At last night’s Town Council meeting, members of Blacksburg’s Town Council passed two ordinances, 1439 and 1441, both detailing zoning changes in the Blacksburg area.
The first of the two, Ordinance 1439, proposed allowing a mixed used development district to be built in the South Main area and it was passed 4 votes to 3. The development will facilitate various housing types while still protecting adjacent residentially-zoned districts.
However, dissention emerged when the staff report of the Planning Commission detailed the figures concerning the required mix of uses in the proposed development district. The residential component has a minimum of 10 percent of land area in the total project compared to the larger minimum non-residential, or commercial, component of 25 percent.
Councilman Don Langrehr brought up his apprehensions about the unequal balance of residential and commercial areas in what is theorized as a mixed used district. His concerns were echoed by a number of citizens during the public comment portion.
In discussion of the second of the two ordinances, 1441 or “the Red Lion Inn property,” concerned citizens brought up the lack of a clear site plan for the development of the property. Many comments were made pleading that the Council should reconsider the vagueness of the ordinance before voting. However, it was passed in a unanimous 7-0 vote regardless.
The property is currently zoned as a general commercial property; however, under the newly passed ordinance, the area will see a mix of commercial use and residential zoning.
Ordinance 1450, or what most citizens associate with “Big Box” development or “Walmart,” was not discussed at yesterday’s meeting, though it was on the agenda. Reasons were not given as to why it was removed, but a meeting has been scheduled for May 8, 2007 for public comment on the ordinance.