Walker’s Ridge

According to the Economic Development Commission, each residence in our county costs taxpayers about $2.80 for every dollar it pays in taxes. If that’s true, tax consequences of this proposal boggle the mind. By itself, the project would force construction of another new school. Courts, social services, the sheriff’s department and other county offices would have to expand.
When the state legislature devised its urban development concept, lawmakers recognized that sizable business components are vital to balance the costs of residential development. The UDA law includes a formula for achieving such balance. If that formula were applied to Walker’s Ridge, currently proposed business development would fall far short. Unfortunately, the state statute and its taxpayer protections do not apply in this case Fluvanna supervisors claim that county businesses today pay about 11 percent of our taxes while homeowners pay the other 89 percent. Supervisor Joe Chesser and others insist that businesses should pay at least 30 percent. Walker’s Ridge takes us in the opposite direction.
There are other good reasons to reject Walker’s Ridge. Traffic on Highway 15 will increase to about 17,000 vehicle trips a day from 5,000 now. Another roundabout is planned for Route 15 about 1.5 miles north of one set for the 15/53 intersection. The pastoral character of Palmyra Village will suffer.
Economics alone make Walker’s Ridge a bad idea. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the project March 27 at 7 p.m. at the courthouse. Speak out.