The May 20th Christiansburg Town Council meeting began with a joint public hearing on a conditional use permit (CUP) by L&R Burch Properties to allow auto and truck auctions in the B-3 General Business District for property located at 2000 Roanoke Street.

Previously, a CUP to allow this activity had been granted to Greg Nagy, who subsequently decided the site was not well suited for his plans.  He acquired and is developing a property zoned Industrial which allows this type of activity by right, and expects to also begin conducting auto auctions within 90 days.

L&R Burch Properties was seeking a CUP to allow auctions as property owners, as previously granted in the other CUP request for a tenant. There were concerns about traffic congestion along Roanoke and Hubbell Drive expressed by two speakers.  It was noted that Shelor Motor Mile conducted auto auctions in this general area as well.  Later in the meeting, the Planning Commission recommended approval of this CUP.  Fourteen conditions were applied to the permit, including a review within six months of the first auction, the provision of portable "no parking" signs to be used on auction dates, and limiting auctions to six per month.  The application was approved, with Council members Carter and Stipes opposing.

Council then conducted a Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 budget (first reading).  The Town Manager gave a high level overview, indicating proposed changes to the water and sewer fees which had been supplemented by General Funds as expenses outstripped revenues.  A sewer extension on Elk Drive was carried over to the proposed budget, non-profit funding is suggested similar to previous years, and the addition to reserves to support fire and rescue, building inspection software and an emergency services building in the Route 114 area were proposed.  The Mayor indicated it was the Town Manager's responsibility to develop the annual budget with input from town council, which held a budget work session on May 7.Two small business operators expressed concern about the increase in the town's Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) fees, with another noting that while Blacksburg's BPOL rates were higher than Christiansburg's, Blackburg businesses were not also assessed personal property taxes.  One speaker asked that council do all it could to see what cuts or reductions could be made before increasing any taxes or fees.

Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce President Shane Adams spoke, indicating his private member organization represented businesses throughout the county.  The chamber had provided its membership with information about proposed changes to taxes and fees for both Christiansburg and Blacksburg town council as well as the county's Board of Supervisors.  Mr. Adams stressed the chamber neither opposed nor endorsed any of the local government's proposed budget changes.

The Mayor and Council then amended the agenda to add another item for the Planning Commission to revisit, that being a sign application which had been denied to Water by Design on Arbor Road.  Council then adjourned while the Planning Commission discussed the 2000 Roanoke Street CUP and interpretation of the sign ordinances.  Given the zoning and ordinance wording, the Town Manager later agreed to have Town Council review his interpretation of the sign application.  Council subsequently applied the marquee sign definition and unanimously approved the application as initially requested, and directed the Planning Commission to review the language of all sign definitions to help mitigate interpretation issues in the future.

Lisa Gardner then addressed council during the Citizens Hearings, asking that short term parking around the town square be addressed.  She also requested that council consider providing water meters for residents, so that watering of landscaping or gardens were not also assessed sewer fees.

The Street Committee recommended, and council subsequently approved by unanimous vote, the requested vacation of lot lines for properties located in Snidow Heights (Park and Haymaker Streets) to create two lots, and Silver Lake Heights (Mahone Street) to create one lot.    In both these requests,
the streets (lot lines) being vacated did not actually exist and the changes were considered "housekeeping" to clean up the legal definitions and use.

Councilman Huppert reported that the May 17 "Cruisin' Christiansburg" was successful and encouraged other members to wear the event tee-shirt at the next meeting.  Several other council members described their enjoying the event, and seeing the downtown bustling with people.  This lead to
discussions on reviewing the contract the town has with the Tourism Development Council (TDC) which receives 1% of all lodging taxes collected by the town.  Council members indicated more funding of Christiansburg related events, including marketing of the aquatic center, deserved consideration.  The Mayor asked the town's attorney to review the contract as regards changing from a flat 1% to capping the town's contribution to this initiative at a specific dollar amount.  Chamber President Adams spoke
again, reminding council that when it raised the lodging tax from 5% to 7%, that increase had provided the town with 1% which could be utilized for tourism development and marketing specific to town functions.  He restated that the TDC and the chamber were two separate entities.  Councilman Canada
stated that when the 1% was put in place to fund tourism development, it now seemed they were being asked to use these funds for something else.

Councilman Stipes reported that Civic Plus had been awarded the contract to design a new town web site.  Working with an enthusiastic group of town employees, this company is expected to launch the new site in the fourth quarter (Oct-Dec).

The Town Manager noted a request for a professional office in a R-3 (multi-family residential) area, and council set the public hearing for this application on June 17.    The Town Manager indicated interviewing four finalists for the aquatic center director position, and anticipated hiring an individual by July.  This individual will be responsible for the development a business plan for the new facility, including the marketing and scheduling of competitive events and family activities.

The next town council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3 at 7:30 pm.  The second reading for the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 will be on that agenda, including council's discussion and adoption of tax rates and fees.  At the conclusion of that meeting, a training session on the Freedom of Information
Act will be held, and the public has been invited to attend.

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