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HomeMy Public PortalAbout1988_11_08_R215Lees§urg in ~rirginia PRESENTED November 8~ 1988 RESOLUTION N0.88-215__ ADOPTED November 8~ 1988 A RESOLUTION: REQUESTING THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ADOPT THE TOWN'S 1989 LEGISLATIVE POLICY STATEMENT WHEREAS, action by the General Assembly is required for the town to perform certain governmental services; and WHEREAS, the town supports the 1989 Legislative Program and Policy Statements adopted by the Virginia Municipal League; and WHEREAS, the town particularly emphasizes tree preservation, early entry on to condemned property, open space conservation, city transition and town annexation rights and the Virginia Housing Partnership Fund as actions for~the General Assembly that will particularly benefit the citizens of Leesburg. THEREFORE, RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia as follows: The Town Council respectfully requests the General Assembly to adopt the 1989 Legislative Program and Policy Statement of Virginia Municipal League and the attached town Legislative Policy Statement. PASSED this .8gh day of ATrE ST: Cle~k o~f,. ouncil po 1 icyr Nov Robert E. Sevila, Mayor Town of Leesburg I~I$IATI~E I~LI~ STAT~q~/T TRE~ PRE~ATIO~ The Town Council of the Town of Leesburg reco~nizes the need to increase the town's authority to regulate the removal and require the replacement of trees. The General Assembly is in a position to assist the town in preserving the benefits available from our trees in the face of ever-increasing development pressures in Northern Virginia. Trees enhance the beauty and livabtlity of Leesburg by providing shade, screening and atmosphere and should not be lost as the town develops. The town is at a point now where preservation authority used properly can si~nificemtly impact current and future quality of life for our citizens. There are two bills before the General Assembly which are worthy of consideration. HB 457 grants wide authority to selected Northern Virginia counties to adopt. tree preservation ordinances. HB 905 grants more limited and poorly defined authority to counties, cities and towns to adopt tree preservation ordinances. Between both bills, as currently written, the town supports HB 905 which provides the town the authority to regulate the removal and replacement of trees within the town limits. If, however, HB 457 was amended to include authorization for towns to adopt tree conservation ordinances, the Town of Leesburg would support HB 457 because it is more appropriately worded and provides control over a broader range of trees. The absence of one of these bills will continue to impair the town's ability to preserve our trees. The town applauds the General Assembly for initiating and considering these bills and recommends that further action be taken during the 1989 Session. - 2 - OPEN SPAC~ C/]NSERVATIONFt]ND The Town Council of the Town of Leesburg supports HB 196 which appears to satisfy many of Council's goals meeting park and open space needs of its citizens. The town joins the Virginia Recreation and Park Society in supporting this legislation because it provides a mechanism to acquire and preserve parks and open space. The purpose of the Open Space Conservation Fund is to provide matching grants to localities on a 50-50 basis to assist in their efforts to acquire open space. A loan program is also included for use by localities. The town encourages the General Assembly to continue the search for the necessary financing for this worthy legislation. CIT~TRA~SITION LEGISIATION Delegate C. Richard Cranwell has proposed leg/slat/on limiting annexation authority for towns and cities and eliminating authority for towns to transfer to cities. If adopted into law, Cranwell's plan undermines the position of all large towns in Virginia with respect to future county negotiations relative to revenue sharing, annexation and city transition. With a current population of 17,000, Leesburg would be designated a town forever and would never have access to the potential benefits of independent city status, once Leesburg attains the population and resources which might warrant transition. Even more significant is the loss of annexation rights. For town governments to function and plan effectively, towns must have the authority to annex neighboring property where urban services are essential. - 3 - The town encourages the General Assembly to adopt a compromise plan put fo~ard by a task force established by VHL and VACo. The ~L/VACo proposal a11o~s for the creation of new cities and to~m annexation by ordinance within appropriate limitations. The Leesburg Town Council is concerned about housing problems within its boundaries. A recently adopted state-wide program appears to warrant Leesburg's support. The program, entitled the Virginia Housing Partnership Fund, represents a successful vehicle to assist low income, elderly, disabled and homeless people through its loan and grant programs. Leesburg supports the continued funding of the Virginia Housing Partnership Fund, recognizing that the initial appropriation of $67.$ million may not be sufficient to attack the long term housing problems in the area. Noting that a non-profit organization in Loudoun County has received a $125,000 grant from this program to establish a housing shelter, the Town Council is encouraged that funds from this program will b,a utilized to assist elderly and low income Northern Virginia families with their housing needs. C~a~TIFICA~ OF TAKE Because Leesburg continues to expand necessary municipal services to accommodate explosive growth, the Town Council requests the General Assembly to assist towns in acquiring necessary property. Specifically, the state is currently authorized to file a certificate of take which permits immediate entry and use of land subject to condemnation suits. Towns, on the other hand, must wait 21 days prior to entering and using - 4 - land subject to condemnation. Often essential public health projects like water and suer system extensions are needlessly delayed. The twenty-one day period serves no useful purpose. The Town of Leesburg respecl:fully requests the same authority currently granted to the state regarding early entry to property involved in condemnation suits so that the public good may be better served.