Density Packing Alert: LO CO Department Posts "Demands" and "Call" to Redevelop Sterling

Here is link to 291 Page Economic Report Targeting Sterling and Eastern Loudoun
(11 Pages dealing with Sterling and Eastern Loudoun)
https://biz.loudoun.gov/DocumentCenter/View/254

Eugene Delgaudio, Sterling Supervisor (R-2000-2015) said:

As supervisor I led Sterling residents to oppose density packing. In my fourth term, I focused
support and policies to bring necessary government services to residents who have paid residential
taxes for 50 years versus some new commercial interests that wish to profit on Sterling's existence.

I am not refering to the long established business leaders who have been here for decades or
were recruited to locate here. I am specifically objecting to those few developers who would
propose residential development in the center of Sterling.

To facilitate government services, and speed delivery of those services, the Loudoun County board responded to me and Chairman Scott York's plans to build a new library in the existing Safeway shopping center opposite the Lower Loudoun Boys Football League on Sterling Boulevard.

This and other actions were meant to renovate and restore the Downtown area.

Efforts to stall these needed renovations and improvements are ill-advised for existing residents in Sterling.

I hope they are not stalled but kept on schedule.

Efforts to replace existing commercial retail spaces with residential units, in Downtown Sterling, is the primary goal of the intentional and repeated use of the word "redevelopment" which former Chairman York and I opposed during our respective tenure over the previous years of representing Sterling in Leesburg.

The Delgaudio named "Density Packing" Economic Development Department of Loudoun County has just posted their economic rationale for density packing downtown Sterling and Eastern Loudoun itself to provide the economic arguements for placing residential units and other mixed uses in the downtown area of Sterling and Eastern Loudoun.

PAGES 102 - 113 OF "STUDY"

On pages 102 to 113 the local LO CO department makes the economic argument for "redevelopment" which includes proposals for residential development with a conclusive chart on page 113.

I have opposed these proposals for redevelopment for the past 16 years to keep the delivery of government services adequate for our current residents and to keep school enrollment and traffic conditions managable for our established neighborhoods and our residents.

The current snow storm is a good example of the kaos that can occur in short order when there is no government for an entire week.

Future proposals to the current board will cite this terrible "study" and push the current Supervisor and Board to approve high density residential packing for Sterling and that will mean crowded conditions will only become worse unless we, together, oppose, these "economic redevelopment" arguements.

Here is link to 291 Page Economic Report Targeting Sterling and Eastern Loudoun
(11 Pages dealing with Sterling and Eastern Loudoun)
https://biz.loudoun.gov/DocumentCenter/View/254

This is the official statement from the LCDED

Quote, in part:

The Loudoun County Department of Economic Development announces completion of its Retail, Entertainment and Culture industry cluster study, an initiative aimed at providing guidance on how the county can continue to create sustained vibrancy in the cluster. The study was conducted by Bethesda-based Streetsense. The design and strategy firm spent three months researching the Loudoun market east of Route 15, and the resulting 291-page report is now available online.

The study focused on nine retail submarkets east of Route 15. The goal of the study was to identify demographic and market trends that will likely affect the county's current and future retail, entertainment, and culture offerings. The study also examined current retail in the area, such as sit-down restaurants, clothing stores and movie theaters, and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the county's existing mix of retail businesses. Finally, the study outlined strategies to attract retail businesses, support small and locally-owned retail businesses, and leverage the county's mixed-use centers to attract additional businesses.

"We plan to use the study's findings to create a sensible, long-term strategy that supports economic development in the emerging REC cluster for our county," said the Department's Executive Director Buddy Rizer.

Unquote