ROANOKE, Va. – The controversial Brandon Avenue townhomes project has been approved by Roanoke City Council.
The project was approved with a 5-2 vote on Monday night. The highly debated rezoning for the property located on Brandon Avenue was approved by Roanoke’s Planning Commission last Monday.
This is the third time developer, R.P. Fralin Inc. has attempted to rezone the property from single-family use to mixed-use.
“We look forward to building our new, multi-family community in Roanoke and we look forward to being a corporate partner with the City of Roanoke,” said R.P. Fralin Inc. Operations Manager, Wynne Phillips.
This plan is different from the previous two – this one has changed the development from 60 apartments and townhomes to just 29 townhomes.
Neighbors have voiced their opposition to the project throughout the years and at Monday night’s city council meeting.
“What we do know is that area is already a traffic nightmare,” said one resident during Monday’s meeting.
“It would be best served if we kept it [the land] natural. Because once those trees are gone and the wildlife that lives there are gone, that’s it. They’re not coming back,” said another neighbor during the meeting.
City leaders who voted in favor of the rezoning cited the need for housing in the Star City.
Councilman Joe Cobb and Councilwoman Stephanie Moon-Reynolds were the two who voted in opposition of the rezoning.
Cobb cited environmental concerns.