The document discusses recent developments in Gloucester County, including a public hearing on a hazard mitigation plan that would purchase and designate flood-prone properties as open space, ultimately impacting tax revenues. It also highlights revisions to animal welfare ordinances, the proposal for new luxury multi-family housing to benefit local economy and tax revenues, and a plan to align real estate tax effective dates with the fiscal year for better financial transparency. Residents are encouraged to participate in local governance and provide feedback.

1. November
6,
2014
A
publication
for
the
good
citizens
of
the
York
District
and
Gloucester
County”
Issue
No.
2014-­‐13
The
York
District
Herald
After
all
…
It’s
Your
Tax
Money!
What
went
on
during
our
11/5/14
meeting
…
A Upcoming Hearing
on the Hazard
Mitigation Plan on
December 2
We will be having a public hearing on Gloucester’s Hazard Mitigation Program. This program allows the
County to purchase properties (flooded during hurricanes) with Federal tax money and designate
these properties as open space forever – that is, no one can ever develop the properties again. The
effect of this Federal program is that it takes properties off the tax roll, which puts a further financial
strain on revenues for the county and it will cost the county more to maintain these sterile properties.
That financial strain, in turn, puts more of a burden on us, the taxpayers. I strongly believe the County
should not be in the real estate business. Come to the Colonial Courthouse on December 2 and voice
your opinion.
Ordinance Revisions
Regarding Animal
Welfare and Control
The Board unanimously (6-1) deleted Section 3-18 of our ordinance dealing with animals left in enclosed
vehicles. The problem is that it does not contain clear exceptions for cattle/livestock and poorly defines
“vehicles”, “stress”, “enclosed” and “unattended”. Virginia has adequate animal cruelty laws on the
books dealing with companion animals. Many farmers and horse owners told me this onerous
ordinance would place an undue financial burden on them to air condition their livestock carriers
during summer months if it is literally enforced. I am also urging my colleagues to agree to include
language for the management of feral cats which currently pose health and safety issues here in our
County. There are ways to manage these animals without burdening the taxpayer. I believe laws for
undomesticated wild cats should be the same as for dogs. Our ordinances are basically lenient on that
issue. In my view, feral wild cats not treated for rabies and other diseases pose a significant danger to
adults and children.
New Multi-Family
Housing in
Gloucester
We had a public hearing on the construction of 218 luxury apartments mixed with businesses located
just behind the Stagecoach Market. The development, called Carriage Point, will have green space, a
clubhouse/swimming pool and mixed businesses. Gloucester County ordinances currently do not allow
multifamily housing, which would allow professionals (teachers, sheriff deputies, healthcare workers) to
work and live and spend their money in the county. Studies by the National Association of
Homebuilders show that multifamily residents pay more in taxes and have fewer school children on
average than single-family houses; therefore, subsidizing our schools and other county infrastructure.
Such housing will also provide an opportunity for young people to live and stay in Gloucester who
cannot otherwise afford the long-term financial commitment of buying a home. Many people work
here, but live and spend their money across the Coleman Bridge. More money spent in the county
means more demand for businesses, more businesses will attract other businesses into the county, more
businesses means more tax revenues, more tax revenues means less taxes you have to pay. All of us on
the Board support this project because of the economic benefits it provides to the County.
Aligning the Effective
Date of Real Estate
Taxes to Our Fiscal
Year
I presented a proposal to align the effective date of our real estate taxes to the fiscal year. So, rather
than having it effective on June 30, it will become effective on July 1 – the start of the Fiscal Year. Year
after year, revenue surpluses get rolled over to the next fiscal year with the effect that some of this
money gets spent before it’s rolled over. Such spending is not readily apparent without some deep
drilling into our books and records. This proposal will force the County to accurately forecast revenues
and make our books and records more transparent to the Board and to you, the taxpayer. Several
counties in Virginia have adopted this policy – we should too! View my presentation at this link:
http://gloucester.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=10&clip_id=1059&meta_id=47557
Next Scheduled
Meeting
The next scheduled meeting for the Board will be on November 4. Please come out and participate,
speak out, hold us accountable; be a part of the decision making process!
Ladies and Gentlemen: My goal with this newsletter is to keep you informed. Therefore,
please send me your email address at philbazzani@gmail.com so you too can get a copy of
this Newsletter. And please forward this Newsletter to your friends and family!
PHIL BAZZANI – YORK DISTRICT SUPERVISOR