The results of long-standing land use practices have become hot topics in Christiansburg; ranging from rezoning requests including those that would turn cul-de-sacs into major thoroughfares to extensive urban flooding.
These topics are intertwined with human geography and the impacts of land use. Christiansburg is at a pivotal point based upon how it has chosen to adopt and adapt its Comprehensive Plan over the past decade. These plans are meant to define a vision for how a community will evolve over the next 20 to 30 years.
Council and its appointed Planning Commission seem to have turned a deaf ear on citizen requests for inter-connected neighborhoods designed for the pedestrian and public transit instead of just cars. Speeding cars or drag racing? Not their problem. Noise? Not their problem.
They have the power but have not shown the will to conserve the natural environment, requiring community parks while establishing real neighborhoods within diverse districts. Flooding? Not their problem. Sewage backing up in your home? Not their problem.
They seem uncertain on how to take a comprehensive or holistic approach to restore and preserve our existing urban center, using architecture and landscaping design which could frame local history.
The town doesn't need to look very hard or far for success stories. One example is the Village at Tom's Creek, which combines best practices for land use planning. Another can be found in how investors and the Town of Floyd are reinvigorating that community, showcasing music and the arts while retrofitting existing assets. Are there barriers to prevent this type of development in Christiansburg, other than its current leadership?
Making positive changes about what types of development is approved or encouraged will take time and planning; yet the time for discounting or excluding citizens from this process should be history.
The first step is letting elected officials know you love our town and want it to be the best it can be. If they continue to be impervious, the next step will be to replace officials when they do not align their actions with what citizens expect and have been asking (and waiting) for. This requires more than being reactive to problems, or building multimillion dollar projects a majority of citizens did not ask for.