Two steps forward, and one step back. That’s how today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline’s Appalachian Trail crossing permit should be viewed for those of us fighting the destructive and unneeded pipeline.
At the Alliance, we started 2020 with big goals. Now, half-way through and thrown more than one curve ball, we’re still on course, albeit with some changes.
Meet the comp plan—the superhero of the planning world. And, just as superheroes have to have their sidekicks, the comp plan alone can’t get the job done. Communities need several tools in their planning “toolbox” to carry out the plan’s vision.
Now bikes and buggies can travel in a designated lane all the way to Garbers Church Road. Though it may appear so, these lanes didn’t just happen.
Before the zoning update (left), the county could have seen a loss of more than a quarter of prime farmland to housing and the addition of up to 40,000 new lots in the next 40 years.
No water flows into Augusta County; it all flows out. Having such an abundance of water is a powerful gift and an awesome responsibility.
With many local businesses having closed their doors, reduced staff or even completely altered their business models in response to COVID-19, we are excited to see the county moving forward with a new program to support local businesses.
This new tool stands to help localities understand how current trends and pressures in land-use will affect communities and natural resources now and in the future.
As always, Alliance staff tracked legislation and made advocacy trips to Richmond during the 2020 session. Your calls and emails to legislators made a difference—thank you!
COVID has us interacting with our community in a whole new way and has shifted our perspectives and habits. We’ve heard lots of stories of folks finding creative ways to still ‘shop local’ and we want to hear yours.