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Montgomery County EDA says Falling Branch Lot 2 completion delayed; contract amendment expected next month
Summary
Officials told the Montgomery County Economic Development Authority meeting that weather and permitting delays have added roughly 52 weather days to work at Falling Branch Lot 2, pushing expected substantial completion into May and prompting staff to prepare a contract amendment for the contractor’s schedule and topsoil handling.
Montgomery County Economic Development Authority staff told the board that work on Falling Branch Lot 2 has been delayed by weather and permitting problems and that a contract amendment to reset the schedule will be brought forward next month.
The update said the project’s original start date was April 29 with an initial 240-day schedule; that timeline has been interrupted by permitting delays and winter weather. "It took 45 days to get all the permits to work," a staff member said, and the project has accumulated "52 weather days up to yesterday," placing the likely substantial completion date in May if weather cooperates.
Why it matters: the delays affect site completion, grading and readiness for tenants or development on the lot. Staff said they are coordinating with the county purchasing office and the H&P engineer to agree on the revised schedule and to prepare a formal contract amendment.
Board members pressed staff on topsoil handling and possible change orders. Staff said there are roughly 12,000 cubic yards of topsoil assumed in the design but that actual on-site topsoil is about 25,000 cubic yards, in some places 3–4 feet deep, which cannot be compacted and must be scraped and stored. "You cannot compact topsoil; you have to just scrape it off to the side and store it," the staff member said.
Staff described an approach to stay within the existing limits of disturbance so the county can avoid new stormwater calculations and town review that would add roughly a 30-day delay. The plan under review would mound approximately half of the topsoil in the area just above the stormwater pond and use other on-site areas for the remainder; staff said the town of Christiansburg must review and approve the sketch. "If the town of Christiansburg approves this with this sketch and we're still inside the limits of disturbance, we're going to move forward. We'll do the change order next month," the staff member said.
Financial snapshot: staff presented an outstanding contract balance of $2,810,000 and reported roughly $59,000 billed this month, largely for on-site presence rather than productive earthwork.
No formal vote was taken on the contract amendment at the meeting; staff said they expect to return next month with a recommended amendment and supporting engineer review.
The presentation referenced prior experience on Falling Branch Phase 1, where topsoil was stored and later reused by the county over several years. Authority staff and the project engineer are working to finalize volumes, site placement and a schedule reset before drafting the contract change.
Looking ahead: staff said continued inclement weather could push completion beyond May and that final timing will depend on the town’s review and on-site progress.
