Blacksburg Planning Commission Regular Meeting - October 1, 2019

The Blacksburg Planning Commission held its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, at 7:30 PM in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers of the Blacksburg Municipal Building. Vice Chair Mel Jones presided in the absence of Chair Kassoff. Six commissioners were present, one absent. The meeting primarily addressed a consent agenda of scheduling and cancellations, followed by a public hearing on a rezoning request at 1401 Giles Road. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the September 3, 2019 meeting (6-0).
• Scheduled a public hearing for RZN19-0004 (rezoning 6.15 acres at 1310 North Main Street) for November 5, 2019.
• Canceled the October 1 public hearings and rescheduled to November 5, 2019 for the following items:
  • RZN19-0005 (rezoning at 900 and 1002 Glade Road)
  • RZN19-0007 (zoning amendment at North End Center)
  • CUP19-0006 (conditional use permit for building height at North End Center)
  • RZN19-0008 (signage district amendment at North End Center)
  • ROW19-0001 (right-of-way vacation along Gilbert Street)

All consent items were approved unanimously (6-0).

Discussion Items

RZN19-0006: Rezoning at 1401 Giles Road (Uptown Development)

The commission held a public hearing on a request by Steve Semones of Balzer & Associates (applicant) and Justin Boyle of J3 Properties (owner) to amend the existing Planned Residential (PR) zoning on 0.9418 acres at 1401 Giles Road. The amendment sought to increase density from 14 apartments (32 bedrooms) to 28 apartments (64 bedrooms) and building height from two stories above parking to four stories above parking (65 feet from Giles Road, 52 feet from the internal parking lot). The proposed density of 68 bedrooms per acre exceeded the 48 bedrooms per acre maximum allowed in the adjacent General Commercial district.

Key issues discussed included:

• Density and scale: Staff noted the proposed residential gross floor area (approximately 48,900 sq ft) would be 2.3 times the commercial GFA of the remaining Uptown development. Commissioner Langrehr supported the density, stating the town needs housing and this urban development is in a designated urban area. Commissioner Moneyhun expressed concern about the limited open space (approximately 8.3% of site vs. 20% required) but was satisfied with its functionality given proximity to a nearby park.
• Open space and landscaping: The applicant proposed 3,400 sq ft of open space plus raised garden beds. The reduction was approved under criteria for sites under two acres. The landscaping plan included evergreen screening trees (8 ft tall at planting, spaced 12 ft on center) along the neighboring residential property. Commissioner Jones encouraged the applicant to involve the adjacent neighbor in selecting screening plants.
• Parking in front of front building line: A special exception was needed for parking spaces located in front of the building, contingent on adequate buffering. Staff and commissioners noted the site’s topography and design mitigate visual impacts.
• Occupancy limits: The applicant revised the maximum occupancy to "family plus two unrelated persons" and for unrelated persons, "not more than one person per bedroom," which staff deemed appropriate for the proposed parking ratio (0.9 spaces per bedroom).
• Access and sidewalk: The applicant confirmed the Giles Road entrance meets town grade standards (<12% slope) and committed to exploring a sidewalk connection during site plan review, though it could not be proffered due to potential conflicts with stormwater infrastructure.

No public comments were received. No applicant rebuttal was presented.

Key Outcomes

The commission took three unanimous votes (6-0) on motions by Commissioner Langrehr and second by Commissioner Davis:

1. Approved the reduction in required open space for the Planned Residential district.
2. Granted a special exception for parking in front of the front building line, conditioned on landscaping buffering.
3. Approved the rezoning amendment (RZN19-0006/ORD 1907) to allow increased density (68 bedrooms per acre) and height (four stories) at 1401 Giles Road.

Other business: Commissioner Sutphin reported that Town Council discussed scooter regulations at a work session earlier that day, with further discussion planned at the next meeting.