The public is often quick to blame sitting government officials for allowing housing booms such as occurred in Culpeper between 1998 and 2005.
It turns out that the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors contributed little to the problem.
According to figures presented at yesterday's board meeting by County Planner John Egerston, only a handful of new residential units resulted from rezoning in the past 10 years.
"Through the housing boom, only about 50 new homes resulted from rezoning," Egerston told the board. "Most of the rezoning was done more than 10 years ago or has been accomplished by right."
The planner said that in one case about 250 building lots were eliminated as a result of government action. This led to a net of about 330 new lots created, most of which have not been used.
Supervisor Bradley Rosenberger did not contest those figures, but stated that many new small subdivisions--resulting in as many as 700 building lots in one single year--were created by Planning Department action. By law, there was no need for those applications to come before the supervisors.
"I think it behooves us to look at the administrative process," Rosenberger said.
And that's what will happen. Supervisors voted unanimously to ask the Planning Commission to begin looking at ways to tighten loopholes that allow developers to subdivide parcels by-right over and over.
The board also disinterred the meals and beverage tax proposal, which voters buried three straight years in referendums. Supervisors hope to get the measure on the ballot again in November.
"I feel very strongly about this one," said Chairman Bill Chase. "[Passage] would lighten the burden on the real-estate taxpayer."
With a restaurant boom occurring in the last few years just outside the town limits, county officials have estimated that as much as $1 million could be brought into the general fund with a meals tax. The town brings in more than $1,5 million annually from its meals tax.
A million dollars in new tax revenue would equal almost a 2-cent increase in the real-estate tax rate.
Supervisor Sue Hansohn suggested designating all meals and beverage tax revenue specifically for the school system.
"Maybe then people will see the need," she said. "Then those people who want to give more money to the schools can eat more in the county."
County Attorney Dave Maddox said he was unsure whether the tax could be tied to a specific purpose. He said he would give the board an opinion at its next meeting.
He added that if the supervisors do put the meals and beverage tax on the ballot, individual members are allowed to lobby for the referendum's passage as long as no county money is spent for promotion.
The meals tax question was sent back to the rules committee for further study. Supervisors must decide by September if they want to get the referendum on the November ballot.
In other action, the board voted unanimously to approve a resolution supporting commuter rail service in the U.S. 29 corridor (Lynchburg to Washington) and petition the Virginia Department of Transportation to fully fund the U.S. 29/State Route 666 interchange near Eastern View High School.
Donnie Johnston:
Email: djohnston@freelancestar.com
School Board Chairman George Dasher yesterday informed the Board of Supervisors that Culpeper's first intra-county varsity football game between Culpeper High and the new Eastern View High will be held Aug. 22 at Eastern View. Dasher asked that he and Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Chase participate in the pre-game coin toss for the benefit contest. Chase agreed. |