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Route 20 study makes Orange plan
Orange planners include the controversial study in comp plan, with development restrictions.
By ROBIN KNEPPER
Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
October 21, 2006
Orange County planning commissioners complied with state law and put the State Route 20 Corridor Study in the county's comprehensive land-use plan this week.
But the vote Thursday came over the objection of two preservation groups and several local residents.
Both the Civil War Preservation Trust and the National Trust for Historic Preservation objected to the study being part of the comp plan, the blueprint for growth and development in the county.
Along with recommendations for numerous traffic improvements along the two-lane road, the study recommends the four-laning of Route 20 from Locust Grove to its intersection with State Route 3.
The study recommends either expanding the existing road on its present alignment through the Wilderness Battlefield or building a new road to the east. The new road would skirt Lake of the Woods and would cross land that has been authorized by Congress to be incorporated into the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Because it is a transportation study, the Route 20 document must be made part of the comp plan under state law.
The Board of Supervisors has already approved it, but because the majority of planning commissioners disagreed with its recommendations, they added four disclaimers.
These address traffic management through intersection construction, discourage development that would necessitate a four-lane highway, state that the county would not undertake improvements that would encourage more traffic from outside the county, and note that the plan was no impediment to addressing current needs.
Planning Commissioner Dave Kovarik, who represents Lake of the Woods, cast the only vote against including the disclaimers with the study. "Sooner or later we're going to have to have a four-lane road," he said.
Planning Commissioner Tom Bundy said the additional language's "intent is to discourage growth."
In other action, the commissioners held a work session to review the concept plan of Annadale, the Silver Cos.' 290-unit active-adult community planned for the Gordonsville area.
Commissioners voiced concerns about turn lanes leading into the entrances to the subdivision, the width of streets and designation of recreational areas and trails.
Jervis Hairston, vice president of residential development for the company, told the commissioners that only the designation of recreational areas would be addressed because streets, entrances and turn lanes had been approved in the rezoning process and comply with Virginia Department of Transportation requirements.
Civil engineer Don Waite said trails through the open space will be added to concept plan to satisfy the commissioners.
Hairston said the developer intends to submit preliminary plans to the county by Feb. 5.
Eric
Orange planners include the controversial study in comp plan, with development restrictions.
By ROBIN KNEPPER
Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
October 21, 2006
Orange County planning commissioners complied with state law and put the State Route 20 Corridor Study in the county's comprehensive land-use plan this week.
But the vote Thursday came over the objection of two preservation groups and several local residents.
Both the Civil War Preservation Trust and the National Trust for Historic Preservation objected to the study being part of the comp plan, the blueprint for growth and development in the county.
Along with recommendations for numerous traffic improvements along the two-lane road, the study recommends the four-laning of Route 20 from Locust Grove to its intersection with State Route 3.
The study recommends either expanding the existing road on its present alignment through the Wilderness Battlefield or building a new road to the east. The new road would skirt Lake of the Woods and would cross land that has been authorized by Congress to be incorporated into the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Because it is a transportation study, the Route 20 document must be made part of the comp plan under state law.
The Board of Supervisors has already approved it, but because the majority of planning commissioners disagreed with its recommendations, they added four disclaimers.
These address traffic management through intersection construction, discourage development that would necessitate a four-lane highway, state that the county would not undertake improvements that would encourage more traffic from outside the county, and note that the plan was no impediment to addressing current needs.
Planning Commissioner Dave Kovarik, who represents Lake of the Woods, cast the only vote against including the disclaimers with the study. "Sooner or later we're going to have to have a four-lane road," he said.
Planning Commissioner Tom Bundy said the additional language's "intent is to discourage growth."
In other action, the commissioners held a work session to review the concept plan of Annadale, the Silver Cos.' 290-unit active-adult community planned for the Gordonsville area.
Commissioners voiced concerns about turn lanes leading into the entrances to the subdivision, the width of streets and designation of recreational areas and trails.
Jervis Hairston, vice president of residential development for the company, told the commissioners that only the designation of recreational areas would be addressed because streets, entrances and turn lanes had been approved in the rezoning process and comply with Virginia Department of Transportation requirements.
Civil engineer Don Waite said trails through the open space will be added to concept plan to satisfy the commissioners.
Hairston said the developer intends to submit preliminary plans to the county by Feb. 5.
Eric
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