As a resident of Airport Acres I strongly opposed this proposed change and request that it continue as low-density residential. This neighborhood and school would be horribly disrupted (short and long-term) with this proposed zoning change.
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Monika Lawless
10 years ago
Putting high density student housing next to an elementary school is a traffic hazard and it would change the character of the neighborhood. The only people who benefit from this are the developers.
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George Wills
10 years ago
This re-zoning for a student-targeted complex next to an elementary school is a bad fit for the future and the long-established family homes of Airport Acres. Protect this quadrant .
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Anonymous
10 years ago
enough with the apartments being built in the area!
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Anonymous
10 years ago
I support the petition to NOT change the specified land into high density. It would have a tremendous negative impact on this neighborhood.
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Rebekah neenan
10 years ago
What is a good reason to bring more people closer to an elementary school, besides creating a construction site right next to is horrible also
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Korine Kolivras
10 years ago
As other commenters have said, this site is not the right place for student housing/a multi-unit development. And right next to an elementary school is a TERRIBLE idea. Traffic is heavy enough in that area.
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Phillip Andes
10 years ago
My kids are and will go to MBE. there is plenty of traffic along Airport without a high-density housing complex. Before and after school is already very busy.
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Wendy Chinn
10 years ago
Blacksburg does not need more undergraduate housing. There are plenty of vacant apartments right now in town.
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Marian Mollin
10 years ago
Changing the zoning on this parcel of land would destroy this neighborhood. It is zoned low-density residential for a reason. Please keep it that way.
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Tim Hopkins
10 years ago
I oppose the rezoning. We need some quality of life apart from more decadent apartments and too much traffic around Beeks.
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Barbara Dunn
10 years ago
Keep Airport Road for low density residential development.
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Lisa Belden
10 years ago
I oppose this change for many of the same reasons already outlined in other comments. I have children at Beeks that walk to school every day. The increase in daily traffic to Virginia Tech along Airport Road would be massive with this development. I also agree that those of us with families deserve to have some regions of Blacksburg that are long-term family communities, and that having student apartments next to our kids' school playground is less than ideal. I hope you will oppose this change.
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Adrienne Webb
10 years ago
We are a MBE family and are opposed to developing the land in this manner. We don't need more traffic or undergrads in this quiet residential and elementary school neighborhood!
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Monika Lynch
10 years ago
Featured
My children attend Margaret Beeks ES. I am very much against increasing the housing density near the elementary school, particularly when the new housing will not blend with the single family home neighborhood.
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David Gray
10 years ago
I do understand the interests of the developers are to turn a profit, and that increasing the allowable housing density is a good method to meet those interests. However, many of the residents in these neighborhoods have invested into their own properties, and done so under the constraints of the low-density zoning requirements. It would be unfair to degrade the investments of long time residents by changing the rules of the game after they are already vested.
Additionally, town management and residents have agreed on a comprehensive plan for the town that is meant to dictate the character and growth of the town for the forseeable future. We have all agreed to a vision of this quadrant of town, and have all acted in good faith on that vision. To change the vision of the many on the whims of the few would degrade the faith of the residents in their elected officials.
And, obviously, high density rental properties next to an elementary school shows poor judgement. The traffic alone is discouragement enough considering the size and capacity of the roads. Add to that the pedestrian traffic and safety associated with a school zone, and the thought is ludicrous.
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Joe Parrish
10 years ago
Featured
I grew up just north of, and attended, Beeks. I walked past these lots to go to a friend's house after school. Unless they are proposing a single entrance via 1st and Main, the traffic alone would be an extremely adverse impact on the character of the neighborhood.
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Nichole Marsden
10 years ago
As a mother of a child at Margaret Beeks Elementary (with two younger children planning to attend in the near future), I feel very strongly that the lot adjacent to the school should remain low density. Traffic near the school is already very busy and adding 200-300 cars (assuming 1 per proposed bedroom), many of which would come and go throughout the school day, would be detrimental to the safety of our children. In addition, I worry of the safety of the children while at recess and before/after school activities with such an influx of renters in the immediate area.
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Nicole Sanderlin
10 years ago
The full-time residents of Blacksburg deserve quiet, family-friendly, and student-free neighborhood options...these are already so few. Please keep the existing land use designation for these properties as Low Density Residential.
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Erin Ling
10 years ago
Concerned about this potential development near my kids' elementary school.
As a resident of Airport Acres I strongly opposed this proposed change and request that it continue as low-density residential. This neighborhood and school would be horribly disrupted (short and long-term) with this proposed zoning change.
Putting high density student housing next to an elementary school is a traffic hazard and it would change the character of the neighborhood. The only people who benefit from this are the developers.
This re-zoning for a student-targeted complex next to an elementary school is a bad fit for the future and the long-established family homes of Airport Acres. Protect this quadrant .
enough with the apartments being built in the area!
I support the petition to NOT change the specified land into high density. It would have a tremendous negative impact on this neighborhood.
What is a good reason to bring more people closer to an elementary school, besides creating a construction site right next to is horrible also
As other commenters have said, this site is not the right place for student housing/a multi-unit development. And right next to an elementary school is a TERRIBLE idea. Traffic is heavy enough in that area.
My kids are and will go to MBE. there is plenty of traffic along Airport without a high-density housing complex. Before and after school is already very busy.
Blacksburg does not need more undergraduate housing. There are plenty of vacant apartments right now in town.
Changing the zoning on this parcel of land would destroy this neighborhood. It is zoned low-density residential for a reason. Please keep it that way.
I oppose the rezoning. We need some quality of life apart from more decadent apartments and too much traffic around Beeks.
Keep Airport Road for low density residential development.
I oppose this change for many of the same reasons already outlined in other comments. I have children at Beeks that walk to school every day. The increase in daily traffic to Virginia Tech along Airport Road would be massive with this development. I also agree that those of us with families deserve to have some regions of Blacksburg that are long-term family communities, and that having student apartments next to our kids' school playground is less than ideal. I hope you will oppose this change.
We are a MBE family and are opposed to developing the land in this manner. We don't need more traffic or undergrads in this quiet residential and elementary school neighborhood!
My children attend Margaret Beeks ES. I am very much against increasing the housing density near the elementary school, particularly when the new housing will not blend with the single family home neighborhood.
I do understand the interests of the developers are to turn a profit, and that increasing the allowable housing density is a good method to meet those interests. However, many of the residents in these neighborhoods have invested into their own properties, and done so under the constraints of the low-density zoning requirements. It would be unfair to degrade the investments of long time residents by changing the rules of the game after they are already vested. Additionally, town management and residents have agreed on a comprehensive plan for the town that is meant to dictate the character and growth of the town for the forseeable future. We have all agreed to a vision of this quadrant of town, and have all acted in good faith on that vision. To change the vision of the many on the whims of the few would degrade the faith of the residents in their elected officials. And, obviously, high density rental properties next to an elementary school shows poor judgement. The traffic alone is discouragement enough considering the size and capacity of the roads. Add to that the pedestrian traffic and safety associated with a school zone, and the thought is ludicrous.
I grew up just north of, and attended, Beeks. I walked past these lots to go to a friend's house after school. Unless they are proposing a single entrance via 1st and Main, the traffic alone would be an extremely adverse impact on the character of the neighborhood.
As a mother of a child at Margaret Beeks Elementary (with two younger children planning to attend in the near future), I feel very strongly that the lot adjacent to the school should remain low density. Traffic near the school is already very busy and adding 200-300 cars (assuming 1 per proposed bedroom), many of which would come and go throughout the school day, would be detrimental to the safety of our children. In addition, I worry of the safety of the children while at recess and before/after school activities with such an influx of renters in the immediate area.
The full-time residents of Blacksburg deserve quiet, family-friendly, and student-free neighborhood options...these are already so few. Please keep the existing land use designation for these properties as Low Density Residential.
Concerned about this potential development near my kids' elementary school.