Board sets ‘family’ limits

By JIM LAWRENCE
For the Stafford County Sun
Published: June 19, 2008

STAFFORD — An ordinance addressing the number of people not related by “blood, marriage, adoption, or guardianship” living within a single dwelling was discussed at the Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting held Tuesday.

The board ultimately voted to limit the number so that no more than four unrelated people may live with one another in a single-family home in the county. The motion passed by a vote of 5-2, with Joe Brito, I-Hartwood, and George Schwartz, D-Falmouth casting the dissenting votes. 

The board determined it would define “family” as a “group of people living together as a single housekeeping unit.”

The plan originally called for a limit of unrelated people living in the household to three people.

During a public hearing and board discussion, the issue met with opposition from some of the public. Some felt the ordinance was aimed directly at immigrants.

Local resident Robert Hopkins gave an example of people who might be forced out of their homes by an emergency such as a tornado, and make living arrangements with a number of unrelated people.

The ordinance under discussion would prohibit such action, he said.

Stafford County Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer, R-Garrisonville, noted the exceptions but advocated the ordinance due to the “gross” abuses. He made a motion to pass the ordinance with an amendment from changing the number of unrelated people from three to four.

Supervisor Bob Woodson, D-Griffis-Widewater, opposed the change, citing planning commissioner Arch Di Peppe’s statements that it could be perceived to target a “certain” group of people.

Following several suggested rewordings of the ordinance, County Administrator Anthony Romanello, suggested that the proposal be returned to staff so that they might reword it and have the board revisit the issue at its July1 meeting.

Though some agreed with Romanello that more specific wording was needed, the motion passed.

In other news, Susan Fitzgibbon of the Department of Utilities discussed possible rate changes in water usage, put forth, she said, in an effort to curb overuse of water resources. After discussion, the ordinance passed unanimously.

The change will allow an increase in the cost of water in the upper tiers of usage. Those remaining in the average use will see no change in rates, according to the department.

Fitzgibbon stated that 750 customers, or 2.7 percent, accounted for 11 percent of the water used.

The ordinance is aimed at the “peak” periods, which are June through September.

Also at the meeting, several roads were added to the six-year road improvement plan with a contingency of a possible public hearing, according to a recommendation by Dudenhefer.

Several locations were cited, and had shown a very low grade on their handling capacity. Though these would be added to the list, there is no funding for them at present.

The additions were made by a vote of 6-1, with Brito dissenting.

Dudenhefer also called for The Virginia Department of Transportation to study the possibility of crosswalks at Garrisonville Road and Salisbury Drive and at Mine and Garrisonville roads.

The point was made that VDOT had already recommended that crosswalks be placed at these locations in a study of overall safety improvements on Garrisonville Road. The motion passed unanimously.

The next meeting of the board will take place in the suprvisors’ chambers of the Stafford County Administration Center at 1 p.m. on July 1. On the agenda that day will a public hearing on the BPOL tax.

General information regarding the board, including agendas and minutes may be found at co.stafford.va.us.