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Roanoke to begin neighborhood planning, pursue ‘hub‑and‑spoke’ Virginia Main Street program
Summary
Planning staff told council and commissioners they will start neighborhood planning later this year, target a future area for early work and pursue a modified Virginia Main Street program to support neighborhood centers, backed by a $70,000 award and ARPA funding for streetscape and homeowner rehab projects.
City planning staff said Thursday they plan to begin neighborhood planning this fall and to use a modified Virginia Main Street approach to support several neighborhood centers.
Catherine, a planning staff member, told the joint meeting: "Would love to start that process this fall." She said staff will prioritize a future target area — Gainsborough/Gilmer/Harrison — and will work with neighborhood leaders, the Planning Commission and other departments to prepare neighborhood planning areas and accompanying functional plans such as arts and cultural plans and street‑design work.
Why it matters: Neighborhood plans and village‑center revitalization can guide where higher‑capacity development belongs, shape streetscape and public‑realm investments, and create tools that align private redevelopment with community goals. Staff said the city has 26 existing neighborhood plans and will consolidate into about 14 neighborhood planning areas for the next phase of work.
Program and funding highlights
- Staff described a modified, “hub‑and‑spoke” model with Virginia Main Street and Main Street America to coordinate redevelopment support across multiple neighborhood centers rather than a single commercial main street. The city won a $70,000 award to support the work.
- Gainsborough Avenue will receive near‑term ARPA‑funded streetscape improvements; staff said homeowner rehabilitation work is also planned there as part of the neighborhood hub efforts.
Engagement and timing
Planning staff said the neighborhood planning process will be iterative and community‑centered: staff will draft outreach plans and convene multiple rounds of public meetings before formal Planning Commission and City Council review and adoption. Staff estimated each neighborhood planning effort will take approximately 12–18 months. The earliest work will focus on the future target area and then expand to other centers including Ninth Street, Eleventh Street, West End and the Fourth/Melrose corridor.
Operational details and next steps
Staff said they will post maps and progress online, coordinate with economic development on main‑street work and align neighborhood plans with the City Plan 2040 goals. The planning team also said it will expand staffing capacity (a preservation planner hire was mentioned as starting in July) to support the workload and onboarding of several new Planning Commission members.
Ending
Council members encouraged posting progress on the city dashboard and asked staff to ensure broad, inclusive outreach; staff committed to returning to commission and council with a rollout plan and community engagement schedule.
