UPDATE:
At our February 10 Community Meeting, we issued a challenge: we will measure the community's resolve to take our case to the Virginia Supreme Court by the amount of pledges we receive. To date we have received 40 pledges, amounting to $13,578. This is a powerful message of resolve from our community. But it is short of the support we would need to go ahead with the appeal and commit to a year-long process that will cost around $40,000.
We must decide by March 3. If we have $20,000 in pledges by that date we will go ahead. If not, it will be a tough decision.
Use our online pledge form. And please email us if you have any questions.
The Phase I appeal has been rescheduled
As we mentioned in the last newsletter, three citizens of Blacksburg are appealing the town Zoning Administrator's approval of Phase I of the S. Main project. This is the part of the project containing the strip mall, not the big box store. This is a very important appeal, as the Phase I was also a "bait and switch." A rezoning was granted in May of 2006 for a mixed-use project, with small-scale research, and residential units above the commercial spaces. This plan was later scrapped by the developers in favor of the current strip mall, or, as they term it, "lifestyle center."
The appeal was originally scheduled to be heard by the Board of Zoning Appeals on February 13. But it was postponed due to a last-minute challenge to the legal standing of the three applicants, filed by attorneys for Fairmount Properties. In an effort to prevent the appeal from going forward, Fairmount told the BZA that residents of Blacksburg living near the site are not aggrieved by a project that would bring a huge increase in traffic and depress their property values.
The appeal, and now the issue of the applicants' legal standing, will be heard on Wednesday, February 27, at 7:00 PM, in the Roger Hedgepeth (Town Council) Chambers, Municipal Building, 300 S. Main St. Please come to support this appeal.
Get your home appraised and help the BURG legal fund! Dennis and Carol Smith are great supporters of BURG and of smart, sustainable development in Blacksburg. And they run a great residential appraisal service. Call the Smiths now for your appraisal, mention your support for BURG, and they will donate 1/2 of the appraisal fee to the BURG legal fund! Help Smith Appraisal Service help Blacksburg: |
