Civil Conversation about Growth

Let's try this again!

Loudoun is the #1 fastest growing county in the country. Nice article in the Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A62769-2004Apr8?language=printer

I would hate for the fringe elements to hijack this discussion again, but I guess it is to be expected...

 

Fast growth means the need for better access to health care choices ((i didn't say hospital))

 

Tax rate is down. A whole whopping 1/4 of 1 cent. Of course, my land assessment went up 25%. Who knew a piece of dirt could appreciate so much.

I guess that's one UP side of growth...my real estate is worth more. But then, if I wanted to sell and reap the profit...where the heck would I live...I can't afford what the houses are selling for now...

Dawne

 

It won't be long before west Loudoun starts to feel the pressure for "growing". There are not many places left in the Metro area for significant development to accomodate the population explosion.

Sometime down the road we may actually need two ADDITIONAL hospitals to support the potential Loudoun population.

 

get out!!!
We need more nail places and dry cleaners!
(btw, we wouldnt need more hospitals if people would stop running to the ER for piddly ear infections
Did you know there is an After Hours kiddie ER at the mall??)

 

Yeah but isn't that only open until 11pm?

 

That's what they made West Virginia for! ..... I know I am in the same situation... gots lots o' equity and no place to put it!


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Remember when you curse someone...you may point your finger at them, but you have 3 more pointing back at you

 

It's a real catch-22. On one hand it shows how strong the local economy is. On the other hand it also means more congestion. Growth is a fact of life in this area. Many people feel it's the roads that bring development but here in eastern Loudoun the roads have yet to catch up to the population.

 

Caught this article in the Washington Post online today:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25573-2004Apr19.html

'Board Member Threatens To Fire Loudoun Planners'

"Loudoun County planning officials were threatened with firing last week by a county board member after they issued a report critical of plans to extend public utilities through a wide swath of land eyed for new development, county officials said.

The report -- released ahead of a scheduled vote today on whether to allow water and sewer lines to be built throughout the center of the county -- concludes that the move could spur substantial new home construction and result in higher taxes, increased pollution and worsening traffic in the nation's fastest-growing county.

Supervisor Stephen J. Snow (R-Dulles), a proponent of extending the lines throughout a 23,000-acre area just west of Dulles International Airport, threatened to have the staff members responsible for the analysis fired last week when he saw the report. Snow said he ordered a county administrator to either have the report removed from the www.loudoun.gov Web site or post additional materials he believed would balance the picture..."

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Got Broadband?

 

Now WP's editorial staff has weighed in: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35279-2004Apr22.html

 

That was a very eye-opening, insightful editorial. The best line was "If the stampede isn't checked soon, voters in the nation's fastest-growing county may see any hopes for balanced growth trampled for good." Lo. Co. got what it deserved by electing the current BOS -- higher taxes, unchecked growth, and more traffic. Hooray!

 

I'm sure what you meant to say was "we got what we deserved by electing..."

I guess the BOS is a little more powerful than you thought. I have to admit that I would have opposed growth restrictions a year ago (before I moved to Loudoun County). But now, I, probably like most of us, find the rollback of restrictions troubling...

 

pats: Wow! you snipe at people even when they agree with you. You must be a pleasure to live with.

Again, I have to state that the BOS is powerless to change broad social issues -- no matter how pompous and arrogant they are.

Of course, they can tax us without mercy, let a million more people move into the county, crowd our roads, pollute the water, and ruin our quality of life.

 

Call it sniping if you want. At least it wasn't a personal attack (which is against the forum rules, by the way -- but of course, you already know that):

Edit:
Oh, and by the way, my wife wants you to know that ONLY SHE can tell me I can be difficult to live with!

 

Hey pats, everyone knows that I am a pleasure to live with!

 

Politicians!! Gotta love 'em. JK. (Means just kidding). They have to keep the pendulum from swinging from one extreme to the other and somehow find a middle ground. It really can't get any worse than it was from '99-'03 when the old board was trying to cram all of the growth into our (Eastern) end of the county and not accepting developer proffers for the benefit of us all at the expense of a few dozen less homes. There's no way to stop growth (whadda ya gonna do, sterilize everyone and shut down the borders?) but they have to get over the backbiting and work together. There are a lot of people on this forum who can do much greater good by participating actively in this decision-making process of the future of the county. A voice does make a difference, but not just voices on an internet forum. Get involved!!

 

Does Lo. Co. actually have borders? If so, maybe we should place armed guards to keep Fairfaxers and Arlingtonians from immigrating. About your plan for forced sterlization... hmmmm... maybe that would not be such a bad idea. Just Kidding!, OK!?! ...but I'm always shocked at the number of kids a lot people have in the area. Who really needs 3, 4, and 5, 9, 32, 88 kids?!? Those people are just making the county's taxes go up (more schools, etc.), and the bigger families get more tax breaks... Sheesh! What insane public policy. (Still JK about the sterilization, though!)

I actively participate in my local, state, and national political party. Don't assume that people who post here do not do things outside of the forums. Since you brought it up, though, how do you participate In Real Life in the county or local politics?

 

The easiest way to participate in local politics is to get your voice heard by the local politicians. On the growth front, attend a B of S meeting. You'd be surprised by the vocal minority in the west; far more people than are represented by us "easterners." They're still there in droves for every one of the meetings, continuing the "no growth (in our backyard)" posture that will continue to pack the density here in the east. As Alice Walker once said, "the most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any."

 

I am 100% behind pro-growth for Loudoun County! I was born and raised in Loudoun County and can't think of a better place to live. If someone is not happy with all the changes and development...they need to move somewhere else. I'm proud of the "out of control" Board of Supervisors and will continue to support their proactive efforts.

 

Smart growth is a good thing. But the way this BoS does things sends a chill down my spine. Loudoun needs to encourage business to diversify the tax base, not base it on the backs of homeowners which is not what this BoS is doing. They're giving a free ride to the developers and we're paying for it in infrastructure!