Council approves "Clydes View" planned residential rezoning at 103 Jefferson Street

Blacksburg Town Council on the evening voted to approve Ordinance 2,079, rezoning 0.655 acres at 103 Jefferson Street from R-5 transitional residential to Planned Residential (PR) to allow a 10-lot single-family development dubbed "Clydes View." The council approved the measure after a staff presentation and applicant remarks; no public commenters spoke at the hearing.

Planning staff described the proposal as 10 detached single-family homes with a combined total of about 20 bedrooms, parking for 20 vehicles off Jefferson Street and dedicated bicycle parking within common open space. The property sits near the corner of Jefferson Street and East Roanoke Street across from Westview Cemetery and is currently surrounded by a mix of single-family, two-family and multifamily uses. Staff said the site’s future land-use designation is medium-density residential and noted that Roanoke Street is planned for future sidewalk and bike-lane improvements.

The applicant requested PRD flexibility and several modifications: a reduction in the PRD open-space requirement from the 20% minimum to 13% (3,920 square feet) for the under-2-acre site; a reduced public-utility-easement behind units; and omission of some required walkways and parking-island features. As a condition, the applicant proffered an occupancy standard limiting units to “a family plus one unrelated individual or no more than two unrelated individuals.” Staff also reported that all homes will be built solar-ready. The Planning Commission recommended approval 7–0 with two members absent.

Developer representatives said the design aims to create modest, single-family homes facing a common green to encourage owner-occupation for young families and aging residents and to reduce construction costs by minimizing infrastructure. They told council the steep bank on East Roanoke Street necessitated variances to the required four-foot planting strip for the proposed sidewalk and that staff had worked with the team on utility easement widths.

Council members expressed support for the project as a potential proof of concept for small-lot single-family ownership near downtown and praised the occupancy proffer and the solar-ready requirement. The ordinance passed on a recorded roll-call vote; the clerk recorded ayes for the members on the roll.

Council and staff noted that any major changes to the project would require an amendment to the PRD and additional public hearings at the site-plan stage.