Local Connection
August
2008
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What's Happening in the Region
Planes, Trains & . . .
Although anxiety continues to mount over higher energy prices, recent trends indicate that consumer behavior is changing. According to a study by the Federal Highway Administration, Americans traveled 40.5 billion miles less in in the first four months of 2008 than they did during the same period in 2007. See more here, here, and here.
Could the American love affair with the automobile really be ending? While much speculation continues over the durability of recent conservation efforts, global demand for oil and foreign intervention into the market will likely sustain higher prices. See more here and here.
No
Danger of Losing Air Service
Return of Passenger Rail? As the effects of higher energy costs ripple throughout the economy, the search for more energy efficient modes of transportation will continue. Rail travel recently garnered public attention with the unveiling of the Draft of the Statewide Rail Plan by The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. During a public meeting in Salem, over fifty local residents including Ken Lanford, chair of the Chamber's Transportation Advocacy Committee, shared their enthusiasm for bringing passenger rail service back to the Roanoke Valley. See more here. Public comments on the Statewide Rail Plan are being accepted until August 25th and can be submitted by sending an e-mail to DRPTPR@DRPT.Virginia.gov.
Nationally, rider ship on Amtrak has increased (See more here and here) prompting Congress to increase funding. As Christopher Conkey points out, however, outdated infrastructure and aging rail cars will require significant upgrades over the coming years. See more here. Considerable capital costs will also likely hinder the development of passenger service to the Roanoke Valley in the near future. See more here. Position: The Chamber supports additional freight and passenger rail.
Local Government Briefing
State Budget Deficit Will Impact Local Government There
is potential trouble on the horizon for local governments as
Virginia must grapple with a state budget deficit expected to
reach or surpass $1 billion. See more here.
To close the revenue shortfall, local governments will
have to take less money from the state or return funds to
Richmond. Recently, Roanoke County agreed to send $526, 371 back
to Richmond with an accompanying resolution voicing their
frustration with the General Assembly. See more here.
To read the Governor's speech to the Joint Meeting of the Senate
Finance, House Finance & House Appropriations Committees,
click here.
City of Roanoke After discovering that many of procedural changes he recommended were apparently unnecessary, Mayor Bowers has tempered his push to make City Council meetings more citizen friendly. His ideas are likely to be reevaluated at a Council retreat in late September. See more here. Despite the Mayor's intention to open the halls of government, a recent editorial from The Roanoke Times chastised the Mayor and the rest of Council for holding a closed door meeting on restructuring the Mill Mountain Advisory Committee.
Botetourt County Traffic flow onto U.S. 220 towards Daleville at the intersection of U.S. 220 and U.S. 11 may soon improve with the addition of a second left-turn lane on U.S. 11. The chairman of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, Don Assaid, remains skeptical, claiming the new turning lane is merely a "Band-Aid" on a much more significant traffic problem. See more here.
City of Salem Salem City Council recently approved a $3 million tax incentive package to entice a developer to bring a "big-box" retailer, rumored to be a Lowe's store, to the West Salem Plaza. According to The Roanoke Times, this is the first time Salem has used tax incentives to bring in a retailer. See more here and here.
One of the Chamber's priorities is to monitor the development of quality of life projects in our region. Enhancing our region's considerable amenities is vital to attracting and retaining young workers, fresh capital, and innovative thinking. Below is a list of recent developments:
"Preservation Mode?"-In an August 6th editorial, The Roanoke Times framed the debate over the future of Countryside Golf Course by questioning what the best use for 140 acres within the City's limits would be? The City originally purchased the property in October 2005 for $4.1 million with the intention of creating a mixed-use development that included at least some residential development. Unhappy with any of the proposals they received to develop the property, the City has extended the lease to manage and operate the golf course in yearly increments. Because the lease with the current operator, Meadowbrook Golf, will expire in the fall, City Council decided to issue an RFP to manage and operate the Golf Course for a period of five years. Is this a viable, long-term strategy? While a five-year lease provides at least some clarity on the future of Countryside, the City is not out of the bunker yet. The City must also renegotiate a lease with the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission that allows the City to use 46 acres in the middle of the golf course. A meeting between the City Council and the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission is set for September 2nd. More problematic, however, are the estimated repair costs for the cart paths and irrigation system and the $472, 000 the City is paying in annual debt service. A five-year lease may provide enough incentive for a management company to make needed improvements but the course will require continued subsidies from the City. See more here and here. Looking towards the future, Mayor Bowers and Councilman Trinkle hinted that they would like to explore building an aquatics facility and tennis courts on the Countryside property. With the construction of Roanoke County's $32 million Multi-Gen Center only a few minutes down the road, would the construction of an aquatics center be the most appropriate use of taxpayer money, especially if, as The Roanoke Times opines, the long-term status of Countryside must be weighed against the City's need to increase housing options? Position: The Chamber supports the development of the Countryside property to increase the amount of quality housing within the City of Roanoke. Because of the troubled housing market, however, the Chamber supports consideration of a five-year or longer lease that would allow significant investment in the golf course with the possibility of exploring the development of quality housing after such a lease expires.
Market Garage Facelift-On July 21, Roanoke City Council unanimously approved the issuance of $6.64 million in general obligation bonds for renovation and expansion of the Market Garage. Renovations include facade restoration, a six-story 33,000-square-foot parking addition, and the creation of 10, 000 square feet of retail space on Church Avenue. For more information on the Market Garage, click here. Position: The Chamber supports cost effective proposals to increase parking in Downtown Roanoke.
Mill Mountain Jam- Valley Forward's proposal to build a restaurant, community room, and cafe on top of Mill Mountain continues to languish. See more here. Meanwhile, the Roanoke City Council has recommended that the Mill Mountain Advisory Committee adopt by-laws, staggered terms, an odd number of members, and possibly term limits. The effect of restructuring the Advisory Committee on the Valley Forward proposal is unknown. See more here and here. For more information on the proposed development on Mill Mountain, click here. Position: The Chamber welcomes discussion on projects that will improve the region's competitiveness and visibility.
Public Library Headquarters-Roanoke County-Bids are due on the proposed South County Library on August 21st and construction could start in September. Construction is planned to take approximately 20 months with the opening of the library tentatively set for April 2010. A roundabout will be constructed to manage traffic flow at the new library's entrance near the intersection of Meadowlark Road and Merriman Road. During their August 12th meeting, the Board of Supervisors also agreed to accept a land and water conservation fund grant in the amount of $77,700 to help finance a wetlands park and trail system near the new library. For a conceptual overview of the new library, click here. For more on the Roanoke County Library Headquarters, click here. Position: The Chamber supports the vital role of public libraries in our region's quality of life.
City Recreation Center-The City of Roanoke Department of Parks and Recreation will hold two meetings to share information on a proposed recreation center to be located at Fallon Park and to gather public input on this project. See more here. Position: The Chamber is monitoring this issue.
Downtown Arts District-Kevin Kittredge provides an interesting look at the number of arts projects popping up around West Campbell Avenue west of Jefferson Street. Along with several other high profile condominium and apartment projects, Downtown Roanoke appears to be regaining a sense of vibrancy. Meanwhile, the new Art Museum has announced how it will fill the space originally designed to house an IMAX theater. See more here.
A comprehensive list of these projects can be found on the Chamber's website. This listing is updated on a daily basis and your input is welcome in the comments section.
Do you have ideas on projects you'd like for us to follow? Send us an e-mail or write a comment on the Chamber's blog on local and state public policy issues. RSS feeds are available for both the quality of life projects page and the legislative blog. If you have questions about any of the blog features on the Chamber's website, please contact Tori Williams at twilliams@roanokechamber.org
Upcoming Events
2008 State of the City Address-August 21st, 7:30-9 AM, Roanoke Civic Center Special Events Center (Click here for more information)
6th Annual Politic'n and Pig Pick'n-September 11th, 5:30-7:30 PM, Virginia Museum of Transportation (Click here for more information)
2008 State of the County Address-October 28th, 7:30-9:00 AM, Holiday Inn-Tanglewood (More information coming soon)
For a list of more Chamber events, click here and to access the Chamber's Community Calendar, click here. If you have problems reading this newsletter, you will find a copy on our website: www.roanokechamber.org If you would like to be removed from our e-mail list, please respond to this e-mail with "Remove" in the subject line.
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