Tim Kaine to speak at 12th New Moon Bash

Contribited Report

Sen. Tim Kaine will be the guest speaker at the New Moon Bash on Friday, April 28 at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen. This will be the 12th year the Hanover Democratic Committee (HDC) has held the Bash.

“We are excited to host Tim Kaine. He is an outstanding leader and an inspiring speaker. As a senator, he has supported bills that improve the daily lives of Virginians,” said HDC Chair Daniel McGraw. “During his tenure in the Senate, Sen. Kaine has been a leader in providing affordable health care for all, improving veterans’ benefits, strengthening Virginia’s gun

Echoing many speakers’ concerns about traffic and possible environmental impacts, Ashland resident Martha Wingfield said it felt as though residents have not had an adequate say in the process thus far.

“This comprehensive plan amendment sets the table for this proposal and I keep hearing it repeated that when we get to the rezoning we’ll talk about the details,” Wingfield said. “And that’s kind of like saying you get to decide on the blueprint for the house and we get to come to the table when we pick out the draperies and wall paint. We want to be at the table now.”

Amos noted that the developer is currently requesting a land use change and not a rezoning request but that a rezoning would eventually be required for the project to be in accordance with the comprehensive plan.

Amos said a traffic impact analysis has been submitted to the county but not formally reviewed by the town. A formal review of that analysis would be done at the re-zoning application point in the process.

When it comes to how the proposed land use change would impact the county, a number of county entities have said that making way for the Ironhorse Business Park would not be expected to have a negative impact on county services.

Amos shared in her report that the Ashland Police Department has submitted a formal analysis concluding that more calls for services would be expected with the new development, but that they did not expect that there would be an impact on larcenies or other crime in the existing nearby neighborhoods.

The planning commission voted 5-0 on Jan. 11 to defer a decision until the commission’s Feb. 8 meeting, during which the commission voted 3-2 to recommend approval of the request as presented.

Among the reasons given for staff’s support of approving the comprehensive plan amendment, Amos pointed to the site’s proximity to the interstate and the existing access to utilities including power, water and sewer, and high speed internet service.

The next Ashland Town Council meeting is scheduled for April 18.