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.
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were subdivided and sold off? That would put 2,716 more lots on the market. Two thousand seven hundred and sixteen houses times 2.65 people per house, would add 7,197 more people to the county. Again, drop out lots in flood plains, etc., and round down to 7,000.
Adding 7,000 people to the above-noted 12,000, would yield a maximum population, under current zoning regulations, of 19,000 people. All legal. All with no zoning changes. A 237 percent increase in the current population.
Granted this could not occur overnight. And this is where Goldilock s 1.1 percent annual growth rate comes in. As noted, this is the growth rate of Virginia over the last decade. What would the county look like in 50 years at that growth rate?
(See the chart below.)
However, according to Census Bureau data, Rappahannock County’s growth rate over the last decade has been 1.5 percent, not 1.1 percent. In fact, the annual growth in the county from 1997 onward has been approaching 5.0 percent. What would Rappahannock County look like in 50 years at, say, a sustained 5.0 percent annual growth rate? Check the chart.
A 1.1 percent growth rate seems to be far better: it allows time to plan for growth. How can this be achieved? One way would be to look to the Comprehensive Plan for Rappahannock County, due for revision over the next few years. The Comprehensive Plan should place a much greater emphasis on fostering agriculture in the county. Agricultural land in Northern Virginia' is being converted to commercial and residential use at an alarming rate.
This is not the place to discuss how to enhance the county's agricultural economy, nor to point out the ramifications of increased population levels, e.g., more traffic, more schools and other county services. That might be worthy of another series of articles. At this point, it is hoped that county residents and landowners are more aware of the population options for Rappahannock County. Maybe Goldilocks was correct in searching for things that were "just right."
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