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1996 SESSION

961231252
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 242
Offered January 22, 1996
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the preservation of the Virginia Historic Triangle.
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Patrons-- Grayson, Cooper and Morgan; Senator: Norment
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the political genesis of our democratic form of government springs from the Historic Triangle that embraces Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown; and

WHEREAS, Jamestown and Williamsburg were, respectively, the first and second meeting places of the House of Burgesses, predecessor to Virginia's legislature; and

WHEREAS, Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Tyler attended The College of William and Mary, founded in Williamsburg in 1693; and

WHEREAS, the final battle of the Revolutionary War occurred when American and French forces defeated those of General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781; and

WHEREAS, medical history was made by the establishment in Williamsburg of the first mental hospital in the country; and

WHEREAS, the Rockefeller family endowed the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg as a living museum that attracts thousands of visitors each year; and

WHEREAS, a flourishing tourist industry highlighted by the presence of Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, and scores of attractive hotels, motels, and restaurants makes the Colonial Triangle one of the most desirable destinations for visitors around the world; and

WHEREAS, the presence of the Chesapeake Bay, the James River, the York River and their tributaries enhance the national beauty of this historic venue; and

WHEREAS, the Historic Triangle generates millions of dollars each year in local and state revenues from tourism, one of America's most fragile and competitive industries; and

WHEREAS, failure to respect its historic and environmental values could diminish the attractiveness and quality of life of the Historic Triangle for tourists, as well as local residents and Virginians from across the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the preservation of the Virginia Historic Triangle. The study shall examine how to preserve and enhance the historic and environmental values of the Historic Triangle to maintain both a vibrant economy and a high quality of life.

The joint subcommittee shall be comprised of seven members as follows: four members of the House of Delegates with expertise in appropriations; finance; counties, cities and towns; or conservation and natural resources, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House and three members of the Senate with expertise in finance; local government; or agriculture, conservation and natural resources, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections. The joint subcommittee shall seek the participation of persons to serve in an advisory capacity without compensation and who represent the following entities: the local governments of James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg; the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the Williamsburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, the Williamsburg Area Board of Realtors, the Anheuser-Busch Corporation; The College of William and Mary, Eastern State Hospital and the Williamsburg Hotel-Motel Association.

The direct costs of this study shall not exceed $5,250.

The Division of Legislative Services shall provide staff support for the study. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the subcommittee, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1997 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.