Virginia
Intercity Rail Rides Again in Virginia
Intercity rail service has begun operations in Virginia, connecting Lynchburg and Washington D.C.
The Washington Post
City Votes to Control Big Box Stores
Lynchburg, VA approved a new regulation to control big box development in their city earlier this week, despite protests that it would hurt the economy of the area.
The Lynchburg News & Advance
Wal-Mart Proposed Near Civil War Site Angers Historians
A proposed Wal-Mart retail center near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia has preservationists up in arms.
NPR
A Mall Opens in Tough Times
A $276 million mixed-use remake of a 1973-era mall is opening on Interstate 64 in southeastern Virginia. While the retail is trickling in, the housing element is filling up quickly.
New Urban News
Officials Protest as Wal-Mart Encroaches on Civil War Site
Plans to build a Wal-Mart and parking lot near a historic Civil War battlefield has spurred a bi-partisan protest from Virginia's top officials.
The Washington Post
Can A County Become A City?
Fairfax County, Virginia is contemplating making the switch. Officials say the goal is to have control over local funding decisions, particularly in regards to road maintenance.
TheCityFix
Mobile Homes: Common Source of Legal Disputes
Though they are still striving for social tolerance, mobile homes have managed to achieve a certain legal acceptance.
Virginia Lawyers Weekly
No Lot Size Ordinance Any More in Stafford, VA
The Stafford Board of Supervisors opposed an ordinance which would require a minimum buildable lot area for agriculturally zoned parcels.
The Free Lance-Star
Comparing the Fates of Two Exurbs
Reporter Ben Adler travels to Leesburg, VA without a car and reports on the difficulties he experiences getting around. In comparison, Ben walks with ease around Kentlands, a New Urbanist development in Maryland.
The American Prospect
New Urbanists Say They Missed an Opportunity in Virginia's New Street Rules
Virginia recently announced new rules governing the connectivity and width of streets. Some new urbanists bemoan that they may have muffed an opportunity to make the new standards even better.
New Urban News
Silver Line Expansion Hits a Speed Bump
The second phase of a rail line extending to Dulles International Airport is slated for completion in December 2016--later than expected--thanks to delays in getting Congressional funding for the first half of the project.
The Washington Post
Calming Traffic With Zig-Zag Lines
The Virginia Department of Transportation is painting zig-zag lines in the middle of traffic lanes in an effort to get motorists to slow down as they near a bike trail and pedestrian path.
WTOP
Virginia Bans the Cul-De-Sac In New Subdivisions
Through streets in new neighborhoods will reduce traffic on and the cost of maintaining overburdened arterials, but builders and residents say it'll make their communities less safe and attractive.
The Washington Post
Bringing God to the Urbanites
As the trend towards urban living grows, churches are rethinking how to approach the urban and religious. This article from a Baptist newspaper suggests that the faithful have been reading and absorbing Richard Florida.
The Baptist Standard
Entering the 'Maze of Zoning'
In Virginia Beach, VA, homeowner Herbert Harris was told that the wheelchair ramp and extra bedroom he was building for his wife and ill daughter needed building permits. Thus began a trip down the rabbit hole of the Board of Zoning Appeals.
The Virginian-Pilot



















