Blacksburg planning commission OKs two variances for Farmingdale subdivision, tables right-of-way and trail decisions

The Blacksburg Planning Commission approved two variance requests for the proposed Plat 2416 Farmingdale Major Subdivision and postponed decisions on a proposed right-of-way dedication and multiuse-trail construction to a future work session.

The commission voted unanimously to grant a variance to allow T-turnarounds in place of bulb cul-de-sacs and to allow five driveways closer than the code's 50-foot intersection separation. Planning staff described the development as a "by right use of the land," noting the developer had submitted the project for major-subdivision review because a series of prior minor subdivisions on the parcel triggers that review level.

Why this matters: The subdivision would add house lots and a new public street off Farmingdale Lane and is sited inside a larger area that staff and the applicant say already contains substantial dedicated open space. Commissioners and several residents raised questions about whether broad right-of-way dedications proposed along long stretches of Farmingdale should be required now or left until future development demonstrates a specific alignment and funding for construction.

Planning director Andrew Warren said the submission qualifies as a major subdivision under town code and listed the applicant's variance requests, including the exceptions to the town's standard that requires proposed streets be extended by dedication to the boundary of adjoining properties. "It is a by right use of the land," Warren said in his presentation while outlining required submittal items such as boundary surveys, lot dimensions and stormwater provisions.

John Neal of Foresight Design, speaking for the applicant, said the overall parcel is roughly 108 acres but that the "effective area" for the current subdivision is a little under 6 acres and that the proposal includes 23 titled lots (20 primary lots and three additional lots). Neal told the commission the project will dedicate more than 50% of the site as open space and that public water and sewer service will be extended to serve the new lots. He also said the applicant worked with VDOT and agreed to add deceleration and acceleration tapers at the intersection with U.S. 460, and that curb inlets and stormwater controls are included to reduce runoff from the new paved section compared with existing conditions.

Residents who live on or near Farmingdale Lane urged the commission to require a road dedication and construction that reaches an existing access point rather than allowing the developer to withhold long right-of-way segments. Annette Bach, who identified herself as a professor emerita, said she was "concerned" about a stormwater management pond shown near springs and a pond on her property and asked that the pond be revised or removed. Resident Tina Shaver, who gave her address as 513 Farmingdale Lane, said the proposed interruption of paving partway down a slope would increase erosion and maintenance burdens for neighbors. Joel Herbine, another Farmingdale Lane resident, urged the commission to deny the variance to Section 5-303, which would require extending a proposed street dedication to the adjoining property boundary, arguing denial would preserve long-term access and maintenance protections for existing landowners.

Commission action and next steps - Approved (unanimous) variance requests for: - Section 5-310(a): allow T-turnaround instead of a bulb cul-de-sac (approved) - Section 5-318(d): allow five driveways closer than 50 feet to an intersection (approved) The commission recorded the approvals as unanimous; the motion and roll-call tallies were taken but individual commissioner vote names were not recorded in the public transcript.

- Tabled (continued) the remaining variance requests to a subsequent work session and next public hearing. The two items continued were: - Section 5-303 variance: exemption from dedicating long segments of Farmingdale Lane/right-of-way to adjoining parcels (applicant asked not to dedicate several long segments totaling roughly 4,000 ft, 1,900 ft and a shorter ~400 ft segment as shown in staff exhibits) - Trail construction variance: the applicant proposed building the internal trail only to the new street edge and not constructing the existing easement trail along U.S. 460 at this time

Commissioners cited outstanding questions they want resolved at the follow-up work session, including: clarifying whether a landlocked parcel qualifies as an "adjoining property" for purposes of the dedication requirement; overlaying the town's "Paths to the Future" (comprehensive plan) roadway/trail guidance onto the project map; the extent and origin of already-dedicated open space across the larger parcel; and the town's responsibilities if long right-of-way tracts are dedicated but not improved. Staff asked commissioners to submit any additional specific questions to planning staff by the next business day so staff can prepare for the work session.

Technical and project details recorded in the hearing - Parcel/area numbers: the applicant described the entire tract as about 108 acres; the active subdivision area cited by the applicant is "a little less than 6 acres." The plan shows 23 lots being created (20 primary buildable lots plus three additional lots). The applicant and staff said previously dedicated open space across the larger acreage exceeds 50% of the total site; staff noted more than 70 acres of open space exist across overlapping dedications on the broader property. - Right-of-way lengths discussed: staff identified proposed non-dedicated segments of approximately 4,000 linear feet, 1,900 linear feet and a shorter ~400 linear feet as the subject of the Section 5-303 variance request. - Driveway/intersection standard: code requires 50-foot spacing from intersections; the applicant requested a waiver for five driveways on approximately 60-foot lots in a compact layout. - Stormwater and infrastructure: the applicant said the stormwater concept has been reviewed by town engineering and that curb inlets at the end of new pavement will route runoff to a stormwater facility; VDOT provided comments and the applicant agreed to minor taper improvements at the U.S. 460 intersection per VDOT guidance.

What was not decided The commission did not rule on whether the town should accept long, undeveloped right-of-way dedications now (leaving large tracts in town ownership but unimproved), nor whether the multiuse trail easement along U.S. 460 must be constructed by this developer. Those questions were continued so staff can supply additional mapping and legal clarification and for the commission to review the town's comprehensive-planning "Paths to the Future" map in relation to the proposed dedications.

Meeting context and next public review Planning staff and commissioners said the item will return for at least one additional work session and then again on a future public hearing (the variance items left open will be handled as old business at that subsequent meeting). The commission emphasized that any variance decision applies only to the current phase of development and that future expansions or rezoning requests would be subject to new review.

Quotes (selected) "It is a by right use of the land," Andrew Warren, Planning Director, said while summarizing subdivision requirements and the variance requests. "The effective area of the subdivision is about a little less than 6 acres," John Neal of Foresight Design said when describing the portion of the larger tract under current development. "I object to the inclusion of this pond," Annette Bach, a nearby resident and professor emerita, said in public comment, citing concerns about springs, runoff, erosion and impacts to wildlife.

Ending The commission's decisions move two technical waivers forward while reserving larger policy questions about long right-of-way dedications and trail construction for further staff analysis and another public review. The next work session will focus on maps and legal clarifications that commissioners requested before making a final determination on the remaining variances.