Lori Graham
Contributing Writer
CHRISTIANSBURG – Christiansburg Town Council heard citizens’ responses to a proposed ordinance regarding a rezoning request by RWW4, LLC, to rezone a 17.7-acre tract of property at the end of Summit Ridge Road, S.W., adjoining the southern side of Interstate 81.
The property is currently under consideration for a 60-home lot subdivision.
The property is currently zoned as A-Agriculture and is proposed to be changed to R-1 Single Family-Residential. An associated ordinance request was also presented that would allow a 1.084-acre lot to be rezoned from its current Montgomery County location to the corporate limits of the Town of Christiansburg.
During the Feb. 25 meeting, Summit Ridge Road resident David Bradshaw spoke against the proposed ordinances. His presentation began by stating that “first impressions” provided for an attractive proposed property and the excitement of new neighbors. It is the second impressions that Bradshaw stated were going to be an issue for residents living in the current development.
“On paper it’s well planned, but it’s very jarring next to and flowing into the Town and Country Estates,” Bradshaw said. His primary points of dissatisfaction are the lack of two access points for the street, the size of the proposed lots for the amount of homes, and how the higher density of housing changes the character of the current development of homes.
According to Bradshaw, the proposed development calls for 60 lots on approximately 18 acres, which is a 3.3 lot per acre average. Town and Country Estates currently consists of 82 lots on 42 acres, a 1.9 lot-per-acre ratio, showing an increase in density for the development.
Additional comments by Bradshaw, and many other residents who addressed the Christiansburg Town Council, included concerns about sewer overflows, runoff limits, and higher maintenance costs for current residents that could arise from the higher housing density. Traffic concerns with more vehicles accessing Summit Ridge Road and the existence of a pedestrian and biker trail are other points of impact the residents wanted the town to consider.
Balzer & Associates Senior Director Steve Semones addressed some of the citizens’ concerns during the meeting.
“When this subdivision was developed originally, a right-of-way was not stubbed off of Briarwood, you know, normally we would make a connection to any street that is stubbed out…but that right-of-way stops right there at Briarwood,” Semones said.
Semones also expressed the need for higher density homes in the subdivision to reduce the cost for consumers wishing to purchase these homes.
“We’ve heard a lot tonight of taking 60 lots down to 30 lots. I want everybody to understand going into it, if we do 60 lots as we’re showing, you know, anything in that range you’re looking at house prices in the 3-400 range,” Semones said. “We drop that to 30 lots; you’re looking at house prices over half a million dollars.”
A change in setbacks from 35 to 27 feet is also part of the proposed development. Semones said that this is not a large change and still provides ample buffering, and he said that 30-foot roadways and appropriate sidewalks are built to Town standard.
As part of the Consent Agenda approved unanimously by the council, a public hearing has been set for “April 22, 2025 for a Conditional Use Permit request by SHAH Development LLC, applicant and property owner, to allow single-family or two-family dwelling(s) in the B-3 General Business District on property located on the western side of Plum Street across from Trent Dr. NE (Tax Parcel 497 – ((2)) – B; Parcel ID 120350), and consisting of approximately of 0.776 acres. The property is designated as Residential on the Future Land Use Map of the 2013 Christiansburg Comprehensive Plan.”
Another town council agenda item presented for public hearing was for a conditional Use Permit request by Rockstep Christiansburg LLC, property owner, to allow a carnival from Mar. 23, 2025, – April 8, 2025, at 782 New River Road, N.W. The proposed time period includes the set-up and operation of the carnival. The carnival has been operating for several years in Uptown Christiansburg location.