IN THE SUMMER of 2003, the luxury Salamander Inn and Spa came to light with much fanfare at a ceremonial ground breaking on the 349 acre property just north of Middleburg, along the narrow, scenic Foxcroft Road. The 58 room, two restaurant resort hotel, which as proposed will include a 350-person special event pavilion and 33,000 square foot spa, was hailed by celebrities, local politicians, and the media as an enormous new asset for western Loudoun. Salamander Inn and Spa is the latest endeavor of Dr. Sheila Johnson, billionaire, entrepreneur, co-founder of the successful Black Entertainment Television. Dr. Johnson also opened Market Salamander, a specialty foods store located on Washington Street in Middleburg earlier this spring. The ground breaking for the larger Salamander project was symbolic, and at the time of writing a site plan has not been approved by Loudoun County, and details of the complex's sewer and water system remain to be designed or approved. But a grading permit application has been submitted and the very real possibility exists that the red clay under this historic property adjoining the town will soon be turned in earnest.

Dr. Johnson purchased the property in 2002 for $7 million and was hailed for her conservation spirit. Controversy soon emerged, and continues over the size of the proposed facility. While many laud the project's merits, others have remained deeply concerned over the impacts a development of this scale will have on what remains the most pristine quarter of rural Loudoun. An ad hoc group of Middleburg area residents formed Future of Middleburg to raise awareness about potential negative impacts; the group now numbers over 750 supporters from in and around the town of roughly 650 residents. Six additional area groups also oppose the size of the project: The Goose Creek Association, the Mosby Heritage Area Association, the Route 50 Corridor Coalition, The Snickersville Turnpike Association, The Atoka Preservation Society, and the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC).

Although their areas of particular concern vary from increased traffic, depletion of available water, environmental impacts, loss of natural and open space, to the degradation of the area's Civil War battlefields and other historic resources, all share the common notion that a scaled-down facility would have far less impact on the surrounding area and town of 640 acres. These groups are also concerned that development of the in-town portion of the property has not yet been set out, and consequently, the impact of the entire site's development cannot be properly assessed.

Because Salamander's proposed sewer and water usage is considerable (the site plan specifies 54,000 gallons/day, roughly half of Middleburg's current usage), the development team may need a special use exception from the state of Virginia. To avoid this and to save money, it is expected that the developers will ask the Town of Middleburg for public sewer and water connections. PEC is concerned that this will allow the developers to build an even larger complex on the site (the facility is planned to expand to 120 rooms) and put the Town of Middleburg in the costly position of having to defend itself legally from other developers who could sue the town to provide the same services to other large tracts of land ringing the town.

As residential subdivision and cell tower applications proliferate in the Middleburg area of the nation's second fastest growing county, the future of the region as a premier tourist destination is coming increasingly into question. Without careful planning, the area's rural and historic charm may soon give way to a host of new development projects. PEC believes all parties should work together to protect this remarkable, unique and imperiled resource for the benefit of all. Without a shared vision for protecting these assets, the very attributes that make Middleburg such a desirable destination may vanish for all time.