December 11, 2002
Grassroots
Responsible Growth in Bedford County
The terms “Smart Growth” and “Sustainable Development” are commonly used to describe ways growth in a locality can be managed, but what do they mean? According to professors at Virginia Tech, Smart Growth is a kind of growth management that “promotes revitalization, redevelopment, and infill development in urban and older suburban areas.” It also encourages development around existing community centers already served by utilities and other public facilities.
Sustainable Development refers to development that continues in the long run, without the loss of irreplaceable resources and without damage to the environment. In Bedford County it would mean weighing the need for economic development against the loss of prime farmland or sensitive environmental areas.
Both of these concepts are important to Bedford County as it develops is new comprehensive plan, which is scheduled to be completed in 2004. For example, the single largest industry in Bedford County is agriculture. Thus, the Comprehensive Plan should include goals specifically related to its agricultural industry, as well as goals related to protection of sensitive environmental areas, such as watersheds.
The 1988 comprehensive plan adopted by Bedford County has not been substantively revised in 14 years, which is why – given Bedford’s rapid rate of growth -- a new plan is and should be this community’s highest priority. The 1988 plan did not include a Future Land Use Map, a critical component of any comprehensive plan. The Future Land Use Map identifies the general locations for various types of development based on the availability and capacity of public facilities. It takes into consideration changes in population, demographics, employment, or other aspects of the community, such as changes in natural resources (for example, water supply).
Nearly five years ago (1998) county officials adopted the Bedford County Zoning Ordinance, which was modeled on Roanoke County’s Zoning Ordinance. This established zones in Bedford County based on the then existing land uses. Areas in Forest, for example, that were already residential were zoned residential; farming areas were zoned agricultural. Rather than establishing zones based on a comprehensive plan that identified where growth was and was not desirable, zoning basically followed what was already happening in the county.
It is conceivable that if Bedford County had been zoned after it had completed its new Comprehensive Plan, the zoning would be similar to the zoning we now have. It is also possible that it would have been quite different had Bedford’s substantial farming community been more directly involved in setting planning goals. Bedford County has been growing without a Future Land Use Map or a plan that draws on smart growth or sustainable development concepts. It has been growing without the guidance of a set of goals for its agricultural industry, a vital part of its economy. (A complete revision of zoning ordinances is sometimes done after a new Comprehensive Plan is adopted by a locality. This is important because zoning implements the goals set forth in a Comprehensive Plan.)
As a result, attention could not be given prior to rapid growth to the impact of that growth on existing community services needed to service expanding residential areas – for example, the capacity of schools or road to handle increasing population. In addition, attention was not clearly focused on the impact of this growth on the tax rate. Contrary to what many people think, numerous studies have shown that residential development rarely pays for itself. Residential development is generally subsidized by landowners with large tracts, such as farmers, and by other commercial operations, which pay more in property tax than they receive in services.
Some critics argue that the Roanoke County Zoning Ordinance was not the best model for Bedford County because, unlike Roanoke County, Bedford’s farming sector is central to its character and its economy. The profile of Roanoke County is drastically different from Bedford County, both geographically and demographically.
Whether or not Roanoke County’s zoning was the best model for Bedford, Bedford’s ordinance is what determines the land uses allowed in specific geographical areas. For example, some residents at Smith Mountain Lake are concerned about the Bridgewater Bay development near Snug Harbor in Moneta. It will have 296 units and boat docks on 45 acres, most of which will be detached homes. Forty-five to fifty units will be three-story condos. Residents are concerned about the increased traffic, the septic problems, and the loss of a “peaceful country way of living.” But there is little these residents can do if the zoning ordinance permits this type of development.
The density of development in all zones is guided by the 1998 zoning ordinance. Like all ordinances, Bedford County’s Zoning Ordinance is subject to amendments and adjustments. These amendments are not significant because significant changes to a zoning ordinance cannot be made without updating a comprehensive plan or conducting a major study to show the need for making the changes. Most of the zoning amendments that are made are corrections to conflicting language in different parts of the ordinance or are clarifications to confusing language in the ordinance.
When zoning issues arise, they are taken to the Bedford County Planning Commission for review. If the Planning Commission thinks the issues may require an adjustment to the ordinance, it advertises these amendments for a public hearing twice a year. After the public hearings, the Planning Commission makes a recommendation, which is taken to the Bedford County Board of Supervisors. Not all ordinance amendments that are advertised for a public hearing are adopted by the Board of Supervisors.
An example of a recent amendment to the zoning ordinance is requiring that the Neighborhood Information Meeting associated with a rezoning be advertised in the newspaper one week prior to the meeting in addition to notifying surrounding property owners by mail and posting a sign on the property. (This amendment was a result of citizens complaining that they were not aware of the Neighborhood Information Meeting associated with the County’s rezoning for the Industrial Park on Route 460.)
“A zoning ordinance is not a static document,” said Philip Thompson, Director of Planning for Bedford County. “The perfect zoning ordinance has never been written because a zoning ordinance cannot address every single land use issue that may arise. We are making adjustments to the ordinance as issues arise and amendments are reviewed to determine the impacts that they may have on growth and development in the county.”
Creating a land use plan and revising the zoning ordinance to reflect the land use goals set forth in the plan is important to responsible growth within the county. It would tell us where we want and don’t want growth to happen. If Bedford County fails to plan, in effect, it will be planning to fail. What failure means for citizens is an ever-increasing tax burden to pay for community services for new residential neighborhoods and the loss of an important existing industry – agriculture.
Farmland subsidizes residential development – farmers pay more in taxes than they receive in community services, as opposed to residential areas, which use more community services than they pay for in taxes. If Bedford County continues to lose its farms, property taxes, which are set by localities, will increase.
If you are worried about the tax burden of continued unplanned growth in Bedford County, contact your Supervisor and tell him or her that the Comprehensive Plan is important to you.
