An opinion from two candidates

Voters’ choice: who will stand up for western Loudoun?

By John Ellis, candidate for Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Catoctin District

The majority of western Loudoun’s citizens want to preserve the unique, historical charm and character of western Loudoun’s small towns, villages, and countryside. They do not want more development.

But that is not what is actually happening.

The County’s Zoning Ordinance allows rural developers to build up to 10,000 more houses in the western countryside, which would generate more than 100,000 vehicle trips per day on roads that are already congested and dangerous. 

Some county supervisors, planning commissioners and staff seem unaware of or unconcerned by the impacts of development, traffic, rising floodplains, falling water tables, the relentless loss of valuable farmland, and rising taxes.

Why do we have this huge gap between what citizens want and what the County government is delivering?

One reason is that the County has, for a long time, favored the interests of land speculators and developers over the interests of tens of thousands of residents. When citizens propose zoning reforms, County staff often reply that they must consult with the “users” of the Zoning Ordinance – by which they do not mean Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner. The “users” they are referring to are their friends in the development industry, who have preferential access and disproportionate influence over the County’s decision-making processes.

The recent debate over whether the County should protect prime farming soils from residential development is a clear example. A powerful local investor and landowner has threatened the County that, if it takes any action to preserve farmland, he will take his business elsewhere. 

His associates argue that septic fields are a “higher and better” use of Loudoun’s fertile farm soils than farming itself. These individuals, who disguise themselves as “conservationists,” have intimidated County officials and succeeded in delaying and possibly gutting the whole effort.

Another reason is that some supervisors don’t acknowledge or take responsibility for the consequences of their decisions. They make heartfelt proclamations about the importance of preserving rural areas and seem to believe that simply mouthing the words will matter. They say they “have not approved a single new home” in the rural area, without mentioning that, in fact, 900 more homes were built there during their current tenure. 

In a single five-minute statement last June, my opponent first announced that he didn’t want to build any more homes – but then personally intervened to ensure that a subdivision on Fleetwood Road will be expanded from 29 to 246 houses. He stuck to this position despite the protests of his colleagues, Supervisors Buffington and Letourneau, who described it as “the definition of insanity.” 

Describing himself to his constituents as another “conservationist,” my opponent does not advertise that he appointed a real estate developer to the County’s Planning Commission or that his Commissioner has recently proposed to fill up the remaining open spaces in Loudoun’s “Transition Policy Area” with thousands more houses. Both gentlemen seem to assume that County taxpayers will be happy to spend the billions that would be needed to build more roads and schools for a large new population.

The residents of our towns and villages are also affected. For example:

• The County continues to push for a high-speed “northern collector” road through quiet neighborhoods in Purcellville – despite the Town Council’s repeated requests to remove it from the County’s transportation plan. 
• In an unpublicized midnight vote, the Board of Supervisors decided to spend $7 million to buy farmland outside of Purcellville appraised at $2 million to build a recreation center and other facilities – when it already owned land within the town that was more suitable.
• Ignoring the Philomont community’s wishes, the County insists that it needs to put an oversized $20 million new fire and rescue station on the village’s historic horse grounds – when the current station gets less than one call a day. 
• My opponent rejected a $14 million traffic congestion relief plan for Lucketts, which VDOT offered to pay for, in favor of a $55 million bypass that County taxpayers will have to pay for. The bypass would go through 400 acres of land owned by out-of-area land speculators, on which developers have proposed to build a large new subdivision. 

In our democracy, local voters should decide what is best for our area. In this year’s election, we have a clear choice. Voters can choose either the status quo, which leads to more development, more traffic, and fewer farms – or they can vote for smarter growth and protection of the communities and countryside we all love.

If you think it’s time to stand up to the developers and finally take some real action to maintain the character and charm of western Loudoun, then I ask for your vote on November 7.

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Building a vision for Western Loudoun

By Caleb Kershner, Catoctin District Supervisor and Candidate for Reelection

When I think of western Loudoun’s future, I see rural farms and horse trails, wineries and beds and breakfasts, surrounded by beautiful open space. I see towns and villages that support tight-knit communities and make lasting memories, where our kids thrive in our schools, play with their friends, and grow up safe.

That’s my vision for western Loudoun. I’ve spent the last four years working to turn it into a reality. The stakes are worryingly high – just look aat Prince William County, which recently gave away its historic Rural Crescent to be paved and built over by development.

If we don’t work now to preserve our rural west, it’s going to vanish in our lifetimes. Here’s how I’m working to fix that.

Secure Our Rural Land

Our county is racing to save our rural land from overdevelopment. And we’re winning, thanks to conservation easements that permanently protect the land. Once a parcel goes into an easement, it can’t be developed later. Over 83,000 acres have been permanently preserved in this way, with another 75,000 acres left to go. And for every acre of prime agricultural soil that’s had a cluster development built over it, we’ve seen another 20 acres go into these easements.

I’m working to supplement this with a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program, which would buy the development rights to other land parcels. We could fund that program with a dedicated half-cent from Loudoun’s data center personal property tax rate.

All this has been jeopardized, however, by a proposed zoning amendment that would affect our prime agricultural soils. This amendment would carve off a percentage of each land parcel and forbid the landowners from developing that part.

If preserved rural land is a golden egg, this amendment would kill the goose that lays them. It would reduce the value of the land, which would discourage landowners from using conservation easements. Instead, it would incentivize them to sell to developers before the amendment is passed. And unlike conservation easements, its protections could be undone by a later Board.

Support Our Rural Economy

To support Loudoun’s diverse rural economy, I’ve worked to increase our local food production, improve our agricultural education, and develop infrastructure for our equine industry. I’ve also pushed to establish a Department of Agriculture for Loudoun, and to have us build an equine and agricultural event center.

I’ve worked extensively with LCPS, the Joint School Board, and the Virginia Cooperative Extension to integrate agricultural education and rural workforce development into our schools. That includes expanding Futures Farmers of America into more schools, and supporting the New Ag School and Think Outside mentoring programs.

Fix Broadband and Roads

To help with our county’s broadband woes, I introduced an Emergency Broadband Initiative in 2020. Part of it grew into a $74 million fiber-to-the-home expansion project, which we funded with a public-private partnership and grants, not local tax dollars. When that project comes online in summer 2024, it will bring broadband to 8,860 underserved homes.

My staff and I have also relentlessly monitored and promoted vital road projects. We accelerated the Route 15 North widening project to start in spring 2024, secured funding for the Spinks Ferry Roundabout, and kept safety improvements moving for Route 9 and Route 15 South, including the Route 9/287 roundabout.

Protect Our Communities

To help our towns and villages fix issues while preserving their charm, I got the Lucketts Small Area plan added to the county’s Zoning Work Plan. As Catoctin now includes Bluemont, Hillsboro, Philomont, Purcellville, and Round Hill, I’m pursuing Small Area Plans for them too.

I also introduced and passed the Preserving the Landmark Waterford infrastructure project, got the Waterford/Paeonian Springs Water and Wastewater Project moving, and opened the Lovettsville Community Center and Lovettsville Park. My office rescued the Lucketts Ruritans Recycling program, and kept the original Lucketts fire station from being abandoned after the new firehouse was built.

Finally, I’ve opposed this Board’s increased tax rate every year, because our families need more power over their own money, not less. And I fought the attempt to replace our elected Sheriff’s Office with a county-controlled police force, because our residents deserve more of a say in their government, not less.

I’m proud of what my office has accomplished this term. I hope you believe in my vision as much as I do, and that you’ll give me the honor of serving as your Catoctin District Supervisor for another four years.