Mike May said it best last night in response to Corey’s cowardly move to defer the Avendale vote when he stated “citizens invested their time, from BOTH sides of the issue, and deserve a vote, up or down”. Maureen Caddigan was right there with Mike, voting against the deferral. Last minute deferrals are a sleazy way to ensure a Developer can live to “fight” another day. Wow, too bad citizens aren’t afforded the same right when we are on the losing end of a land use decision!
I don’t know why Frank P voted in the majority to allow the deferral as he was clearly arguing with Mike Lubely about this bizarre premise that Avendale wasn’t “really” in the Rural Crescent. Hmmm, if that’s the case then why is the application a Comprehensive Plan AMENDMENT. Amendment being the operative word! The board has NEVER voted to take Avendale out of the Rural Crescent and Frank was absolutely right when he challenged Lubely.
I cannot tell you how incredibly disappointed I am in Corey. His leadership role was critical, and he chose the wrong direction. Avendale ONLY benefits the Developer and is a drain for every county resident who pays taxes. The Rural Crescent is a valuable land use tool, not simply from a “green” perspective, but from a planning approach. If the last five years has taught us one thing, it is that you can’t build homes as a means of supporting an entire county economy, or for that matter, and entire country!
I don’t know about everyone else, but I am tired of being soley responsible for supporting the budget of an entire county. We HAVE to diversify the base of our County income, and living more than 80% on real estate taxes, is simply crazy from a financial perspective.
Are you suggesting that Prince William continue to put schools, parks, public transportation, etc. on the back burner and stay stuck in the rut of a flawed approach?
No, exactly the opposite, raise the LOS bar so that PWC isn’t caught in perpetual cycle of catching up to poor development decisions. I merely used the proposed texts on LOS as an example merely it is clear from the differing texts where the Planning Office stands, more of the same.
Arrgh, I hate typing too fast, I’ll try again:
“Are you suggesting that Prince William continue to put schools, parks, public transportation, etc. on the back burner and stay stuck in the rut of a flawed approach?”
No, exactly the opposite, raise the LOS bar so that PWC isn’t caught in a perpetual cycle of catching up to poor development decisions. I merely used the proposed texts on LOS as an example because it is clear from the differing texts where the Planning Office stands, more of the same.
Where’s the text that raises the bar for public transportation, parks, fire and rescue, libraries, open space and police? If the bar is raised only for roads, the other quality of life categories will take an even bigger hit. There is only so much money.
The bar that is being raised is the level of service that must be maintained by the Applicant, not the county, its on the developers dime to ensure that the level of service isn’t diminshed below the standard. Transportation, parks, fire and rescue, libraries, open space and police also need to be addressed but short of revising the proffer schedule (already under attack in Richmond) or impact fees (don’t know that those are any better) I don’t know how you do it. Could it be done through a text amendment in the Comp Plan, maybe, if you could delineate what standards have to be met and how. I just wouldn’t want to be the guy to interpret and enforce that language, if enforceable.
Are saying the county can use the comprehensive plan to raise the bar for developer proffers for road construction but cannot do the same for the other level of service categories? You are starting to sound like the supervisors who claim there’s nothing they can do, their hands are tied, it’s all the state’s fault.
What I’m getting at is that you can initiate changes to ensure that the mistakes of the past (allowing the road infrastructure to deteriorate as a result of new development) are not repeated in the future. The language inserted by the Planning Commission would indicate they don’t want roads with a current LOS of C to deteriorate to level D or worse and thus place the onus for ensuring an adequate level of service on the developer. What can not be done is force the developer to cure all of those other roads and intersections which have been harmed previously. Similarly, any additional language can not force developers to fund all of the inadequacies in public transportation, parks, fire and rescue, libraries, open space and police, but it can help hold the line at present levels. The “our hands are tied” or better yet “It’s Richmond’s fault” are nothing but cowardly excuses blameshifting for the Board’s (past and present) own mismanagement of county resources and planning as well as for their poor development decisions, whatever the underlying impetus. Ultimately, at least in the current environment, if PWC wants or needs additional investment in public transportation, parks, fire and rescue, libraries, open space and police we will have to pay for it. I just hope enough residents realize it and think about it next time local candidates come trolling through the neighborhood for votes. (emphasis on Troll)
FYI – Hopefully everyone remembered this is Lee-Jackson Day in Virginia!
Give a good old Rebel Yell!
Is that give a good old Rebel Yell or take a good pull on a bottle of good old Rebel Yell.
I sure did!! The courts were closed!!! Big REBEL YELL from Manassas(PWC) to The City of Manassas, Poor Richard. I’ve had a great day, and off the hills of WVa. 🙂
@Mom
Why not both? 🙂
A pull from the latter generally elicits the former, or at least that’s what I’m told. Honestly don’t know whether I particularly enjoy that brand or not as my only knowledge of evenings involving that brand of bourbon comes from second tales of my exploits under its influence. That being said, if half the stories are true, its some dangerous mash.
Our dear Commonwealth of Virginia celebrated Lee-Jackson-King Day
from 1983 to 2000, an interesting mix of historic figures and causes.
Do Stonewall HS and Stonewall Middle do anything to honor the
birthday of their namesake?
@Poor Richard
As an alumni of both schools I’m very sad to say I don’t believe either school does anything these days. 🙁
Quality of life is much more than dealing with roads, parks, recreation, libraries, bus services for the elderly, ALL of them matter equally in my opinion!