Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Three newcomers win in Blacksburg Town Council race
MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times
John Bush celebrates his election to the Blacksburg Town Council on Tuesday.
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BLACKSBURG -- Three new faces will join the Blacksburg Town Council in January, but the council's conservative approach to new development may not change.
Of the 10 hopefuls on Tuesday's ballot, voters chose Susan Anderson -- the only incumbent -- and newcomers Krisha Chachra, Cecile Newcomb and John Bush, according to unofficial results.
Bush said Tuesday night, "I'm elated to have the trust and support of my neighbors and friends who asked me to run. ... I think this election is a reflection of the neighborhoods and the people who live in them, and I want those people to be heard."
Anderson, Newcomb and Bush have said they view smart growth in town as sustainable growth with mixed-use development and alternative means of transportation.
Chachra has said smart growth to her means calculated growth that diversifies the town's economic base while retaining the character of the community.
Newcomb said she is glad for the support for her campaign, which she described as grass roots with small donations from many residents. "I'm excited and I'm also really hoping the citizens will stay involved and contact me and let me know what's on their minds and keep on helping us."
This was the town council's first November election. Last year, the council voted to change elections from May to November of odd-numbered years in hopes of boosting turnout by piggybacking on state and national elections.
Smart growth and green initiatives have dominated the council's agenda since the 2004 election when residents swept out pro-development incumbents who supported a plan to build a conventional sewer system in the Toms Creek basin. They were replaced with smart growth advocates Don Langrehr and Paul Lancaster.
In 2008, Lancaster was voted out after he supported a 2006 rezoning that led to development of the First & Main retail center and a failed proposal to build a big-box store, widely believed to be a Walmart Supercenter.
In late February, the Virginia Supreme Court affirmed the council's right to require Fairmount Properties of Ohio and partners to apply for a special-use permit to build a 186,000-square-foot store off South Main Street. The megastore was planned as part of that company's 40-acre project.
