Roanoke County has its own Mill Mountains
Posted on July 3, 2008
At the intersection of Roanoke County and Roanoke City stands an enigma. Slate Hill sits stripped, graded and ready to be occupied by upscale retailers. In a lot of ways, Slate Hill has become the County’s Mill Mountain.
As the 419 and 220 corridors continue to see new retail development, you might wonder how all this development fits with the comprehensive plan of the County.
While the County is currently updating its plan, the one put together in 1995 outlines a vision for 2010. One of those vision statements reads, “In 2010, Roanoke County has enacted ordinances and programs to preserve the integrity of the surrounding mountains and open space. These include mountainside, ridgeline and natural resource protection. That seems at odds with the development of Slate Hill, West Village and Keagy Village. Each of these developments scraped trees off of natural inclines and involved extensive earth moving.
Another vision statement reads, “In 2010, Roanoke County continues to support the educational efforts of Explore Park and includes environmental education in the public school curriculum.” Now it seems that vision may have to be modified to say that Roanoke County will support the entertainment efforts of a theme park after the property was placed in the hands of an outside developer.
Both Slate Hill and Explore Park seem to be stuck in a state of limbo. Part of that perception is the incredible number of hoops these developers have to leap through to make their visions fit with the County’s. In a lot of ways, the County is allowing development that is outside the scope of their plan, but remaining sticklers about environmental impact. It’s almost like developers pay penance to absolve the County’s guilt over compromising their vision. The final vision statement in the plan states, “In 2010, Roanoke County has taken the lead to preserve our most valuable natural asset,
the scenic environment and natural ridge lines of the mountains surrounding the Roanoke
Valley.”
However, if you look at the impact of tax dollars that these developments and other industrial developments in the County have generated, it’s hard to argue that economic development efforts have been successful. The County announced dozens of company expansions and relocations, retail developments and other investments that have contributed to a high quality of life in the area. These developments may be accomplishing the County’s other goals at the expense of strict adherence to the stated plan.
The County’s Comprehensive Plan involved the requisite community involvement. And, the key values expressed do no differ greatly from those of surrounding municipalities. They read as follows:
COMMUNITY-WIDE THEMES
1. Regionalism - The County must take the lead in finding new and innovative ways to look beyond its political boundaries for solutions to the challenges of the next century.
2. Sustainability - Recognizing that our natural systems are vital to providing both economic needs and quality of life for all citizens, sustainable development has been incorporated into County planning — meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
3. Community Identity - Roanoke County citizens identify very closely with their neighborhoods and school districts. Efforts must be made to preserve the elements of community identity that provide gathering places for the exchange of information and support.
4. Scenic Beauty - The mountains that surround the County provide a sense of place and are a source of beauty, recreational activity and inspiration. Steps must be taken to develop sound conservation policies for our dwindling farm lands, mountainsides and ridges, rivers and streams, soil and air. These resources are considered by many to be our region’s greatest asset.
5. Quality of Life - The citizens of Roanoke County recognize that there exists a fragile balance between economic growth and prosperity and the preservation of a way of life that is cherished by many. Proactive steps must be taken to manage growth in a positive way - to act conservatively and with deliberation when making decisions that will affect our high quality of life and that of our children’s children.
Regionalism, sustainability, community identity, scenic beauty and quality of life pretty much sum up the same values that all of us are after. The question is whether or not the municipalities that prosper through development will be compromising the scenic beauty by developing hillsides. Are the developments best for future generations, or do they create sprawl? Do we lose our community identity as we become more targeted on attracting retirees as our primary new residents? And, will the intersection of all the development at 419 and 220 ultimately improve our quality of life or create traffic jams and flooding?
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2 Responses to “Roanoke County has its own Mill Mountains”
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Slate Hill is an interesting case for a couple of reasons. Since the developer actually cleared the hillside before having the necessary permits in hand, it’s impossible to know how the process would have played out if he had followed the rules. This is clearly a case of asking forgiveness rather than permission. Once the damage was done, the planners’ options were limited.
In spite of the fact that the site has been an eyesore for several years, there is a logical argument that can be made in favor of development. The intersection of 419 and 220 has the highest traffic count in the entire region. Infill developments in high density areas are generally a better alternative than suburban sprawl.
Slate Hill will be an exposed piece of land for awhile. Eventually it will have neon.
And travelers passing through Roanoke can wave at it and marvel at the big retaining wall.