{"id":82,"date":"2008-06-11T08:02:03","date_gmt":"2008-06-11T13:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.libertystudentnews.com\/?p=1063"},"modified":"2008-06-11T08:02:03","modified_gmt":"2008-06-11T13:02:03","slug":"lynchburg-approves-lu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.libertystudentnews.com\/?p=82","title":{"rendered":"Lynchburg approves LU"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lynchburg City Council unanimously approved Liberty University\u2019s expansion plans on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

LU\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Council also rezoned 134 acres along the base of Candlers Mountain to allow for future construction.<\/p>\n

Earlier proposals submitted to and signed off on by the planning commission put that figure at 237 acres.<\/p>\n

A public hearing on LU\u2019s plans drew only one speaker not affiliated with the school.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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

City Manager Kimball Payne called it a regrettable \u201coversight,\u201d and assured council the community college would be consulted going forward.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The terms of the permit approved Tuesday require LU to participate in a study of possible pedestrian improvements within that area.<\/p>\n

Council ended its meeting in closed session to consider a series of appointments to various citizens\u2019 boards. The Lynchburg School Board, which has three seats up for appointment, was not among those.<\/p>\n

Prior to the adjournment of the public session, Dodson noted it was 9:07 p.m.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lynchburg City Council unanimously approved Liberty University\u2019s expansion plans on Tuesday. LU, which is working to reach an enrollment of 15,000 over the next five…<\/p>\n

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