The report reviewed development codes in 43 cities and counties within the James River watershed - including the city of Lynchburg and Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell counties. It found every locality needs to update its codes to keep sediment and storm water from overwhelming the river.

The project was a collaborative effort by the James River Association, the Center for Watershed Protection, and students at the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University.

While agriculture and point source pollution are the largest sources of pollution currently impacting the James River, development is the fastest growing source of pollution.

Storm water pollution, during and after construction, can clog waterways with sediment and overwhelm the riverbanks with increased water, which runs off pavement instead of absorbing into the land.

The study found local regulations can make it more difficult for developers to lessen this impact with fewer paved surfaces, more open spaces and increased stream buffers. For example, a city code may allow for narrow streets to reduce paved surfaces, while the local fire code may stop the effort by requiring wider streets.

“It’s a matter of going through the process to make the necessary changes to allow and make this type of (environmentally friendly) development the path of least resistance rather than the cookie-cutter traditional subdivision that we know is going to be damaging to our streams and creeks,” said William Street, executive director of the James River Association.

The study ranked each locality’s codes by comparing them with model regulations created by the Center for Watershed Protection. Those development guidelines focus on minimizing human impact through the design of streets, parking lots and site lots in new developments.

Lynchburg received a relatively poor ranking because the city allows for large streets and cul-de-sacs, does not encourage small lots, does not require the minimum number of parking spaces, has an unclear plan for managing community open space and allows small vegetative buffers along streams.

Its code met the model standards to control parking lot run off, to advocate for open space and to control storm water discharge.

Rural communities received the lowest ratings. Street said these localities have not had as much development or pressure to update their regulations. Appomattox County, for example, was faulted for its conservation and lot development regulations.

Street said rural communities should bolster their development ordinances before heavy growth arrives in their communities.

“They actually have an opportunity to get things right from the beginning and avoid some of the problems that some of the more developed jurisdictions have,” said Street.

The report points to changes that can be made on a state level, as well. It encourages the Virginia Department of Transportation to adopt environmentally friendly road standards, since nearly every jurisdiction uses the minimum state standards. It also calls on the commonwealth to ensure that local codes in Tidewater communities comply with the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.

The report highlights the bay watershed’s roots in the commonwealth, as home to one-third of Virginia’s population and central to the upcoming Jamestown 2007 celebration, stating:

“We must ensure that local codes and ordinances achieve both a healthy environment and healthy economy for our children and future generations.”