Do You Want Richmond in Your Backyard?
September 1, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Watching the local news last night, I came across this story. It would appear that our legislators in Richmond now find it necessary to dabble in the planning of counties and cities throughout the Commonwealth. You can read the law, as it will be enforced, here.
Any time big government steps in to do the job that it previously had allocated to local governments, there is always the danger of running afoul of the Law of Unintended Consequences. In this case, there is no possible way that those in the Capitol could have possibly considered all the things that affect planning and zoning in Virginia’s counties and cities. From what I can gather of the law, it would appear that the main concern of legislators is population growth and density, and how it affects development. My guess is that this is one more attempt to avoid what many people refer to as "urban sprawl." In case you don’t know what that is like, try visiting anywhere in the DC-Metro area for a few days. . .urban sprawl sucks.
The problem with this law is that the only consideration it gives is to cluster subdivisions. As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out as to the effectiveness of cluster subdivisions when it comes to controlling and directing growth, while at the same time preserving open space and the rights of property owners. In my home county of Fluvanna, for example, the Board of Supervisors approved a rural cluster subdivision ordinance in 2004. It drastically changed the way property could be developed in the county. To date, not one single cluster subdivision has been built. Now, a few are currently in the works, but no one is going to be able to accurately evaluate their effectiveness for at least 5-10 years.
Technical problems with the law aside, this is just bad legislation, if you ask me. I can’t think of even ONE good reason why delegates and senators from places hundreds of miles from my county should have ANY say over the planning and zoning of my county. In my opinion, the planning and zoning of counties and cities should be left up to the people directly affected i.e.– the citizens of those counties and cities. Perhaps the only thing more disturbing to me than the proposal of the law is that it was approved by a vote of 88-8.
People in Orange County apparently share my sentiments, and are planning to circulate a petition to all the county and city governments in the Commonwealth, asking them to voice their displeasure in the law.
Hmmmm . . . where do I sign?
Monday’s Big Answer to Development Question
July 17, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Well, after the 2nd edition of Friday’s Big Question, there was a 100% increase in the number of responses. Albeit, that meant that there was only 1 response (thank you Bryan), but we have got to start somewhere, right? At any rate, I encourage all of you to not only read the blog, but to respond to the posts that you find. Trust me, it will make things much more interesting.
Now for my Big Answer . . .
Area localities certainly have their hands full when it comes to achieving a balance between the desire for increased development and the desire for sustained quality of life. The attractiveness of the Charlottesville area is a double-edged sword. One the one side, people are attracted here because of the slower pace of things, the rural character of the land and scenery, and the overall quality of life. On the other side, the more and more people that move into the area, the easier and easier it becomes to erode the very things that brought people here in the first place.
Luckily, most of our public officials are very aware of this situation. To that end, most localities have developed a Comprehensive Plan to deal with growth. Most of the time, these plans involve selecting areas in a county that are designated for growth, and selecting areas that people would like to see remain undeveloped. These plans usually involve planning for infrastructure and capital improvements as well. Of course, every county’s Comprehensive Plan is just that– a plan. It is not written in stone, and as the elected officials change, and the residents change, so can the plan. That, however, is a good thing. Area localities need flexibility when it comes to dealing with growth and development issues.
In my opinion, the best thing that area localities can do when it comes to balancing development and quality of life is simple– stick to the plan. If you trust that the things you have decided to do will lead you in the right direction, then just do those things. Of course, other issues will most certainly arise; but if the plan is good to begin with, it should be much easier to handle unanticipated issues.
How does sticking to the plan apply to growth and development? Well, for starters, any proposed development needs to be carefully considered at every stage in the process. It begins in the Planning Commission, and ends with the Board of Supervisors. Every proposal needs to be put up against the Comprehensive Plan to ensure a good fit. All aspects of a proposal need to be considered as well. It isn’t quite as simple as just putting a shopping center in one place, or 100 homes in another. Every proposal has its drawbacks and its benefits. All of those things need to be examined before a decision is made.
To summarize, balancing development and quality of life is not going to be easy. It is going to take time, and the results of our efforts will not be known for years to come. If, however, we can be mindful of all the issues at play, and continue to plan for growth, it will make the task that much easier.
July Real Estate Podcast– Part 1
July 17, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Okay folks, it is time for the first of the regular real estate Podcasts. I plan on publishing these at the middle and the end of each month. I will publish them in MP3 format, so you can play them on your computer in Windows Media Player or RealPlayer. The Podacsts will also be available for download from iTunes.
So without further adieu, please download the first Charlottesville Area Real Estate Podcast. Make sure that you right-click on the link and choose "save":
Orange Approves Annandale Development
July 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment
More residential development is coming to Orange County. Supervisors just approved a proposed 290-unit "Active Adult" community outside Gordonsville. You can read and watch video on the story from NBC29.
This story highlights the fact that real estate development is going to come to the Charlottesville area, like it or not. The fact of the matter is that the Charlottesville area is a very attractive place to live, and we can’t reasonably expect to keep people out. Not to mention, it is pretty unreasonable to expect Orange County Supervisors to turn down proffer payments that could total over $7M, not including the land it would receive for a public park and a new school.
I have to say that the people I feel sorry for in this whole situation are the people sitting on the Board of Supervisors. They are elected to do what they think will best benefit the residents of Orange County. This was a no-win situation for them, and only time will tell if the new subdivision will truly benefit Orange.
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Disclaimer
My name is Daniel Rothamel. I am a licensed real estate agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a member of the National Association of REALTORS. As such, I adhere to a strict code of ethics and all laws with regard to equal housing, which is reflected in the content of this blog. My broker is Strong Team REALTORS, 86 Joshua Lane, Palmyra, VA 22963; (434) 589-5800. My VA Real Estate License number is 0225 077325. All of the opinions in this blog are mine, unless otherwise noted.
