Which way on growth?

The new board of supervisors will be seated in a matter of a few weeks, during which interim we can all celebrate the holidays and ponder what lies ahead.

More of the same, or a board that looks far more favorably on development?

Cedar Run District’s new Supervisor Lee Sherbeyn has made no bones about his intention. First, he appoints a builder/developer to the planning commission, then said that had he already been sworn in, and had Mintbrook come up for a vote last week, he would have lent his support to the 475-home proposal.

“I can get behind it,” he told us. “Overall, I don’t have a lot of problems with it,” despite the fact that he hadn’t yet “seen all the paperwork.”

Therein lies our concern. It is development, ergo there are no problems with it.

Chris Granger will take over for departing Center District Supervisor Terry Nyhous in the new year, and it appears at first blush that he will inherit his predecessor’s role as swing vote.

On numerous issues over the past four years, Nyhous has been the deciding vote, with Chester Stribling and Ray Graham often on one side, Holder Trumbo and Peter Schwartz often on the other.

For his part, Granger said that Mintbrook still needs a lot of work. Had it come up for a vote and had he been on the board, the development would have been defeated, 3-2.

Mr. Granger indicated that he will talk with Chester Stribling about Mintbrook’s affect on Lee District.

We applaud that outreach. We are confident that both gentlemen understand that development anywhere in Fauquier affects all of Fauquier, in that we all pony up for more school seats, more police and fire protection, and more of other kinds of infrastructure that such development necessitates.