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Caroline County

Caroline County considers project that could double its population

Developers are proposing to build a 1,059-acre transit-oriented community with dense housing and commercial space. Called Carmel Church Station, the development could double the population of Caroline County within 20 years.

An economic impact study estimated that about 10,000 permanent jobs would be created once the project is finished and 10,000 temporary jobs would be generated during 18 to 25 years of construction. About $150 million in tax revenue would be generated during construction, and annual tax revenue is estimated at $15 million when the development is complete.

The project hinges on the approval of a proposed rail station, around which the community would be built. The process to secure the station is still underway.

Developments like Carmel Church Station can benefit local homeowners by lifting the area economy, which in turn can boost property values.

Posted on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 - 8:40am

Caroline County cuts jobs, salaries to balance budget

Caroline County has eliminated 10 jobs and reduced salaries across the board in an attempt to bring its budget down to a manageable level. The reductions will save the county $548,532.

County Administrator Percy Ashcraft said that residents should not feel a big impact from the changes. "The personnel decisions have been made to attempt to have the least impact on the delivery of services to our citizens," he said. "We have an obligation to have a high standard of serving the public at large. We must continue to do that despite having fewer people in place."

Homeowners benefit from carefully balanced budgets that avoid raising property taxes, as long as public services are adequately funded.

Read more in the Free-Lance Star....

Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 - 12:46pm

Caroline County courts unnamed business

TCaroline Countyhe Caroline County Board of Supervisors is courting an unnamed business, offering about $460,000 in incentives and infrastructure improvements if it locates in the Caroline Commerce Center off Interstate 95.

The company reportedly intends to construct a 340,000 square-foot distribution center, creating 150 new jobs at market rate salaries. It will also invest nearly $50 million in real and personal property.

If the board of supervisors succeeds, Caroline County homeowners will benefit from the county taxes paid by the new company, as the county will be able to improve services without raising property taxes. The addition of 150 well-paying jobs to the local employment market will also boost the area's economy, and in turn help stabilize housing prices.

Read more from The Free-Lance Star....

Posted on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 11:21am

FAAR: Housing market improving

City of FredericksburgThe Fredericksburg area housing market is showing signs of improvement. Houses are taking less time to sell -- an average of 83 days this year, in contrast to last year when homes spent an average of 121 days on the market. There is currently a 7.4-month supply of homes waiting to be sold.

Read more at the forum for the Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS®

Posted on Friday, April 16, 2010 - 5:02pm

Local officials struggle to save jobs, programs while balancing budgets

County and city governments across Virginia are grappling with budget shortfalls made worse by declining support from the commonwealth. The choices they make -- to cut programs or raise property taxes -- affect homeowners' bottom lines in a tough economy.

Read more in your local news:

Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 - 11:43pm

Homes in Fredericksburg Area Sell for Less but More Quickly

Home sales might be down in the Fredericksburg area, but houses are selling more quickly, according to The Free-Lance Star.

Bargain hunters looking for a great deal, and first time home buyers taking advantage of the $8,000 federal tax credit are helping to move houses off the market. This happened in other places in Virginia, and was followed by an increase in home prices after a a few months.

This is good news for all homeowners in the area and a sign that home values may soon be on the rise.

"Home sales are down, and the median price keeps falling, but at least houses are selling more quickly.

Sales fell slightly in August from the previous month in the Fredericksburg area, from 403 to 381, according to data released yesterday by Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc. However, the time homes are on the market has gone down markedly.

In the area (Fredericksburg and Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline and King George counties), 195 homes that sold last month through the Multiple Listing Service had been on the market 30 days or less, slightly more than 50 percent of the total. A year ago, only 83 of 353 homes sold in 30 days or less (23.5 percent).

Ernie Dill, Realtor with Coldwell Banker ELITE, said the main reason for quicker sales is "the feeding frenzy among first-time home buyers."

First-time buyers have until Nov. 30 to take advantage of the $8,000 federal tax credit instituted to give the ailing real estate market some relief.

The median sales price continues to fall, however. In August of 2006, the median sales price was $329,000. A year ago, it was $249,900. In July, it was $210,000. Last month, the median fell to $197,520, about 21 percent lower than it was a year ago. That was lowest figure for August since 2002, when the median was $175,000 as the housing boom was starting to take off."

Read full story.

Posted on Thursday, September 17, 2009 - 3:48pm

Chesapeake Bay Reports Call For More Livestock, Runoff Regulations

Last week federal officials released parts of a strategy to restore the Chesapeake Bay, according to NewsDay.com.

The report focuses on expanding regulation of large-scale animal farms and municipal stormwater runoff. Although details of the expanded regulations have not been decided, the report did mention that federal leadership and "muscle" would be used when necessary to enforce the new regulations.

This report, along with others wll be used to develop a bay restoration strategy scheduled for release on Novemeber 9th.

Because many of the Virginia localities in the Chesapeake Watershed are heavily farmed areas, many Virginia property owners could be affected. Property owners will need to ensure that their rights are protected in the process of restoring the Chesapeake Bay.

"Federal officials on Thursday began revealing the building blocks of a strategy to restore the Chesapeake Bay, using federal leadership to encourage states to cut pollution and federal muscle, when necessary, to ensure it happens.

Among recommendations in draft reports from federal agencies: expanded regulation of large-scale animal farms and municipal stormwater runoff, and requirements that increases in pollution be offset by reductions from other sources.

The details, such as how many more animal feeding operations would be regulated, have not been decided, but 'the message here is that there will be, there is a commitment at EPA to increased enforcement and increased oversight of state programs,' EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said Thursday.

The reports will be used to develop a bay restoration strategy, scheduled for release Nov. 9, that was mandated by an executive order issued earlier this year by President Obama.

The EPA said it was working with Chesapeake Bay states and the District of Columbia to establish limits for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediments. States would have to develop detailed plans on how to reduce levels of those pollutants from sources such as farms, highways and lawns. The EPA said it would step in if states don't take sufficient action.

While large operations such as industrial chicken farms would be regulated, the EPA said it would also expand regulation of municipal stormwater programs to include high-growth areas.

Jackson said the goal was to use federal leadership, and 'federal muscle when necessary.'

Agriculture is responsible for about half the pollution entering the bay, but Jackson noted there is more turf grass in the bay watershed than corn acreage and the region is much different from when bay restoration efforts began decades ago."

Read full story.

Posted on Monday, September 14, 2009 - 10:50am

Believe It or Not, Traffic is Getting Worse in the D.C. Region

According to The Free Lance-Star's transportation reported, traffic is getting worse in the Northern VA/DC region. A recent study showed that traffic issues around the country decreased in most major cities, but got worse in the DC area.

Future tansportation plans like high-speed rail could help to alleviate some of the congestion on the major roadways around the DC region.

"NO, it is not your imagination. Traffic really is worse than it was six months ago.

Real-time traffic information provider INRIX found congestion in most U.S. cities stayed level or shrank this year, growing nationwide at only 0.5 percent. That's not surprising, given the recession, high unemployment and a downward trend in vehicle miles driven. Washington, of course, was an exception. Despite all of these factors, traffic in the D.C. area got 9 percent worse.

Another way D.C. is different: The worst travel hour nationally is Friday from 5 to 6 p.m., but in Washington it's Thursday night from 5 to 6.

INRIX considers Washington the fourth-most-congested city in the nation for the first six months of 2009, after Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, in that order. It beat Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Seattle."

Read full story.

Posted on Thursday, September 10, 2009 - 8:40am

'Giga-coaster' Will Go 90 mph at Kings Dominion

Feel the need for speed? Then head to Kings Dominion, the future home of the Intimidator 305, a giga-coaster that will go 90 mph, according to the Caroline Progress. The new ride will be the highlight of the park's larget capital improvement program ever.

The expansion will help to draw more tourists to the area and boost the local economy.

"Officials of Kings Dominion amusement park announced Aug. 20 the largest capital improvement program in the park’s 35-year history.
The centerpiece of the park’s expansion is the $25 million Intimidator 305, a “giga-coaster” named after stock car legend Dale Earnhardt.

It will take its riders at speeds exceeding 90 mph and almost as high as Kings Dominion’s landmark one-third scale replica of the Eiffel Tower.


The new ride, scheduled to open in April 2010 will be nearly a mile long, rise to a height of 305 feet, then plunge 300 feet at an angle of 85 degrees. It will climb a second 150-foot hill and bring riders back to the finish line for a total ride time of three breathtaking minutes.


The new ride is expected to accommodate 1,350 riders an hour in two trains. The four-passenger cars will use overhead lap-bars and no over the shoulder harnesses. Designed by Intiman AG of Switzerland, the ride uses the Fail Safe Eddy Current Braking System."

Read full story.

Posted on Monday, August 31, 2009 - 6:13pm

NOVA Commuters Anxiously Awaiting VRE Express Trains

According to InsideNova.com federal stimulus money might help advance railroad services in NOVA, and pave way for the Virginia Railroad Express.

Commuters are anxious for the express trains, which could get them to work faster (and with less of a headache) than driving. Homeowners can jump on the bandwagon of supporting this project because in the long run it will do wonders in improving quality of living and increasing property values.

"Virginia will apply for $72 million in federal stimulus money this month to build a third set of rails between Prince William and Stafford counties.

The state is expected to file for the money Aug. 24, and if approved, it will go to fund a third set of train tracks between Powell’s Creek in Dumfries and the Widewater area of Stafford County.

The project is part of the state’s comprehensive vision to bring high-speed rail to the Northern Virginia from Petersburg, and in part will pave the way for Virginia Railway Express to start running express trains on their Fredericksburg line.

The express trains will be 10 cars long and originate during the mornings in Fredericksburg and from Washington in the evenings. The trains would run during peak travel times and stop at only two stations along the route before reaching the end of the line, said VRE spokesman Mark Roeber.

'Those trains would take as much as one lane’s worth of traffic off the highway in one fell swoop, and anyone who boarded the express service would be guaranteed to beat any car on the road and get to work faster,' said Roeber.

The trains would travel at speeds of 90 mph, which is considered the standard for high-speed rail in the U.S. But officials are working to increase the speeds to 110 mph while negotiating with the company, which currently owns the tracks, CSX."

Read full story.

Posted on Thursday, August 13, 2009 - 1:16pm