RealCentralVA.com » Orange

Connected communities

Jim Duncan — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 11:43:07 +0000

As our region continues to grow, each area has its own perspective on how to handle growth -

Why the focus on so many counties? Simple – they are all connected. The land-use decisions in Louisa will impact the real estate market in CharlAlbemarle – if more people are able to comfortably buy, live and work in Louisa, perhaps fewer people will move to CharlAlbemarle. As broadband becomes more prevalent in Nelson, that rural county will be more of a viable option. But where will the people work? Will they telecommute to Colorado? Will they commute to Charlottesville? Waynesboro? What will be the impact on infrastructure?

If one of these counties becomes more or less business friendly, the connected communities will be impacted; how I am not sure yet; but make no mistake – they will be impacted. Whether these counties like it or not, they are affected by external decisions.
Fluvanna County learns about the value of Greenways from a local visionary -

One way to think about a Greenways project, Mahon said, is to think four or five generations ahead. If you look beyond your personal self-interest, you can see that it will be a contribution to the future.

Orange County -

Resident, after resident, after resident lined up to speak in strong disapproval to the proposed Annandale development. The 244 acre site would sit just outside of Gordonsville and house nearly 500 single family homes for people ages 55 and up. Some residents felt this many homes could destroy the small town feel.

Nelson County -

In addressing Nellysford, Rue said there could be three routes taken to complete the plan. They include long-term transportation and business growth, a focus of safety issues on Virginia 151 or a plan that looks at safety as well as business growth.

Louisa County: questions are raised regarding the mixed-use implementation as they revise their Comprehensive Plan -

The suggested changes would define “very low density residential development” as one dwelling unit per acre and “low density residential development” as up to two dwelling units per acre. High density residential development would be defined as more than six units per acre. “These really sound more like urban densities,” said Jim Scharf, Green Springs district commissioner. … (and one person remarked) “If [one house per acre] is very low density,” she said, “I don’t know what life is going to be like around here.”

What if a rural county wants to maintain its rural character?

And one of my favorites comes from Trish, who laments the changing landscape of the CharlAlbemarle area -

Why do we have to completely strip the land to build anything? … I could go on an on but I’ll just end by saying that Central VA really needs to wake up and be as environmentally responsible as they “claim” to be.

Technorati Tags: albemarle, charlalbemarle, charlottesville, fluvanna, growth

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Connected communities

Afternoon links, regional real estate stuff

Jim Duncan — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 17:23:06 +0000

Predatory Lending article (PDF)
Orange County is joining the trend and raising property taxes
Biscuit Run headed to the Albemarle County Planners
Do you want your employer to provide health care or buy you a house? It’s not so far-fetched!
Mandate Clustering developments?
As Growth continues, these discussions will become more common: Paid EMS?
Nelson County changes it subdivision rules

Technorati Tags: albemarle, fluvanna, politics, real estate

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Afternoon links, regional real estate stuff

Another example

Jim Duncan — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 18:09:38 +0000

When the people speak

…

More than 170 area residents signed a petition in protest to the development arguing that the subdivision’s main road would be too steep and too dangerous.

WCAV has more.

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Another example

Orange County growth …

Jim Duncan — Sun, 13 Mar 2005 06:28:53 +0000

Residential growth continues its quick progress
in the eastern part of the county, where the Lake of the Woods community has
developed.

Growth management and the
establishment of more retail facilities are big interests in eastern Orange,
according to Deborah Kendall, director of
planning.

…As rural areas get closer
to “city life,’ convenience may be gained at the cost of the rural
life.

This region is going to look very different in
5,7,15 years.

Residential growth
continues its quick progress in the eastern part of the county, where the Lake
of the Woods community has
developed.

Growth management
and the establishment of more retail facilities are big interests in eastern
Orange, according to Deborah Kendall, director of
planning.

DP href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP/MGArticle/CDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031781544962&path="
target="NewWindow">reports. As rural areas get closer to “city
life,’ convenience may be gained at the cost of
the rural
life. Priorities, people!

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Orange County growth …

Property Rights victory in Orange

Jim Duncan — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 06:36:30 +0000

Thankfully. Occasionally, when the people
speak, the government listens
…

Orange County supervisors
have rejected a controversial proposal to restrict land subdivision, and asked
planning commissioners to find other ways to stop developers who are abusing the
current ordinance.

A
majority of speakers criticized the measure, saying it infringed on the property
rights of all to stop abuse by a few who scoop up agricultural land and divide
it as many times as possible without any public
review.

The DP href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP%2FMGArticle%2FCDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031780745254&path="
target="NewWindow">reports.

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Property Rights victory in Orange

Orange County targets growth

Jim Duncan — Sat, 29 Jan 2005 20:58:05 +0000

“A movement to control residential sprawl in
Orange County has been invigorated by a survey showing that a majority of
residents think growth should be directed to designated
areas.

A proposed change to the
subdivision ordinance would allow Orange?s agricultural landowners to
divide their property three times every 10 years, a decrease from the current
rule of four times every four years.

In yet another sign that growth is enveloping
our region, the href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP%2FMGArticle%2FCDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031780534781&path="
target="NewWindow">Daily Progress reports that Orange County is
examining growth in their
County.

“A movement to control
residential sprawl in Orange County has been invigorated by a survey showing
that a majority of residents think growth should be directed to designated
areas.

A proposed change to
the subdivision ordinance would allow Orange?s agricultural landowners to
divide their property three times every 10 years, a decrease from the current
rule of four times every four years.
…

A full house is expected
at a public hearing on the matter at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 in the Prospect Heights
Middle School cafeteria”

Simply
put, ” ?Property rights are the basis
for all your freedom and liberty,? Supervisor Grover Wilson said.
?What?s the use in owning [land] if someone else is controlling
it??”

It is hard to argue
with the property rights argument. I find it difficult to simply accept that the
“ target="NewWindow">common good ” is more important that the rights
of the individual. Nifty eminent domain article href="http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=1790952251"
target="NewWindow">here (link good until
2/6/05)

The fact that Orange does not
have a reservoir ought to be a point of concern as well. During the drought a
couple of years ago, I recall that they were especially hard hit. At least
Charlottesville/Albemarle had their reservoirs to draw from a couple of years
ago.

href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP%2FMGArticle%2FCDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031780534781&path="
target="NewWindow">The article is worth a read.

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Orange County targets growth