Mr. Osborn has been writing about a conservation easement that PEC holds on a property in Fauquier County — a property that PEC worked hard to raise the money to purchase and protect back in 2000. It is part of one of the most scenic landscapes in Virginia, one that tens of thousands of people pass through each year. It’s also visible from a highly visited section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and is part of the open space that surrounds the village of Paris, one of the anchors of the Crooked Run Rural Historic District.
Our Region
PEC focuses on nine counties and one city in the northern Piedmont of Virginia: Albemarle, Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock.
We also team with local organizations to promote thriving communities and healthy natural resources in a much larger region, including the Shenandoah Valley, the central Piedmont, and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Corridor. In addition, we are proud to serve as fiscal sponsor of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, an organization that focuses on land use and policy in the greater Washington D.C. area.
Transportation Board Awards Route 29 Solutions Contract
The Commonwealth Transportation Board has awarded Lane/Corman Joint Venture the $116.7 million design-build contract to improve the Route 29 corridor in Albemarle County. Lane/Corman will widen Route 29 between Polo Grounds Road and Towncenter Drive, extend Berkmar Drive from Hilton Heights Road to Towncenter Drive, and construct a grade-separated intersection at Route 29 and Rio Road.
“Governor McAuliffe and his administration are focused on building the right transportation projects for the right reasons,” said Secretary of Transportation Aubrey L. Layne Jr. “These projects, and the rest of the Route 29 Solutions projects, will provide real safety improvements and real congestion relief for everyone who uses this corridor. The award of this contract is a major step toward delivery of these critical highway improvements.”
Read the rest of the VDOT Press Release
The Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance (RCCA)
RCCA was founded in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization focused on preserving open space and farmland in Rappahannock County. Its mission was to ensure that Rappahannock County remains a scenic, rural community by promoting conservation easements and farmland preservation.
The Krebser Fund for Rappahannock County Conservation
The Krebser Fund for Rappahannock County Conservation (the “Krebser Fund”) is dedicated to protecting important conservation lands and supporting conservation projects in Rappahannock County, Virginia. The Krebser Fund is a land conservation fund managed by the Piedmont Foundation–a 509(a)(3) supporting organization established to hold and manage the funds of The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC). Assisting with the establishment of conservation easements in Rappahannock County is one of the chief purposes of the Fund.
Email Alert: Almost There
A year ago, it seemed impossible to believe that VDOT would put the brakes on the Western Bypass, or start moving forward with more effective, environmentally sound transportation solutions for Rt. 29.
Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance Dissolves
Text from our Dec 2014 Member Newsletter:
The Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance (RCCA) is planning to finalize the process of dissolving itself as an organization and transfer its assets to the Piedmont Foundation this month. Those funds are designated for PEC’s Kresber Fund, which supports a variety of conservation efforts in Rappahannock County. A portion of the funds contributed by RCCA are prioritized for the Farmland Preservation Program.
Albemarle & Cville Update — Dec 2014
Text from our Dec 2014 Member Newsletter:
The light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter as VDOT continues to move forward with real solutions for Route 29 just north of Charlottesville. VDOT has received approval to release all of the property acquired to build the proposed Western Bypass, and they are taking steps to sell the land.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation awarded PEC a $200,000 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund this past October. With this grant, PEC will collaborate with Loudoun County, the Town of Lovettsville, Loudoun County Master Gardeners and Loudoun homeowners associations to implement projects that involve planting native trees and shrubs, improving stormwater facilities and reducing polluted runoff in Loudoun County communities.
Down the River and Through the Woods
A partnership between PEC and The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia has created new opportunities for Orange County youth to experience the natural environment and history of the surrounding region.
Culpeper Update — Dec 2014
Text from our Dec 2014 Member Newsletter:
The Planning Commission may soon have a public hearing on the proposed changes to the Clevengers Village development, which was approved for the north end of the county in 2005. The new urbanist street layout, including pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure, would be removed from the plans.