Planning and Zoning

PEC believes in smart growth planning and decision-making that enhances communities, reduces vehicle miles traveled, and protects natural, cultural and historic resources.

Our Letter to Loudoun County re: Smart Growth Approach

Our Letter to Loudoun County re: Smart Growth Approach

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.

On the Ground — Spring 2017

Updates from the around the PEC region, organized by county. Here’s the blurb from Culpeper, which actually applies to residents in multiple counties: The Culpeper Soil and Water District recently secured funding from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for a Septic System Repair and Replacement Fund that’s available to residents of Culpeper, Greene, Orange, Madison, and Rappahannock Counties. Failing septic systems can affect both ground and surface water quality. The funds cover 50 percent of approved costs and are only available for a two-year term…

Email Alert: Loudoun Residents Weigh In, Wildwood Farm Rezoning Next

Email Alert: Loudoun Residents Weigh In, Wildwood Farm Rezoning Next

Some good news and another call to action!

Last Wednesday, on a 6-3 vote, the Loudoun Board of Supervisors voted to deny the McIntosh rezoning request to increase density in the Transition Area next to Willowsford. Voting against the rezoning were Janet Clarke, Matt Letourneau, Ralph Buona, Geary Higgins, Shawn Williams and Scott York.

A big ‘thank you’ to everyone who took the time to write. Several of the Board members mentioned the letters from citizens as having an impact.

Now on to the next proposal….

The Future of Greene County

Greene County Public Hearing for 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update. On November 19, residents will have the opportunity to share their ideas about Greene’s future with the county Planning Commission. The commission is holding a “public hearing” to hear from residents as it begins its review of the county’s Comprehensive Plan. The current Plan was approved in 2010. This may be the only chance residents have to voice their opinions to the whole commission and influence what actually gets revised in the Plan.

County Rewriting Telecommunication Plan

County Rewriting Telecommunication Plan

Piedmont Environmental Council has concern about some of the changes being proposed in Fauquier County's rewrite of the Plan for Commercial Wireless Facilities. This section of the County Comprehensive plan sets the policies and goals regarding how telecommunications facilities should be integrated into the landscape. Our two major concerns are about the vague language proposed and the fact that a new telecommunication zoning ordinance is being proposed at the same time.