Residents who routinely look to The Fincastle Herald for Botetourt County Planning Commission public hearing notices should no longer expect to find those advertisements in the newspaper for the foreseeable future.
County officials recently informed The Herald that the Planning Department will no longer publish its legal advertisements in the newspaper, instead opting to publish them through a local digital news organization.
According to county officials, the decision was driven by staffing limitations and budget constraints.
The change means residents who rely on The Herald to stay informed about upcoming zoning requests, special exception permits, text amendments and other land-use matters will need to seek those legal notices elsewhere or monitor the county’s website.
The first Planning Commission legal notice not published in The Herald is for the commission’s Monday, July 13, meeting.
Items scheduled for public hearing include:
- A request by Fralin & Waldron Inc. for a special exception permit to establish a vision care medical facility in the Daleville Town Center area.
- A proposed amendment to the county’s zoning ordinance creating and defining an Industrial Park Directory sign.
- A request from the Western Virginia Water Authority for a commission permit related to the construction of approximately 3,800 feet of waterline along Etzler Drive and Victoria Road.
Virginia law was amended in 2024 to allow qualified online news organizations to publish legal notices that were previously required to appear in newspapers, provided those organizations meet state certification requirements.
Prior to publication, The Herald requested comment from Board of Supervisors Chairman Dr. Mac Scothorn through the county’s communications office regarding the decision to discontinue publishing Planning Commission legal notices in the newspaper.
Among the questions submitted were whether the chairman is concerned that removing Planning Commission legal notices from the county’s local newspaper could reduce public awareness or participation in zoning and land-use matters, particularly among older residents who continue to rely on the printed newspaper rather than online sources. The Herald also asked how the board balances staffing and budget considerations with ensuring public notices reach as broad an audience as possible, why the Planning Department is experiencing staffing and budget constraints despite the number of projects currently underway, and whether the decision to stop publishing legal notices in The Herald is intended to be temporary or a long-term policy.
The county did not respond to those questions or acknowledge the request for comment by the newspaper’s press deadline.
The Fincastle Herald will continue to report on Planning Commission meetings, zoning requests and development proposals affecting Botetourt County.
~ Fincastle Herald staff report
