| Virginia
needs a Utah approach to growth
by Rodger Provo
Virginia Business
May 2005
When it comes to sprawl and
transportation problems, Virginia could learn a lot
from Utah. In 1997 concerned
citizens there formed Envision Utah, a group which
mobilized resources to create a vision for the state
that would “keep Utah beautiful, prosperous and
neighborly for future generations.” The grassroots
effort focused on finding a balance between growth
and a good quality of life.
Utah’s approach recently
was introduced to 300 government, business and civic
leaders at an Urban
Land Institute conference in Washington, D.C. They
gathered to envision how the Washington metropolitan
region will deal with a projected increase of 2 million
people in the next 25 years. This increased population
will need 1.6 million jobs and an additional 833,000
housing units.
Conference participants recommended that growth be
handled by focusing on more development and redevelopment
in older suburban areas and the District of Columbia.
They also suggested that growth be tied to transportation
improvements, such as the planned extension of the
Metro system.
Robert Grow, founder and chairman emeritus of Envision
Utah (www.envisionutah.org),
said at the conference that, as a result of the group’s
work, Utah has linked land-use concepts and transportation
improvements as a cornerstone of its program. Consequently,
the state is building communities where people can
live, work, shop and play without constantly getting
into a car. Utah residents also have sought to have
wilderness and mountain regions protected. Plus, many
residents there want future growth clustered in existing
suburban and urban areas, with light rail systems built
to augment the transportation network and restraints
placed on expanding development into rural areas.
Envision Utah’s goals
include improving air quality, encouraging water
conservation and promoting
housing options. Speakers at the Washington conference
noted that two other states, California and Florida,
are pursuing similar programs. In fact, they said 28
other projects like Envision Utah are under way in
major population centers around the country.
Virginia’s state government, however, is ill
equipped to pursue the Utah agenda. Our problems are
too complicated for a one-term governor to tackle,
and so far efforts to allow Virginia governors to serve
two terms have failed. And the General Assembly has
dragged its feet on linking transportation and land-use
issues in any substantial way. Bob Hagan, chairman
of the board of supervisors in Spotsylvania County — one
of Virginia’s fastest-growing localities — told
me recently, “Our growth and transportation problems
are Virginia’s Social Security problem.”
Virginia needs a group of citizens to form something
similar to Envision Utah. Residents should support
ULI efforts to craft a vision project for Washington,
D.C., as well as a statewide vision plan or plans for
other major population centers in the commonwealth.
The 2005 General Assembly appropriated funds for existing
one-time transportation projects, while other needed
projects remain unfunded, and we have inadequate revenue
sources to meet our growing transportation needs estimated
to be in excess of $200 billion. When you think about
how far behind we are and the growth numbers just in
the Washington area, we have to do something dramatically
different.
A Virginia group’s agenda should include land-use
reform, new transportation plans and programs to steer
growth into cities and older suburban areas. Architect
and designer William McDonough of Charlottesville,
co-author of “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the
Way We Make Things,” is working with the Chinese
government to build cities that address many of the
problems discussed at the Washington conference. He
is a world leader in this field who could help Virginia
create a 21st century vision.
One proposed Virginia project — expanding Interstate
81 through the state’s Shenandoah Valley — is
shining a spotlight on how we deal with growth. Opponents
to road widening are promoting an upgrade in rail lines
to serve freight and passenger movement in the region.
This approach, they say, is much preferred to a super
truck highway that would destroy the beauty of the
Shenandoah and disrupt the economic base of many communities
located off the I-81 interchanges.
The upcoming November elections offer an opportunity
to put the growth issue on the table. Virginians will
elect a new governor, lieutenant governor, attorney
general and members to the House of Delegates. It will
be a tragedy if hot-button social issues dominate our
elections rather than debate on how we should plan
our future. The decision of state Sen. H. Russell Potts
Jr., R-Winchester, to run as an independent for governor
should force a serious discussion about the issues
we are struggling to resolve.
Virginia and its future generations deserve better
from us. Utah residents have set a course for the future.
We should be able to do the same.
Provo is a commercial real estate broker based
in Fredericksburg and is an active member of the
Urban Land Institute.
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