Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 5, 1995 TAG: 9507050007
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
- Cheryl Fleming Cecere, Roanoke
The background:
Beyond zoning and decisions on infrastructure investments like roads and sewers, localities in Virginia have few tools to limit growth. Local governments may adopt only land use regulations that are explicitly authorized by the General Assembly. And compared to other states like Maryland and North Carolina, Virginia is rather conservative when it comes to public regulation of private property. For instance, there is no Virginia statute requiring reforestation of cleared land, and there are no statewide prohibitions of development in wetlands.
The General Assembly's role:
The General Assembly in 1990 created the Virginia Commission on Population Growth and Development, giving it a $150,000 annual budget and a mandate to come up with statewide growth management controls. Almost immediately, however, it ran into strident opposition from real estate interests and local governments. After five years of work and $750,000, not one of the commission's recommendations has been adopted by the legislature. It formally disbanded June 30.
The answers
The question was directed to the candidates for the seat covering Roanoke and most of Roanoke County.
Sen. Brandon Bell (R): "Development decisions are best made here in Roanoke, not in Richmond or in [Washington] D.C., where there is a one-size-fits-all mentality. These decisions are best put in the hands of either city councils or county boards. And it is important that we let them know exactly how we feel. But Ms. Fleming Cecere's deeper concerns should be addressed. As we develop and use our natural resources, we need to act as stewards of our land. We are very fortunate to have the natural resources that we do, and we must never forget that."
John Edwards (D): "I agree that planning and zoning laws should prevent unbridled development, and that these laws should provide for environmentally friendly development activities. You need to regulate activities, otherwise the quality of life goes down. But as a general principle, these are matters for the locality to deal with, rather than the state or federal government."
Also on the record:
In 1992, Bell voted for a bill that would have allowed developers with approved site plans to avoid compliance with local environmental ordinances enacted after Jan. 1, 1992. The law also allowed developers - but not citizens or local governments - to appeal environmental and zoning decisions in court. The measure, which passed by a wide margin in both chambers, was regarded by many environmentalists as the worst piece of legislation enacted that year.
In the only recent controversial rezoning before Roanoke City Council, Edwards sided with six other council members in a unanimous decision that allowed Branch Highways to build a large asphalt plant on 11 acres of land in Northeast Roanoke off Orange Avenue. That vote came over opposition from dozens of residents of a nearby community, who didn't want the plant and who didn't think the land should be rezoned for heavy industry.
What other candidates say:
At least for the politicians, this doesn't seem to be a burning issue or one that divides lawmakers along party lines.
Have a question for the candidates? Please send it to Citizens' Agenda, The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010, or fax it to 981-3346 or e-mail dyanceyinfi.net. Please include your name, address, daytime phone number and specify which candidates you're questioning.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB