Dear Fauquier County Board of Supervisors,

We respectfully petition you to immediately cease the Marshall Main Street Improvement Project as is, which: 1) would narrow our Main Street by two feet, creating a bottleneck,  2) would incur a 400% tax rate increase for the Special Tax District (MELBID), and 3) would likely require MORE of our County dollars to complete it.  This optional Project helps only developers and investors while causing unnecessary harm to the community during challenging times.  It is simply not in the best interest of our merchants, farmers, citizens, and visitors, even if it's free. 

Damage already caused to our community thus far may soon be devastating in its impact.  Our major concerns are that this disruption:

~Creates serious safety issues on Main Street, endangering both pedestrians and motorists

~Greatly reduces available parking when additional parking was already sorely needed

~Imposes a huge financial and logistics strain on our Main Street and Farming businesses

~Imposes a 400% increase in your Special Tax Rate for residents & businesses

~Indebts us to future high maintenance costs

~Wastefully destroys our sidewalks which VDOT affirms ARE already ADA compliant width to install expensive materials that are high-maintenance

Instead of pushing ahead with this overkill for ONE BLOCK, please work with us on implementing an Alternative Plan, which:

*Ensures current width of Main Street will be preserved

*Preserves valuable and convenient parking spaces

*Includes installation of a crosswalk at the Post Office

*Leverages private funding to install street lights along ALL of Main Street

*Eliminates a 400% tax increase on Special Lighting Tax District (MELBID)

*Preserves our green space along Main Street

*Utilizes the FREE offers we've had from lawn services to maintain green space

*Allows VDOT to proceed with repair and maintenance already paid for!

We respectfully request that you cease and desist the Marshall Main Street Improvement Project and revisit it, considering the MBRA's Alternative Plan Options.