Blacksburg Planning Commission Meeting - September 5, 2023
Blacksburg Planning Commission Meeting - September 5, 2023
The Blacksburg Planning Commission held a regular meeting on September 5, 2023, at 6:30 PM in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers. The commission approved a consent agenda, conducted two public hearings on right-of-way vacations and a rezoning for affordable housing, and heard citizen comments. All votes were unanimous 7-0.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (August 1, 2023): Approved 7-0 without discussion.
Public Hearings
ROW 23-0001 – Vacation of Town-Owned Right-of-Way at 2600 Research Center Drive
- Request: Vacate approximately 20,439 square feet of Rimrock Drive right-of-way to allow expansion of Blue Ridge Cancer Care building and parking lot. Applicant: Balzer & Associates on behalf of Snyder-Hunt Company, LLP.
- Staff Presentation: Matthew Sampa reviewed criteria and recommended four conditions (dedication of perimeter public utility easement, easements for private utilities, sidewalk easement, vacation of interior lot lines). Value of right-of-way estimated at $226,000.
- Applicant Presentation: Gretchen Merix addressed utility encroachments and noted a Memorandum of Understanding with the adjacent Montessori school regarding parking.
- Public Comment: None.
- Motion: Approved 7-0 with staff conditions.
RZN 23-0002/ORD 2035 – Rezone 1.1 Acres at 1200 Block Airport Road for Habitat for Humanity Townhomes & ROW 23-0002/ORD 2033 – Vacation of 0.22 Acres of Town Right-of-Way
- Request: Rezone from R-4 Low Density Residential to PR Planned Residential to allow 11 affordable townhomes (33 bedrooms) for households earning 30%–80% Area Median Income. Units will be part of the New River Home Trust using ARPA funds. The associated right-of-way vacation would vacate two unbuilt "paper streets" (Virginia Street and Airport Drive).
- Staff Presentation: Kinsey O'Shea detailed the proposal, density (10 units/acre, 30 bedrooms/acre), exceptions requested (units not required to face street or parking; no recreation amenity due to nearby Dehart Park), and proffers including income restrictions, land trust transfer, and sustainability standards. The right-of-way vacation would allow one additional unit.
- Applicant Presentation: Steve Semones (Balzer & Associates) and a Habitat for Humanity representative described two neighborhood meetings, a village green design, and a 10-foot trail connection to Dehart Park. They addressed stormwater, buffer planting limitations (evergreen shrubs in PUE), and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
- Public Comment:
- Troy Brown (owner of adjacent properties at 501/503 Dehart St and 102 Airport Rd): Opposed the right-of-way vacation, claiming entitlement to half of the vacated right-of-way under standard protocol. Expressed concerns about drainage on his property, removal of bushes without consent, dumpster proximity to the park, and density being too high for the area.
- Sharóne Tomer (608 Rose Avenue): Supported the project, stating the density is appropriate and the design (green space, park connection) fits the neighborhood.
- Connor Will (VT student, Rhizome Living Learning Community): Supported the project for providing needed affordable housing and praised the green space and park connection; asked about potential amenities.
- Applicant Rebuttal: Semones noted correspondence between Brown and the Town Attorney regarding the right-of-way claim, stated density is necessary for affordability, and explained that bushes removed are in the right-of-way but offered to work with Brown on replanting. He clarified that the occupancy standard matches R-4 district (family plus two unrelated individuals).
- Motion for RZN 23-0002: Approved 7-0 with all applicant proffers and two requested exceptions. Commissioner Latanya Walker suggested considering paths to the dumpster for accessibility.
- Motion for ROW 23-0002: Approved 7-0 with staff conditions. Vice Chair Mel Jones noted they must follow the Town Attorney's advice.
Citizen Comment
- Troy Brown reiterated frustration that Habitat for Humanity never contacted him directly about the project, despite his adjacent properties. He urged better communication in the future.
Unfinished Business
- Zoning Ordinance Review Committee: Not met.
- Historic or Design Review Board: Nothing to report.
- Montgomery County Planning Commission: Joel Herbein reported on recent meetings, noting ongoing discussions about solar energy regulations (maximum acreage for solar, minimum project size, boundary restrictions).
New Business
- Chair’s Report: None.
- Planning Director’s Report: Kali Casper reminded commissioners about the election of officers per bylaws.
- Town Council Report: No report (Jerry Ford Jr. absent).
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved 7-0.
- ROW 23-0001 (Research Center Drive) approved 7-0 with four staff conditions.
- RZN 23-0002 (Airport Road rezoning) approved 7-0 with all proffers and exceptions.
- ROW 23-0002 (Airport Road right-of-way vacation) approved 7-0 with five staff conditions.
- Meeting adjourned at 7:39 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Hello, welcome to the regular meeting of the Blacksburg Planning Commission. Um these are held on the first Tuesday of every month at 6 30 p.m. in the Roger E. Hedge Path Chambers of the Blacksburg Municipal Building here at 300 South Main Street. Uh 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, and please limit speaking time to a maximum of three minutes. Speak only once during the specific a specific public hearing or comment period. A wireless microphone is available for anyone requesting assistance. Please silence your cell phones, show respect for all speakers, and allow opinions to be expressed in a tolerant atmosphere. Shall I turn it over to the chair? Thank you. Apologize for my tardiness. And here we have a quorum. Uh minutes from August 1st, 2023, and the action is to approve. Do we have a motion? I move planning commission to approve the consent agenda as approved as presented. Second. All those in favor? Moving on to our public hearings for the evening. Our first public hearing is right of uh right-of-way 23, ROW 2301, which is a request to vacate approximately 20,439 square feet of town-owned right-of-way adjacent to tax parcel 347-81 at 2600 research center drive by Gretchen Merrick's of Balzner Associates, the applicant on behalf of Snyder Hunt Company. LLP the owner. And we have a staff presentation. This is a request to vacate the Rim Rock Drive right of way located off of Research Center Drive. The request was brought to the town by the applicant, Gretchen Merrick's of Balzer and Associates on behalf of Snyder Hunt LLP. The right-of-way vacation request is in conjunction with a buy-right building and parking lot expansion for Blue Ridge Cancer Care located at two 2600 Research Center Drive. The right-of-way will be combined with the cancer care parcel and adjacent parcel owned by Georgia Ann Snyder Falkenham. The size of the right-of-way is 0.47 acres, and it is and it is a built street containing public and private utilities as well as a a private sidewalk or a public sidewalk. Here is an aerial view of the right-of-way and surrounding parcels. And this is a closer view of the right-of-way and surrounding area. The proposed expansion will add 6,000 square feet to the existing building. When finished, the parking lot will have a total of 160 parking spaces, 17 of which will be designated for mine, me, and us, Montessori School. This is the proposed layout that was included in the site plan of the proposed expansion. The planning commission is asked to evaluate the application based on that the alley and right of way vacation process. In the administrative manual, in the administrative manual accompanying the comprehensive plan, particularly steps two through five contained in the evaluation criteria document attached to the staff report. Staff has provided the following findings to assist in the evaluation of the application. There are no transportation connections envisioned in the comprehensive plan for Rim Rock Drive. It contains one sidewalk that begins at the end of the street and continues along Research Center Drive. There are no proposed routes for bicycle or pedestrian infrastructure for the right-of-way on the path to the future map. Both parcels with driveway access from the right-of-way will be incorporated in the proposed expansion. Mind me and us has frontage on the right-of-way, but does not object to the uh vacation. Given the size, shape, and location of the right-of-way area, it is unlikely to be used as parkland or public open space. In discussion with the town attorney, staff have determined the value of the right of way by averaging the Montgomery County assessed land value of the adjoining parcels applied on a square foot footage basis, square foot basis used using deeded acreage information. Value of Rim Rock Drive is roughly 226,000. The Rim Rock Drive right of way contains existing public and private utilities. The applicant has verified the waterline depths and a variance request to lessen water line cover from four feet to 3.25 feet will be reviewed with the site plan. The existing sanitary sewer line in the right of way will be abandoned as the buildings it currently serves will be demolished. The existing public storm network that is currently located on Rim Rock Drive will become private as it will continue to serve the private drive only once the vacation is approved. As previously stated, public sidewalk currently exists from the edge of the right-of-way to Research Center Drive. Staff recommends that that the applicant dedicate a sidewalk easement for the existing portions of sidewalk serving Research Center Drive. Private utilities also exist within the right-of-way.
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