The Piedmont Environmental Council is working with a diverse coalition of organizations and communities to envision and implement a comprehensive network of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure that is safe, inclusive, nature-full and useful for transportation in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
Our Work
Safeguarding the landscapes, communities and heritage of the Piedmont by involving citizens in public policy and land conservation. Learn more about our work by browsing the subject areas below and find out how to get involved!
Breezy Hill Rezoning Application
Local developer, Southern Development, requested a rezoning (Rural Area to R-4) for 84-acres along Route 250 in the Village of Rivanna.
Loudoun Delays Decision on Aldie Assemblage, Sends to County Finance Committee
On January 13 the Board of Supervisors voted to send the entire land purchase/exchange agreement to the Finance, Government Operations and Economic Development committee. Our hope is that this committee will help clarify significant unanswered questions about Loudoun’s financial and legal responsibilities, Mojax’s appraisal for the properties in question, and other elements of the proposal that could be detrimental to the future of Aldie and its community members.
Action Alert: Study on the Sale of Invasive Plants in Virginia
Contact your legislators now and ask them to vote for legislation which will help guide Virginia in controlling the sale of invasive plants.
Jordan River Bridge Under Threat
In December, VDOT and the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors approved the replacement project, despite local residents’ outcry of support for rehabilitation of this historical community treasure.
Video: Wrapping up 2020 at the Community Farm
We had an incredible 2020 season at the Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows! Thanks to the tireless work of over 470 volunteers, we donated more than 25,000 pounds of fresh, locally grown produce to our partners at Loudoun Hunger Relief!
Fauquier Habitat goes native around Haiti house
Fauquier Habitat for Humanity has gone “green” with construction and landscaping of its 55th home. Last week, 15 volunteers and staff members transformed the Warrenton home’s small yard into vibrant, low-maintenance landscape with 217 native plants.
On the Ground Updates – December 2020
A series of short updates from around the PEC region – Albemarle & Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange & Rappahannock.
Standing with St. Louis…And Now Aldie
When a developer, Mojax LLC, bought the Howards’ ancestral land in 2017 and proposed a development of 27 homes with individual wells, the community was understandably concerned. “As a widow and a senior citizen on a budget, the development could drive up the taxes and force me to dig a new well, which I can’t afford,” said Peterson. Besides the water issues and property values, residents worried about losing the historic cemetery, undiscovered graves of enslaved people, and the cultural history of the place.
Farm to Food Pantry Initiatives During the Pandemic
Since March, with the help of partners and supporters, The Piedmont Environmental Council has provided 25,000 pounds of vegetables, 25,000 gallons of milk, and more than 11,000 pounds of local beef and pork to the food-insecure in our nine-county region of the northern Piedmont. That’s more than 50,000 pounds of locally-sourced products for local food banks, which has a very different impact on the local economy than shipping in 50,000 pounds of food from somewhere else.