Planning commission recommends approval of six‑story, mixed‑use redevelopment at 702 University City Boulevard amid neighborhood opposition

The Blacksburg Planning Commission on Nov. 4 voted to recommend approval of a rezoning request (Rezoning 25‑7 / Ordinance 2094) that would allow a single six‑story, mixed‑use building on about 4.5 acres at 702 University City Boulevard. The applicant proposes approximately 836 bedrooms (about 180 bedrooms per acre), a parking ratio of roughly 0.56 spaces per bedroom, at least 12.5% of units set as affordable for a minimum of 50 years, and about 30% open space largely provided through terraces and rooftop amenities.

Staff presentation Kenzie O’Shea, planning staff, said the property is currently zoned General Commercial and is designated commercial on the town’s future‑land‑use map, inside a broader “mixed‑use” bubble. The applicant requests rezoning to the Planned Residential (PR) district, which allows flexibility in district standards in exchange for binding proffers. Staff noted several areas where the application differs from typical standards: the applicant proposes roughly 5% tree canopy (the multifamily standard cited was 10%), about 30% usable open space (exceeding the 20% minimum), and a small commercial footprint (about 5,000–7,500 sq. ft., roughly 2% of the PR land area).

The application calls for a range of unit types (one‑ to five‑bedroom units) and proposes occupancy limits tied to family +2 or no more than one person per bedroom for unrelated residents. Staff also said water service is adequate but that sanitary sewer upgrades and road improvements on University City Boulevard…