The agendas for Christiansburg's Planning Commission and Town Council meetings are out, and posted on the town website. That's a plus, once you've figured out how to locate them.
The Planning Commission will meet Monday, March 2 at 4 pm and will address a rezoning request by MEH, LLC for property at 2880 Roanoke Street from R-1 Single-Family Residential to B-3 General Business. The property contains 0.704 acres and is located near the Denny's restaurant and new Harley-Davidson dealership. Information about the type of business use being planned was not provided. In some circumstances, that can become a Very Big Deal.
A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) is being requested to allow residential use in the B-2 Central Business District (Downtown) at 245 First Street by Deon R. Smith. This property is adjacent to the Main Street Baptist and Dollar General Store properties and no additional details were provided about the type of housing planned or whether any conditions were being sought. (Over in Blacksburg, they are examining shifting from "special" to "conditional" use permits.)
The final item on the commission's agenda is a revisit to the town's code, discussing possible amendments to the advertising ordinance as regards digital signs (think Sonic or the bowling alley, versus fast-food drive through windows or neon lights in windows on the inside of businesses). This topic has been wrestled with since last May, including questioning why Christiansburg has this as two ordinances instead of being within the zoning chapter.
Town Council will meet Tuesday, March 3 at 7:30 pm. One item previously promised for this agenda is absent -- that being the unveiling of a business plan for the new Aquatic Center. Given it doesn't appear this facility will be opened within the next 60 days (as promised), and that council has been waiting for such a plan for over seven years, what's another couple of weeks? Citizens who wonder how one reference for an aquatic center morphed from those suggesting a community pool, or a cost rising from $5 million to nearly $16 million should not expect this document to answer those questions. See also related article about Roanoke's possible plans for a $2.6 million aquatic facility.
The first two items from the Planning Commission's meeting will have Joint Public Hearings scheduled for this council meeting. Citizen Hearings include representatives from the Christiansburg Institute and VT Community Outreach (since there are outreach initiatives within nearly every department at VT, you'll have to show up to see what this is about).
Council will consider a resolution supporting future funding of Peppers Ferry Road construction -- which gives the appearance of hands clapping, showing they do believe in the transportation fairy (ie, federal stimulus bill). The Finance Committee will report on its recommendation to create a Finance Director staff position. And the Mayor will direct the Town Manager to "pay the bills" on behalf of Christiansburg residents.
Residents, business owners, casual observers or voters, come to one or both of these public meetings. As an old saying goes: "Be there, or be square."