<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3AD0N0_1F8ajGkJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3AD0N0_1F8ajGkJ00" width="800" height="420" ><p>The Montgomery County Planning Commission left a major residential rezoning request in pending status after a public hearing on Sept. 9, according to WFXR and the Roanoke Times.</p><p>The request, filed by Stateson Homes, would rezone 276.66 acres of the Fotheringay property near 8339 Roanoke Road in Elliston from agricultural use to Planned Unit Development-Residential.</p><p>The estate, which dates to 1796, spans 660 acres and sits on land listed on both the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places since 1969.</p><p>Stateson Homes first submitted the rezoning application on March 3, 2025. The company revised the proposal in June 2026 to present two separate development options for consideration.</p><h2>Two Development Plans on the Table</h2><p>The first option would permit as many as 400 residential units, at roughly 1.45 homes per acre. The second caps construction at 349 units, contingent on Montgomery County purchasing approximately 13.16 acres adjacent to Eastern Montgomery High School for public use.</p><p>Under that arrangement, Fotheringay, LLC, the current property owner, would hold that land in reserve for five years following any rezoning approval to give the county time to complete a purchase.</p><p>Both plans include a mix of detached single-family homes, detached estate-lot single-family homes, and attached townhomes. The proposed development would sit directly behind Eastern Montgomery High School and Eastern Montgomery Elementary School.</p><h2>Historic Designation and the Proposed Site</h2><p>The Fotheringay estate carries considerable historical weight: the home was built for George Hancock, a Revolutionary War officer who served in the Virginia House of Delegates and the U.S. Congress, and his daughter Julia married the explorer William Clark.</p><p>The property originally encompassed four plantations.</p><p>The proposed subdivision area sits roughly 0.75 miles from the designated historic core of the property.</p><p>A county staff analysis notes that the surrounding land is not itself listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning no preservation restrictions apply to the acreage targeted for development.</p><h2>Community Concerns Raised</h2><p>Since the initial application, residents have raised objections on several fronts. Community feedback has cited concerns about traffic, flooding, and the capacity of nearby schools to absorb new families. The planning commission has not yet issued a recommendation.</p><p>The application remains pending as of Sept. 14, 2026. Montgomery County has not announced a timeline for a final decision.</p></div></body>

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The Montgomery County Planning Commission left a major residential rezoning request in pending status after a public hearing on Sept. 9, according to WFXR and the Roanoke Times. The request, filed by Stateson Homes, would rezone 276.66 acres of the Fotheringay property near 8339 Roanoke Road in Elliston from agricultural...

Up to 349 Homes Proposed for Historic Elliston Estate, Rezoning Decision Pending

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