Browsing Category Politics

Villages

in Albemarle Growth Politics on

This post at Bacon’s Rebellion pointed me to an editorial in the DP (I tend to forget that they have their editorials online).The county not only establishes strangely worded rules to rezone by, it sets up so many hoops for developers and nearby residents to jump through that all the hoop-jumping may disorient residents as much as it improves, or modifies, developers’ proposals.All the hoop-jumping probably has improved the Old Trail Village project about to gobble up land next to Crozet, but the county remains slow to make the necessary improvements to streets and sidewalks that could integrate the new development into the existing community.Whenever I hear the word “village” in this context, I am reminded of this…. A good summary of of APF’s is at the Virginia Conservation Network’s site – What is an adequate public facilities ordinance?An Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) is a law adopted by the local government that allows it to defer the approval of developments based upon a finding by the governing body that public facilities would not be not adequate to support the proposed development at build out.What are the components of an effective APF ordinance?

…Anti-Growth Measures Defeated Once AgainVAR faced another year of numerous Adequate Public Facilities (APF) and impact fee proposals that would unreasonably restrict growth and drive up the cost of housing. APF ordinances allow local governments to defer approval of new development based on their finding that the existing infrastructure (such as roads and schools) is “inadequate” to support it.

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This should prove interesting

in Charlottesville Politics on

in the wake of the larger trend of the vanishing-downtown, that portions of mall parking lots and/or sidewalks (infrastructure often paid-for thru proffers and government-aided gimmes) remain public spaces, free to those that choose to speak out within agreed-on modes of behavior…. Redistribution of this power remains wrong, even if the “victim” is “the little guy being able to have a place to meet the public.”The VACLU says“Shopping centers, particularly in suburban areas, have for all intents and purposes replaced the traditional town centers where people shop, mingle and exchange views,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis. “The framers of the Virginia Constitution clearly intended to protect free speech in such places.”“If the free speech clause of the Virginia Constitution protects my right to hand out campaign literature outside a store in Charlottesville’s downtown mall or Old Town Alexandria, then I should also be able to stand outside a store in a large shopping center and do the same. One space may be publicly owned and the other privately owned, but they are both used in exactly the same way by the public.”I don’t know; I remain open minded and look forward to reading the merits of both sides.

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Chicken or the egg?

in General Real Estate Growth Politics on

One of the perennial questions with development – build first and then develop needed infrastructure, or build the infrastructure in anticipation of future, even impending, development?Old Trail was sent for approval this evening from the Albemarle County Planning Commission (pdf). At least 2000 more units in this development alone over the next several years …

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What a shame …

in General Real Estate Politics on

The Supreme Court on Monday refused — as it was expected to do — to reconsider its controversial ruling expanding the power of local governments to seize private property for economic development. The action came as the Justices issued several routine orders while the Court remains in its summer recess. (The case was Kelo v. City of New London, 04-108; the Court divided 5-4 in that decision.).From the ScotusBlog. Oh well – it is up to the States and local legislators/legislatures and most importantly, the public to voice their and its opinion that this was a terrible, freedom-robbing ruling.

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Are they kidding?

in General Real Estate Politics on

The words gall and audacity don’t seem to be appropriate.Referencing the Kelo case.From the Fairfield Weekly – With language seemingly lifted straight from The Goonies , NLDC’s lawyers wrote, “We know your clients did not expect to live in city-owned property for free, or rent out that property and pocket the profits, if they ultimately lost the case.” They warned that “this problem will only get worse with the passage of time,” and that the city was prepared to sue for the money if need be.VirginiaPropertyRights.org -If you haven’t already, I urge you to sign our petition now to make sure this can’t happen in Virginia. If you have already signed, please tell a friend about it. Freedom is slipping away fast from us, we can’t allow this kind of abuse of power to go unanswered.

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