| When asked about the Middle Peninsula, do images pop into
your mind of its countless waterways, its rural character
and rich history, or its small, closely-knit communities surrounded
by working farms and forests? We live here because we enjoy
a high quality of life compatible with the region’s
heritage and environment. But is this really what we still
see or is it becoming a figment of the past? The region’s
population grew by almost 15% during the last decade. Increasingly,
our pastoral images are giving way to ill-planned, unappealing
development that is rapidly eroding the distinctive qualities
that make the Middle Peninsula unique.
On November 30th, friends, neighbors, and local officials gathered
at St. Clare Walker Middle School in Locust Hill at 7:30 PM for
a Community Forum. Building a Vision of the Middle
Peninsula Landscape featured Edward T. McMahon,
Senior Resident Fellow for Sustainable Development at the Urban
Land Institute. Mr. McMahon is in high demand as a nationally
known expert on topics related to sustainable development, greenways,
land conservation, growth management, tourism, and historic preservation.
He works with individuals and communities – often drafting
land use plans and ordinances - to improve both land conservation
and land development practices by balancing economic and environmental
goals.
The auditorium was full to hear Mr.
McMahon talk about community planning (below)
How do we create, maintain, and enhance livable
communities? Mr. McMahon discussed thought-provoking ideas like
conserving natural and scenic assets, maintaining a clear edge
between town and countryside, building livable communities, preserving
historic resources, respecting local character in new construction,
and reducing the impact of the car. The event was sponsored by
the Virginia Coastal Program at the Department of Environmental
Quality, the Garden Club of the Middle Peninsula, and the Middle
Peninsula Planning District Commission. For more information,
please call 804-758-2311.
Download the Press
Release or the Flyer
in PDF format. |
