Lynchburg Environmental Information

Here is my analysis of questions from News and Advance

First and foremost is the environment. 

Before you consider what I have to say look at College Lake and the changes that have taken place.  It is a neglected resource in this city and an example of how our leaders have viewed the environment over time.  Four years ago during your last vote you could launch a boat from Beaver Point and paddle throughout the lake.  Today the water is less than one foot deep.  If you elect someone who does not understand the priority of this resource in another four years it will be dry ground – lost forever.  We must restore and protect these types of resources in the city.

As we move through time the stream valleys are facing increasing pressure for development – we need to be careful to protect these resources as the environment is our most cherished feature in the city.  Once it is destroyed it will not be recovered in our lifetimes.  We need to be extremely careful when we give permission to anyone who will impact it.

Development is ever increasing.  All of us see it and complain that it is consuming our city.  I have stood up for this problem.  Our streams, lake, forests and natural resources are declining each year.  This must be controlled.  I have with others developed a watershed management plan for the city that details how development can work with our natural environment.  I want to see it adopted as a guidance document and will work hard to push its adoption.

I will work to bring the Blackwater Creek trail through College Lake for all of the citizens to enjoy. 

I will work to never lose RC zoning throughout the city.  I argued for a rezone of 3.6 acres of RC at the last public hearing and will continue to demand that from developers.  These are essential resources for the city.

Know this - no developer will ever bring a proposal forward to the city without the scrutiny of a Ph.D environmental scientist if you elect me to council. 

Second is Education

As a professional educator I cannot stress enough the importance of education and support of our schools.  I will support educational programs and infrastructure needs.  Secondly I will strongly support athletic programs – we need to strive for state champions in all of our sports not just some.  Ask yourself the last time EC Glass football or basketball produced a team that brought our community together - one that people still talk about.  I want to say after my time on council people will remember the Hilltoppers - It can be done!  Help me do it.

Everyone in our community needs to be educated – people need to understand the consequences of their actions.  What is going on downtown and throughout all Lynchburg?  People need to understand how their actions impact the world around us.  I will be a strong advocate for community education and outspoken about the issues that impact them.  We all need to understand the environment and how cities work. It will be a priority.

Of Course City Business

1. City Manager in the most current budget stated that Infrastructure maintenance is our most pressing issue.  Think about this - we are ever expanding our infrastructure with development while at the same time never losing our responsibility for upkeep of the current infrastructure.  In the current budget the city promised Cornerstone development $200,000 and is expecting to spend over 4 million dollars for Burton Creek sewage interceptor to deal with the Wards Road Development.  All the while the needs for downtown, combined sewer overflows and other issues must be pushed aside - what could we do in the city with 4 million dollars to renovate downtown and upgrade our public transportation and make our town bike friendly.  We cannot continue to build out this town for the automobile and not for people - people must come first!
2. Any signs I use will be biodegradable - ask other candidates what they will do with their plastic signs?
3. What evidence does anyone have that pro environment is anti business –
• if our growth incorporates the natural features of this great city that is a benefit to everyone
• if our growth incorporates mid town and downtown that is a benefit to all citizens
• if our growth gives back to the community in jobs and conservation that is a benefit to all citizens
• if we are clear about expectations for development and do not waiver that benefits all citizens

Delay and delay some more is the current attitude on council when it comes to the environment and controversial issues.  This is not an indictment of all council members but most delay any decision that the pulic attends or has created controversy - just look at the current delay and delay some more strategy over school board appointments.  And exposure of the process to the public - what is council afraid of - transparency.  Think about that issue when you cast your vote.  I will support every effort to put all council activity on TV or other media outlets.  I will not support delay on any issue and will be prepared to vote when an issue comes to council.  To delay is a suggestion that city staff and various commissions as well as the public are unable to properly present information for a vote - I think it displays arrogance on the part of council and it should be distained.

On the environmental front this delay strategy has all but killed the big box ordinance.  Last summer (yes last summer) a big box ordinace was created and passed by the planning commission 7-0.  This ordinace simply put any proposed development in excess of 50,000 square feet into a public hearing even if the developer was able to build by right.  It was modeled after other similar ordinances throughout Virginia.  I testified in favor of the proposal as public input can only help the process.  Not in any place of this ordinance did it suggest a developer could not proceed - just that it needed approval by council after public hearing.

Following comments from myself and one other gentleman, developers starting with Walmart and including many others spoke of how damaging this ordinance would be to the development community.  A public hearing damaging - think about that and the situation in Lynchburg.  Following discussions the ordinance was delayed.  Late this March we finally were able to give input on a new ordinance (9 months later) and this ordinance is infinitely more complex than the previous version.  The hoops it forces a developer to jump through are so restrictive that it will be ineffective.  This is not environmental leadership but delay tactics to wear people down.  Look at May 8, 2007 Meeting Minutes meeting where I brought up concerns over water quality issues of a development - No one on council agreed with me or made any motion to delay this until we could further study it?  Why - because I was the only one expressing problems and city council simply does not care about the environment - only public opinion.

 Read my response to the Cornerstone development - do my comments express a concern about public opinion?  Only the fact as I know them with of course my way of expressing them.  But the problem is severe - look at the corridor along 501 bypass.  It is well on its way to development.  We need leadership to control this growth.  A mixed use development will be proposed here in the next four years - who do you want on council to deal with these issues.  Can you trust the current representation to protect the environment?  Previous votes tell me no.

 Let me sum this up for you - delay, delay and delay and then add layers of complexity until we all give up - is this what you want from your representative?  We need a change.  JUST LOOK AT THE CURRENT DEBATE ON OPEN PUBLIC SESSIONS FOR BOARD OF EDUCATION CANDIDATES - DELAY, DELAY AND DELAY.  THE BEAT GOES ON.

A link to the comprehensive plan

Consider the following aspects of the comprehensive plan and ask yourself what the city is doing with these recommendations and more critically  - how has your current representative considered these issues?  Text from Comprehensive plan is italics - my response follows in blue.

1. Resource Conservation Areas are lands with special natural characteristics that make their preservation in open space particularly important to the City’s environmental health. The mapped Resource Conservation Areas include the steep slopes of Candlers Mountain as well as the City’s stream valleys. The stream valleys, as defined in this Comprehensive Plan, include streams and rivers, their 100-year floodplains, connected wetlands and adjacent steep slopes. Steep slopes are defined as slopes of 25% or greater. The actual boundaries of the Resource Conservation Area should be determined on a site-by-site basis using the best available environmental data and the environmental performance standards recommended in the Natural Systems element. Resource Conservation Areas are planned to remain as vegetated open space with development limited to: 1) trails and other passive recreational facilities that involve minimal removal of vegetation, and 2) public facilities that must be located in stream valleys.  This is the most import aspect of our current election.  Our current council has not followed these guidelines outlined in the comprehensive plan.  On April 9th our planning commission will take this issue up on two proposals - one to develop in the 100 year floodplain and the other to develop the steep slopes of Candlers Mountain - watch how they vote and then decide for yourself if you need better representation on council to protect the environment!

2. The City will promote the efficient and effective use of resources, including the built environment, and will encourage environmentally responsible design and management of public and private facilities and lands. The City’s natural setting— its place along the James River, its proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains, and its forested stream valleys and rolling hills—continue to contribute to its special sense of place. The Blackwater Creek Trail will serve as a model for similar projects throughout the City, connecting neighborhoods, natural areas, stream valleys, and the riverfront. Natural watershed boundaries will guide regional initiatives aimed at preserving and protecting environmentally sensitive areas, including stream valleys, floodplains, forested areas, and hillsides.  Enough said - please ask your candidate how they stand on this issue.

3. The City should develop a natural systems/environmental database to understand existing conditions and monitor future environmental health - ask the current council where this is?

4. The City should also designate a City staff person to serve as an Environmental Management Coordinator, to maintain and monitor the environmental database and to prepare annual reports on the state of the City’s environmental health, for distribution to City officials, staff, residents, and others in the region.  Wouldn't that be nice!

5. The City needs to establish a Natural Systems/Environmental Resources Advocacy Committee of local experts to monitor trends in environmental science. The advisory group could be composed of representatives from the Robert E. Lee Soil and Water Conservation District, Friends of Lynchburg Stream Valleys, local colleges and universities, and others.  We have instituted the Natural Resources Advisory Committee so a very positive step in the right direction.

6. Currently, the City does not have an effective tool for evaluating the impacts of development proposals on environmental resources. Residents have expressed a strong desire for a mechanism to evaluate development impacts. The City needs to establish a set of environmental performance standards for private and public development activities.  Put me on council and this will be my number one priority!!!

7. A major concern raised by citizens is the design, quality, and upkeep of stormwater management facilities. During the Community Character Survey, poorly functioning stormwater management facilities received some of the lowest rankings. Maintenance and upkeep of such facilities are directly linked to their effectiveness in managing stormwater.  I have pushed for maintenance of stormwater facilities as it is in our city code - we will see how it is enforced?

8. Finally, the City itself could become actively involved in natural resource protection and management. When the City constructs a building, a parking lot, a road, or a park, for example, it should strive to protect wooded areas, steep slopes, and floodplains to the extent feasible.  New courthouse has a green roof - I think we are making some progress here.

I have conducted an analysis of what a city council member does.  Click on this link (What a Council Member Does) to explore how a member will spend their time representing you.  Please consider this as you decide who to vote for.

You need to ask yourself - my vote is very important so if I vote for Shahady how will he represent me.  More important - how will he impact Council?

First is change - do you want a fresh set of ideas dealing with citywide issues or stay with the same set of ideas - how is it working for you?

Second is expertise - have you ever had the opportunity to put a scientist on council?  The frustrating issue for me is I believe scientific training is needed to deal with city rezoning issues.  Look at the public hearings - engineering plans and environmental impact are debated all of the time - how is the current council qualified to debate these issues?  Please think this one through.  And consider all of the issues a council member must consider (see What a Council Member Does Above).  I would suggest I can handle any of these responsibilities with my education and expertise but the reverse is not true - environmental issues take considerable expertise to deal with. 

Third - I can influence other members of council.  They can vote as they feel led but I will point out inconsistencies as they exist.  I will always lobby for the environment and point out these issues for the record. 

Fourth - And this is extremely important.....WHAT WE DO NOW WILL INFLUENCE LYNCHBURG IN THE FUTURE.  Look at the CSO problem we now are asked to pay 200 million to fix.  Sometime in the past city council decided to combine all sanitary and stormwater systems into one to protect water quality.  A very good idea at the time but extremely short sided with no flexibility for growth - is development today following that same path?  I think so and that is why you want me on city council - to look at these issues for the long term.

What is sustainability and why do we need to be sustainable in Lynchburg?  Do you ever wonder why our city is not sustainabile?  Who is in charge?  Why do these people seem to favor only others like themselves?  Check out http://www.iclei.org/ for information on sustainable cities.  We are now considering proposals for Lynchburg.  I will favor this at any time it comes before a vote in Lynchburg.