BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10) -- Jane Machin is cramming as she sifts through pages of documents after the town gave notice, less than a week ago, that a developer is trying to change the landscape of her Blacksburg neighborhood. Town officials mailed packets of information to residents of Airport Acres last week. Many arrived in the mail Thursday.
"It's the best decision we've ever made to move into this neighborhood," Machin proclaimed.
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She and her family, including her husband and three boys moved from a house double the size of the of the current home off Airport Road. It's kind of neighborhood where kids not only walk to school but walk to and from their friend's homes, she explained.
"I can't think of anything better than to have some detached single-family homes there that are completely in character with the rest of the neighborhood so my boys can grow up with other neighborhood kids and other neighborhood families."
Machin says that's not what The Lester Group is proposing.
The developer is applying for a change in future land use designation so it can turn two properties, located at 801 and 803 Airport Road into a development with 10 units or up to 20 bedrooms on each of the six acres it owns, whichever is less, according to Town Comprehensive Planner Kali Casper.
In order to do that, the Town of Blacksburg would need to make the switch from designating the area "low density" to "medium density."
"WIth 60 units and two bedrooms per acre that's 120 new bedrooms right clock in this very small area. Assuming everybody has a car, that's up to 120 more cars coming and going regularly in this neighborhood," Machin said.
Two petitions are circulating right now, including one online petition. They've gained hundreds of signatures in a matter of days. People who chose to comment on the ipetition argue they are concerned about increased traffic and the proximity to Margaret Beeks Elementary, which is adjacent to the property up for debate. Traffic is already a concern on the two lane street, especially during drop and pick up times at the school.
Machin says there are already two crossing guards required to help manage the flow of traffic at the beginning and end of the school day. She worries adding dozens of additional vehicles to the mix will create chaos and danger for the kids.
Neighbors also argue the plan would disrupt an established single family neighborhood and claim it doesn't fit in with the town's comprehensive plan.
Machin says the should not make such a change "in the interest of one private developer who is the only person who will benefit."
The initial application submitted by The Lester Group created additional concern for neighbors who feared the group was making the request to change future land use in preparation for a zoning request that would allow for a number of units or bedrooms exceeding the 10 or 20 per acre.
In a description section of the application, The Lester Group referenced a RM 48 zoning request which specifically allows for 48 beds per acre, leaving residents like Machin wondering if the developer was really looking to add 288 beds in the development.
While town officials say future land use is usually requested before a zoning request, it is not a requirement, Casper explained.
Nevertheless, the town sent The Lester group a letter on Monday, Casper said, noting its mistake in the application.
The group followed up with a letter amending its original application. In a letter dated March 21, Executive Vice President James Farrell wrote, "On page 2 of the narrative submitted as part of the application and error occurred. Instead of referring to a future land use designation we mistakenly wrote our RM 48 Medium Density which is a zoning designation. We meant to type Medium Density Residential which is a future land use designation."
WSLS 10 contacted The Lester Group for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Regardless of the error, opponents say they want to keep the designation low density.
"We still feel that that is completely out of character with the neighborhood and out of scale with all of the sort of modest existing homes that are currently in the neighborhood," Machin said.
Wednesday's public input meeting will take at the Blacksburg Motor Company Building, located at 400 South Main Street, at 7 pm.
It's the first step in a process that requires additional reports, recommendations, work sessions and public hearings before ultimately going before Town Council.
Council is expected to take final action in September.