Through funding from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, PEC is working in partnership with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission on a community engagement initiative to build support for implementation of a comprehensive greenway system. Specifically, we will be engaging the community to build a shared vision for greenways among the public sector, nonprofit organizations, and business and civic actors.
Strong Communities
PEC believes that the work of protecting natural resources and the work of building better communities are integral to each other.
Water Demand in Fauquier County
This summer, PEC participated in a Water Information Session organized by the Conservation Roundtable. Other guests include Michael Focazio, Marshall District WSA Board Representative, and Kurt McCoy with USGS. The purpose was to discuss the drinking water challenges facing Fauquier County.
Charlottesville Area Community Foundation Invests in Regional Bike and Pedestrian Trail System
The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of its third round of Strengthening Systems grants. Piedmont Environmental Council and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission received a two-year grant of $179,804 to complete plans and generate active community support for a regional bike and pedestrian trail network and begin implementation.
Two Paths for Loudoun. Weigh In!
Dear Supporter,
Loudoun County is continuing the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan, which guides all future growth and development in the County.
After sitting through the Envision Loudoun public workshops and participating in the Comprehensive Plan Stakeholder Committee, I see two possible paths taking shape.
Our Thoughts on the Walker Drive Proposal
The nebulous Walker Drive development at the gateway to downtown Warrenton will be voted on by the Town Council on Tuesday, June 11th, at 7 p.m.
Despite its lack of detail (which resulted in the Planning Commission recommending denial back in February), it looks to be marching towards approval by the Warrenton Town Council. In fact, several Council members telegraphed their ‘yes’ votes in a FauquierNow article earlier this spring.
Remington Walks
Walkable locales with recreation options are, simply put, nicer places to live and visit, and they increase quality of life. That is why we have partnered with the Town of Remington and various community groups to develop a plan for future walking routes, trails, sidewalks, parks and bikeways in Remington.
On the Ground — Summer 2017
Updates from the around the PEC region, organized by county. Albemarle: Utility Scale Photovoltaic Power Generation Sites in Albemarle. Clarke: Zoning, Planning and Conservation Updates. Culpeper: Waterloo Bridge Update and Brandy Station Battlefield. Fauquier: Blackthorne Inn and Walker Drive Proposals. Greene: Mountain Heritage Event A Success. Loudoun: How and Where Should Loudoun Grow? Madison: Robinson River Flows Free. Orange: Tree Planting Along the Rapidan. Rappahannock: Got Buffers?
Choices facing Loudoun
Remember taking civics or government in high school? Sometimes, it may feel fairly irrelevant to your day to day life… But then you think about traffic, taxes, school boundary changes, parks and recreation, social services, where you work or shop, the water you drink or the natural resources you care about. All of these are heavily impacted by decisions made by local government.
Presentations from our 2017 Annual Meeting
On May 20, 2017, The Piedmont Environmental Council hosted our annual meeting “Engage. Educate. Empower” at the Middleburg Agricultural Research Extension (MARE) Center. The event started with workshops in the morning led by PEC staff and partners, followed by remarks by Bridgett McIntosh, equine extension specialist with Virginia Tech, then Chris Miller, President of The Piedmont Environmental Council, and Robert Bonnie, our keynote, and former Under Secretary of Natural Resources and the Environment at the United States Department of Agriculture.
Expansion at Blackthorne Inn Site: Excessive in Scale
Blackthorne Inn is located in agricultural zoning along Rt 50 between Upperville and Paris. Until it was closed last year, Blackthorne operated as a restaurant and resort with a few small events. Since then, Easton Porter Group, LLC acquired the 50.66 acre property with the desire to renew and expand the restaurant, resort, and Class C event special exceptions. The proposal includes a new 19,000 sq ft event building, a 30% increase to the current restaurant, 20 new cabins for a total of 38 private units, 3 new support structures (3,000 sq ft), and a new spa with gym. The old event building, which was added to the restaurant without a permit, would be removed.