Living in LoCo
New Web Site Shows What’s Going Where
Erica Garman at 11:23 a.m., July 16, 2008 (17 comments)
The Piedmont Environmental Council announced the launch of a new Web site today, LocalDecisions.org, which enables users to quickly access proposed and approved development in Loudoun County.
To find projects, simply enter a Loudoun address or zip code into the search engine’s blank field.
Users can get even more info by clicking on a project’s icon, including where the un-built development stands in the approval process, how many units are planned or a structure’s square footage, and the parcel’s identification number/s.
Screenshot from Piedmont Environmental Council's Local Decisions site.
In some instances, you can even post a comment about a particular project to the site and/or link directly to Board of Supervisors’ emails to send direct feedback to policy makers.
“Providing residents with the opportunity to see what is happening in their neighborhoods is critical to an informed citizenry,” said PEC president Christopher G. Miller in a released statement. “This innovative tool will give folks basic information and help link citizens to their elected officials so they can quickly ask questions and/or express concerns.”
Bob Lazaro, spokesman for PEC (who also happens to be the mayor of Purcellville), says data for LocalDecisions.org was retrieved from Loudoun’s land management information system and will be updated quarterly.
“[The site] is one of a kind,” he said. “And our future plans include expanding it to the other nine counties we serve.”
The Piedmont Environmental Council is a non-profit organization headquartered in Warrenton whose mission is to promote and protect the rural economy and natural beauty of the region.
Lazaro confirmed that there are approximately 38,000 approved and ready-to-be-built units in LoCo.
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Lee, it WOULD be excellent if it weren't just another disinformative tool.
I used the site to look up several projects between me and Route 15, and guess what?
"Projects proposed" include by-right subdivision plats, which are ADMINISTRATIVE approvals, therefore the "who decides? Loudoun Board of Supervisors" section on each of these is wrong. IOW, a lie.
What a wonderful tool indeed to get people (many of whom haven't a clue what by right means even though they live in by right subdivisions) foaming at the mouth over "projects proposed" that they can do absolutely nothing about.
Lee, bet you $5 bucks that this interactive web project was commissioned from the "internet consulting firm" "Sidewalks and Cyberspace", headed by that former AOL interactive-marketer who has a web business with no website?
Come onnnnnn, 2007 990s!
This would be funny if it weren't so transparently self serving.
Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 2:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Decided to check on a hunch, and my bs meter is ringing!
Gee, there just happens to be an action alert with a personalizeable e-letter headed "Dear [Decision Maker]:", whose 38,000 houses still in the pipeline correspond with the 38,000 houses referenced in the PEC email action alert announcing this new tool of an interactive site.
Just click and send! Instant public input! And so well informed and involved too!
Yep, cyber-McActivism. Gotta love it!
PEC alert here:
http://citizen-networks.org/pec/notice-d...
PEC "personal" letter here:
http://citizen-networks.org/campaign/lou...
This is a political lobbying group masquerading as an environmental nonprofit.
And if the CEO of "Sidewalks and Cyberspace" did create it (as a contractor), then as soon as someone points and clicks, the circle is closed: the same person who put it together will get to wave it from the dais as significant public input.
Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Seems to me that it's good to have this information out there. No matter the source I want to know what might be built next to me. I think a lot of people in Loudoun would be shocked to see that half of this stuff is in the works. Where else are they going to find this out? Don't see anyone else out there putting out a simple tool that lets citizens see future development plans. Do you?
Posted by sabten (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey I perused the site and it works out nice. Just straight information.
Posted by LoudounModerate (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The site does work fine, but remember computer programs can only do what they're told.
In this case they are telling us that the decision maker on whether these projects happen is the Board of Supervisors, when in fact there is no legislative approval of by right development.
That is pretty significant; why let people think that a decision will be made by the Board on these homes (and can therefore be affected?) if the object is to merely inform people.
This particular aspect of the site is MISinforming.
sabten, the county has all of this information, and I would recommend checking there and truly informing yourself before coming to any conclusions based on anything you read on this new site.
Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Too funny--they've already changed the site.
"who decides" is now "Loudoun County".
Better, as it will be Loudoun County staff reviewing the by right applications.
Nice ambiguity though.
Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My point is that finding that info out from the County is not easy. This is a website, I click on a link, I type in my address and I can see right away what's been approved, proposed, etc. I really could care less about political motivations on either side of this issue. It's useful information. If the County had a tool like this I would use it. If the developers had a tool like this I would use it.
Posted by sabten (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 7:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My point is that no one else seems to be even trying to do something like this. And it looks like if you find missing things you can email them. Also, looks like they allow comments on the site, maybe this would be a place for citizens to make their thoughts known.
Posted by sabten (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it's a step in the right direction, and way more than anything we've had before. You can't go to the county government site and do this now. Maybe it's not a 3d fly-through simulation, but i'm not sure i'd want my taxes to go to that either. PEC is nonprofit and i think to be commended for doing it. I suspect they'd add a project if they knew about it-their site says they will.
Posted by dehreg (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 9:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey, if you read the story the data comes from the County. So if something is missing I would suggest you contact the County as well.
Posted by LoudounModerate (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 9:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sabten and others, I'm not criticizing the application--my first post said it would be excellent IF...
My point is, this may be a great and user-friendly starting point. Find the little icons, open them up, and use the basic HARD information they contain to actually do your research.
Having an application number or a parcel PIN is hard info to take to the county to get the whole report if that's what you want.
Yes, the information selected for display comes from the county--key word here SELECTED.
The fact that the site originally implied legislative decisions (malleable) on administrative approvals (by the book--it does or it don't) was disturbing to me, especially if you add in the pre-fab activism. (Not to mention the catchy color-marketing: proposed = red for DANGER!, and approved = black, for death? Nice.)
It puts me in mind of the info they put out for the fake 2004 petition on the CPAMs--the inflated total of houses originally included maximum potential totals of even CPAMs that had not been accepted for review.
It took months for the website on that to add a function (not on the main page either, you had to look for it) where you could see if a particular proposal had been denied.
The application is great, and user friendly.
All the more insidious if the info is slanted or incomplete, and linked to a pre-written letter that will be autodirected to your legislator at a click.
Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on July 17, 2008 at 6:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Great tool and much needed. Getting info from the County is cumbersome, tedious, time consuming & often impossible to accomplish. Plus staff is not willing/won't give much help. And don't even bother trying to get basic info from a developer. This may be imperfect, but one can comment and ask for other info. I'm thankful someone finally thought of this long overdue resource.
Posted by starburst03 (anonymous) on July 17, 2008 at 6:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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