shaped by thousands of individual decisions made by individual owners and stewards of their own property . Its survival depends on future decisions made by individual farmers to continue to farm and not sell out to property developers , by individual property owners to restore historic homes or barns and gardens and not move away and by county planning officials and Supervisors to approve or disapprove the location of a data center or commercial operation in a sensitive rural location . It depends on the decision of an individual farm implement company to stay in business here , or close up , and by officials to widen , pave and forever change a country lane . An individual decision may seem insignificant and quite small in its effect , but each invariably influences other decisions made by neighbors , farmers , innkeepers , wineries and visitors , and whether beneficial or detrimental to the rural economy , the aggregate impact grows .
In this charming landscape , size and scale really matter . The economic vitality of rural Loudoun requires enough agricultural activity to justify needed support services and markets , enough equestrian activity so farriers , veterinarians and feed stores want to be here and people want to come to events , enough attractive landscape and lovely country roads so reaching the inn or tasting room or wedding venue or restaurant is a great experience , enough ground water and prime soils so crops can thrive , and enough compatible neighborhoods and pristine views so people are comfortable making major investments in large residential properties .
If we start to lose the scale needed to sustain key agricultural businesses , or the beautiful views needed for tourism related businesses , or the landscape and neighborhood characteristics that attract stewards of the land , or the historic integrity that draws visitors , we can reach a tipping point . With one subdivision too many , one data center in the wrong place , one too many farmers selling out , one too many residential owners giving up and moving , one more horse farm lost , one more country road paved and straightened – then the scale and the character of this place erodes , visitors dwindle and those who remain are more likely swayed to give up their businesses or their farms or their estates and move elsewhere . The pace of inappropriate residential development and incompatible commercial activity will accelerate . And then very soon the spell is broken , the totality gone … with only memories remaining . And if that happens , if this rural treasure is lost , all of Loudoun will suffer as it becomes just another unmemorable place .
It is not enough to love our rural ambiance and say so in broad statements of intention and mission . It is the small decisions within individual situations , properties and applications that collectively preserve or lose our rural landscape .
Our county government has a critical role in this
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