Looking Back 25 Years - Countryside Golf Course

"Roanoke City Council has taken an option on Countryside Golf Course as part of a deal for purchase of 14 parcels from the same owners for airport use." - 1982 - The Roanoke Times by Belinda Harris

.

This is the same property where homes were purchased and then demolished using "eminent domain" for airport expansion in the mid 1980's. Now the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission wants to swap this same land for other land in order to widen the Runway 6 Runway Protection Zone (see the map above and CLICK ON THE MAP TO ENLARGE).

.

This property with homes then demolished in 1982 in anticipation of future airport expansion is now available for development. So put houses up where the City once tore them down then - say in another 20-25 years - tear these homes down for Runway 6 extension. This should be a warning to anyone who would purchase a home constructed on that plot of land or any other home built near this runway. The plot of land is located at Lewiston and Ranch in Northwest City and for now it is owned by the Roanoke Airport Commission.

.

Tear 'em down - put 'em up ... then tear 'em down again.

.

Roanoke City Vision 2020? The City's 20-20 vision is short-sighted to put it kindly.

.

Any future prospect for lengthening Runway 6 across I-581 is now too costly per Ms. Shuck, the Director of Roanoke Regional Airport. Mr. Brian Townsend, Roanoke City Assistant Manager for Community Development, concurs and said it will never happen.

This property is the same property being marketed to developers in the recent Request For Proposal (which is still online CLICK HERE) to develop Countryside Golf Course into mixed-use high density housing, including retail and commercial uses. What was unacceptably too noisy and too close to the airport is now acceptable and safe for allowing Roanoke citizens to sink money into homes there.... again.

.

Is this what prompted a member of the business community to contact me today regarding adding airport expansion as another reason not to develop Countryside Golf Course ... or was it a coincidence.