Boarding houses will have to request a conditional use permit to open in Christiansburg anytime in the near future.
Tuesday night, council approved a revision to its zoning ordinance that would also limit where boarding houses could be located.
At the heart of the discussion was a plan to open a boarding house on Roanoke Street for individuals who graduated from the local drug court. Developers are currently renovating a former hotel and nearby structures to allow for up to four people.
Under the current ordinance, the four are allowed, but if owners would like to increase the number of individuals living there, they would have to file the CUP. Then both council and planning commission would have to consider the plan before issuing such a CUP.
Nearby landowners to the site have criticized the proposed plan. During a public hearing last month, individuals said they did not want such a facility in their neighborhood. They cited their and their family’s personal safety from individuals who might be recently released from jail.
The new ordinance would require the CUP for a boarding house in all zoning districts where such use is permitted. Boarding houses would no longer be allowed in the B-1, limited business district.
All other business districts would again require the special permissions.
Melissa Demmitt, the town’s spokesperson, said if the developers wanted to change the use or add additional tenants at the Roanoke site, they would have to request a CUP.
“[Developer Marie March] had previously submitted for a CUP for a boardinghouse between five and 14 persons in the early summer but withdrew the petition after the Planning Commission public hearing on July 5,” she said.
The town’s planning commission recommended approval of the new ordinance, and by a 6-0 vote Tuesday, council did the same.
Council also approved several appointments: Lea Wall and Luke Brugh to the Montgomery Tourism Development Council.
A contract of $1.652 million was awarded to DLB Enterprises for the College Street sanitary sewer repair and replacement project.
