Local Development

Am I the only one who thinks that there's a problem with the vast majority of new business coming into Culpeper and Fauquier counties being retail?

Where are the businesses that will employ people who could actually afford to live here, buy homes here?

Why the focus on minimum wage employers?

How about some businesses that could employ locals and save them from commuting into Northern Virginia or DC?

Maybe there are secret negotiations going on to do just this. Or, maybe our elected officials have tried and failed. Or, maybe this is the normal pattern of growth and retail always comes before commercial/industrial jobs.

But I need to be convinced that there's a sensible plan here!

Any of you know something I don't?

re: Local Development

Julie,

While I agree it would be beneficial to have more IT/High Tech jobs in our area. I do believe that we are a community growing in response to the rising costs of land/homes in the D.C. area.  As the prices have gone up and the population has gone up, the need for sprawl has increased.  I would like to know the percentage of new citizen's of Fauquier County that commute in to work versus those who moved here and work in the County.  I would bet a large majority moved here and communte in.  If that is indeed the case, then it only goes along with the theory that retail establishments pop up first to support that growing community of commuters.   When will employers see the large work force available in the area and align there buildings and headquarters to reduce their employees commute?  I don't know, but if we look north to the "Technology Corridor" of Loudon, you can see it happening now.  Thanks for your thoughts and have a great day!

Jason Brady

re: Local Development

Jason,

Thanks for your thoughtful input. You may be right about this being typical of the pattern you see where the people come first and the good jobs follow them. If so, we should look to a boom in commercial space in the next few years. I hope!

Thanks!

Julie