Blacksburg Town Council Meeting - September 12, 2023

The Blacksburg Town Council held a regular meeting on September 12, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers. The meeting included approval of a consent agenda, a public hearing on a lease renewal for a water tank, and citizen comments regarding speeding on Lansdowne Street. Councilmember Jerry Ford was absent.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: Minutes from August 15, August 22, and September 5, 2023, were approved unanimously.
• Ordinance 2033: Introduced to vacate a portion of public right-of-way at Airport Road; public hearing scheduled for October 10, 2023.
• Ordinance 2035: Introduced to rezone 1.10± acres at 1200 block of Airport Road from Low Density Residential to Planned Residential Zoning; public hearing scheduled for October 10, 2023.
• Ordinance 2036: Introduced to vacate a portion of public right-of-way at Rimrock Road; public hearing scheduled for October 10, 2023.
• Ordinance 2037: Introduced to vacate a public utility and sidewalk easement at 2600 Research Center Drive; public hearing scheduled for October 10, 2023.
• Resolution 9-A-23: Adopted establishing a written policy for participation in council meetings through electronic communication.
• Resolution 9-B-23: Adopted transferring $1,500,000 between Water and Sewer Fund capital projects.
• Contract for Prices Fork Road Interchange Study: Authorized the Town Manager to sign the contract.
• CUP 23-0003: Scheduled a public hearing for October 10, 2023, for a conditional use permit request for hotel use and additional height at 501 South Main Street.
• All consent agenda items were approved by a roll call vote of 6-0 (Bush, Colliver, Hager-Smith, Mattingly, Sutphin, Anderson voting yes; Ford absent).

Public Hearings

• Ordinance 2023 – Lease of Space on North Main Street Water Tank to New River Valley Unwired Ventures, LLC: Deputy Town Manager Christopher Lawrence presented the staff report, explaining that the lease renews for one year with an option to extend for an additional year. The wireless company is winding down its business as fiber-optic investments have become more successful. No public comment was offered. The council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance (6-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tom Roberts, 312 Lansdowne Street, spoke on behalf of himself and neighbors, urging the council to direct staff to expedite the installation of speed humps on Lansdowne Street. He described a history of dangerous speeding, including a 313-foot skid mark from a hit-and-run, and near misses involving children and deer. He noted that the neighborhood is largely supportive, with no opposition from three-quarters of the residents contacted.
• Lisa Graves, 320 Lansdowne Street, echoed the speeding concerns, stating she has witnessed cars traveling approximately 70 mph on the 25 mph street, particularly after student move-in. She requested speed bumps for the safety of children, elderly adults, and animals.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda was approved unanimously, introducing several ordinances and resolutions for future public hearings.
• Ordinance 2023 was approved, authorizing the lease renewal to New River Valley Unwired Ventures for up to two years.
• Citizen comments on Lansdowne Street speeding were heard; no formal action was taken, but council may refer the matter to staff for review.
• Council announcements included upcoming League of Women Voters candidate forums, the farmers market community soup dinner, and the Hokie Half marathon road closures.