** Asterisks highlight critical events where large public turnout is needed. Please take special note of those opportunities.
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Regional II. Inter County Connector III. MD Transportation / Land Use IV. 301 / Waldorf Bypass V. Chapman Forest VI. Smoot Cove / National Harbor VII. Restore The Core (DC Issues) VII. VA Transportation Issues IX. Wilson Bridge / Beltway MIS X. Loudoun County XI. Prince William County XII. Fredericksburg Outer Connector XII. Conferences And Other...
I. Regional (MD, VA, DC) Contact Stewart Schwartz or Debby Sugarman of the Coalition for Smarter Growth at 202-588-5570, 703-683-5704, or stopsprawl@aol.com Update: With the help of activists around the region, the issue of sprawl and consideration of alternatives is increasing nationwide and around Metropolitan Washington. Over 300 people rallied Dec 2nd at the Loudoun Board of Supervisors to support smart growth and present 4000 signatures supporting an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance. Involving Republicans and Democrats, large and small landowners, environmentalists and taxpayer groups, this demonstrated the depth of the smart growth movement. Meanwhile, in Maryland, groups like the Citizen's Planning Association in Montgomery County are working to create an alternative growth model -- a network of walkable, transit-oriented communities. And in DC the Restore the Core movement is strengthening coalitions with community development and housing advocates. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region III office has instructed agencies in our region that they must take into account the fact that new highway's tend to fuel growth and increases in driving, and that these phenomena of induced growth and induced travel demand affect air quality. Yet, the drumbeat of the Board of Trade still has elected officials under pressure to relieve traffic congestion by the old failed method -- widening and building more highways including the Beltway and the InterCounty Connector. We must make clear that the time is now for elected officials to support new solutions. Action: Continue to write letters to the editor and to your elected officials, lobby your legislators during the MD and VA legislative session. Reach out to the public by helping to distribute the 50,000 copies of Sierra Club's Better Communities, Less Traffic newspaper to civic groups, libraries, community centers, or any appropriate public place. There are also traveling slideshows which can be presented to community groups. Contact Debby Sugarman for details at 202-588-5570. (You can also view it on the Web at http://www.wholeliving.com/dcsprawl.) Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ II. Inter County Connector Contact Greg Smith of the Campaign to Stop the Inter County Connector (C-SICC) at 301-309-2362, or gsmith@essential.org. See also Anacostia/Rock Creek Earth First web site: http://www.igc.org/icc370 Summary: The ICC would be the Outer Beltway segment running north and east of Washington, from I-270 to I-95 / US 1 (with a future extension to Rt. 301 in Prince George's County). Currently being considered is a hybrid option which would combine the eastern and western thirds of the Master Plan alternative, plus portions of the northern and mid-county alternatives through Spencerville, Burtonsville, and West Laurel. The Hybrid would lay down more miles of asphalt and more destruction than any of the previous alternatives! It would devastate Burtonsville and Spencerville communities. Update: On March 6, Governor Parris Glendening declared he would not pursue the ICC. However, in April, the Governor created a new "Transportation Solutions Group (TSG)" composed of national experts and local activists to take a "fresh look" at the region's "east-west transportation problem" with ALL OPTIONS on the table for the TSG to consider. The TSG is inherently flawed -- lacking representation from the grassroots opposition to the ICC and lacking a well-defined public participation process. The TSG still has not established Goals and Measures of effectiveness against which to measure various alternatives. Early on, TSG members recommended that the TSG address a broader area than the ICC study area and issues beyond east-west congestion. It appeared at that time that the TSG would take that course despite efforts by Maryland Transportation Secretary David Winstead to focus narrowly on the ICC and the ICC Study Area. But the pro-ICC folks may have had their way to a degree. Discussions at the November TSG meeting, as well as the December agenda, focus largely on the ICC and on a "sub-area" which appears to by the ICC Study Area. Whether this will remain the case remains to be seen. Action: Contact Gov. Parris Glendening, State House, Annapolis MD 21401, (800) 811-8336, and ask him to a) drop ALL highway alternatives, b) remove the ICC from county master plans, and convert all of the state-owned right of way into a park, and c) to work with the community on finding a non-highway alternative. Calendar: *** Public Hearing Thurs., Dec. 10, 7:30pm Montgomery County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly Hearing on State Transportation Issues Third Floor Hearing Room, Montgomery County Council Office, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, (a five-minute walk from the Rockville Metro station) Please attend and testify at this important annual hearing before the Montgomery County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly. The ICC and Montrose Parkway are among the many critical issues before the Delegation. The Glendening Administration proposes to spend millions of dollars this coming year to continue buying right-of-way for the ICC. *** Transportation Solutions Group Mtg. Thurs-Fri, Dec 10-11, 8:30am-5pm Chesapeake Rooms A & B, Greenbelt Marriott, 6400 Ivy Lane, Greenbelt. The TSG's agenda for these meetings includes no speakers from the ICC opposition. All concerned citizens who are able should consider attending these meetings. Contact Greg Smith at 301-721-9335 for more information. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ III. MD transportation / LAND USE issues TRANSPORTATION POLICY STUDY: Contact Pam Lindstrom of the Citizens Planning Association at 301-869-7139 or ptlindstro@aol.com In a sharp break with how transportation studies have been conducted in our region, the M-NCPPC is modelling various transportation systems in conjunction with pricing incentives and various land use patterns proposed by citizens. Two Open Houses (one already took place) offer an opportunity to learn about and comment upon the TPR's status and direction. Please attend and bring interested colleagues and friends. Action: Please contact Pam Lindstrom at 301-869-7139 or Debby Sugarman at 202-588-5570 if you are interested in participating or learning more about this project. Calendar: Transportation Policy Study Open House Wed., Dec 9, 7-9pm Auditorium, Montgomery County Department of Park and Planning 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, (a five-minute walk from the Silver Spring Metro station) Hosted by the Transportation Planning staff of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Montgomery County Bicycle Action Group Mtg. Wed, Dec. 9, 6:30-8:30pm 10th Floor Conference Room, County Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, (a short walk or ride from the Rockville Metro station). Sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation. Agenda items include: the Smart Growth grant, the Silver Spring Green Trail, and the Bethesda Trolley Trail." For more information, contact Gail Tait-Nouri or Bernie Ethier at (301) 217-2145. Email them at Gail.Nouri@co.mo.md.us or Bernie.Ethier@co.mo.md.us Maryland Environmental Summit Mon, Jan. 18, 2-5pm Joint Hearing room, Legislative Services Building, Annapolis, MD. This summit is a yearly event bringing together elected officials, citizens and community leaders from across the state to outline the important environmental legislative priorities for the 1999 Maryland General Assembly. For more information or to RSVP, contact Blair Burford at 410-268-8833, bburford@savethebay.cbf.org Environmental Lobby Day in the Maryland General Assembly Mon, Feb. 15 Afternoon briefing session, followed by evening lobbying of legislators. Always a good time! Stay tuned for details. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IV. 301 CORRIDOR / WALDORF BYPASS (MD) Contact Amy Freise of Citizens Against the Waldorf Bypass (CAWB) at 301-932-7098; or amy@aard-res.com or Millie and Harry Kriemelmeyer at 301-372-8766 or hkriemel@radix.net Summary: The Waldorf Bypass would direct sprawl growth to the rural and agriculture areas of Southern Maryland. Alternatively, the upgrade of US 301 on its existing alignment through Waldorf has been identified by the US 301 Task Force's Environmental Committee as the only way to solve the safety and congestion problems caused by multiple traffic lights and opportunities for left and U turns without irreparable environmentally damage. Unfortunately, the US 301 Task Force denied these recommendations, and voted instead to recommend building the Waldorf Bypass. Overwhelming citizen opposition prompted Governor Glendening to appoint a blue ribbon commission (composed of elected and appointed officials and agency representatives - no citizens) to study implementation of the US 301 Task Force recommendations. Charles County Commissioners appointed a Citizen's Advisory Committee to study the upgrade of US 301 through Waldorf. *** Update: It has recently been disclosed by engineering officials from the State Highway Administration (SHA), that the arial map used by the US 301 Task Force was presented to them at the wrong scale!!! The effect of this error was that the 75 member panel believed that a US 301 upgrade would take 45 EXISTING BUSINESSES along the corridor. The reality is that the upgrade would fit within the existing right of way! The SHA had originally rejected the upgrade because of its impact on businesses. Another major error has also been recently disclosed: the traffic counts done for the original task force didn't include weekend traffic! This fall, a much more thorough traffic analysis concluded that weekend traffic is 20 % higher than rush hour traffic. Therefore it is hard to justify a 500 million dollar expenditure to build an interstate grade commuter road on what is clearly a road congested with local traffic!! The SHA is supposed to present their new upgrade options at the next Citizens Advisory Committee meeting. Calendar: Charles County Citizens' Advisory Committee Thurs. Jan 28 Commissioners' Meeting Room, Gov't Building, La Plata, MD. Contact Amy Friese for details. --------------------------------------------- ***GOVERNOR GLENDENING RECENTLY EXPRESSED HIS SUPPORT OF A SOUTHERN BRIDGE ACROSS THE POTOMAC. It would connect the Waldorf Bypass in Charles County MD to Prince William County, VA. This is a major advancement toward the State Highway Administration's plan to build an Outer Beltway. Action: Contact Governor Glendening, State House, Annapolis MD 21401, (800) 811-8336 to express your opposition to a Potomac Bridge crossing. --------------------------------------------- Northern Corridor US 301 Public hearings were held in Bowie and Upper Marlboro on the Draft EIS fothorsch@naxs.com, tkcnu@aol.com from US 50 to Brandywine. Approximately 30 people spoke at the hearings, overwhelmingly in opposition. Copies of the DEIS are available at public libraries throughout Prince Georges' and Charles Counties. The SHA plans to convert this 25 mile stretch of US 301 into a limited-access freeway with interchanges. US EPA and US Army Corps of Engineers are concerned that US 301 has been illegally segmented into several projects. A new citizens group has been formed to address the US 301 "northern corridor". Interested persons should contact Pam Austin at 301-574-3832. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ V. CHAPMAN FOREST SAVED -- ALL OF IT! (MD) Contact Bonnie Bick of Friends of Mount Aventine at 301-283-2948, or foma@radix.net or Joy Oakes of Sierra Club at 301-261-2314 (DC line), 410-268-7411, or joy.oakes@sierraclub.org WEB SITE: http://www.radix.net/~foma On October 28, the same day that the State and Legend Properties closed on a contract for 1850 acres of Chapman Forest, the Conservation Fund purchased the remaining 375 acres with a $3.2 million gift from the Richard Mellon Foundation!! To achieve the total purchase of Chapman Forest was a difficult and overwhelming task. It took political, legal, regulatory and media strategies. To accomplish it, every bit of effort toward that end was necessary every letter, every phone call, every conversation, every bit of research, every flyer, every photograph, every bit of testimony, every wish, hope and prayer. The efforts of Governor Glendening, Sen. Mike Miller, John Griffin, Secretary of Natural Resources, and Pat Noonan, the head of the Conservation Fund, were essential elements of this victory. Update: On November 21, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources - new owner of Chapman Forest! - held an open house. About 200 visitors came, most of them citizens who had helped in saving the Forest. The open house was a low-key, extremely pleasant event - thanks to Maryland DNR for the great spirit in which it was hosted. Action: Stay tuned... There will be serious issues to monitor regarding future management of Chapman Forest. Calendar: At the end of January, there will be a celebration of the successful campaign to preserve Chapman Forest - probably on January 31. The date and location will be confirmed soon. Please come! Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ VI. SMOOT COVE / National Harbor Contact Robert Boone at 301-699-6204, aws3@his.com, or Karen Egloff at 301-855-7476 Summary: Smoot Cove is the site of a proposed Disneyesque development by Peterson Companies to be called National Harbor. Most of the waterfront (100 acres already clearcut) will be closed off to the community for a $20 to $40 per day theme park. The project would impose a 6-story, 8000-car parking garage on nearby homes, and would bring 35,000 average daily visitors and 10,500 employees with 59,000 daily car trips to the area on average days. This represents 20 to 25% of future Beltway traffic. In a real sense, the project is forcing a 244 foot monster Wilson bridge onto the historic community of Alexandria. At the same time, the citizens of Prince George's County have no assurance that they will receive the upscale retail that they hope for. Update: Prince Georges's County Council passed a resolution on Oct. 28th authorizing the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to review the overlay zoning of some areas of National Harbor and prepare appropriate amendments to the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Overlay Zoning Map, another example of endorsing and fast tracking this development. *** On Nov.12 Judge Lombardi heard the citizens' request to overturn the approval of the conceptual site plan. He ordered that the decision of the County Council is affirmed in part and reversed in part, and that the isssue concerning the noise study is remanded to the Council for further proceedings. Congratulations to Tom Dernoga for a job well done. Action: Please continue to write or call the County Council and the County Executive to express outrage of their support for this exploitive proposed project. Ask for full restoration of Shelby Cove (original name for Smoot cove.) Calendar: Peterson Company Reception for the Community Wed. Dec. 9th, 7-10pm All should attend. Call Karen Egloff; 301-855-7476 Back to Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- VII. RESTORE THE CORE (DC Issues) SHAW CONVENTION CENTER / COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Contact Beth Solomon of the Shaw Coalition at 202-789-7864 or Debby Henrehen at 202-462-2054. A new convention center that will destroy the historic African- American neighborhood of Shaw, displace residents and businesses, cripple downtown traffic, increase noise and pollution, and raise taxes on all D.C. businesses has been approved by the DC City Council, the Financial Control Board, and Congress. A groundbreaking ceremony has recently taken place. Update: The DC City Council included on their comprehensive plan a wish list for a baseball stadium next to the new Convention Center, as well as 5 new museums in the same vicinity (all oriented toward tourists). They also rezoned part of Shaw for new hotels, POTENTIALLY DISPLACING MANY LOW-MID INCOME SHAW RESIDENTS. This plan was introduced on the Friday after Thanksgiving and passed two business days later with no public review of proposed changes or public hearings!! Other controversial measures include the lifting of a long-time moratorium on high-rise office development in Dupont Circle against the wishes of the Dupont Circle Citizens Assoc. and the Dupont ANC, and a controversial plan to change D.C. Zoning to allow a new prison is NOT addressed in the legislation, despite repeated requests by Ward 8 residents. (see below) Action: Please call your Councilmembers (especially Linda Cropp), to express your outrage at such crucial legislation being passed with grossly inadequate public process. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CAMPAIGN TO RESTORE THE CORE / FEDERAL JOBS RETENTION: Contact Danilo Pelletiere of the Sierra Club, New Columbia Chapter at 202-543-7791, or dpelleti@gmu.edu. WEB SITE: http://www.sierraclub.org/chapters/dc Summary: Through community outreach, regional coalition building, and an on- going dialogue with regional policy-makers and businesses, the Restore the Core campaign has become proactive in the policy-making process, working on issues of neighborhood redevelopment, the location of federal facilities, suburban sprawl, the Anacostia clean-up, and other issues that affect the environmental and economic health of the region. The campaign is working with regional allies to get the House and Senate appropriations committees to designate funding and require the federal agencies consider public transit accessible locations in the core, conserving green space in the region and bringing jobs and economic development to brownfields. Update: Councilmembers Charlene Drew Jarvis and Sharon Ambrose are sponsoring a resolution that calls on the Corporation Council (the legal arm of the City Council) to look into whether any legal action can be taken to stop FDA from moving the rest of their facilities out of the District to White Oak, MD. Any action would involve calling on the GSA to comply with two Executive Orders to locate federal facilities in urban centers. Action: * Contact your Councilmember at 202-724-8000 and ask them to support the resolution. *Ask your organization to sign on to the Restore the Core Campaign's "Federal Facilities Recruitment and Retention Pledge." Contact Larry Bohlen at 202-783-7400 x251 for more information. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PROPOSED WARD 8 PRISON Contact: Anna El-Eini, Sierra Club Vice Chair at (202)-332-4644, eleini@scenic.org The DC Side of the Story: In an unpublicized land swap, in 1997, Congress voted to turn Oxon Cove, a National Park Service property in DC's Ward 8, over to a private developer to build a prison. DC citizens had no warning and no voice in this land giveaway. Two years ago, the National Park Service turned Kingman and Heritage Islands in the Anacostia over to the District government to facilitate development of a private amusement park on the site. These giveaways constitute a dangerous precedent for the misuse of our parklands in DC, particularly in low-income neighborhoods. As a park in DC, Oxon Cove offers the potential for waterfront access and recreation to the surrounding communities of Ward 8 -- benefits currently enjoyed by the residents of Prince George's County on the other side of the cove. The placement of a federal prison at Oxon Cove is an attempt to dump more unwanted facilities on an already environmentally stressed community, and an absurdly inappropriate use of precious waterfront parkland in the District of Columbia. The MD Side of the Story: The private prison developer gave waterfront land on the Prince George's County side of Oxon Cove to the National Park Service in return for the D.C. land. Maryland's Congressional delegation is now pushing to have that NPS land transferred over to the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission so that the land can be developed as a "threshold to the National Harbor development." Maryland activists opposing waterfront development on the Potomac need to get active now to make sure that NPS gets to keep the land! Action: Write a letter to the zoning commission asking them not to permit development of a prison at the Oxon Cove site: Address to: The Interim Director, Office of Zoning, Suite 210, 441 4th St. NW, Washington DC 20001. Calendar: The continuation of the zoning commission hearing is postponed until March. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ VIII. VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION ISSUES Contact Jolly de Give of the Piedmont Environmental Council at 540-347-2334 WEB SITES: http://www.pec-va.org , http://www.erols.com/card1997, http://www.members.aol/vawtc Summary: Western Transportation Corridor: The Western Bypass is a 59-mile, 1.5 billion dollar highway proposed for construction west of the Washington suburbs, and as currently planned would connect Rte 7 in Leesburg and I-95 at the Quantico Marine Corps Base. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) ultimately intends the highway to cross the Potomac River and continue for another 30 miles through Maryland agricultural land to end at I-70 in Mt. Airy, MD. VDOT and the highway lobby were handed a defeat when the federal agencies confirmed that VDOT has not established the purpose and need for the highway and would be violating federal law if it limited its Environmental Impact Study to the one mile corridor. This sends VDOT back to square one, as the EIS will have to examine all alternatives selected by the Commonwealth Transportation Board all over again. Calendar: *** VA House / Senate Committee Meetings: Mon., Dec. 14, 2 pm - Senate Transportation Commmittee meeting on carry-over legislation, Crystal City Marriott, Arlington Thurs., Dec. 17, 10am - Moss Commission on Future of Virginia's Environment, Seashore State Park, Virginia Beach Thurs., Dec. 17, 1:30pm - House Transportation Committee, carry-over bills, House Room C, General Assemblly Building, Richmond. Note: The Committee on the Future of Transportation in Virginia has not yet scheduled another meeting. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IX. Beltway MIS / WILSON BRIDGE Wilson Bridge: Contact Judy McVay 703-683-6943, jamcvay@erols.com or Ron Ullrich (703-739-9472) of Coalition for a Sensible Bridge WEB SITE: http://dctoday.jones.com/nonprofit/bridge MD Beltway MIS: Contact Jim Clarke at 301-340-8994 or jim.clarke@sierraclub.org VA Beltway MIS: contact Jim Wamsley at 703-751-6086 or jwams@erols.com Summary: Maryland and Virginia are conducting separate studies which could result in the Virginia section of the Beltway being widened to twelve or more lanes, with Maryland making transit improvements instead. The proposed Springfield Interchange will have at least 46 overpasses and a price tag of half a billion dollars. Hundreds of acres, 60 houses and dozens of businesses will be lost. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge would be widened to 244 feet, nearly three times the current width. Wide enough for 20 lanes, it would sacrifice a high rise apartment building and garden apartments, displacing 600 residents from affordable housing. It would overwhelm the historic city with traffic, air pollution, and noise. In response, Alexandria City and its citizens have sued the Federal Highway Administration. The widening of the Fairfax portion of the Beltway would destroy the tree buffer and create huge interchanges at Braddock Rd, Little River Turnpike, Gallows Rd, Route 123, Route 7, and Old Georgetown Rd., with overpasses soaring over adjoining neighborhoods and off- ramps extending deeper into communities. None of these projects is likely to result in real relief of traffic since studies show that new urban highway lanes can fill up in as little as 5 years. Fairfax Beltway update: VDOT's public information meetings were well attended thanks to the efforts of the Fairfax Coalition for Smarter Growth and its volunteers. The consensus message to the Fairfax Board, legislators and VDOT is: 1) STOP the 12-lane Beltway, until, 2) LOOK at rail/bus alternatives; 3) LISTEN to public input. Action: Contact Chairman Hanley and ask for a full Environmental Impact Statement for the Fairfax Beltway study, including a study of rail alternatives, full public hearings and public participation in planning and analysis. Contact Chairman Hanley, Fairfax County Supervisors, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 500, Fairfax, VA 22035-0071; Phone 703-324-3231; Fax 703-324-3955. Wilson Bridge update: The "compromise" announced in the Dec. 8 edition of the Washington Post redraws the lines on the bridge from 12 to 10 lanes but does nothing to reduce the overall width! Also the Alexandria City Council is considering filing a second lawsuit for violation of federal laws requiring funding to be identified before proceeding with federally funded projects. The Board of Trade admits that this could be a real show-stopper. Action: Hopefully you attended VDOT's Public Information Meetings on the Beltway in November. Call, write, and visit your local, state, and federal elected officials to register your opposition to a widened Beltway and 12 lane bridge. The message: 1) STOP the 12-lane Beltway; 2) LOOK at rail/bus alternatives; 3) LISTEN to public input. Ask for a full Environmental Impact Statement, study of rail alternatives, full public hearings and public participation in planning and analysis. Calendar: *** Citizen's Rally in Alexandria Tues, Dec 8 at 6:30pm Fairfax, Arlington, Prince George's and Montgomery County folks unite with Alexandrians to support the second suit. Message for rally: 1) Alexandria's City Council should vote to file the second lawsuit 2) The Wilson Bridge and Beltway proposals must be reevaluated 3) We want Better Communities, With Less Traffic -- pedestrian friendly communities, more rail (rail across the Potomac and around the Beltway corridor), more protection of open space and the environment. Contact Mayor Donley of Alexandria at Rm 2300, City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, 703-838-4500 (ph); 823-3359 (fax); mayoralx@aol.com. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X. LOUDOUN COUNTY (VA) Contact Gem Bingol of the Sustainable Loudoun Network / Piedmont Environmental Council at 703-771-1645 or cbingol@juno.com WEB SITES: http://www.pec-va.org http://www.sustain-loudoun.com DULLES TOLL ROAD PLAN: The Land Use Committee is reviewing this area plan to make recommendations for density reductions along the Toll road. The Planning Commission's recommended reductions were minimal. Citizens turned out in large numbers to urge the Board to not only reduce densities, but extend a transition zone started in the Dulles South area to the South. The zone would follow Route 659 west of Ashburn, along the Goose Creek watershed. No Board action is expected in December. The Sustainable Loudoun Network has developed a "Citizens Alternative to the Toll Road Plan" which they have shared with supervisors. Their suggestions focus on a few major changes: 1) Reserve the Dulles to Ashburn corridor for office space only. With existing residential, this creates the desired balance of jobs and houses in the greater Ashburn community. 2) Include a Transition Area with lower density housing to separate Ashburn and Leesburg. 3) The Rt. 28 Tax District, a county priority growth area, should be built out before allowing commercial development to begin in the Toll Road area. Adequate infrastructure should also be already in place. Action: Call the public comment line at 703-777-0115 or email the Board of Supervisors at loudounbos@aol.com. IMPACT FEE TASK FORCE: The BOS has received the recommendations of the citizen task force, but their first response (in a 5-3-1 vote) has been to vote against asking Richmond for Impact Fee Legislation in the '99 General Assembly. The citizen task force recommended a $3,000 cap which those in favor of Impact Fees have found inadequate. It remains unclear whether the Board will come to some agreement on this subject, or if they will ultimately request impact fee legislation. ONE LOUDOUN CENTER: This is the newest major project to come in with a rezoning request. Located between Route 7 and Ashburn Village across from University Center, the land is currently zoned for industrial and research park which the applicant requested be changed to residential, office park and commercial center uses. The applicant requested a deferral of the scheduled November 4th public hearing in order to rework their mixed use application. They are apparently reducing the housing component which has drawn criticism from every quarter including the Planning Commission which had recommended denial of this application. It is expected that the applicant will offer something new for comment in the near future. Action: Contact the Loudoun Board of Supervisors and tell them that we don't need any more houses or retail. They do not need to grant this rezoning in order to get the commercial office growth that they want. ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ORDINANCE (APFO): Sustainable Loudoun Network has sponsored an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance petition drive for the last month and a half, focusing on election day. Such an ordinance would require infrastructure in the form of schools, roads and other services to be in place prior to allowing zoned development to proceed. Even though the volunteer coverage was light, the drive has collected 5,500 names to date. An APFO would help the county to manage the 15 year+ house backlog currently on the books. At their December 5th meeting to determine the legislative package for the '99 General Assembly, the Board of Supervisors voted to include their own version of an APFO in the form of an Orderly Growth Ordinance. The Loudoun version ties growth to certain fiscal guidelines that must be satisfied prior to issuance of building permits. Action: Contact Gem Bingol for a copy of the petition to sign. CITIZEN GROWTH MANAGEMENT CONCEPT: At the last public input session prior to the BOS Growth Summit on December 5th, the Sustainable Loudoun Network (SLN) called citizens out to protest runaway growth. The standing room only crowd witnessed SLN present the APFO petitions to the Board, and their outline of a growth management plan which includes many actions that the Board can take immediately without approval from Richmond. To view this plan, check out the SLN website at http://www.sustain-loudoun.com. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ XI. PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY: Waterfront Development Plan Contact Jim Waggoner at 703-497-0506, or Alli Alligood at 703-684-5923 Potomac Parkway: The Potomac Parkway bond referendum was defeated by a landslide in the November 3 election. County Executive Bern Ewert wanted to turn the entire waterfront into a "destination" and link the developments by a "parkway" along the Potomac shoreline. While the Parkway is not going to be advanced any time soon, the county continues to emphasize town center developments in Belmont and Cherry Hill. Reviews of site plans as well as comprehensive plan and zoning amendments should follow by the end of the year. Action: Many issues are coming before the Planning Commission which challenge the new comprehensive plan. Please attend these hearing to make sure that the Planning Commission doesn't deviate from the approved plan. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ XII. Fredericksburg Outer Connector Contact Larry Gross at the Coalition for Outer Connector Alternatives (COCA) at 540-786-6843 or coca@pobox.com See also Friends of the Rappahannock web site: http://www.crrl.org/for Summary: The Outer Connector is a proposed beltway around the Fredericksburg area. The Northwest Quadrant is currently the most controversial proposal of the entire connector project, which has ripened for public debate and controversy. The Draft EIS was released and declared deficient on a number of NEPA review grounds by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior and the EPA. Update: On June 9, Federal Highways issued a determination that a Supplemental DEIS will be required for the Outer Connector planned to cross the Rappahannock River near the confluence. VDOT has produced a map of historic resources, but they are planning to route the road in between the resources under a multiple boundary determination. Back to Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ XIII. CONFERENCES and other... Brown Bag Seminar with Professor Marlon Boarnet Wed, Dec. 9, 12noon "Road Infrastructure, Economic Productivity, and the Need for Highway Finance Reform" Professor Boarnet will present recent empirical evidence that can help reconcile the divergent views on the role of highways in the economy. Surface Transportation Policy Project Conference Room 1100 17th Street, NW, 10th Floor, Washington DC (Near Farragut North and Farragut West Metros) Sponsored by the Surface Transportation Policy Project and the Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy. Space is limited, Please RSVP to Kristi Johnson at 202.974.5132 or kjohnson@transact.org Partners for Smart Growth Mon-Wed, Dec. 15-17 Break the mold, jump the fence, dispel the myth, and join the Smart Growth discussion. Sponsored by the Urban Land Institute, EPA, and the City of Austin. To be held at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, TX. Call 1-800-321-5011 for information. Edopt News, an environmental quarterly for the DC metro area. Send us your press releases, news items, and events for our calendar. Print run: 8,000; website: http://www.edopt.com. For more info, including ad rates, call Dan Kulpinski at 301-260-0734. A National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America May 2-5, 1999 Crossing Boundaries - Building Trust - Making Commitments. The conference, held at the COBO Convention Center in Detroit, Michigan will discuss and showcase successful sustainability initiatives by businesses, communities and other organizations that promote economic prosperity, environmental protection and equitable opportunity. Sponsored by AEs Council on Sustainable Development Global Environment & Technology Foundation For more information, contact: Sustainable America NTM, 7010 Little River Turnpike, Suite 300, Annandale, VA 22003, http://www.sustainableamerica.org or ntm@getf.org, 1-888-333-6878, Voice and fax on demand line.