Stick with the plan--approve Town of Chancellorsville

Date published: 3/20/2003

I am very much in favor of the Town of Chancellorsville, as it will finally promote the Chancellorsville Battlefield Parks, which are Spotsylvania's greatest asset. It will also provide lodging and activities for families so that they will want to stay in Spotsylvania to spend their money.

Thus, it will be a tourism revenue generator adding to the county's revenue without having to raise real estate taxes.

This is the type of project that the board members had voted to include into the primary settlement area. This is the type of project (with just the right mix of commercial and residential) that is outlined in the county's Comprehensive Plan, and the developer has met or exceeded all plan guidelines.

Shouldn't the residents and landowners or land purchasers have the right to rely on the Comprehensive Plan? It would be a shame to be influenced by outside preservation organizations who are not open to looking at all of the facts when actually 34 acres are being preserved at the place where the battle was fought.

If this project is turned down, we will then be sending a message to all future developers that this county is closed for business. It will say to developers that they can give us exactly what we are asking for and spend their time and money negotiating with officials, but in the end we will tell them to leave.

I hope that this isn't the kind of message that our board members would like to send to future developers. I know that their job is not an easy one. However, I hope that they will please keep in mind what is in the county's best interest and the parts of the county that have been designated as a growth area.

Renate Sager

Spotsylvania

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Date published: 3/20/2003