[QUOTE=JSwan;3721900]
What happened to Loudoun was a travesty.[/QUOTE]
It was inevitable though. The IT/Telecom/Defense Contractor boom was a windfall for Loudoun in terms of revenue and building up of tax base through McMansioning the whole county to death but it would have happened sooner or later with whatever industry becomes the Flavor of The Decade. Even Middleburg is going to get somewhat urbanized at some point in the next fifty years. The current economy is going to slow things down but the developers already have long-term plans on the books that will eventually come to fruition unless someone steps in, takes the land, and says “Go f*** yourself!” to the developers and the county governments. Fairfax County’s board of supervisors literally rubber stamped every development that came across their desks as long as it had some kind of pitiful development compensation package attached to it (usually the developer would just pay for neighborhood infrastructure that the county would otherwise foot the bill for) and quite a few of the board members made out like bandits from having close ties to the developers.
[QUOTE=LexInVA;3721947]
It was inevitable though…Even Middleburg is going to get somewhat urbanized at some point in the next fifty years. The current economy is going to slow things down but the developers already have long-term plans on the books that will eventually come to fruition unless someone steps in, takes the land, and says “Go f*** yourself!” to the developers and the county governments. [/QUOTE]
Why hasn’t the Middleburg area had the same success that Green Spring Valley and Elkridge Harford hunts in MD and the Cheshire Hunt in Unionville hve accomplished, where much of the land that comes up for sale is purchased by parties supporting open land, conservation and fox hunting, then placed in easement and resold to other parties interested in the same things?
I have heard there are some incredibly unselfish people in those places that have forgone a lot of money in order to keep the land open.
Is it too late to do the same here in the Middleburg/Upperville/Warrenton area?
There is still a lot of open land there…
How I wish I had a billion to spend buying every lot that came up for sale!
[QUOTE=Tantivy1;3722558]
Why hasn’t the Middleburg area had the same success that Green Spring Valley and Elkridge Harford hunts in MD and the Cheshire Hunt in Unionville hve accomplished, where much of the land that comes up for sale is purchased by parties supporting open land, conservation and fox hunting, then placed in easement and resold to other parties interested in the same things?
I have heard there are some incredibly unselfish people in those places that have forgone a lot of money in order to keep the land open.
Is it too late to do the same here in the Middleburg/Upperville/Warrenton area?
There is still a lot of open land there…
How I wish I had a billion to spend buying every lot that came up for sale![/QUOTE]
There have been calls to action but nobody has ever answered them. The people who have the ability to do what needs to be done seem to be apathetic at best. The only time anyone really ever came together was when that power line debacle happened and I really think it was just because they wanted to feel special by being associated with Robert Duvall in a newspaper article. Not because they genuinely gave a f***. Speaking of Robert Duvall, he’s not hanging around anymore is he? I know his place went up for sale.
I think the 400-acre Oakham Farm, Middleburg is one of those properties just added. When it was first listed for sale it had zero conservation protections.
From the same VOF report, Fauquier had in 2007 12 easments, protecting 1,842.72 acres. I assume protected would be also the 1,100 acres for Llangollen Farm (Trappe Rd, Upperville, VA) which had been recognized prior to the sale in recent years as a model of conservation and working use.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;]
Per the 2008_SPRINGnewsletter.pdf"]Virginia Outdoors Foundation in 2007 there were for Loudoun County six conservation easements protecting 1,413.97 acres. From the same VOF report, Fauquier had in 2007 12 easments, protecting 1,842.72 acres. QUOTE]
At the risk of sounding terribly ungrateful…that is but a mere drop in the bucket to what needs to be done.
How many acres are there in Fauquier? in Loudoun? AFTER subtracting that already lost to asphalt or in easement, I would guess that thousands still remain unprotected. Probably TENS of thousands…
I still find it difficult to comprehend that MD and PA have a monopoly on this.
<<bulldozing a row of run-down townhouses would contribute more to the local tax base than a farm that might replace them>>
our liittle (population >18,000) rural Georgia county an hour east of ATL has just received results of a study commissioned by our county government -
residential homes contribute on average $.87 for every $1.00 on services they require - more homes are a losing proposition.
ag land, on the other hand, even enrolled in a conservation use program that reduces the taxes paid substantially, contributes $1.08 for every $1.00 in services it uses.
more farms mean lower taxes. not to mention the benefits of clean air and water, and delicious locally grown food.
amazingly enough, some people are still calling the conservation program “welfare for farmers”.
At the risk of sounding terribly ungrateful…that is but a mere drop in the bucket to what needs to be done.
How many acres are there in Fauquier? in Loudoun? AFTER subtracting that already lost to asphalt or in easement, I would guess that thousands still remain unprotected. Probably TENS of thousands…[/QUOTE]
I’m sure you were not missing this point but just to ensure it is clear… the cited protected easement in acres for 2007 was just that - acres for that year alone put into protection with the VOF. There are plenty of other organizations from say Ducks Unlimited to the Piedmont Environmental Council as well as lands under Open-Space Land Act which likely had many acres also ‘banked’ for protection in that year alone.
Not every acre protected is announced as being such. Also not every acre that is enjoying a reduced tax benefit is accessable to the public or hunts either …
National Geographic recently published their fifth annual survey of our Globe’s Historic Destinations. No less than 280 experts compiled a ranking of 109 places worldwide, with places that are tops in preservation garnering higher spots on the list.
Charlottesville and Monticello both placed high on the list at #31. (Go, C’ville!
However, as one reads further down the list, it becomes increasingly distressing to see where lovely and historic venues and byways are not being preserved or worse, are in the throes of being ENVIROMENTALLY DESTROYED in the name of economic development.
Foxhunters beware, near the bottom of the list, among the “WORST-RATED” places is the US Route 15 corridor from Charlottesville north to Gettysburg, PA.
Yep, made the very bottom of the barrel.
Routes 29 and 15 run together from outside of Culpeper, north through Opal and on past Warrenton…it is a major through fare for horse trailers as it is the single fast moving artery running north/south between Charlottesville and NOVA.
But not for much longer - nearly all of Culpeper bordering 29/15 South is up for sale and more stoplights are being installed every year on this fast disappearing highway which will all-too-soon be surburban blight complete with strip malls and stoplights at every block for endless miles.
Anyone from Rappahannock County, my definition of an earthly Magical Kingdom, on the list? If so please share how you guys are doing so much so right, having virtually locked out the big boxes etc.
Probably one of the few places where there will still be foxhunting in 50 years here in Virginia.
On that sad theme, how about a list of…the SURVIVOR HUNTS in Virginia that you think will still be in existence in 50 years?
There is going to be a giant Wal-Mart right next to the Wilderness Battlefield.
This country needs another Wal-Mart like it needs a hole in the head.
That Battlefield and the area around it should be preserved for legitimate historical, cultural, and conservation reasons. Instead, it’s going to be paved and lit up like a Christmas Tree.
All so people can speed along rural roads to find the ultimate bargain, shop 24/7 and buy cheap plastic crap that ends up in a landfill 3 weeks later.
That area is actively farmed, and landowners are devoted to maintaining the rural character. There are established local businesses and old homes that have little impact on the environment and roads. It’s an area in which you can still see the earthworks built by troops during the Civil War, and where there is great biodiversity.
What is up with the cheapening of this country? Everything is cheap, plastic and made in China. Including a lot of our food. People go to parks and can’t bear to touch dirt so we have to build multimillion dollars boardwalks for them, and they really think they’re “hiking”.
In a way it reminds me of “Express Eventing”. People don’t want to do things the right way so they just dumb it down and cheapen it. Cheap cheap cheap. Mass consumption. Throwaway society. Entitlement.
Rappahannock has been able to keep their zoning intact. It is a 25 acre minimum. There are groups from within the county and outside that are arguing that the zoning is too restrictive and that the county ought to allow more development. They are using the same arguments I heard in Loudoun twenty years ago. Unfortunately people don’t understand the economics and, therefore, buy into the controlled development is good argument.
Hell, the local high school AD said that if Rapp County allowed development then they would be more competitive in sports.
I expect to be able to hunt Rapp County through my lifetime.
Bull Run has a large territory that is controlled by an MFH. That will last for awhile.
The good thing about this recession/depression is it will slam the brakes on development.
I suspect the Charlottesville area will still have fox hunting as will some of the more western parts of Middleburg. Most of Rappahannock is pretty safe from major development for the foreseeable future because it’s not a populous place to begin with, it lacks major infrastructure needed to support ongoing development, and it does not have any logical value to developers because of it’s location as commuting towards DC from that far away would be unacceptable in the long-term for most people. Big box retailers have no interest in rural places like that because there is no real economic base to support them and Culpeper is the nerve center for that area anyway so retailers might invest there though I doubt they will do so with a significant Wal-Mart Supercenter deeply entrenched in that area already and the lack of a strong upper or middle-class would make it a bad investment.
[QUOTE=JSwan;3748622]
I loathe the Wal-Mart mentality. :no:[/QUOTE]
I take it you’ve seen WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Prices? If not, it’s well worth a rental. :yes:
I agree with your post 100%. Now, if only the rest of the country would value quality over lowest cost. Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening any time soon. People don’t understand they’re shooting themselves in the foot.
Want to really stimulate the economy? Tariff and tax the crap out of all imports (except Canada, Oz and the EU). “Global economies” don’t work when the majority of manufactured goods are produced by third world countries, including Mexico. Just do it and there would then be plenty of good paying jobs for everyone who wants to work. Of course, the Walton family and others of their ilk might not like that and would fight it tooth and nail.
As far as open spaces go, turn urban blight into urban renewal (and I’m hoping this is what the new administration will focus on). It has been my observation that the majority of people would rather live in tight groups with plenty of activities, services and employment opportunities. Cities can offer that lifestyle if they’re not allowed to fall into disrepair, practically forcing folks that can afford it to move out.
I agree with your post 100%. Now, if only the rest of the country would value quality over lowest cost. Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening any time soon. People don’t understand they’re shooting themselves in the foot.
Want to really stimulate the economy? Tariff and tax the crap out of all imports (except Canada, Oz and the EU). “Global economies” don’t work when the majority of manufactured goods are produced by third world countries, including Mexico. Just do it and there would then be plenty of good paying jobs for everyone who wants to work. Of course, the Walton family and others of their ilk might not like that and would fight it tooth and nail. ;)[/QUOTE]
The shades of Smoot and Hawley must be laughing their butts off right now.
Read a good history of the Great Depression (not one that specializes in timing everything from the Crash of '29). You’ll learn that the U.S. was in deep economic difficulty by the middle of the Roaring Twenties as farm forclosures were rising. That the banks of the era, in order to keep sufficient capital on their books, began to “play” the stock market and many were caught in fraudulent investment schemes. Most of the current Federal regulatory structure was put in place to ensure that the market play was honest; they were not put there to ensure anybody made money. If the history goes far enough you’ll also find out how the regulatory schemes, themselves, became the occational arbiters of winning and loosing in the market and why their powers came to be limited.
The incoming administration is so far on the books for back to back Trillion Dollar deficits. That’s more red ink than was spilled during the entire current administration. At what point does the “spend ourselves into prosperity” model fail? Frankly, I don’t know. Nor, does it seem, does anyone else.
The New Deal did NOT pull the U.S. out of the Great Depression. WWII did. The New Deal did prevent the rise of the sort of political extremism that swept Europe. And gave rise to Japanese militarism. So can we say that political extremism causing major international conflict is a Good Thing because it will ultimately end our current econojmic malaise?
I regret the loss of open spaces, too. Yet I’m not sure that governmental initiatives that encourage uneconomic “open space” are a wise long term policy.
Actually, when attacking something like the Walmart project, the argument that works best with local government is that the battlefield brings in a huge number of “clean” tourist dollars and generates revenue for the area by employing people. I heard some numbers on the radio today about how much money the battlefield park pumps into the local economy, all without requiring the new roads, schools, police and fire protection, health care, and other demands ordinary development places on a locality.
In Fauquier, some development has been halted by appealing to the Board of Supervisors on grounds that untouched parks and rural historic areas are cash cows for the state.
it is absolute WELFARE for farmers and it is disgusting…
they are paid to let the land lay idle and lay idle themselves…other “local” farmers…who I suppose, you think, will grow all the yummy 'maters and beans for the city folk to buy,are not given this choice…they are not paid unless they produce…ergo their taxes are not paid on the land unless they produce…their mortages are not paid…and their land is eventually lost…
ask me how I know…???
edited to add: imagine if you will a system where in the govt bought every single WB that ever failed an inspection or every race horse that came in “not first” from their owners and then paid their upkeep for life …kind like the stupid BLM mutts now…how would the horse breeders respond?? they would all go on the “take” and the good horses would eventually disappear…such it is with farming…
As noted Dullas Airport is the largest single owner at 7,500 acres. Llangollen Farm, cited in a prior post, is the 18th largest in the county - and protected under VOF. Ayshire Farm, like it or hate it, too is protected and in the top 50 in size. Foxcroft School with 495 acres is listed. Cleremont Farm has over 900 acres and is in total an active farm of 1,900 + acres including that outside of Loudoun Co. Another is Welbourne LP (the M’burg farm) is over 519 acres.
An aside - I cited above Snake Hill Farm, which is not part of the Goodstone Inn, and is owned by a Boca Raton, FL family trust is also under VOF easement.
