I’ll be canvassing near work tomorrow (Wednesday) evening for Jeff Barnett! I’m doing a quick couple of hours between getting off of work and picking up my son.
What are you doing this week to help get Jeff elected?
Crossposted at DoorbellQueen
Last night’s Kincora hearing brought out an interesting mix of community members, according to an article on the meeting in the Loudoun Independent.
A mostly supportive crowd showed up in Leesburg Monday night to praise a zoning request to build a massive community of shops, offices, hotels and homes that would surround a performing arts center and a baseball stadium at the top of Route 28 in Ashburn.
“I want my eventual kids to go there,” said enthusiastic Loudoun resident and local freelance sportswriter Jason Rufner. “Now is the right time, and this is the right project…I want it next door to me. Give it to me!” – Loudoun Independent
Quoted in the article are a few people who live in the area (and support baseball), a business executive who may want a headquarters there, and Supervisor Jim Burton.
Regarding supervisors, several expressed discomfort with the developer’s plan to levy a special assessment on future tenants as a means to help pay for future road improvements. Concerns arose over whether Kincora would ever have enough tenants to pay for its promised infrastructure fixes.
“I think it is extremely optimistic to think that the entire 2.5 million square feet of office space will build out,” said Supervisor Jim Burton (I-Blue Ridge). “And I think 1,400 homes is excessive.” – Loudoun Independent
It appears that the fundamental question presented by Kincora, and development like Kincora which requests a change in the County’s master plan, is to what degree a given piece of land should be developed. It is pretty clear that something is going to be built at the southwest corner of Rt. 7 and Rt. 28. It’s also clear that people want the baseball park that’s been proposed for that site. It seems also that some local businesses would like to expand into that area.
However, Supervisor Burton’s questions are well asked. How much should be built there? And how should it be paid for?Just because people want baseball in Loudoun, that doesn’t mean that citizens want another high-density mixed-use development.
If given final approval by supervisors, the Kincora project would allow the development of up to 2,722,200 square feet of office space, 398,825 square feet of commercial, 575,000 square feet of hotel space, equal to 720 rooms, 1,400 multi-family units and 277,000 square feet of civic uses. Included in the civic uses are a fire-rescue station and a performing arts center. Of the residential units, 300 are associated with a proposed minor league baseball stadium and 228 will be Affordable Dwelling Units and workforce housing. As part of a separate application, the Board of Supervisors already has granted approval to allow the construction of a 5,500-seat, 75,000-square-foot baseball stadium, 901,211 square feet of office in eight buildings and 74,000 square feet of auxiliary uses including restaurants, banks and other services for employees and visitors. – Leesburg Today
In fact, the election of 2007 appeared to indicate that people want less development in Loudoun, and keeping with the master plan is probably the most prudent course. The degree of additional density proposed for Kincora may be more than the public realizes.
This is the very point that Supervisor McGimsey has made when asking about this proposal. Sure, let’s have baseball and some high-class office space, but do we also need houses, condos and tons of business space that will be added as well? Or are we better off sticking to the master plan and allowing the massive inventories of houses and office space already. It is even possible that building a mixed-use development at this location will weaken the marketability of the office space there.
[Loudoun County Planning] Commission member Peggy Maio (Blue Ridge), who along with Gigi Robinson (Leesburg) voted against the recommendation, said the mix of residential housing among business for the development is too high.
“This will send a mixed message to the office market that Kincora is not the landmark office employment park that they are promoting,” Maio said.
In addition, she said the percentages of office, residential and retail space proposed for Kincora Village are too high for the mixed-use zoning business district it’s planned for. – Loudoun Times-Mirror
Adding to these concerns is the developer’s means for funding Kincora. The funding means proposed for this work, a future assessment on “eventual tenants,” is unreliable. Just like Mr. Rufner’s “eventual children” in attendance at the proposed baseball field, it is unwise to base concrete planning on highly subjective eventualities. Especially when the developer’s proposed funding mechanism, the assessment on tenants, has the effect of reducing the attractiveness of the office space to those tenants. Remember that we already have a plethora of unoccupied office space in the region.
To be clear, I do not think that Kincora is necessarily a bad idea for that location. I just think that there remain a number of questions that are worth answering. I believe that our Supervisors do well to examine these kinds of applications – applications which require a modification of the county’s master plan – in detail and with a careful eye.
We need those answers more than we need baseball.
If we get good answers, then I say, play ball!
President Obama, in his National Day of Prayer Proclamation, pointedly says:
“We are blessed to live in a Nation that counts freedom of conscience and free exercise of religion among its most fundamental principles, thereby ensuring that all people of goodwill may hold and practice their beliefs according to the dictates of their consciences. Prayer has been a sustaining way for many Americans of diverse faiths to express their most cherished beliefs, and thus we have long deemed it fitting and proper to publicly recognize the importance of prayer on this day across the Nation.”
In case it still wasn’t clear that it’s supposed to include everyone, he adds:
“…let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those people everywhere who join us in the aspiration for a world that is just, peaceful, free, and respectful of the dignity of every human being.”
In Loudoun, we are blessed with an astoundingly diverse community of faiths. For just a cursory sense of that diversity, take a look at Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES, a relatively new organization that has brought together for dialogue and mutual service just a few of the communities that have made their home in Loudoun.
Why, then, was the local event claiming to represent the National Day of Prayer – which occurred on public property and with the participation of elected public officials – a sectarian Christian event? Called the “Loudoun Awakening,” it consisted of a six day Bible reading marathon, culminating in the Board of Supervisors Room at the Loudoun Government Center.My purpose here is not to get into the question of whether there can constitutionally be a National Day of Prayer; that is yet to be resolved by the courts, and as such the president obviously chose to issue a proclamation endorsing the event. And clearly, the congregations and individuals who organized and participated in Loudoun Awakening have every right to celebrate the National Day of Prayer “in accordance with their own faiths and consciences,” in the words of President Obama’s proclamation – in fact, they have every right to do so any day of the week with or without a National Day of Prayer. That right includes the right to reject other faiths; in no way are these folks required to participate in interfaith worship or to alter their beliefs.
I have no doubt that many of those who took part in Loudoun Awakening were very well-meaning and certainly had no thought of doing harm. The problem is that an event that was consciously designed to exclude most of the residents of Loudoun County was presented as the local National Day of Prayer celebration, and given the imprimatur of government. Not only were non-Christian faith communities not approached by the organizers, but only a very narrow segment of Loudoun’s Christian community was involved. Looking at the website of one of the major players, the Purcellville-based “Intercessors for America,” it’s hard not to notice that the list of “Crucial Prayer Topics” reads very much like a version of the Republican Party Platform. Where on that list, for example, is the topic of people without access to health care? (Although there’s quite a bit about “stopping Obamacare.”) Where’s the concern for the human rights of persecuted LGBT people in Uganda? What about caring for the poor, or better yet, addressing the root causes of poverty? Hello? Not there.
While it should come as no surprise that certain religious leaders with certain political ideologies would present themselves as speaking for “people of faith,” as if the rest of us don’t exist or matter, it is surprising and a little disappointing that the stewards of our public buildings and the people we’ve elected to represent ALL of us didn’t tell these organizers at the beginning that they could only get public endorsement for an inclusive event. My hope and request of these public stewards is that they will ensure that any future events celebrating a public National Day of Prayer will actually look like Loudoun.
I just heard that Bonnie Barit, beloved wife of Dennis Findley, died suddenly yesterday.
I only met her once, but I found her to be gracious, smart, and generous.
My thoughts, and the thoughts of all of us here at Loudoun Progress, are with Dennis and his family.
Loudoun County is reviewing its policies on pedestrian and bicycle access on county roads. In the Potomac District, Supervisor Andrea McGimsey will be holding a meeting this evening to bring her neighbors up to date on the latest plans for the area. She is inviting citizens to come and provide their input.
A community meeting on pedestrian and bicycle access in the Potomac area will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.,Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at the Sterling offices of the Loudoun County Government, 21641, Ridgetop Circle, Suite 100. Potomac District Supervisor Andrea McGimsey and county staff will provide an update on county initiatives to bring safer and improved bicycle and pedestrian access to the Potomac District.
A map to the meeting and a copy of the invitation from Supervisor McGimsey can be seen below the fold.
This meeting is quite timely as the annual “Bike To Work” day is coming on Friday, May 21st. We should all be careful of our friends on bikes as we make our way along Loudoun’s roads.Did you know that the Washington DC region was second only to the New York Metro area in the amount of commuting done by people driving alone? All those solo drivers going long distances (like Leesburg to Bethesda, for example) create a significant hardship for both the persons driving and the people around them, in other cars, living near the roads and the kids breathing the air.
Biking and walking to work nearby is an important element of an improved transportation strategy for Loudoun. There are many ways to get cars off of our roads, which improves traffic, health and the environment. Making our roads more bike and pedestrian friendly is a good commitment to sustainable communities, and one small step towards fewer cars on the road. A fundamental prerequisite for this, however, is the safety of those not commuting by car.
Dear Neighbor,
Please join us for an important community meeting on Pedestrian / Bicycle Access and Safety on Tuesday evening. County staff and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will provide an update and answer your questions on county and state initiatives to bring safer and improved bicycle and pedestrian access to the Potomac District.
Many of you have spoken to me about this important public safety issue, and I hope you can make it to this meeting even if you have to come late.
Loudoun County needs your feedback about where and how you think the county can improve pedestrian and bicycle access and safety. The meeting will include an overview of present and past initiatives, including theAtlantic Corridor initiative for bicycle and pedestrian improvements, the extension of Atlantic Boulevard, and the proposed rezoning of Dulles Town Center.
* Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2010
* Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
* Location: 21641 Ridgetop Circle, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20166Directions to the Sterling office are available online. – Supervisor Andrea McGimsey
A map to the meeting:
The time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things: of Democratic topics – local, statewide, and national…but mostly local. To bring together four relatively regular progressive Loudoun bloggers and see what comes out of the mix. To bring four somewhat different progressive perspectives into one blog.
So here we’ve got voices from Leesburg Tomorrow, Equality Loudoun, In Through the Out Door, and The True Adventures of the Doorbell Queen.We’re all members of the LCDC. We’re all activists. We’re all a bit rabid on our own particular soap-boxes.
This blog will not be taking the place of our individual blogs, but it will be a place to continue conversations we’re having elsewhere and to start conversations with a Loudoun focus.
After much debate among the four of us, we decided to have a commenting policy.
“Commenting Guidelines:
Anonymity is allowed, but we prefer signed comments.
No Spam
No ad hominem attacks.
Don’t get offended if Liz calls you out for using belittling language. It’s not censorship: it’s basic decency.”
I’m Liz, the Doorbell Queen. Welcome, and I hope you enjoy your stay.
I’ve outlined in previous blog postings about how Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10) claims to support the middle class through tax incentives and also seems to promote job creation. Yet his actions speak louder than his words, to use an oft-quoted axiom.
On May 6, 2010, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, on a 246-161 vote. This act, among other things, would “create jobs, save energy, and lower families’ energy bills”. The act would authorize rebates between $3,000 and $8,000 for homeowners who upgrade their homes to be more energy-efficient. The jobs would be created in the construction industry (along with construction-related sectors), and would potentially offer benefits to 3 million homeowners.
Yet, Rep. Wolf voted “no” on H.R. 5019. In the past, Rep. Wolf has voted against Democratic proposals simply on the basis of party politics. Yet on this bill, a number of Republicans voted “Yea” (Maryland Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, for one), so party politics may not be entirely to blame. It could have something to do with funding, yet the CBO states:
“Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues”
Nowhere on Rep. Wolf’s campaign website does it mention anything about protecting the environment or creating private sector jobs, but on his official House website, he does state that he supports conservation and energy efficiency. It looks, though, as if that only applies to conserving fuel, not the energy in your homes.
He does support H.R. 2846, the American Energy Act, which provides “tax incentives to businesses and homeowners that improve energy efficiency”, but that bill is heavily tilted towards supporting off-shore oil drilling. That bill was sponsored by House Minority leader John Boehner (R-OH), and is currently in committee. H.R. 5019 was sponsored by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), so that could explain his ambivalence.
Nevertheless, when it comes to supporting job creation, energy efficiency, and tax incentives for homeowners, Frank Wolf continues to play politics, while Jeff Barnett, Democratic candidate for the 10th district of Virginia is actually looking out for your best interests.
One of the things we’re going to be doing here on Loudoun Progress is providing you with a regular list of the things the Editors have been reading online which we find interesting enough to share.
For this idea, a tip-o-the-hat must be given to Waldo.
Follow below the fold for the links.
When Democrats ran for the Board of Supervisors in 2007, they ran against over development, and bad development. It was often perceived that Democrats were standing against all development, but that isn’t the case. We’re looking for managed, planned development of the county that is in line with what can be sustained without harming the prosperity of our community.
This isn’t an easy needle to thread, and the input of the community is critical to making development decisions. Developers and businesses are having their voices heard before the Council and Planning Commission, but in the midst of the a recession that has residents looking to their jobs and wallets more than the field next door, the voice of the community has been quiet when it comes to discussions of development.
Around 1000 A.D., Kincora was the capital of Ireland and home of Brian Boru, Ireland’s first “High King.” During this period, Kincora served as the seat of Irish commerce and knowledge.
Utilizing this “unification” theme, the Kincora Mixed-Use Development will be an amenity-rich community of unsurpassed architectural quality, smart design, and environmental sustainability – at the crossroads of Loudoun County’s “knowledge” and “commerce” corridors. When complete, this dynamic 424-acre pedestrian friendly commerce center will be a model for sustainable development mixed-use projects, including over 165 acres of natural protected wetlands, parks, and trails. – Kincora-va.com
Tonight, Monday May 10th, there will be a public hearing on Kincora, a development that is not included in the current plans for the county, has been previously denied, and faces serious questions about funding in its current form. Supervisor Andrea McGimsey has asked for the community to come and speak their minds on this proposed change to the county plan.
Dear Neighbor,
Developers are proposing a major mixed use project called Kincora at the intersection of Route 7 and 28. They have submitted a rezoning application that includes apartment buildings/residential units (not currently allowed under the county’s comprehensive plan), office buildings, and retail. Many citizens in our district live near the Kincora site and drive on Route 7 and 28, and we need your input as the Board of Supervisors begins to consider the application.
Please attend the Public Hearing next Monday evening to share your thoughts directly with all members of the Board of Supervisors on this proposed development.
Date: Monday, May 10, 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Board Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, SE, LeesburgTo speak at the public hearing, call 703-771-5072 to sign up; you can also sign up at the hearing. Directions to the Government Center are available online.
There are multiple items before Kincora on the public hearing agenda. I do not anticipate many speakers for those items, but you may want to bring a book to read while you are waiting for your turn to speak. – Supervisor Andrea McGimsey
Here’s a map of where the hearing will be:
In talking with Supervisor McGimsey about Kincora, she pointed out that mixed-use development is generally a good idea, when it is done according to plan (think Dulles Town Center), but that there are real questions to be raised about putting residential developments right alongside major highways. Kincora would put residential houses alongside Loudoun County’s two main highways, with the potential traffic and health considerations of such development to consider, it is critical that the community come to the hearing and make their voices heard.