HomeMy Public PortalAbout1988_11_22_R231RESOLUTION NO.
88-231
PRESENTED
ADOPTED
November 22~ 1988
November 22~ 1988
RESOLVED by the Council for the Town of Leesburg in Virginia as
follows:
The attached comments on off-site road improvements shall be sent to
the HJR 125 subcommittee studying Off-Site Road Improvements and Development
Impacts on Public Infrastructure.
PASSED this 22nd day of November
ATTEST:
Clerk of C~ncil
1988.
o ert Sevila, Mayor
Town of Leesburg
' Lees rK in WirKinia
ROBERT E. SEVILA
MAYOR
15 WEST MARKET STREET * POST OFFICE BOX 88 · 22075 · 703-777-2420 · OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
November 28, 1988
Honorable C. Richard Cranwell, Chairman
Joint Subcommittee Studying Off-site ~ Improvements
State Capitol
Richmond, lFu'ginia 28219
Dear Delegate Cranwell:
On l~h~lt' of the Town of Leesburg, I wish to thsnk you and the members of the Joint
Subcommittee Studying Ofl'-site Pwad Improvements (1988 tLIR125) for your eflbrts and
time spent considering this important topic. Adequate transportation planning ~ a growing
cencern to the Town as traflSc demsnds generated by new development are and will be
placing a burden on our existing and planned road network
Based on the Leesburg Town Plan, construction of the future regional trsnsportation
network within Leesburg (limited access highways, major and minor arterials), required to
provide acceptable levels of service when the Town is fully developed, wffi co~ ~a estimated
$88.2 million dollars ill culTent dollars. As,m]mlng the Town will receive approximately $1
million dollars per year from the tFa-ginia Department of Transportation over the 20 year
life of the Tranaportation Pllm, this would reduce the total cost to $68~, million dollar~
Despite this, local revenues will be insufficient to pay for the transportation nee~ts of our
[bl/tly urb~nlgln~ Town, which is expect~ & continued annual population growth rate in
excess of 5%. Simply stated, existing enabling legislation and the unlform~ ~ wide
funding formula for prims~y and arterial highways has and will continue to fall far short of
meeting the Town's critical transportation needs.
An incr--.,alng number of communities across the nation, in an attempt to alleviate the
public 6nAn~iAi burden imposed by a rapid population growth, have required developers to
· provide a portion of the off-site public facilities necesdtated in part by their development. In
V'L,l~inia, under section 15.146(j) of the State Code, localities may require developers to pay
a pr~rata shA~e of "sewerage and dra/nage facilities located outside the property limits of the
land owned or controlled by him, but necessitated or required, at least in part, b!y the
construction or improvement of his subdivision or development...' However, state enshlln~
legislation does not explicitly provide slmilA, provisions relating to the cost of off:site
roadway improvements. Therefore, the tFul/inia Supreme Court has censls~ently rtlled thst
developers cannot be required to contribute to the censtmction of roadways, the need for
which is not substantlslly generated by the proposed development.
Presently, the Town accepts volunteered proffers for pro-ram contributions to the Town
regional trsnsportation fund at the rezoning stage, based on a cost per unit of de.~elopment
by land use. While this method of securing these contributions is not ideal, thefe
MEMBER OF VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
Honorable C. Ri~.hs~d Crauwel~ Chs~n
November 21, 1988
Page 2
contributions help off-set the traffic impacts of development ~ropo~ah. However', they are
strictly voluntary and are often underestimated in terms of current dollar values~. The Town
believes that local government, state government, and the private sector development
c.~mm~Dity ~ need to play a part in resolving our growing tr~nsport/~on problenm, and
that each should fund their fa/r sh~re of needed tra~po~on improvements. ,Any
legialative proposals which diminish Our pl'o/~'el' authority over transpo~ation impacts will
devastate Leesburg and all other commljnities with th~ authority. This w/Il inevitably lead
to new pressures to control growth through restrictive land use policies.
l.,~mlly, the Town supports further amendment to the state code to permit localities to
obtain off-site road improvements as part of the land development process for undeveloped
land, and not only as part of a rezonlnE. The Town of Leesburg urges the sub~ommlttee to
recommend enabling legislation to expand the options available to local government for
~.~luitable financing, and adequate ph~no~ of required road improvements as a v~ult of new
development. We cannot achieve a proper b~l~nce of services by controllinE sortie
infrastructure needs and not others.
you for your time and consideration-
Robert E. Sevila
Mayor
P~E~:rz
Town Council
Jeffrey Minor, Town Manager
County of Loudoun, Board of Supervisors