Blacksburg Town Council Work Session Summary – February 7, 2023

This work session, held on February 7, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:08 p.m., included discussions on upcoming public hearings, a quarterly finance overview, cemetery updates, a sewer system overview, a Sheetz sewer agreement update, and an update on developer interviews. No formal votes were taken.

Review of Public Hearings for March 14, 2023

• Ordinance 2010: Town Attorney Lawrence Spencer explained that the ordinance would amend the cigarette tax refund process to conform with state law.
• Ordinance 2011: This ordinance would establish a residential solid waste deposit requirement for town residents who do not have water/sewer service.

Quarterly Finance Overview

• Finance Director Susan Kaiser presented the quarterly financial report for the town covering the quarter ending December 31, 2022.

Cemetery Updates

• Southview Memorial Gardens: Deputy Town Manager Steve Ross provided a history of the cemetery, its connection to Westview Cemetery, past improvements, and proposed improvements including connectivity and a wayfinding sign.
• Green Burial: Director of Public Works John Boyer summarized a new green burial option using biodegradable materials and noted the proposed location for green burials.

STEP/STEG Sewer System Overview

• Engineering Director Randy Formica presented an overview of the STEP/STEG sewer system, showing current usage areas and locations where additional service may be needed. He discussed benefits and challenges, including increased maintenance requirements.

Update on Sheetz Sewer Agreement

• Engineering Director Randy Formica explained that Sheetz has proposed a temporary storage tank and pump system to allow earlier construction at its new South Main location, pending substantial completion of the South Main and Cedar Run sewer projects.

Update on Developer Interviews

• Deputy Town Manager Chris Lawrence presented slides on development regulation and review, highlighting key takeaways from developer interviews. Priority items included: implementation of Bluebeam electronic plan submission, a new zoning district for single-family homes on smaller lots, reduced plan review turnaround time, updates to subdivision development standards, improvement of the planned residential district, and enhancements to consistency and customer service. Lawrence noted that staff faces a high volume of work.

Key Outcomes

• Council received updates on all items. The two ordinances (2010 and 2011) are scheduled for public hearings on March 14, 2023. No formal decisions or votes were made during the work session.