Whose County Is It?

By Charles Houston

We know many political -isms: conservatism, liberalism, libertarianism, progressivism, populism. To me, the paramount-ism is populism, as immortalized in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: Government of the people, by the people, for the people …

That dictum surely applies to local issues, especially regarding how land is used. Loudoun’s people should control how our land is used. Period.

We in the west may not think exactly alike on every issue, but I believe that a strong majority of us share similar concerns about threats to our countryside. We want to preserve its rural character. That means strict limits on residential growth and it means stopping almost all new commercialization.

Realpolitik I

I am not optimistic about limiting growth. Our new Comprehensive Plan projects 11,643 new residences in the west by 2040 and I don’t think we can do anything about it. (I feel lachrymose.) 

We can, I think, mount effective opposition to increased commercial intrusion. Existing businesses can’t be touched, but we should fight against new ones.

Why is fighting necessary? Commercial interests have much greater political clout than conservation alliances. That is wrong, wrong. Whatever happened to “Government of the people, by the people, for the people …”? The wishes of folks in the west should decide what happens to our land. Commercial dreams and schemes should suckle last.

I’m from the Government and I’m Here to Help You

I wish that old bromide was true. It’s not just that business has so much influence, it’s that several parts of county government actively encourage business growth that can intrude into the west. The county’s Department of Economic Development is a tiger in bringing businesses to Loudoun. That’s great as long as it keeps to commercial areas elsewhere in the county, but I sense that it endorses the general idea of more-business-everywhere. 

Then there’s our Economic Development Authority (“empowered to promote economic development in Loudoun County”) and the Economic Development Advisory Council (“promote development and expansion of commercial and industrial tax base”). Guys, please don’t venture west of Route 15!

The Rural Economic Development Council, a county advisory group, focuses on areas west of 15. Its mission is a focus on “economic growth and development in rural Loudoun…” (Is that something we citizens actually requested?) To be fair, REDC’s membership includes key representatives of agriculture and the equine sector, but my impression is that REDC too often takes a pro-growth, pro-development position.

Thankfully the county has helpful departments and committees: The Rural Preservation Board, Agricultural Assistance Alliance, Mountainside Protection Advisory Committee, League to Stop Sprawl – sorry, I just made those up. They don’t exist, but perhaps they should.

DMO vs. DMO

Visit Loudoun is a quasi-governmental group that promotes commercialization in western Loudoun. Its motto seems to be more-more-more, and if some promoter wanted to build an enormous amusement park in western Loudoun, Visit Loudoun would probably be completely on board. Its goal is to bring tourists into Loudoun, ideally for overnight stays. 

It has a major incentive to bring in as many tourists as possible. Visit Loudoun is funded by getting 37.5 percent of the transient occupancy tax paid by tourists, some million bucks or so annually. (It pays its staff very well.) Is Visit Loudoun motivated to put “more heads in beds” and increase its income, rather than balancing tourism with what residents want the west to be?  

Visit Loudoun operates as a “Destination Marketing Organization” and does exactly what that title implies. It markets Loudoun in all sorts of ways, and much of that marketing focuses on the charms of western Loudoun. (I feel used.)

What we really need is a “Destination Management Organization.” Visit Loudoun publicly asserts that it deserves that label, but its actions belie that claim. A true Destination Management Organization is an entity with a balanced approach. Bring in some visitors, but not hordes. Take neutral positions on planned projects and let their fate be decided by citizens’ will. Work with conservation groups to align tourism in Loudoun with our rural ambience. Work with our towns to help meet their desires for tax-paying commercial growth inside town limits.

With the Destination Management approach, the client is the community, not the tourism industry. To succeed it must be collaborative and integrated. Sedona, the Columbia Gorge and Breckinridge have adopted this type of DMO approach, as did Barcelona when it faced a tsunami of tourists that unsettled that city.

Realpolitik II

A first step would be for the county to give Visit Loudoun a fixed amount of money each year, instead of the 37.5 percent of the occupancy tax, thus removing its incentive to push for more and more tourism uber alles. Will this happen? I doubt it. (I am fatalistic.)

Our future all boils down to the collective wisdom of nine people – our Supervisors. They do a good job, but I know they get whipsawed by people with commercial agendae. Let’s just make sure that conservationists do their own share of whipsawing.

Charles Houston developed more than six million square feet of office buildings throughout the South for an Atlanta-based firm. He lives in Paeonian Springs.