Roanoke City Council approves multiple appropriations and ordinances; continues one rezoning

Roanoke City Council approved a series of appropriations, code amendments and ordinances during its Oct. 20 afternoon and evening sessions, including reimbursement for DMV Select services, updates to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, changes to the city code to allow the Treasurer to issue refunds for erroneously assessed taxes, an update to the Hotel Real Estate Tax Abatement Program, a refund to a software company for an erroneously assessed tax payment, a rezoning on Brandon Avenue to permit a townhome community and a change to the city's enterprise zone boundaries. A separate rezoning request for property on Valley View Boulevard was continued to the November Planning Commission meeting.

The measures affect municipal finances, development approvals and tax-administration procedures. Several items were described by staff as technical or corrective in nature, including a replacement ordinance accepting FEMA funds to correct a clerical error.

Council appropriated reimbursement funds for DMV Select services offered in the municipal building; the transcript records that the appropriation took place during the 2 p.m. session. The council also approved updates to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and voted to appropriate funds and advance accessibility improvements identified by staff.

Council approved code amendments allowing the City Treasurer to issue refunds for taxes that had been erroneously assessed. The same set of code changes included an update to the Hotel Real Estate Tax Abatement Program and the council approved a refund for an erroneously assessed tax payment reported as having been made by a software company. The record does not include vote tallies or the text of the motions.

During the evening session council held two public hearings. The first, a request to rezone property on Brandon Avenue to create a townhome community, had no speakers and the ordinance passed. A separate public hearing on a proposed rezoning for property on Valley View Boulevard was continued to the November Planning Commission meeting and may return to council. A hearing to change the boundaries of the city's enterprise zone had no speakers and the council passed that ordinance.

Council approved replacing an ordinance accepting FEMA funds to correct a clerical error; the replacement ordinance was approved at the end of the meeting. The transcript does not supply ordinance numbers, motion text, or recorded vote counts for these items.

City Manager Val Marie Turner provided administrative updates during the meeting, including that the Virginia Department of Transportation is working to improve safety at intersections along Hershberger Road, Lafayette Boulevard and Liberty Road, and that the Roanoke Police Department's I Star team was named the Virginia Crime Analysis Team of the Year. The 2 p.m. session opened with recognition of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week; the evening session included a presentation on digitizing an art collection by Roanoke Public Libraries.

Six pupils spoke during the 2 p.m. public comment period; 22 people addressed council during evening public comment. Council meetings are streamed on YouTube and broadcast on RVTV. The council's next meetings are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 3, at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.