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During
the public comment period, the TND generated intense opposition from
citizens, while developers and their supporters acknowledged numerous
problems with the legislation but urged that it be passed anyway.
Once
again, the Board of Supervisors followed the developers’
recommendations. Board members
Brito (I), Fields (D), and Scwhartz (D) opposed the legislation, voting to
reject the TND as written in favor of creating a mixed-use ordinance in
the context of the County’s Comprehensive Plan with extensive citizen
input. Board
members Dudenheffer (R), Gibbons (R), and Milde (R), had long sided
with big developers and their TND plan.
Jack Cavalier (I) became the decisive vote and joined the majority
in supporting the developer-initiated plan despite the objections of
citizens. Acknowledging they
were passing a bad piece of legislation, the Board attached a provision to
their vote that the ordinance go back to the Planning Commission for
review. This maneuver gave the
impression of taking into account a few of the many citizens’
objections, while leaving developers free to initiate new TND projects
under the bad piece of legislation the Board had already passed.
This
entire process epitomizes what has been wrong with
Stafford
County’s approach to growth. Instead
of considering citizen well-being, the developers have been able to
dictate the County’s policies. The
result has been runaway growth with all its accompanying problems.
Until the Board has a majority that is willing to speak on behalf
of citizens, not special interests, we can expect the growth-related
problems in
Stafford
to only get worse. |
