To order, and will the clerk please call the roll?

Anderson, present.

Oliver here.

Board?

Here.

Eager Smith.

Here.

Sutton?

Here.

Watson.

Present.

I'm going to begin this evening with the reading of a proclamation.

And that is to do with relay for life.

Whereas the American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service, and whereas the lives of many of the citizens of Blacksb have been touched by cancer, and thus they have been drawn to support the continuing research that will find a cure for the disease.

And whereas Relay for Life is a community wide event that generates support for families who have suffered the death of a loved one because of cancer, and whereas the Relay for Life of Montgomery County is community-based and driven by volunteers who work together to bring people together to fund the mission of the American Cancer Society and whereas the Survivors Walk during the Relay for Life event celebrates with those who are living with cancer and offers them hope for continued health.

And whereas the luminaria ceremony honors the memory of loved ones who have died of cancer as well as those who are cancer survivors, now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Leslie Hager Smith, mayor of the town of Blacksburg, do hereby proclaim the week of June 1st to 7, 2025 as relay for life week, and encourage the community to show their support to our fellow community members by participating in the Relay for Life event being held on June 7th, 2025 at Blacksburg Middle School.

And we will move on now to the consent agenda, which includes um several items, and one of them I will um be calling out with a reading.

A resolution 5A27, uh, a resolution to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors regarding the Student Life Village, and I will return to that.

Resolution B 5B 25, re-referring a proposed zoning ordinance text amendment to the planning commission that would establish a new optional downtown Northwest Zoning District, and resolution 5C 25, transferring funds between capital projects in the general fund, stormwater fund, water and sewer fund, and VDOT revenue sharing fund.

Whereas on November 13th, 2022, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors adopted a resolution to adopt the 2022 Student Life Village Master Plan amendment as a supplement to the campus, the campus master plan.

And whereas that resolution outlined a process to increase residential capacity from 10,500 beds to roughly 13,500 beds, that was the result of an intensive study that utilized independent consultants and engagement with a broad range of stakeholders.

Whereas the Blackburg Town Council expressed its support for the Student Life Village in an October 28, 2022 letter to President Sands, whereas, without reference to any further or other considerations on March 25th of this year, the Board of Visitors adopted a resolution on the Student Life Village that abruptly rescinded the 2022 adoption of the Student Life Village Master Plan Amendment.

Whereas the apparent lack of research or study supporting this action is particularly surprising and disappointing, given the well-documented impact of Virginia Tech's growth on the quality of life in Virginia.

And whereas in recent years, the town council has demonstrated a spirit of collaboration and cooperation and accommodating the increasing number of Virginia Tech students through its approval of over 6,000 beds of off-campus housing, even as Blacksburg faces a housing shortage for its long-term residents.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the Town of Blacksburg.

One, that the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors is requested to rescind its March 25th, 2025 resolution and engage in a process that would include additional study of on-campus housing needs as well as collaboration with appropriate town officials regarding the impact of student housing in Blacksburg.

And item two, that the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors is requested to freeze the current number of Virginia Tech undergraduate students until additional housing on campus becomes available.

And as part of our consent agenda, we will be approving this resolution.

That is the consent agenda.

Can I get a motion on that?

I move approval of the consent agenda.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Oliver.

Aye.

Board?

Aye.

Eager Smith.

Aye.

Addingly.

Hi.

Setfin?

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Anderson.

Aye.

Thank you.

We have no public hearings this evening.

Is there anyone from the public who would like to speak during citizen comments?

Good evening, Madam Mayor and Council and fellow citizens.

My name is Charles Shade.

I live at 401 Claremont Drive in Blacksburg.

And I'm here talking out of turn because you've already approved the item with which I'm concerned, namely the two resolutions, one related to the Northwest Planning District and the other related to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

While I support both of them, I'm and I'm pleased at your forbearance.

I could not have written the first one without including the words you jerks.

And I'm going to give you the reasons first in case I run out of time.

First of all, Virginia Tech can't meet its responsibility to house students given what has happened.

And Blacksburg can't afford to pick up the slack.