Roanoke County supervisors OK $221,275 preconstruction agreement for Hollands Fire Station; approve property sales and schedule emergency ordinance second read

The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors on April 28 approved several measures, most notably an interim pre‑construction agreement with G&H Contracting for redevelopment work on the Hollands Fire Station and a set of property disposition actions.

Pre-construction agreement for Hollands Fire Station

Doug Blunt, deputy county administrator, told the board the county received an unsolicited conceptual proposal from G&H Contracting for redevelopment of the Hollands Fire Station at 7401 Baron Road. After soliciting competing proposals under the Public‑Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) process, the county received no competing proposals and held the requisite public hearing on Feb. 24, 2026.

The board approved a staff‑recommended interim agreement that will pay G&H Contracting $221,275 for preconstruction services including site and building plan design, cost estimating, value engineering and constructibility review. The agreement includes a preliminary guaranteed maximum price shown in the agreement documents at approximately $4.5 million. Staff said design and construction documents are expected to be completed in late summer 2026 and that the county will return to the board in early fall 2026 to request approval of a comprehensive construction agreement. Construction was estimated to take about one year once documents and approvals are in place.

A motion to adopt the resolution was moved and seconded; the clerk called the roll and Mr. Radford, Mrs. Hooker, Mr. North, Mr. Mahoney and Mrs. Shepard voted yes, approving the resolution unanimously.

Property dispositions: Mount Chestnut sale and West Morland transfer to EDA

Deputy county attorney Rachel Lowour presented two ordinances under second reading. First, staff recommended the sale of a 1.0‑acre parcel at 6697 Mount Chestnut Road (part of Happy Hollow Gardens Park holdings) to a bidder offering $181,500 cash without contingencies; Lowour said the deed was revised to a quitclaim deed and that the purchaser would pay closing costs, leaving no county costs. The ordinance to sell the parcel at no less than $181,500 passed on a unanimous roll‑call vote.

Second, staff proposed transferring two undeveloped parcels on West Morland Drive to the Roanoke County Economic Development Authority (EDA) to allow the EDA’s broker to list and market the parcels on the private market. The staff packet indicated prior advertising produced no bids and noted a minimum bid requirement of $10,000 per parcel had been set in the prior solicitation. Any proceeds from eventual sale would be returned to the county. The board approved the transfer to the EDA unanimously.

First reading: Disaster and emergency management code amendment

Senior Assistant County Attorney Doug Barber presented a proposed ordinance to add a disaster and emergency management article to chapter 2 of the county code. Barber said the change would codify the emergency operations plan the county adopted in July 2023, clarify organizational responsibilities and allow certain preparatory actions to be taken when a disaster threatens even before a formal state of emergency is declared. Board members emphasized the proposal does not remove the board’s role in declarations or major decisions. The board approved the ordinance’s first reading and scheduled a second reading for May 12, 2026.

Other procedural items

The board approved the consent agenda and then recessed into closed session under Va. Code §2.2‑3711(A)(5) to discuss prospective business location or expansion.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution D1 (interim agreement with G&H Contracting for Hollands Fire Station preconstruction services): approved unanimously (5–0). Staff noted $221,275 payment and preliminary GMP ≈ $4.5M. (Presentation and approval: SEG 948–SEG 1030.)

- Ordinance G1 (disposition of 6697 Mount Chestnut Road): approved unanimously (5–0); recommended sale price no less than $181,500; county to receive proceeds and purchaser to pay closing costs. (SEG 1322–SEG 1411.)

- Ordinance G2 (transfer of two West Morland Drive parcels to Roanoke County EDA for private marketing): approved unanimously (5–0); prior solicitation required a minimum bid of $10,000 per parcel; proceeds to be returned to county. (SEG 1414–SEG 1542.)

- Ordinance F1 (disaster and emergency management article, first reading): first reading approved and second reading scheduled for May 12, 2026. (SEG 1161–SEG 1311.)

What it means

Approving the pre‑construction agreement advances a county facility project that staff estimates will move to comprehensive construction‑agreement consideration this fall if design and cost estimates align with expectations. The property dispositions clear unused county parcels for private conveyance or marketing, with proceeds to return to the county coffers. The ordinance to codify emergency‑management roles formalizes existing practice, per staff, and is intended to speed early preparatory actions when a disaster threatens while preserving the board’s authority for formal emergency declarations.

Sources: Presentations by Doug Blunt and Rachel Lowour; roll‑call votes recorded by the clerk at the April 28, 2026 Board of Supervisors meeting.