OUR VIEW: Supervisors made wise decision in land case

» We’re glad the county came to a workable compromise that allows an elderly widow to keep her property on Carrico Mills Road.

Our elected leaders are often called upon to find solutions to problems that impact the lives of their constituents. And we applaud the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors for taking positive leadership on one particularly difficult topic.

At a heavily attended meeting last week, supervisors heard the case of Alice Johnson, a 77-year-old widow whose trailer in Stevensburg faced county condemnation because it didn’t meet state health codes. In September, the Planning Commission had narrowly recommended that the board not renew Johnson’s emergency hardship use permit, citing a lack of indoor plumbing in addition to the presence of junk cars and other debris.

Obviously, Johnson’s blighted property created an unpleasant experience for neighbors and unsanitary living conditions for its owner. And while the Planning Commission was certainly within its means to follow the letter of the law and recommend denial of the permit, the Board of Supervisors made the right call to find a compromise that benefits all parties.

The issue had been a hot-button topic throughout the community ever since news of the Planning Commission’s vote hit the papers. Folks were understandably very concerned about what would happen to Johnson, and they showed up in force at the county board meeting to share their feelings.

Knowing the situation’s importance, county leaders worked behind the scenes with citizens, churches and a manufactured housing association on plans to improve the property. With outside commitments in hand to install a costly pump-and-haul septic system, supervisors unanimously decided to give Johnson another six months to bring her property up to code.

But it isn’t just the supervisors who deserve praise. The real credit goes to those who pledged to donate the needed resources to help Ms. Johnson. Our community pulled together to help someone in a time of need, and local government rewarded their efforts.

Now, that’s how it should work.