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For
Immediate Release
August 29, 2002
SPOTSYLVANIA
COUNTY OVERWHELMINGLY OPPOSES DEVELOPMENT OF MULLINS FARM
Public
opinion poll reveals that two-thirds of county voters oppose
Dogwood's proposed development of the Chancellorsville Battlefield
(Chancellorsville,
Va.) - A public opinion poll commissioned by the Coalition
to Save Chancellorsville Battlefield reveals that Spotsylvania
County voters overwhelmingly oppose the Dogwood Development
Group's plans to build a "town center" on the Mullins
Farm property. According to the poll, two-thirds of those
surveyed indicated they oppose the project.
"This
survey is a wake up call for Spotsylvania County officials,"
remarked Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) President James
Lighthizer. "Clearly, Spotsylvania County voters are
well aware of the inappropriateness of intense development
on Chancellorsville battlefield."
Robert
Nieweg, Southern Field Office Director for the National Trust
for Historic Preservation (NTHP) agreed, stating: "The
voters of Spotsylvania are saying they've had enough of the
haphazard-hyper-growth that's turning their community into
one big strip mall choked with traffic. They want what our
Coalition wants - to engage in a dialogue that creates a plan
for sensible growth that preserves their historical treasures
and their quality of life."
In
the telephone survey, county voters were asked several questions
related to Dogwood's development plans. In every case, a majority
expressed strong concern about the rezoning of the historic
Mullins Farm and its probable impact on rural Spotsylvania
County.
The
survey began by asking county voters their opinion of Dogwood's
development plans for the Mullins Farm property. An overwhelming
66 percent of those surveyed indicated they oppose the project.
Only 19 percent indicated that they supported the proposal.
Respondents
expressed a very positive view about the battlefields in their
midst. According to the survey, 81 percent expressed interest
in the historic events that occurred in Spotsylvania County.
Three-quarters of those queried said they believe Chancellorsville
and other Civil War sites in the county are valuable economic
resources. 90 percent indicated that the county has a responsibility
to protect Chancellorsville and other historic resources in
Spotsylvania County.
In
addition, the impact of Dogwood's plans on county taxes was
probed in the survey. When asked about the public services
the new development will require, 80 percent indicated that
the cost of these services would put a strain on county finances.
Both
traffic and the drought were also addressed in the countywide
survey. A nearly unanimous 96 percent of those surveyed indicated
that Dogwood's plans will further increase congestion on Route
3. 68 percent were very concerned that the development would
further strain already limited water supplies.
The
survey also asked voters about the rate of growth in Spotsylvania
County. Nearly two-thirds - 63 percent - indicated that the
county was growing much too fast. Another 23 percent stated
that the county was growing a little too fast.
Finally,
the survey noted the Chancellorsville Coalition's willingness
to work with county officials to promote growth in the county
while still preserving the area's historic resources. Of those
surveyed, 86 percent stated that the county should work with
the coalition to protect Chancellorsville and other county
historic sites.
"The
numbers speak for themselves," noted Caroline Hayden,
spokesperson for the Spotsylvania Preservation Foundation,
Inc. "County voters realize that Dogwood's plans will
erode and further diminish our way of life."
Dogwood's
proposed development is planned for the heart of the May 1st
battlefield. According to the congressionally authorized Civil
War Sites Advisory Commission, the entire 790-acre Mullins
Farm is located within the identified limits of the battlefield.
Approximately 40 percent of the site is considered "core"
battlefield land.
The
poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Research, Inc. from August
22-23, 2002. A total of 407 registered voters were interviewed
countywide by telephone. For verification or questions concerning
methodology, contact Brad Coker at (410) 995-0929. Margin
of error is +/- 5 percentage points.
The
Coalition to Save Chancellorsville Battlefield is an informal
group of national and local preservation, conservation and
civic groups representing more than 600,000 members nationwide.
The coalition is dedicated to preserving and protecting Chancellorsville
battlefield. Its website is located at www.chancellorsville.org.
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Contacts:
Jim Campi (Civil War Preservation Trust) at 202-367-1861
or Hap Connors (National Trust for Historic Preservation)
at 202-588-6324.
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