Great Roanoke Times editorial:
Gov.-elect Tim Kaine's 11th-hour focus on smart growth was apparently more than a campaign ploy to help win votes in congested Northern Virginia.He recently reiterated his hope to give localities more authority to limit growth because of inadequate infrastructure.
Developers, especially those who contributed handsomely to Kaine's campaign, feel betrayed.
But smart, planned growth, while no panacea for Virginia's transportation shortcomings, is a necessary component to ward off the kind of gridlock that could bring all growth in the state to a screeching halt.
An anti-sprawl plan -- which would give local governments more power to say no -- may be bitter medicine for developers.
But if it leads to more sensible development patterns that relieve even some of the congestion from Virginia's overcrowded roads, Kaine's plan could be in the best interest of all Virginians, including developers. . . .
Smart-growth tools for local governments won't solve the transportation problem in Virginia on their own, but they are an important element of a systematic approach to the problem.
The problems associated with sprawl that could be addressed by Kaine's initiative aren't limited to transportation. Overcrowded schools, decaying inner cities and a declining sense of community are just some of the inevitable consequences of undisciplined growth.
Kaine deserves credit for his willingness to fight this one out.
Read the whole thing here.