Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 4, 1995 TAG: 9510040110
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Blame the Roanoke County administration for letting these conditions arise in the first place. This is why we're supposed to have qualified people with engineering, planning, construction, etc. backgrounds on the county payroll.
With all the undeveloped land available around here, there should be minimum zoning restrictions requiring no less than 1 acre for every new home built. Most homeowners don't see, or even understand, the problems that present zoning laws are creating. The county obviously feels the more houses they let developers build, the more personal and real-estate property taxes they'll be able to rake in. And developers want to squeeze every home they can onto their land parcels to make as much profit as possible. For all developments outside the city itself, there's absolutely no need to build 3,000 and 4,000 square-foot or more homes on quarter-acre lots. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why we're starting to have more and more runoff and flooding problems around here.
After the county and developers make their money and create all these problems, they want to saddle all Roanoke taxpayers with the extra costs for the responsibility of their actions? I don't think so! I already pay a considerable amount of taxes to live in a decent house, drive decent, newer cars, and have a good work truck. My children are grown and schooled in another state. Living on Bradshaw Road, I get only garbage pickup for my taxes. When it snows, it usually takes two days to get the road plowed. And residents between the 4000 and 6000 blocks must not count when it comes to having a decent road to drive on, because no one seems to care enough to finish repaving what's probably the worst-kept stretch of Bradshaw Road.
I don't want county government to even think about placing the financial burden of their poor judgments on county residents who get nothing for their tax dollars they're presently paying.
JOHN BLAZIER
SALEM
Is Averill's candidacy a joke?
NEW TO the Southwest Virginia area, I'm trying hard to get up to speed on election choices. Therefore, I've followed with great interest the trials and travails of the Averill/Cranwell choice, including your Sept. 24 articles, ```Little ol' housewife' a viable force in race'' (Averill) and ``He's GOP's `antichrist,' Democrats' messiah'' (Cranwell). Finally, I'm beginning to understand that this is indeed one of the clearest choices ever presented voters. Even Averill finds it hard to take herself seriously.
On one hand, we have a hard-working legislator, considered one of the brightest and most capable politicians in the state - ``Cranwell may be the smartest ... man in the General Assembly'' (a quote from the article) - even by outside observers, vs. a part-time telemarketer who touts her ability at ```upselling' - talking customers into buying more products,'' most likely than they need. Sounds perfect for the kind of politician we don't need. But then, this ``serious'' political mover is given the most credit by her own Republican Party supporters for the great Christmas party she throws every year.
Apparently, if any one Virginia legislator can be credited with blocking some of Gov. George Allen's shortsighted, Mr. Wanna-be-California's-Pete-Wilson's agenda, it's Cranwell. And that alone is quite an achievement. I do think Allen has an eye on national politicking; he certainly doesn't have it on the future of Virginia's children.
As for putting up Averill as a serious candidate, I've got to believe the Republicans and Averill must think the joke is on us.
JUNE GORMAN
BLACKSBURG
by CNB