VAPA Legislative Information

For information about the VAPA Legislative Program send e-mail to David Kovacs, VAPA Legislative and Policy Director - - [email protected]

NEW - - GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2002 - - VAPA TRACKING TABLES
February 12th was cross-over.  From now on until the end of the Session only bills than passed the House can be considered in the Senate; and only those that passed the Senate can be considered in the House.  Click here for a list of bills by subject or click here for a list of bills in sequential order that have been tracked by VAPA.  Look for VAPA LEGISLATIVE BRIEFINGS on the LISTSERV for reports of action on these bills.

Click here to view a description of the VAPA Legislative and Policy Program. 

Click here to view the joint VAPA and VaAIA position paper presented to the Commission on Growth and Econimic Development (HJ 671), Summer 2001(Download in Adobe PDF).

Virginia 2002 General Assembly: Visit the VAPA Listserve or contact [email protected] for Legislative Updates that will be issued throughout the 2002 legislative session.

VAPA Guidance For Taking Positions on Proposed Legislation

The VAPA Board has approved guidelines for evaluation of proposed State Legislation. The guidelines are:

• Any new enabling legislation should be made available to all localities and not be restricted or defined by size, geographic location, or rate of growth.
  

•  All enabling legislation should be permissive and not mandatory.
  

•  If legislation is proposed to be mandatory, then assurance must be provided so that it does not fall into a “one size fits all” situation.
  

• Any new enabling legislation, that allows for the use of tools such as impact fees and adequate public facilities programs, shall require as perquisite to enactment of a local ordinance the gathering and analysis of appropriate data, the creation of local goals, objectives and policies, and the description of an implementing strategy.  In addition, these policies should form the basis for an amendment to a locality’s comprehensive plan.
  

•  The local enacting ordinance and program must be consistent with a locality’s comprehensive plan.
  

•  Enabling legislation that allows the use of tools, such as an impact fee, should allow them to be applied at the time of actual impact, i.e. prior to the issuance of building permits, with the local prerogative to limit their imposition to earlier stages of project review and approval such as at the time of plan of development review, subdivision, or zoning.
  

• Proposed legislation shall be examination for unintended impacts or implications (e.g. establishing a standard that might be less stringent than one already being practiced by localities).

VAPA LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY PROGRAM

GOAL: To advance ethically and technically sound planning as part of the decision making process.

OBJECTIVE & STTRATEGY

To improve the legislation and regulations under which planning operates in Virginia

1. Continue to organize the legislative processes and procedures of the Chapter
   1. Include members of each Section in the Legislative Committee
   2. Develop specific operating policies and procedures
2. Develop Chapter positions and comments on proposed APA planning policies
3. Identify, monitor and participate in legislative study commissions
4. Send letter offering technical assistance on planning issues to the legislators prior to the General Assembly
5. Develop Chapter positions on legislation
   1. Legislative Committee evaluates bills and develops consensus position
   2. Position statement is reviewed by Chapter Board’s Executive Committee
   3. If appropriate, coordinate positions with other planning related organizations to achieve unified response
   4. Send Chapter positions on specific legislation to targeted legislators.
6. Coordinate testimony and inform VAPA members of bills affecting planning in Virginia.
7. Enhance annual Legislative day as a tool for promoting better planning legislation in Virginia.