The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. (VR) – Clifton Forge Town Council advanced plans for community cleanups, outdoor recreation, and property disposition during its Tuesday meeting, approving a series of resolutions and street closures while hearing an extended update on regional trail work.
Council members unanimously approved minutes from the February meeting and accepted routine department reports, including code enforcement, police, public works, library, water plant, and planning and community development.
The council then adopted a proclamation declaring April as Cleanup Month in the Alleghany Highlands and later voted to designate Saturday, April 18, as the town’s own community cleanup day, timed near Earth Day.
Several street closure requests for spring events also won approval. Council authorized the closure of Church Street between Jefferson Avenue and Commercial Avenue on March 28, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., for a Developmental Services Awareness Festival organized with Alleghany Highlands Community Services. Members also approved closing Church Street from Jefferson Street to Commercial Avenue on May 16, at 10 a.m., for a triathlon event.
In another unanimous vote, the council granted permission to close Roxbury to Ridgeway Street, including Commercial Avenue from Ridgeway to Main Street, on Saturday, April 4, 2026, from 10:45 a.m. to noon, for the community’s annual Easter bonnet and hat parade.
The council filled a vacancy on the Economic Development Authority by appointing Ann Foster, following a motion and roll-call vote. Members also received a letter of appreciation from Lamona West, representing the 2026 Clifton Forge Juneteenth Planning Committee, thanking the town for sponsoring the Black Excellence Ball, a fundraiser for the Juneteenth celebration and the Jada Callender Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Council advanced the possible sale of three steep, wooded town-owned parcels adjoining a private residence, after receiving an offer from property owner Robert Calloway Jones to purchase each lot for $500. Members voted to move the proposal to a public hearing at their next meeting.
In regional planning action, the council adopted the 2025 update of the Roanoke Valley–Alleghany Regional Commission Hazard Mitigation Plan, aligning the town with federal disaster mitigation requirements and regional goals to reduce long-term risk from natural hazards.
Members also approved a letter of support for a grant application to develop a recreational trail master plan for the town’s reservoir property. The application, pursued in partnership with the International Mountain Bicycling Association and the Alleghany Highlands Trails Alliance, would fund planning, but not construction, for a network of beginner and intermediate mountain bike trails that could also serve hikers. Council discussion included questions about water-supply protections and state environmental regulations; staff and partners said those issues would be addressed in the planning process.
Later in the meeting, a representative of the Alleghany Highlands Trails Alliance and the Friends of Douthat State Park outlined ongoing work to clear and rebuild the deteriorated reservoir trail, long-term hopes for a family-friendly loop trail around the reservoir, and a future connection from town to the reservoir area. The update also highlighted volunteer needs, youth outreach efforts, and upcoming outdoor and park events.
