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Lynchburg approves LU

Lynchburg City Council unanimously approved Liberty University’s expansion plans on Tuesday.

LU, which is working to reach an enrollment of 15,000 over the next five years, sought a rezoning and new conditional land-use permit. City Council signed off on all its requests following a brief public hearing and limited council debate.

LU’s requests passed 5-0 with Ward IV Councilman Joe Seiffert absent and Vice Mayor Bert Dodson abstaining because his business, Dodson Bros. Exterminating Co., performs work for the school.

The final votes cast granted LU permission to expand to 15,000 students and accepted a master plan that outlines new school buildings and recreational facilities.

Council also rezoned 134 acres along the base of Candlers Mountain to allow for future construction.

Earlier proposals submitted to and signed off on by the planning commission put that figure at 237 acres.

A public hearing on LU’s plans drew only one speaker not affiliated with the school.

John Poole, vice president of finance and administration for Central Virginia Community College, expressed concern about the added traffic and its effect on safety within their campus.

CVCC is located on Harvard Street, which empties out onto Wards Road at a point where LU plans to build a vehicular tunnel.

City Manager Kimball Payne called it a regrettable “oversight,” and assured council the community college would be consulted going forward.

At-large Councilman Scott Garrett asked LU to consider partnering with the city and Wards Road retailers to improve pedestrian access along that corridor. He noted the school plans to build a pedestrian tunnel from its campus to the street, but has no specific plans for improving walkability of the commercial area itself.

The terms of the permit approved Tuesday require LU to participate in a study of possible pedestrian improvements within that area.

Council ended its meeting in closed session to consider a series of appointments to various citizens’ boards. The Lynchburg School Board, which has three seats up for appointment, was not among those.

Prior to the adjournment of the public session, Dodson noted it was 9:07 p.m.

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