Farmland lost is land lost forever...

Within just five years ( 2002 and 2005) Virginia lost over 500 000 acres of agricultural land to shopping malls and new residential and commercial developments. For many older farmers who face financial hardships dividing and selling parcels of their farms sounds like the only viable option. But is it?
First of all, residential growth looks like a winning lottery ticket to local government but in reality it is a burden on existing taxpayers. For every dollar in new taxes, new residents consume $1.10 or more in new services: extra police, roads, schools, emergency response and infrastructure. Farmers on the other hand use only about 30 cents for every dollar they contribute. How long can the municipality sustain its operation using the "growth model"? It is almost like the Ponzi scheme, where in order for you to survive you have to solicit new funds untill the whole system collapses.
Many individual owners claim that they have the "right to do whatever they want with their land". I am for protecting rights to private property, but not at the expense of someone else. I have a freedom to travel but last time I checked the trips weren't free. It is not right to realise gain on land division/sale and let the rest of residents pay for this with their increased taxes for services needed for that very growth.
Many states came out with tax credits for folks who choose to preserve their land under agricultural or historical easements. These tax credits could be sold or deferred if needed. Another interesting fact is that price per acre of land in an area that has significant percentage of preserved land is higher than in growth (residential) areas. People are willing to pay extra for living in a district that will be protected from sprawl.
So what is the solution? I think that increase in perc/permit fees to offset the new costs and shift of some needed investments in the county like new swimming pool or library to be paid by new residents application fees would let the market do its job. Another wise solution is to attract commercial growth since it contributes to the well being of community through tax revenue and jobs that stimulate local economy. Farm land lost is land lost forever! Use it wisely!

Broadband internet access to residents of Piedmont Area of Virginia

Rolling hills, lush green vegetation, numerous vineyards and historic battle fields with the ever present magnificent background of Blue Ridge Mountains on the western horizon. This "squirrels jump away from Heaven" as President James Madison rightly observed or Piedmont is located approximately 90 miles south of Washington,DC and an hour from Richmond, yet as far as the broadband internet is concerned we are several generations behind.
Preservation and historical easements make this area not suitable for high density development and hilly terrain is not the most hospitable for long range wireless coverage, yet the people living here still wish for the "luxuries" like fiber optic or cable internet available for over ten years mere 8 miles away in Orange.
Verizon telephone company doesn't feel motivated to replace copper telephone lines with fiber optic cables despite charging all of us extra for projects in the rural areas. ( I guess we are not rural enough) There is no business incentive for them to improve infrastructure in relatively scarcely populated area. Virginia Broadband (VABB) has been promising fast internet sometime within "the next year". Sounds great but it has been the same "next year" for the last four years.
Rappahannack Electric Co-op talked about broadband via power lines, but their energy has been
depleted lately since nothing has happened in the last few years. I guess we should just be grateful to have electricity in our houses. (trust me, we are but we need more). Numerous interventions with our local VA Senator resulted in general letter from Commonwealth IT Secretary promising future broadband expansion once stimulus funds are allotted. Politically correct but without any dates or details.
I think this issue has the potential to galvanize our residents to act in unison and apply pressure on our elected officials to provide valuable assistance to their constituents. I would like for them to comment on this issue on this post. "Enter" or rather.... "tally ho" since my internet speed is more like that of the horse at one of the fox hunt events than of a Corvette!