In the 1972 Session of the General Assembly, House Joint Resolution No. 44 was adopted directing the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council to study land use policies, economic and population growth and changing population patterns in the Commonwealth.

Your Council appointed Delegate D. French Slaughter, Jr., to act as Chairman of the Committee. Delegate Slaughter appointed the following individuals to serve on the Committee: Mr. FitzGerald Bemiss of Richmond; Senator Elmon T. Gray of Waverly; Delegate Joseph A. Leafe of Norfolk; Mr. John T. Hazel, Jr., of Fairfax; Delegate W. L. Lemmon of Marion; Mr. Rosser H. Payne, Jr., of Warrenton; Delegate Thomas J. Rothrock of Fairfax; Delegate Frank M. Slayton of South Boston; Senator David F. Thornton of Salem; and Mr. Hiram Zigler of Richmond.

The Committee began its work in the fal1 of 1972. After many hours of deliberation, the Committee submitted its report to your Council in November of 1973. The Land Use Policies Committee stated to the Council that many of its recommendations were debated long and hard for many hours. The members of the Land Use Policies Committee informed the Council that each Committee member reserved the right to voice his reservations about a particular recommendation or portion of a recommendation, even though the report as a whole was endorsed by all the members of the Committee.

Your Council studied and discussed this Report and determined that it would need further study because of the complexity of its subject matter. Your Council further determined that this was one of the most timely reports in recent history and should have the close scrutiny of the members of the General Assembly and the general public. Therefore, the Council releases this report for the information of the 0-eneral Assembly and the general public without any action by the Council. A copy of the Land Use Policies Committee Report is appended to the report of your Council. Your Council further requests that its study of land use policies and related matters be continued. The appropriate resolution is appended to this report.

The Council is aware that the Congress of the United States is considering an act dealing with land use policies in the nation as a whole. The Senate of the United States passed Senate Bill 268 which provides that federal grants will be made to states which develop land use plans. As in all federal legislation, the grants must be subject to federal guidelines. These federal guidelines by necessity must be uniform and cannot take into· consideration the unique governmental, geographic, demographic and economic characteristics of each of the several states. In addition, the House. of Representatives has before it a bill which will provide for withholding of federal funds for highways, public works, environmental management, airport construction and other similar programs if a land use plan for the State is not adopted. This bill is most dangerous as it would usurp the power of a state to regulate the use of the land within its boundaries in the best interest of all its citizens. The Congress has not taken into consideration that a number of states already have comprehensive land use planning and numerous other states are considering the best course of action to follow in land use planning. Your Council, therefore, respectfully requests that the General Assembly adopt a resolution which will memorialize Congress not td take any legislative action on the National Land Use Policy Act of 1973 or any other legislation of similar purport. A copy of this Resolution is appended to this report.