Notice of Public Hearing

Notice of Public Hearing Town of Blacksburg Planning Commission Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission of the Town of Blacksburg will conduct public hearings on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 beginning at 6:30 PM in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Council Chamber, 300 South Main St, Blacksburg, VA on the following items: CUP 23-0002-Request to combine previously-approved conditional use permits (SUP 08-0014, CUP 11-0002, CUP 11-0007, CUP 16-0002, CUP 18-0002 and CUP 21-0001) at Kent Square at 202 and 250 South Main Street (Tax Parcels 256-A 115 and 257-C A 1) to increase the maximum allowed ground-floor medical and general office square footage in DC Downtown Commercial zoning district by Kent Square LLC (owners). This is a conditional use permit application to combine previously approved conditional use permits (CUP11-0002, CUP11-0007, CUP16-0002, CUP18-0002 and CUP 21-0001) and to increase the maximum allowed ground floor medical and general office square footage at Kent Square and Kent Square North at 202 and 250 South Main Street in the DC Downtown Commercial zoning district. No exterior improvements to the building or site are proposed as part of this application. The Future Land Use designation in the Comprehensive Plan is Downtown Commercial, which includes small-scale commercial uses. ZOA #47/Ordinance # 2022-Zoning Ordinance Amendment to amend the Accessory Apartment Program including changes to the Section 1270 and 1271 regulating the Accessory Apartment permit process and Sections 3021,3023, 3031, 3032, 3041, 3042 and 4201, the development standards that apply to accessory apartments and to add detached accessory apartments as an allowed use. The Town is initiating an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to update the Accessory Apartment Program adopted in 2017. The existing program allows only attached units. The amendment proposes to add detached units as an allowed use. With the addition of detached units, more development standards are needed and standards for attached units are also being updated. Standards proposed for addition or change include limitations on structure height, floor area ratio, setbacks from property lines, and limitations on the size of the accessory unit. Maximum size of an accessory unit would also be limited with a requirement for proportionality to the square footage of the primary unit to ensure the unit is considered as accessory to the primary unit. Detached units would be required to be located behind the front building line of the primary unit. Also included are limitations on the percentage of the rear yard that be occupied by a detached unit and the location of any patios/decks serving the detached unit. No changes to the zoning districts in which the accessory apartment use is allowed (R-4, RR-1, RR-2) are proposed, except for the clarification that accessory apartments are only allowed in the PR, Planned Residential zoning district, if approved as part of a rezoning to the PR district. No changes to the requirement for owner occupancy is proposed. Changes to the occupancy standard are possible but the proposal is to retain the existing wording regarding occupancy of the primary unit and accessory unit as cumulative. Other housekeeping changes are included to clarify wording and program requirements based on program implementation since 2017. Persons affected by or interested in the conditional use permit request or zoning ordinance amendment may appear and present their views. After each hearing, the Planning Commission may act by making its recommendation on the requests to the Town Council. Copies of the application and all related items may be found online at www.blacksburg.gov/publichearings or reviewed in person at the Blacksburg Planning and Building Department, 400 South Main Street, Blacksburg, Virginia. You may also call the office at (540) 443-1300 for more information. Individuals with disabilities who require special assistance to attend and participate in the public hearing on the above should contact the Planning & Building Department at (540) 443-1300, or (540)-443-1000-TDD.