The proposals generally seek to replace zoning that allows one home per acre, or per three acres, with rules that would allow an average of 3.5 homes per acre. One, from Greenvest LC, calls for the construction of 15,000 homes, the biggest development in county history. It consists of four projects north and south of Route 50 and west of the airport.
Greenvest has proposed a private levy on new residents of the company's communities to finance the construction of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of infrastructure. Opponents of increased building in the area have long cited a lack of roads, schools and other facilities there.
Laurie Root, who lives in the Stonebridge community, has her say at the meeting.
(Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post)
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County financial advisers have warned that the widespread use of such private taxing arrangements could hurt the county's financial standing and should be considered carefully.
Changing the rules for a handful of landowners would set a precedent for owners of similar properties, which could result in tens of thousands of additional homes.
In an effort to take a somewhat broader view of the effect of such changes, county supervisors and planners are considering changes that would be imposed on all properties in the two areas. That's more than 1,000 parcels covering 9,100 acres, county officials said.
The effects of such changes on the county's snarled traffic, as well as on its tax base, natural resources and housing affordability, remain unclear, and so far little effort has been made to figure that out.
Supporters and critics of such changes spoke at the meeting before three of the county's nine appointed planning commissioners.
"For Loudoun County to think we can deflect growth in this area is mindless," said John Tsitos, who lives in the Dulles area and manages renovation projects in the county.
But Kent Berner, a computer consultant who recently moved to Aldie, said officials appear headed toward changing county plans without sufficient data. "It really doesn't make sense that we're rushing into this," he said.
A second meeting to discuss the proposed changes is set for April 11 at the County Government Center in Leesburg. The county has also set up a Web site on the effort (www.loudoun.gov/compplan/transition.htm).
