ROANOKE, Va. – A controversial apartment project near Brandon Avenue is back on the table.
The proposal first made headlines in 2017.
The application request for 54 new apartments and 15 townhomes to be built right along Brandon Avenue is back, along with the complaints from neighbors.
The developer filed the paperwork back in June.
Former council member John Garland who now lives in the proposed area said it’s the same issues, just a new team of city council members to appeal to.
“When I first heard it was coming back I thought for sure he [developer] would take into account the comments the city council had,” Garland said. “It appears that he assumes the players have changed and maybe he could get what he proposed.”
Garland helped strike down the project back in 2017.
The project expanded this time around.
Now, the proposal includes an extra 15 townhomes which cause some concern about density.
City Planner Katharine Gray said they have more questions for the developer about the townhomes.
“[We want to] understand more about the area they are calling vegetative and open space,” she said. “Is that area, may not need to be developed or is that area that could be potentially developed?”
After reviewing the application, Gray and her team want more information on a plan to address traffic and ensure safety for residents entering and exiting the area.
The city and neighbors also want to prioritize the protection of Murray Run creek.
As a developer himself, Garland said he wants to see some repair and buffer to the waterway.
“You can do it responsibly,” he said. “You can do development and housing on the property that is proposed now. But just do it in a responsible way.”
While neighbors continue to sound off, the city will review the project again on October 11th.