Stafford Supervisors and the Planning Commission are holding a public hearing Thursday night at Colonial Forge High School on downzoning nearly 90-thousand acres of agricultural property from one dwelling unit per 3 acres to one dwelling per 10 acres.
Stafford officials say downzoning will help concentrate growth into the targeted growth areas. A county press release says:
The Healthy Growth initiative arose out of a desire by the Board for better-managed growth by adhering to Stafford’s Comprehensive Plan, a long-range vision for the County based on shared community values and preferences. Currently, the Comprehensive Plan recommends that the Targeted Growth Areas receive 50% of the projected future growth. Based on current approvals and development patterns, the number Targeted Growth Areas are expected in the future is only 8.2% of future growth. The Comprehensive Plan discourages residential development in the rural areas of the County. The rural areas are planned to accept 20% of future residential growth. Current approvals and development patterns show that the rural areas would receive approximately 30% of the future growth, an unsustainable path considering the public safety, road improvement, water and septic, and school impacts it would create.
According to the Planning Commission’s report the greatest growth imbalance is not in rural parts of the county but in the Suburban areas which are mostly located in the Falmouth, Aquia and Garrisonville districts. A total of 540 homes were built in these areas in 2019 vs the target of 313. This amounts to 227 homes over the target for healthy growth outlined in the comprehensive plan. In 2019 Embrey Mill alone likely makes up 175-225 of these and will be built-out over the next 2-3 years. It makes sense why the board members of these districts have been set on downzoning. They by far have the most
significant growth imbalance, but it’s not in the rural areas where they are pointing the finger. It’s in their very own districts. Keep in mind that few residential rezonings have been granted over the past 5 years. This in itself has contributed to the imbalance and still there fewer homes than targeted.
The joint public hearing will be held on Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Colonial Forge High School, 550 Courthouse Road. The auditorium will accommodate 65 individuals with minimal overflow seating in the cafeteria next to the auditorium. In-person speakers will receive a number and will listen for their number to be called up. The meeting will adhere to all required Coronavirus protocols such as social distancing and face coverings. Public hearing comments are also being accepted online at www.staffordcountyva.gov/publichearings; please provide comments before 4:30 p.m. on October 28. The meeting will be streamed online via www.staffordcountyva.gov and viewable on Facebook Live and cable access channels. The proposed amendments and Q&As are also available online at https://staffordcountyva.gov/2181/Healthy-Growth-Initiative.
