Comments on: Land Use Issues Await New Governor and General Assembly

By: Rose Ellen Ray

Rose Ellen Ray — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:34:05 +0000

I hope business growth corresponds with the willingness of localities to allow builders to build homes that employees of these new businesses want to live in. As more and more land in Virginia comes under severe use restrictions by government at all levels and by private land trusts, less and less land can be used for traditional middle class housing, preferred by most people, especially young couples with children. They do not want high density living (the planning fad sweeping the country). I also hope that localities that come under the planning spell of preservationists (those who already have what they want), they realize that housing prices for many will become unaffordable. Moreover, I hope local government officials will discount residents who oppose “sprawl” subdivisions when they, themselves, live in sprawl. Also, officials should not condone the demonization of developers, who find it extremely difficult and costly to build housing, and are businesspeople whose success is determined by profits, put at risk by those who micromanage their business without sharing in those risks.

My county, Loudoun, in northern Virginia has downzoned for the second time (”smart-growthed”). Most of the county requires large lots for housing (no public water and sewer allowed). Two thirds of the county has downzoned to 20 and 40 acre lots for a home, ensuring that only the haves can live here and also explaining why Loudoun has the highest household income in the country. You have to be well off to live here. High density housing near expensive (road killing) light rail is the housing embraced by our exclusionary (”snob”) zoning. Pack ‘em in so that most of the rest of the county can enjoy expansive yards, stolen in my opinion, from those who yearned for that small house on a small lot to call their own.

If Virginia truly wants businesses to locate here, then it must allow housing that people want. Housing is a derived demand of job growth. (I know people who support job growth but not housing growth.) I hope other localities will learn from Loudoun. There are trade-offs when governments make aesthetics (and pet horses) more important in their law than the livelihood of ordinary people. Rose Ellen Ray

By: Larry G

Larry G — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:10:39 +0000

Storm Water has a fairly simple solution – let’s start testing the outflows and build a database of what is actually found in the outflows (and what is not) BEFORE we start specifying what needs to be done.

Perhaps this has already been done.. but in terms of Transparency and Accountability – it’s not.

But I’m Surprised that there is no mention of the TMDLs or more specifically TMDL allocations.

Under the new rules, a locality’s allocation is not based on future population growth. It’s a static number.. such that if you have growth – the load cannot increase.

If you think about growth that involves sewage treatment – what this means is that future growth may well require tertiary treatment of sewage.

and … we haven’t even got to the part about what needs to be done about prescription drugs, antibiotics and hormones in the wastewater effluent.

Truth be known – these 3 substances may well have a much bigger impact on aquatic life than mere nitrogen & phosphorous .. but never fear.. it appears thus far that none of these stuff will actually be measured … so we won’t be writing regs based on what is actually found and in what quantities but rather what some “model” predicts.

By: TooManyTaxes

TooManyTaxes — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:02:31 +0000

What a bunch of crap. “While many in and outside the business community recognize the need for infrastructure funding to support economic growth, they also recognize that the cash proffer system as it is practiced in some localities is drastically affecting the affordability of housing in Virginia.”

There are a number of studies that indicate much of the cost of infrastructure impact fees can not be passed along to home buyers or commercial tenants, especially in the lower end of the market. Cost-based impact fees have also been found to push down land purchase prices. The costs to build infrastructure paid by taxpayers burden small businesses. But yet one more time the Virginia Chamber of Commerce sells out small business in favor of the real estate developers.

Watkins’ bill will be opposed by every legislator from Fairfax County.