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Record of Proceedings

Blacksburg Planning Commission Meeting - June 7, 2022

Planning Commission — Tuesday, June 7, 2022
BodyBlacksburg, Virginia
SessionPlanning Commission
DateTuesday, June 7, 2022
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:01:12

Original source
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0:49

Well, welcome to the regular meeting of the Blacksburg Planning Commission.

0:52

They're held here the first Tuesday of each month in the Roger Headbeth Hedge Peth Chambers, the municipal building.

0:59

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

1:06

Please speak at the podium, state your name and address, direct comments only to the commission.

1:12

Please limit speak and time to a maximum of three minutes.

1:15

Speak only once during a specific hearing or comment period.

1:19

And please silence cell phones and show respect for all speakers and allow all opinions to be expressed in a tolerant atmosphere.

1:26

And with that, we will call the meeting to order.

1:28

We'll do a rope roll call.

1:29

I'll do that as well.

1:30

Mr.

1:31

Davis.

1:32

Present.

1:32

Mr.

1:32

Ford?

1:33

Here.

1:33

Mr.

1:33

Herbine.

1:34

Here.

1:35

Ms.

1:35

Jones.

1:36

Absent.

1:36

Mr.

1:37

Cassoff, absent.

1:38

Ms.

1:38

Reinhardt.

1:39

Here.

1:40

So we have a quorum.

1:42

So we will start with a cons consent agenda tonight.

1:46

And the first thing is the approval of the planning commission minutes from May 3rd.

1:52

And the action is to approve that.

1:54

Do we can we do them together?

1:56

Okay, that's what I thought.

1:57

And the second one is the rezoning 22-0001 is a request to rezone 1.59 acres at 402 Clay Street from R5 transitional residential to PR planned residential by Balzer and Associates on behalf of Kahler Communications.

2:20

Do we have a motion to uh adopt the planning or the consent agenda?

2:26

Yeah, so moved.

2:27

Second.

2:28

Second.

2:29

All in favor say aye.

2:30

Aye.

2:31

All opposed.

2:33

So we will start with the public hearings.

2:36

The first one tonight is CUP 22-0001, a conditional use permit request for a daycare center in the R4 Low Density Residential Zoning District at 1017 Progress Street by Joseph Hunnings on behalf of Northside Presbyterian Church, and we'll have a staff presentation by Colleen.

2:58

This is CUP 22-0001 for a daycare center in the R4.

3:03

The property owner is North Side Presbyterian Church.

3:06

The location is 1017 Progress Street Northwest.

3:10

The acreage is approximately 3.2 acres.

3:18

And the proposed use for the CUP is daycare center.

3:25

This shows an aerial view of the site with Progress Street running along the east side of the site.

3:33

And Watson Avenue running along the south.

3:38

With respect to existing conditions, there is an existing multi-level church building on the site.

3:51

One on Progress Street in the upper lot and one on Watson Avenue, the lower lot.

3:56

And there is also a playground area at the rear.

3:59

This shows a zoomed-in um view, and it does show those two parking areas: the upper lot and the lower lot, as well as that playground area to the rear of the existing building.

4:14

The request is for a daycare center use, primarily for after school care from 4 p.m.

4:19

to 6 p.m.

4:20

Monday through Friday.

4:22

With potential full-time uh use during summer from 7 a.m.

4:26

to 6 p.m.

4:27

The applicant is also exploring a partnership for preschool child care.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Ordinance████████████████████████████████32%
Urban Planning███████████████15%
Procedural█████████████13%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%
Stormwater Management█████████9%
Agricultural Land Use██████6%
Environmental Protection██████6%
Arts And Culture█████5%
Education██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Blacksburg Planning Commission Meeting - June 7, 2022

The Blacksburg Planning Commission held a regular meeting on June 7, 2022, at 6:30 PM in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers. The commission approved a consent agenda, held four public hearings, and took action on several land-use applications. All five present commissioners voted unanimously on all items except a subdivision preliminary plat review, which was denied.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Planning Commission Minutes (May 3, 2022): Approved unanimously (5-0).
  • RZN 22-0001/ORD 1993 – Rezoning of 1.59 acres at 402 Clay Street SE from R-5 Transitional Residential to PR Planned Residential: Scheduled a public hearing for July 5, 2022, as part of the consent agenda (approved 5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Chris Williams (1104 Deerfield Drive) spoke during the public hearing for SUB 22-0006. He expressed strong concerns about the impact on the watershed, stormwater management, and flooding in the area. He stated that the Town has acknowledged these concerns but has not acted, and he urged the Planning Commission to deny the request and any future development in the area. He noted that the Town’s own climate vulnerability assessment projects increased precipitation and more severe storms.

Discussion Items

CUP 22-0001 – Day Care Center at 1017 Progress Street NW (Northside Presbyterian Church)

  • Staff presented the request for a day care use (after-school and summer care for up to 47 children). The applicant, Joe Hunnings, stated the church aims to provide affordable child care and partner with the YMCA and Virginia Tech’s Hokie Hangout. He requested a delay in planting the vegetative buffer until fall. No public comment was heard. The commission approved with staff conditions, modifications (buffer location/type, bicycle rack), and a special exception for front-line parking.

CUP 22-0002 – Fine Arts Studio at 1513 Boxwood Drive (Jonathan Rugh)

  • Staff presented a request for an 800-square-foot art studio to produce custom wooden paddles. The applicant, Jonathan Rugh, noted no employees would be on site and customers would only pick up finished products. No public comment. The commission approved with conditions and a special exception for front-line parking.

AFD 22-0001 – Withdrawal of 40.34 Acres from Agricultural and Forestal District at 1900 Toms Creek Road

  • Staff reviewed the request to remove the property from the AFD to develop the Berewick Planned Residential District (76 single-family lots). The property had been rezoned in 2021. The Agricultural and Forestal Advisory Committee recommended approval (6-0). No public comment. The commission approved the withdrawal.

SUB 22-0006 – Major Subdivision Preliminary Plat Review for 76 Lots at 1900 Toms Creek Road (Berewick)

  • Staff detailed multiple deficiencies in the preliminary plat, including non-compliance with floodplain, stormwater, lot characteristics, driveway, bikeway, water/sewer, and utility easement standards. Staff recommended denial. The applicant, Paul Brown, acknowledged the deficiencies and stated they would resubmit after addressing comments, anticipating denial to establish a timeline. Commissioner discussion noted that the motion to deny gave time to consider public comment and an email from a master naturalist about tree canopy. The motion to deny passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

  • CUP 22-0001 (Day Care Center) – Approved (5-0), with staff conditions, modifications, and a special exception.
  • CUP 22-0002 (Fine Arts Studio) – Approved (5-0), with staff conditions and a special exception.
  • AFD 22-0001 (Agricultural and Forestal District Withdrawal) – Approved (5-0).
  • SUB 22-0006 (Preliminary Plat) – Denied (5-0), directing the applicant to correct deficiencies and resubmit.
  • The next public hearing was scheduled for July 5, 2022.
  • The commission acknowledged the service of outgoing Commissioner Jack Davis.

Meeting Transcript

Well, welcome to the regular meeting of the Blacksburg Planning Commission. They're held here the first Tuesday of each month in the Roger Headbeth Hedge Peth Chambers, the municipal building. Citizens may address the planning commission during specified times on the agenda and are requested adhere to the following. Please speak at the podium, state your name and address, direct comments only to the commission. Please limit speak and time to a maximum of three minutes. Speak only once during a specific hearing or comment period. And please silence cell phones and show respect for all speakers and allow all opinions to be expressed in a tolerant atmosphere. And with that, we will call the meeting to order. We'll do a rope roll call. I'll do that as well. Mr. Davis. Present. Mr. Ford? Here. Mr. Herbine. Here. Ms. Jones. Absent. Mr. Cassoff, absent. Ms. Reinhardt. Here. So we have a quorum. So we will start with a cons consent agenda tonight. And the first thing is the approval of the planning commission minutes from May 3rd. And the action is to approve that. Do we can we do them together? Okay, that's what I thought. And the second one is the rezoning 22-0001 is a request to rezone 1.59 acres at 402 Clay Street from R5 transitional residential to PR planned residential by Balzer and Associates on behalf of Kahler Communications. Do we have a motion to uh adopt the planning or the consent agenda? Yeah, so moved. Second. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. So we will start with the public hearings. The first one tonight is CUP 22-0001, a conditional use permit request for a daycare center in the R4 Low Density Residential Zoning District at 1017 Progress Street by Joseph Hunnings on behalf of Northside Presbyterian Church, and we'll have a staff presentation by Colleen. This is CUP 22-0001 for a daycare center in the R4. The property owner is North Side Presbyterian Church. The location is 1017 Progress Street Northwest. The acreage is approximately 3.2 acres. And the proposed use for the CUP is daycare center. This shows an aerial view of the site with Progress Street running along the east side of the site. And Watson Avenue running along the south.

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