Mountain Overlay District’s regulations are intentionally rigid for a reason

Dear Editor:

I’m extremely concerned about the Board action on April 15 to suspend lawsuit enforcement on the Mountain Overlay District.

After careful thought and discussion with County Zoning officials, stricter rewritten ordinances were enacted in the MOD ZOAM in 2023 and approved by the BOS.

The MOD Ordinances are intentionally rigid to protect the mountains from continued misuse and development. The forest canopy, in particular, is an acknowledged source of clean water, carbon sequestration, and the oxygen we breathe. Their beauty drives the tourist industry here in Loudoun.

Enforcement is the only tool we have to enforce violations trying to monetize our mountains for
personal or corporate enrichment.

A recent case in point, County Planning & Development is currently pursuing charges against a property owner on the steep slopes of the Blue Ridge in Bluemont. A real estate agent flipped the property after brazenly clear-cutting over 2+ acres of forest to obtain “million-dollar views.” The property sold quickly for $1.4 million and the agent went AWOL.

When a person owns or buys mountainside property, they have become stewards of that land for succeeding generations. There are responsibilities entailed with that ownership to serve the public good.

Monetizing the mountains is an attractive business investment for commercial entities and individuals seeking financial gain, at a huge cost to the environment.

Yes, the regulations are intentionally rigid to protect and preserve our beautiful mountains.

Peter Weeks
President, Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains