MC hosts Living Towns workshop

By Jane DeGeorge
Eagle Reporter
Published: June 26, 2008

In terms of zoning and planning in Madison County – “density” is usually frowned upon.

But increasing the number of homes and businesses in certain areas can be a good thing for a community, according to some of those who spoke at the 2008 Living Towns Planning Workshop, which took place in Madison last week. 

“Madison County has been typically ‘density adverse,’” Supervisor Bob Miller told The Eagle after the June 18 meeting. “But we need to consider [it] if we want to preserve our open space and farmland. What we’re doing now is slowly developing Madison County into three-acre lots.”

Close to 100 people attended the June 18 workshop, which brought together local government officials from across Virginia to share ideas and tips about preserving and improving communities. Madison County and town officials introduced speakers on a variety of topics, including farmland preservation, heritage tourism and a “planner’s tool box” of ideas to help create viable towns, which centered on creating denser communities.

Originally, zoning was developed to “separate uses thought to be incompatible,” Milton Herd, of Leesburg-based Herd Planning and Design, told the audience. However, these types of zoning requirements have resulted in unwanted development that includes large parking lots, “strip malls” and “sprawl,” he said.

Some communities tend to fight against this type of construction since many new buildings are not as “lovable” as the older ones, according to Herd. Creating more “intimate” neighborhoods with sidewalks and buildings nearby these walkways will attract a greater number of people to support businesses, added Piedmont Environmental Council Land User Officer Jeff Werner.

Miller said that officials could look into supporting “denser” development and mixed-use zoning within some of the county’s villages, including in Brightwood, as well as in downtown Madison.

Photos and other information about the presentations featured at the 2008 Living Towns Planning Workshop are available on-line at http://www.rrregion.org/planningworkshops_madison.html.