Loudoun's Moment of Truth

His votes are likely to be crucial; the views of the other supervisors on the three plans are nearly evenly divided.

Staton is so opposed to densely packed homes that last month he encouraged his appointee to the Planning Commission, local Republican activist Suzanne M. Volpe, to switch her vote on the Route 50 proposal.

On Monday night, as a result of Volpe's initiative, the commission recommended a different, tamer Route 50 blueprint that eliminated provisions for five- and six-story condominium buildings next to the airport.

But the commission didn't please everyone. Supervisor Stephen J. Snow (R-Dulles) said the new plan misses an opportunity to reinvent southern Loudoun.

"This is not density-packing," Snow said. "This is creating business and affordable dwellings."

Staton is less inclined to limit development in western Loudoun, where the proposed ordinance in most cases would restrict building to one house every 10 or 20 acres. Current zoning allows one house per three acres -- a ratio that Staton said he does not view as "high density," in contrast with the 24 units per acre initially proposed for Route 50.

Those who oppose the rural proposal also view it as largely the same as the ordinance approved by a previous Board of Supervisors in 2003 -- and struck down by the Virginia Supreme Court in March 2005. Staton and several others have said the new ordinance must not constitute a "taking" of property from landowners, rendering it susceptible to another legal challenge.

"I oppose this proposal," Staton said. "I think we need to reject it and start the process from the beginning again."