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- Info
Land use and community costs in Augusta County, Virginia
| Author: |
Hutchinson, John D. |
| Date: |
1993 |
| Periodical: |
Staunton, VA: Valley Conservation Council |
| Abstract: |
In February 1992, the Valley Conservation Council (VCC) was awarded a grant by the Center on Rural Development (CORD) to study the fiscal impact of different land uses on the finances of Augusta County. This study is intended to assist county officials and citizens in assessing the relationship between changes in land use and county finances. These issues are particularly relevant in 1993 as the county revises its comprehensive plan. The goals of the study are 1) to determine current land uses in the county by dividing its lands into four categories, 2) to determine the rate of conversion of farm and forest lands to other uses between 1959 and 1992, and 3) to assign the county's revenues and expenditures to the four land use categories. The study presents two kinds of objective numerical data regarding some of the land use issues facing Augusta County. A "snapshot" of the fiscal resources of the county during FY 91 is given. This snapshot allows comparisons of the effects .of broad categories of land use during the stated time period. This part of the study does not demonstrate trends but it could serve as a baseline for similar comparisons in the future that would establish trends. The study also analyzes changes in population, housing, and land use in the county over the last three decades. These trend analyses provide greater understanding of the factors that contributed to the fiscal situation that existed in FY 91. Taken together, the two portions of the study may suggest some plausible relationships between fiscal health and land use, but care must be taken not to mix the two sets of information inappropriately. One purpose of the study is to facilitate discussions of land use in the county. Greater understanding of the factors surrounding land use, fiscal and otherwise, should help the county in its efforts to achieve the best possible balance among the different land uses. |
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