ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, December 4, 1995 TAG: 9512040031
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: SCRUGGS
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER AND TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITERS
WHAT'S THE FUTURE of Smith Mountain Lake? For the first time, local officials are sitting down to talk about issues facing the fast-growing lakeside communities.
Their residents' impressions of Smith Mountain Lake range from "Heaven" to "Tourism" to "Rich Man's Pond."
But when representatives of the three counties that border the lake - Bedford, Franklin and Pittsylvania - met last week for a historic summit to discuss the future of the 30-year-old man-made lake, they found lots to agree on.
Sponsored by the Smith Mountain Lake Policy Advisory Board, the conference held Thursday and Friday at Bernard's Landing brought together planners, politicians, developers and representatives of Appalachian Power Co., which created the lake to generate electricity.
It was the first time all three localities sat down to talk about important issues surrounding the lake.
Divided into five focus groups on the second day of the summit, the participants outlined their views of the lake's future and possible ways to make their suggestions a reality.
"The most telling thing to me is that working independently, they have all come up with similar views," said conference speaker John Clark, a Northern Virginia developer and sustained-development advocate. "And as this communal regional consensus is beginning to emerge, that creates an opportunity for collaboration."
The group's recommendations, along with resident input from six public meetings to be held starting in January, ultimately will be brought before the planning commissions and boards of supervisors in each county.
A recent survey of residents in the three counties showed that more commercial and industrial development is favored. But respondents also want to preserve lake water quality and believe more should be done about illegal dumping at the lake by boaters and businesses.
Only 1,062 out of 17,000 surveys were returned.
The majority of those who responded live at or near the lake. Most have an annual income of $65,000 or more.
This breakdown revealed one of the problems the conferees are trying to solve: the perception that the lake is a place for the rich, and not a regional recreational site for all to enjoy - as evidenced by the respondents who branded the lake "Rich Man's Pond."
The use of the lake as a regional public water source was another hot topic. The construction of water and sewer systems at the lake is a political controversy in Bedford and Franklin counties. Many said they believe improving infrastructure will subsequently increase commercial and residential development, which could hurt the lake's quality of life. Others said they believe water and sewer lines are a necessity, and without them the lake's economic future will stagnate.
An extensive Franklin County water and sewer study completed in 1991 showed that the county's lake population could not support the cost of water and sewer.
One idea discussed at last week's summit was creating a tax-service district that would include all three counties.
Some other things that conference representatives agreed they might like to see at Smith Mountain Lake in the next 10 to 25 years:
A central planning authority that could issue debt, levy taxes and create a separate comprehensive plan for the lake.
A park and nature trails around Apco-owned Smith Mountain dam.
Rental units served by boat in remote, currently undeveloped areas south of the lake.
Ferries across the lake, linking business, tourism and residential development.
Governments partnerships with Apco to encourage orderly development of 1,700 acres of undeveloped Apco-owned land near the Union Hall area.
Tax breaks for landowners who commit open, rural land for preservation easements.
Environmental-impact tax for developers.
Improved roads and possibly a new road connecting the lake with Roanoke or the proposed Interstate 73 that will pass through Franklin County.
The creation of "downtown" growth areas in the Moneta, Scruggs, White House, Union Hall and Hales Ford Bridge areas.
More mixed-use development in residential areas, such as allowing convenience stores in or near subdivisions.
LENGTH: Medium: 94 linesby CNB