The Montgomery County Planning Commission will take public comments on a proposed contractor’s storage yard when it meets Wednesday.
The commission also will review two more sections of the updated county comprehensive plan that address topics including economic and community development, housing, transportation, education, health, emergency services, digital services and energy.
The board will convene at 7 p.m. in the county government center, 755 Roanoke St., Christiansburg.
Storage yard request in resource stewardship area
A public hearing will take place regarding a requested special use permit for a contractor’s storage yard at the end of Flanagan Drive near Christiansburg.
Shah Development LLC wants to establish the facility on more than 9 acres of a roughly 41-acre property that is close to Interstate 81 and intersects with Riner Road. According to county planning staff documents, it will be used to store construction equipment, vehicles and materials that are now being stored within the Christiansburg town limits.
The property is now zoned for agricultural use and is in a “resource stewardship” area under the current comprehensive plan, meaning it has high resource value based on soil types, environmental sensitivity or other unique land characteristics.
Two other contractor’s storage yards are located nearby.
Planning staff expect vehicle traffic to be minimal, and no significant increase in noise is expected.
If it is approved, typical operating hours will be 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays.
Planning staff recommend that any exterior lighting should prevent glare onto adjacent properties, and that the facility should screen outdoor storage from public view with opaque fencing at least 6 feet high.
Sections of the updated comprehensive plan include community development and health will be reviewed
The commission is in the final stages of updating the five-section comprehensive plan, which must be updated every five years under state law. County planners have worked for 18 months to gather input from citizens and local stakeholders, such as town governments and other entities, through surveys and community meetings.
In December, the commission reviewed the first two sections. On Wednesday, staff will present parts three and four of the draft plan, focusing on community development and health and services. A separate study on fire and rescue operations is underway, with completion expected in coming months.
Work sessions with county supervisors will take place in January and February, with a final public hearing in late February or early March.
The 46-page third section focuses on community development, housing and transportation.
Regarding development, notable observations include:
— Citizens have suggested new development should be focused in the Merrimac area between Blacksburg and Christiansburg, the Bethel area on Tyler Road near I-81, along the transportation corridors connecting with Christiansburg and in some of the county’s villages.
— Development challenges include the fact that Blacksburg and Christiansburg are slowly running out of developable land; there is growing concern about whether existing county infrastructure can support anticipated growth; there is concern about the impact of further development on the environment; current development relies heavily on education and health care; there is workforce concern around retaining younger residents and making sure wages align with keeping the county an affordable place to live; and more coordination is needed between local and regional jurisdictions.
— A community survey of what new development people would like to see, ranked from top to bottom, favored more food options, new stores, more housing options, more offices and jobs and more manufacturing businesses.
— Economic development stakeholders called for continued technology sector growth, creating a manufacturing hub, more investment in public services outside the towns, widening Interstate 81 and bringing passenger rail service to the area.
Regarding housing, a community survey indicated residents want more affordable options, with a focus on single-family homes and mixed housing developments.
Regarding transportation, the plan states that assets include five county exits on I-81, planned expansion of Amtrak rail service to the county and public transit services. However, it states, the interstate experiences travel delays, the corridors into the towns experience high congestion at peak hours, and public transit options are limited outside the towns.
Transportation goals include more use of technology to provide real-time travel guidance; advocating for construction of more travel lanes or expanded intersections; and eliminating or redesigning driveway or street access points along major roads. The greatest challenge is finding the money, the plan states.
The 42-page fourth section focuses on health and human services, including education, health care, communications and energy and emergency services.
Notable observations on education include:
— In a survey, 38.5% of respondents expressed general satisfaction with county public schools, while 15.5% expressed strong satisfaction and 19.8% said they were unsatisfied.
— Public school enrollment was relatively stable from 2021 to 2024, with slight growth in elementary and middle schools and a slight decline in high schools.
— Education-sector strengths include Virginia Tech, Radford University, New River Community College and successful public schools, while weaknesses include the way a lack of affordable health care affects students’ well-being.
— Suggested public school improvements and goals include making sure public school programs are consistent across schools, amid a perception that some schools have more resources than others; forming a community advisory committee to ensure local feedback in decision making; increasing outreach to address related needs such as housing and food security; analyzing enrollment projections as to how they align with housing development trends; and providing more outreach to inform residents of educational resources.
— The county should bolster lifelong learning initiatives, such as an existing program that provides up to two years of tuition assistance to eligible high school graduates, along with other career training initiatives.
Notable observations on health and human services include:
— In a community survey, 32.8% of respondents said they are satisfied with health care quality and local access, but 32.1% are unsatisfied.
— Top concerns include access to and availability of services overall, along with access to specialty services such as mental health, dental care and obstetrics and gynecology.
— There should be a community advisory committee for hospitals to ensure that decision makers are aligned with community needs.
— Limited availability of substance use treatment facilities is a significant challenge, along with limited awareness of available behavioral health and substance use disorder resources among underserved populations.
— 14% of county residents experience food insecurity, which is higher than the rates in peer counties, such as 11% in Rockingham County and 10% in Albemarle County.
Regarding public infrastructure, notable observations include:
— Surveyed members of the public say improvement of digital communications access is a top priority. Nearly 2,900 households do not have an internet subscription, including 1,100 with income of less than $20,000, 1,375 with income of $20,000 to $74,999, and 383 with income of $75,000 or more. Meanwhile, the county is working to expand broadband in underserved areas, with two major projects underway in partnership with Gigabeam Networks.
— Residents want more promotion of renewable energy options, especially solar arrays and mixed land use involving agriculture and solar energy. The zoning ordinance should get revisions to boost more renewable energy.
— The county public service authority has been changed to a county utilities department to better coordinate service and projects. However, some residents are concerned with low water pressure, poor well water quality, and limited septic system services. Also, water and sewer lines are sometimes not aligned with the villages and high-growth areas.
Regarding public safety, the plan notes:
— There are eight fire, emergency medical service and rescue stations in the county, along with five police stations within the towns. A new fire and emergency services facility is being developed in the former FedEx building in Christiansburg, which the county acquired in March 2025.
— However, nearly 20% of structures in the county fall outside recommended drive-time standards for emergency response; limited broadband hinders emergency response efforts; and emergency services struggle with staff shortages.
— Residents of the Belview community want an emergency services station.
You can find meeting documents at https://montva.community.highbond.com/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=398.