Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
For a Friday night in Afton, you could call it a packed house. An estimated 80 to 100 people filled the meeting room at the Rockfish Valley Volunteer Fire Department to hear about the continued growth along Route 151 through the Rockfish Valley corridor. The underlying theme of the meeting by organizers of Concerned Citizens For Nelson 151 Corridor and those attending, could be loosely described as, “We don’t want to become what’s happened in Crozet.” The primary discussion centered around Nelson County’s Comprehensive Plan (a blueprint for the future growth) and a Virginia Urban Development Area designation as it would pertain to the Nellysford area.
For about 2 hours Nelson Board of Supervisor for the Central District, Ernie Reed, and Nelson Planning Commission member Robin Hauschner of the Central District addressed the crowd and answered questions. The meeting sometimes became contentious when those in attendance said they felt their concerns weren’t being listened to.
Above in this 12 minute condensed video clip, residents and county officials discuss their concerns about a proposed Urban Development Area designation around Nellysford, the Nelson Comprehensive Plan, semi truck traffic on Route 151, along with other topics.
Nelson Planning Commission member Robin Hauschner of the Central District, told the crowd, “The word urban doesn’t necessarily mean more growth. If something is out of character it wouldn’t necessarily get approved.”
“I don’t think we’ll see any surprises. We’ve done a good job responding. There’s not much difference in what we have been hearing and what we are doing or planning,” BOS Ernie Reed told the crowd.
Reed went on to say that VDOT is now doing a new study for the Route 151 corridor, but didn’t think it would be completed ahead of the Nelson Comprehensive Plan and The Urban Development designation. Some in the crowd asked, “What’s the rush, why can’t we slow down the process to allow that study to be completed?”
Both Reed and Hauschner urged those in attendance to attend the governmental meetings that are being held regarding UDA and the Nelson Comprehensive Plan.
Organizers of Concerned Citizens For Nelson 151 Corridor say another meeting is being planned In the near future.
