Daily Real Estate News  |  January 26, 2006  |   In Fast-Growing County, Sprawl Teaches Hard Lessons Land-use experts are watching to see how Loudoun County, Va. — a suburb of Washington, D.C. that has seen its population triple over the last 15 years — manages its development woes. "How Loudoun deals with its growth can teach the rest of the country a great deal," according to Urban Land Institute trustee James DeFrancia. "It's become a little test tube." McMansions are popping up in the once-rural county, causing traffic problems, boosting smog levels, and creating water shortages and septic tank troubles. Moreover, county officials predict that 125 grammar schools could be needed in the next 15 years if the population continues to expand at its current pace. Residents in the largely Republican county are so concerned about Loudoun's rapid growth that they helped to vote in a Democratic governor, who pledged to put the brakes on growth and better manage traffic. Experts are especially concerned because most of the growth occurring in Loudoun and other outlying suburban areas is concentrated in communities that lack infrastructure. Land-use experts believe that regional planning and smart-growth zoning, which calls for a mix of development and open space, are the answers. Source: Christian Science Monitor, Coral Davenport (01/23/06)