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Cars On Lawns, Unkempt Homes Fuel Loudoun Immigration Debate
Quality Of Life Issues On Agenda At Tuesday Board Of Supervisors Meeting

POSTED: 6:00 pm EDT July 22, 2008
UPDATED: 7:39 pm EDT July 22, 2008


STERLING, Va. -- Cars on lawns, overcrowded single-family homes, unkempt dwellings and commercial vehicles on neighborhood streets are fueling a debate on immigration in Loudoun County.

Gerardo Coppola has lived in a neatly manicured Sterling home for 40 years. Across the street from his house Tuesday, two trailers and several cars were parked.


He said more vehicles will be parked there after the work day ends.

"I don't like it, but there's nothing I can do about it," he said. "There is no ordinance to make them remove it."

"People just do what they want," he said.

Some said these quality of life issues, which the Board of Supervisors will examine at its meeting Tuesday night, are related to immigration and illegal immigrants.

"There is the issue of concern with respect to illegal immigration and some of the impacts it's had on the community," said board Chairman Scott York. "Some of that we have been working on now for about a year to a year and a half. We're dealing where we can with what we can."

"Some of this would go away if there was a crackdown on illegal aliens and illegal immigrants that are not registered and don't have any immersion program or any orientation toward what would be considered normal," said Sterling District Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio.

It is not illegal in the county for commercial vehicles to park on residential streets. There is no permanent grass cutting ordinance. Cars can also be parked on lawns.

The issues are sensitive as Loudoun deals with changing demographics, and some said they believe new immigrants are under attack.

"We don't want people to be discriminated against in our community. That's the bottom line," said Potomac District Supervisor Andrea McGimsey. "Everybody is welcome here. Every legal citizen and every legal immigrant who's coming here in a legal fashion is welcome."

The Board of Supervisors meeting will take place Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Park View High School in Sterling.

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