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TOPICS: first and main, wal-mart, burg
In a short while, attorneys for the town of Blacksburg and BURG — Blacksburg United for Responsible Growth — will petition the Virginia Supreme Court to hear their case: the idea that the town has the right to regulate its own growth and development, and to block developments that it deems harmful.
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The town is going to grow, we know that, but we want to regulate that development. We want to preserve the quality of life in the town," BURG steering committee chair Daniel Breslau said, "It takes a lot of energy to keep raising funds, to keep the legal case going."
BURG is a local grassroots organization promoting what it calls "smart growth."
"There's a broad range of policy ideas that fall under the umbrella heading of 'smart growth,'" Breslau said.
Smart growth entails closely regulated development.
"That means you don't grow too fast, you preserve downtown, you concentrate development in areas that are already developed, you have development that is infill rather than sprawl, you try to make it to the extent possible walkable, mixed use and you try to make it environmentally friendly to the extent that's practical," Breslau said.
"Instead of being just 'against that, against the Wal-Mart' we want to be a more comprehensive organization to promote smart growth," Breslau said.
Breslau said that the ongoing First and Main development project on South Main Street fails to rise to that level.
"I don't think that there's anyone on the town council at the time that would say that if they'd known what they had in mind, that they would've approved it," Breslau said.
Breslau said the First and Main project is exactly the wrong kind of development for Blacksburg.
"Look at the area where it's located, there's a quiet residential community," Breslau said.
BURG wants to see development that would enhance neighborhoods and the community.
"Something that is on a scale and a quality that fits that (neighborhood), so that it's not a huge scale development with huge-scale structures with large amounts of traffic coming in and out," Breslau said, "It should fit the area, it should be integrated with other uses so that it's mixed with residential and has a certain amount of green area and open space interspersed."
Early rezoning application appeared to propose the kind of smart growth initiative BURG would approve.
"The original rezoning application didn't even use the words 'shopping center' at all," Breslau said, "There was language claiming it would be unique, unlike other developments, that it would fit the character of the town."
"It said it would be a mixed-use development with residential, office and retail uses, it claimed it would be small-scale retail with residential above it and it would be pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly," Breslau said.
Instead, BURG feels that Fairmount and its partners sneaked a high-impact retail development project under the noses of the town.
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ah, biased news reporting at its finest
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These are the people who think a Sonic along a part of Main Street designated 'high impact commercial' is, well, too commercial. Hope you enjoy the public relations internship with BURG, Gabriel.
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"Look at the area where it's located, there's a quiet residential community," Breslau said. Yes, and before that there was basically a flop house with homeless sleeping behind it - practically in the backyards of the very people complaining about the new development. As much as I applaud the grassroots aspect of this group, the heavy-handiness in which they approached things was disgusting. Here is a group that is keeping out the very businesses that are needed for working-class or the "working poor." Mr. Langrehr is a proponent of a living wage, but doesn't want to support businesses that these people can afford in town. Meanwhile, people will drive to Christiansburg to shop - using cars and giving their tax dollars to Christiansburg. Those in Blacksburg will have to pay more for services because the Town will not have as high an inflow of those tax dollars. I cannot help but wonder though, if it were a Super-Target or a labor-friendly Costco going in, would that be more desirable than a Wal-Mart? Would 1450 even come to the table?
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Ah, Blacksburg elitism at its finest. They want infill, redevelopment, and location of projects where they make sense. Is the First & Main site not fitting that bill? It is an infill project that redeveloped several blighted properties, and is in one of 3 heavily commercialized zones within the town (other 2 being downtown & UCB area). Yes, there is residential behind it, but so too is residential near downtown and UCB and yet no one complains about those areas. K-Mart used to be in the South Main area (at the current VT auction house) yet no one seemed to be bothered when it was there, only when it left. BURG uses all sorts of nice propoganda, but this is really a "we hate Wal-Mart and those who shop there" campaign.
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What a JOKE. When the land this development is on was reduced to nothing but a pile of dirt, it was an improvement. Hard to believe that a neighborhood close to an airport is considered a quite residential area. 1450 is also a joke since the council approved Kroger's expansion to over 120 thousand square feet right. Oh that's right, Kroger does not have MART at the end of it's name.
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Don't grow too fast? Preserve the downtown? Do the members of BURG realize that as a result of exactly the kind of attitudes they espouse that there are currently something like 22 vacant spaces in buildings just in the few blocks of downtown? The rats are leaving the ship. You would think that someone would get the clue that these policies are killing the town. But no, there are more important things like arguing over the noise a sonic, in the middle of a commercial zone hundreds of feet from any house, would produce. Well, they had to take out their anger on someone. Too bad Sonic was a convenient target on the agenda. Town council needs to stop pandering to the loudmouths in town, but unfortunately that's here to stay. Why? Daniel Breslau has clearly stated that he has the council in his pocket because he personally put them there through the efforts of his organization. I hope the citizens of town enjoy Mr. Breslau's term as shadow mayor and RE-planning commissioner.
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Mr. Breslau's comments about concentrating growth in areas that are already developed + reducing sprawl are "Exactly" what First + Main is doing. In the passion against "national retailers" BURG fails to admit that this is the core commercial district of South Main Street + that First + Main fits directly into what has existed there for more than 40 years!!! It is not a "quiet residential area" it is the main traffic artery and one of the town's 4 main business districts. I agree that they should focus on how to maintain a healthy downtown but First + Main didn't kill downtown - it isn't even open, yet. Argue all you want but in two years when all the dust has settled I know that First + Main will be a seamless part of Blacksburg's healthy business community + that with Black Box theatre, Main Street Inn, Farmer's Market expansion, new park, and the ground-breaking of the VT Performing Arts Center downtown will look quite different-drawing all types of town residents + visitors downtown. BURG's arguments just don't hold water + they never have! It's great to want to preserve the town's character but that will not be achieved by denying residents the goods + services they clearly want within our town's boundaries.
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It's about accountability-perhaps citizens would do well to read the application presented by the developers when they were asking for rezoning. When did it become OK to bait and switch? Would you expect private homeowners to follow their applications for rezoning and variances, but yet allow commercial businesses to completely disregard their OWN wording in their application? Again, I urge you to read the application the developers presented for First and Main. Why shouldn't we expect them to follow their own presentation?
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Kc, The BIG BOX TYPE store was in the original proposal.
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Yes it was. I remember seeing a box looking footprint on one of the possible concepts. I guess folks conveniently forgot that one because they liked the alternate concept of residential. Besides, if any of you actually get involved in development, you'll see that these projects take years to develop, and markets change drastically in that time. THe housing market was hot back in 2004 when the project firt came up, and tanked by 2007 when the site plans became more solidified. If you hold developers to an original concept plan and do not allow changes and adjustments to ensure project viability, you will not get any development. That's the reality, and perhaps that's what the Town and BURG want.
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KC, here is the original proposal: "Restricted Uses. Developer proffers that the following uses and structures shall not be permitted; Adult Entertainment Establishments; Adult Stores, Automobile Repair Services; Car Washes; Gasoline Stations; Funeral Homes; Commercial Kennel; Pawn Shops." Nothing about big box. There is nothing preventing a big box. The plans state that they are not the final. Perhaps the residential aspect was not done because there already are too many places, like Kent Square, that are in that price range that are not selling. http://tob.bev.net/enews/south_main/Ord1412.pdf
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As long as the core downtown area is left to deteriorate as it currently is, no other planning is of any value. Most students are embarrassed to take their parents downtown to eat or visit because the property owners don't care about the horrible condition of the existing buildings.
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There are specific elevation restrictions on the structures that were imposed after the initial submission, which are part of Ordinance 1412. Interestingly they are total elevation above sea level, not height restrictions. Anyway, I imagine that this is why there is no longer any residential components to the site as it's impossible to build them within the height restrictions given the height requirements of a retail space. Once again, you reap what you sow with ordinance restrictions. In fact, that very restriction could have driven the developer to recover the lost cost of the retail with the higher density big box store. While we're talking about bait and switch, why is ok for the town to say "these are your restrictions" and then later say "No, wait! That's not what we mean! We're going to sue you! And ourselves!"? It unbelievable. Only in Blacksburg...
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Lets preserve our half empty downtown, and continue to send our tax dollars, and businesses, to other cities. If I want a tattoo, bong, or nose-ring, I know downtown is the place to go. Bird feeders, and underage drinking for our VT students, but lets keep sending retail shoppers to Christiansburg, and raise my taxes to maintain the governments fight for "no-growth." Lets maintain Blacksburg's high home prices, this will keep the low wage earners out of this BURG, police and fire employees too. My next vote will be much easier.
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The sad part of this is that the Town's direction is decided by a scant 12.46% of the registered voters of the town, and less than 5% of the total town census population. Because of that, the Town COuncil is now run by a minority group who, to their credit, are extremely well organized, vocal, and effective at getting their agenda moved through the Town, at the expense of the other 95% plus of citizens.
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Government by special interest is screwing over the homeowners who own their property in Blacksburg. Not only are my tax dollars going to support the town's suit against itself, more money will now go to defend the suit just filed over the rejection of the Sonic special use permit. This one is sure to go against the town, also, since there is a Hardees and a recently approved Wendy's within blocks of the Sonic location. Hard to justify turning down a Sonic after approving a Wendy's. Interesting that the town council was hot to trot to pass the anti-big box ordinance, but can't seem to find a way to do anything to improve downtown. It has been years since "construction" was started on the former bank building on the corner of Roanoke and Main and the town has let the half-demolished project sit idle. The burned-out building on North Main across from Advance Auto has been an eyesore for years, but the town has done nothing to force a clean-up. People plaster handbills all over downtown and the town officials do nothing. I'm so glad I pay taxes to support such a fine operation. We can only hope that the BURG-run town council starts to do something to support and improve downtown before ALL the businesses are gone.
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And now the media is trying to tell people how to react to the "news" and the opinions of others. Too funny.
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So Beaverlover, did you actually vote in any of the elections for town council representatives, or are you just moaning because a more motivated group of people did vote and get what they wanted?
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I'm with you, Gabe - I don't really detect much of a slant to this story anyway. It's a worthy debate that needs to be had - and my understanding is that BURG has taken a rather heavy-handed approach in stifling competing voices. Granted, it's a lot harder to motivate people FOR a cause as opposed to AGAINST it, which is why BURG has been so effective. I look forward to reading the next few installations - and BURG's reaction to each.
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Yeah, DecAl, I did vote in the last election, but not for any of the BURG candidates. I have pretty consistently voted in town council elections, so I can and will complain about those making decisions (or praising the occasional good actions taken). I suspect that there won't be much to praise the council about until the next election, when hopefully voters will throw out the do-nothing BURG council.
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