The Christiansburg Town Council put the brakes on additional development at New River Village at Tuesday's meeting.

Despite a recommendation by the planning commission that the council approve a rezoning request by Albert Land LP to rezone 21 acres from agricultural to single-family residential, as scheduled in the future land use map of the town's comprehensive plan, council members voted to deny the request.
Only councilman Brad Stipes abstained, after noting in the discussion that he wanted more time to consider the request.

During a joint public hearing, several citizens who live on Sage Lane expressed concerns that a proposed development there would increase traffic because there are no other roads connecting the subdivision to the main thoroughfare, Virginia 114.

"There's only one exit onto 114 now," said Larry Waddell, noting that there are currently 190 houses in New River Village.
 
Bo Keister told the council that he was concerned for the safety of small children who live and play on Sage Lane.  Laurie Albert complained of a lack of green space.

"We were told they would not go to Phase II until we had a stoplight there," she said. "We've been told so many things by the developer."

But developer Robert Fralin of HouseSmart Homes said there is a need for even more housing in the area, noting that "70 [additional] houses seems like a lot but when that traffic is calculated throughout the day, it's probably less than three per hour."

Councilman Dan Canada made the motion to deny the request, insisting that "I can't support further development in that area until we do something about that road [Virginia 114]."

"Though I agree that the land is part of our comprehensive plan," Canada said, "we have been waiting for the road-widening VDOT six-year plan for 22 years now. The general welfare comes before the zoning of land."

"It bothers me that you have only one way in and out," agreed councilman Ernie Wade.
 
Said councilman Mike Barber, "We've not done a lot of people a lot of favors by voting over the years to allow these developments on 114. If we take this stance tonight that says, 'No more,' we'll have that stance from here on."

"Just having one entrance has bothered me from the get-go," councilman Steve Huppert said. "It's going to be a long way down the road before there's another exit."

The council's vote to keep the agricultural zoning stopped the expansion of New River Village for now. Residents in that and other developments along Virginia 114 complain of congestion and dangerous traffic along the two-lane highway.

In other action, the council voted to give town employees a full day of vacation on Christmas Eve, rather than the half-day outlined in the town's employee handbook. Town employees also receive Christmas Day and New Year's Day paid holidays.

Because New Year's Day falls on the first Tuesday, the council also voted to cancel its regularly scheduled meeting that day.