Hand-in-hand
plans for growth
March 30, 2006 12:50 am
By GEORGE WHITEHURST
A smart-growth specialist told Fredericksburg-area
civic and business leaders yesterday that linkage of
land-use planning and transportation is a key tool
for managing the influx of people who will move into
the region over the next 25 years.
Gerrit J. Knapp, executive director of the National
Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, also
suggested that high-density development may help preserve
the region's open space and historical lands.
Knapp delivered his remarks to about 75 people gathered
at the Fredericksburg Country Club for a follow-up
to November's Reality Check exercise, which was sponsored
by the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.
At the November gathering, the chamber invited business
and political leaders, as well as environmentalists
and preservationists, to figure out where to put the
estimated 200,000 people and 125,000 new jobs the area
will scoop up by 2030.
Participants at the November event were divided into
13 groups. Each group was furnished with Legos to represent
new houses and jobs, a green pen to mark the areas
that should be out-of-bounds to developers and a regional
map. The map had roads and waterways marked, but political
boundaries were erased to encourage people to think
more regionally.
Not surprisingly, most groups clustered development
around the Interstate 95 corridor.
All 13 tables declared that their top priority is
preserving open space, historical sites and environmentally
sensitive spots.
Other goals included encouraging mixed-use development
and creating more affordable housing.
One suggested redeveloping already developed areas
that are faltering.
Spotsylvania Supervisor Bob Hagan--who will soon resign
that job to become the chamber's executive director--suggested
that densely clustered development is a key to reducing
suburban sprawl, and even easing traffic congestion.
He voiced hope that the localities involved in Reality
Check--Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline,
King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford--will some day
develop a regional comprehensive land-use plan.
"Growth is coming," Hagan said. "So
you have a chance to plan for it and manage it, or
you can sit back and get overwhelmed by it."
Irv McGowan, representing Arlington-based McGowan
Development, suggested that such plans look good on
paper but often flop due to grass-roots opposition
from residents.
"What people want is their single-family house
and nothing else built around it," he declared. "That
is political reality."
To reach GEORGE WHITEHURST:540/374-5438
Email: gwhitehurst@freelancestar.com
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Hand-in-hand
plans for growth