PEC in Fauquier

Rural Historic Districts
A rural historic landscape is a category of property qualifying for listing in the National Register as a historic site or district. For the purposes of the National Register, a rural historic landscape is defined as a geographical area that historically has been used by people, or shaped or modified by human activity, occupancy, or intervention, and that possesses a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of areas of land use, vegetation, buildings and structures, roads and waterways, and natural features.

Designation of a district helps foster a sense of place which, hopefully, mitigates how the place is treated. It also adds a layer of protection against federal and federally funded projects. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires that Federal agencies allow the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation an opportunity to comment on all projects affecting historic properties either listed in or determined eligible for listing in the National Register.

PEC took the lead in the designation of the Crooked Run Valley Rural Historic District, a district that encompasses 18,630 acres of picturesque rural landscape in northwest Fauquier County, Virginia. The district is visually and physically bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains on the west and north and foothills, including Lost Mountain, on the east. The gently rolling topography of the Crooked Run Valley is interspersed with smaller valleys created by the numerous spring-fed streams that originate in and cross through it. The Crooked Run, from which the historic district takes its name, flows through the center of the district and parallels the present course of Route 17 (Winchester Road). This central transportation artery, based on a Native American trade route, takes the visitor through the heart of the district. The waters of the Crooked Run, which joins the larger Goose Creek near the village of Delaplane, provided power for mills, which were one of the valley's earliest industries. The land located within the historic district is now primarily used for farming or pastureland. Over 3,300 acres are held in open-space easement or are public-owned lands.

PEC has provided support to others who secured the designations of the John Marshall's Leeds Manor Rural Historic District and Springs Valley Rural Historic District.

The John Marshall's Leeds Manor Rural Historic District contains 22,184 acres in northwestern Fauquier. It is centered on 21/2 miles the Leeds Manor Road between Rattlesnake and Cobbler Mountains. Springs Valley Rural Historic District contains 7,510 acres nestled among the Piney Ridge Range, Upper and Lower Harts Mountains, Picketts Mountain, and Lees Ridge in southwest Fauquier.

Goose Creek Scenic River
PEC was the lead agency in securing scenic river designation for Goose Creek in Fauquier County. Goose Creek, the power source to numerous mills early in Fauquier's history, rises a quarter mile from the Appalachian Trail near Linden, and flows for approximately 50 miles before entering the Potomac. The Loudoun section was the first designated scenic river in Virginia. The Fauquier portion was added in 2007.

Scenic Highways
PEC successfully worked to have 33 roads designated as scenic by-ways.

Ovoka
PEC purchased 700 acres near Ashby Gap in northern Fauquier to preserve one of the most endangered view sheds in Virginia, according to Scenic Virginia. In 2003, approximately 445 acres in Clark and Fauquier Counties were transferred to the National Park Service adding additional protection to the Appalachian Trail. National Park Service Director Fran Mainella heralded the acquisition as, "A perfect example of conservation achieved through cooperation, communication and consultation. By working with a community of individuals and organizations with a shared sense of values and responsibility for conservation, both for the Piedmont region and along the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, the NPS was able to be part of an extraordinary public-private partnership that benefited both."

Cell Towers
PEC helped Fauquier develop a telecommunications ordinance that greatly reduced cell towers heights allowed by right. This has protected Fauquier's viewsheds.

Land Use
Some of PEC's contributions to Fauquier consist of things that never came to be. Because of PEC's efforts, high voltage power lines do not cross the Blue Ridge at Ashby's Gap; Walt Disney is not located four miles from Fauquier with its attendant sprawl; uranium is not mined in Fauquier; the 400 house Salem Subdivision, was never built; a western by-pass connecting I-95 in Stafford and Route 7 in Loudoun does not exist; Route 28 is not four lanes; Norfolk Southern did not reroute its Manassas line through historic Buckland; and there is no Auburn Dam on Cedar Run.

Buffers
PEC planted $25,000 in trees along a potion of I-66 to minimize the impact from the highway.

Land Conservation
PEC worked at the State level to improve the Commonwealth's land use tax programs. PEC also instituted legislation at the national level for federal tax credits for land preservation. Seven years of effort paid off with the 1997amendment to the American Farm and Ranch Protection Act providing tax incentives for voluntary land conservation. The ultimate success of this program has had a profound effect on land preservation in the County. Today, 86,389 acres are under easement. This represents 21% of the County's land mass.

Route 50
PEC was a founding member of the Route 50 Corridor Coalition. Its efforts can be seen in the traffic calming measures in Upperville.