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    Regional Visioning

Orange County Meeting Summary

This is a summary of a meeting held on Saturday February 17 at the restored Rail Station in the Town of Orange attended by approximately 45 participants.. This meeting is an early part of a larger Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Partnership/PDC project to develop a regional vision statement for the area. Future meetings are at Culpeper Middle School on April 28 and May 19. This summary has been prepared by the Institute for Environmental Negotiation at the University of Virginia (804-924-1970).

 

BASIC FACTS
Population:
• 1980: 18,063
• 1990: 21,421
• 2000: 25,881

RRPDC Regional Comparisons:
• Second fastest growth rate 1990-2000 (21%)
• Captured 25% of RRPDC growth 1990-2000
• Captured 3% of RRPDC growth 1990-2000
• Lowest median home price ($110,000)
• Second highest out-commuting (36%)

OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Participants hold a very positive view of the quality of life in Orange County at the same time that they talk about what could be termed "growing pains". There is strong agreement that the area's history, its small town feel and the commitment of its citizens to the community are major assets. There is concern, however, about maintaining these assets in the face of what some fear is a trend toward becoming too much of a bedroom community without the balance of businesses, jobs and tax base to support desired and necessary services. High expectations are held of government officials and there is a belief that innovative public planning can achieve a worthy future if consensus is developed about the area's future. Participants evidence high energy, a wealth of ideas and a desire to move forward together.

STRENGTHS
The greatest strengths of Orange County that emerged from the discussions are its history and heritage, its natural beauty and countryside, and its small town character. Its location half way between Washington, D. C. and Richmond and its proximity to Charlottesville are seen as assets for the opportunities available in these more urban settings but as liabilities from the standpoint of lack of support for local businesses and activities. Other points are as follows:

• Historic resources: Montpelier, civil war sites, historic farms/residences, traditional towns, the countryside, families living in Orange for generations

• Rural character: picturesque landscape, fields, good farm land, forests, streams, lack of widespread sprawl

• Small town feel: "real" small towns, active volunteer organizations, civic spirit, people who care, people who choose to live here, talented individuals, clean and safe communities, uncrowded, traffic still under control

• Location: removed but accessible to metropolitan centers for "city" benefits

• Cost of living: compared to other areas, taxes are still low, land is not excessively costly, housing is affordable

• Cultural resources: libraries, art center, recreation department, dance school, active churches, civic clubs, community college

• Economy: antique and gift shops, skydiving, Harley Davidson center, variety of employment opportunities, low unemployment, work ethic

ISSUES
Discussions reflect the "growing pains" that Orange County is experiencing as the second fastest growing county in the Rappahannock-Rapidan PDC. There is concern that residential growth is unbalancing the county: housing and a significant commuting population are not balanced by in-county jobs, tax base and increasing expectations for county and town public services. There is some frustration with the difficulty of achieving a unified vision for development that will complement and add to community character. There is optimism that this could be achieved, however. Other issues include:

• Trend toward bedroom community: residents expect services but county lacks tax base to support, retail sales are leaking to nearby areas, balance of traditional villages at risk of being lost

• Infrastructure needs: water supply is uncertain, differing attitudes about highway expansion, lack of coordinated regional approaches to water and sewer

• Education needs: need to improve quality, debate over best way to spend public funds, vocational/technical training needed, match education to quality jobs

• Community services: lack restaurants, shopping and entertainment to keep residents at home, lack recreation for youth and elderly

• Organizational capacity: lack a vehicle for bringing citizens, businesses and others together to develop a shared vision and then ways to fund and follow through to implement that vision

• Planning: don't have adequate local tools to preserve ag/open space and to build balanced communities, must invest more in planning, protect land owner rights, better plans and zoning, alternative ways of developing are not being explored, lack coordination with neighboring jurisdictions

OPPORTUNITIES
Participants brought many ideas and suggestions to the table that will require extensive discussion and effort if they are to develop into workable policies and programs at the local and/or the regional scale. Some of the specific ideas include:

Community character goal ideas

• Protect and diversify agriculture

• Establish live/work communities.  Promote the village concept: residences, businesses and schools, less auto dependency

• Balance growth with business and industry

• Focus growth around existing development

• Direct growth by investment in roads and infrastructure 

• Focus on where growth goes and what growth occurs

• Preserve/renovate historic buildings

• Be pro-active

• Economy: develop tourism and recreation attractions, build on interest in history and natural resources, establish a place for low impact industry, capitalize on our human resources, add customers for local businesses, add missing businesses to fill in local availability

• Natural resources: explore Rappahannock recreation possibilities, develop water supply strategy and funding

• Infrastructure: provide commuter and passenger rail service, establish medical center/emergency center, address Route 15 & 20 or an alternative solution, establish community recreation center, provide parks in each district