I am writing this letter to strongly protest proposed changes in development regulations that would allow the Virginia development community to eliminate public accessibility to various stormwater applications.  If this proposal were to be implemented, those from the building industry could have free rein to run roughshod over regulations that will protect the rivers that flow into the Chesapeke Bay.

  All development applications, zoning applications, building applications, grading applications, and the like must remain accessible to the public for public review.  This is  a practice that allows residents to understand the impact of a development application home and how it can effect the environment, rivers and the bay. 

This is a proposal to hide parts of stormwater plans from the public. It will allow builders and developers to proceed with plans that benefit them, while having negative impacts on the impacted communities and the rivers and streams which flow into the Chesapeake Bay. It is a major step backwards. As a lifelong Virginian who spends much time on the James River and its tributaries, I witness firsthand the impacts of bad planning decisions and of irresponsible landowner actions resulting in degraded water quality, ruined fish and invertebrate habitat and increasing water flow issues after even fairly minor weather events.  I urge you to retain the public's ability to review proposed Stormwater Pollution Prevention plans, and to allow the public input into these decisions.