On Planning Commission, Tide Shifts to Slow Growth

Makeup Signals Board’s Agenda

By Sandhya Somashekhar (Contact)

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Like the Loudoun Board of Supervisors that appointed it, the Planning Commission that takes office in January will be dominated by people who believe in slowing the pace of development.

Several newcomers to the commission have been active in slow-growth organizations, including Peggy Maio, a land-use officer for the Piedmont Environmental Council for 18 years, and Sandra Chaloux, a leading opponent of a plan last year that would have allowed construction of thousands of houses near Dulles International Airport.

The commissioners' views on growth carry a great deal of weight, as the panel's responsibilities include studying land-use issues, scrutinizing rezoning requests and making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.

The shift to a slow-growth commission was considered likely after the Nov. 6 election, in which Loudoun voters elected eight candidates — four incumbents and four challengers — who were critical of the construction boom that had taken place in Loudoun during the past decade.

Each member of the new board, which was sworn in yesterday and takes office Jan. 1, appoints the planning commissioner for his or her district. The first meeting of the new Planning Commission is scheduled for Jan. 7.

Chaloux, the appointee of Supervisor-elect Stevens Miller (D-Dulles), founded the Gum Spring Regional Citizens Network, which opposed the Dulles South proposal to add as many as 33,800 residences to a sparsely developed area southwest of the airport. She sometimes clashed with the planning commissioner for the Dulles District, who supported the proposal. The Board of Supervisors rejected the plan.

Chaloux will have to leave the citizen group when she begins serving on the commission.

"It was a difficult decision for me because I've really enjoyed working with residents in this area on the network," she said. "As I thought about it, though, I thought it would be nice to have someone on the Planning Commission who would look at these applications from the perspective of the community and the county, which is what I intend to do."

Chaloux said she hopes to take an active role in updating the county's transportation plan. She also plans to initiate a study of proffers — the contributions of cash and infrastructure that developers make in exchange for being allowed to build houses — to ensure that they are being delivered as promised.

Maio said she forged positive relationships with developers during her years with the Piedmont Environmental Council and hopes that will continue while she is a planning commissioner.

"I hope to be a voice for fairness and consistency toward every application that comes before the commission," she said.

Mike Keeney, appointed to the commission by Supervisor-elect Susan Klimek Buckley (D-Sugarland Run), said he first became active in anti-sprawl efforts as an opponent of a plan to develop part of the site of the Battle of Chancellorsville. He joined the Civil War Preservation Trust and later got involved with slow-growth organizations in Loudoun.

Also new to the commission will be Chris Brodrick, appointed by Supervisor-elect Andrea McGimsey (D-Potomac); Christeen Tolle, appointed by board Chairman Scott K. York (I); Erin Austin, appointed by Supervisor Sarah R. "Sally" Kurtz (D-Catoctin); and Gigi Robinson, appointed by Supervisor-elect C. Kelly Burk (D-Leesburg).

Helena Syska, appointed to the commission by Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio (R-Sterling) four years ago, will return for a second term, as will Robert J. Klancher, who was appointed by Supervisor Lori L. Waters (R-Broad Run) and served as the commission's chairman.

Beginning next year, the commission chairman will earn $22,334 a year. The other members will earn $21,315 a year.

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