Browsing Category Politics

Crozet Growth “town meeting” Feb. 9

WINA reportsThe follow is a letter of invitation from David Wyant that is in the mail to all Crozet residents regarding the February 9 meeting at Western Albemarle High School….  The February 9 meeting is intended to have staff members who are working directly on major infrastructure projects such as those mentioned in the letter talk directly to Crozet residents about the status and future steps of those projects….  While staff who will be in the room on February 9 to talk about the respective infrastructure projects are not the decision makers on population projections, they do have some important infrastructure information to share and we are hoping the meeting will be a venue where that kind of information can be exchanged and discussed….  Dear Crozet Residents, You are cordially invited to attend a town meeting to update residents on the status of implementation for the Crozet Master Plan to be held on Thursday evening, February 9, from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm at the Western Albemarle High School Cafeteria….  While the Master Plan and its population projections have been the topic of much discussion recently in other venues, the purpose of the meeting on February 9th is to focus on infrastructure development in Crozet over the next 20 years of the plan.  We feel that Crozet residents need and deserve the opportunity to hear directly from county staff and officials about the status of implementation and the efforts that are going on to support the goals of the plan….  We will also discuss the formation of the Crozet Community Advisory Committee to be appointed by the Board of Supervisors and outline other ways for you to stay engaged in the process of master plan implementation….  You may also sign up for the County’s Amail enews service on the website so that you will receive regular bulletins, meeting notices, etc. We appreciate your interest and hope that you will attend the meeting and/or stay informed about the progress of the Master Plan through one of the methods we have mentioned.

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Another way to provide affordable housing?

This is ludicrous.Caravati visited Richmond on Wednesday for the third time in two weeks.  He’s pushing an amendment to the City’s Charter that would make developers set aside parts of their projects as low- and moderate-income housing.  Caravati says the city has had some success partnering with developers but now, “they’re just not answering the call there and hopefully this will be another inducement to get them to build more affordable units for those families that can’t quite afford it in a very expensive city.”If the developers “aren’t answering the call” why doesn’t the City go after the employers for not paying their employees more?  Neil Williamson of the Free Enterprise Forum responds:”I consider the other ten buyers the ones that won the lottery and won the opportunity to have the below-market cost house and the other 90 are the ones that subsidized it,” Williamson said.The intent may be good, the method is not.  Penalizing developers may make some “feel good,” but it’s not right.  Nor is it right to penalize those who can legitimately afford homes in the are.  The solution to the affordable housing crisis is out there somewhere.  This is just not it.

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Free market’s response to Eminent Domain

This is outstanding.  Courtesy of Bacon’s Rebellion:…  BB&T, the bank with No.  2 market share in Virginia, is taking action on its own.  The Winston-Salem, N.C., bank has announced that it “will not lend to commercial developers that plan to build condominiums, shopping malls and other private projects on land taken from private citizens by government entities using eminent domain.”If you can, read the story in its entirety.  Now to start recommending BB&T even more to my clients.

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Interesting transportation bills

Impact fees.Requires the Commonwealth Transportation Board to establish and apply an impact fee in any locality or region where pursuant to a comprehensive review, it determines that transportation needs are not being adequately met.Not a bad idea.  Keep local tax money …  local.Amendment:B.  The governing bodies comprising the transportation district may agree to impose a local tax to be used exclusively by the district in order to accomplish its purposes.  Prior to becoming effective, the tax shall be approved by two successive governing bodies of each locality, with an intervening election occurring between the votes of the governing bodies.

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Aim high and eminent domain.

You’d think they’d have something better to attend to.Real Estate Board; educational requirements for licensure.  Provides that as a condition of licensure as a real estate salesperson or broker, an applicant must have at a minimum a high school diploma or its equivalent.  The bill also provides that it does not apply to any person holding a valid license as a real estate salesperson or broker issued by the Real Estate Board before July 1, 2006.Thanks, M.  Kirkland Cox.Clarifying eminent domain.

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