You don't have to be a ROCKET SCIENTIST to figure out the Rural Area Policies have failed!

What is left of rural area?

18,000 acres.

What was accomplished in 22 years? Not much!

The rural area is often quoted as 117,000 acres or 52% of the county, yet we only have 18,000 acres available as undeveloped! In 1998, the rural area was established to slow the growth of development- · Goal to reduce COG projected growth in 2020 from 470,000 to 390,000. · Reduce number of schools needed by 2022. · Down planned 47,000 acres of rural area land from 5 acre, 1 acre, and quarter acre lots to 10 acre by right lots ONLY. Today's Results: We did not slow the growth at all - we now have approximately 470,000 population vs the hoped for 390,000 What did we do? We absorbed developable land at a greater pace without reducing population growth! We actually embraced and encouraged sprawl. · We destroyed our opportunity to create Jobs, Opportunity, Equity and a 35% Commercial Tax Base · We have no land planned for Data Centers or Economic growth · We crammed all the density on the Eastern end ....promoting the exclusionary line · We became the JUNK ROOM for Loudoun & Fairfax · Demonstrated by Transmission lines, commuter parking lots....what's next a new landfill? Our citizens have to commute daily to get good jobs - more than our neighboring jurisdictions · The infrastructure needs did not get reduced by reducing density alone. · Today, through inaction, we only have 18,000 left of undeveloped world area to provide preservation tools. · We are eating up between 500 and 1000 acres per year in the rural area without public open space on 10 acre lots with well and septic.