The State Corporation Commission Hearing Examiner has released her report on Dominion’s proposed Remington-Gordonsville 230-kV transmission line upgrade. In it, it states:
“In response to public concern and the testimony of the Commission Staff (“Staff’), the Company evaluated the potential use of shorter H-frame structures with an average height of 85 feet (“Shorter Structure Option”) where feasible along portions of the route. The Shorter Structure Option would require expansion of the right-of-way to 140 feet to accommodate the shorter structures. The Company concluded that it is technically feasible and may be reasonable to install the Shorter Structure Option for portions of the right-of-way where there are not constraints subject to four conditions. The Shorter Structure Option is feasible for 24.1 miles of the route.
Over the next year Charlottesville will be undertaking an update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. This Plan is the City’s vision as a community that guides decision making processes for such matters as Land Use (development and growth), Housing (affordability and access) and Transportation (all modes of transit and parking).
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.
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.
The Comprehensive Plan Stakeholder Committee has been on a semi-monthly schedule of meetings since March, in an effort to be prepared for the next round of Envision Loudoun workshops for resident input scheduled for the first half of June.
Loudoun has the opportunity to provide clear and coherent direction on future investment. In a spring 2017 letter to Chairman Randall and the Board of Supervisors, we joined with partners in recommending: 1) The County’s first priority should be to foster mixed-use, higher density transit-oriented development (TOD) and the focus for TOD should be the Ashburn Station. And 2) The proposed PD-TC zoning change should be put on hold until the Comprehensive Plan process has determined community priorities for the level and location of growth.
The new residential communities of Loudoun and many other counties in our region are managed by Homeowner’s Associations (HOA). In the PEC region, over 60% of Loudoun residents live in an HOA-controlled community. These communities encompass more than 10% of the total land area in Loudoun County.
Beyond Loudoun, in counties, cities and towns that have experienced the growth of new neighborhoods in the last 30+ years, HOA management is the norm for new communities. Understanding the how and why of how landscaping affects our health is critical to making better choices.
Wish there were more transportation and recreational options in Remington that both reconnect the community and encourage active lifestyles? Good news! In 2016 we received a grant from the PATH Foundation to improve park, trail, and pedestrian opportunities in this small but fast-growing community in southern Fauquier County. The grant includes two parts: 1) $19,000 toward creating public access on the Rappahannock Station Battlefield Park and 2) $45,000 for the Remington Walks planning project.
The Commonwealth’s historic bridges create a sense of place and a link to the past. These bridges – versus featureless concrete slabs – are community amenities. They provide not just the physical crossing of a stream or river, but an experience that connects people to both the road and the surrounding landscape.
The answers to this question and two follow-up questions posed during the Envision Loudoun “Listening and Learning” round of public input have been tallied and categorized by theme. More than 1,400 people provided over 5,000 comments through 6 live meetings, online participation and phone input. 8 primary themes and many other sub-themes have emerged.
