Meet the paid lobbyist that have obstructed the land use policies of PWC for 22 years...
NOTE: All of these organizations have crossover membership. One person may send several emails on the same subject, artificially inflating the number of emails.
These groups (along with Coalition to Protect PW, FORCE, & Citizens for Balanced Growth) work in concert to impact land use policy and decisions in the Rural Crescent and elsewhere in PWC. They employ obstructionist tactics, hyperbole, false "facts", and scare tactics to protect their elitist status. Their primary goal is to stop development in PWC, even in the Development Area.
#1 Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC):
Funded by Wealthy Fauquier County landowners.
Their mission is to protect Fauquier County from PWC!!!
For years, they have used tactics such as the Rural Preservation Pledge to try to tie the hands of our officials.
They represent Fauquier, Loudoun, Albemarle, Charlottesville, Clark, Culpeper, Green & Rappahannock County
It's important to know PEC uses PWC as the BUFFER for the protection of Fauquier.
The PEC has a long and effective history of opposing any land-use decisions in PWC which would indirectly affect their members. PEC has staff assigned to work with groups such as the PWC Conservation Alliance. PEC has had a direct influence on state legislation as well as local governments. They were instrumental in the development of the Rural Crescent in 1988 and have subsequently worked to thwart any attempts that in their view would negatively impact the RC and potentially have a domino effect on their service area. For example, the high tension transmission lines in Gainesville and Nokesville were originally intended to be built in Fauquier County. However, due to the efforts and influence of PEC and Fauquier County they ended up building them in PWC with little or no opposition from our elected officials.
#2 PWC Conservation Alliance: Works closely with PEC and utilizes some of their staff and resources.
Paid lobbyists
They oppose any efforts to allow change in the RC.
They work hand in hand with the PEC and the other minor local preservation groups.
They are also instrumental in generating email bombs through their membership.
#3 Friends of the Rural Crescent Energized (FORCE)
They influence public opinion through Facebook posts and generation of large email distribution to elected officials to oppose anything that would impact land use within the RC.
Most of their membership are residents of the RC.
Works closely with the PWC Conservation Alliance.
Along with the Alliance, they have instituted the “Rural Crescent Pledge” to hold elected officials' hostage.
With our new BOCS majority, they are losing their power and influence because this BOCS has shown leadership & vision by getting PWC out from under the thumb of these elitist groups.
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PWC Stakeholders are the landowners with skin in the game, who's property rights have been taken from them for 22 years.