Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 16 · column 1 of 7 · from the scan, no model involved
RLEP
Continued from page 1
opers will see that and decide, ‘Let’s bust that plan’ . . . the whole key is being reasonable and being consistent.
“Developers aren’t evil. .They’re just like you and me. They have wives and children. They have dogs and cats. They play by the rules; they do what the county allows them to do.”
And as for the leeway Rappahannock permits, Mr. Congelton said the county’s zoning and subdivision ordinances are “some of the most sophisticated, well-written ordinances in the whole state," and, at the same time, “easy to understand and administer." Rappahannock’s land use regulations borrow “a little bit from Fairfax, a little bit from Fauquier, a little bit from Stafford, and a little bit from Montgomery County, Maryland," taking “the best from each,” he said.
However, he gave considerably less praise to the county’s comprehensive plan, calling it only “a good, basic plan.” Noting that this document is currently slated for review and revision, he advised “in the future, that’s where your emphasis should be ... In Virginia, the comprehensive plan is the most important tool local governments have for guiding development.”
Bob Lee, the Clarke County administrator who helped put that rural, agricultural county at the forefront of Virginia’s pro-planning and environmental protection movement, likewise applauded Rappahannock’s zoning and subdivision ordinances but pointed out that the 1980 data in the county’s comprehensive plan is too old and should be updated. Otherwise, “it’s not going tc stand up in court,” he cautioned.
Preparedness is best defense
Rappahannock would be well advised to watch what’s happening ir the development arena, both ir neighboring counties and at home, Mr. Lee said, adding “an early warn ing system is the best defense.” Al every board meeting, Clarke’s su pervisors are given a list of the previous month’s real estate transactions, including the seller, the buyer, a description of the property, its assessed value, and its selling price, and Mr. Lee suggested this be done for Rappahannock’s board.
“If you see land that’s selling for much more than its assessed for,’ and if the buyers are investment cor
87.3%