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.
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.
Greene County Public Hearing for 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update. On November 19, residents will have the opportunity to share their ideas about Greene’s future with the county Planning Commission. The commission is holding a “public hearing” to hear from residents as it begins its review of the county’s Comprehensive Plan. The current Plan was approved in 2010. This may be the only chance residents have to voice their opinions to the whole commission and influence what actually gets revised in the Plan.
While momentum has shifted towards positive, effective improvements to Rt. 29, it’s now critical for the public to weigh in on something important — design.
Albemarle County Supervisors are hosting town hall meetings to discuss the Route 29 Solutions Package. The intent of these meetings is to provide the public with an understanding of the projects, the impact they will have on the larger transportation network, and an opportunity to ask questions. Details on the concept recommendation package can be found on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s website.
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.
Fauquier County has long been a leader in recognizing the importance of protecting its natural, scenic and cultural resources. Take a look at the time series below that shows conservation easements in Fauquier County added between 1974 and 2014, or download a PDF of the maps.
In our last newsletter, we shared great news regarding the demise of the ill-conceived Western Bypass. As you might recall, a major blow to the project had been delivered back in February, when the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced serious reservations about the viability of the project. It made it clear that the necessary federal approvals were indoubt unless VDOT reevaluated the entire project, including a new review of alternatives.
The opening of the Silver Line this past July was an important step toward a better future for the Washington metropolitan region and the Commonwealth of Virginia. For decades, Tysons has been an example of 20th century development, urban and suburban areas that don’t quite work—too many cars, no sidewalks and not enough green space.
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.
Big things are happening, or rather not happening, with the costly Western Bypass of U.S. Route 29 just north of Charlottesville. We’re enthusiastic to report that the ineffective project has come to a halt, and we’re hoping this time it will be a permanent road block. With the Bypass off the table, we can finally get to work on fixing Route 29 for the majority of its travelers.