Being business friendly, to me, means having a plan – and following it.

Fair point, although I don’t know if agree with that. I’d need to think on it more. When I think of creating a broad set of rules for “business development” and applying it equally to everyone, I think you open yourself up for the unexpected and unintended, at which point you might lock yourself into a path you don’t want to take. Although admittedly I don’t know enough about the subject to do anymore than offer an layman’s view and opinion on the subject as I am doing now.

Now I didn’t say that Albemarle was business friendly, nor did I mean to imply that it was. What I did say was that Louisa was begining to take the “Albemarle approach” to business friendly- meaning creating a defined area within the county where to encourage growth. That area being the Zion’s Crossroads area. A committment by the county which I think is evidenced by the James river pipeline to Bremo Bluff (Jointly with both Louisa/Fluvanna).

However In the 1980′s with all the problems created by the city of charlottesville for it’s businesses, Albemarle was by comparison “business friendly.” And they had a plan- commercial development restricted to the 29 corridor. Within those bounds they were (again by comparision to the problems in Cville at the time) much more business friendly- and lower taxes. The City of Charlottesville had the first shot at the Fashion Mall (the area’s first and only indoor mall). It was to go where Seminole Square is now which (I think) was still within city limits. However Cville decided to pass and the person brought in for the project, took everything to the County of Albemarle and they jumped on it.

Is Albemarle business friendly now? No Probably not. All the areas where they wanted development to happen are quickly becoming “built out” (or have been?) I don’t think it was til the late 1990′s (around 96 or 97) that they started cracking down. Louisa may by comparison to Albemarle be more business friendly, but when they reach a point in time similar to where Albemarle is now- that development is changing things past the point of comfort, I imagine you’ll see similar things happen there.

On a side note: all of this discussion of “business friendly” makes me think of Virginia’s “Right to Work” policies and a few of the issues I have with it (being worker unfriendly).

Anyway those are my thoughts on the subject today.

That said. Being business friendly doesn’t mean approving every development any developer wants to put in. There’s already been lots of development out there, and the residents are quickly realizing that northern va is breathing down their neck, which is why they’re trying to slow things down. (or maybe I’m reading your post the wrong way).

I think Louisa has taken the Albemarle county approach to being business friendly, in that like Albemarle county designated 29 north as the growth corridor for business in the county, so has Louisa done with the zion’s crossroads area. Their water project with fluvanna to pipe water from the James at Bremo bluff is a strong vote that’s where they’d like new development and business to happen.

Anyway that’s my 2 cents.