Spotsylvania must identify high-density, mixed-use zones in its Comprehensive Plan

Date published: 7/24/2007

By DAN TELVOCK

Spotsylvania planners got the go-ahead last week to begin forming a zoning text amendment to create high-density development zones that the General Assembly required in legislation passed this year.

Spotsylvania County Planning Manager Charles Carrington told planning commissioners that the legislation requires counties with high growth rates to incorporate urban-development areas into their Comprehensive Plans. Fifteen of 57 counties in the state are required to do this, he said.

Carrington said the 2007 Comprehensive Plan draft identifies five possible UDAs. Currently, the Primary Settlement District is where most development is targeted in the Comprehensive Plan.

"The UDAs must be appropriate for higher density mixed-use development and accommodate at least 10 years of development and no more than 20 years," he said

The new-urbanism style zones save green space, reduce urban sprawl and discourage strip malls by incorporating all types of homes with commercial and employment centers and trails for bikes and pedestrians.

"I think it is a step in the right direction," said commissioner Kevin Leahy, an advocate of mixed-use developments. "We have to change the pattern of development in this county if transportation is ever going to work."

Leahy said during an interview that mixed-use development by itself won't solve the transportation problems. He asked planning staff for a status report on the Purchase of Development Rights program. That program would allow the county to pay farmers and rural landowners to keep their property undeveloped. Leahy said he believes the program is underutilized.

He also asked planning staff to investigate a Transfer of Development Rights program, which involves the county government taking by-right development rights from a developer and exchanging it for higher density development rights in areas elected officials would like this development to occur.

Without taking away by-right development and moving it to where higher density growth is targeted, a UDA just means more growth and density, he said. There are approximately 23,869 development rights on 113,020 acres in Spotsylvania County, according to planning documents.

"You've got to do something about the existing by-right development before you can start adding more homes to the pile," Leahy said. "We've got to get away from single-use zoning."

Planning commissioners voted 7-0 to direct staff to create UDA districts and return the proposals to another work session.

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Date published: 7/24/2007