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
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com