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COALITION FOR SMARTER GROWTH -- VIRGINIA LEAGUE OF
CONSERVATION VOTERS -- PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL
--SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER -- SIERRA CLUB

For Immediate Release: January 4, 2007

CONTACT:

Stewart Schwartz, Coalition for Smarter Growth, 202-244-4408 ext 3#, stewart@smartergrowth.net
Chris Miller, Piedmont Environmental Council, 540-347-2334, cmiller@pecva.org
Lisa Guthrie, Virginia League of Conservation Voters, 804-225-1902, virlcv@aol.com
Trip Pollard, Southern Environmental Law Center, 931-636-9189 (cell), tpollard@selcva.org
Roger Diedrich, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, 703-352-2410, rdiedrich@cox.net

SMART GROWTH GROUPS SUPPORT BIPARTISAN PUSH
FOR LAND-USE AND TRANSPORTATION REFORM

“Power to Say No” Bill Revived:
Clarifies Authority of Local Governments to Deny Rezonings due to Traffic Impact

“Reforms are Critical to Transportation Solution” Say Groups

Governor Tim Kaine announced today a package of land use and transportation policy reform bills along with his transportation funding proposal. Significantly, he announced a renewed effort to win passage of a bill promised during his campaign for Governor – ensuring local authority to deny rezonings if traffic would overwhelm local roads. A similar bill submitted by Delegate Bob Marshall is among a set of measures proposed by Republican leaders. “Nothing has harnessed public frustration over out-of-control growth and won public support like Governor Kaine’s promise to ensure local governments and citizens have the ‘power to say no,’” said Lisa Guthrie, Executive Director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. “Last year, over 250 citizens rallied at the State Capitol in support of the rezoning bill and a bipartisan package of reforms.” Governor Kaine, Republican policy leader Delegate Clay Athey, Delegate Bob Marshall, Democratic Senator Mark Herring, and House Democratic leader Brian Moran all participated in last year’s rally.

“Unfortunately, last year the developer lobby convinced key legislators to block the critical rezoning reform,” said Chris Miller, President of the Piedmont Environmental Council. “But to the public this is an absolutely common-sense bill. Why fund more transportation if poorly planned development in the wrong locations continues to overwhelm their local roads?”

This year is the second to be marked by bipartisan support for land use and transportation reforms. The traffic impact study requirement, passed unanimously last year, was the signature achievement and has been widely praised. Last week, the House Republican leadership released a package of proposed bills to address land use and transportation, including one to clearly define urban development areas to make growth more efficient and affordable while protecting open space. Other bills seek to tackle the costly and difficult link between land use and subdivision streets, and an issue also targeted in Governor Kaine’s package. The Governor’s package also includes better access management controls for existing state highways and more money and attention to multimodal planning.

“The conservation community must still review the array of bills submitted by both parties, but we are very encouraged by the bipartisan support for reform,” said Trip Pollard of the Southern Environmental Law Center. “We intend to serve as a resource for all legislators committed to answering the public’s call for change,” said Guthrie.

“Let’s be clear, we simply cannot afford to build enough transportation infrastructure if Virginia does not address poorly planned and designed development. Substantial legislative reforms are essential and must go hand-in-hand with any funding package,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. Roger Diedrich, Chair of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club agreed, saying, “Let’s ensure that the community has the power to say no to development that would overwhelm their roads, and doesn’t fit within an affordable and efficient framework.”

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The Virginia League of Conservation Voters is the statewide nonpartisan political action arm of Virginia's conservation community and is the only organization dedicated solely to legislative advocacy and direct political action on behalf of conservation issues defined by local, regional, and state organizations. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.

Headquartered in Charlottesville, the Southern Environmental Law Center is dedicated to protecting the South’s active forests, wetlands, air and water quality, wildlife habitat, and rural landscapes. SELC's Land and Community Program works to promote smarter growth and more sustainable transportation. For more information, visit www.southernenvironment.org.

The Piedmont Environmental Council is a 34-year-old non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the Piedmont's rural economy, natural resources, history and beauty. PEC has over 30 staff members at its Warrenton, VA headquarters and at six county field offices. For more information, visit www.pecva.org.

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is solidly established as the central coordinating agent and voice of smart growth in Virginia and Metropolitan Washington. The Coalition works in partnership with our over 40 local, regional and national environmental and civic organizations such to support and cultivate community participation in growth and transportation decisions: a media campaign; outreach & organizing efforts; and involvement in specific transportation, land use and development plans. For more information, visit www.smartergrowth.net.

The Sierra Club's members are 800,000 of your friends and neighbors. Inspired by nature we work together to protect our communities and the planet. The Club is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. For information about the Virginia Chapter, visit http://virginia.sierraclub.org/