Loudoun County has an opportunity to protect the health, safety and welfare of St. Louis residents in two distinct ways…
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.
Community-based Partnerships Take Root & Grow in Loudoun County
The Piedmont Environmental Council is proudly working with multiple community partners to support local farms and farmers, create more public access to outdoor spaces, and support the county’s food insecure population. Some of these initiatives were inspired or amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic, while others continue to advance PEC’s core mission of protecting and promoting the Piedmont’s natural resources, rural economy, history and beauty.
Solarize Piedmont 2021 campaign available in ten different localities
The Solarize Piedmont program is back through June 30 and available to homeowners and business owners in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock counties, and the City of Charlottesville. Solarize Piedmont makes adding solar power, battery storage, and electric vehicle charging stations to homes and businesses easier and more affordable than ever, by leveraging the collective buying power of many to provide a one-stop shop for solar education, vetted installers, and discounted pricing.
Week Ahead for May 24, 2021: Charlottesville Council to discuss 7th Street parking garage, proposed CAT bus route changes
This is effectively the last week of May, a month that seems to have just started. I am still going through everything that happened so far and hope to have a full week of episodes of Charlottesville Community Engagement to document as much as I can. Thanks to all of you for reading and please share with others.
Trout Stream Restoration Gifts Doubled Through May 31
Through May, we’ve teamed up with Orvis to raise money to restore two miles of brook trout stream habitat on Bolton Branch in Rappahannock County. Receive a $10 store coupon when you donate $10 or more at the register in any of the four NoVA locations: Leesburg, Arlington, Tysons and Woodbridge. Your gift will be matched dollar for dollar up to $10,000!
Public Input Needed for Loudoun Parks and Trails System
Loudoun residents! Plans for a new countywide parks and trails system are underway, and the county needs your input. In early 2019, the Board of Supervisors directed the county’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Board to develop an implementation plan for an expanded and interconnected system of parks and trails that tie into existing parks and trails throughout the county.
Story Map Project: Fauquier’s Historic African American Communities
The interactive story map, visible at www.aahafauquier.org/storymap, includes a map of Fauquier County with points locating African American schools, churches and communities. Visitors can click on each point to see a photo and read a short description. A “read more” cue takes visitors to an interactive webpage with additional history and photographs.
Week Ahead for May 17, 2021: Greene Planning Commission to talk economic development
For many, virtual meetings have lowered the barrier to entry. if you’ve ever wanted to sample what local government is about, this is the time to do so. It remains to be seen how accessible meetings will be from people’s homes in the future. But, the laying of broadband across much of the area could mean that the discussions of local democracy might take place in different ways in our near future than they did in our pre-pandemic past.
Week Ahead for May 3, 2021: Another month, another mass of meetings
Another month begins with the finalization of the budget process in Albemarle and Nelson counties. Fluvanna will consider tax incentives for another affordable housing complex proposed by Pinnacle Construction. Albemarle’s design review board will take a look at the latest large development in Crozet. Louisa gets an update on the group studying the upper end of the county’s age demographics.
Virtual Event Recap: Cycling for Sustainable Cities
On May 7, 2021, researchers Ralph Buehler (top-right) and John Pucher (second from top-right) spoke about their new book, Cycling for Sustainable Cities (MIT Press), which describes ways to make city cycling safe, practical, and convenient for all ages and abilities. They talked about trends and policies, and shared examples from across America and around the world–with cases similar to our own communities. Watch the video here.