ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 17, 1997 TAG: 9703170082
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: MANASSAS
Worried that growth will overwhelm their community, the Prince William County Planning Commission has unanimously endorsed giving county officials broader control over where and when to allow new construction.
The idea is to allow the county to deny requests to build homes and businesses in areas where roads are already filled with traffic, schools are crowded or not yet built, or sewers and other public facilities are inadequate.
Proponents insist that rapidly growing counties in Northern Virginia need the ability to say ``no'' more often to development as they struggle to pay for the schools, police protection and other services new residents demand.
But builders, developers and business owners have said they'll oppose the idea, arguing that attempts to limit market-driven growth will scare away much-needed economic development and drive down land values.
After the Saturday decision, commissioners acknowledged that many details have yet to be worked out, but they said they would urge the Board of County Supervisors to adopt a growth-management policy. Virginia law has let landowners successfully sue local governments that try to restrict development rights, but Prince William's attorney has said that a carefully crafted plan could survive such challenges.
LENGTH: Short : 32 linesby CNB