Seems that The News Leader set the Internet ablaze this week with what I think is a neat project involving Waynesboro.
The project took thousands of data entries judging exterior condition, from work done for Waynesboro’s 2018 comprehensive plan update, and created a database that could be used by city residents to see how their home rates on a scale of 1-5.
The 1’s are “very healthy,” the 5’s “very unhealthy.”
I’m a numbers guy at heart, so naturally, I took a peek at where my home rated on the scale.
The verdict: 2, so, “healthy.”
If this was all you needed to know, fine, right?
Except that the Leader, in the course of working on this project, discovered a bit of sloppiness in the language that was adopted in the comp plan update.
The sloppiness: that homes scored at 4 or 5 must be updated to at least 3 by 2025 or be demolished.
Reminder: my home is a 2. But, we’re going to do something about the roof, and my wife is going to upgrade the flower situation out front.
I’m just saying, work to do, but we should at least maintain our 2, if we keep at it.
Actually, the story included quotes from the city planning director, Luke Juday, to the effect that there is a recognition on the part of city officials that they need to update the comp plan update to get rid of that part about demolishing homes that are 4’s or 5’s.
Whew. Dodged a bullet there.
You do have to wonder how this slipped through.
Crossing t’s, dotting I’s, that kind of thing.
Memo to city leaders: read your staff reports!
Column by Chris Graham
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