Bill Waite Speaks Up for Blue Ridge Mountains

Protect the Blue Ridge, Bill Waite Tells Loudoun Board of Supervisors

Bill Waite
Friends of Blue Ridge Mountains Board of Directors,
May 4, 2026

On May 4, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors debated the instructions to staff regarding changes
in the zoning ordinance affecting the Mountain Overlay District. Comments by Bill Waite appear below.

Chair and Members of the Board,

I’m here today to speak plainly about what is at stake for public safety and fiscal responsibility in light of the last-minute motions introduced by Supervisor Kershner regarding rural wineries, breweries, and distilleries.

These proposals, allowing unlimited events, unlimited attendance, extended hours, and reduced setbacks, do not reflect the will of the community or the careful work of your staff. For years, residents, first responders, and planning professionals have shown up, provided data, and offered thoughtful, balanced solutions. Those voices are not being refined here, they are being overridden.

The consequences are real and immediate. Unlimited, high-capacity events in rural areas will push traffic onto narrow, unlit roads that were never designed for this level of use. Emergency responders will face longer travel times and heavier call volumes. Late-night activity increases the likelihood of impaired driving and delays in critical response. Reduced setbacks move these impacts closer to homes, making it harder to manage crowds safely and increasing conflict in communities that have long been quiet and stable.

And the economic reality cannot be ignored. These motions do not create free revenue—they create hidden costs. More policing, more road wear, more strain on emergency services. Those costs fall on taxpayers and can quickly outpace any additional tax income. Meanwhile, declining property values in affected rural areas erode the very tax base the County depends on. That is not smart growth, it is a cost shift with long-term consequences.

Separately, I urge you to support the standalone motion requiring a minor special exception for all non-residential covered activities in somewhat sensitive and sensitive areas of the MOD. This is not a barrier—it is a safeguard. It ensures that higher-impact uses are evaluated on their merits, with conditions that protect access, safety, and compatibility.

Just as importantly, it provides a critical opportunity to study land disturbance before damage is done. That means protecting steep slopes from instability, reducing erosion that can damage roads and neighboring properties, and preserving groundwater recharge that sustains western Loudoun’s drinking water. These are not abstract concerns, they are fundamental to public safety, environmental health, and the long-term costs this County will bear if we get this wrong.
You have before you a clear choice: last-minute, sweeping changes that increase risk and shift costs, or a balanced, deliberate approach grounded in years of public input and professional analysis.

I ask you to reject the unlimited expansion motions and stand for policies that protect your residents, your first responders, and the County’s financial future.