School board approves rescue squad entrance onto Dennis Riddle Drive after safety debate; animal shelter transfer tabled

The Campbell County School Board on Jan. 12 voted 4–3 to approve a county request authorizing the proposed emergency services/rescue squad entrance onto Dennis Riddle Drive, after residents and several board members raised safety and traffic concerns.

County deputy/representative Cliff Tweedy described two county requests: an easement for the rescue squad facility and a separate transfer of about 2.4 acres of school property for an animal shelter. He said public-safety staff had worked with designers and VDOT to locate an appropriate access and that the rescue squad could use a loop through an adjacent subdivision when the primary entrance is blocked. Tweedy said the shelter has operated on school land since 1992 and that the county has raised about $1,200,000 toward a new facility.

Opposition emphasized sight-distance and emergency-vehicle maneuverability at the proposed Dennis Riddle access, particularly during school arrival and dismissal and on busy evenings when fields are in use. One board member told colleagues the plan as presented lacked an easily readable site plan and warned that large trucks and fire apparatus would face a sharp turning radius. Several speakers urged postponing action until the board had a clearer plan for bay orientation, parking, and traffic management.

Tweedy responded that the conceptual plan had been coordinated with public safety and that operational policies could reduce risks; he said, "They will not even hesitate. They see any vehicles there that have locked up at intersection. They just gonna keep on going," describing how crews would route around congestion in an emergency. He also said final engineering and orientation could change during the design phase.

On the motion limited to the rescue squad entrance (separate from the animal shelter transfer), the board voted by raised hands: four in favor and three opposed. Board members agreed to table the animal-shelter property transfer until the county provides a more detailed site plan showing entry/exit points and building orientation.

Next steps: County staff said they would provide more detailed engineering and site plans for the animal shelter at a later date and that the county would continue coordination with school and public-safety officials. The rescue squad entrance approval allows the county to move forward with final design for the access; the board noted the approval was narrowly decided and that operational policy and further design work would be monitored.

Sources: Remarks and debate presented to the Campbell County School Board Jan. 12 by county representative Cliff Tweedy and board members.