Roanoke City Council approves zoning for 155 apartments, accepts grants and hears budget warning from city manager

Roanoke City Council on Feb. 18 swore in Evelyn Powers and approved a series of ordinances, grants and resolutions addressing housing, public safety funding, transit and public‑private partnerships.

Evelyn Powers took the oath of office to fill the council seat vacated by Joe Cobb after his election as mayor. Students and a representative from Roanoke City Public Schools presented highlights from their participation in the Youth National League of Cities conference in Tampa.

City Manager Val Marie Turner delivered a budget update, saying the city’s current and projected expenditures outpace incremental revenues. Turner outlined three priorities for finance staff: develop a multi‑pronged, multi‑year budgeting approach; prioritize employee compensation; and address the structural gap between spending and revenue.

Council approved multiple measures in both the 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. sessions. Actions included an ordinance amending city code to allow Roanoke Sheriff’s Office deputies to tow vehicles, acceptance and appropriation of FY24 state Criminal Alien Assistance Program funds for the sheriff’s office, acceptance of an Emergency Management Performance Grant and a Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grant, and approval of a Regional Extraterritorial Arrest Agreement. Council also adopted a resolution designating census tracts 22 and 27 as revitalization areas and accepted a $20,000 contribution from Pathfinders for Greenway for Greenway murals.

At the evening hearing, Homes for America Inc. requested rezoning of property along Bullitt and Jamieson avenues to build 155 apartments intended to address affordable housing needs. Council passed the ordinance rezoning the properties to residential districts with conditions. Council separately approved an ordinance authorizing utility easements to Appalachian Power for four poles on Franklin Road Southwest near River’s Edge Park.

The council passed a resolution allowing the Roanoke City School Board to enter a public‑private partnership to lease school property for installation of solar panels. Council also approved a resolution renaming the front plaza of the Oliver Hill Justice Center the Onsley Ware Plaza; the video noted Onsley Ware was the first African American west of the Blue Ridge to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates and the first Black circuit court judge.

Inclusive Services Manager Katie Hedrick reported on Transit Equity Day (Feb. 4), saying ridership increased by more than 800 compared with typical Tuesdays over the previous 12 months and presenting the histories of three Roanoke residents who, like Rosa Parks, refused to give up seats on public transportation.

The video noted three people signed up to speak during the afternoon session and four spoke in the evening. Full council meetings and the archived recordings are available on the city’s Facebook page, RVTV channel 3 and rbtv.org. The council’s next meetings were announced for March 3 at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance: Amend city code to allow Roanoke Sheriff’s Office deputies to tow vehicles — approved (vote details not specified). - Ordinance: Accept and appropriate FY24 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program funds for the sheriff’s office — approved (vote details not specified). - Ordinance: Accept Emergency Management Performance Grant — approved (vote details not specified). - Ordinance: Accept Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grant — approved (vote details not specified). - Agreement: Regional Extraterritorial Arrest Agreement — approved (details not specified). - Resolution: Designate census tracts 22 and 27 as revitalization areas — approved (details not specified). - Ordinance: Accept $20,000 contribution from Pathfinders for Greenway for Greenway murals — approved (details not specified). - Resolution: Allow Roanoke City School Board to enter public‑private lease partnership for solar panels — approved (details not specified). - Resolution: Rename front plaza of the Oliver Hill Justice Center the Onsley Ware Plaza — approved (details not specified). - Ordinance: Rezone properties along Bullitt and Jamieson avenues to permit 155 apartments (with conditions) — approved (details and conditions not specified). - Ordinance: Approve utility easements to Appalachian Power for four poles on Franklin Road SW near River’s Edge Park — approved (details not specified).

(Transcript did not provide mover/second names or vote tallies for individual items; where not provided, this summary records that the council approved these items but vote specifics were not specified in the video.)