Sunday, May 31, 2009
Editorial: What will Troutville do with all that land?
The town should explain its plans in detail before expanding its boundary.
From the RoundTable blog
Read the latest entries
We would bet that most people who stop near Troutville never even realize it is a town. The Troutville exit is a convenient place to pull off Interstate 81 for gas and not much else, unless you happen to live there. For more than 400 residents, Troutville is home.
Yet the town's boundary is rougher than most. It cuts through properties, even homes. Town officials therefore have proposed a boundary line adjustment. If they receive the blessing of Botetourt County and a circuit court judge, the town would have smooth edges.
Though a boundary adjustment is not technically an annexation, the result is the same. Troutville would triple in size.
Mayor Bill Rader told a Roanoke Times reporter that the expansion has nothing to do with capturing more taxes. The town does not even levy real estate and personal property taxes.
Not now, anyway, but that could change. Take Rader at his word, though. Another important issue remains.
The town would absorb a lot of undeveloped land and part of the Appalachian Trail. That would create opportunities but also risks.
Right now, the county controls the fate of that land. If it becomes part of Troutville, town council would set zoning and control development patterns.
Town and county residents need to know how it would handle that responsibility before they bless the expansion.
Would Troutville allow rampant commercial development and far-flung residential projects? Would it preserve the rural character where possible, especially around the Appalachian Trail? Would it take steps to preserve the quality of life people who live in the area now enjoy?
Commercial development would generate funds for town coffers because Troutville does charge a business tax. On the flip side, the county could lose out on some revenue if the land is developed.
Everyone will benefit from an open, honest discussion about future development. If the town reveals a reasonable plan for growth and protecting natural resources, it would go a long way toward assuaging any lingering concerns about the expansion.
