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Look no further than Yuma, Ariz., for proof of Peyton Knight's June 29 op-ed that the Hallowed Ground Heritage Area threatens property rights of Virginians ["'Preservation' should not mean abandoning our property rights," June 29].
Congress established the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area in Arizona in 2000 for preservation of wetlands and historic districts, and, unbeknownst to the citizens, all the land in between.
In 2004 alarmed calls to the Farm Bureau led to a series of meetings to restrict the activities of the planners.
In February 2004, a high percentage of nearly 600 farmers and homeowners at a public meeting signed a letter opting out of the area, while only one of them said he had known before 2003 that his land was included.
By May the city council heard resolutions to reduce the size of the area and to adopt a city policy prohibiting city staff members from using the heritage area as a basis for any type of regulation.
Finally in November 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to reduce the size of the area. The accompanying House Report stated, "The fear of adverse impacts on private property rights were [sic] realized when local government agencies began to use the immense heritage area boundary to determine zoning restrictions." The bill awaits Senate floor action.
In Yuma, a single city council could restrain the planners. How much more difficult will it be to prevent abuse by the dozens of planning departments from Monticello to Gettysburg?
Jane Hogan
Keysville
