Blacksburg Town Council Meeting: Tourism Pact, Meadowbrook Property, and Censure Resolution - February 11, 2025

The Blacksburg Town Council met on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers of the Blacksburg Municipal Building, with all seven members present. The council unanimously approved the consent agenda, rescheduled three postponed development-related public hearings to March 11, 2025, approved a regional tourism agreement and a property donation-and-lease arrangement involving Friends of the Huckleberry, heard citizen comments, and approved a public censure resolution against Councilmember Liam Watson. The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approved Town Council minutes from January 14, 2025, and the January 21, 2025, work session.
• Scheduled a March 11, 2025, public hearing for CUP-24-4, a request to permit lighting at a public park or field at 2100 Toms Creek Road.
• Introduced Ordinance 2070 (amending Town Code Section 5-701 of the Subdivision Ordinance on construction and design of sanitary sewers) and scheduled a March 11, 2025, public hearing.
• Introduced Ordinance 2071 (amending Town Code Section 12-309 to lower speed limits on certain town streets) and scheduled a March 11, 2025, public hearing.
• The consent agenda passed unanimously on a roll-call vote (motion by Vice Mayor Sutphin, second by Councilmember Anderson).

Public Hearings

• Three scheduled public hearings were postponed by unanimous vote: Ordinance 2063 (vacating approximately 2,000 square feet of Town-owned alley right-of-way between the 800 block of Kabrich Street and the 900 block of Progress Street NW); Ordinance 2062 (rezoning 2.80± acres at 801 North Main Street and surrounding blocks from General Commercial and R-5 Transitional Residential to Planned Residential District; the transcript referred to '2.88 acres'); and CUP-24-3 (conditional use permit to use an alley for non-single-unit residential dwellings). All three were rescheduled for the March 11, 2025, public hearing.

Ordinance 2072 - Regional Tourism Agreement

• Montgomery County Deputy County Administrator Christopher Lawrence, serving as interim executive director of the Montgomery County Regional Tourism Office, presented the agreement among Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Montgomery County. He stated tourism generates over $279 million per year in direct spending in Montgomery County. Christiansburg approved the agreement in December 2024, the county in January 2025, and Blacksburg was the final locality to consider it.
• No public comment was offered.
• Ordinance 2072 was approved unanimously (7-0).

Ordinance 2074 - Acceptance of 2700 Meadowbrook Drive and Five-Year Lease Back

• Town Attorney Lawrence Spencer explained that Friends of the Huckleberry, Inc., purchased a 20-acre tract abutting the Jefferson National Forest under a 2003 agreement and previously conveyed 15 acres to the Town. The Friends recently paid off the debt on the remaining five-acre parcel, which includes a single-family home, and will convey it to the Town free and clear; the Town would lease the property back to the Friends for five years so they can sublease the home to generate funds for advancing public trails.
• Zach Weiss of 1003 S. Main Street voiced concern about potential logging in the area, asking 'please don't do that.'
• Councilmember Jerry Ford Jr. read a statement of disqualification, disclosing that his spouse serves as an unpaid volunteer with Friends of the Huckleberry. Although the Town Attorney advised he had no personal interest in the transaction, Ford recused himself to avoid any appearance of impropriety and abstained.
• Ordinance 2074 was approved 6-0-1, with Ford abstaining.

Citizen Comments

• Renee Kuhlman (identified as 'Renee Coleman' in the transcript) of 500 Stonegate Drive expressed concerns about the proposed development at 801 North Main Street, particularly building height and parking, and thanked Councilmember Watson for organizing a library discussion attended by about 50 people.
• Detrick Lindy (identified as 'Dietra Clindy' in the transcript) of 504 Alleghany Street asked Council to extend the 15 mph speed limit along all of Alleghany Street - at minimum from Clay Street to Knob Hill - citing heavy pedestrian traffic and his young children's safety; he noted part of the street currently has a 25 mph limit.
• Zach Weiss of 1003 S. Main Street spoke about the Town budget, comparing Blacksburg's $105.3 million 2025 budget with larger state and federal budgets.

New Business - Resolution 2-A-25: Public Censure

• Vice Mayor Michael Sutphin summarized the resolution, which formally censured Councilmember Liam Watson for three actions inconsistent with the Town Council Handbook: (1) disparaging remarks about the EMS cost-recovery ordinance, including a press release describing the ordinance as 'wildly irresponsible' and sharing misleading information about it; (2) outreach to federal officials outside established parameters without clarifying personal versus Town interests; and (3) use of Town letterhead and logo for personal initiatives, most recently a letter to federal officials about mail delays. The resolution also reserved the right to remove Watson from council-appointed committee and board assignments if similar violations occur in the future.
• Councilmember Watson expressed disappointment, saying he was 'simply doing what I have always done since taking office, that is passionately representing my constituents,' and he abstained from the vote.
• Resolution 2-A-25 passed 6-0-1, with Watson abstaining.

Council Announcements

• Councilmember Anderson reported on the Virginia Municipal League's Local Government Day in Richmond on January 30, 2025, attended by several council members; the group met with Senator Hackworth's aide and Delegate Chris Obenshain.
• Anderson encouraged citizens concerned about the 801 North Main Street development to attend the February 25 regular meeting or email towncouncil@blacksburg.gov, noting that the March 11 public hearings coincide with both Virginia Tech's and Montgomery County Public Schools' spring breaks.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved 7-0.
• Ordinance 2063, Ordinance 2062, and CUP-24-3 postponed and rescheduled for the March 11, 2025, public hearing.
• Ordinance 2072 (Regional Tourism Agreement) approved 7-0.
• Ordinance 2074 (2700 Meadowbrook Drive donation and five-year lease to Friends of the Huckleberry) approved 6-0-1 (Ford abstained).
• Resolution 2-A-25 (public censure of Councilmember Watson) approved 6-0-1 (Watson abstained).
• Meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m. Upcoming: work session February 18, 2025; regular meeting February 25, 2025.