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Record of Proceedings

Blacksburg Planning Commission Meeting – September 6, 2022

Planning Commission — Tuesday, September 6, 2022
BodyBlacksburg, Virginia
SessionPlanning Commission
DateTuesday, September 6, 2022
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:48

I guess Mr.

0:49

Collie's not here.

0:50

Welcome to the regular meeting of the Blacksburg Planning Commission, which are held here on the first Tuesday of each month at the Hedge Path Chambers of the Blacksburg Municipal Building.

1:04

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

1:11

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

1:18

Please limit speaking time to a maximum of three minutes, and speak only once during a specific hearing or comment period.

1:26

A wireless microphone is available to anyone requesting assistance.

1:30

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

1:41

And before we uh call the meeting to order, I just like to uh I've been out for a little while.

1:47

I'd like to express my thanks to staff and members of the commission, members of council, members of the development community for all the uh wonderful uh get well cards and emails and phone calls that I've received.

2:00

I greatly appreciate that.

2:02

Um I'd also like to welcome, I'm sure you've all you've had official welcome, but you're new to me, so I'd really like to welcome our new planning commission members, Latonya and Lean for uh agreeing to uh do the work of this commission.

2:18

Really appreciate your commitment and question your sanity.

2:22

So um also uh I did have a little back surgery, so uh to put to staff and the applicants.

2:31

I may stand up during your presentation.

2:36

Uh I will be listening and paying attention.

2:39

If I put my earbuds in and I start dancing, I'm not paying attention.

2:45

So you were also uh the airway they put in me during surgery was I think the size of a dryer hose, so if I start sounding like a aging British gangster, that's why.

2:58

So no offense, Matt.

3:01

So with that, we'll call the meeting to order.

3:03

And are you prepared to do a roll call?

3:06

No.

3:07

Okay.

3:08

Staff can do that for you if you'd like to.

3:10

Wonderful.

3:11

Thank you.

3:12

Maybe we have a roll call, please.

3:13

Uh Mr.

3:14

Collie is absent.

3:15

Mr.

3:16

Ford?

3:16

Here.

3:17

Mr.

3:17

Herbine?

3:18

Here.

3:18

Ms.

3:18

Jones.

3:19

Here.

3:20

Mr.

3:20

Cassov.

3:21

Present.

3:22

Ms.

3:22

Reinhardt?

3:23

Here.

3:23

Ms.

3:24

Walker?

3:24

Here.

3:25

Mr.

3:25

Watson.

3:26

Here.

3:26

We have a core.

3:28

Wonderful.

3:28

Thank you.

3:29

Uh tonight's a consent agenda is brief.

3:32

It's the approval of the planning commission minutes from August 2nd, and the action is to approve.

3:37

All those in favor?

3:39

Aye.

3:43

All right.

3:43

Moving on to public hearings.

3:45

Need a motion.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Ordinance████████████████████████████28%
Urban Planning████████████████16%
Procedural███████████11%
Transportation Safety█████████9%
Sustainable Development████████8%
Housing████████8%
Energy Efficiency████████8%
Public Utilities███████7%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Blacksburg Planning Commission Meeting – September 6, 2022

The Blacksburg Planning Commission met on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at 6:30 PM at the Municipal Building. The main agenda item was a continued public hearing on a request to rezone 3.08 acres at 1800 Whipple Drive from R-5 Transitional Residential to PR Planned Residential, including a variance to reduce public utility easement (PUE) width. The motion to approve the rezoning failed with a tie vote (4-4), sending the request to Town Council without a recommendation.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the Planning Commission minutes from August 2, 2022, unanimously (7-0).

Public Hearings

  • RZN 22-0001 (402 Clay Street): Public hearing cancelled; applicant withdrew request.

  • RZN 22-0002 (1800 Whipple Drive): Continued from August 2, 2022. Staff planner Kinsey O'Shea presented the proposal for 34 townhome units (98 bedrooms) at a density of 32 bedrooms per acre—60% above the Comprehensive Plan's medium-density residential designation (20 bedrooms/acre). The applicant requested a variance to reduce the required 15-foot public utility easement to 10 feet along two perimeters, with an off-site easement proposed on adjacent property. Staff did not recommend the variance due to enforceability and long-term utility concerns.

  • Applicant Presentation: Steve Semones, Ben Price, and Jason Boyle (Balzer and Associates) highlighted revisions: increased tree canopy to 14%, Type B accessible units on main floors, HOA-maintained exteriors and solar panels, a proffered HERS rating of 55 (with solar bringing it into the 30s), and occupancy restrictions (family plus two unrelated or max three unrelated) intended to deter undergraduate housing. They argued the 10-foot PUE is sufficient and that adjacent property owners agreed to grant easements.

  • Public Comment: Greg Novak (105 Countryside Court) expressed concerns about traffic congestion and safety on North Main Street, Red Maple Drive, and Whipple Drive, and that the development could become undergraduate housing despite proposed safeguards.

  • Applicant Rebuttal: Semones stated a traffic study showed no mitigation required at surrounding intersections.

Discussion Items

  • Commissioners discussed the PUE variance, enforceability of off-site easements, canopy coverage, energy efficiency longevity, and traffic impacts. Some commissioners praised the project's creativity and sustainability, while others noted it was not fully baked and needed further staff and legal review.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to approve RZN 22-0002 (rezoning and variance) failed 4-4: Commissioners Jones, Herbein, Kassoff, and Colley voted yes; Commissioners Ford, Walker, Watson, and Rinehart voted no. The request proceeds to Town Council with no recommendation from the Planning Commission.
  • No other actions were taken.

Meeting Transcript

I guess Mr. Collie's not here. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Blacksburg Planning Commission, which are held here on the first Tuesday of each month at the Hedge Path Chambers of the Blacksburg Municipal Building. 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, state your name and address, direct 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. A wireless microphone is available to anyone requesting assistance. Please silence cell phones, show respect for all speakers, and allow all opinions to be expressed in the tolerant atmosphere. And before we uh call the meeting to order, I just like to uh I've been out for a little while. I'd like to express my thanks to staff and members of the commission, members of council, members of the development community for all the uh wonderful uh get well cards and emails and phone calls that I've received. I greatly appreciate that. Um I'd also like to welcome, I'm sure you've all you've had official welcome, but you're new to me, so I'd really like to welcome our new planning commission members, Latonya and Lean for uh agreeing to uh do the work of this commission. Really appreciate your commitment and question your sanity. So um also uh I did have a little back surgery, so uh to put to staff and the applicants. I may stand up during your presentation. Uh I will be listening and paying attention. If I put my earbuds in and I start dancing, I'm not paying attention. So you were also uh the airway they put in me during surgery was I think the size of a dryer hose, so if I start sounding like a aging British gangster, that's why. So no offense, Matt. So with that, we'll call the meeting to order. And are you prepared to do a roll call? No. Okay. Staff can do that for you if you'd like to. Wonderful. Thank you. Maybe we have a roll call, please. Uh Mr. Collie is absent. Mr. Ford? Here. Mr. Herbine? Here. Ms. Jones. Here. Mr. Cassov. Present. Ms. Reinhardt? Here. Ms. Walker? Here. Mr. Watson. Here.

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