November 11, 2001
Bedford Group Seeks Land-use Balance
By Jennifer L. Berghom
Sedalia - A local citizensí advocacy group concerned with land preservation is making headway after just three meetings.
The group, Bedford Citizens for Land Preservation, formed just a month ago in what it called an effort to make sure the county balances its growth with preserving its rural character.
Nancy Raine, one of the groupís founders, said its focus began to take shape at an Oct. 30 meeting.
"The primary focus right now is to become educated on the issues and start the process of public awareness and public education," she said.
Raine said the group, which has averaged about 40 members at each meeting, has divided into three research committees that have started researching alternative agricultural pursuits, purchase of development rights programs and how the county determines its planning and zoning.
A steering committee was also formed to oversee the three research groups.
Raine said those researching alternative agricultural pursuits may look into how to connect farmers with area restaurants or how to bring tourists to visit farms throughout the county.
Each subcommittee is expected to report back at its next meeting Jan. 15. The steering committee will meet a few times between now and then, she said.
Stephen Stevick, chairman of the steering committee and Raine's husband, said residents involved in the group recognize and promote economic development in Bedford County, but want to make sure it does not overtake the rural areas.
"We need to plan properly so industry works hand in hand with the rural community," he said.
Stevick and Raine said residents realize growth is inevitable, but hope the county will steer that growth responsibly so that it balances with the county's rural aspects.
"You can't go hunting in the suburbs," Raine said.
The idea to form the citizensí group stemmed from a meeting the county held in October 1999 about purchase of development rights. The meeting included speakers from Virginia Tech and officials from Virginia Beach.
About 100 people attended the meeting but there was no follow-up, Raine said. That is, until Raine and a neighbor, Annis McCabe, decided almost two years later to learn more about what the county was doing.
Raine and McCabe met with the countyís planning director, Philip Thompson, earlier this year. The two women were interested in finding out how the county determined its zoning and, after their meeting with Thompson, decided to inform their neighbors about the county's plans.
Thompson explained the countyís zoning plan at the groupís first meeting, held at the Sedalia Center and attended by 40 residents. Residents asked him about the county's plans to steer growth, laws on subdividing land, and residents' input on the comprehensive plan.
Group members spent much of their second meeting two weeks later determining how to form and what their focus should be.
Although the group is primarily made up of residents from the northern part of the county, Raine and Stevick said they would like to see it expand to include residents from all parts of the county.
It will be a challenge maintaining the group because everyone has different schedules, but so far everyone involved seems to be very excited, Stevick said.
Stevick said since the group started he has received many phone calls from residents asking how to get involved. The Bedford Citizens for Land Preservation currently has about 100 residents on its mailing list.
"If (the county) balances its economic development with ways to maintain its rural character, there really needs to be community commitment, and it seems to be there," he said.
David Robertson with the Greater Lynchburg Environmental Network, which was formed to connect preservation groups like the one in Bedford, said his fledgling group is willing to help the Bedford Citizens for Land Preservation any way it can.
"If they don't do what they are doing now, 5 to 10 years from now it may be too late,"he said.
Bedford County Administrator William C. Rolfe said Bedford Citizens for Land Preservation will be important to county officials as they look into revamping the comprehensive plan.
Rolfe said the county plans to keep in close contact with the group, including informing it of meetings concerning the comprehensive plan.
The county would like to hear group members' ideas and views they have toward the plan, and if they are what the majority of the community wants, the county will incorporate them, he said.
Lynchburg City Manager Kim Payne said he did not see many groups like the Bedford County group when he was the county administrator for Spottsylvania County, which has also experienced rapid population growth.
Groups like the one in Sedalia can be very effective in local governmentsí planning processes.
"Today local governments don't hear enough from the public", Payne said.
