Blacksburg Planning Commission Meeting – November 5, 2019

The Blacksburg Planning Commission met on November 5, 2019, at 7:30 PM in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers of the Municipal Building. Chair Andy Kassoff presided, and all seven commissioners were present. The meeting covered a consent agenda, six public hearings, citizen comment, and other business.

Consent Calendar

• Approved a Resolution of Appreciation for Mr. J.B. Jones Jr., recognizing his 20 years of service on the commission.
• Approved the minutes of the October 1, 2019, meeting. All motions passed 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

For Agenda Item IV-A (Glade Road rezoning):

• Casey Hodges (1223 Village Way South) stated the request was incongruent with the Comprehensive Plan and the surrounding single-family neighborhood, urging the commission to value year-long residents.
• Lisa Blums (1519 Oriole Drive) expressed concerns about existing traffic on Oriole Drive, the precedent for multi-family housing, and the lack of coordination with the adjacent 40-acre parcel.
• Traci Sterling (1211 Village Way South) appreciated the need for student housing but was concerned about noise and light pollution amplified by the local topography.
• Dean Sprader (1401 Village Way South) questioned who would use the proposed community garden plots and called for more details on maintenance.
• Doug White (760 Triangle Street) warned that a denial by the Planning Commission could be overridden by Town Council.
• Ginger Pope (1407 Karr Lane) raised concerns about noise pollution and increased traffic safety risks.
• A resident of 1404 Gladewood Drive argued that developers gain everything while neighbors gain nothing, noted unaffordable housing, and flagged the 40-acre vacant parcel behind the site.
• Roxanna Hartmann (404 Clairmont Drive) stated traffic is already "unbelievable" and young couples cannot afford to live in Blacksburg.

For Agenda Item IV-B (North Main Street/Giles Road rezoning):

• Tom Roberts (1601 South Main Street), speaking for the Argabrights (co-applicants), supported the project, noting the buffer and design improvements.
• Doug White (760 Triangle Street) gave four examples of Webb Street flooding since 2015 and urged the town to manage public utilities better to avoid future problems.
• A citizen of 906 Elliott Drive called attention to the cumulative impact of adding over 1,000 bedrooms on North Main Street, stressing water and sewer capacity concerns.

For Agenda Items IV-C, D, & E (North End Center):

• John Dooley (Virginia Tech Foundation CEO) supported the project, stating it would add value to the community and help expand retail.
• Doug White (760 Triangle Street) argued that the Virginia Tech Foundation serves the university, not the town, and raised concerns about stormwater, pedestrian crosswalks, service capabilities, and the need for broader community dialogue.
• John Boyer and Carrie Prichard (owners of Blacksburg Wine Lab) expressed support for the project despite potential negative impacts on their business, emphasizing its architectural and economic benefits.
• Emilio Santini (Progress Street) commended the applicant's design and voiced support.

For Agenda Item IV-F (Signage District): No public comments.

Discussion Items

Item IV-A: RZN19-0005 – Rezoning of 900 & 1002 Glade Road Kinsey O’Shea (staff) presented the proposal for 2.869 acres to be rezoned from RR-1 to PR for 112 bedrooms (townhomes, cottages, garden apartments). She noted the density was 17 times the by-right allowance and four times the Future Land Use designation. Applicant Craig Stipes (Broad Street Partners) emphasized the mix of unit types, rent caps for existing units, and no renting by the bedroom. Commissioners expressed concerns about the lack of owner-occupied units, compatibility with the Comprehensive Plan, traffic, and the pending 40-acre parcel. A motion to recommend denial passed 7-0.

Item IV-B: RZN19-0004 – Rezoning of 1310 North Main Street & 1013 Giles Road Staff presented a plan for 6.59 acres from GC/R-5 to PR, including a mixed-use building, multi-family buildings, and 29 for-sale townhomes (389 bedrooms). Concerns included loss of commercial land, density, and parking. Applicant Steve Semones (Balzer & Associates) highlighted revisions, including townhomes for sale, shared access, and EarthCraft certification. Commissioners praised the mix of student/family housing and commercial potential. A motion to recommend approval (with exceptions for setbacks, contiguous units, and open space configuration) passed 7-0.

Items IV-C, D, & E: RZN19-0007, CUP19-0006, ROW19-0001 – North End Center Staff presented a combined rezoning (DC with amended conditions), conditional use permit for 100-ft building height, and right-of-way vacation for a new building along Gilbert Street. The project includes ~250,000 square feet with ground-floor retail, university offices, and a rooftop restaurant. Skip Smith (W.M. Jordan Company) described the design, pedestrian improvements, and economic impacts (363 construction jobs, 688 ongoing jobs, ~$660,000 annual tax revenue). Commissioners discussed traffic impacts, bicycle parking, and the MOU with the Blacksburg Museum for St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall. On the rezoning and CUP, the motion passed 5-2 (Colley, Davis, Jones, Kassoff, Sutphin yes; Langrehr, Moneyhun no). On the right-of-way vacation, the motion passed 6-1 (Langrehr no).

Item IV-F: RZN19-0008 – North End Special Signage District Amendment Anne McClung (staff) explained the amendments to allow larger signs for major tenants (e.g., a 60-sq-ft sign for tenants over 12,500 sq ft) and a non-illuminated sign for the rooftop restaurant. No public comment. A motion to recommend approval passed 5-2 (same split as Items IV-C/D/E).

Key Outcomes

• Glade Road Rezoning (RZN19-0005): Recommended denial by 7-0.
• North Main Street Rezoning (RZN19-0004): Recommended approval with exceptions by 7-0.
• North End Center Rezoning (RZN19-0007): Recommended approval by 5-2.
• North End Center CUP (CUP19-0006): Recommended approval for 100-ft building height by 5-2.
• Gilbert Street Right-of-Way Vacation (ROW19-0001): Recommended approval by 6-1.
• North End Signage District Amendment (RZN19-0008): Recommended approval by 5-2.
• All recommendations will be forwarded to the Blacksburg Town Council for final action.

Citizen Comment

• Doug White (760 Triangle Street) presented concerns about stormwater and sewage flooding in downtown Blacksburg, urging the town to take immediate action.

Other Business

• Commissioner Sutphin reported on the Montgomery County Planning Commission meeting (agricultural/forestal district renewals).
• Commissioner Sutphin also noted the Town Council’s quarterly work session covered topics including electronic scooters.