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Room
PRESS
RELEASE
| For
Immediate Release: |
Contact: |
| September 26,
2005 |
Laura Olsen 202-244-4408
x 4# |
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Andrea McGimsey: 703-726-0646
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Citizens
& Community Say NO to Loudoun County’s Proposals
to build 28,000 Houses in Eastern Loudoun
County’s
Own Analysis Predicts Gridlock
At a Planning Commission sponsored
“open house” regarding the County initiated proposals to completely
change the growth plans for part of Eastern Loudoun County, the Campaign
for Loudoun’s Future and citizens from the area made their message
clear, “Don’t Supersize Loudoun.” The open house is
in advance of next Monday’s public hearing on the development proposals
to be held in Leesburg at 5:30 on Monday, Oct 3rd.
“Developers are trying
to turbocharge growth and their profits on the backs of Loudoun’s
current residents. We say, ‘Don’t Supersize Loudoun’,”
said Andrea McGimsey of the Campaign for Loudoun’s Future.
Route 50 Proposed as Major
Growth Corridor
The open house and next week’s public hearing, focus on a new move
by Loudoun County to join a set of developers and propose changing the
entire citizen supported county growth plan for the communities in Eastern
Loudoun. [The Upper Broad Run & Upper Foley areas of the transition
zone]. Instead of 4,500 total homes in the area allowed under the current
growth plan, the county is proposing a more than six fold jump to a total
of 28,000 total houses that would essentially create a new bedroom community
with 77,451 residents. The area currently has 1,234 residents.
“Development at this
scale will cost Loudoun residents far too much -- time stuck in traffic
away from our families and jobs, higher taxes, and the overwhelming burden
on our schools. To give you an idea of scale, this development would be
larger than Ashburn, Leesburg, Falls Church, or Silver Spring,”
noted McGimsey.
Newly released information from a county staff analysis reveals the notable
impact this proposal would have on Loudoun residents. The County says
their proposals would produce: 27,977 houses, 77,451 residents, 298,000
daily car trips, and cost at least $791 million of taxpayer dollars. The
proposal only accounts for part of the Dulles South planning district.
County Staff Predicts Gridlock
At the July 25th meeting of the Loudoun County Planning Commission, Art
Smith, Senior Transportation Planner for Loudoun County, warned of gridlock
conditions on Route 50 and other Loudoun roads due to their proposed massive
change to the county’s growth plan, “The County cannot achieve
a Level-of-Service C in any of the suburban areas in Loudoun County. A
level-of service D is the best we can achieve and that is based upon the
full implementation of the Countywide Transportation Plan with the current
land uses and at the current levels of density assigned in the Revised
General Plan. Any changes in those land uses or increases in those densities
will result in the achievement of a Level-of-Service E or possibly even
F.”(F is the lowest possible rating – total gridlock)
Supersizing Loudoun?
The County’s proposals for major growth increases along Route 50
would be in addition the 37,000 houses already approved and in the pipeline,
and the 40,000 new houses that may be added to western Loudoun through
recent changes to the rural zoning.
“Add it all up and again,
we are looking at over 100,000 new houses, ONE MILLION daily car trips
on our local roads, tens of thousands of new commuters, trying to get
to jobs in Eastern Loudoun, Fairfax and DC as well parents and buses trying
to get to school, soccer practice and the grocery store,” noted
McGimsey. “We don’t need to Supersize Loudoun.”
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Maps and more information are
available at: www.LoudounsFuture.org
Planning Commission Public Hearing on the Dulles South CPAM
Monday, October 3, 5:30 pm (Note new time)
County Government Center
1 Harrison St SE, Leesburg
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