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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2000
Our View
A good session
We 're as happy with what we didn 't
get as we are with what we did
It’s a fortunate fact of life that most of the things
that we worry about don’t happen to us. The same
is true when counties like Rappahannock previewed the various pieces of legislature that were to be presented to the Virginia General Assembly.
Due to the wisdom of our representatives, the proper functioning of the democratic system — and failing that, the grace of God — most of these bills never made it into law. Here are a couple that we’re glad didn’t make it into law:
Senate Bill 226, which called for a ban on tractortrailer traffic off of Rt. 17 between U. S. 50 and Interstate 66, might have been okay for other jurisdictions, but the resulting traffic shift would have been a disaster for Rappahannock.
We’ve already been there, when the old two-lane Rt. 17 between Warrenton and 1-66 at Marshall was closed to the big rigs after a series of fatal accidents. For several years — until Rt. 17 was four-laned and the ban lifted — we endured triple the big truck traffic on Rt. 522, which became the alternate truck route.
That was tough on travelers and local folks that use Rt. 522, as well those who live in Huntly and Flint Hill. But now, we shouldn’t have to worry. 1 SB 758 would have taken away the authority of local jurisdictions to exert zoning authority over cellular communications towers in public rights-of-way. The bill made it through the Senate, but was withdrawn before the House could vote on it.
This gift to the cell tower companies would have been given at the expense of the localities. The idea was unacceptable, and our representatives stood firm.
More good news:
One new law we didn’t ask for — but we were glad we got — was Senate Bill 643, which specifically gives localities the authority to regulate mountain ridge construction. This broadening of local authority is welcome, since regulating ridgetop construction is one of those issues that will be coming up more often in the future in regions like ours.
We weren’t expecting this one, but we’ll take it.
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