Here in Loudoun, the Board of Supervisors is looking at the option of adopting the Chesapeake Bay Protection Act for the county. As the county is not mandated to do so by the Environmental Protection Agency, and this completely voluntary, there has been significant debate in the community. If adopted, it will become the "Chesapeake Bay Preservation ORDINANCE" (not Act) of Loudoun County. So, it is being referred to as the CBPO and/or the "Ches Bay" issue.
Everyone agrees clean water is important to us all... but the controversy comes when we talk about how to obtain it. Environmentalists plead that we need to do something for our waterways to clean them up, and don't seem to be deterred by the costs involved in implementing the plan, nor are they concerned that it will result in limitations on how property in Loudoun can be used, and they don't have much research showing that the actions will accomplish the desired result. Property owners, who also want clean water, say that limiting their use of their land, without any compensation, is a "land grab" and are outraged. There are fears that to just put in a swing set could cost a homeowner an additional $6700 in fees and studies to get approval from the county... if the approval ever comes.
The Towns of Loudoun have largely come out against this adoption, even though it would have little to no impact on things within the towns due to jurisdictional limitations. There's a great letter from the Mayor of Purcellville urging the Board of Supervisors to consider offering incentive plans for voluntary actions rather than to force landowners to live within the confines of this Act. The Dulles Area Association of REALTORs pleads that the Board of Supervisors wait to see how the new (pending) legislation that is coming from the EPA to the states and then to localities will impact the water ways, suggesting that more effective plans are in the works and that the adoption of the CBPO could negatively impact property values, and cause huge issues for property owners in added costs and aggravation that is simply unnecessary.
March 16 update: Activities related to the Ches Bay Pres Ordinance continue. Check this link periodically to stay abreast of developments:
http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=2872&zoom_highlight=chesapeake+bay
