Build West, My Son

The Virginia Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Loundon County's slow-growth policies must be thrown out in favor of unrestricted development. Loundon County, located west of Washington, D.C., is the nation's fastest growing county according to the Census Bureau. Previous land-use regulations required up to 50 acres of open land to surround newly-built homes. Now builders will only need 5-7 acres of land per new construction. "This is a victory for property rights," said Supervisor Stephen J. Snow (R-Dulles), who argued that the rules were elitist and exclusionary. The situation in Loundon is considered a test case for the struggle of property rights versus the environment. Many property owners welcome the court's ruling. "You can have a pony, you can raise your children," said Jack Shockey, president of Citizens for Property Rights. "There's a normal progression to growth. We're having more children. We're having more people. We need to plan."