Ordinance 2085-Proposed Changes to the Town of Blacksburg Zoning Ordinance to the Floodplain Overlay District.

The Town of Blacksburg Engineering Department has proposed changes to the Floodplain Overlay District standards due to required revisions from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and in response to recent proposed developments within and adjacent to floodplains that highlighted the need to clarify requirements and expectations for floodplain permit submittals.  Proposed revisions include an allowance for increases of elevation and velocity within a subject property, while showing no increase in elevation or velocity within adjacent parcels:  a requirement that the lowest floor of a new or substantially improved building must be 1.5 feet above the base flood elevation; an addition of exception for historic contributing structures; and within locally-regulated floodplains, the general commercial zoning district is not proposed to be regulated  At this time, the downtown commercial zoning district will remain exempt until further study is conducted to evaluate potential flood impacts, which will inform future policy decisions.  

The following meetings have been scheduled to review these ordinance changes:

Please contact Carolyn Howard, Engineering and GIS Department Director at choward@blacksburg.gov or Kafi Howard, Stormwater Engineer at khoward@blacksburg.gov for more information or contact the Engineering Department at 540-443-1300.

Draft Ordinance

Presentation (PowerPoint)
Presentation (PDF)