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Costly archaeological surveys miss the mark
Archaeological surveys in Stafford: Expensive and inaccurate
Date published: 11/18/2009
IAM A LIFELONG resident of Stafford County. My ancestors have been here since the mid-1600s, since this great country of ours was still under British rule. I am also descended from Native Americans in this area, and the roots from those genes go back even further. These roots have caused me to have a deep reverence for my county's history. There is a matter that's brewing that alarms me and threatens to both alter and diminish Stafford County's history: Cultural resource archaeological firms have been misinterpreting the historic sites of Stafford County. Already this has cost developers, home buyers, and taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. To give just two examples, surveys on the Dixon Smith Middle School site and the Ewalt Farm property, where the sixth Stafford high school will be built, have already cost $413,500. Some people in our county are seriously considering making Phase I archaeological ordinances mandatory. An ordinance to this effect was presented to the Stafford Board of Supervisors on July 18, 2006. At that time, some residents were very hopeful that our board would have the wisdom to vote it down; as it turned out, they only deferred the decision. Now the ordinance, which could become very damaging to the average resident, is being brought up once again by the Historic Commission. Proponents argue that it is going to be applied only to developers and to developments of a certain size. Further, they argue that only with a mandatory ordinance can they get developers to agree to doing Phase I surveys. This has not proven to be correct; surveys are already being completed without mandatory regulation in place. Mandatory Phase I study requirements, and any associated mandatory Phase II and Phase III study requirements that are not negotiated with the property owner, are an infringement on private property rights and will drive up housing costs. It is my strong belief that those cultural resource (archaeological) firms supporting this ordinance are doing so for monetary gain more so than wanting the county's historical record to be preserved. I have seen evidence of this from my own years of investigation and also have heard from those who have worked closely to this situation in various ways.
Date published: 11/18/2009
Thanks for taking the lead
(posted by
N8tv
, Nov. 18, 2009 6:56 pm)
We are fortunate to have someone who knows this county well enough to refute so-called experts who have a degree. Common sense, experience and good character will win over degrees obtained by study every time in my book. Our officials should be wise enough to take advantage of it.
hit nail on the head
(posted by
glasshouse
, Nov. 18, 2009 8:29 am)
DP you are right on target. Initials after a name are no guarantee of the credibility of their reports or their own ethics or credibility. Many of those reports are 'cookbook' generalities of worthless non-data. Those individuals and their firms who generate these studies should be ashamed. You are right, they do it for the money and the county staff, not knowing any better, helps those firms land these contracts. What a waste of taxpayer and responsible
developer dollars.
hit nail on the head
(posted by
glasshouse
, Nov. 18, 2009 8:26 am)
DP you are right on target. Initials after a name are no guarantee of the credibility of their reports or their own ethics or credibility. Many of those reports are 'cookbook' generalities of worthless non-data. Those individuals and their firms who generate these studies should be ashamed. You are right, they do it for the money and the county staff, not knowing any better, helps those firms land these contracts. What a waste of taxpayer and responsible
developer dollars.
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