ROANOKE, Va. – At Monday’s Roanoke City Council meeting, Roanoke City Council voted 7-0 to make amendments to the Evans Spring plan.
The Evans Spring plan covers nearly 150 acres in Roanoke near the Melrose-Rugby area.
The decision came much to the delight of the multiple speakers who came in support of the land.
“These trees are God’s gift to Roanoke City and especially the neighborhood that is adjacent to it,” JoAnn Hayden said. “Big box stores with large parking lots and more asphalt roads do not belong on Evans Spring Property.”
According to the City Council agenda, councilmembers had three options. Option 1 would’ve kept the Evans Spring plan as it was with no changes. Option 2 would’ve adapted minor changes to the plan, while Option 3 would’ve “Facilitate further study of major amendments requiring additional consideration.”
Option 3 won out, which means that certain language for an interstate exchange connection has been removed.
“With turning Bay A into something more along the lines of that, there doesn’t need to be - in my opinion - interstate connection,” Councilmember Phazon Nash said. “We’re not trying to track down hundreds of thousands of cars a day. We’re trying to do something that benefits the community one, immediately surrounding the area, but then the larger scale community.”
Language in the plan that would’ve designated land use for commercial retail can now be used for parks and outdoor amenities.