Published twice a month, Roanoke Recap is a blog to keep citizens informed about recent city news, events, and announcements. If you are reading this blog for the first time and wish to receive an email notification when a new blog is posted, please contact the Office of Communications at [email protected].
Update on Comprehensive Plan Process
This week, Roanoke City Council received an update on PlanRoanoke, the city’s process to develop a Comprehensive Plan. Through December 2018, the process engaged citizens with 10 open house meetings and a public survey; the input was used to create a Community Response Report. Read the report here. More open house meetings will be held in March and April, as well as meetings with stakeholder groups and focus groups, followed by the creation of a draft plan. To watch the video of the March 4 Council briefing on this topic, click here to go to the city’s Facebook page. Information about Comprehensive Plan 2020-2040, including dates for future open house meetings, is available here.
Getting Ready for E-Scooters
Companies such as Lime and Bird are bringing e-scooters to cities across the country. With the growing popularity of e-scooters, and in anticipation of their arrival in Roanoke, the city’s Planning, Building, and Development Department is developing regulations and rules for their operation. Adding these regulations to the City Code will be a proactive step in managing use of the scooters. The city will work with the companies that provide the scooters to inform the public about the expectations for their use. The video of the March 4 Council briefing on this topic is available on the city’s Facebook page.
Aerial Way Drive Greenway Opens
Citizens, city officials, and greenway users turned out for the Aerial Way Drive Greenway ribbon-cutting on Feb. 28. Funding for this new section of the Roanoke River Greenway came from local sources and VDOT grants, and the hard work of the city’s Engineering Division and Crowder Construction turned this vision into a reality in just 18 months. The blog post, including photos of the ceremony, can be seen here.
Improvements Coming to River’s Edge
As part of Roanoke Parks and Recreation’s Master Plan, River’s Edge will see improvements for multi-generational and inclusive activity with the upgrade of the northern portion of the park that resides on Reserve Avenue. This will be a phased, multi-year process. Read more about the plans for improvements here.