Lori Graham
Contributing Writer
A request by John and Stacy Lloyd for a Special Use Permit (SUP) to allow a contractor’s storage yard, as defined in the zoning ordinance, on vacant land in the Preston Forest subdivision area of Blacksburg was unanimously denied by the Board of Supervisors during a regular meeting held Monday, Sept. 25, 2023.
The property is located at the intersection of Batts Road and Coal Bank Hollow Road, approximately 0.01 miles from the intersection of South Jefferson Forest Lane and Coal Bank Hollow Road. The land is 6.8 acres, zoned Agricultural (A-1) in the Mount Tabor Magisterial District, and currently lies in an area designated as Residential Transition in the 2025 Comprehensive Plan.
The Planning Commission had previously voted 8-1 in approval of the special use permit on Aug. 9 with additional conditions to be put in place by business owners of the tree service. Some of these conditions concerned vegetation screening, no exterior lighting, and that no more than three vehicles in good working order, with tow-behinds, would be permitted.
Citizens shared concerns, but also support of the local business, with the board during the public hearing session of the meeting.
“I’m here tonight to ask you not to turn the cemetery, at the end of Jefferson Forest Drive into a commercial parking lot,” Sylvia Wright of Blacksburg said. “My husband David and I are concerned about creeping commercialism in our subdivision.”
Wright, like others that spoke, chose to move further outside of town to escape multi-dwelling and commercial properties that are going up.
One other citizen, and customer of Lloyd, spoke in support of his care and knowledge of the trees through his local business.
“He is making it possible for us to have big trees, which is really important for our climate and for our environment,” Kimberly Homer of Blacksburg said.
John Lloyd was present and addressed the Board of Supervisors in response to some of the citizens of Preston Forest subdivision’s concerns about aesthetics, safety, and the impact on property values. One concern was proper screening of the equipment parked on the lot in the subdivision.
“There are lots of pine trees there. Some of them are 10 to 15 foot; some of them are smaller,” Lloyd said.
He went on to say that his trucks were newer models and that they work 9 am to 5 pm each day, during the time that children and families are typically not in the neighborhood.
“It has everything to do with the location, other than the business, no one thinks that it is a good idea,” Supervisor Sarah Bohn said. “There should be other locations in the county that should be more suitable than this.”
Two other special use permits were unanimously approved by the Supervisors during the meeting.
A request by RDH LLC for a Special Use Permit (SUP) was approved. This will allow a short-term tourist rental within a newly constructed one-bedroom dwelling, located at 2157 Harding Rd., Blacksburg.
The approval of an additional request by Darrell Linkous for a SUP will allow a manufactured home on a vacant lot located within the R-3 Residential Zoning District, located at 425 Briggs Rd. in Shawsville.
