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.

Hearing this Thursday: Orange Unveils Sprawling Vision

Posted on by Marco Sanchez

As I mentioned last month, the Planning Commission has released a draft plan for the future of Orange County that takes a startling turn from the plan previously approved by residents of Orange. It includes a map that lays out what the county would look like in 2035 — including major development along Route 20 and increased residential and commercial development on agriculturally zoned land, among other things.

Making matters worse, they scheduled the public information session (where people are supposed to learn about the proposal) on the same night as the public hearing (where people are supposed to weigh in on the proposal). This text was taken from an email alert we sent out on April 30th, 2013.

Remembering Celia: Honoring one of Madison County’s 2012 easement donors

Remembering Celia: Honoring one of Madison County’s 2012 easement donors

Posted on by Marco Sanchez

Celia Porter Dollarhide (January 1940 — December 2012) and her siblings never quite had a hometown. Their father, Robert Porter, Jr., was a general in the U.S. army and the family moved often. So, when General Porter retired in the ‘60s and settled at Middle River Farm in Madison County — the 140 acre tree farm became the family’s home base.

Orange County Unveils Sprawling Vision

Posted on by Marco Sanchez

Just last week, the County Planning Commission put out a pretty shocking map. The maps and accompanying lays out what Orange would look like in 2025 — including major development along Route 20 and increased residential and commercial development in agriculturally zoned land, among other things. This text is from an email alert sent out on March 29th, 2013.

The Future of Albemarle County

The Future of Albemarle County

Posted on by Marco Sanchez

We had a great response to the update I gave last week about the Western Bypass, with more than 140 people already sending emails to our U.S. Senators with their concerns. I encourage you to write if you haven't already. Today though, I want to update you about another important process going on in Albemarle County — a process that impacts County and City residents alike. This text is from a March 21st email alert.

Army Corps & EPA Call Out Flaws in Western Bypass Review

Posted on by PEC

[12/17/12] This has not been a good few weeks for those pushing the Rt. 29 Western Bypass. In late November, a letter from the Environmental Protection Agency was made public that calls into question the draft Environmental Assessment prepared by VDOT. And just last week, a letter from the Army Corps of Engineers came to light, which says: