Eugene Delgaudio - Sterling District
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Churches, Arrests, Transportation Improvements

July 9, 2004

The board meetings are long and the regulatory and spending issues are hotly debated. A supervisors job is never done, as there is always something new to tackle.

>>>CHURCHES SANDWICHED IN WITH LUNCH TAKE OUTS >>>$2000 Penalty Poisons Peaceful Community

I have been critical of county regulations that crush or strangle otherwise productive enterprises.

A liberal Supervisor, Jim Burton, believes strongly that the county sign zoning agents should continue to wreck havoc and financial mayhem.

I am all for citizen initiated complaints. This places a duty on private citizens. But that is what makes regulations fair and balanced.

Imagine my shock when I discovered that Christian Churches have been lumped in with sandwich shops in bearing the brunt of staff-directed fines due to a intrusive "sign" regulation enforcement.

Not since the Dark Forces of the Dark Sky adherents had there been such a bad policy.

But this bad policy is government policy.

Again and again I speak against this bad policy of fining churches $2000.00 for simply having a banner or public encouragement, on their own property.

Churches seem to have been the target of "sign" enforcement. And small businesses and large businesses, too.

I appeal to my fellow members of the Board and they have now voted to review this travesty and for now, during the review process, there will be no new government-initiated fines or penalties on Churches or small and large companies.

It is the wrongful actions against churches that really get to me. I pray you agree.

I think the county government should respond to citizen complaints. But only six (6) of 52 sign complaints were citizen initiated. 46 actions against local businesses were taken by the county government. Thousands of dollars in potential penalties for churches that put signs up on their own properties. We must end this excessive enforcement.

Sandwich shops that pay rent, county taxes and have five or six employees, hit with a thousand dollar fine per week. Such a fine puts a hardship on a small shop.

So, do you agree to keep the policy the way it is? At present the county is not fining churches that erect signs on their property unless there is actually a citizen complaint.

If you agree, you need to write the new Board of supervisors and state "Please keep the new Board of Supervisor Citizen Complaint process for enforcing the Sign Ordinance. Do not allow the county government to start actions, or initiate penalties against churches or small business owners unless there is a citizen complaint."

If you disagree, you should write "Restore the no growth Board government policy to fine, or issue penalties without citizen complaints, for violations of the county sign ordinance."

The email address that reaches all supervisors, including Jim Burton, [email protected]

>>>>Purse-Snatching Thieves Arrested in Sterling

Four Loudoun residents were arrested Wednesday night for their involvement in two purse-snatching outside the Dulles Town Center this week.

A short time after these incidents a deputy on routine patrol stopped a vehicle in Sterling matching the description of the car involved in the purse-snatching.

Jennifer McCarthy, of Sterling, has been charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Robbery. She is being held without bond at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center.

Kylan Derrelle Paige, of Sterling, has been charged with Robbery and is also being held without bond at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center.

The 17-year-old female, who is from Potomac Falls, is charged with Felony Possession of Stolen Property, Obstruction of Justice and Underage Possession of Alcohol. She is also charged with Shoplifting from a previous incident at a 7-11 in the Sterling Town Center.

The 16-year-old female, from Sterling, is charged with Possession of a Firearm under the age of 18.

Both juveniles were being held at the Juvenile Detention Center.

>>> TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS ON ROUTE SEVEN, LEESBURG PIKE

Congressman Frank Wolf has secured $500,000 in federal funds for VDOT to install video detectors on congested Route 7 between Tysons Corner and Leesburg. The video detectors will be mounted on mast arms or poles at signalized intersections along the 24-mile corridor. Video detectors collect and transmit traffic data into VDOT's traffic signal optimization software, helping engineers create the best traffic timing plan for an intersection.

Video detectors will help smooth traffic flow on heavily congested Route 7, which carries 72,000 vehicles a day at its busiest stretch between Tysons and the Dulles Toll Road.

>>>>Retirement Housing in Sterling?

There will be a discussion of the kind of Retirement facilities currently in the County, and what is being planned by developers, where they are being considered, what are the needs? A complex has been proposed next to Costco, across from back of Potomac Run Shopping Center. For Information and to receive copy of staff report: County Planning at (703) 777-0246

A discussion will be held by the Planning Commission Thursday, July 15 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the Cascades Senior Center

I will attend and listen to community concerns, ideas and suggestions. I have asked the county staff and developer to listen and take notes.

Potomac View, LLC. is proposing to build an age restricted (one resident 55 or better and no permanent residents under 18) condominium on Potomac View Road. This community will overlook the Potomac Valley. The majority of the residences in this community will enjoy this view. It is the developers vision to offer the 55 or better residents of Loudoun County the option to stay near friends and family in a safe, affordable, and maintenance free community. Why leave Sterling to escape the burden of home maintenance?

>>>Loudoun's Sheriff Injured in Accident

Loudoun County Sheriff Steve Simpson received minor injuries Wednesday morning after his vehicle was rear-ended on Route 7.

Shortly before 10 a.m. Simpson was stopped in traffic in the eastbound lanes of Route 7 just west of Route 659 when his 2003 Ford was rear-ended by a 1999 Ford Explorer driven by Jordan Valenzuela, 20, of Leesburg.

Simpson is expected to be out of the office recovering for the remainder of the week.

The other driver, Valenzuela, has been charged with reckless driving in the accident.

>>> ASHBURN RESIDENTS GET STOLEN LOOT RETURNED?

A Herndon man arrested last week for a larceny from a vehicle was found to have numerous items in his possession and the Sheriff's Office is searching for their rightful owners.

Any Ashburn residents who have had items removed from their vehicle or believe items may have been taken from their car during the past few weeks are asked to contact DFC Craig Schleiden at 703-771-5670 x6432.

During a search of the (suspect's) vehicle deputies found 10 car stereos, multiple CD cases, a video game system, a Walkman, and numerous other electronic devices. The total value of the over 40 items recovered from the car is estimated to exceed $1000.

>>>> NEW SIDEWALK ON CHURCH ROAD Location: Project site, corner of Amelia Street and Church Road

Supervisor Delgaudio and Commissioner Helena Syska have accepted county staff recommendations that the sidewalk should be on the northern side of Church Road.

We walked the northern sidewalk alignment and used a measuring tape to show how the sidewalk would be laid out.

• Both ends of the sidewalk would have standard VDOT-design ramps for disabled access.

At the intersection with the service road, the current design shows a crosswalk between the access ramp of the new sidewalk and the island. This current plan would require pedestrians to come around the island into traffic turning onto Church Road to access the sidewalk on the island. At Supervisor Delgaudio's suggestion, Staff will revise the plan to place a short sidewalk and access ramp on the west side of the island to allow safer access between the sidewalks.

Design and Construction of the revised project is expected to be completed within the existing $48,000 funding budget approved by the Board of Supervisors on October 6, 2003.

>>>NEW TRAFFIC LIGHT AT POTOMAC RUN CENTER

There will be new traffic light, in days, at Benedict & Bartholomew Fair Drives (at eastern entrance to Potomac Run Shopping Center) which has been in the works since the shopping center was approved.

Good news. The purchase order for the construction contract has been approved. The VDOT permit for the signal's installation has been approved. The test pits are now being dug and will be inspected by our county OTS traffic signal project manager in the next few days. It looks very likely that the signal will be in operation prior to the opening of the public schools.

>>>>Suspects Quickly Apprehended After Strong-Arm Robbery

Two teenagers were arrested Monday night less than an hour after a reported strong-arm robbery in Sterling.

The victim, 18, was walking along Warwick Court in the Newberry subdivision when he was confronted by four Black males. The suspects approached the victim and asked if he had any money. Two of the suspects then assaulted the victim and stole a small amount of cash that he was carrying.

The robbery occurred shortly before 11 p.m. and Deputies responded to the scene and began canvassing the area. Shortly after 11:30 p.m. the suspects were located and apprehended near the Sterling Park Mall. Two suspects are in custody, and two have been released.

>>>COUNTY CONSIDERS NAMING BUILDINGS AFTER REAGAN

The Board of Supervisors unanimously passed resolutions that I prepared for consideration honoring Ronald Reagan. A Resolution set a Public Hearing for July 13 to consider naming a Loudoun county building, school, road, park or other facility in honor of the former President and the third resolution commemorates February 6th, Reagan's birthdate, as a special day in Loudoun.

WHERE IS YOUR LETTER?

Letters have been published or circulated attacking the idea that Loudoun County should join in the national honoring of this conservative hero.

Others have written in asking for their local school or park to be named after Ronald Reagan. If you agree it is a good thing to honor Reagan this way please write [email protected] today. Or go to the public hearing on Tuesday, July 13.

>>>>>>New Anti-Crowding Codes >>>>>>Do Not Take This For Granted

The Board of Supervisors voted to send new building code regulations to the July 13 Public Hearing in Leesburg at 6:30 p.m. There will be spirited debate over whether or not the county should allow citizens and the county to have this new tool.

These anti-crowding regulations limit the number of people per square foot in residential structures. It is important to note, as published in several interviews that these new rules DO NOT DEFINE FAMILY and do not limit families in any way. A copy of the rules are available online at

http://inetdocs.loudoun.gov/bos/docs/businessmeeting_/2004_/060104_/item09cproposed/office2k/office2k.htm

These rules imply adopt existing state building codes limiting the number of people and use a square foot limit (one person per 150 square feet).

This new Building Code will attempt to address another component of the problems we are facing in Loudoun and I ask for your support in the form of letters, comment or feedback.

Contractors and businesses skirting laws against businesses in neighborhoods by housing large numbers of laborers in single family homes, disrupting the community.

An unreasonably large number of people in a small home. The item is written to allow for large families, and as a father of six I can assure you this isn't directed at large families who can only afford a small home. The problem is with small single-family homes being opened to so many people, many unrelated, that cars block the streets and trash piles outside.

Send letters to me for testimony at [email protected] or write all nine of the supervisors at [email protected] (note: new address: [email protected] reaches all supervisors)

>>>>HOUSE APPROVES CREATION OF NATIONAL GANG INTELLIGENCE CENTER This is a big boost, says Delgaudio

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the creation of a national gang intelligence center that will be run by the FBI and serve as a clearinghouse for information on gang activity across the country, according to Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA).

This will help our local deputies document and track these out of town gangs that prey on our citizens from New York and other big cities where the FBI has constrained or prosecuted the leaders.

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