Blacksburg Town Council Work Session - January 2, 2024

The Blacksburg Town Council held a work session on January 2, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:52 a.m. at the Blacksburg Motor Company. The meeting covered six agenda items including updates to the Blacksburg Transit advertising policy, Harding Avenue sewer upgrades, proposed ordinances for trash violations and overcrowding, the Tom's Creek Planning Study, and a follow-up on the Capital Improvement Program. The session concluded with a staff exchange on the Housing and Community Connections Manager position.

Discussion Items

• Blacksburg Transit Advertising Policy: Town Attorney Lawrence Spencer presented proposed policy updates to clarify acceptable advertisement types.
• Harding Avenue Sewer Update: Town Engineer Shawn Veltman provided background on the CIP-approved sewer upgrades, broken into two phases. Phase I bids came in around $2 million, higher than anticipated but reflective of true costs. Veltman recommended rejecting the Phase II bid and rebidding when the market improves.
• Proposed Ordinance for Trash Violations: Town Attorney Lawrence Spencer explained a proposal to streamline the current process by establishing a civil penalty for situations where garbage has been spilled.
• Proposed Ordinance to Prohibit Overcrowding: Town Attorney Lawrence Spencer proposed amending the Town Code to incorporate provisions of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code related to overcrowding in buildings.
• Tom's Creek Planning Study Discussion: Deputy Town Manager Matt Hanratty presented an overview of the Tom's Creek Basin Planning Study, including elements such as open space, watershed/water quality, land use/zoning, housing, transportation, and water/wastewater. He outlined a robust public engagement process. Council was in overall agreement to move forward.
• Recommended Capital Improvement Program Follow-up: Town Manager Marc Verniel addressed concerns about project priorities previously raised by Council at the December work session.

Key Outcomes

• Council agreed to move forward with the Tom's Creek Basin Planning Study.
• Council noted the recommendation to reject Phase II of the Harding Avenue Sewer project and rebid later.
• The proposed ordinance amendments for trash violations and overcrowding will be brought to Council for formal consideration.
• A resolution regarding the title change for the Housing and Community Connections Manager position will be presented at the January 9, 2024, meeting.