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 Don't Supersize Loudoun!
www.LoudounsFuture.org
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Just announced!  Rally with Governor Kaine on Tuesday!  Tell our elected officials to link transportation and development.

What incredible change is happening in our county and state, and it's all because of you. Our elected leaders and the media are listening.  Now that we have their attention, they need to hear about your daily reality - you know what roads need to be improved, and you know where it makes sense to build houses (or not!)

The wind is at our back. With your action now, we can affect lasting, positive change for Loudoun's Future.

1. Rally with Kaine on Tuesday
2.
Critical public hearings on Feb. 9 & 11
3.
Speak out on Loudoun Power Line Proposal

4.
Press on land use reforms in the General Assembly

1.  Rally for Change with Kaine
If you possibly can take a day off work or bring your kids, please take this opportunity to truly make a difference!  Join us and Governor Kaine for a rally on Tuesday, February 7 at 9:30 AM to tell the General Asembly there is a better way: it's time to link transportation and land use planning.

Rally details
Read more about what's being proposed at the state level

RSVPs strongly encouraged.  Be sure to let us know if you'd like to carpool.

2.  Critical Public Hearings Feb. 9 & 11
The Board of Supervisors is reviewing changes to Loudoun's rural zoning that would reduce the number of new houses allowed from 45,876 to 13,936.  Compared to the current zoning, 1 house per 3 acres, the proposed changes are a much better option for Loudoun County.
More details on the proposed changes
 

    
1 Write Your Elected Officials

Now is the time to fill those inboxes!  Be sure to include your address so your elected officials know you're a constituent.

1. Governor Kaine
2. Your State Senator/Delegate
*Complete the form to find out who represents you and to send an email
3.  Loudoun Board of Supervisors & Planning Commission


2
Spread the Word

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Get a LoudounsFuture.org bumper stickerRequest a free bumper sticker

Invite Others to Our Email List
Email friends a link to www.LoudounsFuture.org or click here to email this message to friends and neighbors.  (We won't keep your friends' email addresses; we'll send them this message and an invitation to join our email list.)
 

Public Hearings on Rural Zoning
Thursday, February 9
6:00 -11:00 PM
Loudoun County High School
415 Dry Mill Rd, Leesburg

Saturday, February 11
9 AM - Noon
County Government Center

Speaker sign up begins 30 minutes prior to the hearings and is on a first-come, first-serve basis.  You will have 2-3 minutes to speak.  We suggest preparing your statement in advance; bring several copies to submit in case you don't get to speak.  Can't attend?  Email your comments to the Planning Commission.

3.  Hearings on the Power Line Proposal
Dominion Virginia Power (DVP) is planning to build an above-ground, high voltage transmission line from Leesburg to Hamilton.  The power line has the potential to harm some of Loudoun's most beloved public spaces, including the W&OD Trail and Oatlands Plantation. 

Please take a few moments to submit comments online to the State Corporation Council (SCC) and urge them to order DVP to bury the power line underground.  To submit comments, scroll down to case number PUE2005-00018 and follow the instructions.

The SCC will also hold two public hearings at the County Government Center on February 8 and 9.  The hearing on the 8th will be conducted in two sessions, the first beginning at 1:30 PM and the second at 7:00 PM. The hearing on the 9th will begin at 9:30 AM.

Please speak up!  The protection of our historical, cultural and recreational resources is important to the quality of life that residents of Loudoun and the region enjoy.

4.  Land Use News from Richmond

Kaine Questions Fate Of Transportation Bill
WTOP News Radio, January 31, 2006 - Listen online!

Local Control of Va. Growth Gains Steam
Washington Post, 01/28/06

Va. Growth Bolstered by Well-Funded Voting Bloc
Washington Post, 01/30/06

No Signs of Pause in NoVA Growth
Washington Post, 01/26/06

Kaine Plan on Traffic Unleashes Swift Blitz
Washington Post, 01/18/06


Citizen Rally: Better Growth Management Tools for Better Communities

** Governor Kaine Will Attend the Rally! **


Why a Rally? Governor Kaine and the Republican House Caucus have introduced common sense land use and transportation tools. Momentum is at an all time high to encourage the General Assembly to finally take action. Don't let these bills die in committee. Make sure the General Assembly knows citizens and the media are watching.
When: Tuesday, February 7, 2006
9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Where:

Richmond City Council Chambers (9:30 am Check-in & Briefing)
900 East Broad Street #200

Capitol Square (10:15 am Rally Start)
Off East Broad between 9th & 10th, near the General Assembly Building

Action: Attend the Rally - and bring a friend!
If there is a large enough response we will provide buses to Richmond.
Please RSVP with your name and address.

Schedule a meeting with your representatives for Feb 7th. This is critical. These officials need to hear from their constituents.

Additional Action:

Call or email key officials. Let them know you support bills giving local communities more power to control growth.

A personal note works best. You do not have to be an expert on the bills. Sample language: “I support better land use planning to reduce traffic. Both state and local government must help us deal with poorly planned growth and the traffic problems it's creating. I ask you to support the following common sense bills…”

Key Officials to Contact:
  1. Committee members who will vote on the bills. Click the following links to email everyone on the committees: House Committee on Counties, Cities, and Towns and Senate Local Government Committee. (If clicking on these links fails to insert all the email addresses for the committees, see the batch emails below.*)
  2. Your state delegate and state senator. Follow the link to find out who your legislators are and how to call or email them.
  3. The Governor Tell him to stay the course! He’s doing the right thing.
  4. Your friends! Please forward this email and spread the word so others can take action, too.
Background:

Governor Kaine and many legislators recognize the need to link transportation and land use. We need more legislators to follow the lead and support legislation to give local governments increased authority and responsibility to manage growth.

Well-funded developer lobbyists in Richmond are exerting pressure to defeat these bills. Defeating the bills would allow developers to build houses even if local road capacity is inadequate to handle the increased number of cars.

The bills are currently being reviewed by Legislative Committees, who will either kill the bills or vote to send them forward. Our legislators need to hear from citizens that voters support these land use reform initiatives.


MORE INFORMATION:

Most Important Bills to Support

HB1610 Clarifies and strengthens power of local governments to say no to a rezoning if the local roads are inadequate. This bill is the most important, and the one most opposed by the developer lobbyists.
HB1609 Requires traffic impact studies for proposed land use approvals
SB373/HB1542 Permits transfer of development rights. This authorizes localities as part of their zoning ordinances to provide for transfer of development rights from one parcel of land to another parcel of land, thereby increasing the density of development on one parcel while restricting development on the other parcel. Passed Senate Local Government Committee with support of home builders; support the Senate version in House.


More Good Bills to Support

HB1521/HB1529 Requires Comprehensive Plan to include transportation networks and costs
HB1528 Requires local governments to estimate total cost of transportation needs
HB1506/1520 Extends power to negotiate proffers paid by developers for local infrastructure needs to more localities

See Stewart Schwartz's Statement on the House Management Growth Plan.


Batch Emails

If your email program did not respond to the contact links above, use the following addresses:

House Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

Paste the following addresses into your email To line:

DelBMarshall@house.state.va.us, DelBOrrock@house.state.va.us, DelADudley@house.state.va.us, DelMMcQuigg@house.state.va.us, DelTSuit@house.state.va.us, DelGOder@house.state.va.us, DelDMarshall@house.state.va.us, DelRHurt@house.state.va.us, DelMCole@house.state.va.us, DelSIaquinto@house.state.va.us, DelACrockett-Stark@house.state.va.us, DelMLohr@house.state.va.us, DelKWaddell@house.state.va.us, DelFHall@house.state.va.us, DelRHull@house.state.va.us, DelDJones@house.state.va.us, DelLSpruill@house.state.va.us, DelKAmundson@house.state.va.us, DelWArmstrong@house.state.va.us, DelOWare@house.state.va.us, DelDMcEachin@house.state.va.us, DelRIngram@house.state.va.us

Senate Local Government Committee

Paste the following addresses into your email To line:

district24@sov.state.va.us, district16@sov.state.va.us, district18@sov.state.va.us, district11@sov.state.va.us, district13@sov.state.va.us, district23@sov.state.va.us, district30@sov.state.va.us, district31@sov.state.va.us, district20@sov.state.va.us, district38@sov.state.va.us, district36@sov.state.va.us, district15@sov.state.va.us, district37@sov.state.va.us, district26@sov.state.va.us


QUESTIONS?
Contact the Coalition for Smarter Growth
info@smartergrowth.net or (202) 244-4408
 

Thank you for your support,
Andrea McGimsey
Campaign for Loudoun's Future

http://www.loudounsfuture.org/
info@loudounsfuture.org

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Together, We're Fighting to Protect the Quality of Life in Loudoun


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