ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Republican David Bowers clings to an 11-vote lead over Democrat Joe Cobb in the race for Roanoke City mayor with more than 1,600 absentee and provisional ballots still outstanding.
The election could ultimately come down to a handful of points and the deciding factor could be the city’s zoning debate.
Both Bowers and Cobb have strong feelings about the controversial rezoning plan, which is designed to remedy the housing shortage in the city.
The plan makes it easier for developers to add multi-family housing units like duplexes and apartment buildings in neighborhoods that used to be restricted to single-family homes.
The plan was approved by council in a 6-1 decision in September but the continuation of that approval could rest on who wins the mayoral election.
“The number one issue facing Roanokers is the new rezoning scheme, which is the worst decision by Roanoke City Council in 50 years,” said Bowers.
Voters do seem to agree that it is a major issue, and the planning commission has considered public opinion throughout the entire process.
Voters, like the candidates, vary in their opinions of the plan.
“These types of zoning changes neither address affordability or significantly impact supply and that’s been shown in multiple studies,” said Roanoke resident Antony Stavola in opposition at a September public hearing.
“We have a housing affordability problem and it’s driven by a shortage of quality housing at all price points,” said Robert Kulp, another resident of the city who voiced his approval of the plan at the same meeting. “I think the amendments will address these issues using market forces and without government subsidization.”
Cobb was among the six council members who voted to approve the plan in September.
Even if he loses the mayoral race to Bowers, Cobb will have two years left on his council term, and he said the zoning issue will remain at the top of his mind.
“I will continue to fight for these zoning reforms we passed because they are creating pathways for more housing opportunities, which we desperately need in the city,” he said.
Bowers believes that the rezoning plan is doomed to fail if he wins the mayoral race instead.
“Upon my election, there are four votes to repeal the rezoning issue, and I wanted to bring that to everyone’s attention,” he said.
He finds those four votes through his opposition combined with the opposition of new council members Phazhon Nash, Terry McGuire, and Nick Hagen.
WFXR was unable to reach each of the new candidates to affirm their voting stance on the rezoning issue if it were to be brought back to the floor.
If the plan were to be overturned in the future, the city’s community engagement department said it could have huge consequences.
Some property owners who negotiated development rights with the new zoning rules in mind could end up losing those property rights, setting the stage for major complications if the plan is abolished.
You can view the rezoning plan put forth by the city’s planning commission here.
WFXR spoke with the registrar’s office on Wednesday, and they say they are continuing to work through the provisional and absentee ballots and expect a final decision early next week.