Blacksburg planning panel approves Farmingdale subdivision, grants two variances on road and trail requirements

The Blacksburg Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of Plat 2416 (Farmingdale), a preliminary major subdivision for about 20 residential lots at 210 Farmingdale Lane, and approved two related variance requests covering road dedication and trail construction.

Staff told the commission the overall parcel covers approximately 108 acres with a roughly 6‑acre development area to create 20 lots; about 73 acres would remain as open space. Staff said the applicant would dedicate about 1.2 acres of right of way to the town but requested a variance (section 5‑303) to defer any additional dedication of Farmingdale Lane beyond the existing edge of pavement and a separate variance (section 5‑500) to avoid constructing several thousand linear feet of a multiuse trail within an existing easement along the U.S. 460 Bypass.

The commission’s action followed public comments from adjacent property owners raising access, erosion and stormwater concerns. Annette Bach, professor emerita and owner…