Leesburg, Virginia is undoubtedly guilty of many of the same offenses which plague modern suburban life. But it stands at a pivotal point; it has not yet developed to the degree of its neighbors in Fairfax, Reston, Ashburn and Sterling. It has made it a key goal to work sustainability into its future. I know this from first hand experience, not only because I live in Leesburg, but I also interned in the town’s Department of Planning and Zoning this summer. The environmental ramifications of a project were always a hot button issue, which caused much strife between the developer and the department.
Leesburg understands the repercussions its actions has on the environment and has noted the mistakes it has made in the past. The town is taking the lesson, which its neighbors learned the hard way, while acting as an example for the lesser-developed surrounding towns of Purcellville and Middleburg. The town’s environmental planning program is based upon five elements, which have been adopted by the town council. They include:
1. Council Strategic Focus Priorities to pursue effective natural resource stewardship and build an environmentally sustainable community.
2. Town Policy on the Environment to use sound environmental principals and practices, meet or exceed our environmental regulations, and educate employees and residents.
3. Town Plan Natural Resource Objectives to protect the environment and quality of life.
4. Zoning Ordinance and Design and Construction Manual (DCSM) through the Floodplain and Creek Valley Buffer Overlay Districts in the Zoning Ordinance and the storm water management specifications of the DCSM.
5. Town Council Resolution/Policy including the Ten Percent Energy Reduction Goal.
Furthermore, Leesburg tackles its energy issues through its Ten Percent Energy Reduction Goal and its “Change a Light Campaign”. Through a combination of energy audits, the establishment of a centralized energy management system, the writing of new more comprehensive town energy policy, the establishment of new performance standards for town projects, and a new evaluation and reporting system, the town hopes to reduce its energy usage by ten percent. The Change a Light Campaign is an established program, which attempts to get the residents of Leesburg to change at least one light in their homes to an energy-efficient light.
As seen by the town of Leesburg, going green does not have to be done all at once. By having localities take small steps towards efficiency and taking advantage of environmental planning, it allows for great gains to be made in the long term. I feel that all localities should take a similar stance and attempt to work energy efficiency and environmental planning into their comprehensive plan. By employing and enabling environmental planners, towns can efficiently move into a more sustainable future where short-term costs will be trumped by long-term gains.
-Chris Neto
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Leesburg is showing an example of how local government regulations along with citizen participation can really make a difference in the holistic feel of a city. When members of a community see their local government and citizen groups actively contributing to their community it gives people a sense of pride to be living where they are living. That pride translates into active stewardship within the area and greater citizen participation in local government. Leesburg is not just forcing major regulations upon their citizens but rather working with them as a team to produce a better place to live and a more sustainable approach to growth. I commend the town of Leesburg for it's initiative in this matter.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a similar blog about Loudoun County's initiative to become greener, specifically through better energy practices and subsequently agree that this type of action is pertinent to change our country as a whole. There are so many great "green" examples being initiated and evoked at the local level that hopefully will inspire regional and well as national governments to also change for the better. There are also many fascinating initiates much like this at the local level in Germany as well as other small towns throughout Europe. Since Virginia is a historically very conservative state, it makes me very happy to see that localities such as Leesburg and Loudoun County as a whole are taking somewhat liberal and forward thinking initiatives to change for the future.
ReplyDeleteWhat has Leesburg done to go "green"? The planning there is completely terrible. They have surrounded neighborhoods with only more neighborhoods driving the value of the property down. They have literally placed them back to back. Plus they have destroyed the wildlife there. I remember I used to never see deer on the streets. Now the only deer I see are the ones that have become road kill. I guarantee that in the next ten years there will be nothing left to develop and Leesburg will become just like Ashburn and Sterling. To my understanding they are trying to put in another high school right next to Ida Lee which will only worsen the traffic there. Also they have continued to build more unnecessary department stores. Some that are in the backyards of houses, right next to children’s’ play grounds, or schools. There is no pattern in the growth and they have done nothing to improve the landscape there at all. I can't wait until they build a huge church and finish building more stores on Sycolin road. Plus I love how Lawson speed limit has been increased to 35 and it is right next to an elementary school. Also they just put in a huge road that goes right over a bike path, neighborhood, and is right next to a playground. The most cars that I've seen use it at one time is barely ten and that was on Black Friday. I have lived in Leesburg my whole life and it has gone from bad to worse. The only development that you can even claim to be green is maybe the Wegmans.
ReplyDelete~Shawn Page