Tough hurdles to overcome for smart growth proposals

By: Corey
Published On: 1/30/2006 2:00:00 AM


Today's Washington Post runs an article on the obstacles proponents, including Democratic Governor Tim Kaine, must overcome to push through new legislation aimed at "new controls on the spread of homes and businesses across the suburbs," a.k.a. Smart Growth.  In the "past decade, residential builders, contractors, developers and real estate agents have handed out about $1.4 million in campaign contributions to 14 members of the Senate Local Government Committee and 22 members of the House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee,"  "No other industry has given as much to the lawmakers on those two committees...[additionally] some of those lawmakers accepted dinners and tickets to banquets and other events from developers and contractors,"

"Amateur oddsmakers in Richmond are still betting on the well-financed development industry."  But "[t]his year could be different...the builders are facing angry citizens in rapidly growing suburbs who say that sprawl and development are the chief cause of traffic congestion".  Also different this year is the support and full backing of the Governor.

Ironically, perhaps Kaine's biggest ally on the House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee is committee vice-chairman and out-spoken Republican Delegate Robert Marshall, who is "the only member of the House committee to never have received a contribution from home builders," and has "routinely sought new laws to slow or stop development."  Marshall added that "[h]is bills -- offered without any big-time backing from a governor -- usually get 17 or 18 "no" votes on the 22-member House committee."  Obviously, any smart growth legislation must first pass with a majority vote in these two committees before being considered by the entire General Assembly.

Comments



I see Deborah does h (Marian Hayes - 4/4/2006 11:31:49 PM)
I see Deborah does have more than a token hammer in her tool box as she hit the nail right on the head with her comments. The Transferable Development Rights Bill is only a start, what we really want is more genuine citizen input into how our neighbourhoods are planned and developed, not token 'hand picked' committees. It's a good thing we can hand pick our represenatives & delegates though, citizens voices will yet speak louder than developer money. Lets have more truth telling like that found on the FairGrowth Network site. Lead on, Governor Kaine!


I sat in Bob Marshal (NotFuzzy - 4/4/2006 11:31:49 PM)
I sat in Bob Marshall's office with two Post reporters when he announced that he would carry Governor Kaine's land-use bill.  Now the question will be how squirmy the Committee members get, trying to wiggle their way out of sending it to the floor for debate.

Citizens have to keep the pressure on.  We need a full workman's toolbox of measures to tie development to land-use, not just to avoid congestion on overburdened roads, but to protect our heavily compromised watersheds and to make sure that our schools, parks, emergency facilities and all infrastructure can handle it. The token hammer or wrench of transferable development rights (the bill now progressing makes this purely voluntary for developers) or transportation linkage are a start, but we will still be overwhelmed with sprawl and gridlock if we don't ask for more.

Citizens are organizing all over Northern Virginia through http://www.FairGrowthNetwork.org.  Take a look.  And check the calendar there for two important meetings (Tuesday and Wednesday this week) about the coming re-zoning hearing for MetroWest (2/8).  That one is masquerading as smart growth, but is actually going to compound our problems immensely.  Come and find out why.