Im going to teach people a new word today....

Editorials from The Roanoke Times -A step back in the fight against neighborhood decay

It's called "zoning". Its what keeps the apartments and "commercially owned" properties from invading residential areas. Now I realize, the places are allready there - they have been for a while. Much like Old Southwest, where the personal, commercial, and industrial are mixed to various results - it has been this way for a long long time.

Now I hate (oh yes I hate, boy do I hate) to keep going back to NY for examples, but its what I know best - and Im too lazy to google sometimes.

Where I grew up, the only apartments in residential areas were illegal apartments, all the rest were what were called "garden apartments." Set in the zone between commercial properties (supermarkets and such) and the residential (home owner) areas, they were little communities unto themselves. Much like the complex I live in now. I think thats one of the reasons I chose it, it is similar to what I know as an apartment complex.

Now I understand, and have some compassion for the people living in these "mixed use" areas. Im not suggesting that we rezone, and just sweep them out. But set a deadline. Say - June 1st, 2015 - these mix use areas will ALL be re-zoned and apartments and commercial ventures in residential areas will no longer be allowed. Now Im not referring to the apartment complexes, the multi-building places you see along Walnut Ave. as you head up Mill Mountain. And Im not referring to the ones that are between Franklin Rd. and Carilion Memorial. They are all their own little communities, with dedicated parking - dedicated land uses. Im talking about the single homes that have been carved up 8 ways to Sunday to make apartments, the law offices and media companies that own what should be a single family home on a residential street.

If one want to live in the house AND have an office there, well that is a different matter. Thats what zoning waivers are for.

Roanoke is supposed to be re-zoning as part of the Vision 2020 program, it serves as a great opportunity to get the communities organized. This goes here, that goes there - there are no communities that are strictly residential, with no space for commercial properties that I have seen.

If there is a heavily traveled thoroughfare that most members of the community travel on a daily basis - sticking a gas station/convience store on it is not a tragedy. And a strip about a block or 2 long (1 block = 2000 linear ft roughly) on either side that can be used for the apartments, and lawyers who want a house as their office, doctors with small pratices. But no commercial properties except on the main drag.

Its a hassle, its problematic, its inconvienent. But its necissicary. As the population of Roanoke grows - wether it takes 5, 10, or 15 years - eventually in these residential neighborhoods - parking will become a problem. And with converted homes now apartments, without off-street parking sufficient for the amount of cars, theres gonna be real issues when it comes to parking. And thats just one drawback, there are far far worse hidden within a topic like this.

Prostitution would seem like a picnic compared to what can become.