Commission OKs amendment to controversial ordinance

By MELINA DOWNS
For the Stafford County Sun
Published: October 9, 2008

STAFFORD — The Stafford County Planning Commission approved a recommendation to pass an amendment to a controversial zoning ordinance in a four-to-three vote during its regular meeting Oct. 1.

The amendment establishes density requirements for the A-1 Agricultural and A-2 Rural Residential zoning districts and was originally deferred Sept. 3 after a public hearing.

“I do not believe this is the time or the place to do this,” said Commissioner Ken Mitchell, who has spoken out against the ordinance since the beginning.

The density requirements established with the passing of the amendment would subtract the areas of all wetlands, floodplains and slopes greater than 35 percent from the gross area of the site to obtain the net area of the land.

This could potentially reduce the number of developable residential lots for new developments in the A-1 and A-2 zoning districts, according to staff.

“This is the original intention,” said Chairman Pete Fields, who has been a supporter of the amendment. “It’s a protection for the environment, a protection for future and current land owners…many of us have seen the egregious land development.”

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors will make the final decision on the amendment taking the Planning Commission’s vote into consideration.

Also during the meeting, the planning commission pushed a new Stafford County High School softball field one step closer to completion when it recommended approval of a conditional-use permit to allow lighting on the field.

After what many say was a 30-year delay, funding for the field was approved by the Stafford County School Board on July 22 at a cost of $766,193.

Now the final step in the process is to gain approval from the board of supervisors.

The new field, which is currently being constructed, is located on the east side of Stafford Indian Lane and is slated to be ready for the 2009 softball season.

Melina Downs is a contributing writer for the Stafford County Sun.