On Monday morning, the Roanoke City Council will hold a joint session with the Economic Development Authority before reconvening for its regular meeting in the afternoon, where two council members will introduce new initiatives.
Nick Hagen is introducing an initiative for a study on the effects of amending or repealing the citywide zoning ordinances approved in 2024.
The contentious ordinances eliminated single-family-only neighborhoods in the city and allowed for greater building density in residential neighborhoods.
“Such a massive change in zoning laws does require careful study,” Hagen wrote in his proposal. “As such, I would like to see staff come back with anticipated real world effects of an outright repeal and/or options for amending to ensure community involvement with developers and neighborhood engagement.”
Hagen, during his 2024 campaign for election to the council, said he felt citizens of Roanoke were not heard during the rezoning process. A group of homeowners who took issue with the procedure in which the amendments were approved sued the city, leading to the city repeating the process and re-approving the amendments in September 2024, with minor changes.
That lawsuit is set to go to Roanoke City Circuit Court on Aug. 21.
“A repeal helps ensure personal dignity and fosters better community relations between neighbors. Amending does encourage more process to ensure buy-in with developers and other organizations,” Hagen’s proposal reads.
During campaign season, now-councilman Phazhon Nash and Vice Mayor Terry McGuire both expressed their own concerns with the rezoning amendments, McGuire proposing to “move back” on parts of the amendments.
Nash proposes a business operating fee for vape shops
Nash will also introduce a council member initiative on Monday targeting vape-only retailers with the creation of a business operating fee.
He’s looking to establish a $20,000 annual business operating fee “specifically for retailers whose primary business is the sale of vape and smoking products, as a means of discouraging the proliferation of these establishments in our community and addressing public health concerns,” his proposal reads.
He said in his proposal that these shops tend to be concentrated in lower-income neighborhoods, “raising equity and public health concerns.”
He requests that the city attorney’s office coordinate with the commissioner of the revenue and the city manager to draft an ordinance.
Monday’s 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. council sessions will take place in council chambers, at 215 Church Ave. in Roanoke. Those interested in reading the full agenda for the meeting can find it here. Those who would like to livestream the meeting can do so on YouTube.
