growth

Northern Virginia saw some of the nation's highest growth last year, despite the recession.

• Alexandria added 5,400 residents last year, a 3.8% increase
• Arlington County gained 7,300, a 3.5% increase
• Fairfax County added 18,000 more people, a 1.8% increase
• Loudoun County added 11,000 residents, a 3.8% increase
• Prince William County grew by 13,000 new residents, a 3.6% increase

"There's a high quality of urban life in this area," said William H. Frey, a demographer for the Brookings Institution.

Homeowners benefit from population growth, which grows the economy and promotes a healthy real estate market.

Read more in The Washington Post....

The Washington area grew over the last ten years, with new residents attracted by jobs and development. Even the inner areas such as Arlington County and Alexandria saw growth, in contrast to population declines in the 1990s.

Loudoun and Prince William counties continued the explosive growth seen in those counties in the 1990s. Loudoun was the fifth-fastest growing county in the country from 2000 to 2009, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The robust growth is good for homeowners, who should see their property values grow along with the region's population and job opportunities.

Read more in The Examiner....

Though the developers face several more steps in the process, a new mixed-use development proposal is being received favorably by the York County Planning Commission.  In addition, there was no opposition at the recent public hearing.  This was quite a change in sentiment from a similar proposal two years ago at the same site.

Pritchard and Miller Real Estate went before the York County Planning Commission on Wednesday night seeking a positive recommendation for their plan to construct 66 town houses, 46 condominiums and at least 13,750 square feet of retail/office space. If approved, Nelson's Grant would be built on about 14 acres just north of the Patriot's Square Shopping Center on Route 17 and become York's first mixed-use community.

Mixed-use developments maximize space by combining "uses", i.e.residential and commercial.  This type of design usually involves walkable communities where residents are close to retail establishments like stores and restaurants. Depending on the design and the project size, they usually generate less traffic than traditional types of residential development.

Read the full Daily Press story...

According to the Free Lance Star, Fredericksburg City Council has resumed discussion of an ordinance to limit the size of "out of scale" new homes.  Originally considered in 2008, the Council placed it on hold, only to be shuffled between the Council and the Planning Commission.  As the housing market slowed and new construction sales tumbled, the urgency passed and the issue was placed on the back burner - until now.  The Council will hold a public hearing to seek input on a proposed ordinance that would limit the height of new homes, as well as the amount of space the "footprint" of the house would occupy in relation to the lot size.

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The number of questions is growing when it comes to the land surrounding Oceana Naval Air Station. After continuous noise compaints and specific directions from the Defense department to clear the land surrounding the air strips, the City of Virginia Beach began buying lots in the Accident Prone and Clear Zone with the hope of decreasing encroachment around the base. Now, many are baffled by the emergence of new homes in certain places, as well as the prices paid for the land development.

Read the full Virginian-Pilot story...