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Orange dips into stimulus
Town of Orange to get stimulus money for sewer projectDate published: 9/23/2009 BY ROBIN KNEPPER The Town of Orange will benefit from federal stimulus money to replace an aged interceptor sewer--a "shovel-ready" project that should get under way at once. At Monday night's Town Council meeting, four council members voted to authorize Town Manager Cole Hendrix to sign the contract to build the Spicers Mill Road Interceptor Replacement. Councilman Kent Higginbotham voted against without explanation. All council members voted to accept $1,578,032 to pay for the work. The money will come to the town by way of a "principal-forgiveness loan" from the Virginia Resources Authority authorized by the state Department of Environmental Quality. The money does not need to be repaid unless it is not used as specified. General Excavation Inc. will begin work as soon as possible. The job is expected to take a year to complete. Two years ago, the Town Council appropriated $800,000 for the interceptor sewer project, yet the cost was going to be nearly $2 million--more than the town could afford. Hendrix suggested reducing the budget appropriation to $100,000, a move that will enable the town to pay for engineering services and contingencies, costs that are not covered by stimulus money. In other business, the council accepted developer Carl Owens' 2006 payment of $11,003.88 as payment in full for his Round Hill development rezoning application. This completes his application, and a public hearing will be held before the town Planning Commission Oct. 26. Owens' project calls for 169,869 square feet of non-residential and residential development and 730 housing units on 133 acres at the intersection of U.S. 15 and Radney Road. Owens' original application, filed three years ago, requested a planned-unit development rezoning from the agricultural zoning of Round Hill Farm. No official action was taken on that rezoning application, and this year Owen applied for traditional neighboring development rezoning for essentially the same property. Town Attorney Gail Marshall told council members that a second fee of $9,638.50 was appropriate since Owen was asking for a different rezoning, but she added that "reasonable minds can differ" on that viewpoint. All council members differed and praised Owens for his tenacity. "I hate to think how much money he's put forth on this project," said Councilman Harry Hopkins. "We own this man something for all he's done." "We've put this guy through the wringer," Councilwoman Nancy Alexander said. "He's come through with a beautiful product." Robin Knepper: 540/972-5701
Read more stories about Orange Date published: 9/23/2009
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