Housing growth, coupled with the future widening of Bent Mountain Road to Cotton Hill Road and the recent purchase of the Poage farm by the Roanoke County School Board, have prompted Roanoke County to update the overall plan for the U.S. 221 area.

Roanoke County officials began studying this area back in January and are planning to start development of the plan by late 2008.

At Tuesday’s Roanoke County Planning Commission meeting, Roanoke County planner David Holladay said the county has “mailed surveys to all that live in the Route 221 area, asking for their input on potential building plans.” The county hopes to have all of the survey responses back by April 30.

Officials then plan to have one-on-one interviews with the stakeholders. The next step is to involve the community again. Holladay said county officials “want the voices of the community to be heard.”

The first meeting will be held on Saturday, April 12 at the Back Creek Elementary School from 9 a.m. to noon.

Other meetings have also been scheduled so that all who wish can have the chance to attend.

If everything goes according to schedule, another community meeting will take place in July or early August. Following that, more public hearings will take place to discuss the actual plan.

By Chelsea Arner
chelsea.arner@roanoke.com