Everyone Sees Mill Mountain Chris G. Muse I would appreciate it if everyone took a moment and envisioned Mill Mountain.  Remember your Mill Mountain clearly.  You can see the star on top and the city below.  It’s beautiful.  Imagine it at night and during the day.  Hold that thought. The conversation swirling around the future of Mill Mountain is full of passion, energy, and a true sense of love and caring from all involved.  There are very few issues facing Roanoke that manifest such strong affiliation towards one side or the other.  It appears the choices we have are either Hands-Off leave it Green or Develop a small part for large Community returns.  I have lived in Roanoke my entire life and based on the recurring cycle of Old vs. New this subject has very little if any middle ground. The core issue for both sides of this debate is the impact on our community when ‘one square foot’ of grass is paved over.  That is what this conversation is all about.  A group of individuals has an idea that would impact thousands of square feet.  They see a need for something more and in the process we will loose something. Others see something green that once it’s taken away can’t be returned but healthy growth benefits the many. So imagine just ‘one square foot’ of land on top of Mill Mountain. You choose a spot that you personally enjoy, somewhere nature still exists.  Remember there are roads and parking and structures and hand planted sections.  I would hope everyone has walked the tiny little trail around the Star so that counts.  Choose your square foot.  Yes it’s under trees so you have bushes, shrubs, ferns, moss, lichen, dead leaves and rocks.  Great.  This is the image of a pure Mill Mountain. Now I want you to really look at our Mountain.  There are tens of thousands of ‘square feet of grass’ just waiting to grow new trees.  I hear conversation and debates over the idea of a new ‘foot print’ on top of the mountain that can be seen from Highway 581 and the impact it will have on the small portion of Mill Mountain that is currently used by the majority of visitors.  The conversations go something like this: “Mill Mountain has been sold to foreign investors.” “What?” “Just Kidding. Our beloved mountain remains exactly as it was yesterday. They want to build a restaurant or something up there but it hasn’t changed in decades." "That's not true.  There is some new building up there.  I can see it when I drive out of town visitors up to the Star.” “Yea, you're right... It’s a visitors center of something.  Ok, but before that, it hadn’t changed in decades." "No, I remember the zoo doing some sort of expansion for a bear or tiger or groundhog. “ “That’s right. The save Mill Mountain team was in full force then.  Sure but before that...” “Well there was a big building where the Theater used to be.  That building was there for a long time.  I think it was a hotel.  It was a good looking building." “Yes but before...” “Alright.  I can’t argue with you.  At some point there were only trees.” “Ah Ha!  And now there are fewer trees.  We should leave the Mountain alone.”  Actually what we should do first is heal the damage that has already been done.  There is a huge scar on Mill Mountain whose removal helps everyone.   No one Loses.   Everyone Wins.   Now imagine Mill Mountain and place the power lines that run up the face of the mountain in your picture.  Be sure to include the large swath of barren earth that accompanies them.  That is the real Mill Mountain.  It’s not pretty and pristine.  In fact it is Ugly, Unnatural, and a Disgrace.  Look at the Mountain.  Why are we discussing anything other than those power lines?  If everyone involved with Mill Mountain would just look at it with fresh eyes the immediate necessity for the Mountain is the burial/removal of those power lines and the reforestation of the mountain.  How is it possible that as a community we can argue over a few thousand square feet when we should be acting to restore tens of thousands.  Perhaps if everyone worked together to bury/remove the power lines we could continue the inevitable debate over the summit.  At least the Mountain will look the way it did before we arrived. All it takes is a plan, a fund raiser, and action to do something no one can argue against. 'The Mill Mountain Scar Power Line Project' or 'E-Race The Face' (nothing like running 600 yards while climbing 1000 feet verticaly) So What's The Next Step? Someone Please Tell Me Why This Is A Bad Idea!