to amend the previously approved conditional use permit at the Brownstone on 301 South Main Street to increase the maximum allowed ground floor medical and general office square footage in downtown commercial zoning district by the Brownstone LFC.

1:54

And the action is to schedule that public hearing for August 6th.

2:01

The third item on the consent agenda is CEP 003 conditional use permit request for medical office space on the ground floor in downtown Commercial Zoning District in Clay Court at 401 South Main Street, suite 105.

2:17

Again by Steve Hill Rentals.

2:20

And the action there is to schedule the public hearing for August 6, 2019.

2:27

Fourth item is CEP 004, conditional use permit request for townhouses on the ground floor in downtown commercial zoning district on a point six zero nine acre parcel in conjunction with the rehabilitation of the historic structure at 201 South Main Street and 105 Lee Street by Tom Koontz of TKA Architects.

2:55

The fifth item, comprehensive plan review pursuant to Virginia Code 152 2232 of a proposed connection of Graves Avenue with the Town of Blacksburg to serve a proposed subdivision in Montgomery County.

3:12

And the action there is to cancel tonight's public hearing, which was to be held tonight, July 2nd, and reschedule it for August 6, 2019.

3:22

Do I have a motion?

3:24

I move approval.

3:26

Second.

3:26

All those in favor?

3:31

Moving on to the public hearing tonight on our agenda.

3:35

The first public hearing is rezoning 19001 ordinance 1892, the request to rezone 5.5 acres in the R5 Transitional Residential and General Commercial Zoning Districts to Planned Residential Zoning District on North Main Street at Montgomery Street and Boris Drive for the development of a mixed-use, student-oriented multi-family and commercial development by John Neill of Gay and Neal for the applicant and landmark properties, the contract purchaser.

4:10

The action will take be taken on this particular proposal tonight is the applicant has requested that the planning commission defer consideration and reschedule to allow time to make further revisions to the application.

4:32

That's the certain day, September 3rd, 2019.

4:37

Tonight, the Planning Commission will open the public hearing and will continue the public hearing until September 3rd, 2019.

4:45

If you came to speak regarding this application and cannot join us on September 3rd, please do so this evening.

4:53

The public may also speak and you may speak again at your discretion on September 3rd regarding this application.

5:02

So this public hearing for this application is now open, and we will hear from the public.

5:11

Good evening.

5:12

My name is Douglas White 760 Triangle Street, Blacksburg.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Urban Planning█████████████████████████████████████37%
Zoning Ordinance████████████████████████████████████36%
Procedural████████████12%
Affordable Housing█████5%
Traffic Management████4%
Public Engagement███3%
Public Safety██2%
Parks and Recreation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Blacksburg Planning Commission Work Session and Regular Meeting - July 2, 2019

On July 2, 2019, the Blacksburg Planning Commission held a 6:30 p.m. work session followed by a 7:30 p.m. regular meeting in the Blacksburg Municipal Building. All eight commissioners were present. The commission reviewed staff updates on three rezoning cases, approved a consent agenda, heard public testimony on multiple applications, and voted on recommendations to Town Council.

Work Session (6:30-7:15 p.m.)

  • Received updates on RZN19-0001/ORD 1892 (The Standard, 1000 block of North Main Street), RZN19-0003/ORD 1896 (Stonegate II Apartments, 509 Broce Drive), and RZN19-0002/ORD 1895 (Old Blacksburg High School, 520 Patrick Henry Drive).
  • No formal action was taken during the work session.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the May 7, 2019 and June 4, 2019 Planning Commission minutes unanimously.
  • Scheduled public hearings for August 6, 2019 on CUP19-002 (The Brownstone, 301 South Main Street), CUP19-0003 (ground-floor medical office at 401 South Main Street, Suite 105), and CUP19-0004 (townhouses with historic rehabilitation at 201 South Main Street/105 Lee Street).
  • Canceled the July 2, 2019 Comprehensive Plan public hearing for the proposed Graves Avenue connection and rescheduled it for August 6, 2019.
  • Motion by Mr. Jones, second by Mr. Davis; passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

RZN19-0001 - The Standard (continued to September 3, 2019)

  • Doug White asked that the application be sent back to the neighborhood-meeting stage, saying no one understood the proposal.
  • Lynne McCree said Virginia Tech's need for student housing was consuming the town and worried about losing local businesses such as Prices Service Station.
  • Mike Beck, a Montgomery Street property owner, expressed concern about traffic impacts but acknowledged the developer's outreach and said the town should weigh trade-offs.

RZN19-0002 - Old Blacksburg High School (continued to August 6, 2019)

  • Doug White questioned whether the town followed its own public-hearing signage rules and asked for another neighborhood meeting.
  • Barbara Strawb said the proposal did not fit the neighborhood and asked for sidewalks and bike paths.
  • Greg Kadlec said the development would likely become student housing and suggested the town buy the property instead.
  • Kimberly Homer urged denial and said she preferred about 80 single-family houses; she questioned trust in the town and county to provide recreation space.
  • Chris Marin supported the residential project with revisions, provided the existing woods remained.
  • James Hardell suggested improving the existing recreation center across the street rather than buying part of the site.
  • Irene Lamb opposed the rezoning because of traffic, density, appearance, lack of affordable housing, and possible student housing.
  • Patrice Shubert objected because it could become student housing and was out of character with the area.
  • Andrea Dietrich urged the town to purchase the whole site and raised traffic and pedestrian safety concerns.
  • Ron Gerald said the developer had not shown what would actually be built and that the plan seemed unclear.
  • Kate Jewlett said the project could harm neighborhood character and increase traffic.
  • Marta Prupas asked the town to buy the property and tell Virginia Tech there should be no more student growth.
  • Maryanne Parcher urged no impact on the residential neighborhood and recommended upgrading the existing recreation center.
  • Leah Kalinski Jones, 805 Grove Avenue, said the proposal conflicted with the Comprehensive Plan and suggested HOA covenants prohibiting student renters.
  • Tom Roberts said the parcel was the last large recreation opportunity but called the current offer to sell part of the site a good deal with large buffers.

RZN19-0003 - Stonegate II Apartments

  • No public comment was offered.

Zoning Ordinance Amendment #44/ORD 1900 - Downtown Commercial Height and Classroom Uses

  • Skip Smith, representing W.M. Jordan Company, spoke about the company's work with the Virginia Tech Foundation and encouraged approval so the North End project could move forward.
  • John Dooley, CEO of the Virginia Tech Foundation, urged approval and said the project would bring amenities; restaurants on the property would collect and remit taxes.
  • Doug White said the process was out of order, questioned tax revenue loss and sustainability, and raised parking and fire-access concerns.
  • Kimberly Homer said North End parking was already inadequate and asked for more parking and local retailers rather than a national chain.

Discussion Items

RZN19-0001/ORD 1892 - The Standard

  • The applicant requested deferral to September 3, 2019, and the commission continued the public hearing to that date.

RZN19-0002/ORD 1895 - Old Blacksburg High School

  • Because new information was received too late for staff and commission review, staff and applicant presentations were deferred to August 6, 2019, and the public hearing was continued to that date.

RZN19-0003/ORD 1896 - Stonegate II Apartments

  • Staff and applicant presented amendments to the 2017 Planned Residential zoning for 2.22 acres: two multifamily buildings with a maximum of 44 bedrooms; building footprint changes reducing overall square footage; increased building height from 35 to 45 feet; increased ceiling height from 8 to 9 feet; relocation of the leasing office toward Toms Creek Road; replacement of the shared laundry facility with in-unit laundry; a signage plan; and more contemporary materials with no vinyl siding.
  • No public comments were received.
  • The commission recommended approval.

Zoning Ordinance Amendment #44/ORD 1900

  • Staff explained that the text amendment would allow requests for building height up to 100 feet in the Downtown Commercial (DC) district by conditional use permit (current limit is 60 feet), create a conditional use permit for limited instructional classrooms for a college or university, add use definitions, and move primary/secondary educational facilities to conditional use permit status.
  • The amendment was driven by the Virginia Tech Foundation's North End redevelopment proposal.
  • In discussion, Ms. Jones said she was pleased the proposal followed the Downtown Study model; Mr. Sutphin said he was comfortable because a CUP process would be required; Mr. Langrehr called it a piecemeal approach tailored to one developer; Ms. Moneyhun said the proposal should require a percentage of structured parking; and Mr. Davis said supporting development improvements was good for the town.

Graves Avenue Comprehensive Plan Review

  • The July 2 public hearing was canceled and rescheduled for August 6, 2019, as part of the consent agenda.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent agenda approved unanimously.
  • Motion to continue RZN19-0001 public hearing to September 3, 2019, passed unanimously.
  • Motion to continue RZN19-0002 public hearing to August 6, 2019, passed unanimously.
  • Motion to recommend approval of Ordinance #1896 (Stonegate II) passed unanimously.
  • Motion to recommend approval of Ordinance #1900 (Zoning Ordinance Amendment #44) passed 6-2. Voting yes: Colley, Davis, J.B. Jones, M. Jones, Kassoff, and Sutphin. Voting no: Langrehr and Moneyhun.
  • The Graves Avenue public hearing was rescheduled to August 6, 2019.
  • The Old Blacksburg High School traffic study will be reviewed by the commission at a future work session.
  • Upcoming meetings: work session July 16, 2019, at 5:00 p.m.; regular meeting August 6, 2019, at 7:30 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the regular meeting of the Blacksburg Planning Commission. These meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7.30 here in the Edge Path Chambers in Blacksburg Municipal Building at 300 South Main Street. Citizens may address the Planning Commission during specified times on the agenda and are requested to adhere to the following. Please speak at the podium. Please state your name and address. Please direct your comments only to the commission. Please limit speaking time to a maximum of three minutes. And speak only once during a specific hearing or comment period. If you need a wireless microphone, one is available to anyone requesting assistance. Please silence your cell phones, show respect for all speakers, and allow all opinions to be expressed in the tolerant atmosphere. With that, we'll call the meeting to order. And we have a roll call. Mr. Collin? Here. Mr. Davis? Here. Mr. Jones? Here. Ms. Jones? Here. Mr. Cassall? Present. Mr. Langreyer? President. Ms. Munning Hun? Here? Mr. Sutton? Here. First thing on our item is our consent agenda. And the consent agenda includes the approval of the Planning Commission minutes from May 7th to June 4th. Additionally, the CEP 1900 two, a request to amend the previously approved conditional use permit at the Brownstone on 301 South Main Street to increase the maximum allowed ground floor medical and general office square footage in downtown commercial zoning district by the Brownstone LFC. And the action is to schedule that public hearing for August 6th. The third item on the consent agenda is CEP 003 conditional use permit request for medical office space on the ground floor in downtown Commercial Zoning District in Clay Court at 401 South Main Street, suite 105. Again by Steve Hill Rentals. And the action there is to schedule the public hearing for August 6, 2019. Fourth item is CEP 004, conditional use permit request for townhouses on the ground floor in downtown commercial zoning district on a point six zero nine acre parcel in conjunction with the rehabilitation of the historic structure at 201 South Main Street and 105 Lee Street by Tom Koontz of TKA Architects. The fifth item, comprehensive plan review pursuant to Virginia Code 152 2232 of a proposed connection of Graves Avenue with the Town of Blacksburg to serve a proposed subdivision in Montgomery County. And the action there is to cancel tonight's public hearing, which was to be held tonight, July 2nd, and reschedule it for August 6, 2019. Do I have a motion? I move approval. Second. All those in favor?

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