Comprehensive

Comprehensive

plan passed by

commissioners

By SHARON KILPATRICK

Rappahannock News Staff Writer

The Rappahannock County Planning Commission unanimously approved the county's revised Comprehensive Plan and sent it on to the Board of Supervisors last Wednesday evening.

The action followed a public hearing during w hich most speakers favored adoption of the plan, but a few. including Jackson District Supervisor Ellis Bingham spoke against adopting it without changes.

Sean Kilpatrick raised a question about the "goals and objectives” part of the plan. Under the principle of encouraging residential development in designated growth areas, he said, the plan calls for allowing for "the broadest possible range of housing opportunities, styles, and configurations, within the context of a rural, agricultural community. That is what you should do.

“But then you go and take it all away in the next section which calls for establishing historic districts." He read two sections of the proposed plan: "Ensure that proposed development is compatible with the architectural attributes of nearby or adjoining historic properties . . . " and “Provide design incentives and land-use controls for new development along gateways to historic areas so that such new development will be compatible and harmonious with the historic area.

“Let me tell you why I'm scared silly as soon as we talk about historic districts," Mr. Kilpatrick said. He noted that the Town of Washington has a historic district ordinance and an Architectural Review Board which enforces that ordinance. "A church in town wanted to replace its roof. At that time the roof could be replaced w ith copper, and the copper would have been cheaper, hut the church was not allowed to replace the roof with copper, although the town did approve new street signs with copper caps.

"This kind of problem is going to occur all over if w e try to set up historic districts. There are historic homes throughout the county,” he concluded.

Allen Olson, president of the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection said he wanted to "commend the Commission for the work on the revisions and urge they be adopted as written. Situations change and you may need to amend the plan further, he said, adding that a comprehensive plan is not a static document; it has to evolve.

Addressing Mr. Kilpatrick’s comments, he continued, “Many sections in the plan are not self-implementing. They must be implemented by zoning. Others would take an amendment to the zoning ordinance. Those concerns can be addressed at the time a specific historic area is proposed. Those are decisions for a later time."

Former Jackson District Supervisor A1 Henry asked if any areas had been downzoned.

“Not that I’m aware of,” County Administrator John McCarthy replied. Demographic data questioned

“I didn’t get past the demographic document,” Col. Bingham said. “If you sign this document we’re already a decade behind the power curve . . . Much of the demographic data are dated 1980. What I would like to see is the plan tabled until we can get updated data. 1980 figures to me are unacceptable . . . We don’t know what the land is worth; maybe it’s just something to look at . . . What else this is showing is the need for a part-time planner ... All this information can be gotten from a thorough survey. I object to something like this coming before the supervisors based on what you want rather than hard cold facts.”

See PLANNERS, o. 18