David Bowers for Mayor
Urban Heat Island & Tree Equity - The 2040 Comprehensive Plan Harmony With Nature states that we need to bring our tree canopy to 60% with 40% coverage needing to be met per city block.
What specific measures will be implemented to maintain our current tree canopy, as well as guarantee tree equity throughout the whole city?
ANSWER: I support this initiative, but I’m surprised to learn that the current City Council has failed to meet these tree canopy percentages.
Flood Resilience
Downtown Roanoke was built on top of wetlands and tributaries to the Roanoke River. The topography of the region makes downtown Roanoke vulnerable to the stormwater runoff from bordering localities. There are state and federal funding incentives to encourage localities to be flood resilient.
What is your plan to protect Roanoke from another catastrophic flood like the Flood of 1985?
ANSWER: I support any efforts to prevent another flood like that of 1985. Wetlands and tributaries must be included, and I would ask other upland jurisdictions in containing and dispersing water in their jurisdictions, before it flowed downriver into the city.
Roanoke River & Tributaries - The Roanoke River and 11 of the 13 tributaries are currently impaired and are on the 303(d) list for exceeding safe levels of either bacteria (E. coli), sediment, temperature, and PCBs or a combination of these pollutants since 2006. Over the next year DEQ will be conducting another Benthic Clean Up Study of the Roanoke River, Tinker Creek and Wolf Creek.
Regarding the restoration of the cleanliness of our waterways and mitigation of stormwater runoff, please outline the specific initiatives that you intend to implement.
ANSWER: I remember when fishermen avoided the Roanoke River and the thought of canoeing, kayaking and swimming in the Roanoke River was laughable. Now, it’s great to see Roanokers fishing, swimming and boating. We’ve come a long way. However, I support any scientific recommendations to make our river and tributary water climate meet Federal water quality standards.
Airport Pollution & Runway Extension
The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport “Master” Plan is to extend one of the runways for safety reasons. The plan is focused on creating more growth opportunities based on the increase of air travel. Small jets typical of the ones that land at our airport usually are older and use lead gasoline. Levels of airborne lead in the United States have declined 99% since 1980, but emissions from aircraft that operate on leaded fuel may still pose risks to nearby communities. Airport air pollution can also disproportionately impact sensitive subpopulations. Henry et al. (2019) studied impacts of several California airports on surrounding schools and found that over 65,000 students spend 1 to 6 hours a day during the academic year being exposed to airport pollution, and the percentage of impacted students was higher for those who were economically disadvantaged. The airport is near William Fleming High School, Round Hill Elementary, and Roanoke Area Math and Science Elementary as well as being surrounded by predominantly Black communities that have already been harmed by urban renewal.
How will you protect Roanoke citizens, especially marginalized communities, from more noise and air pollution that could be created by an increase of more air traffic to our area? Will you support an investigation of how the current pollution created by the airport is impacting public health, especially the children?
ANSWER: For Roanoke and Western Virginia to continue to be economically viable, and competitive, it’s important that our airport runway be extended over I-581. However, during the planning, zoning and construction process, I would expect adherence to Federal FAA and other departmental guidelines regarding neighborhood safety, school safety, noise and vibration sensitivity, air pollution and emission standards.
Community Engagement - Which initiatives will you lead and implement to ensure that our marginalized communities, inclusive of public housing residents, are effectively engaged with?
ANSWER: God has been good to me, and the people of Roanoke have blessed me with 4 terms as their Mayor, totaling 16 years. That very gratifying record would not have been possible without me, the Mayor, listening to our people, hearing their concerns and balancing the voice of our neighborhoods with progress for our city. We’ve done that in the past…we’ll do it that way again in the future if I’m elected Mayor again.
Parks & Recreation
Parks & Recreation is an important necessity for the City and aides in mitigating stormwater runoff with tree equity, flood resilience, climate change and community participation and engagement. There needs to be equity to ensure that the public, including marginalized communities, have access to natural areas to improve their health and well being.
What measures will be implemented to ensure that the Parks and Recreation Department has the necessary financial resources to fulfill its duties and operations?
ANSWER: My wife, Margarita, and I live on Mill Mountain on the edge of that park, which we treasure. I support a fully implemented city wide park plan, and always have. It was under my previous tenure as Mayor that we began, built and extended the greenway system. It was, as Mayor that I made sure that the “unknown” trails on Mill Mountain and at Carvins Cove were recognized, adopted, and made accessible to our public. Mill Mountain and Carvins Cove used to be considered “private preserves.” I disagreed and worked to open these areas to hikers, cyclists, Kayakers, bird watchers and all our citizens. My commitment to our parks for public use, and yet conservation of our naturally beautiful open spaces is, in Roanoke, important.
To learn more about his campaign you can visit his website. https://www.bowers4roanoke.com/
