The request to rezone land to create Ivy Ridge has repeatedly brought out opposition whether due to including a cul-de-sac as a feeder road to new phases, having only one road from the busy and fast moving Peppers Ferry Road lead to over 300 residences, lack of emergency services (and higher insurance rates), contributing to strains on the county's public services (particularly in the Christiansburg school strand) or adding to traffic congestion.
This application to rezone returned again and went from bad to worse. Problem? "Concept" plans are nothing but an idea on paper, a marketing tool. They are unrelated to how the land is zoned today or tomorrow. Voluntary "proffers" don't mean a thing at this point. How a piece of land is developed -- broken down into individual lots for a subdivision -- isn't a certainty. Variances may be requested (and mostly granted) phase by phase.
What is known is that buyers have been complaining about undelivered promises, be they walking trails or cul-de-sacs becoming through ways. At least half of the sitting council members expressed concerns about "open space" requirements that generally fail to come close to a minimum of 10% of the entire parcel. That's a percent defined in both State Code and expressed as a goal in the Town's Comprehensive Plan. Citizens have expressed frustration with how this is calculated (does it include parking spaces, sidewalks or trails and storm water retention ponds?).
Information provided with the application on June 7th to the Planning Department changed repeatedly, from when the Planning Commission first took up the task of preparing Town Council with a required report and recommendation. Details remained fluid up to and during the date of the Joint Public Hearing. Neighboring property owners and the general public have no way to know what else changed since that hearing or the public meetings.
The PC was scheduled to meet again to finalize their task August 3rd at 3 pm. Problem? No quorum, no action on this or the other five items listed on the agenda -- even though what is a "normal" Monday meeting was specifically moved to Tuesday to meet the six voting member's schedules.
Stepping back to punt, the meeting was delayed until 6:30 pm with the hope another member would be present. Problem? The Town Council had their first August meeting set to begin at 7:30 pm. Would a quorum show up later? Could these two bodies revert to their former hurried process and proceed with an action (vote, up or down) on the same night? And why, after the Joint Public Hearing date, are developers allowed to speak but citizens cannot comment?
Part of this is a self made problem. Council has the right to have no less than six PC members and no more than 15. In Virginia localities this generally means 9 to 11 voting members (plus at least one staff member who represents the Town and provides details, but doesn't have a vote).
The six obviously weren't enough to allow the public's business to flow smoothly. The lack of viable staff reports giving a pedigree of the land and general area or other relevant facts presented in an unbiased manner (along with suggested options) is absent.
With PC member Steve Huppert returning to Town Council Sept. 1, and Council member and PC liaison Ann Carter leaving if not reappointed by that same date -- PC vacancies will need to be filled.
This is a great time to bring the membership up to at least 9, while also providing wider community representation in what has been a very fast growing community. Another improvement would to be scheduling REGULAR meeting dates for the PC -- if they don't have business (which would be extremely rare) they could use the time for education and training these citizen volunteers. Maybe start with FOIA and Conflict of Interest laws.
On August 3rd, no quorum meant business was delayed. The public was inconvenienced. When the Ivy Ridge rezoning was recommended for approval it failed to gain a second -- and the motion was tabled by the "only in a tie breaker" voting Mayor. Carter pointed out future plan "conditions" are NOT proffers and Councilman Mike Barber acknowledged any "concept" drawing meant NOTHING regardless of when a vote occurred. Note: Town Code Chapter 30-10(b) addresses time requirements to act or automatic approval is assumed.
It appears both citizens and some council members are getting clued in to the games being played -- and the potential risks relative to negative impacts to the Town's budget (ie, higher taxes due to more needs with developments not providing revenues necessary for minimum services). This isn't whether someone is for or against development or growth. It's about doing it right.