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What localities need, he maintained, is a balance —“thoughtful, detailed, expensive land use planning” developed in accord with state law under the Dillon Rule.
The Virginia Legislative Advisory Council pushed for mandatory planning when it became obvious to the legislature that counties and towns weren’t interested in "doing their work,” according to Payne. Many localities, he said, adopted comprehensive plans purely to qualify for federal grants. “They weren’t interested until someone was going to give them money,” Payne contended.
Planning For Dollars
Half of Virginia’s localities have adopted comprehensive plans for just that reason, he continued. Most of the "planning for dollars" efforts haven’t been updated or reviewed as required by state law, Payne noted.
These conditions, he said, came to the attention of the Legislative Advisory Council of the General Assembly and resulted in state mandates for the creation of local Planning Commissions, adoption of subdivision site plan ordinances and adoption of comprehensive plans.
If localities don’t comply with state requirements and guidelines for proper land use planning, then the Commonwealth will take over that responsibility for local government, Payne warned.
After the General Assembly handed down mandates for Planning Commissions, subdivision ordinances and comprehensive plans, the reaction of many localities was typical of that of a “recalcitrant
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