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Developers in Stafford accuse supervisors of stifling growth Date published: 3/22/2006
By MEGHANN COTTER Stafford developers accused the Board of Supervisors last night of trying to stop growth and save Crow's Nest with amendments to the subdivision ordinance. But the board voted unanimously to approve three of the four proposed changes, which county officials say will encourage better planning. Each of the amendments arose because of Health Department concerns combined with county efforts to make ordinances compliant with state code, said Planning Director Jeff Harvey. One of the new rules asks for more information about on-site sewage disposal systems on preliminary subdivision plans. Developers will now have to verify in the initial application, rather than the final plat, that the soils on individual lots can hold a drainfield. Having that information upfront, Harvey explained, will give the county a more realistic view of what can actually be built. In a recent case a subdivision was approved for 133 lots. But the soils could support only 54 drainfields. The Planning Department's report on the ordinance explains that underestimating the number of lots can interfere with plans for new bus routes and school capacities. Overestimating could fiscally impact parks, fire, police and road services. But developers argue this requirement will drive up housing costs, double the paperwork for both county staff and the Health Department and complicate an already difficult permitting process. And some local residents said they were afraid the change would impact the value of their land. "I think you are just representing Northern Virginia people or the Crow's Nest people," said Don Hall, who owns about 120 acres in the George Washington district. "What does that have to do with me. I know you are trying to stop growth, but us local people you are hurting us." He was also concerned with another proposed change, which dealt with minimum size requirements for reserve and primary drainfields. But that amendment was rejected by the Supervisors in a 4-3 vote. The supervisors also approved two other procedural changes to the subdivision ordinance. They repealed a grandfather clause that exempted subdivision applications submitted before Nov. 8, 1984, from current subdivision requirements. That was the date when the current rules were passed. Another change requires that the soils be verified for drainfields before the Health Department gives approval. To reach MEGHANN COTTER:
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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