Town Board of Adjustment members Gary Parlier, Tommy Higgins, Bill Edwards (partially obscured) and Minnie Lou Irwin discuss the issues with the zoning variance for a former rest home facility with Town Manager Bryan Edwards (right).

Sparta Board of Adjustment nixes Ball Park migrant housing variance

The Alleghany Board of Adjustment opted to agree Tuesday night at the Alleghany County Courthouse with the decision of Town Manager Bryan Edwards to not allow the special use variance requested by John Joines on behalf of Bovine Wine Enterprises LLC.

The request to turn the abandoned former home of New River Country Cares, located at 425 Ball Park Rd., into housing for migrant workers was denied by the board.

“We are here to decide whether or not Bryan Edwards made the right decision denying Mr. Joines’ request for a variance,” explained Town Attorney Bill Graham. “This body is not a law-making board.” Edwards had written a letter to Joines on Oct. 26 stating that the property could not be used for the requested purpose under its zoning designation of R-12, which allows for single- and two-family homes. Joines’ attorney, Dan Murray, presented the case for the facility. Murray stated that the building would be regulated

At that time, the board gave the crowd of about 100 people, along with police officers, the opportunity to air their opinion on the variance. Cora Neville was the first to address the board and audience.

“This has been on my heart, “ she began. “Our people brought them here and we need to take care of them,” she said, then reading a passage from the Bible, Leviticus 25:34-35, she concluded requesting that if Joines’ request was denied, that people assist his cause.

Bob Atwood, a resident of Ball Park Road, was the next to speak. “While we respect Ms. Cora and her opinion, she doesn’t live on Ball Park Road,” Atwood said. “The people who live on Ball Park Road have lived, worked in Alleghany and have sent their children to Alleghany schools. It is a nice, quiet neighborhood and its residents deserve to be left alone and live in peace.”

After a thundering applause, Cecilia Mathis addressed the board air her concerns.

“If migrants are allowed to come, (with families) who’s to ensure that young children who live there are not molested or harassed?”

After murmuring was heard throughout the crowd, Althea Sanchez reminded the crowd that everyone is equal.

“It’s equal, there’s trouble in every race,” she said. “Would you like to live seven to a two-bedroom trailer? Everyone deserves a nice, warm place to live.”

Karen Atwood, also a Ball Park Road resident, stated that the issue was not racial. “It’s migrant workers,” she said to the board.

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