Continuing an examination of the Christiansburg Comprehensive Plan, readers must remember this is required by the state for all localities (county, city or town). It was adopted in 2003 and reviewed without change in 2007 following a significant annexation in 1998.
SUMMARY OF PLANNING FACTORS - Economic Considerations
"The protection and support of existing neighborhoods and infill development is a priority of the Town...Promotion of the Town's three historic districts is part of the strategy to maintain the integrity and character of the Town communities. Creating walkway links to neighborhoods and commercial districts is also part of the plan for community cohesion in the Town."
Protecting established neighborhoods contributes to maintaining or increasing real property values, which provides sustainable tax assessments (which are conducted by the county). There may be a majority of citizens who see a mixed track record for maintaining the integrity and character of these vital components of our community.
How many neighborhoods do you see shifting immediately from residential to commercial, without mixed-use transition zones or buffers (berms, privacy fencing or landscaping), or conditional use permits granted for special (spot) zoning and land use? Are major gateways into the town well landscaped, delineated or signed? When the balance of residential dwellings shifts from owner occupied to rental units, community cohesion may decrease. This can lead to assessed property values flatlining or being diminished. When these elements of planning are absent, existing neighborhood values may decrease, creating pressures to bump up real property tax rates.
While the town passed a resolution to establish an "antiques corridor" in December 2007 and tasked its' appointed Planning Commission with recommending provisions for Historic District Overlays in March 2008, any promotion or simply furthering these directives to something other than words on a piece of paper just hasn't happened (beyond the votes or initiative taken by Councilman Stipes). Historic districts have been a minor topic at a few meetings, yet it is clear this isn't a council priority. The commission is uncertain about how to proceed and lacks an understanding of the value of contributing structures, even though there is an abundance of resources and expertise available.
"Central Business - The downtown area's commercial uses are characterized by professional services, retail, and restaurants...Private property owners should be encouraged to enhance storefronts and create more downtown destinations for citizens...The Christiansburg CBD Revitalization Plan contains many examples of desirable downtown redevelopment. Of particular importance are the potentials for tourism, landscaping/streetscaping, signage for the downtown area, appearance of gateways to the downtown area, encouragement of pedestrian traffic, adaptive re-use of old structures, and allowances for residential opportunities."
Can anyone show where council's Central Business District Committee has called a meeting in the past ten years? Can anyone give examples of how council has encouraged -- incented -- private investment? This could certainly generate additional jobs and town tax revenues from various sources, in addition to the town becoming a destination instead of a bedroom community or place to drive through.
Can anyone quote examples of desirable redevelopment listed in the CBD plan? And does anyone know where the two downtown crosswalk signs are, slated for installation this past March? Since these apparently present too large an obstacle for our town during potential heavy snowfalls, they were to be de-installed in September (90 days from now), which is odd since they remain in place year 'round in any other locality. Can anyone name the date of the last significant snowfall that occurred here before November 1?
Read the Summary and one will find many more examples of a vision put onto paper in 2003. Examples of progress appear few and fragmented, therefore voters who feel this document is vital to our town's future need to ask themselves why this is so.