Date Archives December 2005

Growth, roads and APF’s

in Albemarle Growth Politics on

What happens when the Commonwealth does distribute some of its budget surplus and the County remains firm in their anti-growth strategy?The DP notes that:If state officials allow localities to pass adequate public facilities ordinances, as they’re known, local governments could reject developments based on a lack of supporting infrastructure, such as roads and water sources.  More likely, they could demand that developers pay for the needed improvements.Over at Bacon’s Rebellion, a this comment states:I would hope the debate would go toward asking why localities make zoning decisions that are seemingly not in their self-interest.  Because if you look at their motivation – raising real estate tax revenue – it will lead you back to the General Assembly, and their decisions on how much funding localities should receive for things such as education, public safety, etc., as well as how localities can raise money on their own.Yeah, an honest and fair discussion is a good place to start.

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Albemarle Place is coming

in Albemarle Growth on

I saw a note on cvillenews that their site has been updated ……  Make no mistake; this project is going to be massive.I will let my bolding speak in place of my sarcasm:No one has time these days to spend all day in the car, so why not park your car at our town center, then stroll along our Main Street.  Meet friends, window shop and enjoy the atmosphere.  Find clothing for that upcoming event and a special gift at one of our many boutique shops.  Then, swing by and pick up fresh produce at our high-end market before heading home, and you haven’t had to navigate any traffic to get it all done!This is a good concept, and it should prove interesting to watch….  Source: VDOTNew Urbanism is all the rage.  Bacon’s Rebellion had an interesting article a little while ago about this project.By traditional planning logic, the Albemarle Place project is in the worst possible location: The trips generated by thousands of additional residents and workers should turn U.S. 29 into a poster child for gridlock.  But the Albemarle planners know what they’re doing.

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Stepping back in time

in Technology on

While reviewing 2005 and planning for 2006, I decided to see how my website has progressed.  In yet another reminder of 1) how fast the internet has progressed and 2) the value in hiring professionals to do what they do best, this is the first generation of jduncanrealestate.com; the second iteration, the first time we hired another company, and today’s example.I was so darn proud of myself for teaching myself from scratch how to use Dreamweaver, and then how to actually update it!  I am constantly evaluating and looking out for the next website designer/host that will be able to provide services that are better than what we currently have.  The decision to hire somebody else was humbling; it meant that I just couldn’t “do it” well enough anymore.  Sometimes hiring a professional is the best decision one can make.

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