Urbanization. It is headed this way. Whether under the guise of inevitable growth, sprawl, or simply suburban creep, the northern Piedmont of Virginia is facing the prospect of becoming, in its entirety, a physical, economic, and cultural extension of Washington, D.C.

As Federal Government activity and spending inevitably increase in the post-911 world; as the related economies of northern Virginia business districts continue to boom; and as close-in, developable land becomes increasingly scarce and valuable, the pressure to intensively develop to the Blue Ridge and beyond is becoming almost unstoppable.

Almost.

To an extent far greater than our immediate neighbors, Rappahannock County has been a bastion against the rapid suburban and exurban development spun off by the hyper-growth of the capital city of the free world.

The rugged nature of the land here, its scenic beauty, relative inaccessibility, and the county's small size (i.e., low population) inspired and allowed a small group of progressively minded leaders to enact protective ordinances that have dissuaded, so far, developers looking to make large profits by rapidly building out the landscape to high-density standards.

Nineteen percent of Rappahannock County is federally protected as part of Shenandoah National Park. Sixteen percent is protected by conservation easements. The county's Comprehensive Plan values agriculture and open space land uses. Our zoning law mandates a 25-acre minimum average zoning density in agricultural districts and restricts commercial development to villages and one Commercial District. A Lighting Ordinance prevents high-intensity commercial lighting. The county has a program to Purchase Development Rights from farmers. The county continues to be administered by local citizens who value open space, a farming economy, scenic land in peaceful repose, a country setting, and a rural way of life.

So, what does this have to do with the Hazel River?

As effective as the county's impediments to unrestrained growth have been to date, there are too few weapons in our arsenal against the growing pressures to develop Rappahannock county. Those growth restraints that are institutionalized in county ordinances are potentially subject to challenge, and are in any case only as good as the will of current and future Boards of Supervisors.

Conservation land easements are (theoretically) forever. So too is Tier III designation as an Exceptional State Water, as is currently proposed for the Hazel River.

Except in one very important respect, Tier III classification of the Hazel would change very little here (and would have absolutely no adverse impact on landowners). Tier III classification would block the construction of any new, urban-style sewage treatment plant along the Hazel or along the last 1,000 feet of any tributary stream to the Hazel. New home developments of suburban densities cannot be built without the kind of sewage treatment plants that Tier III classification prevents. By preventing new sewage treatment plants on the Hazel, the Hazel River corridor could be spared indefinitely from unwanted development that is so inappropriate for Rappahannock County. Getting Tier III designation for the Hazel is about the best thing that could happen for a large stretch of western and southern Rappahannock County.

The main reason for supporting Tier III designation of the Hazel is to ensure that the River retains its pristine water quality and wild, scenic, peaceful, recreational qualities well into the future. But as a weapon against suburban sprawl overrunning Rappahannock County, the protective power of Tier III designation is matched by few other measures.

Please support Tier III designation of the Hazel. Call your Supervisor now, and come to the December 5 public hearing on the Hazel, 7 p.m. at the Courthouse.

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