Gov. Timothy M. Kaine issued Executive Order 69 establishing the Sub-Cabinet on Community Investment Wednesday. The Sub-Cabinet is tasked with promoting smart, sustainable growth through investment in projects that reduce suburban sprawl.

Through better land use decisions, Virginia will slow the loss of open space, mitigate transportation problems, and provide for present needs, while preserving resources for the needs of the future.

“Virginia loses 165 acres every day to development, and while we welcome this growth and economic success, it is paramount that we grow in a wise and sustainable way with an eye towards conservation,” says Kaine. “The Sub-Cabinet on Community Investment will prioritize the state’s investments to make sure we protect Virginia’s precious natural resources for present use and future needs.”

The Sub-Cabinet on Community Investment’s main tool to promote smart, sustainable growth will be the distribution of state discretionary funds to incentivize desirable growth.

Decisions on grants, loans, matching funds, and other discretionary funds will be evaluated with several principles in mind:

- Invest in innovation
- Invest in the use of existing infrastructure
- Invest in compact development
- Protect and restore Virginia’s natural resources
- Conserve Virginia’s limited natural resources
- Invest in diverse housing opportunities
- Invest in alternative transportation choices
- Take a long-term view to planning

By properly maintaining and making more efficient use of existing infrastructure Virginia can save money and conserve resources. The Commonwealth will seek to invest in projects that promote compact development, consume less land, conserve open space, and minimize the negative social, economic, and environmental consequences of sprawl.

“I applaud Governor Kaine for refocusing attention on the revitalization of our local communities through the creation of a Sub-Cabinet on Community Investment. Many local governments will welcome help as we face infrastructure, congestion, and air and water quality challenges,” says Jay Fisette, president of the Virginia Municipal League and member of the Arlington County Board.

"We applaud this initiative by the Governor to encourage smart and sustainable land use decisions and growth which will protect the investments of all levels of government and protect and preserve the Commonwealth's resources," says William B. Kyger Jr., a member of the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors and the President of the Virginia Association of Counties.

The creation of the Sub-Cabinet on Community Investment continues Kaine’s emphasis on linking land use decisions with transportation planning. Over the last two years, Kaine has worked with the General Assembly to improve coordination between land use and transportation planning, including:

- A standardized process for traffic impact analyses for new developments
- Stricter connectivity standards for subdivision streets
- Improved traffic flow through access management standards
- Designation of urban development areas
- Expanded ability to issue road impact fees
- Local administration of construction projects

The Executive Order is an outgrowth of an internal policy summit, facilitated by the Governor’s Institute on Community Design, which recommended policies for sustainable growth and open space preservation in the Commonwealth. The Institute is chaired by former Maryland Governor Parris Glendening.

The Sub-Cabinet will be chaired by Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant, and consist of Secretary of Administration Viola O. Baskerville, Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick O. Gottschalk, Secretary of Finance Jody M. Wagner, and Secretary of Transportation Pierce R. Homer.