I have the honor and privilege to transmit to you the report of the Rural Affairs Study Commission. This 1971 report continues our effort to deal with the concern expressed about patterns of future development in the Commonwealth in the statute establishing the Commission, Chapter 768 of the 1968 session, and in the statute continuing the Commission, Chapter 447 of the 1970 session.

The efforts during this biennium were directed primarily toward developing recommendations omitted from our 1969 report due to lack of adequate information and time.

Senate Joint Resolution, Number 28 of the 1970 session stated:

"Resolved by the Senate of Virginia, the House of Delegates concurring, that it is the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia that it should be a policy of the State to operate State programs in such a manner, where feasible, as to encourage orderly population growth in non-metropolitan areas."

This report is based on the above expression. The Commission strongly believes that the closer Virginia comes to obtaining rural-urban balance, the· better will be the quality of life available to all Virginians.

Evidence is accumulating that information and recommendations presented in our 1969 report, and the action taken as a result, have contributed significantly in moving Virginia toward greater concern and action to achieve rural-urban balance. Information 'included in our 1969 report increased citizen awareness of those conditions that cause people to choose not to live in nonmetropolitan areas. That information has helped this Commission focus on those areas where improvements are necessary if rural areas are to have a greater share of the population growth and the economic expansion in Virginia. The Commission introduced several pieces of legislation based on its 1969 report, and all were enacted by the General Assembly at its 1970 session. This included:

1. An act to create a Virginia Housing Study Commission to develop recommended actions to correct the substandard housing in our State.

2. An act to authorize the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Commission to develop a master plan for completing the soil survey and mapping program by 1990 and to create an incentive program for localities to complete soil surveys. This act will result in. modern soil information so essential in locating sewerage systems and solid waste disposal systems, in reducing sediment pollution of our streams and lakes, and in insuring that comprehensive land use planning maintains and improves environmental quality.

3. An act to create scholarships for soil scientists, prescribe rules, conditions and regulations for awarding same, and provide appropriation therefor.

Soil Scientists are the key personnel needed to accelerate the soil survey and mapping program in Virginia. This act will reduce the intense shortage of such professionals.

4. An act to amend Title 21 of the Code of Virginia by adding Articles 2.1 concerning conservation, small watersheds flood control and area development funds; to repeal section 21-11 of Article 2 of Title 21 of the Code of Virginia.

This act provides a revolving fund to use in constructing facilities designed to store water for other than flood prevention purposes. This act, accompanied by necessary funds, allows increases in storage capacity of water-holding structures, providing thereby for area development as well as flood prevention.

5. The Commission assisted with and supported legislation whereby additional service is now provided to facilitate delivery (within the Commonwealth) of parcels that qualify under postal regulations as to size and weight.

6. The Senate Joint Resolution stating the General Assembly's concern with rural-urban balance in Virginia directed four state agencies, The Department of Education, the Department of Highways, the Department of Health, and the Division of State Planning and Community Affairs, to study items requested by the Commission and to report to the Commission.

These reports were designed to provide the Commission information to assist in formulating recommendations relating to major areas not examined thoroughly in our earlier report. These include recommendations:

- to encourage greater utilization of existing school facilities for non-school educational and cultural functions for the benefit of communities;

- to provide improved and reliable access to a reasonable and an acceptable quality of health care for all Virginians;

- to change present highway laws and policies so that "slow growth" and "no growth" areas of Virginia may share in the economic and population growth of Virginia;

- to develop selected community services and· facilities bearing on the ability of a community to grow, and encouraging people to choose such a community as a place to live. Such services include (1) Water and Sewerage, (2) Vocational Education, (3) Emergency Ambulance, (4) Emergency Fire Protection, (5) Public Libraries, and (6) Cultural Opportunities;

- to support those working to resolve the concerns now existing in the area of water resource management.

All recommendations included in our previous report are not expanded in this one. But, recommendations in the major areas listed do include several items of concern dealt with in our earlier report. Even with the dedicated efforts of the Commission, many individuals, agencies, and all the information available, it is not possible to answer all the questions that require answers to solve the many problems found in rural Virginia.

The Commission believes that cooperative, dedicated, and energetic efforts to implement the recommendations in this report and the 1969 report* can result in significant movement toward obtaining rural-urban balance in Virginia. A better balance will result in rural areas experiencing a greater portion of Virginia's population growth and economic expansion. Encouraging rural communities to strive to attract the population growth now being drawn to the metropolitan areas is essential to improving the quality of life in both.

The Commission has received extensive staff time and services from several state agencies in carrying out its studies. Organizations that have been especially helpful are:

The Division of Statutory Research and Drafting,
The Division of State Planning and Community Affairs,
The State Department of Health,
The State Department of Highways,
The State Department of Education, and
The Extension Division of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

The Commission realizes that rural areas have hundreds of valid needs. The Commission has attempted, however, to make recommendations designed to provide for those needs considered most influential in bringing rural areas up to a reasonable par with their urban counterparts. The Commission believes that a greater effort must be made by the local governments and the state government to attain an orderly movement toward rural-urban balance in Virginia. The recommendations in our reports have been directed toward that end. We believe that whatever action is necessary must be taken not only for the sake of rural areas, or for the sake of metropolitan areas, but for the sake of the entire Commonwealth of Virginia.

D. Woodrow Bird
Chairman

* The recommendations in the 1969 report are listed in Appendix 1.