Press Release
Campaign for Loudoun's Future

For Immediate Release:
August 25, 2006

For more information
Andrea McGimsey (703) 726-0646 (cell)
Rebecca Perring (734) 646-1366 (cell)
Stewart Schwartz, 703-599-6437 (cell)
Mary McCarthy (202) 244-4408 x5#

Loudoun County Waits until Eleventh Hour before Public Hearing to Release Staff Analysis of Massive Additions to County Plan

Public Given One Business Day in August to Review Data for Equivalent of the Population of Four Fredericksburgs or Two Cities of Manassas without the Jobs

Loudoun County waited until mid-day Friday, during the heart of final family vacations in August, and just one business day before the public hearing, to release its analysis of a massive change to the Comprehensive Plan. This is the first release of the staff analysis and shows that proposed revisions to the Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) would allow a staggering 33,821 residential units to be built in the Transition Area of eastern Loudoun. It also shows that developers have already submitted rezoning applications to build 19,000 of these residential units before the County and public have even completed review of the proposed plan changes.

Citizens Respond with Call for Fair and Open Government,
Demanding Delay in the Public Hearing

Reaction from community’s leaders to the county’s actions has been swift and strong.

“Developers and the majority of County Supervisors have been pushing this massive addition to our county’s growth for over two years, but they give us just one business day to review their analysis before the public hearing—in August? What has happened to fair and open government in this county?” said Andrea McGimsey, director of the Campaign for Loudoun’s Future and an Ashburn homeowner.

“We need our leaders to be fair, open and follow the democratic process so we know that they are making the right decisions for Loudoun County residents,” said Susan Klimek Buckley, leader of the Eastern Loudoun Schools Association, Sterling homeowner and mother of two. “Residents deserve sufficient opportunity to review the county’s analysis of this Comprehensive Plan amendment, so they can give meaningful comments at this public hearing.”

“The plans need to be shared in advance. Sharing it with one day before is criminal, utterly absurd,” said BK Gogia, Ashburn resident and leader of Ashburn Citizens United.

“Releasing this information mid-day Friday before a Monday hearing, which is being held during the last vacation week of summer, is simply not right,” added Susan Klimek Buckley.

"Why should we expect the process to be fair and balanced? Releasing new data only one business day prior to a significant planning session on that data should cause outrage from the Board of Supervisors, the County Attorney and the media...but, is has not. In addition, the Planning Commission will hold its meeting on the CPAM without a representative from the Dulles District being seated on the Commission. And, the hearing is being held just prior to Labor Day, which eliminates thousands of citizens, who are on vacation, from participating,” said Steve Hines, a longtime resident of the Aldie area and a member of Families for Dulles South. “So, no I'm not surprised. This entire thing smells and smells very badly.”

Gridlock on Major Commuting Corridors and Local Roads

The proposed development would result in additional population over four times the size of Fredericksburg and twice the size of all of Manassas—in an area with no jobs. New development at this scale would have a debilitating impact on the daily lives of Loudoun citizens, as well as on residents of neighboring Prince William and Fairfax counties.

“Both the county and state have released studies that show 28,000 new houses in this area would drive Route 50, Route 66 and the Greenway into gridlock. Now they are considering upping that number to almost 34,000?” said Andrea McGimsey. “Yet, our quick skim of the staff report seems to indicate that they DID NOT consider the traffic impact in their staff evaluation!”

“What world do these people live in? Do our elected leaders and planning commissioners drive on Loudoun’s roads? This would be terrible for Ashburn, on top of the Greenway tolls going up to $5 and pushing more people onto Waxpool Road, the only other way out of southern Ashburn,” said BK Gogia, leader of Ashburn Citizens United. “Just yesterday coming from the beach, there was unbelievable traffic on Route. 28. Our elected leaders seem to have no clue how bad the traffic is.”

For more information, or to be put in touch with citizens willing to speak about the County's actions before the hearing, please contact the people listed above.

WHAT: Public Hearing on Dulles South CPAM
WHEN: Monday, August 28 at 6:00 PM
WHERE: Mercer Middle School

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