This text was taken from an email alert we sent out on June 8, 2017:
How & Where Loudoun Grows
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.
The County could choose to:
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Two distinct futures
Opening the Transition Area to more development would result in:
- Greater risk to our drinking water sources
- Less open space
- Increased traffic
- A need for more roads
- Loss of historic resources
- Loss of wildlife habitat
Maintaining current zoning within the Transition Area and focusing increases in density near Loudoun’s new Metro stations would result in:
- More walkable places to shop, eat and live
- An efficient use of infrastructure
- Preservation of natural resources and open space
- A greater mix of housing options
- The ability to use limited transportation dollars on fixing/improving the current road network, instead of having to build a new one
- A place where businesses want to invest
Loudoun can choose to cave to pressure from development interests in the Transition Area or it can choose to preserve its unique qualities and be smart about where it grows. A more resilient future means building on existing infrastructure and capitalizing on our community strengths and natural assets.
A satellite image of the Beaverdam Reservoir and Transition Policy Area just west of the Suburban Area. Image credit NAIP. |
Last chance to submit comments
Add your voice to the mix. Submit your thoughts/opinions via the Envision Loudoun website now through next Wednesday, July 12. You have the opportunity to respond to a series of questions and share specific ideas using an interactive map. 
About 500 of Loudoun’s 385,000+ residents came out to the workshops held earlier this June, so there are a lot more people that the County needs to hear from!
After the comment period ends next week, the County staff and consultants will spend this fall working with the Stakeholder Committee to draft a new Comprehensive Plan. The public will have one more opportunity to provide input on the draft (we expect that in January 2018) before it then goes through the usual public process with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.
Let me know if you have any questions! You can also check out my updates about the planning process for background on what’s happened to date.
Sincerely,
Gem Bingol, PEC
Loudoun Field Representative
The Piedmont Environmental Council
gbingol@pecva.org
P.S. As you may have heard, last week the Board of Supervisors unexpectedly took steps to include support for a new Potomac River bridge crossing in the new Comp Plan and Transportation Plan :/ Look for more on this from me soon!