UPDATES - as of May 23, 2008
March 18, 2008 - Citizens heard in fight to save Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve.
The evening of March 17 was not just a night for St. Patrick’s Day parties. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors heard impassioned pleas from nature lovers and citizens concerned with Loudoun’s history. In a related action by the Board today, Loudoun’s Board of Supervisors approved including The Woods Road on VDOT’s 6-year Secondary Road Plan. Citizen’s had pushed for a one-year deferral to take time to study the issue. Although the road plan will be funded and become part of VDOT’s plan, most Board members emphasized their commitment to a public process that will give environmentalists and concerned citizens a voice at the table.
The County is proposing to realign The Woods Road in order to accommodate an expansion of the County’s Solid Waste Management Facility. Critics believe the County has not been forthright with their plans to carve off a significant portion of the County’s only Nature Preserve without regard for the adverse impacts on archaeological resources and sensitive natural areas. Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve is located immediately south of the County landfill. The road realignment would impact wetlands and the largest area of contiguous forest cover. The relocated road would also have a devastating effect on a rare ecological community located immediately downstream of the proposed construction project.
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Natural Heritage Program has identified a Mountain / Piedmont Basic Seepage Swamp on Banshee Reeks, which DCR says is “one of a few examples of the community type found in the western Piedmont region.” Clearing, grading and construction in the headwaters and seeps that feed this rare community would no doubt have negative, if not catastrophic impacts on this fragile ecosystem. The “by-products” of construction are excessive erosion that dislodges soil sending it downstream in springs and streams. Pollutants from roads contribute to changes in water chemistry, water temperature, and higher storm flows. And, it is not clear how drainage patterns will be affected as the headwaters are bisected by the proposed public road. The aggregated effects could change the natural community’s plants and wildlife, undermining the whole ecosystem.
The County’s staff has not responded to either information requests or citizen’s pleas for a meeting to discuss the need and details of the road project. It also appears that the project, which has been on the “back burner” for over a decade, has suddenly emerged as a priority for the County. Concerned groups also cited the fact that county agencies have not entered into specific negotiations with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, which holds a conservation easement on the land being traversed by the road. VOF must approve the road realignment before the project can move forward. Speakers at Monday evening’s Public Input Session told the County lawmakers that the project should be delayed in order to allow time to look at less invasive alternatives to the landfill expansion and allow time to complete needed environmental studies. Based on today’s Board action funding will be appropriated that will allow appropriate studies and talks to be initiated.
============April 17, 2008 - PRCS* and Catoctin District Supervisor Sally Kurtz arranged a public input meeting on The Woods Road on April 17.
Representatives of both the county and the state transportation departments (VDOT)** were present, as well as Erica Richardson representing VOF*** and Rick Weber, Director of the county solid waste management office. There was considerable discussion of the reasons for the originally proposed relocation of The Woods Road, as well as concerns about the consequences of paving the road. The major outcomes of the meeting, were the following:
1. There is a long history of the proposed realignment of The Woods Road, and it is not “written in stone.”2. As part of the construction of the permitted area of the solid waste management facility, The Woods Road would have to be relocated to provide the 300’ buffer required by the county.
3. Rick Weber noted that some board members have indicated a willingness to reconsider the 300’ buffer. It could be reduced to 50’. Ms. Kurtz was favorable to this idea.
4. The VDOT representative, Jim Zeller, assured the stakeholders that VDOT would make every attempt to make the road acceptable to the community. They follow a 3 step process to address cultural and environmental resources:
5. The first step for VDOT is to establish a mutually agreed corridor. After considerable discussion, a consensus was reached that the corridor to be studied by VDOT would be a 200’ corridor along the current roadway, from the recently paved portion to a point just beyond the landfill, then turning north to meet Evergreen Mills Road at the entrance to the school.
- Do everything feasible to avoid impact
- If it is not feasible to avoid an adverse impact, do everything possible to minimize the unavoidable impact
- In conjunction with 2), they are required to mitigate the unavoidable impact.
6. The design would be for a “park like,” two lane road.
7. It was understood by many (most?) in attendance that the corridor would be centered on the current roadway, but this was not stated.
8. This abandons the originally proposed route which bisected Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, through land under conservation easement.
9. Erica Richardson described the requirements and process VOF goes through to release land from a conservation easement. VOF does not have to agree to release any land. If land is released, it must be replaced with land of equal or greater value. No potential replacement land was mentioned at this meeting. Conceptual approval in the past is not relevant now.
10. Several local citizens were concerned about increased traffic and noise when the road is paved. VDOT assured them that they would take this into consideration.
NEXT STEPS:
- VDOT will get funding in July to start the planning process. They will be working on the 200’corridor along the current roadway. They will have nothing more to report for six to nine months.
- Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will need to reconsider the 300’ buffer
- PRCS agreed to set up a website for posting of questions, documents, project status, meeting notifications, etc.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR:
- PRCS has set up a page on the county website and an email address for questions and comments. These are not yet posted for all to see.
- The website includes documents, including the county’s minutes from the 4/17 meeting. Please see May 17 Item, Below.
(This summary is based on notes taken at the meeting by Emily Southgate, President, Friends of Banshee Reeks)
* PRCS = Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
**VDOT = Virginia Department of Transportation
***VOF = Virginia Outdoors Foundation
============May 17, 2008 - Loudoun County Launches Official Web Page
For information on the issue from the Loudoun County government, use the following link. Included is an E-mail address for your convenience if you'd like to communicate our thoughts to the county. Please note that you will be leaving our Website, so please Bookmark us before leaving. Thank you!