By Debbie Adams
In its final meeting for 2022, Vinton Town Council welcomed a new employee to the Vinton Police Department, held a public hearing on funding CIP projects, and adopted several ordinances and resolutions on items council had been briefed on in previous meetings.
Police Chief Fabricio Drumond and Deputy Chief Tim Lawless introduced Ginny Rhodes, the new Records Manager for the Vinton Police Department. Lawless described her position as extremely critical to the functioning of the entire department as she will manage and direct maintenance of the records management system including the processing, storing, retrieval, and protection of all police records, in addition to a host of other duties.
Rhodes is not new to the Town of Vinton. She served as a member of the Vinton First Aid Crew for over eight years and still holds an active EMT certification. She grew up in the Roanoke/Vinton area and graduated from William Byrd High School in 2006.
Before taking the Records Manager position, Rhodes was a dispatch supervisor for the Roanoke City E911 Center for over seven years. She received several commendations there as well as a Kiwanis Club award for her work while giving CPR instructions for 1-year-old child.
She and her husband Chris enjoy traveling; Rhodes’ favorite place was Ireland where they went on their honeymoon four years ago. She also enjoys reading and spending time with her 13 nieces and nephews, and is an avid animal lover (they have three cats).
“She is obsessive when it comes to detail and origination,” said Lawless. “Mrs. Rhodes has fit in extremely well with our department in the short time she has been here. She has a wonderful attitude every single day and always has a smile on her face. She is a joy to be around, and we are blessed to have her as part of our team.”
Assistant Town Manager/Treasurer Cody Sexton presented a report on a proposed amendment to the Town of Vinton FY2022-2023 budget to appropriate funding for the Capital Fund, and the projects budgeted therein, from the Utility Fund Balance in the substantial amount of $2.98 million. This information had been discussed extensively in previous meetings of the Finance Committee and Town Council.
When the town transferred its water and wastewater utility system to the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA) in July 2022, the agreement allowed the town to keep the remaining fund balances for the Utility Fund—estimated at $2.5 million. Town staff budgeted that amount for Capital projects in the current budget. The actual amount of remaining fund balances exceeds that initial estimate.
The requested budget amendment reflects the transfer of the original amount, plus an additional $484,336 from the Utility Fund to the Capital Fund’s Highway Maintenance Capital Outlay account for general road projects.
Council approved the amendment after a public hearing, required by the Code of Virginia when any such amendment exceeds 1% of the total expenditures in the currently adopted budget. There were no comments from citizens during the hearing.
Sexton said that the funds which have put the town in such enviable shape financially are the result of negotiations with the WVWA and Roanoke County during the sale of the utility system and can be used now or on future CIP projects.
After a presentation by Assistant Planning and Zoning Director Nathan McClung, council adopted an ordinance amending the Vinton Town Code which expands and refines the definition of “property.” This will allow the town to align the code concerning the abatement of overgrown weeds with current practices being administered by the Planning and Zoning and Public Works Departments for areas located in the public right-of-way.
The amendment will clarify and legitimize for all stakeholders the current practice of requiring abatement of overgrowth within reasonable public right-of-way between the private property line and the curb, an improved portion of roadway, or the centerline of any alley or unimproved street.
Council adopted an ordinance amending the Town Code section on fowl, chickens, and other domestic birds after a presentation by Associate Planner Fayula Gordon. The amendment was the direct result of expressed interest by town residents (11 in the past year) and changes the requirements in the current code which disqualify many residents from raising backyard chickens by requiring them to own a minimum of one acre of land.
In conducting research, staff discovered that the Vinton code is one of the most restrictive in the state. Most localities allow six or more chickens based on a smaller lot size than does Vinton. Gordon said the research led staff to recommend changes to not only the lot size requirement (an acre is no longer required), but to address other standards such as setbacks, permitting, and enforcement.
No chickens shall be allowed on townhouse, duplex, apartment, or manufactured housing park properties— just single-family dwellings. No roosters are allowed (due to noise factor). All pens must be at least 15 feet from the adjoining property lines and no closer than 40 feet from any adjacent residential dwelling or to any other building used for residential purposes, other than that of the owner of the chickens. All pens shall be located at least three feet behind the rear property building line of the principal structure. Pens shall not be located in the front yard, side yard, nor in any drainage area that would allow fecal matter to enter any storm drainage system or stream.
Chickens shall not be allowed to roam free. They shall be kept in an enclosed secure area not to exceed a total of 128 square feet. Pens shall include a coop (enclosed structure) containing a minimum of two square feet per hen and an open run area containing a minimum of eight square feet per hen. The size of a coop (enclosed structure) within a pen shall not exceed 64 square feet in area.
Residents need a permit to raise chickens and approval from the animal control officer or Planning and Zoning staff and cannot sell the eggs.
Council adopted a resolution authorizing an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Roanoke and the Town of Vinton for the city’s Glade Creek Stream Restoration Project. The project, as detailed by Planning and Zoning Director Anita McMillan, involves five town-owned properties, as well as properties in Roanoke City and Roanoke County.
Council adopted a resolution in support of an application for and funding of Interstate 81 Southbound, widening the road to three lanes between Exit 137 (Wildwood Road) and Exit 128 (Ironto), the only stretch of the highway not funded for widening throughout the 32 miles between Christiansburg and Troutville. This is meant as a show of solidarity for the regional corridor improvement project.
Town Manager Pete Peters updated council on the Garthright Bridge project, which has been paused during the Thanksgiving holiday and for the Vinton Christmas Parade. Work has resumed with much of the current activity underneath the structure. Lane closures can be expected to resume for the preventive maintenance project which Peters says will last about 45 more days depending on the weather.
Peters also updated council on traffic signal replacements within the town, synchronization of the signals throughout the town, and a plan to install (or replace) Opticom transmitters at all traffic lights for emergency responders, giving them temporary right of way.
Peters also reminded citizens to sign up for the new CodeRED emergency alert system which delivers notifications to their phones or email accounts.
