Greene is so not the new Charlottesville
Published: November 23, 2009
I am writing in response to a prior Letter to the Editor headlined “Work together for town’s progress” (The Daily Progress, Oct. 22). As a member of the Stanardsville community for almost 10 years, I have a few concerns.
I am concerned for the growth and revamping of Stanardsville. Yes, we could use a little upgrading of water and sewer systems. What I’m concerned with is what will happen if we try to make Stanardsville into Charlottesville. Unlike the letter writer’s idea that the growth of Stanardsville will bring more pride from our residents to the community, I think it will only turn off the residents.
Currently, there are many projects going on throughout Greene County. A Lowes was recently built, and a Walmart Supercenter is soon to be in place. Also, a new retirement community, Four Seasons, has recently been added to our community. These are all good additions, and things we’ve needed. Traffic on the main highways, U.S. 33 and U.S. 29 is not terrible, either. The remaining areas of Greene County are full of beautiful sights to see, plenty of wilderness and farmland.
All of this will be ruined with the emergence of more residential communities or more business that are not necessary in our area. It will bring about more traffic on U.S. 33 and U.S. 29, which would lead to road construction to add more lanes for easing traffic. Then, Greene County will be exactly like Charlottesville.
I do agree that we do need some upgrading around town. Our high school has gone through a recent renovation, and other schools could use some renovations as well. Our courthouse is rather old and also in need of a good revamping. We could also use other renovations around town that would bring a better brighter appeal to the community.
I personally like Stanardsville and Greene County the way they are, and have been, and I’m sure many will agree. There is a reason that many people who work in Charlottesville don’t live there and instead live in a smaller town like Stanardsville. So keep in mind when thinking about plans for revamping Stanardsville, and spend the money where it’s needed and helpful — not where it’s wanted but can possibly be harmful.
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Just like a Greene County resident, of which I am one, to say that we “need” a Wal*Mart and then wonder about the ruination of the area with unnecessary residential communities and businesses. The fine folks at Wal*Mart are so constructing a Supercenter precisely because of the potential, as well as the likelihood, for the urbanization of not only Ruckersville, but also the entire county, including Stanardsville.
Bill,
I appreciate both your response, and your attitude. I don’t believe that I insulted you, or Stanardsville, or Ruckersville, or Orange for that matter, but apologize if that is what was in any way interpreted.
(I do reserve the right to take swipes at special interest groups—hence the shot at landowners who have secured inappropriate, in my view, tax concesions from my county.)
In your view, is the TJPD effective/ To a resident involved less in political matters, and more in service to under-represented constituencies such as the working poor, the homeless, etc., it appears not. That is to say, it appears to tackle issues of ‘hard’ infrastructure of greater interest to business and economic development (transportation and roads, for example) than general public welfare (education, job and skills training, for example) or even local entrepeneurship (lest we always rely on the WalMarts and such for job ‘creation’).
Bill and for those unknowing, I am well aware of Standardsville. When I moved to this area 10 years ago I actually had a bid in on a home in that area. There was never a response so I moved on. My realtor at that time, lives in Standardsville.
I know and understand your challenge and agree it is a lovely town. Rte 33 adds much to the community and if managed right it could really enhance the town. I hope you are really involved with the planning commission and the BOS. Getting them to work with the citizens is the real problem, but I am sure you are aware of that.
antiboyd do you always have to insult and say things you know nothing about. I know plenty about C-ville as well and the more some people express views of distortion, I am also glad I only lived there 6 months.
Antiboyd,
Thanks for your comments and concerns for our County. I have owned property in Greene for almost 20 years so I am very much a resident. Specifically, I am a resident of Stanardsville District. Though I do not live in the Town limits I am a strong advocate for Stanardsville, a real “diamond in the rough” with potential to be so much more for both the Town residents and the County residents.
Your question on regional planning/cooperation is a good one. There is certainly a need for greater communication between towns, cities and County governments. And, yes, sometimes one wonders to what extent we control our destinies, particularly those in rapidly evolving communities with high population growth rates (Greene is one of the fastest growing in the State). It is a monumental challenge.
But I believe we must first know what WE want, we the communities, before we reach to others for answers. I suppose that is why I’ve been trying in recent months to have those in Stanardsville, Stanardsville District and the County further the debate on “wither the Town of Stanardsville.“ With some sort of consensus there we can reach out to others.
So thanks for recognizing that it’s up to Greene County residents first. That’s precisely what I think must happen and what many in the County and the Town of Stanardsville (including the Mayor, the Town Council, and the Stanardsville Area Revitalizion Project) also believe to be the case.
FYI, we are doing our 5-year update to our Comprehensive Plan presently. The Thomas Jefferson Planning District (with both strengths and weaknesses) is assisting us through the process so it is not being done in a void and is done with some sort of regional thinking in mind, particularly as it pertains to transportation requirements.
Finally, I don’t want to project that I have all the answers. I am just one. I got drawn into this string because the writer of the Letter to the Editor was responding to my October Letter to the Editor discussing the future of Stanardsville. Humbly yours, Bill Martin
Excuse me, Mr. Martin.
It is really up to Greene county’s residents as to what evolves, and does not evolve, in Greene at large and Stanardsville, in particular.
Odd taht two non-residents feel compelled to kibitz.
At the risk of committing the same faux pas, I do want to ask Mr. Miller a specific question: what can be done, or is being done, relative to regional planning and/or multiple county cooperation?
My thought is that the economic pressures and growth pressures faced by Greene are driven not just internally, but externally as well. Are you, the citizens of Greene, even in control of your own destiny?
In 1980, when I moved to Charlottesville, I don’t remember Greene being thought of, even in the most remote way, as a bedroom community for Charlottesville.
Many people locate in Greene, not to get away from Charlottesville/Albemarle, as some suggest (there are other options that are arguably more attractive), but simply because affordable housing in our little ‘paradise’ is non-existant. In the early ‘80’s, the alternative for C’villians was to locate along the I-64 corridor—in fact, when gas was comparatively cheap, and property in Waynesboro/Augusta was an extremely good bargain, that was the first ‘escape’ from costly, limited hosuing options for the working class (i.e., those not of the so-called landowner class that live off the rest of us).
Now, however, Greene has seen the development of Ruckersville, not Stanardsville, as its economic hub. Soon, Greene will face some unfortunate choices, not unlike those felt by Orange County—what to do about growth patterns dictated by surrounding urban centers (in Orange, that would be Culpeper, Fredericksburg, and Charlottesville)?
The soon to be realized expansion of the intelligence complex and associated contractors in Northern Albemarle is a case in point. These new residents will need housing. They are highly paid, and likely seek more services than Greene offers. Likely they will displace current residents of Albemarle. Good for our county, insofar as the stabilization of real estate values, perhaps some reflation, softening the blow of the Obama economy. Does Greene, or should I say the landowner-developers of North Charlottesville (aka Stanardsville), particpate in that expansion? It appears WalMart and Lowes, to begin with, are betting yes—and from the looks of it, with massive amounts of acreage clear cut and graded for develoment, I’d say yes.
It seems to me that far from becoming the next Charlottesville, Stanradsville will become the next Scottsville, a quaint little community left behind (perhaps in a good way) as a neighboring giant emerges (albeit, Stanradsville is not yet that),
Long-term, in fact, 29 appears to be a corridor North from Charlottesville to Centerville, set to spawn “Town Centers” at regular intervals Hollymead, Ruckersville, Madison, Culpeper, Warrenton… all are in various stages of rapid evolvement. I mean, how many stoplights are there in Madison now, where once there was none.
So, back to my question… what opportunities and/or needs are there to look to regional coordination at the same time as tending to local interests? Or will Greene remaine ever reactionary to the external forces driving its development?
Thanks Gordie. My name is Bill Martin and I was simply responding to the letter published this morning from Christen Freiwald. I’m glad that I was able to help you understand my intent for Stanardsville. It’s a lovely little town with fine residents with great potential to both improve the quality of life for its residents AND make it something that benefits the entire County as the County Seat for Greene. Many thanks. Bill Martin
Christen Freiwald if you are the Bill person who posted the comments. My congradulations on your follow up and further explaining your remarks. I know letters to the editor can be only so long.
I commend you on what you are doing and wish you the best. You do seem to be on the right track. Hope you get the negative people on your side and there is open debate to move forward.
Good luck.
I was interested to see some feedback to my Letter to the Editor last month, “Work together for town’s progress.“ A debate on the future of the Town of Stanardsville is very important in my view and I believe my recent advocacy on behalf of the Town has helped further discussion on this issue. I offer a few comments in response to Ms. Freiwald and Gordie:
1)The “plank” in my campaign platform on the Town of Stanardsville was developed only AFTER a significant number Stanardsville citizens approached me to do exactly that. While some see a quaint, sleepy little rural town, others see a set of social and economic issues that need attention lest economic activity in the Town further deteriorate. Witness the departure of yet two more businesses from Main Street in recent weeks and continued frustration in our small business community in the Main Street area.
2) The LAST thing I would ever advocate is to try to “make Stanardsville into Charlottesville.“ What the supporters of a more vibrant Town advocate is to provide sufficient support to the Town so that we can attract and keep the small businesses that help the Seat of County government, our educational center, and the focal point of our history and culture to thrive. If we keep losing businesses, then what do we have left to keep dollars moving through our community so we have a functional economy, a safe place for the children and faculty in our schools, and a place that draws the community in to shop and socialize?
3. I have not advocated for increased taxes for the Town. Rather, I have suggested that it is time for Greene County to commit to developing a plan to make Stanardsville a successful, safe and economically viable small, rural town (there is reason to believe some success has been garnered here). I have also said that money usually finds its way to a good plan—federal, state, private resources. And this would, of course, need to be a plan that the community supports. I do believe that functional water and sewer systems in the 21st century are essential. And right now, Stanardsville’s sanitation systems are severely degraded with, occasionally, open sewerage finding its way outside the outdated pipes. If this takes tax resources, then the community might want to take a position so that those in Stanardsville enjoy the same level of water and sewer infrastructure as those in Ruckersville.
Finally, I found myself in close agreement with most of Ms. Freiwald’s thoughts on what is important to her for upgrades to the Town. I hope to convince her that I want to work with her to insure that Stanardsville will avoid the many mistakes that Charlottesville has made as it has evolved in recent history! But some thoughtful, strategic choices need to be made for Stanardsville, in my view, if we want it to both thrive economically AND be the fine small town that most of us in the community—local and newcomer—find so special.
And just how would these renovations be done? How willing are you to have your taxes increased to accomplish those goals.
In the past the citizens refused to have their taxes raised to keep the community upgraded. Just what makes anyone so sure they are willing to pay for those upgrades now?
I do agree that we do need some upgrading around town. Our high school has gone through a recent renovation, and other schools could use some renovations as well. Our courthouse is rather old and also in need of a good revamping. We could also use other renovations around town that would bring a better brighter appeal to the community.
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