Environmental Council meeting focuses on ‘Piedmont perspective’

About 300 people endured Saturday’s steamy heat at the Piedmont Environmental Council’s annual meeting in Flint Hill.

“I was very excited about the degree of interest,” PEC President Chris Miller said. “It was standing-room only. The people were fascinated with what’s going on in the Piedmont.”

Based in Warrenton with offices in nine counties, the council works to preserve the area’s rural economy, history and resources.

Entitled “Thinking globally, acting locally: The Piedmont perspective,” the meeting featured workshops on regional environmental concerns including land conservation and usage. Buying fresh and local was another emphasis.

Miller said the downturn of the housing market and the rise in energy prices should give Culpeper County officials pause regarding their plan to manage growth.

“It really brings into question if the comprehensive plan really encourages more development than it should,” Miller said. “Are the growth areas too big?”

He said the answer that local officials come up with will determine if Culpeper remains rural or eventually becomes a part of the northern Virginia suburbs.

Instead, he said, expanding agriculture should be a part of the long-term strategy.

Miller also praised the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors for turning down a multimillion-dollar proposal from Warrenton-based Angler Development to build sewer and water infrastructure in the county, saying the level of growth required to fund the project was “the highest level of growth the county’s ever seen.”

Nate Delesline III can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 110 or .