Metro Rail - Public Outreac 5/24

Per the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Metro Rail May 3rd work-session.

WHO: Open to all County residents (especially those in the Broadlands, Brambleton, Ashburn & Ashburn Village Communities). Several members of the County Board of Supervisors.

WHEN: May 24, 2012 7PM-9PM

WHERE: Mill Run ES Gymnasium (in Broadlands)

WHY: Metro Rail.

Below is a link to the County's May 3rd work session, this is their second of several planned work-session. I am particularly proud of Chairman York & Supervisor Williams' comments about how important Metro to Loudoun is for our

http://loudoun.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=46&clip_id=2188


Please mark your calendars, this is an important issue for our Community. If you are unable to make this meeting, but would like your input heard, please send an email to:

shawn.williams@loudoun.gov
scott.york@loudoun.gov

 

There will also be a presentation on the Metro project at our Annual Meeting on Tuesday.

 

Excellent

 

Haven't heard much chatter on this in a while, am I the only one planning on going tonight?

 

I am planning on it, depending on how long my bus ride from DC takes.

 

I sent my other half tonight and he was rather surprised. This event was set up like a trade show: no formal presentation from the County or the HOA and no formal Q & A with County officials or HOA Board.

However Supervisor Williams and Buona made themselves available for a casual one on one discussion, which was pretty gracious of them, knowing how busy each of them are.

During the May 8th Annual meeting, I specifically asked the Broadlands HOA Board: why the BHOA has yet to issue a letter of support, not held any cooperative Town Hall meetings with the County and residents...etc. The BHOA response to my question(s) was, lack luster to say the least.

In the past the BHOA was been actively involved with the "Hospital debate" (they issued a letter to Loudoun County BoS, held several Town Halls etc) and the recent political redistricting. I find it disappointing that the Broadlands HOA has not even issued a letter stating the Community's position on Metro to Loudoun. Considering that the Brambleton HOA has already issued a letter to the BoS supporting Metro and Ashburn Village/Farm are in the process of issuing a letter, again why has the the Broadlands HOA not done so.

 

Re: Metro Rail - Public Outreach 5/24

My husband went tonight too; I was working. He was very glad he went. He gave me the full report.

I wonder if fewer people are vocally in favor of the project because they don't see themselves using the metro that much? My husband and I I would not use the metro often ourselves (our workplaces will not be convenient to it). Nevertheless, I really, really hope the silver line is extended to our community -- I think it's vital to Loudoun's economy. I get excited thinking about the possibilities!

 

We support metro out to Loudoun. We wouldn't use it to commute to work as we work in Chantilly, but would love to have it to go in and out of the city for shows, sightseeing, dinner, etc. A lot of large cities have a much more extensive rail system such as NYC that makes it easy to visit. Our sons are grown and live in Fairfax county and they use metro all the time. I think it will add a lot of value to our homes and revenue to the county.

 

Metro is in great jeopardy and supporters need to speak up and voice their opinions. Several board members are most likely going to vote against it. They may capture a majority if there isn't opposition. Let them know. A quick email is more effective than a petition. Not to minimize the petition, just saying do more.

 

I just sent this email to both of them.

"Thank you for your service!


[FONT=verdana, geneva]The current debate over the expansion of the Silver Line to Ashburn reminds me of the debate over the extension of the Toll Rd to Leesburg that occurred over twenty years ago. There were negative people talking about the costs, no need, and yes even labor contracts. Now just think if the Greenway did not exist, what a traffic nightmare we would have. I moved from Centreville to Broadlands in an effort to escape the traffic on Rt 66. I never would have moved here if not for the Greenway. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, geneva]
[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, geneva]I highly recommend that you take to hart Dr Stephen Fullers report on the Silver Line expansion and vote yes for it. Please for the sake of all of Loudoun please work it out.[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, geneva]
[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, geneva]I thank you for your time."[/FONT]

 

Can someone post a link or a list with the names of the supervisors to contact and their contact info?

 

Actually, Brambleton has not yet issued a letter (but they are) to their Supervisor (Clarke) who is currently against the Metro to Loudoun.
Neither Ashburn Farm or Ashburn Village has, or intends to, issue a letter of support.
My source: Manager Brambleton, President of Ashburn Farm HOA, and a Board member of Ashburn Village HOA.

Given that the Supervisors of Broadlands, Ashburn Farm, and Ashburn Village have been vocally supportive of Metro, these letters would do little to sway opinion on the Board of Supervisors.

 

are unable to make this meeting, but would like your input heard, please send an email to:

shawn.williams@loudoun.gov
scott.york@loudoun.gov

 

Those on the fence and considered a potential no vote are:

suzanne.volpe@loudoun.gov
geary.higgins@loudoun.gov
matt.letourneau@loudoun.gov
janet.clarke@loudoun.gov

 

Cliff,

The BCA issued a letter this week and it was addressed to Chairman York & Vice-Chair Clarke. In addition BCA has issued a weekly email blast to their community stating their HOA's unanimous position supporting rail and encouraging their homeowners to contact the BoS.
See 1st page, bottom paragraph of link provided: http://issuu.com/brambletoncommunityassociation/docs/fridayflash20120525

We probably have the same contact on the Ashburn Village HOA. Karen told me two weeks ago, that their HOA planned on issuing a letter of support.

None the less the Southernwalk HOA voted unanimously to issue a letter of our own supporting Metro and we are using the Brambleton's letter as an outline to ours as it was forwarded to us a few days ago.

 

We agree about Brambleton's position. Although I spoke to Rick Stone, who is the HOA's Community Manager and he told me he hadn't written the letter to Janet Clarke or the Board yet. We discussed certain strategies that could be included in the letter.
I had a different source on Ashburn Village HOA, a former President and longtime member. He said he doubted their Board would even consider something controversial or political.
Curious about what outreach SouthernWalk HOA did about Metro? Especially considering this HOA only represents a telcom contract?? The only opinion SouthernWalk HOA could give relevance to is telcom issues.

 

I personally support the Silver line, but I don't see how the HOA can send a letter stating the community's support without canvassing the neighborhood to find out if a majority of the residents actually do support it. If they don't do that, then the statement would be one of the Board's opinion, not the community's actual position.

 

An HOA is basically a representative democracy. We selected who we thought would best represent us, and gave them the authority to make decisions and speak for the community. Otherwise we would have to vote on every single issue that came up.

Edit: Or I should add that this time around, Van Metre voted for who they wanted to represent us...

 

Really? I thought I was voting for people who would make sure the common areas were kept up, make sure architectural standards are kept up, keep the pools running, run the community and nature centers, etc.; not representatives of my opinion on issues such as metro. The articles of incorporation document I read when we joined this development never said the HOA was my representative for this stuff. The least they should do before sending any kind of letter of support is advertise for community input and vote for or against at a meeting....