Construction for a building to provide additional space needed for the Christiansburg Aquatic Center has prompted a 30-year lease proposal for town property adjacent to the swim facility.
Lori Graham
Contributing Writer
CHRISTIANSBURG – Possible construction for a building to provide additional space needed for the Christiansburg Aquatic Center has prompted a 30-year lease proposal for town property adjacent to the swim facility.
H20kies Head Coach and Director Scott Baldwin presented a lease proposal for a portion of town property at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center, located at 595 North Franklin St. for tenant use.
Coaches, staff, parents, and officials are the “unsung heroes” that make these events happen, Baldwin said. However, the peak hours of the facility are already at max capacity, and in the next year or two will have over 300 swimmers in the program.
“Without the manpower that H20kies Aquatics brings to the table, those meets don’t happen; we don’t get those bids for those meets,” Baldwin said.
The Aquatics Center is seeking more space for additional equipment that meets with the needs of the evolving sports of swimming while also providing a place for community youth to have a safe space to practice or utilize the center.
“We are not asking Christiansburg to pay for any of this…we are not asking the town to pay with any of their tax money,” Baldwin said.
Balzer and Associates, Inc., a design, and construction development company, has been working with the Aquatic Center in the process of this facility’s construction, upon lease approval.
Since 2010, the Center has given over $60,000 in donations to continued operations for competitive swimming and will continue to do so.
Town Council Member and Christiansburg Aquatics Center Council Representative Samuel Bishop questioned Baldwin on whether the town will be paid anything for the lease.
“For the last over 12 months we have sent the ground lease back and forth, back and forth, and you know lease or rent was never brought up,” Baldwin said. “So, we wanted to come here tonight and highlight, you know, a lot of the things that we are doing already behind the scenes that make this facility as successful as it is.”
Baldwin added that 8,600 volunteer hours go into supporting swim meets that include parents contributing their own time and energy for free, asking that council considers this when considering a paid rent or lease agreement.
“I am thrilled that you want to do this for the athletes that you guys train and that all you’re asking for is a small parcel of land to build a building on to do this is pretty amazing to me,” Council member Tim Wilson said.
Citizen comment was opened to the public by Mayor Michael Barber following the presentation of the Aquatic Center Director.
“My question is, if you are going to do a lease, then have it be a lease and there will be money involved. If not, call it what it is, you’re ceding the town’s property for 30 years. Why not sell it? And I would encourage everyone to watch the budget work session, because ya’ll look like ya’ll are ready to spend money like drunken sailors on shore leave, you know, shifting money from one pot to the other. I see tax increases in our future,” Christiansburg resident Chris Waltz said.
“The fact there is we continue to own the land. We’re not going to give it away, we’re going to own the land and the building…,” Mayor Barber said.
The land proposal public hearing will be set for the next council meeting, on March 26.
A unanimous vote by town council approved “a conditional use permit request by Roger Woody, registered agent, RWW 36 LLC, property owner, and Denise E. LaCour, Managing Director, Denstock LLC, applicant, to amend a previously approved planned housing development (“The Verge Apartments”) from 209 multi-family residential dwelling units to 206 multi-family residential dwelling units and to change the proposed layout on approximately 18.82 acres located at the terminus of Farmview Road, N.E. (all of Tax Parcels 436 – ((A)) – 37, 39, 40, and 41; Parcel IDs 032861, 021679, 021680, and 017576 and a portion of Tax Parcels 436 – ((A)) – 35, 36, and 38, Parcel ID 033701, 021677, and 021678) zoned B-3 General Business. The property is designated as Mixed Use with Buffer (Residential/Business) on the Future Land Use Map of the 2013 Christiansburg Comprehensive Plan. The Public Hearing was held on February 27, 2024,” as stated in the Town’s agenda.
A right-of-way vacation request by Denstock LLC for the vacation of an unimproved 0.047-acre portion of the eastern most end of Farmview Road, N.E., was also approved with a 6-0 vote by Council members. The Public Hearing was held on February 27, 2024.
In another 6-0 united vote of approval by town council, a code amendment request by Joe Simmons, applicant, and Jack Martin, registered agent, amended the Christiansburg Town Code, Chapter 42, Section 42-9. According to the town’s agenda, the code section in question is for lighting and minimum off-street parking (a) specific requirements by use. The request is to include additional language to the “retail store or personal service establishment and banks” minimum off street parking spaces requirement to exclude non-public areas such as stock rooms and storage areas from the overall minimum parking calculation for a building. The public hearing was held on Feb. 27, 2024.
Conditional Use Permit request by Rockstep Christiansburg LLC, property owner, to allow a carnival from April 28, 2024, through May 12, 2024, on the property located at 782 New River Road, N.W. (Tax Parcel 435 – ((A)) – 41, Parcel ID 007741) zoned B-3 General Business, as stated in the town’s agenda, was approved with a 6-0 vote by town council. The public hearing was held on Feb. 27, 2024.
Council member Johana Hicks had one exception to approve the request, in that the agreement from last year’s carnival contract would be accepted without any additional changes. The request was approved 6-0 by council.
A Hickok Street closure, from West Main Street to Commerce, request by NRV Cares for Hickok Street, from 1:30 – 7:30 p.m. on April 11, 2024, for the Spring Family Fun Festival was also approved.