Welcome Cardinal News readers! This is the second week of Roanoke Valley Field Notes, a collection of news and miscellaneous notes from the past week in the valley and a look ahead at what’s happening next week. Here’s last week’s edition if you missed it.
I primarily cover Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem and Botetourt County — but those boundaries aren’t rigid when coverage is needed elsewhere. You can generally expect to see my column in your inbox on Thursdays.
There’s only one me, and there’s a lot of you in the valley, so news tips and feedback from readers are always appreciated. Email me at samantha@cardinalnews.org to share your thoughts, ideas, questions and concerns with me!
Table of contents
Appeals court dismisses lawsuit from neighborhood over zoning
The Court of Appeals of Virginia affirmed a prior dismissal of a lawsuit brought by members of the Deyerle neighborhood against the city of Roanoke, ABoone Real Estate, and property owners over a rezoning for townhomes across from LewisGale Medical Center.
In July 2024, the Roanoke City Council unanimously approved the rezoning of 3.5 acres of land from residential to a mixed-use planned unit development district, allowing for 24 townhomes to be built.
In August 2024, 14 Deyerle neighborhood homeowners sued the city, ABoone Real Estate and property owners John A. Carter Rental Properties and Keagy Medmont, claiming that the city did not provide adequate public notice before a planning commission public hearing on the rezoning request, which was continued from a previous meeting.
That suit was dismissed by Circuit Judge Leisa Ciaffone in May 2025, and she later denied a plaintiff request for reconsideration.
The plaintiffs then appealed to the Court of Appeals, which affirmed Ciaffone’s ruling, stating that the planning commission did have authority to continue its public hearing in a later meeting — “Neighbors suggest no reason why the continuance was unreasonable.”
The ruling states that “statutory framework and common sense” suggest that the planning commission has the authority to continue one matter over two regularly scheduled public hearings. The ruling also notes that in that period between the first hearing and the continued hearing, Boone revised his application to increase the tree canopy for the project and provided visual renderings of the exterior of the proposed townhomes.
Alexander Boone, owner of ABoone Real Estate, said in an email that Ryan Homes started building the townhomes last week, and plan to have a model open for sales to start in August.
Valley Metro to hold public hearing on fare increases
The Greater Roanoke Transit Company, or Valley Metro, will hold a public hearing June 8 on proposed fare increases.
Valley Metro is the private, nonprofit public service governed by the Greater Roanoke Transit Company Board of Directors that has provided public transit to the Roanoke Valley since 1975.
Proposed changes increase rates for all services, plus bringing the currently free Star Line Trolley ride to $1.
The proposed rate structure changes, if approved, would be effective Jan 1, 2027. The public hearing will take place at the Third Street Station Customer Service Center at 7 p.m. Monday.
Roanoke City Council to continue public hearing on zoning amendments
On May 18, the Roanoke City Council, based on its rules, timed out a four-hour evening meeting at 11 p.m. without finishing its public hearing on proposed amendments to a citywide rezoning package, approved in 2024 and again in 2025. Prior reporting on the amendment package up for discussion can be found here.
During Monday’s meeting, the council voted to continue that public hearing on July 6 at 7 p.m.
Residents who already spoke during the May 18 public hearing on this matter cannot speak again on July 6, Mayor Joe Cobb said. Residents who had signed up to speak and did not get the chance to on May 18 are welcome to speak on July 6, Cobb said.
Youmans is new Roanoke assistant city manager
Lavar Youmans, Roanoke’s new assistant city manager, started his role with Roanoke on Monday.
Lavar Youmans most recently served as county administrator in Hampton County, South Carolina.
Youmans has over 16 years of experience “leading complex public organizations through fiscal recovery, strategic planning and operational modernization,” according to a city press release.
Youmans will oversee operational departments, including public works and general services.
Former assistant manager Sam Roman left the job at the end of last year, and is now an assistant city manager in Charlottesville.
City Manager Valmarie Turner has two assistant city managers, Youmans and Angie O’Brien.
Other meetings over the next week
The Salem City Council meets Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. When posted, the agenda can be found here.
The Roanoke City Public School Board meets Monday at 6:30 p.m. When posted, the agenda can be found here.
The Roanoke Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Monday at 1:30 p.m. to consider two rezonings. The first is a request of Cross Creek Development Corporation to rezone 6 acres at Westside Boulevard and Shenandoah Avenue in Northwest Roanoke to allow for the construction of about 75 townhomes.
The second is a request from the city to rezone land on Williamson Road to accommodate a new Fire Station #2, with land the city purchased from the Budget Inn in 2023, and a 2025 land donation from the Farrell Family of adjacent properties.
The project would replace the current fire station off of Noble Avenue Northeast, which was built in 1950 and no longer supports the equipment and needs of a modern fire department, according to the city.
The Fire Station #2 project was removed from the city’s capital improvement plan during the budget development process this year — as part of a $50 million cut to the CIP that included numerous projects.
There is currently no plan for moving forward with the project, according to an emailed statement from the city on Wednesday.
“However, the rezoning request enables development in the future, should funding become available,” the statement read.
