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The mission of the Committee of 500 is to promote county government that exercises responsible stewardship
of the county's resources, is responsive to its citizens, and gives priority to quality of life issues.
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ETHICS: Spotsylvania Supervisors, appointees, and employees should demonstrate the highest level of
integrity and ethics in their service to the County. Transparency in governance and administration are
critically important in assuring citizens that their County's business is conducted in a responsible, ethical
manner.
Implementing Actions:
Members of the Board of Supervisors, as well as members of other county boards, committees and
commissions, should understand and comply with the
Spotsylvania County Code of Ethics. The provisions of the Code of Ethics should not be further weakened, and should be strengthened where possible.
The overall composition of the Board of Supervisors should more closely reflect the diversity of the County, and the votes
of all citizens should count more equally in the election of district Supervisors.
The redistricting process for each County District should be ethical, transparent, and follow state guidelines, to avoid the
creation of district boundaries that either favor or impede any candidate or political party and to be sure that all citizens
are equally represented.
Individual Supervisor’s actions and appointments should reflect the same principles/positions as stated in that Supervisor’s
election campaign.
MANAGED GROWTH AND SMART GROWTH: Spotsylvania should pursue the goal of limiting residential
growth to 2% per year, as set out in the 2002 Comprehensive Plan. While there has been progress towards
this goal, managing growth should be balanced. Further, when considering new development, the county
should use the Committee of 500's Smart Growth principles (see below). The seven Smart Growth principles are: manage
the rate of growth; facilitate better movement of people utilizing and integrating all modes of transportation
(including motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, rail, bus and train service); support economic development
goals; promote preservation of historic and natural resources; balance commercial and residential
development in land use and rezoning; pay for required infrastructure improvements as much as possible and
provide a range of housing options for all County residents. The County should continue to direct denser
growth to areas so designated and that have existing infrastructure.
Implementing Actions:
The provisions of the approved 2008 Comprehensive Plan should be aggressively implemented and closely adhered to. The implementing
actions should be completed on schedule.
The actual County growth rate should continue to be calculated on an annual basis and published in the Planning Commission
and County’s annual report along with an assessment of any differences between the actual growth rate and the planned
or target growth rates assumed in the Comprehensive Plan.
The Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors should carefully balance the broader rights and needs of the community at
large while respecting and observing legitimate individual property rights.
The BOS should ensure that Planning Commission members receive continuing education and training and (ideally) certification
in the latest concepts of planning, smart growth management and regional development; two possible organizations for this
training are the VA Chapter of the American Planning Association and the Citizens Planning Education Association.
C500 members should be encouraged to attend planning, smart growth management and regional development training sessions as
well.
REGIONAL COLLABORATION/COOPERATION: In order to accomplish many critical activities in the most
efficient, cost effective and successful manner, Spotsylvania County should aggressively endeavor to
collaborate and cooperate with neighboring counties and the City of Fredericksburg.
Implementing Actions:
The County should investigate all economically, politically and legally appropriate efforts, including: regional strategic
and growth planning; sharing the costs where feasible for necessary infrastructure; historic preservation; lobbying for Federal,
State and/or other funding; securing transportation resources and improvements; marketing for tourism and economic development.
C500 should participate to the extent possible in regional commissions where applicable to our principles (e.g. FAMPO and
the Green Government Commission); this participation can include attendance at meetings and/or appointment to the Board of
the organization.
TRANSPORTATION:
Spotsylvania County transportation needs should be met by utilizing performance-based
needs assessment best practices. Such assessments can accurately reflect the performance and deficits of
the existing transportation network and project accurate forecasts of future conditions.
Implementing Actions:
The County should develop comprehensive strategies to build, maintain and utilize a network of well-integrated multimodal
transportation modes to include, road, rail, bus, and walking and biking.
The Board of Supervisors should move ahead to join and implement the VRE as soon as possible. An equitable and balanced distribution
of revenues generated from the gas tax should be allocated to urban and rural community transportation needs.
The County should explore alternative sources of transportation funding, including public-private partnerships.
The County should assure that its land use policies align with the realities of transportation funding.
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PRESERVATION: Spotsylvania needs to continue to support preservation of open space and the protection of
historic and natural resources as a basis of quality of life and tourism issues.
Implementing Actions:
Support land use principles and design guidelines (setbacks and buffers) through the revised
Comprehensive Plan that protect the 'natural settings' of cultural resources -- both historic and natural.
Assure that implementing actions committed in the Historic Preservation and Open Space elements of the Comprehensive Plan
are completed (e.g. document, mark, and promote our rich diverse cultural heritage, the tree ordinance, the trailways plan).
Support the implementation of "Transfer of Development Rights" procedures enacted by the 2006 General
Assembly to allow Spotsylvania County to transfer development rights as part of C500's strategy for open
space protection as well as managed growth.
EDUCATION:
Spotsylvania should provide a quality education for its youth.
Implementing Actions:
Continue to implement the Gibson Report recommendations/reforms.
Work toward a goal of Spotsylvania students achieving SOL test scores that are at or above the median of the peer school divisions
in Spotsylvania’s “cluster” as identified in the Gibson Report.
Attract and retain the best possible teachers by providing salaries that are competitive within the peer school divisions
in Spotsylvania’s “cluster” as identified in the Gibson Report.
When the School Board believes that increasing school funding is necessary, it should provide to the public clear and compelling
reasons for such proposed increases.
Explore ways to improve environmental responsibility in school operations.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM: Spotsylvania should create and implement economic
development and tourism initiatives that take advantage of our natural, historic and human assets.
Additionally, the County should upgrade existing infrastructure deficits that are known impediments to
attracting business to the area.
Implementing Actions:
Incentives should be developed to bring business closer to its employee base so that more Spotsylvania citizens can work close
to home.
Businesses with jobs and benefits for a well educated and trained workforce, such as exists in the County, should be encouraged.
Tourism as a potential growth industry should to be more aggressively marketed, but for the region, not just Spotsylvania
PUBLIC SAFETY: There is an obligation to cost-effectively provide established Levels of Service for public
safety that serve County residents and visitors. As our County grows, there are increased pressures on the
existing public safety emergency services. In addition, issues of crime, illegal use of drugs, and delinquency
also increase with community growth. Accordingly, the Board of Supervisors must continue to appropriately
supplement Federal and State funding for local law enforcement, fire, and medical rescue emergency services.
Implementing Actions:
The County should sufficiently fund and support operations and expansion of emergency services so that improved response times
consistent with approved level of service targets and 24/7 staffing coverage are achieved throughout the County.
The County should continue to embrace our combined Fire and Rescue system, with paid and volunteer staff receiving appropriate
training and benefits to attract quality personnel and encourage improved emergency services for the community.
TAXES: The tax burden should be as low as practical to support levels of service specified in "Levels of
Service Standards for Public Facilities and Services.
Implementing Actions:
The County should exploit possible alternate revenue sources to alleviate pressure on property taxes, including user fees,
proffers or impact fees from developers to offset the costs of their development, and public-private partnerships. Proffers
or impact fees should be high enough to offset the actual costs to the County and its other citizens while not driving away
future development.
The County should continuously seek to deliver services in the most cost-efficient ways as possible.
The County should have an adequately staffed and trained Task Force to focus on getting grants and/or other governmental funds
that are available from the Stimulus and other economic recovery programs.
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COMMITTEE of 500
Smart Growth Principles
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Manages the Rate of Growth
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Facilitates Better Movement of People Utilizing and Integrating All Modes of Transportation (includes motor
vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, rail, bus & train service)
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Supports Economic Development Goals
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Promotes Preservation of Historic & Natural Resources
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Balances Commercial and Residential Development in Land Use & Rezoning
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Pays for Required Infrastructure Improvements as Much as Possible
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Provides a Range of Housing Options for County Residents
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SPOTSYLVANIA VIRGINIA
Smart Growth Project Rating and Decision Matrix
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Manages the Rate of Growth
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Utilizes/integrates multiple modes of transportation
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Supports Community Economic Development Goals
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Preserves Historic & Natural Resources
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Balances Commercial and Residential (Re)Development
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Pays for Applicable Infrastructure Improvements
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Provides a Range of Housing Options for County Residents
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The Committee of 500
P.O. Box 1697
Spotsylvania, Virginia 22553
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