County's blueprint for growth expected to generate contentious debate

Date published: 9/5/2005

By ROBIN KNEPPER

Planning commissioners have finished their work on Orange County's comprehensive plan, and residents will be able to voice their opinions on the effort next month.

The comp plan, which is the county's blueprint for growth and land use, is expected to foster contentious debate. Factions that formed during and after community meetings last spring are poised to rally support for their arguments.

On one side are those who want no growth or very limited growth. To promote the latter position, the Piedmont Environmental Council has organized a lobbying group that includes the Farm Bureau, the Civil War Preservation Trust, Friends of Barboursville, Orange County Concerned Citizens, the Dolly Madison Garden Club and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

On the other side are groups that support growth and more economic-development efforts to bolster the tax base and create jobs. Orange County Citizens for Economic Progress and the Orange County Chamber of Commerce are groups of business owners who want to see more jobs and housing.

Staff and planning commissioners have listened to arguments from both sides. County Administrator Bill Rolfe calls the draft plan "a compromise type of thing."

"One person wants to keep the county rural with no economic development, and another says anything goes," he said after the commission met Thursday night. "The plan we have is closer to the middle than to either end, which is where most people will feel the most comfortable."

Planning Director Deborah Kendall said staff will incorporate the commission's revisions and have the plan available for public review within the next two weeks. Copies will be available at her office and at Orange County's three libraries.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the plan at its Oct. 6 meeting. At that time, it can revise or alter the plan and/or pass it up to the Board of Supervisors.

The supervisors will then schedule a public hearing, at which time they can accept it or send it back to the Planning Commission with recommended revisions.

Under a schedule approved by the supervisors a year ago, a final vote on the plan is expected in December or January.

To reach ROBIN KNEPPER:rknepper@earthlink.net

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Date published: 9/5/2005