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of Highways in 1974 decided to “defer” plans for a Sperryville bypass. The State Highway Location Engineer wrote: “The District Engineer . . . has expressed concern and some doubt as to the proposed method of development along t(ie existing road through Sperryville being the best answer to the longrange problem. I can appreciate Mf. Hope’s (the District Engineer) feelings and agree that any one of the southern bypasses considered would provide better overall traffic service and would be worth more to the traveling public. But then there is definitely a question of whether tffc bypass would be worth a million dollars more...” *
In addition to the huge cost of constructing this highway, adding yet more millions to our towering national deficit, there are hidden costs as well. At least 72 additional acres, including several residences and at least one prominent business, will be taken out of the Rappahannock County tax base.
A recent fiscal study of Culpeper County by the Piedmont Environmental Council clearly pointed obt that “residential use” of land is by far the most expensive. In Culpeper County, capital costs to that county per residential unit are $7,421. This amount includes costs for schools and other public facilities needed to support residential development; ijt does not include the cost of new roads, water and sewer facilities and school buses. \
With present tax arrangements and commodity prices, the buildirig of residential development in Rappahannock County will be directly detrimental to agricultural production. In 1987, Rappahannock building permits for single-family houses were up 31 percent from 1986 and 86 percent over 1986. Construction of the > new dual lanes will naturally and inevitably put a squeeze on agriculture. Tourist-dependent business also will be impacted if this county shifts its economy from agriculture to residential development. .
STELLA CADWALADER Woodville
84.3%