Blacksburg Planning Commission Regular Meeting – July 1, 2025

The Blacksburg Planning Commission met Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 6:30 pm in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers of the Blacksburg Municipal Building. Chair Andy Kassoff called the meeting to order. Commissioners present were Tim Colley, Jerry Ford Jr., Andy Kassoff, Blaine Keesee, Melissa Jones, and Susanna Rinehart; Brian Britt, Michael Ermann, and Latanya Walker were absent. The commission unanimously approved the consent agenda and, after a public hearing, unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the Graham Outdoor Recreation Camp at 2190 Merrimac Road. Two scheduled public hearings were canceled and rescheduled. The meeting adjourned at 7:57 pm.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the June 3, 2025 Planning Commission minutes.
• Scheduled a public hearing for August 5, 2025, for RZN-25-5, the Tech Terrace PRD rezoning request at 305 & 309 Webb Street.
• Canceled the July 1, 2025 public hearing for RZN-25-4, the Yellow Sulphur Apartments PRD rezoning request at 3503 Holiday Lane, and rescheduled it for a later date.
• Canceled the July 1, 2025 public hearing for Zoning Ordinance Amendment #60/ORD #2001, which would create a new Downtown Northwest zoning district bounded by North Main Street, Turner Street, and Prices Fork Road, and rescheduled it for a later date.

The consent agenda was moved by Jerry Ford Jr., seconded by Tim Colley, and passed 6-0.

Public Hearing: CUP-25-1 – Graham Outdoor Recreation Camp

Staff and applicant presentations:

• Assistant Planning Director Kinsey O’Shea presented the request for a conditional use permit to operate an outdoor educational and recreational camp with a lodge for occasional overnight stays and planned events at the historic Linkous-Kipps House. The property is over 15 acres zoned RR-1 (Rural Residential). The zoning administrator found the existing 10 paved parking spaces adequate; public water and sewer are available, but staff recommended monitoring for sewer overcapacity. Staff-recommended conditions included compliance with the application, no more than three events per week, attendee limits, overnight stays limited to 90 days per year with no more than 10 guests at a time, event hours between 8 am and 10 pm, and coordination with staff on sanitary sewer issues. A neighborhood meeting was held May 28, 2025.
• Applicant Jeff Graham and his daughter Fiona Allen said the house was built in 1799, is the second oldest in Blacksburg, and has been restored by them. They proposed historical and educational tours, environmental and equine therapy programs, small workshops, retreats, and limited overnight lodging. They stated events would be capped at 50 people including staff, the lodge would accommodate up to 10 guests, overnight stays would be limited to 90 days per year, and events would end by 10 pm. They said they are not seeking to run an Airbnb and accepted all staff-recommended conditions. They described a 30-foot easement containing a 10-foot driveway; the closest Kipps Farm house is 0.2 miles away and up a 37-foot hill with mature trees. They also acknowledged that the conditional use permit, if granted, would run with the land.

Public comments and positions:

• Gwen Ogle (2813 Tall Oaks Drive, Strubles Mill) supported the permit, saying her daughter has benefited greatly from equine therapy and the Graham/Allen family has restored and maintained the historic home.
• Shaun Grahe (2300 Scenic Ridge Circle), president of the Kipps Farm Homeowners Association, expressed concern about traffic, easement access, overnight guests, liability, and converting a residential easement to commercial use. He said many Kipps Farm properties are within 15 feet of the driveway, asked that alternate access be explored, and requested that the permit not automatically transfer with ownership outside the family.
• Megan Fitterer (2248 Scenic Ridge Circle) strongly opposed the application, arguing the described activities matched event center and general office uses, not a camp; that the easement was not designed for high-volume traffic; and that approval would set a dangerous precedent. She said she found more than 60 other RR-1 properties over 10 acres within town limits.
• Doug McLellan (2302 Scenic Ridge Circle) raised concerns about enforcement of occupancy limits, handicap access, fire code compliance, proximity to a school, and characterized the use as more like a hotel or motel.
• Frank Flaim (2304 Scenic Ridge Circle) said his property is about five feet from the driveway, cars frequently pull into his yard to pass, and there is no lighting at night, creating safety risks for his children. He said he supports therapy and education but is deeply concerned about safety.
• Amanda Linkous (934 Council Lane, Montgomery County) supported the Grahams, saying they are honest people who will follow the rules and will not have parties or late-night noise.
• Jennie Orzolek (2294 Scenic Ridge Circle) opposed the proposal, describing it as an “Airbnb and event center” with no on-site full-time staff, incompatible with the residential area and inconsistent with Blacksburg’s homestay policy.
• Dr. Wendy Green, a Kipps Farm resident, Radford University professor, and therapist, supported the request, citing the 2024 New River Community Health Assessment that ranked access to mental health services as the number two concern in the region.
• Joseph Bruzgul (303 Overlook Drive) supported the permit, saying historic properties are often lost to decay when preservation plans are denied, and the Grahams have the character to run the property responsibly.
• Todd Linkous (2030 Oilwell Road, Montgomery County), nephew of former owner Larry Linkous, supported the request, saying the Grahams saved a decaying property and that concerns can be addressed with fences and other measures.

Applicant rebuttal:

• Jeff Graham said he is sympathetic to neighbors’ concerns. He stated he and family members and staff will be on the property frequently, although it will not be staffed 24-7, and he is willing to investigate fencing, barriers, or other safety measures. He said rejecting the request would leave the restored house inaccessible to the community.

Commission discussion:

• Commissioners discussed the easement; staff said no language was found limiting the easement to residential use, and it was granted before Kipps Farm was developed.
• Jones, Ford, Keesee, Rinehart, and Colley all expressed support for the proposal with conditions. Ford said the preservation aligns with the Comprehensive Plan’s Community Characteristics and appreciated the applicant’s agreement to overnight limits. He also noted receiving about 32 emails from citizens on the request. Jones said the applicant has the burden to minimize impacts on neighbors and should put measures such as fencing, reflectors, or wayfinding in writing so future owners must follow them. Ford asked whether speed-limit signs and fencing should be considered at the Town Council level. Colley asked about the 90-night limit; staff clarified a night counts regardless of the number of guests.
• Blaine Keesee moved to approve CUP-25-1 with all staff-recommended conditions; Mel Jones seconded. The motion passed 6-0.

Citizen Comment

• Amanda Linkous cautioned that adding a second fence alongside existing Kipps Farm fences could create a safety hazard for children. Jeff Graham said fencing is difficult in some areas; Keesee suggested bollards, Mel Jones suggested reflectors or wayfinding, and Ginger O’Brian (601 Alleghany Street) suggested solar lights along the driveway. Frank Flaim said he would withdraw his concerns if a fence or guidance system were installed.

Unfinished and New Business

• The Zoning Ordinance Review Committee had not met. There was no report from the Historic or Design Review Board because Michael Ermann was absent, and the Montgomery County Planning Commission had nothing to report.
• Jerry Ford Jr. reported that Town Council is reviewing subdivision ordinance changes and noted that former police chief Brewster retired after a 28-year career; Chief Claire was installed and began his first day that day.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda 6-0, including scheduling the Tech Terrace PRD hearing for August 5, 2025, and rescheduling the Yellow Sulphur Apartments and Downtown Northwest zoning district hearings to later dates.
• Approved CUP-25-1 for the Graham Outdoor Recreation Camp at 2190 Merrimac Road by a 6-0 vote with all staff-recommended conditions.
• Next Planning Commission work session: July 15, 2025, at 5:00 pm; next regular meeting: August 5, 2025, at 6:30 pm.