Friday, January 11, 2008

Chesterfield County - "Levels of Service"

I recently read an article in the January 9th Chesterfield Observer regarding a "Proposed growth tool" called"LOS Standards". The way the article reads is the county will approve rezoning particularly residential zoning only if the "level of services" available ( schools, roads, libraries, parks ) are adequate. Sounds good doesn't it?
First question - Who will build these new services? As Tyler Craddock spokesperson for the Richmond Homebuilders Association pointed out," LOS is an end run around the General Assembly, which has told localities they don't have the power of adequate public facilities". Is the county going to build a road to nowhere and wait for the people to come. I don't think so.
This article also quotes Dan Gecker, newly elected supervisor to the Midlothian district, as saying " I hope developers will get together and figure out ways to share infrastructure costs".
Second question - How will that work? Since most developers don't buy the property until the property is rezoned and each project is engineered by an engineer who is hired by the developer, I don't think that this will be practical at all. In my humble opinion this is way too much control in the hands of your local government. It is not an efficient way to do business and will cost the consumer more money and reduce raw land values.
If you are a landowner in Chesterfield, it may be in your best interest to speak up at the January 15th meeting of the planning commission.

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