We’re heading back to the Town of South Boston’s proposed Comprehensive Plan. Mayor Carroll Thackston has issued his reply to Andy Rice’s letter.
December 22, 2009
Mr. Andy Rice
Rice & Sons, Inc.
4 Edmunds Street
South Boston, VA 24592Dear Andy:
Thank you for your letter of December 10th in which you expressed grave concerns over the Town’s proposed Comprehensive Plan, specifically as it related to the Riverdale area.
First let me address your statement that “Encouraging existing businesses to vacate the Town, whether they relocate in the County or simply cease to exist is, a terrible message to send to anyone contemplating going into business in South Boston.” Page 54 of the Comprehensive Plan states, “Because the area is in the floodplain and floodway, the Town should adopt a policy to steer the area towards a more compatible land use, but, without damaging the viability of existing businesses along the corridor.” It goes on to say, “This vision may take decades to implement and can be accomplished as property owners willingly place their property on the market as the natural life cycles of their businesses determine.” The last sentence on page 54 states, “The Town should establish a fund and solicit grant funding to purchase these properties at the fair market value as they come on the market, gradually clearing them for environmental restoration and conversion to a land use that is more appropriate for a floodplain.”
As far as your concern that we are, “encouraging existing businesses to vacate the Town” that is just not true. Council even formally rescinded the request to the Corp of Engineers for a flood study project because the cost was prohibitive.
Page A-18 of the Comprehensive Plan states in part that after the flooding from Hurricane Fran in 1996 the Corp of Engineers and Halifax County undertook an additional flood study. The study found that the most cost effective option to reduce flooding impacts was to relocate businesses from the floodplain. The relocation cost at that time was estimated at 5 million dollars. Page A-18 notes that as a result of community discussion on Riverdale, Town Council reconsidered the flood control project and agreed not to pursue this due to its costs and the input from the community.
Furthermore Council agreed to work with Riverdale businesses and property owners desiring to continue business operations, yet still work towards a long-term community goal of ultimately relocating businesses out of the floodplain through voluntary acquisition of at-risk properties as they become available for sale.
You made a number of other points which would require more detailed statements on my part and I don’t want this reply to be too lengthy, but I would be happy to meet with you at your convenience to discuss the Plan.
Let me conclude by quoting the last paragraph on page A-16 – “The purpose of looking at Riverdale for long term comprehensive planning purposes is three-fold:
• 1st – the corridor is the major southern entranceway to South Boston and the Downtown Central Business District;
• 2nd – much of the developed corridor lies within the floodway, which is at risk for public and private damages; and
• 3rd – the Dan River is a natural community asset that could be better utilized for recreational and environment purposes.”I would invite you to visit the Town Manager’s Office and study a copy of the Comprehensive Plan in detail – especially pages 47-48, 51, 54-55, 91, A-16-18, A20 and A22.
If you do this, I believe you will have a much better understanding of the Town’s long term goals and objectives, and you will better understand why numerous citizens spoke in favor of improving Riverdale in the early workshops sponsored by the Town and Hill Studios. The favorable comments also addressed the two other areas covered in the Plan: North Main Street and the Higher Education Center area.
Thank you for your interest in this matter.
Sincerely,
Carroll Thackston
Mayor
Cc: South Boston Town Council
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