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Preserving Middleburg’s Special Character
Preserving Middleburg’s Special Character
By Bridge Littleton
Over the last several years, our community has experienced a disconcerting development trend affecting our older, established community on the west side of Middleburg.
Our small town finds itself at a crossroads for the future, seeking to preserve its character by dealing with the impacts of ongoing tear downs of functional homes and their replacement with massively scaled houses on small lots.
As development pressures increase, the town government has heard many concerned citizen voices. As a result, we’re working on new standards and zoning approaches to protect the charm and character in our older, established neighborhoods.
In a town information session at the American Legion Hall in October, 2023, seven in ten citizens voiced serious concerns about what’s happening and supported the town’s initiative of implementing protections to curtail it.
One of the primary motivations for addressing this problem is to preserve the town’s quaint and quiet nature. Many older neighborhoods feature homes with distinctive designs, mature trees, and a blend of styles.
Allowing tear downs and rebuilds can lead to the construction of larger, more modern houses that are not compatible with the size, scale, and style of existing homes, eroding Middleburg’s old-Town feel. This distinctive element is one of the defining characteristics that makes Middleburg so special.
Another crucial concern is the protection of diverse housing sizes and options. Older homes often provide more varied housing options for people from all walks of life, whether teachers and police, to business owners or retirees.
This is not the case with the recent trend to tear down and rebuild, where the houses look very similar and the average price is nearing $2 million.
When developers tear down these homes to build larger, more expensive models, the overall cost of housing in the area tends to rise. Further, we lose the opportunity for what many call “starter homes” for those seeking to buy their first house.
By tightening our development standards, the town seeks to curtail such displacement and ensure that a variety of housing options remain available to people from all walks of life and different income levels.
Community sentiment plays a vital role in what we’re seeking to accomplish. Many residents have expressed concerns that new construction of oversized homes on small lots may not only alter the visual appeal but also affect the sense of community.
In recent years, Middleburg has been veering towards a “vacation home” or “second home” location. While we welcome everyone, we also hope that we can continue to attract citizens who will place roots in Middleburg, engage in our activities and organizations, and support our local non-profit groups with time and devotion.
While development standards cannot dictate this sense of community, we believe the opportunity exists to preserve these unique neighborhoods, where our friends and family have and continue to live, and where the next generation will make their primary home.
In conclusion, the town’s decision to tighten our standards and zoning is a pro-active measure to safeguard Middleburg’s character and maintain the unique quality of life everyone has fought for decades to preserve.
By addressing these concerns, the town hopes to strike a balance between necessary development and preservation, ensuring that its older, established neighborhoods continue to thrive and reflect the community’s rich heritage.
The Town has set up a specific page on its website to see the latest ideas and progress. https://middleburgva.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=225
