As part of of our extensive community engagement, we created a survey to better understand residents’ ideas about desirable places to walk, ride or run for transportation and exercise. We also asked about the barriers they face and solicited their suggestions for a better-connected community.
Strong Communities
PEC believes that the work of protecting natural resources and the work of building better communities are integral to each other.
Two Fauquier County Budget Items to Support
There are two issues in particular that we would like to see addressed in the FY 2020 budget that are both long overdue. The first is Rappahannock Station Battlefield Park – Phase I which was not completed in 2018 as proposed in the 2018-2022 Capital Improvement Plan. The second is the creating of a full-time zoning inspector position within the Community Development department.
On the Ground — Winter 2018
Updates from the around the PEC region, organized by county. Albemarle: Strengthening growth management in Albemarle. Clarke: Promoting and celebrating Conservation. Culpeper: A Finger on the Scale for Solar. Fauquier: Updated Plans, Remington Walks and Vint Hill’s Future. Greene: Greene at a crossroads. Loudoun: Choosing our future. Madison: Trout Stream Restoration Continues. Orange: Two Farms Conserved along the Rapidan River. Rappahannock: Community-wide Conservation Success!.
Building Strong Rural and Urban Communities
Drawing over 150 attendees, PEC held their Annual Meeting on October 21 at historic Castle Hill Farm in Keswick. First Lady of Virginia Pamela Northam was in attendance and spoke about the importance of conserving lands in the state. Following the First Lady’s remarks, keynote speaker Charles Marohn, President and Founder of Strong Towns, delivered the keynote address.
Keynote Speaker to Discuss Benefits of Strong Towns at PEC’s Annual Meeting
The leader of an organization that educates American communities on the benefits of smart planning believes that desirable urban communities can play a role in promoting rural land conservation.
Groups Release Safety and Traffic Solutions for Route 15 North of Leesburg
With the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors scheduled to vote on a first phase widening of Route 15 for 3.6 miles north of Leesburg, a coalition of smart growth, conservation and preservation groups and numerous local residents are pressing the Board to instead adopt an approach that is safer, cheaper and more effective.
Fauquier County Updating the Rural Lands Plan
The Rural Lands Plan is a section of the Fauquier County Comprehensive Plan, and much as the name implies, it outlines land use policies and the desired future for the rural areas. This chapter is very important because over 90% of the County is planned to remain categorized as rural land. Although the majority of new growth is happening within the growth areas of the County (e.g. Warrenton, Bealeton, New Baltimore, etc.), about half of the nearly 70,000 residents of the county live in these rural areas. In addition, all residents of Fauquier are connected to the rural lands by locally grown goods, through tourism, and by simply driving through them.
A Ride to Surprise and Delight
About two dozen cyclists gathered on the evening of June 21, garlanded their bikes with lights and reflective decorations, and set out for a relaxed four-mile celebration of the Summer Solstice. The route through Charlottesville followed a combination of quiet neighborhood streets and roads with bike lanes. The colorful and musical procession elicited reactions of surprise and delight.
Loudoun Plans for More Scattered Development
The Loudoun County Comprehensive plan is being revised through a process called Envision Loudoun. It is a particularly important policy framework for a county like Loudoun, which is consistently one of the fastest growing jurisdictions in the U.S…Unfortunately, upon reading the released draft, I don’t believe it represents the majority of Loudoun resident’s values and interests expressed in the Envision Loudoun public input phase.
Fifth Street Hub: A Project with Momentum
Charlottesville and Albemarle have many beautiful outdoor spaces but not enough connective greenway corridors. One project that will provide both is coming into view on the two localities’ southern border: the Fifth Street Hub and Trails.