Planning commission urges Board of Supervisors to oppose state bills that would remove local land‑use authority

The Buckingham County Planning Commission unanimously approved a motion asking the Board of Supervisors to consider a resolution opposing state legislation that would limit local control over land use.

Pete, a county staff member who had been tracking the bills, told the commission multiple House and Senate measures are advancing this year that would establish a state-level commission able to hear appeals and "override any decision made by the county." He described the bills as a potential "backdoor eminent domain" threat because they could remove financial benefits from counties and displace local land-use authority.

"If a county decides that a project should not go forward...that board would have the ability to override any decision made by the county," Pete said. He reported similar measures were vetoed the prior year but warned they could return and succeed under a different administration.

Commissioners discussed drafting a uniform resolution for the Board of Supervisors to send to state legislators opposing any legislation that would take away a county's right to make land‑use decisions. Commissioner Pete (maker of the motion) asked the commission to recommend the Board oppose bills from both the House and the Senate that would remove local decision-making authority; other commissioners voiced agreement. The commission voted to provide a written recommendation to the Board of Supervisors and to draft a resolution opposing any legislation that would remove local land‑use authority; the chair announced the motion passed unanimously.

The commission did not cite bill numbers in the meeting record and asked the Board of Supervisors to tailor the resolution to oppose all relevant House and Senate measures.