The other night as I drove home, I paid attention to each bridge crossing. There were 18 concrete slab bridges. A majority of our roadways are repetitive monolithic creatures with little character or interest of their own. This reminded me of a statistic I once heard about how the drive to somewhere can be a valuable part of the tourist experience. Most people probably don’t travel out of their way to visit a historic bridge, but crossing one is a memorable part of the journey. And if you live near one, it probably is a part of what defines ‘home’ for you.
Julie Bolthouse
Julie Bolthouse is The Piedmont Environmental Council's land use field representative for Fauquier County.
What Are the Tax Benefits of an Easement?
Learn more about the tax benefits associated with donating a conservation easement.
Talking Taxes and Growth
Over the past year, there has been a heated discussion of issues tied to growth and taxes in Fauquier County, both in the local papers and in casual conversation. In these discussions a host of terms are often used without definition. So here’s a short list of some taxes and concepts that every resident of Fauquier County should know when talking growth and taxes:
Fauquier’s PDR program helps working farms
Fauquier’s Purchase of Development Rights program pays landowners of agricultural operations to limit the development potential of their land through a conservation easement. Unlike a donated conservation easement, the PDR program pays farmers a flat rate of $25,000 per development right they wish to extinguish.
Fauquier Mythbusters
A look at some popular myths about Fauquier County’s land use, growth, taxes and development. From ‘Fauquier County is no growth’ to ‘Land with a conservation easement limits farming’…
Conservation at Work
5 conservation stories from around Fauquier County, including Cool Lawn Farm, Environmental Studies on the Piedmont, Hopefield, Rappahannock Station and Hunger Run Farm:
Waterloo Bridge Update — Dec 2014
Text from our Dec 2014 Member Newsletter:
PEC, Fauquier County, and Culpeper County commissioned a report that identified a more cost-effective option for the full rehabilitation of the historic Waterloo Bridge on Waterloo Road (Route 613). The bridge has a long history dating back to the late nineteenth century, but it was closed due to safety concerns last winter.
Waterloo Bridge Report
An encouraging new report commissioned by The Piedmont Environmental Council, Fauquier County, and Culpeper County has identified a more cost-effective option for the full rehabilitation of the historic Waterloo Bridge on Waterloo Road (Route 613). The bridge has a long history dating back to the late nineteenth century, but it was closed due to safety concerns last winter.
County Rewriting Telecommunication Plan
Piedmont Environmental Council has concern about some of the changes being proposed in Fauquier County's rewrite of the Plan for Commercial Wireless Facilities. This section of the County Comprehensive plan sets the policies and goals regarding how telecommunications facilities should be integrated into the landscape. Our two major concerns are about the vague language proposed and the fact that a new telecommunication zoning ordinance is being proposed at the same time.
Waterloo Bridge Letter to BOS
The Fauquier Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on April 10th, 2014 regarding the Six Year Plan for Secondary Roads. The Six Year Plan outlines planned spending for transportation projects proposed for construction, development, or study for the next six years and is updated each year. The letter below is a request submitted by Piedmont Environmental Council that the long term rehabiliation of the Waterloo Bridge be included in the 2014-2015 through 2019-2020 Six Year Plan.