ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 14, 1997 TAG: 9702140051
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
The Mill Mountain Development Committee is finding that writing its mission statement is about as easy as pedaling a bicycle up to Roanoke's famous neon star.
The panel appeared close to approving a statement for the mountain's future Wednesday afternoon. But the effort broke down after one member requested that the words "environmentally" and "aesthetically" be deleted from a draft.
"It's back to the drawing board with the mission statement," Chairman Carl Kopitzke said near the end of the 90-minute meeting at city Parks and Recreation headquarters. "If we don't do it right, I think the citizens of Roanoke will let us know, as will City Council."
"I thought it was pretty sad," said Betty Field, a South Roanoke resident and proponent of keeping the mountain undeveloped. "It just seemed to me that they were trying to take environmental concerns and preservation out of the mission statement."
The committee began working on a "visioning" process Jan.18 during an all-day workshop at the old Henritze mansion on the mountain. Businessman and committee member Ralph Smith now owns the house and lives there.
Smith lodged most of the objections during discussions over the mission statement. He said the draft under consideration was too anti-development. Smith favors building a small restaurant on the mountaintop.
"Back up 115 years, when Mr. Kimball brought his railroad to Roanoke," Smith told the committee. "Had he been handed this statement, he would have taken his railroad over the next ridge."
The committee began with the following draft statement, which was prepared by members Scott Shakelford, Thompson Haines and Kopitzke :
"To advise and consult with the Roanoke City Council regarding the preservation and protection of the integrity of Mill Mountain both environmentally and aesthetically. We are dedicated to making Mill Mountain accessible and pleasurable to all persons by promoting appropriate maintenance and growth. Progress with preservation."
Smith began objecting after the phrase "appropriate maintenance and growth" was removed by the committee. Jordan Peck, another committee member, agreed with Smith.
"By removing the word 'growth' - maybe that's the committee's desire - does that mean we don't want to grow? That we want to preserve it in its natural state forever?" Smith asked. "To me, it's saying, 'We do want to close the door to growth.' I would like to see a door open."
The mountain's future "is also about improvements and changes," Peck said. "Do we want to put in biking trails, hiking trails?" Even installing a greenway up the mountain would constitute "development," Peck added.
Smith proposed removing the phrase "both environmentally and aesthetically" from the statement and adding other language. His suggestion would have left the first sentence reading, "To advise and consult with the Roanoke City Council regarding the preservation and protection of Mill Mountain for the benefit of the citizens of the area."
Kopitzke objected, calling the proposal "radically changing the statement." Instead, he referred the mission statement back to the subcommittee that prepared the first draft.
Earlier in the meeting, the committee did adopt a "vision" statement: "To be good stewards of the mountain, to protect and preserve the natural resources for all future generations, in accordance with the Fishburn grant."
Junius B. Fishburn, who donated the mountain to the city in 1941, specified with the gift that the mountain be "developed and forever preserved, improved and maintained" for the people of the Roanoke Valley. The grant also specified that "parks, playgrounds, buildings, structures and things similar thereto" might be built in various places on the mountain.
The committee also was asked to rank in order of their priority a list of issues related to the mountain's future. The list included:
* A name change for the committee. Several members want to remove the word "development" from its title.
* Whether to maintain the "Keep the Star White Campaign," under which the Mill Mountain Star is lighted red after drunken-driving fatalities.
* Recommending "alternative" transportation from the City Market to the mountaintop, such as buses dressed up as old-style trolleys.
* The installation of coin-operated binoculars at the M. Carl Andrews Overlook.
* Placement of dioramas showing the names of surrounding mountains.
* Surveying citizens about future improvements to the mountain.
* Fixing the bridge on Prospect Road, the old road up the mountain that is being eyed as a potential greenway.
* A security plan to deal with vandalism and graffiti.
The committee's next meeting is at 4 p.m. March 12. The panel intends to take its vision to City Council's evening meeting March 17.
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