Elliston Lafayette Village PlanMontgomery
County,
2025
Adopted: 25 June 2007
Elliston & Lafayette
Village Plan
The Villages of Elliston & Lafayette
Introduction
The village planning process provides citizens
in each of the seven villages (six plans) with a
say in how their respective villages develop
over the next twenty years. This additional input
is important because of the County’s focused
growth approach, which will focus 80% of the
County’s growth between now and 2025 into
the villages, village expansion areas, residential
transition areas, and the urban expansion areas.
Under the guidelines established in
Montgomery County, 2025, villages are defined
as “ larger rural communities where limited
mixed-use development activity has historically
occurred and public utilities are available;...are
separate and distinct from each other and from
nearby towns;... and have served as and will
continue to serve as focal points for surrounding
rural areas. The village expansion area, on the
other hand, is defined as the areas “adjacent to
existing villages where appropriate new
development can be accommodated while
retaining the viability and character of the historic
village core. It is assumed that the villages and
village expansion areas are either currently
served by public water and sewer and other
public facilities (schools, parks, or fire and
rescue stations) or where public water and sewer
is likely to be provided in the future.
The Elliston and Lafayette plan is unusual
in that in serves not one, but two distinct places:
the Village of Elliston and the Village of
Lafayette. Because of their close proximity,
separated by the South Fork of the Roanoke
River, the two villages share an expansion area
and are served, in common, by a public
elementary school (Elliston-Lafayette
Elementary), a fire station, and public water
and sewer system. Montgomery County
recognizes, through the village plan, the
uniqueness of both Elliston and Lafayette.
Planning Process
The Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan was
developed through the combined efforts of
citizens in Elliston, Lafayette, and the Elliston-
Lafayette expansion area; members of the
“Village of Elliston” community group; Virginia
Tech students and faculty, and staff from the
Montgomery County Planning Department.
The plan was developed in a three step process:
1) a public input and visioning process; 2) a
mapping process; and 3) the revision and
adoption process.
Public Input and Visioning
During the late winter and early spring of
2004, graduate and undergraduate students
from the Virginia Tech Department of Urban
Affairs and Planning Department, under the
guidance of Dr. Diane Zahm, held a series of
three public meetings to garner citizens’ input
into the development of a village plan for the
villages of Elliston and Lafayette, and the
Elliston-Lafayette expansion area. These
meetings were used to better understand the
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 255
Photo by Chris ValluzzoPhoto by Chris Valluzzo
Elliston and Lafayette area, to identify local
needs and concerns, and to develop a vision for
the future. In addition to the public input
sessions, held at Eastern Montgomery High
School, the students also conducted community
and business surveys and in-depth interviews
with longtime residents. Their final report was
submitted to the County in June of 2004 and a
condensed version of the report was distributed
to members of the Village of Elliston community
organization in January of 2005. The plan was
developed from the input from these meetings,
as well as the input from the Community
Facilitators Initiative and Community Survey
and from the Student Community Survey, both
conducted in 2003.
During the public input process, citizens
identified six specific areas of concern:
• the need for increased jobs and light
industrial, commercial, and tourism
development;
• the need for additional or new public
facilities (parks, schools, public safety
facilities);
• the need to enhance the historic character
of the two villages through historic
preservation efforts and through the reuse
and revitalization of existing buildings;
• the need for an improved transportation
system, including an interconnected road
network, and the provision of alternative
and mass transit opportunities and
facilities;
• the need for increased housing alternatives,
including affordable, non-manufactured
housing and assisted living facilities; and
• the need to preserve the natural
environment, while protecting local
agricultural resources.
In addition, the Virginia Tech students
developed a series of future scenarios, based
on the input provided by the members of the
“Village of Elliston” community organization.
Community meeting participants were asked
to consider each of the future scenarios. From
the input collected at the meeting, the students
developed “Elliston-Lafayette: A Vision for
2054 and a series of four key citizen defined
goals:
1) Maintain and enhance rural and small
town character of the Elliston and
Lafayette area;
2) Strengthen existing businesses and provide
opportunities for new business and
industrial development;
3) Establish strong transportation
connections within and around Elliston
and Lafayette; and
4) Develop a diverse and attractive housing
stock to meet the needs of all Elliston and
Lafayette residents, both now and in the
future.
Mapping Process
During the fall of 2004, staff from the
Montgomery County Planning Department met
with citizens and with members of the Village
of Elliston community organization to develop
a preliminary land use map for the villages of
Elliston and Lafayette and the Elliston-Lafayette
Expansion Area. Planning department staff
developed a draft version of the future land use
map based on public comments and suggestions.
A draft version of the Villages of Elliston and
Lafayette Future Land Use Map was presented
to the citizens at the “Village of Elliston” January,
2005 meeting.
Revision and Adoption Process
Citizens were invited to comment on the
map and the plan proposals. Additional copies
of the map and of the student report were left
with the organization for distribution through
other community groups. Public comment on
the proposed plan was accepted through April
15, 2005. Once the draft plan has been finished,
the plan will be presented to the Montgomery
County Planning Commission and later to the
Board of Supervisor for consideration and for
the required public hearings. When adopted, the
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village PlanAdopted--25 June 2007255
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Photo by Chris Valluzzo Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 256
1. All historical information, unless otherwise noted, was
taken from the Montgomery County Historic Sites Survey
(1986), commissioned by the Montgomery County Board
of Supervisors, funded in part by a grant from the Virginia
Department of Historic Resources, and conducted by
Gibson Worsham. Although the study is going on 20 years
old and lacks historic information for the years since 1950,
the information included in the study is deemed accurate
and well documented. In additiion, the study represents
the only governemt commissioned overview of County
history. Although other and more detailed histories exist
of specific areas and locations in Montgomery County,
the Historic Sites Survey is being used as the basis of
historic information for all village plans because of its
emphasis on land use and historic development patterns.
2. At the time Lafayette was chartered, Montgomery
County stretched westward and included Pulaski and
Wythe counties. Other chartered communities existed in
the greeater county area, but only three exist within the
current County boundaries: Lafayette, Blacksburg, and
Christiansburg.
3. Unlike Lafayette, Elliston follows the organic
development (string town) patterns present in the other
villages in Montgomery County, most specifically growth
adjacent to existing transportation routes. Whereas Lafayette
is defined by a distinct grid pattern and an interconnected
street network, Elliston and the remaining villages have
elongated patterns of growth and little planned
interconnectivity, with growth developing along both sides
of primary transportation routes. Although some
interconnectivty has occurred as additional parallel roads
have been added to accommodate increased traffic, the
primary growth has been continued to be organic.
4. Big Spring Road was later renamed Big Spring Drive.
Villages of Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan
will become part of Montgomery County, 2025,
the County’s comprehensive plan.
Historical Trends and Conditions
Lafayette (1)
Lafayette, Virginia (originally named
Fayette) is the one of the first planned
communities and one of three chartered
communities in the area that is now
Montgomery County. (2) Located along the
route of the Alleghany Turnpike, which was
chartered in 1805 and constructed in 1809,
Lafayette was officially chartered as a town by
the Virginia General Assembly in 1828. The
General Assembly approved the development
of a platted community covering 10 acres (two
of the six blocks included in the town original
development plan). The original development
plan, submitted to the General Assembly,
including 6 four acre blocks with 8 half acre
lots per block.
The original grid system is still visible in
Lafayette’s current road network. According
to historic records, Lafayette had a six streets
(three north-south and three east-west) and a
public square located at the corner of Union and
Main. At its peak in the 1830s, Lafayette
supported 43 residences, as well as extensive
industrial and commercial development. At one
time, Lafayette boasted of a large mill, a boot
and shoe factory, a tanyard, a cooper, four
blacksmiths, sundry mechanics, two general
stores, and a tavern. In 1835, Lafayette
represented the single largest population center
between Salem and Christiansburg. The twenty
year period between 1828 and 1848, saw
continued commercial and industrial growth, as
well as community development. In 1848, the
Methodist Church was constructed, facing the
public square.
Despite its growth in the 1830s, Lafayette’s
fortunes began to change and decline after the
state chartered the Southwest Turnpike in 1846.
In 1847, the lead engineer for the project from
the Virginia Department of Public Works
determined that routing the Southwest Turnpike
“through Lafayette would add 3/4 mile to the
road and would locate two necessary bridges at
less favorable river crossings.” Despite protests
from the town, both the Southwest Turnpike
and later the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad
bypassed Lafayette to the southeast.
Although there has been some subsequent
development on the border of the village core,
most notably the addition of Rowe Furniture
and additional residential development along
Lafayette Road, on Cannary Road on the other
side of the Roanoke River, and along to US
11/460, there has been little recent development
or redevelopment within the village core. This
is due, in part, to the lack of public water and
sewer within the majority of the village core.
Elliston
Unlike Lafayette, the development of Elliston
was organic (3). Development occurred along
existing transportation routes or in close
proximity to ransportation facilities (Big
Spring Depot). The formation of Elliston near
the turn of the century (c. 1900) was the result
of the melding of two distinct communities: the
railroad-related Big Spring Depot and the
African American community along Brake Road
and Calloway Street.
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 257
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
5. According to the Cooper Weldon Center at the University
of Virginia, a census designated place (CDP) is a “densely
settled concentration of population that is identifiable by
name, but not legally incorporated; their boundaries have
no legal status; and they do not have elected officials.”
Although there had been significant
agricultural development along the South Fork
of the Roanoke River, Big Spring Depot, named
for the mineral spring nearby, did not develop
as a village until the construction of the Big
Spring Mill (1850), located at the north end of
Big Spring Road (4) and the construction of
Big Spring Depot (1854) by the Virginia-
Tennessee Railroad at the south end of Big
Spring Road. The subsequent development of
Big Spring occurred along both sides of the
road leading between the Mill and the Depot.
Although the majority of the development along
Springs Road was residential, a small
commercial district developed on property
immediately adjacent to and across Big Spring
Road from the Virginia-Tennessee Depot.
Following the Civil War, an African-
American community developed along Brake
Road It was one of three significant African-
American communities in the county. The
development of the primarily residential
community along Brake Road and Calloway
Street followed a similar development pattern
as along Big Spring Road. In addition to
residential development, the Brake Road
community was anchored by Big Spring Baptist
Church, an African American church built with
funding provided by Captain Charles Schaeffer
(Christiansburg Institute), and the Friends’
Freedmen’s Association. Big Spring Baptist
was the first church built in what is now Elliston.
The historical development of Elliston could
have been significantly different if a land
speculation scheme, proposed by the Pittsburgh
Development Company in the late 1880’s and
early 1890’s, had actually panned out. In 1890,
the Pittsburgh Development Company proposed
the development of Carnegie City, a “boom
town” on the site of what is now Elliston. The
proposal included the development of an iron
and steel supply factory (which was
subsequently built) and the siting of the shop
for the Norfolk and Western Railroad
(previously the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad)
in Carnegie City rather than Big Lick (Roanoke).
The Norfolk-Western chose to locate in what
is now Roanoke and the land scheme collapsed,
in part, because of the depression in 1893.
Railroad officials subsequently renamed
Carnegie City to Elliston, after Major William
Munford Ellis, the husband of one of President
John Tyler’s daughters.
Despite the lack of success of the Carnegie
City proposal, Elliston experienced at least
some success both as a resort community,
supporting three hotels, and as the site of a
major watercress farm and production facility,
two general stores, and rail support facilities
and services. Following the opening of the
Radford Arsenal, Elliston saw increased
residential development geared towards
Arsenal commuters.
As with Lafayette, Elliston’s fortune have
been limited by transportation decisions. The
construction of I-81, bypassing Elliston to the
north and west, rerouted significant traffic
from the US 11/460 corridor. The resulting
shifts in traffic levels decreased the
development of commercial and travel related
facilities within and near both villages.
Current Conditions and Trends
Demographics
While Montgomery County recognizes
Elliston and Lafayette as separate villages,
the U.S. Census Bureau does not, recognizing
the combined villages as a Census Designated
Place (CDP). (5)
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the
Elliston-Lafayette CDP had a population of
1,241, of which 48% were male and 52% were
female. The gender distribution more closelyPhoto by Chris Valluzzo
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 258
aligns with the Virginia and the U.S. distributions
than with that of Montgomery County,
suggesting that the influence from Virginia
Tech is much less than in other parts of the
County. The median age in Elliston-Lafayette
is 34.6 years. Children and young adults (17
and younger) represent 27.2% of the population
and seniors (65 and older) represent 10.8% of
the population. The percentage of the total
population that is 17 years and younger is higher
in Elliston-Lafayette than in any other location
in Montgomery County or in Montgomery
County as a whole.
With the exception of Blacksburg, Elliston-
Lafayette has the most diverse population in
Montgomery County, Although predominantly
white (91.9%), Elliston-Lafayette is still one of
the County’s significant African American
population centers (4.0%). In addition, 2.2% of
the population self identified as being of two
or more races and 1.5% identified themselves
as being of Hispanic origin.
According to the 2000 Census, there were
489 households in the Elliston-Lafayette CDP,
with an average household size of 2.53 people
and an average family size of 2.97. Elliston-
Lafayette had both the highest average
household size and the highest average family
size of any location in Montgomery County.
Family households accounted for 71.2% of the
households in Elliston-Lafayette, while non-
family households made up 28.8%. 23.7% of
the householders lived alone, 15.1% were female
householders with no husband present, and 8.8%
of householders were single mothers.
Of the population 25 years and older, 31.4%
do not have a high school degree, 46.8% have
a high school degree, and 9.3% have at least an
associates degree or higher.
There were 533 housing units in the Elliston-
Lafayette CDP, 91.7% of which were occupied.
Owner occupied housing accounted for 77.7%
of the total number of housing units and had a
far lower vacancy rate (2.1%) than the rentals
(11.4%), which account for 22.3% of the total
number of units.
Population Trends
In the past 20 years Elliston and Lafayette
have witnessed an increase in industrial
development, especially with the development
of the Elliston Industrial Park and the
construction of Rowe Furniture, located between
the historic core of Lafayette and US 11/460.
New growth in Elliston, Lafayette, and the
Elliston-Lafayette Expansion Area will stem
from four separate causes: 1) the focused growth
policy in Montgomery County, 2) outmigration
from Roanoke County, 3) increased industrial
and commercial growth, and 4) increase number
of bi-commuter households.
The County’s focused growth policy
encourages increased growth in the village,
village expansion, and urban expansion in lieu
of growth in the rural and resource stewardship
areas. Under the policy, 80% of future growth
would be located in these three areas. Given
that the villages of Elliston and Lafayette are at
or near buildout within the village cores, the
majority of residential growth will most likely
be located in the residential mixed use areas
surrounding Lafayette.
The growth of the Roanoke Valley and the
land use pressures and land costs which have
accompanied that growth signal increased
growth pressures in the villages of Elliston and
Lafayette. Growth from the Roanoke Valley is
likely to come from two separate sources: 1)
industries relocating to a less expensive location
and residential growth spawned by increased
industrial or commercial growth in the western
portion of Roanoke County, especially along
the I-81 corridor.
Finally, residential growth is being spurred,
once again, by bi-commuter households, i.e.
households where there are two or more
employment-related commuters who work in
opposite directions. Increased economic and
industrial ties between Roanoke and
Montgomery Counties is likely to result in
increased residential development between the
two employment centers.
Public Facilities.
Currently, the Villages of Elliston and
Lafayette and the Elliston-Lafayette Village
Expansion area are served by public water and
sewer provided by the Montgomery County
Public Service Authority (PSA). According to
the PSA, the current septage system is at 50%
capacity and could serve up to an additional
estimated 250 households and/or businesses.
A solid waste collection facility is provided
by Montgomery County and is located in the
Elliston-Lafayette Industrial Park, adjacent to
the Elliston-Lafayette Sewage Treatment Plant.
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 259
There are currently no plans to provide curbside
pickup in either community.
The villages, expansion area, and
surrounding areas are served by three schools:
Elliston-Lafayette Elementary, Shawsville
Middle, and Eastern Montgomery High. In
2003, Elliston-Lafayette Ellementary, which
was designed for a program capacity of 160,
served 227 students and was using 11 mobile
units in addition to the original building. The
school was built in 1961 and last renovated in
1972. Middle school students are currently
being served by Shawsville Middle School. As
with Elliston-Lafayette Elementary, Shawsville
Middle School was built in 1934 (last renovated
in 1973) to serve 240 students. In Fall of 2004,
Shawsville Middle School had an enrollment
of 251. Eastern Montgomery High School, built
in 2000, is located at the southern end of the
Elliston-Lafayette expansion area and serves
students from Elliston, Lafayette, Shawsville,
Ironto, and Alleghany Springs. Although the
program capacity of the new high school is
510, the fall membership in 2003 was only 295.
Fire and Rescue in the eastern portion of
Montgomery County, including the villages of
Elliston and Lafayette, is provided by the
Elliston Volunteer Fire Department and the
Alleghany Volunteer Rescue Squad, located in
Shawsville. In 2004, Elliston Volunteer Fire
Department had, on average, the oldest vehicles
of any fire or rescue squad in Montgomery
County, with a median equipment age of 17
years. The current fire station is located
between Big Spring Road and US 11/460,
across the street from the new Elliston Post
Office; however, the fire station is slated to be
moved into new facilities located in the Elliston
Industrial Park in the near future.
Park and recreation services are currently
being provided through a shared use agreement
with the public schools. Although a park in
Elliston was included in the 1990 plan, the
land slated for the park is, instead, being used
for the new fire station. The Parks and
Recreation Department is currently reviewing
other options for providing recreational
opportunities in the villages of Elliston and
Lafayette.
Historic Resources.
The village core area of Lafayette is listed
in the Virginia and National Registers for
Historic Places. The core area of Elliston is
not a currently recognized historic district,
although there are a number of significant
historical structures in the village, including
the Big Spring Baptist Church and the Pompey
Calloway House. The Historic Site Survey,
commissioned by the Board of Supervisors
and conducted by Gibson Worsham, is nearly
twenty years old. A number of structures that
were not eligible in 1986, may well be eligible
in 2005. In addition while many of the structures,
by themselves, lack distinct historic properties,
they may well qualify as contributing structures
in a larger historic district.
Community Facilities and Organizations.
The villages of Elliston and Lafayette both
have a long history of community involvement.
Early on, the involvement centered around the
churches built in and near the two villages,
including the New Derry Presbyterian Meeting
Hall (1769), the Methodist Church in Lafayette
(1848), and the Big Spring Baptist Church (c.
1880). Fraternal organizations also played a role
in the development of the two communities,
including the Odd Fellow Lodge, founded in
1899, in Lafayette and the Masonic Temple on
Big Spring Road in Elliston Currently
community organizations, such as the “Village
of Elliston,” as well as the churches in the two
villages serve not only the immediate population
, but also the surrounding rural areas and small
communities (most notably, Ironto).
Environment
The most notable environmental feature of
both Elliston and Lafayette is water. The South
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 260
Fork of the Roanoke flows along the west side
of the village core of Elliston and separates
Elliston from the Pedlar Hills. In addition,
Brake Branch parallels Brake Road and flows
into the South Fork just west of the commercial
area on Big Spring Road. Lafayette is located
at the confluence of the South and North Forks
of the Roanoke River. Both villages suffer from
regular flooding, especially in wet years when
the ground is saturated. Flooding often occurs
during flash or heavy storm events which create
increased stormwater runoff. Of the two villages
Lafayette is far more likely to suffer significant
flood damage. Given its proximity to the
Roanoke River. Significant flood has also
occurred along the South Fork, most notably
along Old Roanoke Road and Blount Drive,
and along Brake Branch.
While the prevalence of flooding presents
a significant problem for the two villages, it
also presents some significant opportunities to
develop a floodplain greenway system that
would help to mitigate future flooding and
subsequent damage.
Although not located within the village
boundaries, the Pedlar Hills Natural Area
Preserve is one of the defining environmental
features for the villages of Elliston and
Lafayette. Rising sharply above the Elliston
historic core and the Roanoke River, the 522
acre preserve features dolomite outcropings
designation. For example, an area of the villages
may be designated as mixed use industrial. While
the area, due to transporation features, might be
ideally suited for industrial development,
commercial or residential development may also
occur on all or part of the property. In a sense,
this approach means that the villages and village
expansion areas are treated, in essence, as large
planned unit developments. Indeed, the mixed
use approach to village development encourages
the creation and strengthening of the sense of
community with the village by making goods,
services, and jobs more readily available and
accessible to residents. The approach also
assumes that future development, rather than
destroying or overpowering the historic core,
will be designed to strengthen the historic
development patterns, add to the quality of life
of residents, and provide appropriate levels and
scale of development.
There are four primary land use designations,
one in the village core and three in the village
expansion areas: 1) Village-Mixed Use; 2)
Industrial-Mixed Use; 3) Commercial-Mixed
Use; and 4) Residential-Mixed Use. Each
designation has a primary focus, but can
accommodate other forms of development. For
example, an area designated as residential might
have small businesses which enhance the quality
of life and provide a much needed service in a
particular neighborhood or district.
and barrens and rare plant species, including
Addison’s Leat her Flower. Currently, access
to the preserve is limited, but Montgomery
County and the citizens in Elliston and Lafayette
are working with the Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation to develop a
permanent trailhead along the Roanoke River.
Village and Village Expansion Area Land Uses.
As illustrated in the discussion of the
development history of the two villages, mixed
use development has been the rule rather than
the exception. Part of this is due to the nature
of small, contained, and constrained spaces.
Unlike their larger counterparts, which have the
luxury of land and expansive public works and
may more clearly separate uses, villages and
village expansion areas are constrained by
limited public facilities, especially the possible
extent and capacity of public water and sewer.
Given the limitations, all of the land use
designations are based on the assumption of
mixed use development. The designations are
intended to indicate long range use patterns
rather than reflect current use patterns.
Mixed use development means that while
certain uses may be deemed most appropriate
for a specific area of the village, the primary
use designation does not preclude other types
of development in, near, or in lieu of the primary
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 261
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Photo by Chris Valluzzo
Elliston: Critical Features Map
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 262
Lafayette: Critical Features Map
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 263
Ironto Interchange: Critical Features Map
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 264
Elliston: Future Land Use Map
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 265
Lafayette: Future Land Use Map
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 266
Ironto Interchange: Future Land Use Map
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 267
In the Year 2030, the Villages of Elliston and Lafayette:
Continue to have a strong sense of community. Elliston and Lafayette
are pedestrian oriented communities which provide a strong sense of
community, through a combination of public spaces (the post office,
walkways, the public schools, community center, and parks) and private
places (cafes, small shops, and front porches).
Elliston and Lafayette continue to attract a wide variety of residents.
Many of the residents work for local industries or small businesses,
while others commute along good roads to nearby jobs in the New
River and Roanoke Valleys.
The two public schools, Elliston-Lafayette Elementary School and
Eastern Montgomery High School,serve as community focal points
for both communities, while strengthening ties with the surrounding
area and offering an outstanding educational experience for both
children and adults. School facilities are busy afterhours providing life-
long learning opportunities to local residents.
Continue to build a sustainable future by sustaining the past. Both
Elliston and Lafayette, as well as the surrounding area, are rich in
history. These historical resources are viewed as community assets,
with both Elliston and Lafayette receiving recognition as state and
national historic districts. Historic structures, in both villages, are
rehabilitated and provide the location for a variety of uses, including
single-family residences, small shops, cafes, and other commercial
enterprises. Mixed use of historic structures facilitates ongoing
preservation by making rehabilitation economically feasible. Local
historical markers provide outside visitors with a sense of the history
of the two villages and invite visitors to explore the two historical
The Villages of Elliston and Lafayette: Vision of Future
cores, learning about the development of transportation networks in the
New River Valley, the history of the African-American community in
Elliston, the agricultural and resort traditions of the area, and the history
of land speculation in the late 19th Century. The two villages collaborate
with other communities along the route of the Southwest Turnpike, the
County, and the State to promote historical tourism and market locally
owed and operated enterprises.
Continue to build a sustainable future by sustaining the natural
heritage. The natural setting in Elliston and Lafayette continues to offer
both opportunities and challenges.
A river greenway, part of a larger regional greenway network, stretches
the length of Elliston and Lafayette and provides residents and visitors
alike with recreational access to the Roanoke River and the South Fork
of the Roanoke River. Spur trails offer access to the historic cores of
Elliston and Lafayette. Trail heads for the State’s Pedlar Hills Natural
Heritage Preserve are located in a Elliston’s Pedlar Park, a new riverside
park that is one part of the river greenway system.
While the presence of the Roanoke River and tributaries offer an
abundance of recreational opportunities, they also continue to present
environmental challenges. Brake Branch and the South Fork of the
Roanoke River continue to flood and flooding has increased as
development has occurred upstream. Fortunately, flood prevention and
mitigation measures have been put in place in order to lessen storm
water runoff and minimize flood damage in the two villages. The river
greenway provides natural flood channels which helps to keep the
floodwaters away from the two village cores. Structures within the 100
year floodway have been removed, thereby lessening the threat to life
and property.
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 268
ELV 1.0: Planning and Land Use. Montgomery County is committed
to encouraging appropriate development of the village and village
expansion areas while maintaining the existing character and historical
resources of Elliston and Lafayette.
ELV 1.1: Compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. New
development and redevelopment with the villages and village
expansion areas must be compatible with the land use policies
(PLU 1.6 and PLU 1.7) and community design guidelines (PLU
3.0) established in Montgomery County’s adopted comprehensive
plan. (See Village Plan: Appendix).
ELV 1.2: Village and Village Expansion Land Use Designations.
Establish preferred development patterns for the Villages of
Elliston and Lafayette and the Elliston-Lafayette Expansion Area
in order to 1) focus growth where it can be supported by
infrastructure improvements; 2) maintain existing community
character by promoting the use, redevelopment, and revitalization
of existing historic districts and areas of development, and
promoting the use of traditional neighborhood design (TND)
approaches which stress pedestrian orientation, mixed use, and
variable place-specific site, bulk, and density requirements (1).
ELV 1.2.1: Village Core. The Village Core refers to the
areas of each village which predate non-interconnected
suburbanized expansion, including the central historic
districts, residential buildout areas, and older developments
which share an interconnected street pattern and are
interrelated with and have contributed to the establishment
of the current community. Development and redevelopment
within the Village Core should be done in such a manner
as to uphold the character of the villages while developing
and maintaining the continuity of the communities. Village
Core areas are, by, definition mixed use and should allow
a broad range of appropriate uses within the same
neighborhoods and, in some cases, the same structures.
ELV 1.2.2: Residential- Mixed Use Areas. Located in
the Village Expansion Area, the residential-mixed use
areas are areas which are deemed most appropriate for
residential or residential planned unit development,
however other uses may be permitted if deemed appropriate
or in-character with the existing village development
patterns and land uses.
ELV 1.2.3: Business- Mixed Use Areas. Located in the
Village Expansion Area, the business-mixed use areas are
areas which are deemed most appropriate for
business/commercial or commercial planned unit
development, however other uses may be permitted if
deemed appropriate or in-character with the existing village
development patterns and land uses.
ELV 1.2.4: Industrial- Mixed Use Areas. Located in the
Village Expansion Area, the industrial-mixed use areas
are areas which are deemed most appropriate for industrial
or industrial planned unit development, however other
uses may be permitted if deemed appropriate or in-character
with the existing village development patterns and land
uses.
ELV 1.2.5: Recreation, Open Space, and Community
Facilities. Areas within the Village and Village Expansion
Areas where either public facilities with an open space
component (parks, schools, trails, public open space or
greenways) are currently located or planned or where
development is inappropriate given environmental
constraints (steep slopes, flood plains, AFDs, or lands
under conservation easements).
ELV 1.3: Zoning. Evaluate and revise the Montgomery County
Zoning Ordinance to provide appropriate zoning classifications
for the village and village expansion areas, including exploring
the creation of village and village expansion area specific zoning
designations.
Currently, much of the land in the six villages is zoned A-
1, which does not allow for many of the mixed land uses
included in the adopted comprehensive plan. Re-evaluation
The Villages of Elliston and Lafayette: Plan
1. Variable place-specific zoning regulations allow for variaion in zoning and lot
requirements which may not be appropriate in developments outside of the villages and
historic cores. The most common variaions involve matching existing neighborhood
setbacks in order to maintain the visual line or integrity of existing neighborhoods,
increased density, mixed use in single structures (residences above businesses or studios),
narrower lots, and the addition of secondary dwellings.
Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 269
of existing zoning may be necessary in order to
accommodate future development and redevelopment in
the Villages and Village Expansion Areas.
ELV 2.0: Planning and Government. Work with residents to develop
livable villages by providing increased access to public information
concerning development and revitalization in the Villages of Elliston
and Lafayette and the Elliston-Lafayette expansion area.
Action Steps:
• Work with the Office of Public Information to develop an
Elliston Lafayette Village Information webpage which would
provide residents with direct information concerning government
and planning-related issues and actions (rezonings, special use
permits, community meetings, public hearings, capital projects,
special projects, etc.) specific to the two villages and the Elliston-
Lafayette Expansion Area.
• Establish a Elliston and Lafayette Citizen’s Advisory Committee,
appointed by the Board of Supervisors, to function as a liaison
organization between the villages and the county government.
• Develop baseline GIS (Geographic Information Systems) data
for the Villages of Elliston and Lafayette and the Elliston-
Lafayette Expansion Area.
ELV 3.0: Historic Resources. The County is committed to work with
residents to revitalize and utilize existing and future historic resources
in the Elliston and Lafayette village cores in order to preserve the past
while developing historic and eco-tourism, small entrepreneurial
enterprises, and residential opportunities in the future.
Action Steps:
• Apply to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for a
grant to resurvey the historic sites in the Elliston and Lafayette
village cores with an eye towards the possibility expanding the
existing historic district in Lafayette and establishing one or
more historic districts in Elliston, most notably along Big
Springs Road, Brake Roads, and Callaway Street.
• Establish a local historic markers program, under the auspices
of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, in the villages
of Elliston and Lafayette, including appropriate street markers
within historic districts, informational signage at specific sites,
and directional signage along I-81 and U.S. Rt. 11/460.
• Explore the possibility of establishing an interjurisdictional
historic corridor along Rt. 11, including the Villages of Elliston
and Lafayette, that would tap into the regional and “pass through”
tourism traffic on I-81 and would provide additional commercial
and entrepreneurial opportunities through the promotion of local
historic and natural resources.
ELV 4.0 Economic Development. Actively promote economic, including
industrial, commercial, and small entrepreneurial enterprises, and
workforce development, which takes a sustainable approach to the
environmental, social, cultural, historic, and economic integrity of the
two villages and contributes to the quality of life.
Action Steps:
• Work with the Montgomery County Department of Economic
Development to identify specific sites and opportunities for
future industrial and commercial growth which would provide
better and expanded job opportunities to the residents in the
Elliston and Lafayette area.
• Work with the Montgomery County Public Schools and Eastern
Montgomery High School to develop a comprehensive,
community-based worker training program, focusing on
upgrading skill sets, to serve the existing and future needs of
local residents.
• Examine existing and develop new county policies and
approaches in order to encourage the development of new
entrepreneurial enterprises and the possible expansion of existing
businesses in the Elliston and Lafayette area.
• Work with the Department of Conservation and Recreation to
develop a direct access trailhead to Pedlar Hills Natural Area,
which would provide an additional tourism-based attraction in
Elliston and would encourage the development of eco-tourism
related enterprises.
• Work with the Virginia State Tourism Board to advertise eco-
and historic sites in the Elliston and Lafayette area, including
the Pedlar Hills Natural Area, the Lafayette Historic District,
tourism-related businesses, and other opportunities as they
develop.
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ELV 5.0: Education. Provide high quality, lifelong educational
opportunities and facilities in Elliston, Lafayette, and the Elliston-
Lafayette Expansion Area.
Action Steps:
• In partnership with the Montgomery County Public Schools,
upgrade or replace the existing Elliston-Lafayette Elementary
School through the Montgomery County Capital Improvements
Program.
• Negotiate multi-use agreements for Elliston-Lafayette
Elementary School and Eastern Montgomery High School with
the Montgomery County Public Schools to provide access to
community meeting and recreational facilities and establish
community continuing educational opportunities.
ELV 6.0: Environment. Montgomery County recognizes both the unique
environmental features and the unique environmental challenges in
Elliston, Lafayette, and the Elliston-Lafayette Expansion Area. These
features include a the Pedlar Hills Natural Preserve, the Roanoke River
and Brake Branch floodplains bisecting the area, and the extensive
agricultural and forestal lands bordering the two villages and the expansion
area. The County is committed to the wise stewardship of the environment
in the Elliston-Lafayette area while meeting long-term environmental
challenges and constraints, including the longterm management of
riparian features.
•Develop a local hazard mitigation and stormwater management
plan for Elliston, Lafayette, and the Elliston-Lafayette expansion
area which 1) builds on the recommendations included in the
New River Valley Hazard Mitigation Plan and 2) reflects flood
plain and stormwater best management practices.
•Implement the local hazard mitigation plan, including: 1) apply
for Flood Mitigation Assistance Program funds (dependent on
successful completion of the local hazard mitigation and
stormwater management plan); 2) acquire or relocate structures
from floodplain areas, 3) construct certain types of minor and
localized flood control projects, 4) strengthen stormwater
management regulations in order to protect and preserve the
integrity of the Roanoke River and Brake Branch flood plains,
and 5) develop a river greenway system to provide an area for
the floodwaters, protecting other areas from inundation.
• Work with the Virginia Department of Conservation and
Recreation to develop permanent access trailheads, accessible
through Elliston, for the Pedlar Hills Natural Area Preserve.
• Work with local landowners to protect the heritage farms from
urban encroachment, including providing technical assistance
for establishing conservation easements.
•Discourage development on slopes over 15% and encourage
maintaining steep sloped areas as open space in order to minimize
erosion, downstream flooding, and pollution.
• Work with the Roanoke River Corridor Committee to find ways
to decrease the impact of flooding on Elliston and Lafayette as
well as other points downstream.
ELV 7.0 Health and Human Services. Provide access to a broad range
of locally available social and health services, senior services and
programs, and youth services and programs.
Action Steps:
• Work with Montgomery County Public Schools, the Montgomery
County Sheriff’s Department, and the County’s Social and
Human Service Departments to establish a Community-Based
Schools program at Elliston-Lafayette Elementary.
•Identify areas with the villages of Elliston and Lafayette and
the Elliston-Lafayette Expansion Area which would be
appropriate for eldercare facilities.
• Work with the Fire and Rescue Task Force to establish a rescue
squad substation in the Elliston Fire Department.
•Work with the Montgomery County Public Schools and New
River Community College to establish an adult education
program through Eastern Montgomery High School.
• Work with the Montgomery County Public Schools, local civic
organizations, and local businesses to set up a youth-based
summer volunteer and work program that provides access to
skill-based training.
ELV 8.0 Housing. Encourage the development of a broad range of
housing options to provide choice and opportunity to households with
a variety of income levels.
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Montgomery County 2025:Elliston and Lafayette Village Plan Adopted--25 June 2007 271
Action Steps:
•Given that affordable housing is a regional rather than a local
issue, work with Roanoke County and with the jurisdictions
involved in the New River PDC to develop a regional approach
to providing quality affordable housing.
•Actively work with developers to provide affordable housing
options in thew developments.
•Pursue redevelopment grants which provide funding for the
development of affordable housing in redeveloped
neighborhoods and rehabilitated structures.
ELV 9.0: Public Safety. Montgomery County will work with surrounding
jurisdictions and other agencies to provide excellent public safety services
and facilities in the Villages of Elliston and Lafayette.
Action Steps:
• Finish construction of the new Elliston Volunteer Fire
Department.
• Provide mutual support by locating an Elliston Volunteer Fire
Department vehicle in the Alleghany Rescue Squad in Shawsville
and an Alleghany Rescue Squad vehicle in the Elliston Volunteer
Fire Department.
• Work with Roanoke County to develop a regional swift water
rescue team.
• Work with the Fire and Rescue Commission and the Sheriff’s
department to upgrade the emergency communications system
in the eastern portion of Montgomery County.
ELV 10.0: Recreation. Montgomery County will work with a consortium
of public and private partners to develop recreational opportunities in
the Villages of Elliston and Lafayette.
Action Steps:
•Work with the Montgomery County Public Schools to develop
a joint use agreement which provides residents with access to
indoor and outdoor recreational facilities and programs through
Elliston-Lafayette Elementary School and Eastern Montgomery
High School
• Work with the Virginia Department of Conservation and
Recreation to develop permanent trail heads, accessible from
Big Spring Drive in Elliston, to the Pedlar Hills Natural Area
Preserve.
• Develop a Roanoke River Greenway Park and Trail system
that will provide outdoor recreational opportunities while
mitigating potential flooding in the floodprone areas of the two
villages.
ELV 11.0: Transportation. Develop a safe, orderly, and efficient mixed
modal transportation network of roads, bikeways, and walkways in
Elliston, Lafayette, and the Elliston Lafayette Village Expansion Area
to serve the varied needs of village and village expansion area residents.
Action Steps:
•Encourage the development of interconnected and intraconnected
street, bikeway, and walkway networks in new subdivisions.
New developments should provide multiple connections to the
existing road network and should limit the use of cul-de-sacs
within new developments.
• Work with other transportation authorities and departments to
develop mass transit connections between the two villages, the
New River Valley and the Roanoke Valley.
•Construct a bikeway/walkway along Brake Road to provide
safe pedestrian access along Brake and Calloway Streets.
• Construct a greenway trail between Eastern Montgomery High
School and the Roanoke County line which will provide a safe
walking and biking route for local residents and will provide
a connection between the County’s trail system and Roanoke
County’s system.
ELV 12.0 Utilities. Continue to provide public water and sewer to the
Villages of Elliston and Lafayette, the Ironto Interchange, and the Elliston-
Lafayette expansion area.
Action Steps:
• Provide public water and sewer to all residents in the village
cores of Elliston and Lafayette.
• Require all future development in the Elliston and Lafayette
expansion area to connect to public water and sewer.
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