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Dear
Neighbors,
Please take a moment to read the alert below; developer
lobbyists are trying to block key land use/transportation reform bills at the
state level. This alert is from the Coalition for Smarter Growth, a
member organization in
the Campaign for Loudoun's Future.
Governor
Kaine has pledged to give communities the tools they need to effectively manage
growth. However,
if lobbyists for the development industry defeat the Governor's proposed reforms,
developers targeting Loudoun County will continue to build houses where our roads
can't handle the traffic (e.g., the proposed 28,000 new houses along Route 50).
Please contact your
state legislators by close of business tomorrow, Wednesday, February 1 -- the
future of Loudoun may depend on it! Also, please mark your calendar
for a rally/lobby day in Richmond next Tuesday, February 7 -- details to follow.
To email your state senator
and state delegate (or to get their phone numbers):
1. Go to the State
Assembly look-up page.
2. Enter your address.
3. When the results appear, scroll down and click the box that says "Send
a Message to Your Delegate and Senator."
Also, be sure to thank
Governor Kaine for moving ahead with linking land use to transportation.
Thank you for your support,
Andrea McGimsey
Campaign for Loudoun's Future
http://www.loudounsfuture.org/
info@loudounsfuture.org
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CSG ALERT
January 30,
2006
Developer Lobbyists Trying to Kill Local
Land Management Bills
| What's
at Stake: |
The
ability of local governments to make land use decisions based on local road capacity |
| When: |
Key votes
take place Tuesday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 1, 2006 |
| Background: |
Governor
Kaine clearly recognizes the need to link transportation and land use. Legislators
are following his lead and proposing legislation to give local governments increased
power to manage growth.
While some developers have
recognized the need to better link where and how we grow, well-funded developer
lobbyists in Richmond are exerting pressure to defeat these bills. Defeating the
bills would allow developers to build houses even if local road capacity is inadequate
to handle the increased number of cars.
The bills are currently
being reviewed by Legislative Committees, who will either kill the bills or vote
to send them forward. Our legislators need to hear from citizens that voters support
these land use reform initiatives. |
| Action: |
Call
or email key officials. Let them know you support bills giving local communities
more power to control growth.
A personal note works best. You do not have to be an expert on the bills. Sample
language: “I support better land use planning to reduce traffic. Both state
and local government must help us deal with poorly planned growth and the traffic
problems it's creating. I ask you to support the following bills…” |
| Who
to Contact: |
Committee members who will vote on the bills. Click the following links to email
everyone on the committees: House
Committee on Counties, Cities, and Towns and Senate
Local Government Committee. |
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Your
state
delegate and state senator. Follow the link to find out who your
legislators are and how to call or email them. |
|
The
Governor Tell him to stay the course! He’s doing the right
thing. |
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Your
friends! Please forward this email and spread the word so others can
take action, too. |
MORE INFORMATION:
Most Important Bills
to Support
| HB1610 |
Clarifies
and strengthens power of local governments to say no to a rezoning if the local
roads are inadequate. This bill is the most important, and the one most
opposed by the developer lobbyists. |
| HB1609
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Requires
traffic impact studies |
| SB373/HB1542 |
Permits transfer of development
rights. This authorizes localities as part of their zoning ordinances to provide
for transfer of development rights from one parcel of land to another parcel of
land, thereby increasing the density of development on one parcel while restricting
development on the other parcel. Passed Senate with support of home builders;
support the Senate version in House. |
More Good Bills to Support
| HB1521/HB1529 |
Requires Comprehensive
Plan to include transportation networks and costs |
| HB1528
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Requires local governments
to estimate total cost of transportation needs |
| HB1506/1520 |
Extends power to negotiate
proffers paid by developers for local infrastructure needs to more localities |
See Stewart Schwartz's Statement
on the House Management Growth Plan.
To unsubscribe from
the Coalition for Smarter Growth's periodic alerts, please write to us at info@smartergrowth.net
and let us know your communication preferences. If you would like to receive our
newsletter, please indicate that in the message; otherwise we will remove you
from both email lists.
Coalition for Smarter Growth
4000 Albemarle St, NW, Suite 310
Washington DC 20016
(202) 244-4408 (202) 244-4438 fax
www.smartergrowth.net
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