Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 14, 1990 TAG: 9006140092
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
"If you want to see a strip-mining effect, you don't have to go to West Virginia - you can just go to Nicholas Manor," Tom Hunt told Blacksburg Town Council this week.
Hunt, who lives on Greendale Drive, showed council members pictures he'd taken last week of the unfinished construction site north of Glade Road - hillsides marked by gullies, unseeded and eroding soil and an open manhole.
Construction began about two years ago on Nicholas Manor, a proposed subdivision with about 150 lots. Work crews graded much of the Phase I area, about 15 lots, and installed water and sewer pipes.
But work slowed and neighbors were left with an unfinished construction site. "I kind of have a moat on either side of my property," Lacy Lane resident Chuck Burress said. "It's just a mess."
Westover Hills residents have written town officials several times over the past year asking for relief.
Once construction on a subdivision begins, however, there is no time limit in the town code for completion as long as work continues in a reasonable manner, Public Works Director Adele Schirmer said.
Work has been intermittent at the site, Schirmer acknowledged, although it has continued.
"It has been disturbed for an extensive time, and it's understandable the residents are tired of living next to a construction site."
Work ceased in November for the winter, Schirmer said, and developer John Madis of Nicholas Estates Inc. switched contractors. The new company has not begun work yet this year.
Schirmer said Wednesday morning that she talked to Madis after the council meeting and that he assured her that crews would be back to work Wednesday. She said he would also have to extend his erosion and sediment-control security - which guarantees credit for the town to restore the site if necessary - which expired Wednesday.
Madis was unavailable for comment Wednesday morning.
Council directed staff to make a detailed report of the project and to make sure the developer was not in violation of any codes.
In other action Tuesday night, council:
Increased residential water rates by 10 cents per 1,000 gallons - from $1.59 to $1.69 - beginning in September. The increase reflects an increase in the fee to the town for water from the Blacksburg, Christiansburg & VPI Water Authority.
Raised residential garbage collection fees by $6.74 on bi-monthly bills. The fees will pay for a new curbside pickup recycling program to begin in September and the Montgomery County landfill tipping fee.
Deleted $2,966.62 from the town's accounting books for uncollectible water and sewer bills, returned checks and miscellaneous debts that have been outstanding for two years. Finance Director Mary Wright said the town will continue to try to collect the money through the state's Set-Off Debt Collection program.
Awarded a $14,429 contract to Anderson and Associates in Blacksburg for design of a campus bikeway system, which will tie into the town's system.
Dedicated about 11 acres in the Blacksburg Industrial Park for a new Blacksburg Transit facility.
Passed an amendment to the subdivision ordinance that sets a standard so that a "substantial" change in "subdivision boundary" between the preliminary plat and the final plat shall void the preliminary plat. The planning department would intrepret "substantial," or would ask council to make the final decision if there were questions raised about staff's interpretation.
Continued a public hearing on Phase IV of the Gladewood subdivison to July 10. Some residents of Phase I and II have raised concerns about lack of parks and recreation area in their neighborhood and increased traffic from Phase IV.
by CNB