Collection open for research .
No physical characteristics affect use of this material.
Catoctin Mountain Alliance, 1985-1995 (M 031), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.
Sharon Kearns, Leesburg VA
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2006.0024
Processed by Rebecca K. Ottinger, 2 June 2008
Research notes created in preparing the collection guide are available with the collection at the repository.
On 27 June 1979 Beacon Hill, an estate composed of approximately 2,083 acres owned by Arthur (1903-1983) and Mary (1913-1997) Godfrey, was sold to Saudi Prince Talal bin Abdul Aziz (1935-) for just over five million dollars. Godfrey was a nationally known radio personality in the 1950's who sometimes broadcast from his farm. The prince made extensive changes and additions to the property, spending approximately 18 million dollars on these projects
On 16 November 1985 Beacon Hill was bought by a partnership called Beacon Hill Farm Associates (BHFA), later changed to Beacon Hill Farm Associates II, Limited Partnership. In September 1985, based on a conditional contract for the property BHFA applied to the Board of Zoning Appeals for a special exception to begin development of this property. This action began a ten year long process of filings for various levels of development. Neighbors of Beacon Hill organized Beacon Hill Neighborhood Association which closely monitored each step and fought the plans before the Loudoun County Planning Commission, with the Planning and Zoning Departments of the County, and in court. B. Powell Harrison (25 Aug 1911-1 Nov 2000), was president of this association, and lawsuits were filed by him and his wife, Agnes Harrison. The name of the organization changed to Catoctin Mountain Alliance in 1987, but the focus remained the same: to fight the high density development of the targeted property. During the course of this fight Loudoun County Board of Supervisors passed the Mountainside Development Overlay District to regulate development on the mountainsides in Loudoun County; this law covered the Beacon Hill property.
The struggle between Beacon Hill Farm Associates II, Limited Partnership and Catoctin Mountain Alliance continued until 1992 when Loudoun County government approved plans to allow houses to be built on large tracts, an option which met with approval of Catoctin Mountain Alliance.
These papers are files compiled by B. Powell Harrison who chaired this organization, originally named the Beacon Hill Neighborhood Association; in February 1987 the name was briefly changed to TBD Group (To Be Determined); on 1 June 1987 the group voted to change its name to Catoctin Mountain Alliance. These records date from 1985 after the filing of the first request for a special exception by Beacon Hills Farm Associates and continue until 1995 with the announcement that marketing would begin on the Beacon Hill property under the plan of development which had been approved by the Loudoun County Planning Commission in 1992, a proposal approved by the Catoctin Mountain Alliance. Records include news articles, speeches, letters, memos, zoning applications, lawsuits, financial records, and Harrison's notes regarding the proposed development of Beacon Hill. Records reflect order in which documents were arranged in Harrison's files; they are not always in chronological order.
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Vertical File, "Arthur Godfrey," Thomas Balch Library; Lewis Edwards Architectural Survey, "Beacon Hill," Thomas Balch Library