Local officials want to ease concerns about a proposal to increase density in rural parts of Northern Virginia.
"Prince William County planners are trying to ease concerns after a proposed update to the Comprehensive Plan drew criticism that it could devastate rural areas," reports Nolan Stout.
"The revisions could threaten what’s known as the 'rural crescent' – roughly 117,000 acres restricted to no more than one home for every 10 acres with strict prohibitions on the expansion of public sewer lines. However, county planners say the new plan provides more potential for protection while managing the needs of population growth," Stout writes.
"Some speakers last week said they believed the consultants haphazardly picked places for potential development rather than getting to know the county." According to the article, "The biggest outcry has been around the agricultural and forestry district’s allowance of up to one home per five acres, rather than one home per 10 acres." But County planner Alex Vanegas "stressed that no changes to rural area land would be allowed by right. Landowners would have to seek a rezoning to allow more density than is currently legal in the rural area."
FULL STORY: Prince William planners try to ease rural area concerns
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