Thank you all who attended Tuesday's Neighbors in South Roanoke regular meeting.
From our guest speaker
We were pleased to meet our guest speaker, Nicholas Ocampo, Roanoke's new General Registrar. He provided a wealth of information and resources regarding voting and the upcoming November election. All the resources are gathered here: https://www.soroneighbors.org/post/voter-information-and-resources.
From others in attendance
Great information about Roanoke's Disabled Parking Policy! Thank you, Mark Kary, Roanoke Neighborhood Advocates, for bringing this to our attention! Read more here: https://www.soroneighbors.org/post/disabled-parking-in-roanoke-did-you-know.
Harry Keeling, Codes Compliance Inspector for our neighborhood, provided an opportunity for attendees to submit concerns. He can be reached at 540-853-6855 or report concerns online at https://va-roanoke.civicplus.com/1180/Report-Environmental-Issues-or-Concerns.
The topics of neighborhood security and traffic and pedestrian safety were touched on at several points during the meeting. We were pleased to have in attendance Lt. Joel Camp, Roanoke Police Department (540- 853-1636, joel.camp@roanokeva.gov) who reminded us of many actions we can take to deter vandalism and crime and create a safe, secure environment:
Flip the Switch: Leave your porch light on! Increased light in neighborhoods deters crime and vandalism. Report street light outages immediately to Appalachian Power. https://www.appalachianpower.com/outages/problem/streetlight
Lock your car doors: Vehicle break-ins are usually crimes of opportunity. Lock your cars and do not leave any items of “interest” visible in your car.
Security camera information can be shared with the Roanoke Police Department.
See something, say something: Call (540) 853-2411, the non-emergency number for the Roanoke Police Department to report any suspicious or unsettling activity or behavior. Help the city identify hot spots and trends and to allocate resources. Reporting of incidents is critical to effective policing. https://www.crimemapping.com/map/va/roanoke.
Neighbors in South Roanoke will seek grant funds for pedestrian crossing signs for several problem crosswalks.
On Monday before our meeting on Tuesday, Roanoke City Council enacted Zoning Amendments similar in substance to the Zoning Amendments adopted by City Council in March. The recording of that Council Meeting in its entirety is here: https://www.facebook.com/RoanokeVa/videos/464237079921568. Public comments begin at approximately the 27-minute mark. Find details of the amendments and much more here: https://planroanoke.org/zoning/.
Contact Chris Chittum chris.chittum@roanokeva.gov 540-853-2333, and the Planning Department planning@roanokeva.gov 540-853-1730 with questions.
Upcoming events
Tree Planting Event: On Saturday, September 28, 16 trees will be planted. Watch for final details in the next few days!
Next Regular Meeting: Tuesday, November 19, 7pm at SpringHill Suites.