As part of our site/civil and land development group, I take great pride in knowing that economic and locally backed land development is being sought after and delivered. One way that we've seen great success in this area is through the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP), which is administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP). This program awards funding to localities that assess and classify parcels of undeveloped land throughout Virginia.

Creating a Competitive Business Environment

Virginia's economic development is on the rise, and in order to promote the commonwealth's competitive business environment, VBRSP has encouraged licensed civil engineers and site development professionals to assess unused land for development purposes.

During an interview with The Free Lance-Star, Tom Rumora, the director of economic development and tourism for Spotsylvania County, stated, "One of the first things we need to do is find out how many acres are realistically buildable. They may have streams and wetlands and functionally be 300 acres. We need to figure that out and adjust for prospects. One of the things we hope to identify is accessibility, topography and utilities—how to get a natural gas line to the property if they want it. It's to enhance the readiness of the properties in order to make them attractive."

VBRSP has developed an application process that grants 20 Virginia localities funding to assess and classify a tier to different sections of land. This five-tier classification program determines a site's readiness. The first and lowest tier represents a site that has not been zoned and has had minimal or no due diligence performed. The fifth and highest tier represents a site that has all prerequisite permits in place and is ready for a disturbance permit.

Funding for the development of Gilman Tract West will allow for further diversity in Virginia's economic development.

On behalf of Spotsylvania County, we prepared a grant application for VBRSP to assign a tier classification for Gilman Tract West—a 312-acre piece of land bordering Caroline and Spotsylvania counties. In order to assign a tier, we completed due diligence, conducted property research, and piloted site concept work. Our efforts also included obtaining plans and use opportunities for a bridge that would eventually extend over I-95, as well as research for existing and future utility corridors and capacities. Additionally, the application outlined the levels of effort and costs associated with transitioning the site to the next tier.

After studying and reviewing the site, our team assigned a tier II classification, which was approved by VBRSP. This classification means that the comprehensive plan is intended for commercial or industrial implementation, and that the owners have agreed on a market-competitive sales price. With this data, Spotsylvania County has created a plan and preliminary budget that will help guide them to the forefront of development-ready sites throughout Virginia.

Preparing for the Final Tier

Because of our efforts, Spotsylvania County is positioned to submit a secondary grant application that will fund development plans and prepare sites for upcoming tier classifications. These preparations will include grading, roadway improvements, utilities, and other necessary means for readiness. Following these preparations, the sites will then be re-classified to a higher tier.

With our firm at the forefront of VBRSP's new classification process, this inaugural grant has begun paving the way for us to continue working closely with VEDP and Spotsylvania County in preparing sites for future development. This work is a joint effort in order to diversify and expand Virginia's growing economy.