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PRESS RELEASE
CAMPAIGN FOR LOUDOUN'S FUTURE
Don't Supersize Loudoun!

For Immediate Release:	Contact:
October 3, 2005	Laura Olsen 202-244-4408 x 4#
	Andrea McGimsey: 703-726-0646

Citizens & Community Say NO to Loudoun County’s Proposals
to build 28,000 Houses in Eastern Loudoun

Traffic Gridlock & Poor Process Cited

“NO,” is the clear message from Loudoun citizens to the Planning Commission regarding the County initiated proposals to completely change the growth plans for part of Eastern Loudoun County. At the public hearing, residents and the Campaign for Loudoun’s Future made clear that they are not interested in supersizing Loudoun County and think the County needs to back off the massive growth increases that would bring traffic gridlock, high taxes, and a permanent backlog of needed services from libraries and schools to recreation and police.

“We know enough to know this is a bad deal for residents. County staff have shown that we will pay extra to spend even more time stuck in traffic,” said Andrea McGimsey of the Campaign for Loudoun’s Future. “It may be a good deal for developers, but residents would lose big.”

Route 50 Proposed as Major Growth Corridor
The public hearing focused 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
F Minus is the grade Loudoun County Staff would give the service level on Route 50 if these proposals go forward. They have noted that the proposals to increase the growth in Eastern Loudoun by 28,000 houses would impact every road in the area.

“Residents who already experience horrible traffic on Route 50, the Greenway and other roads are furious that the County would even consider projects with such massive traffic impacts,” noted McGimsey.

Railroading Citizens?
Over the past several months, residents have made several requests for more information and more dialogue with the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors about these proposals, as they will have a massive and lasting impact on Loudoun County. 800 residents signed a petition asking the Supervisors for breakout sessions with all affected parties along the Route 50 corridor with reasonable notice and advertisement. The petition also stated, “We request that the opinions and concerns of property owners be respectfully considered." They were ignored and in fact several officials publicly discounted their effort.

But tonight is the only scheduled hearing. A hearing that starts at 5:30 pm, when most residents are only leaving work and certainly can’t make it home from work and to Leesburg by 5:30pm. October 3rd is also the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, a major Jewish Holiday.

“If the Planning Commissioners believe 28,000 more houses in Eastern Loudoun is such a great idea, then why are they limiting public involvement at every turn? A part of democracy is a true public dialogue, giving all residents an opportunity to understand the proposal, review the traffic, cost, school impact analyses, and attend one or more public hearings at convenient times,” said McGimsey.

Supersizing Loudoun?
The County’s proposals for major growth increases in Eastern Loudoun 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

Washington Post Editorial noting that “Proponents of limitless growth in Loudoun County keep inventing new ways to railroad their designs into law.” (October 3, 2005)