SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 358 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 9, 2007 Requesting the Department of Conservation and Recreation and a task force to study Northern Virginia land preservation. Report. ----------
Patrons-- Ticer, Herring, Howell and Puller; Delegates: Albo, Bulova, Caputo, Ebbin, Englin, Marsden, Moran, Plum, Rust, Scott, J.M. and Watts
---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, the population of Northern Virginia, particularly in the Counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William, has experienced growth rates as high as 48.8 percent during the past five years, and the population of the Counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William is projected to grow an additional 30 percent by 2020 according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; and

WHEREAS, while occupying less than three percent of the land area in the Commonwealth, the Counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William contain more than 20 percent of the population as determined by the most recent population estimates made by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, residents of Northern Virginia must travel long distances to access the vast majority of Virginia State Parks; and

WHEREAS, the acreage of parkland in Northern Virginia has not grown commensurate with the population of Northern Virginia and, in comparison with other mid-Atlantic states, Northern Virginia is deficient in the availability of large public parks; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has not provided funds to meet the parkland and outdoor recreational needs identified by the Virginia Outdoor Plan; the $119 million Virginia Parks and Natural Area Bond Act of 2002 did not result in any parkland acquisition in Northern Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the federal grants to the Commonwealth from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which have historically helped finance the purchase of many of the larger regional and county parks in Northern Virginia, have declined significantly; and

WHEREAS, the preponderance of funds derived from local bond issues for parks and recreation are most often allocated to park development as opposed to land acquisition; and

WHEREAS, the County of Arlington and the Cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax have virtually no remaining undeveloped land on which to locate additional large parks for passive recreation; and           

WHEREAS, limited opportunities remain for setting aside land for larger parks and protecting sensitive environments in the Counties of Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William; and

WHEREAS, the cost and competition for land continues to escalate and is a deterrent to fee simple parkland acquisition; and

WHEREAS, public ownership of watershed lands as passive parkland or as protected private open space is a low-cost approach to assuring high-quality potable drinking water; and

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need for the Commonwealth to devise a creative means of financing the acquisition of public lands as parkland and to protect potable water resources in the rapidly developing areas of Northern Virginia; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Department of Conservation and Recreation and a task force be requested to study Northern Virginia land preservation. The task force shall have a total membership of 10 members appointed by the Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation that shall consist of at least one elected local government official, at least two appointed representatives from local or regional park agencies, at least two professional staff from local or regional park agencies, at least one representative from a local water authority, and at least one representative from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. In conducting their study, the Department and the task force shall identify the necessary actions to obtain and preserve undeveloped land in Northern Virginia for the protection of potable water resources and to provide park and recreational opportunities.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation and the task force shall complete their meetings by November 30, 2007, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of their findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the 2008 Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.