If the First & Main and Town of Blacksburg legal wrangling didn't offer enough excitement about zoning issues and control, here's another.
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors has instructed staff (i.e. Marty McMahon, legal counsel) to proceed with filing a legal challenge relative to the Elliston Intermodal Facility.
The expected lawsuit will contest the use of public funds (millions of state tax dollars) on the Heartland Corridor and Elliston facility, which will be owned and operated by a private corporation (Norfolk Southern). The constitutionality of state law preempting local codes and comprehensive land use plans will be another element of this suit.
It appears that when someone supports either of these projects, economic benefits, public convenience, the rights of landowners and capitalism are often mentioned as why these development should proceed post haste.
It appears that when someone opposes either of these projects, economic impacts, environmental concerns, zoning abuses and wasting taxes are cited as valid reasons to block or stall these developments.
Either way, local taxpayers will see precious and finite resources being sucked into the legal system rather than providing a benefit to our community. Either way, state taxpayers who see public agencies readying for another round of deep budget cuts should question how this project's millions are being funded.