PLANNERS TO HEAR SORORITY REQUEST FOR HOUSING REZONING

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 2, 1993                   TAG: 9302020140
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV7   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short
PLANNERS TO HEAR SORORITY REQUEST FOR HOUSING REZONING
A Virginia Tech sorority's request for rezoning so it can build three Greek houses on Toms Creek Road northwest of U.S. 460 tops the agenda for tonight's Planning Commission meeting.
Kappa Delta is asking the town to rezone 23.4 acres at 1600 Toms Creek Road so it can build an 11,000-square-foot sorority house. In addition, the sorority wants to divide the property so two more Greek houses can be built there.
The Planning Commission meets at 7:30 in the Municipal Building.
A similar request was withdrawn in December after neighbors contended that the Greek houses would increase noise and traffic.
The major change with this request is that it specifies that Greek organizations on the site would allow no alcoholic drinks in the houses.
The Environmental Quality and Land Use Committee recommended disapproval of the rezoning request last week.
Also on the Planning Commission's agenda is a rezoning request by J.D. Nicewonder for planned commercial zoning for 10.5 acres at Prices Fork and Plantation roads. The Development Study Committee last week recommended disapproval of Nicewonder's plans to develop the Prices Fork Road site, two parcels on opposite sides of Plantation Road.
On the smaller half-acre site, in front of the Red Lion Inn, Nicewonder wants to build professional office space. His plans for the larger lot include a restaurant, hotel and 37 town houses.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB