Who We Are, Why We Are, What We've Done

• The Coalition for Hanover's Future was established in February, 2006. Its purpose is to preserve Hanover's rural character and to protect its quality of life through citizen participation in the comprehensive land use planning process.
  

• We believe that public input is not only critically important but should be an essential component in the process. We believe that this input should be sought at the start of the process, even as the county is laying out its planning assumptions, and at many points throughout the update process. This has been done in nearby jurisdictions such as James City County and Powhatan County. Many states mandate citizen input.
  

• The Coalition for Hanover's Future (CHF) includes representation from five local organizations that advocate a common-sense approach to growth: Ashland/Hanover Citizens for Responsible Growth, Hanover Naturally, The Center for Sustainable Communities, Hanover Conservation Voters, The Partnership for Smarter Growth (Metro Region).
  

• In just ten months over 600 concerned Hanover citizens from all magisterial districts of the county -- South Anna, Cold Harbor, Mechanicsville, Ashland, Beaverdam, Henry, and Chickahominy -- have signed up for membership and have asked to be added to the CHF contact list.
  

• In August 2006, CHF published a four-page broadsheet, The Hanover Advocate , subsequently mailed to over 40,000 Hanover County households and businesses.
  

• On Election Day 2006, more than 2,700 pieces of CHF literature were distributed to Hanover voters.
  

• A majority of the Letters to the Editor of local newspapers, that have discussed proposed Comp Plan revisions, were written by CHF members; CHF members have researched, written and published five position papers on relevant issues; and they are communicating their concerns directly to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors.
  

• Members of CHF have been at every workshop, work session and public hearing since this process began, whether or not public input was allowed and despite poor timing for citizen participation (right before July 4 th and Labor Day weekends). CHF members along with other citizens attended every public work session hosted by the county Planning Commission in October.
  

• Over these several months, the consistent voice from the majority of citizens at all these meetings has said:  “No way, this is not what we want for Hanover.”  The echo reverberating in neighborhoods across the county is that this consultant-  and staff-driven process seems to be “of the few, by the few, and for the few.”
  

• The major question in the minds of Hanover citizens involves the Planning Department's adherence to assumptions that underpin the proposed revisions to the plan:

-growth rate reflected as a range of 1.5%-2.

- employment (jobs-to-workforce) ratio of 1:1

- multiplier of 2:1 for land area within SSA

- conservation area designation

- continuation of 70/30 split for suburban/rural development

- agreement with recommended areas for expansion (SSA)

First, the population growth rate . We believe that some growth is inevitable, and we also believe that sustainable growth is possible. This view is supported by the citizens, according to the Hanover County Citizens Survey, who view the growth as “too fast”. The current Comp Plan contains a 2.5% growth rate – if met, that would cause our population to swell to 177,504 (85%) by 2029. A 1% growth rate would yield a far more sustainable population of 122,786. CHF believes the Planning Commission should insist on a stated, sustainable growth rate of no more than 2%.

Second, the 1:1 jobs-to-workforce ratio. The logic for application of this ratio to a single county cannot be substantiated. First we were told that it's a planning principle, then we were told it's an economic development consideration, and lastly we were told it's a bond rating consideration. It is none of these – not for a single county. It only makes sense when applied to a REGION.

Last, agreement with the recommended areas for expansion (SSA). The current SSA is approximately 53,100 acres. The staff is proposing an additional 33,425 ac. for a total of 86,525. That's a 65% increase in the total SSA! Roughly equal to 1 Roanoke or 5 Charlottesvilles. A total of 12,825 acres in the SSA are zoned, but 5,035 acres have not been developed. That means right now 6,500 acres are zoned and available. With all this, why do we need more? Maximize use of the existing SSA rather than expand it. Make what we have work!