ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, June 21, 1996 TAG: 9606210024
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County is about to seek outside help to rewrite its zoning ordinance, the "bible" used to determine land uses and how to manage growth.
The county adopted its zoning ordinance in 1969 and has heavily amended it, but the document has not undergone an extensive updating. During the last 27 years, amendments have added 12 zoning districts to the original seven, and the ordinance has grown from 33 pages to 125.
Calls to rewrite the antiquated document have increased over the last year, as the county wrestles with growing pains evident by new housing and business developments in rural Riner and plans to build some 500 houses on Price Mountain, the ridge separating Blacksburg and Christiansburg.
On Wednesday, the county's Planning Commission reviewed a final version of the request for proposals to update the ordinance. Planning Director Joe Powers said the county likely would advertise the request soon after the 1996-97 budget is appropriated. That spending plan, which includes $25,000 for the rewrite, takes effect July 1.
The contractor selected by the county will prepare a draft for public comment before a final revised ordinance is submitted to the Board of Supervisors for approval.
The Planning Commission also has been working on an update of the county's comprehensive plan, a document that is supposed to map out long-range growth patterns and priorities. But that revision has been put on hold until later in the summer.
In other business, the commission recommended approval of Bobby J. and Connie T. Hawley's request to rezone and grant a permit for a mobile home park on land the couple owns in Merrimac.
The Hawleys want to increase their 11-unit Forest Park at 601 Merrimac Road to 30 units by expanding the 1.5 acre current park by six acres.
Since an earlier public hearing, the project has been reduced from a total of 40 units to 30 and a children's play area has been added.
LENGTH: Short : 43 linesby CNB