Sam Brown

A Slow Growth Candidate for Purcellville Town Council

Sam Brown Announces Candidacy for Town Council

For most of my life, I have watched Purcellville grow and change. Some things have changed for the better. Others have reminded us how important it is to protect the character and values that have made this community such a special place to call home.

My family’s roots in the Loudoun Valley go back to the 1760s, when Quaker families, including my ancestors, settled here to farm the fertile land of western Loudoun County. The land has always been an important part of my life and has shaped my belief in stewardship, hard work, self-reliance, and responsibility to future generations.

I graduated from Loudoun Valley High School in 1966 and later earned a degree from Guilford College in North Carolina. After spending nearly a decade working in apple and cherry orchards in Michigan, I returned home to Purcellville to continue farming. Encouraged by my father, I began growing blackberries and eventually expanded into apples, peaches, vegetables, pumpkins, strawberries, and Christmas trees.

My wife, Uta, shares my love of agriculture and conservation. Together, we have dedicated our lives to preserving our farm and the rural heritage that defines this part of Loudoun County.

Years ago, approximately 40 acres of our property were zoned for hundreds of townhouses. Instead of pursuing development, I chose to place the entire 90-acre farm into conservation easement. I did so because I believe there are some things more important than maximizing development potential. Once open land is lost, it is gone forever.

The issues facing Purcellville today are not very different from those we faced years ago. The pressure to expand, increase density, and grow beyond the vision residents established for our community remains constant. That is why I am running for Town Council.

I am not a politician. I am a farmer, a businessman, a husband, a neighbor, and a lifelong resident who cares deeply about the future of our town.

Residents can count on me to support policies that respect Purcellville’s Comprehensive Plan, protect property owners and taxpayers, preserve our small-town character, maintain fiscal responsibility, and ensure growth occurs only when it serves the interests of the community.

I have participated in the Town’s long-range planning efforts and understand the importance of following the vision residents spent years creating.That vision should guide decisions as new development proposals come forward.

Purcellville is more than the place where I live. It is the place that has shaped my family for more than 250 years. I am running because I believe future generations deserve the same opportunity to grow up in a town that values its history, its farms, its neighborhoods, and the people who call it home. I would be honored to earn your support and your vote.

Read Sam Brown’s interview in the Blue Ridge Leader:

Sam Brown’s roots in Purcellville stretch back generations, and farming, family and stewardship have shaped much of his life. He was a member of the first graduating class of Loudoun Valley High School in 1966 before attending Guilford College and spending nearly a decade working in orchards in Michigan. 

Brown eventually returned home to Purcellville, where he built a life in agriculture, growing everything from apples, blackberries and peaches to pumpkins and Christmas trees alongside his wife, Uta. A lifelong resident with a deep attachment to the land and community, he placed his 90-acre family farm into conservation easement, preserving it for generations to come.

Blue Ridge Leader: What are your three top priorities for the Town of Purcellville?

Sam Brown: My family has been part of this community for more than 250 years. I have watched Purcellville grow and change, and I understand that change is inevitable. But losing the character of our town is not. My first priority is protecting what makes Purcellville special.

I will support our Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance, and oppose unnecessary annexations and excessive density.

I have tried to live by that principle myself. Although approximately 40 acres of my property were once zoned for hundreds of townhouses, I chose instead to place our entire 90-acre farm into conservation easement. Once open land is developed, we cannot get it back.

My second priority is responsible stewardship of taxpayers’ money. Farming teaches you to plan ahead, live within your means and take care of what you have. Town government should operate with the same common sense. We need to control spending, eliminate waste and deliver value for every taxpayer dollar.

My third priority is honest, transparent and respectful government. Transparency means being upfront about our challenges, presenting facts and choices clearly, and explaining the consequences without using fear or exaggerated claims.

I am not running because I want Purcellville to become something different. I am running because I value what it already is and want to protect its future. I want future generations to be just as proud to call Purcellville home.

BRL: Under what circumstances would you support annexing land into the Town of Purcellville?

SB: I would support annexation only in exceptional circumstances when there is a clear and lasting benefit to Purcellville residents.

I have lived here long enough to hear many arguments for annexation. One of the most common is that growth will strengthen Purcellville financially.

What I have watched instead is the size and cost of Town government and infrastructure demands increase as Purcellville has grown.

Growth has costs. More development means greater demands on water and sewer infrastructure, roads, public safety, staffing and other Town services. One-time fees are just that—one time—while the costs of providing services, maintaining infrastructure and treating water continue year after year.

Before looking outside our boundaries for more land to develop, we should recognize the opportunities already within Purcellville. I support development and redevelopment consistent with our existing zoning. A large property along 21st Street, in one of our main commercial hubs, has sat largely underdeveloped for well over a decade and is a good place to start. We can strengthen our commercial base without continually expanding the Town’s boundaries.

Every annexation moves Purcellville outward and can permanently change our town. I do not want Purcellville to lose the qualities that have made it a real community.

Owning property outside Purcellville does not obligate the Town to annex it or extend Town utilities to increase its development potential.

Annexation would have to solve a real Town need, provide lasting value to residents and make financial sense—not simply create another opportunity for development.

Our first obligation is not to make Purcellville bigger. It is to take good care of the town we have.

BRL: How important is the Town’s Zoning Ordinance, and are there changes you would like to see?

SB: The Zoning Ordinance is extremely important because it provides certainty for residents and property owners about what can be built where.

Over the decades, I have attended Comprehensive Plan rewrites and Zoning Ordinance reviews and watched residents devote countless hours to them. The Comprehensive Plan establishes the community’s vision, and the Zoning Ordinance puts that vision into practice.

When someone buys a home, raises a family or invests in property, they should have a reasonable understanding of what can be built around them. Zoning should provide predictability—not become a moving target depending upon who owns property or what a developer wants to build.

I support development or redevelopment consistent with existing zoning. What I do not support is changing the rules to accommodate a development proposal, increase density or grant development rights the community never intended.

That does not mean the Zoning Ordinance should never change. I would consider a change when there is a demonstrated need and it benefits the community as a whole. Any change should occur openly, with public participation.

We should respect the work residents have put into establishing our community’s vision rather than asking them to defend it every time someone wants an exception. Continual exceptions can change the character our community has worked to preserve.

BRL: Do you believe the Town has made sufficient investments in utility infrastructure over the past several years? What improvements would you prioritize moving forward?

SB: Purcellville has made important investments in its water and wastewater infrastructure, but these systems require constant attention and long-term stewardship.

The improvements to Hirst Reservoir are a good example. Protecting and maintaining this water resource strengthens the system. The Town has also begun replacing aging portions of the water transmission system.

As a farmer, I understand the importance of taking care of what sustains you. We should identify infrastructure needs based on condition and risk, address the most important first, and plan ahead.

We should continue to reevaluate our infrastructure needs, prioritize investments carefully and remember that every dollar ultimately comes from the people we serve.

Growth matters, too. Every new development places additional demands on water, wastewater and Town services. We should maintain and strengthen infrastructure for the people and businesses already here—not continually expand it to accommodate greater density.

Good stewardship means taking care of what we have, investing wisely and leaving reliable infrastructure—not unnecessary financial burdens—for generations to come.

BRL: Residents and businesses collectively pay more than $18 million annually in real estate taxes to Loudoun County. Do you believe the Town is receiving an adequate return on that investment?

SB: More than $18 million a year is a substantial contribution, and Purcellville residents should see meaningful benefits from those taxes. We benefit from County schools, libraries, parks, public safety and other important services.

At the same time, Purcellville is a small town that hosts five County public schools and other County facilities. Those facilities depend on Town roads, utilities and infrastructure, creating opportunities for the County and Town to work together on investments that benefit both.

I would like to see cooperation on water and wastewater infrastructure, stormwater, transportation and environmental needs. When an investment serves County facilities as well as Purcellville residents, sharing responsibility makes sense.

Purcellville and Loudoun County should be good partners. Our residents contribute substantially to the County, and I will work to ensure their interests and our town are heard.

BRL: How would you assess Purcellville’s long-term financial outlook?

SB:Purcellville will have a strong financial future if we are disciplined about how we spend today. Town government has to distinguish between what it needs, what it wants and what it can afford.

We have challenges, particularly with our water and wastewater systems, but the answer cannot always be higher taxes, higher utility rates or more development.

Before asking residents and businesses to pay more, we should examine expenses, find efficiencies, prioritize capital projects and pursue outside funding.

New development may generate revenue, but it also creates long-term costs for water, wastewater, roads, staffing and other services.

For as long as I can remember, I have heard that more growth will reduce debt and ease the burden on taxpayers. I have watched Purcellville grow, and I have watched the costs grow with it. That experience has taught me that growth is not a substitute for sound financial management.

Purcellville’s financial future should be built on responsible spending, careful planning and living within our means while protecting services residents depend upon. We can be financially strong without becoming a bigger, denser or more expensive town.

BRL: How would you encourage economic development?

SB: Purcellville is already a place where people want to invest and do business. Our low commercial vacancy rate is evidence of that success. We should build on it by keeping Town government responsive, processes straightforward and our rules clear and consistent.

I believe some of our best economic-development ideas come from the people who live here. Purcellville has creative residents, business owners, volunteers and Town committees with the talent and energy to organize events that bring people together, attract visitors and support businesses.

Town government should encourage those ideas and help people make them happen rather than assuming every good idea requires a new government program or additional staff.

Our small-town character, surrounding countryside and strong sense of community are economic assets. Economic development should strengthen those qualities, not replace them.

A vibrant local economy is about more than growth. It is about giving people reasons to come to Purcellville, enjoy themselves, support our businesses and help our community and families thrive.