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"The former middle school site has been renovated as a multi-use, civic structure and is a community anchor and recreational space. This part of town is easy and safe to drive, bike, or walk through with minimal congestion. ... No use should be of an intensity or scale that is incompatible with the surrounding neighborhoods."

This vision statement, from the Blacksburg Comprehensive Plan, is repeated several times in various forms throughout the document. Similar intentions for the old Blacksburg Middle School are clearly expressed in the Blacksburg Downtown Master Plan along with the direction that "residential possibilities could be creatively explored in partnership with educational uses in the Blacksburg Middle School site."

Both planning documents represent an investment by the town and its residents of taxpayer dollars and sweat equity. A recent article by longtime neighborhood advocate Don Mullins characterized the future decisions on the school in terms of stewardship. Ultimately, Blacksburg Town Council will be responsible for deciding what is built on the property. Thus, we are also accountable to residents for the implementation of these planning directives.

Considering the intent expressed by our planning documents, it's no wonder residents are confused and disturbed by some of the recently reported proposals for the site, which included a 620,000-square-foot shopping mall. Other potential options for the property, such as residential development or a future base of operations for the YMCA, are much less distressing. A creative mix of these latter two options may be most suitable.

At this juncture, the school board has been sincerely committed to the steward's role, recognizing the need to protect the educational interests of its Montgomery County constituents. However, accountability may come into question when we entertain proposals that run contrary to Blacksburg's comprehensive plan.

Here, a caveat may be in order. Any consideration of such nonconforming projects by our legislative bodies can undermine planning criteria and artificially inflate the potential purchase price of this valuable property. The assessed value as currently zoned for civic and residential purposes is substantially lower than it would be as a site for a shopping mall. Thus, the act of entertaining a nonconforming use adversely affects the future prospects for the use of this property consistent with our comprehensive plan. More specifically, a civic use such as contemplated by the YMCA proposal could not compete when confronted by an asking price inflated by a commercial project such as a shopping mall.

Rather than seeking to protect and improve an irreplaceable community resource, we may be setting the stage to transform the property into an asset for divesture. Under the spell of a financial windfall, the community's heritage becomes just another consumable commodity.

As elected representatives and community stewards, we must consider civic values and discern the difference between progress and profiteering. Though both terms share a common prefix, their connotations and prospective applications could not be more drastically different. By entertaining nonconforming uses, local government may act more like an auctioneer intent on maximizing profit. The character of our downtown area and the integrity of adjacent neighborhoods would surely fall victim if land costs are the only determining factor.

We can maintain a more level playing field that is fair to community-focused proposals by publicly committing to the intentions of the comprehensive plan and currently written zoning. A fair property appraisal based on these criteria would provide a level playing field to community-focused designs for the property.

Undoubtedly, economic development should remain a priority for Blacksburg. Several hundred thousand square feet of new commercial space is proposed and projected for both ends of town (University Mall and South Main Street), making large-scale retail even less realistic for the center of town. Additionally, the Blacksburg Downtown Master Plan directs us to market the flavor and appeal of our independent businesses. Recruiting and incubating these types of locally based establishments is a more palatable plan for our central area. Enlivening downtown with a rejuvenated middle school property that emphasizes community over commercial pursuits will add to the economic revitalization of the entire downtown area, increase fiscal coffers and better protect and enhance our quality of life here in Blacksburg.

Community sentiment alone will not level the current financial playing field. However, elected representatives can restore fiscal equilibrium and redeem the letter and spirit of both our comprehensive and downtown master plans by a public pledge to respect current zoning and wholeheartedly support future civic and residential uses for the property.

Don Langrehr is a member of Blacksburg Town Council. Don