Blacksburg’s three public hearings address VCOM’s building project, fiber-optic cable for broadband and a $1 per year lease to a nature nonprofit. Christiansburg’s two public hearings are on a carnival at the mall and trees at a former business. Here’s the rundown:
Monday: Radford City Council meeting will include report on fire department
Following a 6:15 p.m. closed session, the Radford City Council regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday. Reports scheduled to be given but not included in the agenda packet as of Sunday include one on “FY 27 City Employee Health Insurance” and another described in the agenda as “Fire Department.” The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Radford City Office at 10 Robertson St.
Tuesday: Blacksburg Town Council to hold three public hearings
The Blacksburg Town Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday will include three public hearings. The first public hearing is on a building project proposed by the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine. The proposed project includes renovations and a two-story addition to the existing VCOM building at 1701 Kraft Drive. VCOM’s proposal includes a request to modify the zoning ordinance to allow for a specific type of yard because of the elevation of nearby apartments. The proposed project does not affect the density of the site, which is already designated as research and development in the town’s future land use plan. The planning commission unanimously approved the proposal on Feb. 3.
The second public hearing is on granting a franchise to broadband provider Gigabeam Networks to install fiber-optic cable in various areas of Blacksburg as part of the greater Montgomery County broadband project. Gigabeam Networks is based in Bluefield, West Virginia.
The third public hearing is on leasing use of the Bennett House at 303 Wilson St. for $1 per year to SEEDS, a nonprofit organization focused on nature education for children. The proposed lease is a five-year term beginning on March 1. SEEDS was founded in 1995 and stands for Seek Education, Explore, DiScover.
The council meeting is open to the public and will be held in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers of the Blacksburg Municipal Building at 300 S. Main St.
Tuesday: Christiansburg Town Council to hold two public meetings
The Christiansburg Town Council regular meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday will include two public hearings. The first public hearing is on Cole Shows Amusement Company’s request to hold a spring carnival in the parking lot of Uptown Christiansburg from March 26 to April 5 in the same layout as last year.
The second public hearing is on a request to remove the requirement for a screen of evergreen trees at least 6 feet tall on the east side of the property at 2886 Roanoke St. The owners of the property also own the adjacent properties, 2940 Roanoke St. and 2950 Roanoke St., which are used as residential rental properties. The owners, Larry and Barbara Martin of LAM-BAM LLC, wrote in their request that they “no longer want the trees there or feel they are needed due to the fact that the excavation and construction business previously operated at this site closed December 31, 2023.”
The council meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Christiansburg Town Hall at 100 E. Main St.