SIERRA

Seldom have we had such an effective meeting as the January Meeting!! The true test will be how many of the attendees come back in February. The discussions amongst the gathering was so constructive that we consider the results to be the workings of a "steering group" for our Chesapeake Bay Group of the Sierra Club.

The group concluded that the most presing issue facing the region is transportation and wanted to consider light rail in more detail. One member present said that Houston Texas resisted light rail and now can't expand the system fast enough. Another member stated that she had recently been in Atlanta and was very impressed with their system.

In this region there are serious drawbacks to light rail such as the cost and the fact there are few concentrated masses of people. Still this does not stop us from looking in depth at the transportation crisis!

The second and third issues were the Mattaponi Reservoir and Ferrell Parkway respectively. Since the membership meeting there has been a meeting of the CBG Board. It has added to the above three issues sprawl as the item of main concern during the current legislative session.

We recognize that there need be a balance of construction in the intercity, the suburb and beyond. The key fact to remember is every residence requires more in services that the taxes collected. In this region every residence requires $1.25 - $1.50 in services for each dollar of taxes. One county in Northern Virginia is now facing a cost of $2.46 because it needs to build 25 schools.

For every new residence we the public are agreeing to provide the roads, the schools, the fire and police protection and on the list goes. We make development possible. It is true that in the past someone did that for us. The point is during this fiscal crisis the moneys can be better spent on education and health care.

THEREFORE, WE ARE URGING YOU TO WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES (DELEGATE AND SENATOR) URGING THEM TO SUPPORT "adequate public facilities ordinances" (APFO) LEGISLATION. A SAMPLE LETTER APPEARS ELSEWHERE IN THIS NEWSLETTER.

Fred Adams Click to email comments.

Here is legislation we can enthusiastically support. The bills are termed: "adequate public facilities" legislation. This legislation allows municipalities:

To time development to coincide with the taxpayers' ability to pay for the schools, roads, public safety, and other necessities that developers depend on the public to provide,

To ensure that development does not proceed at the expense of decent schools, public safety, and good neighborhoods,

To ensure that the huge backlog of approved development in many high growth localities does not bankrupt localities, or tax-payers, and

To ensure that localities that wish to manage growth must adopt capital budgets that will support growth.

Action Needed:

Tell your elected representatives that you support smart growth and Aadequate Public Facilities Ordinances. This is the most important legislation on the environment in this year's session.

To send an E-mail message, go to the Sierra Club Action Network at: http://virginia.sierraclubaction.org

If you wish to call and cannot reach your legislator by phone, leave a message with constituent viewpoint toll-free line at: 1-800-889-0229.

While E-mails and phone calls can be effective, personalized letters from constituents still make the most impact with many legislators. Use the following form to write your message.

To help personalize your letter, use your own wording, or add some of the additional points provided below.

Other reasons legislators should support APFOs:

These bills do not:

• Violate constitutionally guaranteed property rights.
• Excuse localities from their obligation to provide infrastructure.
• Impose unfair costs on developers.
• Downzone property.

The Honorable ------- (use full name)
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, VA 23218
Dear Senator/Delegate ------

I am concerned that taxpayers are forced to bear the burden of the cost for too-rapid development. That's just not fair. Cash poor localities need adequate public facilities ordinances in order to make fiscally responsible decisions on land already zoned for development.

Taxpayers need an alternative to skyrocketing property taxes that affect everyone. APFOs would strengthen the tax base and lower housing costs. It is plain "good business" to allow localities to plan growth to fit their pocketbooks.

Runaway growth really isn't good for anybody. Please vote in support of APFO legislation so that localities can act in the interest of the "public good" and not for the short-term benefit of a privileged few.

Name and Address

Julia

Our major service project this year is the establishment of a butterfly garden at Camp Young for Norfolk's elementary school children who have fallen behind in their learning skills. Part of the motivation effort is to expose the young people to environmental subjects. This is accomplished through the presentations of 15 local citizens who have a passion for wildlife, the outdoors and for the environment.

The program has received special recognition by the governor of Virginia. One of our members has been involved. The Chesapeake Bay Group major service project for this year is the establishment of a large butterfly garden at the camp. We need your assistance and thus the program on butterfly gardens. We need your assistance with growing plants and on site work. This will be a very satisfying project and you can learn while doing.

In addition, we will be presenting a status of important legislation at the current session and on the priority issues identified by the members at our January meeting: transportation, the Mattaponi Reservoir, and Ferrell Parkway.

There will be special attention given to the local transportation crisis. We are mounting a major campaign to develop a "citizens plan for transportation". Let's see what the politicians do with that.

Come and join us on February the 3rd, at 7:00 PM at the Virginia Beach Central Library.

If you have never seen of thousands of snow geese this may be your chance. We will visit the area by the causeway in North Carolina that is nearest to where the geese often stay.

We will meet at Virginia Beach's Central Library at 8:30AM, and proceed to the observation site. Dress warmly. If time permits we will stop at a convenience store in creeds for something to eat. The last time I was there they had hot chocolate.

The date is 8 February. We will be back before noon. At this time of year we don't stay out too long.

Contact Fred for more details at 467-2775.

COME TO THE NEXT MEETING WITH YOUR IDEAS FOR OUTINGS AND EVENTS.

THERE IS DEFINITE INTEREST IN GETTING OUR SINGLES OUTINGS GOING AGAIN!!!