HJR 195

Joint Subcommittee to Study Land Development Patterns

September 25, 1998, Richmond

The joint subcommittee held a day-long public hearing to gain input from localities, environmental and citizens groups, development interests, and other interested parties. Localities were asked to focus on growth management tools that are currently being effectively used and those areas in which localities feel they need additional authority. The Commission on the Future of Virginia's Environment was also invited to participate in the hearing.

Nearly 40 speakers addressed the subcommittee, and numerous others submitted written remarks. The Virginia Coalition of High Growth Communities made the following recommendations:

• continued and expanded school construction funding assistance from the Commonwealth,
• authority to assess impact fees and continue to allow localities to accept cash proffers,
• significant clarifying amendments to the vested rights statute approved last year (SB 570),
• authority to enact adequate public facility ordinances, and
• continued creative use of special exceptions to deliberately review large subdivisions before approving them.

Other recommendations to the subcommittee included:

• authority to pass transfer of development rights ordinances,
• reversal of the trend of exempting certain industries or activities from local land use regulation,
• flexible road design standards,
• more local input into state capital projects, especially roads,
• requiring VDOT to look at the growth impact of its projects,
• increased funding for rail and bus transit,
• requiring larger residential developments to be rezoned progressively, rather than all at once,
• targeting more state resources toward upgrading and repairing existing infrastructure,
• conducting research from an independent source to determine the true cost borne by localities for each new housing unit, and
• establishing an infrastructure and revenue resources commission.

Next Meeting

Due to time constraints, those persons representing business and development interests did not have a full opportunity to address the subcommittee at the September 25 public hearing. Those persons, therefore, have been invited to address a joint meeting of subcommittee and the Future of the Environment Commission on October 29, 1998, at 9:00 a.m. in Richmond.

The Honorable Gladys B. Keating, Chair
Legislative Services contact: Jeffrey F. Sharp

THE RECORD