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Planning commissioners hold off on choosing areas for high-density, mixed-use growth in Spotsylvania County Date published: 1/13/2009
By DAN TELVOCK Where does Spotsylvania County want to put 26,000 people over a 10-year span? It's a question planning commissioners struggled with Jan. 7 during a work session. With House Bill 3202 in 2007, state legislators mandated high-growth localities like Spotsylvania to create "Urban Development Areas." UDAs are high-density developments--at least four units per acre--that are self-sufficient with jobs and shopping, to keep vehicles off more heavily traveled roadways. A UDA must hold at least 10 years worth of new population growth, which is about 26,000 people in Spotsylvania County. Planning Manager Patrick Mulhern said the UDAs do not need to be established until 2011. Mulhern showed planning commissioners a map that highlighted 10 areas for UDAs. Some of the zones include 248 acres at New Post, 691 acres near the Spotsylvania Towne Centre, 455 acres at U.S. 1 just south of Fredericksburg, 124 acres farther south on U.S. 1 and 541 acres at where U.S. 1 and the U.S. 17 Bypass intersect. He said those areas were picked because they are mostly undeveloped zones where the county's growth guide targets development. But commissioners had difficulty embracing the selection process staff used. Commissioner James Strother said he wanted the development community to review the UDA proposal. "They are the ones spending their money and bringing the tax base to the county," Strother said. Commissioner Cliff Vaughan said developers would still have the opportunity to propose a development anywhere in the county; they would just need to go through additional hurdles for approval. "This is an opportunity for the county to say where they want [growth]," Vaughan said. Commissioner Mary Lee Carter asked how UDAs would benefit the county. Mulhern said the county's UDAs help accomplish goals outlined in the new comprehensive plan, the county's guide for growth. "I think it will provide for smart growth and less impact on public facilities than the current urban sprawl," Mulhern said. Commissioners tabled the proposal for 30 days. Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 1/13/2009
I do have a problem with the use of the phrase to depict
something that is more a fuzzy concept than a specific
form factor.
"Smart Growth" in essence is not about dense
development patterns per se. It's about having
development where people can live, work and play.
As long as we are a commuter bedroom community,
calling dense residential where NoVa commuters will live
at night and then they go up I-95 during the day - this is
not the "Smart Growth" that is usually talked about.
at the PC and actually at the BOS level also. They had
similar trepidations with regard to the UTSD (Urban
Transportation Service Districts).
It appears to me that they are not comfortable with Master
Planning... of growth...
..in my mind - a proactive approach to the idea that we
WILL grow and it's is better to specifically plan for it as
opposed to just letting it happen.
This issue seems real simply to me. I watched the Planning Commission meeting when this issue was discused. I was very disappointed with the actions (or should I say lack of action) by the Planning Commission on this very important "SMART GROWTH) process. Planning Commission, you really disappointed me.
Which is ironic in a way.
But it goes to the point of why growth - residential growth is
a benefit to the county and it's existing taxpayers.
But if one believes that growth is normal and inevitable
..and will happen...then it becomes an issue of whether or
not.. it is in the best interests of all concerned to direct
growth by encouraging it in designated areas - which is the
premise behind UDAs.
UDA's challenge the county: "Do you want to plan growth
and the infrastructure it needs or not"?
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