Loudoun Now for Jan. 13, 2022 by Loudoun Now

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JANUARY 13, 2022

Ziegler Seeks 7.5% Local Funding Increase for Schools LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

completely non-verbal and need high levels of support to meet basic needs. In December, the CDC announced that data collected from 2018 found that one in 44 8-year-old children in the U.S. has an ASD diagnosis, up from one in 54 in 2016. The demand for therapies

Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler introduced his proposed $1.6 billion budget Jan. 5, seeking a 5.9% increase over the current fiscal year budget, and to bring International Baccalaureate to Loudoun schools, foreign languages to elementary schools and an average 5% raise for teachers. The spending plan, this year titled the “Superintendent’s Estimate of Needs,” would require a 7.5% increase in local tax funding to a total of $1.09 billion, $75.6 million more than this year. The year-over-year growth in the budget will once again outpace student enrollment growth. The student population is projected to grow by 1.7%, to an estimated 83,039. That total is 3.3% lower than the enrollment projections—projections that proved too high—that formed the base of the current budget, about 3,000 fewer students. The proposed spending increase, Ziegler said, is driven by climbing health insurance costs, increases in teacher salaries and the highest level of inflation since 1982. Of the $88.5 million increase over the current year’s budget, $80.2 million is attributed to employee compensation and the launch of a collective bargaining program. The school district is also seeing the population of students who need additional support, such as English language learners, grow more quickly than the population overall. He said $11.9 million was needed just to keep up with inflation. Ziegler said the school system’s proposed spending works out to $18,779 per student, which he said was one of the lowest per-pupil expenditures in the Washington, DC region. The per-pupil cost is 9.6% increase over the current year and 23% over the FY21 budget. The statewide average cost per student is $12,216. Enrollment coming in lower than previous projections was a sticking point for School Board members. “We would like to see how we can justify the increase in the budget, even though we have a reduction in the enrollment,”

AUTISM continues on page 20

SCHOOLS BUDGET continues on page 21

Hayley Bour/Loudoun Now

Johanna Van Doren-Jackson, senior manager for Infant and Toddler Connection, called the increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorders among children “very concerning.”

Families Grapple with Growing Autism Rates Amid Pandemic BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com

The rate of Autism Spectrum Disorders diagnoses climbed by more than 12% in two years according to the latest CDC report released last month, and Loudoun families are navigating therapies and interventions at a time when child development already is stunted by pandemic-re-

lated isolation. Families are already battling the impacts of the pandemic on young children, which the CDC says includes children’s social, emotional, and mental well-being. The condition manifests a range of traits, from strengths to deficits, to various degrees. Some autistic people are able to live typical lives needing minimal support, while others are

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Split Council Approves Virginia Village Redevelopment LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Transformation is coming to the heart of Leesburg’s Crescent District, and one of Loudoun’s oldest retail centers. In a 4-3 vote Tuesday night, the Leesburg Town Council gave a green light to plans to redevelop the Virginia Village shopping center into a mixed-use development, with 643 planned residential units, office, retail, and restaurant space, several parking facilities, and more greenspace than the property has seen in its 60plus years. The redevelopment project by Virginia Village owner Brian Cullen of Keane Enterprises involved a three-fold application: a Town Plan amendment to change 2.68 acres of the 18.48-acre property from a Downtown designation to Crescent Design District; rezoning the entire 18.48 acres to CD-RH (Crescent District-Residential High Density) or CD-CC (Crescent District-Commercial Corridor); and a special exception to permit alteration of the floodplain along a portion of the Town Branch to permit the construction of a pedestrian bridge linking the development

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Leesburg Town Council members Neil Steinberg and Suzanne Fox confer during the council’s meeting Tuesday, Jan. 11. They and Mayor Kelly Burk voted against a proposal for redeveloping the Virginia Village shopping center.

to Harrison Street and Raflo Park. Cullen has long referred to the project as a “reimagined” vision of the retail area, and a test for the Town Council and the

town at large on its vision for the Crescent District. The redevelopment plan calls for a mixed-use community with ample green and amenity spaces, parking structures

mostly hidden within buildings in keeping with the town’s Crescent Design District standards, and 643 residential units—the majority of which are multi-family units for rent—with over 165,000 square feet of commercial uses throughout the property, the majority of which are located below residences. Lingering concerns voiced by town staff in the final staff report provided to the council were the phasing of the development, with 100% of planned residential units constructed by the end of phase 2b, compared to only 59% of commercial space. In addition, the staff voiced concerns that the proposed development would contain only 21% of commercial gross floor area, with the Zoning Ordinance requiring residential rezonings with the Crescent District to devote at least 40% of the gross floor area of a development to nonresidential uses. In a revised proffer sent to the council ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Cullen addressed some of the outstanding concerns, committing to providing 33 Affordable VIRGINIA VILLAGE continues on page 15

Amid Omicron Surge, Northam Declares New Emergency BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Facing record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations, Gov. Ralph Northam has declared a new state of emergency to help hospitals with that surge while also urging people not to panic. The 30-day state of emergency relaxes some regulations on healthcare providers, aiming to help them cope with the surge in cases, Northam said. It expands the number of beds hospitals and nursing homes may use, permits people licensed in other states to provide healthcare in Virginia, loosens restrictions on telemedicine and providing healthcare, waives Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan copays, and other changes aiming to give healthcare providers more capacity and flexibility. The 30-day duration is hoped to align with the virus’s peak, which is expected to occur in the next few weeks. Northam said University of Virginia scientists estimate hospitalizations will peak in early February. “This isn’t restrictive in any way. Instead, it relaxes some regulations to help get care to the people more quickly,”

Northam said. But even with record-breaking case counts, Northam once again urged Virginians not to panic. “I want everyone to understand that today’s situation is very different from a year ago. Case numbers are high, yes, and that’s a reason for concern, but not a reason for panic,” Northam said. He pointed out that during last winter’s COVID-19 peak, vaccination was only just beginning and not available to most people. Today, he pointed out, vaccination is widespread in Virginia and while the virus is too, many fewer people are experiencing serious illness from it. Additionally, while the Omicron variant is highly contagious, it appears to cause less serious illness, he said. In Loudoun County, according to Virginia Department of Health Reporting, COVID-19 spread is at an all-time high, with new cases popping up at more than twice the rate of last winter’s peak. The latest seven-day rolling average reported on Jan. 11 showed an average of 881 new cases a day in Loudoun. Last year’s winter surge peaked in late January at 324 cases a day on average in Loudoun. But the rate of people dying from the illness remains low in Loudoun, and while the hospitalization rate is higher than in

the summer and fall, it remains below last year’s peak. Loudoun is bucking the statewide trend on hospitalization particularly—across the commonwealth, the latest average of 269 hospital admissions a day is around double the previous peak in December 2020. Northam encouraged people who have not been vaccinated yet to do so. “We’re going to have to live with this disease. We still need precautions to keep ourselves and others, especially small children and especially immunocompromised people, safe, but we will also need to go to school and shop in businesses and feel safe to gather together,” Northam said. “That’s why everyone who can needs to be vaccinated.” Loudoun Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend said two provisions of the order affect his department. It allows his staff to go back to screening people for eligibility for nursing home and nursing assistance remotely, rather than in person. That, he said, keeps his staff safer during the Omicron surge in cases. The order also expands the pool of people who can vaccinate for COVID-19, although he said that’s not been a limiting factor in Loudoun compared to the commonwealth at large. It was also Northam’s last COVID-19

briefing, with the governor set to leave office on Saturday when Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin is sworn in. He reflected on a pandemic that has dominated almost half of his term as governor. “It has been a long 22 months for all of us. We’ve been worried, we’ve been scared, angry, sad, and a lot more, sometimes all at once,” Northam said. “It has been a roller coaster, and we’re not built for this kind of uncertainty for this long. It has been hard on everyone, to include our children and families.” But he said he was proud of Virginia’s response to the pandemic, and “proud and grateful” of what he’s seen of Virginians during his time as governor. “These 22 months sometimes have brought out the worst in people. It’s been heartbreaking to watch people lash out and hurt each other. That is very painful to see,” Northam said. “But more often these times have also brought out the best in people. I watch people helping and caring for one another in big ways and small ways. Especially our nurses are doctors are fun, frontline workers. It reminds me why I chose medicine as a career and has been heartwarming to see. On the half of a very grateful Virginia, to all of you, I say thank you.” n

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JANUARY 13, 2022

Loudoun

Local Redistricting Proposals Go Online BY RENSS GREENE

rgreene@loudounnow.com

The proposals for Loudoun’s new local electoral districts have been published online—including three plans developed by sitting county supervisors. In all there are 20 plans, including the example plans developed by county staff members, eight submitted by community members, a plan from the Coalition of Loudoun Towns, one from the Loudoun County Republican Committee, and proposals by Supervisors Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge), Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) and Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). The plans reflect a variety of philosophies on how voting power in Loudoun should be divided. Both Buffington and Turner have sought to again create two western districts—an increasingly difficult thing to achieve as the difference in population

between east and west continues to grow. In the current district configuration, the Blue Ridge District stretches from Hillsboro to Brambleton. In Turner’s proposal, one large western and northwestern district would include all of Loudoun’s towns except for Leesburg—its own district, together with some communities neighboring the town—and Middleburg. The other district would draw most of its population from east of Rt. 15, stretching from Middleburg and to north of Beaverdam Creek. But most of its population would live in the suburban communities, including drawing much of its population from Brambleton. “The only way you can keep two rural districts, my judgment, that make any sense at all is to include Brambleton,” he said. That was also a common feature of submissions from the public that include two western districts. In Turner’s plan, what today is the

Sterling District, south of Rt. 7 on the eastern county border, would reach down across Dulles Airport to include a portion of South Riding. “It’s pure math,” he said. “It’s a little tiny sliver. If we go any further west with Sterling, we really start stepping into interests that really are not Sterling-specific interests, and also simultaneously as stepping on several other supervisors’ communities of interest.” Turner said for his map, he used the existing districts as a starting place. He also said his objectives were, first, to draw two western districts; second to keep Leesburg intact as a district; third to keep all of the Algonkian District north of Rt. 7 together; and fourth to keep either communities of interest or existing precincts together. “It was an interesting exercise,” Turner said. “The tools that county staff put together were really, really helpful, so that has really made the process better. We’ll see where the horse trading ends up.”

Buffington’s proposal takes a different approach, resembling in parts a staff proposal that would see one supervisors elected from the county’s Transition Policy Area that buffers rural west and suburban east. One western district would include every town except Leesburg, and another reaching from Lucketts, west around Leesburg, south following much of Evergreen Mills Road and including Willowsford and part of Brambleton, and then turning east to include southeastern Loudoun south of Braddock Road. Leesburg would remain together in a district. Buffington was not immediately available for comment. Letourneau’s proposal takes a different approach. Once again there would be a single large western district, including almost all of Loudoun west of Rt. 15. Another Leesburg District would reach north on the east side of Rt. 15, and south of REDISTRICTING continues on page 21

Umstattd Tapped to Lead Board’s Finance Committee BY RENSS GREENE

rgreene@loudounnow.com

Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) has been voted the new chairwomn of the Board of Supervisors Finance, Government Operation and Economic Development Committee, taking the reins of a committee on which she has not previously served. She replaces Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), who has led the committee in some form since before Umstattd joined the county board. In his first term, he chaired the Economic Development Committee. Toward the end of that term, he also became the chairman of the then-separate finance committee, replacing then-Supervisor Ralph M. Buona who took over duties as the Board of Supervisors’ vice chairman when Supervisor Shawn Williams resigned his seat. At the beginning of a new term in 2016, the two committees were consolidated into the current finance committee,

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Supervisors Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) and Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) at the Board of Supervisors meeting Jan. 4.

which Letourneau chaired. “Clearly we’re entering into a more challenging budget time, so it was not my choice to leave as committee chair, but I obviously recognize that the board majority can choose whoever it wishes to be chair,” Letourneau said. He also said that the bipartisan leadership on the board—Letourneau has been

a Republican committee chairman on a Democrat-majority board this term— spoke well of the board and its approach to governing. “That was something that certainly didn’t have to happen when the majority changed on the board in 2019, so I appreciate that my colleagues allowed me to continue as finance chair for these last two years,” Letourneau said. During his term as finance chairman, Letourneau was also among the first people involved in bringing major economic development deals to Loudoun such as Segra Field. Umstattd takes over the committee as it prepares for Fiscal Year 2023 budget deliberations, and in a turbulent time for county revenues. The committee’s work has been complicated both by the impacts of COVID-19 on county tax revenues and by an over-reliance on data center tax revenues. County finance officers have warned relying on taxes from a particular business is a less stable long-term source of revenue than real estate taxes, which

make up the bulk of most localities’ revenues and the majority of Loudoun’s. “Kristen is a great colleague and a friend, and so I’m sure the county will continue to be in good hands, and I’ll still be a member of the committee and actively involved,” Letourneau said. Umstattd has not returned a phone message requesting comment. The change came with a slight shuffle in committee membership. The board’s two standing committees each have five members. With Umstattd joining the finance committee, she will swap committees with Supervisor Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin), who will move from the finance committee to the Transportation and Land Use Committee. Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) will continue to chair that committee. Supervisors Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) was once again elected to serve as the Board of Supervisors vice chairman. All of those positions and memberships were approved by unanimous vote Jan. 4. n

JANUARY 13, 2022

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This was the case with Dan. “I said I wasn’t going to drive again. What if that had been a pedestrian?” It is terribly common that peripheral neuropathy and its debilitating symptoms interfere with a person’s ability to live their life. Dan was now reliant on his wife to drive him around, even the simple pleasure of cruising down to play golf or taking her out to dinner was outside his capabilities. And even more common, Dan’s general practitioner and several specialists told him there was nothing they could do other than prescribe him pills that would ease the pain of his neuropathy.

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This tragic story was shared with us by Dan S. an Ashburn resident who has peripheral neuropathy. And while no one was hurt in this accident, Dan S. had suffered almost everyday of his life with tingling and burning in his feet until numbness set it and he could no longer feel even the brake pedal beneath his foot.

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JANUARY 13, 2022

Supervisors Cover Surprise FEMA Floodplain Costs BY RENSS GREENE

rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun supervisors will use $200,000 of the county’s year-end budget surplus to cover the surprise costs of environmental work in floodplains, after apparently inadvertently placing floodplain property owners under more costly regulations. In February 2017, the Board of Supervisors approved updates to flood maps in the county, under guidance from county staff members that those updates were required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or risk invalidating Loudouners’ flood insurance policies, as well as access to federal flood disaster relief. At the time, the county reported that risked around 700 flood insurance policies with an insured value of almost $188 million. Now, said Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn), it turns out that may have had the unintended effect of making it much more costly to do tree plantings or other best management practices in those areas, by putting those landowners under a requirement that they first complete an engineering study. Supervisors voted unanimously

Jan. 4 to send $200,000 to the Soil and Water Conservation District, which helps fund fences and plantings to protect waterways from runoff from livestock fields. “Essentially, it took this program that was a very successful conservation program being implemented by Soil and Water, and it rendered it unusable because it was so expensive that none of the property owners wanted to make these improvements,” Turner said. Turner said since that change, a number of shovel-ready projects have accumulated, stopped short by the expensive additional requirement. He said the $200,000 would both clear out that backlog of projects and buy time for the county to develop a program to bring those costs down in the future. “In the interim time period, General Services’ plan to develop best management practices would be stood up and either eliminate the engineering requirement completely, because it would say this is the template whereby you will automatically get an engineering pass and a certification to do the work, or it would dramatically reduce the cost even if the FLOODPLAIN COSTS continues on page 20

Loudoun State Legislators Hold Pre-Session Hearing BY RENSS GREENE

rgreene@loudounnow.com

Almost all of Loudoun’s representatives to the General Assembly took part in virtual a pre-session hearing on Saturday, Jan. 8 to hear from constituents before they go back to Richmond. There, they heard from advocates for gun safety laws, union representatives, Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk, and residents of a neighborhood worried about plans for a mental health facility next door. Burk urged legislators to remember towns when creating new powers for localities. She said often new authority granted to localities, such as the ability to impose a plastic bag tax, are only available for counties and cities. She also urged them to make sure that any local tax revenue losses resulting from eliminating the grocery tax—one of Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin’s

campaign promises—are made up elsewhere. And she asked them to work with Maryland representatives to find ways to get White’s Ferry in operation again. Elizabeth Coppage and Julia Holcomb of Loudoun Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America urged lawmakers not to let new gun safety laws be rolled back. “We mustn’t allow the setback of legislative control in Richmond to lead to a loss of the progress we have made,” Holcomb said. SEIU Virginia 512 leaders urged those lawmakers to continue to support unionization in Virginia. “You proved that or an economy to truly thrive, workers must have protection, fair pay and a seat at the table,” said SEIU Virginia 512 President PRE-SESSION HEARING continues on page 20

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PAGE 7

ON THE Agenda County Gets $10M in State Affordable Housing Money Loudoun County is receiving just over $10 million in state grants to support affordable multifamily housing in the county and to prepare for Amazon’s arrival in Northern Virginia. This funding is in addition to an earlier grant of $3.75 million to support two affordable multifamily developments in Loudoun County, Tuscarora Crossing and the View at Broadlands. The grants are part of Virginia Housing’s Amazon Resources Enabling Affordable Community Housing, or REACH, Program, which was established in response to concerns about the expected impact of Amazon’s second headquarters in Arlington on the region’s housing prices. Virginia Housing is investing $75 million in affordable housing. Loudoun County applied for funding to support proposed affordable multifamily developments. Loudoun County will be using the new award to support three proposed developments that are also being considered by the Board of Supervisors for Loudoun County loans. The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing will receive $3.75 million in Amazon REACH funds to help fund the new construction of Goose Creek Village, which includes 80 age-restricted affordable multifamily apartments, proposed in Ashburn. Good Works and Green Street Housing will receive $2.545 million to help with the new construction of Waxpool Apartments, which includes 52 affordable multifamily apartments, proposed in Ashburn. And Winn Development will receive $3.75 million to help them acquire and rehabilitate Somerset Senior to create 102 age-restricted affordable multifamily apartments. proposed in Sterling. More information about Loudoun County’s housing programs is online at loudoun.gov/housing.

Supervisors Write New Public Comment Policy During their organizational meeting Jan. 4, county supervisors adopted a new rule encouraging people signing up to speak during public comment sessions to provide their full name, election district, topic to be presented, and a means of contact. Sign up forms already ask for that

information, although some speakers opt to leave some fields blank. The proposed rule had originally said those people “shall” provide that information, but under questioning from some supervisors was changed to “should.” County Chair Phyllis Randall said it would not be a problem to write “shall,” which she proposed, because she did not plan to enforce it. “What we have found is a lot of times when people are speaking, supervisors

want to get in contact with them afterward to follow up, and they often haven’t given any contact information,” Randall said. “… I never have, and we never would, stop anybody from speaking if they wanted to.” “I just don’t think it’s necessary, and I think it could lead to an unnecessary story that we’re trying to restrict people’s First Amendment rights to speak with us,” said Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Catoctin).

The policy passed with the rest of the board’s Rules of Order unanimously.

Circuit Court Clerk Wins Preservation Grants The Clerk of the Circuit Court Gary Clemens has been awarded two grants totaling $45,575 from the Library of Virginia as part of the Virginia Circuit ON THE AGENDA continues on page 30

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JANUARY 13, 2022

Leesburg

Commission Examines Second Rec Center, Crescent District Garage BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

krodriguez@loudounnow.com Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk in her office in the town hall.

Burk Eyes Fourth Term BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk is hoping to notch a fourth mayoral victory in November. Burk has announced her intention to seek re-election to Leesburg’s top seat. She has served as mayor since January 2017, securing her first win in November 2016. The mayor’s post is a two-year term, and Burk has handily won re-election in both of her re-election bids in 2018 and 2020. She now sets off on what will be her second campaign during the pandemic. It’s been an interesting time to be mayor during COVID-19, she said, perhaps a unique period of a political career that began when she first won election to the Town Council in 2004. “It’s been a very different experience, very unique to anything I’ve experienced before,” she said. “Everything we’ve done in the last two years, every decision we’ve made, it’s always had some aspect of the pandemic involved in it. It’s never far from our thought process or decision making.” Going forward, she said she’d love to get to the point where the pandemic is not the “driving force” behind every decision the council wrestles with. She wants to continue to work to support small businesses, and said she was proud of the support the town was able to offer to those businesses during the pandemic. Burk also said it will be important to continue to examine how to use taxpayer money wisely, and to assess the services the town provides its residents and businesses. BURK continues on page 9

The Leesburg Planning Commission used its first meeting of 2022 to explore two suggestions by Chairwoman Gigi Robinson: a second recreation facility, akin to Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, and a town-owned parking garage in the Crescent District. Robinson suggested the commission offer its input to the Town Council on two possible additions to the town’s Capital Improvements Program. On the recreation center, Robinson cited the tremendous growth of the town since the Ida Lee center opened in 1990, and said a second such facility of comparable size was needed to serve the town’s growing population. “As we get into deeper density and living, we’re going to need to have more Ida Lee-type facilities,” she said. “My request is, if you agree with this, then I think we need to get this in front of the council either via CIP request or a letter of some sort.” Planning and Zoning Department Director Susan Berry-Hill, however, said a better first step would be for the Parks & Recreation Commission to offer its input on the matter. She also said Parks & Recreation Department Director Rich Wil-

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Ida Lee Park Recreation Center in Leesburg offers a range of features like a fitness center, two indoor pools, a full-size basketball court, racquetball courts, and a banquet hall. The town Planning Commission is discussing the possibility of a second recreation center.

liams had concerns about the operational costs of taking on a second a facility. Commissioner Earl Hoovler said he thought the discussion was timely. “Ida Lee is really becoming overtaxed in a lot of ways,” he said. “I think this is a good idea.” Robinson added the town needs to “get ahead of the game because we are going to need land and we are going to need facilities as these houses get constructed.”

Robinson also recommended that the commission encourage the council to consider including a town-owned parking garage in the Crescent Design District, an area of the town eyed for redevelopment. She pointed out that the Crescent Design Master Plan calls for the town to assist with development in the area by PLANNING COMMISSION continues on page 9

Commission Cites Cybersecurity, Digital Town Hall as Top Priorities BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Staying ahead of the curve on protecting the town’s IT infrastructure and best practices should continue to be a top priority for the Leesburg Town Council, according to the town’s Technology & Communications Commission. The panel presented its annual report to the council at its Monday, Jan. 10 work session. Commission Chairman Peter Hill harkened back to the IT strategic plan developed in partnership with town staff, commissioners and an outside consultant and presented to the council in 2019. Back then, a top priority for the town was to become independent from the county government’s network. Loudoun County had

imposed a deadline of June 30, 2022, for that to happen, but Leesburg achieved that goal before the end of 2020. The strategic plan identified both strengths and vulnerabilities of the town’s IT operations, and in particular pointed to shoring up staffing and an increased budget to support IT needs as priorities. Hill said as a result the town was much better positioned to address the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdown began in the spring of 2020. That included teleworking support, remote meetings, and remote IT activity. Going forward, the commission is recommending that the town accelerate some of its projects that relate to cybersecurity. “Cybersecurity is an area of unfortunately dramatic need that continues to grow even though the town is significantly

better positioned for cybersecurity than it was years ago,” Hill said. A phone system migration to a cloudbased platform will help in addressing the town’s cybersecurity needs, he added. This will likely increase the operational cost to the town, but will increase functionality significantly, Hill said. “The phone system today is hardware owned by the town and managed by the town. It doesn’t have the kind of redundancy you really need to have out of a phone system,” he said. Another “hidden solution” of moving to a cloud-based system, Hill said, was that the vendor provides the cybersecurity for those applications. Hill also cited the need to focus on a IT INFRASTRUCTURE continues on page 9

JANUARY 13, 2022

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PAGE 9

Local Leaders Celebrate Completion of Bypass Improvement Project BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Local leaders braved a frosty January Monday morning to celebrate the arrival of a newly improved Dulles Greenway ramp in Leesburg. Toll Road Investors Partnership II, or TRIP II, owner of the Dulles Greenway, recently announced that the Leesburg Bypass Improvement Project has reached substantial completion. The purpose of the project is to improve roadway safety and reduce congestion on the Rt. 7/15 Bypass at its interchange with South King Street. The newly improved exit was in the background as representatives from the Leesburg Town Council, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and TRIP II gathered alongside John Marshall Bank off

Burk continued from page 8 “We provide some significant services to people that they really expect and want,” she said. “I want to continue to make sure we’re looking at that and making those decisions smartly based on what’s best for the citizens of Leesburg.” One noteworthy change to the mayor’s position in the last two years has been the establishment of a dedicated office space, something Burk had advocated for for

Planning commission continued from page 8 constructing a parking deck, but such a garage does not exist in the current CIP. The commission debated how much of the parking investment in the district should be by private development and

IT infrastructure continued from page 8 digital Town Hall initiative, with digital signage for certain town departments, and also integrating in the use of e-signatures for automating workflow and business processes. The addition of a junior help desk technician to free up senior staff also was identified as a priority. Council members applauded the commission for its work the past few years to keep the town ahead of the curve, especially ahead of cybersecurity threats. Mayor

Kara C. Rodriguez/Loudoun Now

Local leaders cut the ribbon on the Dulles Greenway ramp improvements.

South King Street. Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk said the speed and sight lines at the interchange had long been an issue for area commuters, and she admitted to previously always “saying a prayer” before attempting to exit onto King Street. Burk also acknowledged that many locals had questioned why the project’s several years. She said she is happy the office space in Town Hall gives her more accessibility to the public and also “gives legitimacy to the position.” She plans to continue to do pop-up mayor’s hours at businesses around town, a practice she began not long after taking office. In addition to her two pandemic-packed years in the mayor’s chair, three years into her first four-year council term Burk was elected to the county Board of Supervisors in 2007. She lost her re-election bid in 2011 but was back on the council dais only months later after she won an April

funding partners were spending money on a ramp but said, since its competition last month, no one is asking those questions anymore. Now, she encouraged her colleagues on the council, Board of Supervisors, and VDOT, “let’s get working on Route 15, Edwards Ferry Road and Fort Evans Road.” Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) called road projects “constituent services.” “It gets people home to their families in time. It’s quality of life for families,” she said. Dulles Greenway CEO Renee Hamilton said the project and its funding arrangement was “testament to the partnership” between the town, county, VDOT and the Dulles Greenway. TRIP II, the Greenway’s ownership, joined a tri-party agreement with Loudoun County and

the Town of Leesburg to approve the approximately $4.4 million project, which was funded by Loudoun County and TRIP II. TRIP II managed the construction and design implementation on behalf of Loudoun County. Shirley Contracting Company was the contractor. Once the improvement project is accepted according to VDOT’s standards, ownership of the project will transfer to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Estimated final completion of all construction activities will be by April. “We’re constantly monitoring the performance of the roadway and identifying areas of where we can improve the customer experience and traffic flow,” stated Hamilton. “Customers will see less congestion in the evenings when exiting the Greenway and a safer merge onto the Leesburg Bypass.” n

2012 special election to serve the remainder of Ken Reid’s council term. She was then re-elected to the council in 2014 and recorded her first mayoral win in 2016. Burk, a retired teacher, said the reason for wanting to run again is simple. “I really love it. I love the job; I love the interaction with the public. I really appreciate all that the public has taught me. So

many people have come in with ideas and thoughts and suggestions that I might not have thought of,” she said. “I started this with the vision of making Leesburg more of a vibrant, exciting place to be and that’s what I’ve worked on since 2004. To see it to start to get to that point is very exciting. I’d like to continue that.” n

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how much, if any, should be public, without coming to a conclusion. Robinson said she was content to move on but encouraged Hoovler to write a memo to the council asking it to study the matter. The commission will get its first glimpse of the new CIP at its next meeting, Jan. 20, prior to the council’s budget presentation Feb. 8. n Kelly Burk in particular credited the commission’s legwork with helping the town navigate the pandemic. “This commission has truly made a huge impact on the town,” she said. “You helped us be ready for COVID before we even anticipated that we were going to need to be ready for COVID. I think it really helped us get through that terrible first year.” The initiatives and projects identified by the commission expect to be a topic of conversation during the council’s upcoming fiscal year 2023 budget deliberations. Town Manager Kaj Dentler is expected to present his proposed budget to the council Feb. 8. n

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Education

Judge Hears Motions in Removal Cases Against Sheridan, Reaser BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com

A Circuit Court judge heard arguments for two motions in the cases to remove Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) and Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian) from the School Board during a full day in court Jan. 5. The hearing for the case against Sheridan was scheduled for 10 a.m. and the case against Reaser for 1 p.m., but the parties agreed to use the arguments for both cases, because the motions are virtually identical. Judge Jeanette A. Irby presided over the hearing. One of the motions is to allow the group Fight for Schools, which organized the signing of the removal petitions, to intervene in the case on behalf of the petitioners. The other motion is to disqualify Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj from prosecuting the cases. Fight for Schools, represented by David Warrington, alleges that School Board members violated open-meeting laws and their oaths of office by participating in the private Facebook group, Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County. Members of that group were accused of planning to target parents who criticized the School Board’s equity policies. It also alleges that School Board members were at fault for knowing about a sexual assault in a high school in May, before the assailant was transferred to another school where the teen assaulted a second student. If it is allowed to intervene in the case, Fight for Schools may present evidence, make arguments, and call witnesses to the stand. The arguments centered around the Facebook group, and Sheridan’s involvement in it. Biberaj sought to establish that just because Sheridan was in the group, does not mean she participated in or had seen the list of parents some members allegedly sought to target. Dawn E. Boyce, the attorney representing Sheridan and Reaser, argued that the recall process in Virginia is intended to remove an official for breaches of office, not for policy differences from constituents. Of the motion to intervene, Boyce said Fight for Schools’ participation was

Hayley Bour/Loudoun Now

Brenda Sheridan (Sterling, pictured) and Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian) are currently facing a removal effort in circuit court.

unnecessary, as the group does not have a right to participate despite having an interest in the School Board. She sought to establish that the leadership of Fight for Schools does not represent the interests of the petition signatories, known as the Citizens of Sterling in the Sheridan case, and cited the state Supreme Court case Hudson vs. Jared, where the high court ruled that to intervene, a party must prove it has a right to do so. Fight for Schools Executive Director Ian Prior was called to the stand by Warrington, where he was questioned for roughly two hours by both his own attorney, Biberaj, and Boyce. Warrington called Fight for Schools board member Jessica Mendez as a witness, who gave an emotional testimony of how she learned about the Facebook group. She said that two pieces of hate mail, calling her a racist, were sent to the law firm where she works. One of them, received Sept. 21, 2021, said it was sent by the Anti-Racists of Loudoun County, signed “we’re watching you.” Mendez said once she saw screenshots from the Facebook group, she felt it was her duty to contact the other people listed to let them know that they were being targeted. She also said that since the news of the Facebook group emerged, one neighbor has been harassing her. Mendez herself was not on the list. The Facebook group’s admin team deny

sending the letters to her employers. During the hearing, it came to light that Mendez was the notary for one volunteer’s, Jeremy Wright, signing of the petition. Wright, who collected signatures on behalf of Fight for Schools, does not actually live in Loudoun County, but instead in Berryville. While he was on the stand, Prior testified that Wright said he accidentally wrote down the wrong address, using his old Loudoun address. Mendez said that since she knew Wright well, she did not need to see proof of his address when serving as his notary. She said he began to show her his voter registration card, but she told him that she didn’t need to see it. Warrington also called Fight for Schools supporter Elicia Brand to the stand. Brand was also named on the list in the Facebook group. When asked if she felt intimidated by being named on the list, she said, “I did, very much so.” Brand said she got a ring doorbell for her home and filed a report with the Sheriff’s Office following the list coming to light. Brand also was questioned about her role as a public relations advisor to the family of one of the sexual assault victims. A Sheriff’s Office detectives who investigated the Facebook group also took the witness stand. The detective testified that there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing in the group, and ultimately criminal charges weren’t pursued. Irby said she would issue an oral ruling on the motions later in the month. Following that ruling, she will take up motions on behalf of Sheridan and Reaser to quash the petitions. Although much of the hearing operated on the agreement that the Sherdian and Reaser cases would be linked, at 5:45 p.m. Irby was told Biberaj planned to make a different argument on the motions in the Reaser case. However, when Irby asked the commonwealth’s attorney to make her presentation, Biberaj said she was not prepared to do so. Biberaj suggested she be permitted to make her arguments in writing. Irby set a Jan. 14 deadline for that filing and a Jan. 20 deadline for other parties to submit their responses. n

JANUARY 13, 2022

School Division Withholding Sexual Assault Report BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com

The school division is withholding the report from the independent investigation into the handling of two related sexual assaults in Loudoun high schools. The School Board hired Fairfax County-based law firm Blankingship & Keith, P.C. to conduct the investigation. The first assault occurred on May 28 at Stone Bridge High School. The assailant was transferred to Broad Run High School where he assaulted a second student in October. The school division cited shortcomings in Title IX protocols as the reason the assailant was able to victimize a second student. Responding to a request for the report, school division spokesman Wayde Byard wrote: “The report is complete. It is being withheld from disclosure in its entirety under Va. Code § 2.2-3705.1(2) relating to materials protected under the attorney client privilege. Furthermore, portions of the record are being withheld from disclosure under. Code § 2.2-3705.4(A)(1) relating to scholastic information and Va. Code § 2.2-3705.1(1) relating to personnel information concerning identifiable individuals.” “We believe we have followed all mandatory reporting protocols and aided law enforcement to the fullest extent allowed in all investigations regarding these matters. We acknowledge that these matters need to be fully reviewed,” Superintendent Scott Ziegler announced on Nov. 5, 2021. “Consequently, and with full support of the School Board, Loudoun County Public Schools hired Blankingship & Keith, P.C. on October 28, 2021 to conduct an independent review of these incidents.” A day before the investigation was announced, incoming Attorney General Jason Miyares said that he would conduct a formal investigation of the School Board’s handling of the cases. n

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JANUARY 13, 2022

PAGE 11

Schools Sued for Restricting Public Comment at Board Meetings BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR Hbour@loudounnow.com

Three parents of Loudoun County Public Schools students, represented by the Founding Freedoms Law Center, are suing the school division in Circuit Court for what they charge was an infringement upon their rights to address the School Board during the June 22 meeting. The plaintiffs, Megan Clegg, Megan Rafalski and Adam Rafalski, were signed up to address the board during that meeting. During the meeting, the board voted to end the public comment session early after then-Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) repeatedly warned the crowd against making outbursts such as clapping or cheering speakers during the meeting. Many members of the crowd were present to oppose the then-proposed protections for transgender students, and the suspension of Byron “Tanner” Cross, a teacher who’d been publicly criticized the policy. The board ultimately voted to end public comment early because the crowd wouldn’t comply with Sheridan’s request for order. Superintendent Scott Ziegler declared the meeting an unlawful assembly and Sheriff’s Office deputies cleared the board room. The board’s public comment format was limited following the June 22 incident. In August, the board room was closed to the public during meetings. Speakers were required to line up and enter the board room individually to address the dais. Then, in September, the board limited who may speak during meetings to people with ties to Loudoun either through residence, business, or school attendance. The plaintiffs in the suit allege that: “limited resumption of the public comment section of the School Board meetings constitutes an insufficient, impermissible,

and equally violative measure. The capacity and limited speaking constraints continue to preclude the plaintiffs, and the citizens and parents of Loudoun County, from meaningfully participating in the school board meetings and particularly the forum provided by the public comments section of each School Board meeting.” The documents cite an incident during which Rafalski confronted the board after the June 22 meeting, “by asking the chair why she was being forced to leave the room when the law states that the meeting must remain open to the public. As Mrs. Rafalski stood next to the podium after her one minute allotted time had expired, still waiting for the Chair to respond, a Loudoun County Public School security guard began to make his way towards Mrs. Rafalski, signaling that she would be removed from the room—at which time she left.” The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration from the court that the division has violated their rights under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and that the Ziegler’s declaration of an unlawful assembly was without merit and abridged the public’s rights to peaceful assembly. The plaintiffs are also asking the court to bar the School Board from limiting speakers and from excluding the public from meetings. It requests the court impose a penalty for violations of Virginia FOIA. It is also seeking damages in costs and legal fees, as well as “other relief as the nature of the cause, or the goals of justice and equity may require.” According to its website, the Founding Freedoms Law Center was founded by the Family Foundation of Virginia, to “increase our capacity to fight for God-given foundational freedoms and against oppressive and unjust government edicts—not only in the executive branch and the General Assembly, but also in the courts.” n

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Teen Charged with Threatening Schools Denied Bond Again BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The 18-year-old Fairfax County resident charged with making threats toward an Ashburn middle school in December was denied release on bond for a third time Tuesday. Shane D. Lucas is charged with making threats of bodily injury or death to persons on school property, a Class 6 felony. He was cited by investigators as the source of a Dec. 7 social media post that included a photo of a firearm and threatening statements toward Farmwell Station Middle School. He was scheduled to appear in Loudoun County District Court for a preliminary hearing Jan. 11. However, Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj instead proposed a series of conditions that would allow Lucas to be moved from the Adult Detention Center into a residential treatment program for treatment of mental health concerns. Lucas has been incarcerated since his arrest Dec. 8. A release on bond was previously denied in District Court and on appeal

in Circuit Court. Biberaj said she was seeking to protect the community and Lucas by structuring a way to allow him to get treatment for a variety of mental health issues, and was concerned about a decline in his health while in custody. However, securing a residential placement has been made more difficult because, as an inmate, he cannot complete required entrance assessments, she and Lucas’s attorney said. Judge Deborah C. Welsh denied the bond request, saying his release would not protect the public safety. Also, ordering Lucas to enter a treatment program likely would be more appropriate as part as part of a sentencing condition once the case has been adjudicated, she said. Welsh then sought to move ahead with the scheduled preliminary hearing, but Biberaj said she was not prepared to present the case and that the required witnesses had not been assembled for the hearing. The judge rescheduled the hearing for Jan. 19 with the condition that there be no additional continuances. n

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A Maryland woman and an inmate at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center have been charged with forging court documents in an attempt to falsely release the inmate from jail. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the investigation began in November after the ADC’s Records Section received a faxed order for an inmate’s release that appeared to be sent by the Prince William County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The document was determined to be fake, including the forging of a judge’s signature. In December, the Loudoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court received a separate forged document of an amended probation document for the same inmate that appeared to be from the Virginia Department of Corrections and Parole. This document was also determined to be fraudulent, including the forging of the signature. As a result of the investigation conducted by the Sheriff’s Office’s Financial Crimes Section, the inmate, Deontre A. Thomas, 31, of Washington, DC, was charged with two counts of accessory to forge a public record, two counts of acces-

sory to utter of public record, two counts of conspire with another to forge a public record, two counts of identity theft, and attempt to escape confinement or custody without force of a person lawfully confined in jail. Arinicea Johnson, 28, of Capital Heights, MD, was charged with two counts of forging a public record, two counts of uttering of a public record, two counts of identity theft, two counts of conspiracy on the attempt escape of a person lawfully detained as a prisoner and attempt to escape confinement or custody without force of a person lawfully confined in jail. According to the report, another woman, Ty Yonna N. Hopkins, 31, of Washington, DC, later called the Prince William County Circuit Clerk’s Office to assist the inmate with inquiring about the disposition notice sent to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. She was charged with accessory after the fact by receiving, relieving, or assisting after knowing that such person had committed a completed felony. Thomas, whose local criminal record includes larceny and shoplifting charges, remains held without bond at the Adult Detention Center. n

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JANUARY 13, 2022

PAGE 13

SAFETY briefs Asburn Driver Charged with DUI in Wrong-way Crash The Sheriff’s Office has charged a 34-year-old Ashburn man with driving under the influence following a Friday night crash that sent five people to the hospital. According to the report, at 9:20 p.m. Jan. 7, the driver of a 2011 Toyota Camry was traveling in the wrong direction in the southbound lanes of Loudoun County Parkway when he struck head-on a 2018 Volkswagen SUV. The driver of the Camry, Terrence C. Hanlon, and a passenger were both transported to an area hospital. Hanlon remained hospitalized in stable condition on Monday and was issued a summons for DUI. The driver of the SUV and two passengers also were transported to a local hospital. One of the passengers, a 17-year-old male, was listed in critical but stable condition Monday. The crash remains under investigation.

2 Sought in Armed Robbery of Ashburn Home The Sheriff’s Office is searching for two armed men reported to have attempted to steal items from a home in the Loudoun

Valley Estates neighborhood Thursday night. According to the report, the resident said he was selling clothing through a social media application. Just before 6:45 p.m. Jan. 6, two males arrived at his Piedmont Hunt Terrace home to purchase shoes. They went into the home along with friends of the victim. As they discussed the payment, the males started taking items from the victim’s room and ran from the residence. The victim caught up with one of the men inside the garage of the home and a struggle ensued. Both subjects reportedly brandished firearms during the altercation. Deputies were called to the scene and a perimeter was established. Also, the Fairfax County Police Department helicopter was called to help with the search. The suspects were not located during the search and are believed to have left the area in a vehicle. The circumstances surrounding the robbery remains under investigation. Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to contact Detective A. Perry at 703-777-1021. You may also submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office app.

Batteries Blamed in Sterling House Fire that Displaced 10 The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that a battery pack failure on the porch of a Sterling home was the cause of a Wednesday night fire that displaced 10 residents. Just before 11:30 a.m. Jan. 5, fire and rescue units from Sterling Park, Cascades, and Kincora District and fire and rescue units from Fairfax County were dispatched to a house fire in the 100 block of Sexton Court in Sterling Park. The 911 calls indicated that there may be people trapped in the home. However, upon arrival firefighters found that all occupants had exited the home safely. The first units on the scene found the two-story single-family dwelling with smoke and fire showing from the first floor, the exterior, and the attic level. Additional crews from Metro Washington Airport Authority and Fairfax County were added to the response. Most of the fire was under control within 10-minutes, and the fire was prevented from extending to neighboring homes. No injuries were reported. The fire originated in a work area on an exterior porch, which was used for repair-

ing computers and laptops. The Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the fire was accidental, likely caused by a battery pack failure. Damages was estimated at $425,680. The residents are staying locally with family.

Upperville Barn Destroyed Fire-Rescue crews from Loudoun and Fauquier counties were called to a barn fire on Rt. 50 west of Middelburg early Thursday morning. The fire was reported at approximately 1 a.m. Jan. 6. Fire and Rescue units from Middleburg, Aldie, Philomont and Purcellville were dispatched, along with units from Fauquier County and Mount Weather. A Tanker Task Force was assigned to transport water to the site. Crews arrived to find a 10,000-squarefoot heavy timber residential style barn fully involved in fire. The fire had extended to additional outbuildings, heavy equipment, and a camper. The fire was extinguished by about 1:34 a.m. and work continued at the scene until 4:40 a.m. There were no people or animals in the barn. No injuries were reported. n

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JANUARY 13, 2022

Nonprofit

Loudoun Chamber Foundation Awards $32K in Grants LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Loudoun Chamber Foundation has awarded $4,000 grants to eight area nonprofits promoting workforce development, economic growth, and quality of life.

“The entire Loudoun nonprofit community has done remarkable work to support our community, particularly during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Facing increased demand for their services, our nonprofits overcame their own financial challenges to serve our families, our workers and our neighbors,” stated Chamber President Tony Howard. “The Loudoun Chamber is incredibly proud to support this year’s grant recipients and to support their important work to build a strong and healthy economy and community here in Loudoun.” The organizations receiving grants include A Farm Less Ordinary, Crossroads Jobs, ECHO, the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, the Loudoun Education Foundation, Loudoun Habitat for Humanity, Loudoun Literacy Council, and Veterans Moving Forward. The Loudoun Chamber Foundation is a fund within the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties. Founded in 2014, the Chamber Foundation invests in local nonprof-

Loudoun Now File Photo

Loudoun Literacy Council Family Literacy Program Director Tanya Bosse reads a book to a Head Start class of about 20 kids at Dominion High School. Loudoun Literacy Council was among eight local nonprofits awarded grants by the Loudoun Chamber Foundation.

its focused on the economy, workforce development, public safety and well-

ness in Loudoun. Since its founding the Foundation has awarded $164,000.

Nash Joins Community Foundation Board LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Caroline Nash has joined the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties board, beginning her three-year term this month. Nash serves as a

Nash

patent and trademark attorney at Nash & Titus and has experience in medical devices, immunology, vaccines, cancer detection, drugs and treatment, pharmaceuticals, film chemistry and manufacturing, metal treatment, consumer products and automobile safety devices. She has practiced law for more than 30 years and is a member of the bar in four states. She joins a 10-member board that includes Wells Fargo Senior Vice President

and Commercial Banking Leader Lucky Wadehra, National Association of Realtors Chief Story Teller Janelle Brevard, community philanthropist and volunteer Terri Minchew, Fresh Eye Innovative Solutions and Accounting Founder and CEO Jaclyn O’Brien, PATH Foundation Senior Program Officer Andy Johnston, Deep Analysis Vice-President and Principal Analyst Connie Moore, HCA StoneSprings Hospital Vice President of Com-

Learn more at loudounchamber.org/ Foundation. n

munity and Government Relations Tracey White, attorney Tim Thompson, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States Clinical Operations Manager Charmaine Bushrod, and Dr. Tracey Lacey, Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute Leadership Management School. The Community Foundation Loudoun and Northern Fauquier was founded in 1999. Since its inception, it has granted almost $11.2 million back into these communities. More information is at CommunityFoundationLF.org. n

JANUARY 13, 2022

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 15

Visit Loudoun Seeks Board Members; Applications Due Feb. 4 Visit Loudoun is seeking individuals to serve three-year terms on its board of directors starting July 1, with a transition period beginning in May. Visit Loudoun, a not-for-profit organization, is the destination management organization for Loudoun County and its incorporated towns. As the county’s programmatic arm for tourism, it promotes the county to stimulate the sustainability and enhancement of Loudoun County’s economy and quality of life by advocating for smart

destination development and marketing an exceptional experience to travel consumers worldwide. The Visit Loudoun Board is comprised of up to 24 elected members serving staggered terms. Interested candidates should submit a résumé outlining their business/ professional career, including any tourism-related experience. This may range from owning a tourism-related business, to having experience in hospitality and/or tourism marketing, to

volunteering with a tourism-related organization. Special business skills such as communications and community involvement should also be included. Three business references should be provided along with a response to the statement: “My service on the Visit Loudoun Board of Directors will help Visit Loudoun and tourism in Loudoun County because...” Submissions are due to the Visit Loudoun office Feb.4. The office is located at 112-G South Street, SE,

Registration Open for Give Choose Campaign LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has opened nonprofit registration and training for the Give Choose 2022 event, being held Tuesday, March 29. The annual day of giving connects charitably-minded residents with non-

profit organizations serving Loudoun and Northern Fauquier counties. In 2021, Give Choose raised a landmark $824,307 for local nonprofits. Since its inception in 2014, Give Choose has raised more than $2.6 million. Charities register to participate at givechoose.org, where visitors can choose from among animal welfare, envi-

ronment, health, human services, education, youth, and arts and culture nonprofits during the event on March 29. Donations of $10 or more may be made via the website and may be made in advance, with an early giving period beginning March 1. Local businesses also participate in Give Choose through sponsorships within the Community Foundation, providing a

Virginia Village continued from page 3 Dwelling Units within the community, even if less than 643 residential units are ultimately built; increasing the number of parking spaces designated for the residential units; and opening the door to building the central commercial building earlier in the phasing plan. Speakers addressing the council before the vote raised concerns over the scale of the buildings, the number of planned parking spaces, traffic impacts, and the size and timing of the commercial development. The town Planning Commission had recommended denial of the project after months of review and Chairwoman Gigi Robinson was among the speakers urging denial and continuing to push for more parking and commercial space in the plan. Other speakers supported the plans as an important redevelopment opportunity for the town, one in line with its adopted planning policies. The council’s comments were similarly split. Zach Cummings made the motion to approve the applications, stating the project fit with the Town Plan goals. Council members Ara Bagdasarian, Kari Nacy and Marty Martinez supported the proj-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Developer Brian Cullen saw his plans for redeveloping the Virginia Village shopping center approved in a split vote at the Leesburg Town Council Tuesday, Jan. 11.

ect, saying it would create a more vibrant, walkable community with a wide range of housing types and new economic development opportunities. “This application is pioneering, with a nearly $200 million plus investment in Leesburg,” Cummings said, noting the number of proffered Affordable Dwelling Units would be the most ever built in town and expressing confident the development will spur new businesses and econom-

ic benefits for the town. “I’m excited to Leesburg prosper with an investment of this nature,” he said. Bagdasarian recalled his time as a volunteer on the town’s Economic Development Commission more than a decade ago when plans were created to promote redevelopment in the Crescent District, to expand the downtown and keep higher density development closer to the town core. “We had a shared vision for a vibrant

Leesburg, VA 20175. Electronic copies may be submitted to Greg Harp at harp@VisitLoudoun.org. Following review of the submissions, considered candidates will be scheduled for an interview with the board’s Executive Committee in March. More information on Visit Loudoun is online at visitloudoun.org. Questions should be directed to Greg Harp at 703-669-2008 or by email. n prize pool awarded to participating nonprofits throughout the day of the event. The deadline for nonprofit registration is Feb. 28. Nonprofits may also register for Give Choose Training on Thursday, Jan. 20 at communityfoundationlf.org. Registration and eligibility information can be found at www.givechoose.org. Registration is free for participating nonprofits. For more information, contact Nicole Acosta at nicole@Community FoundationLF.org or 703-779-3505, x3. n downtown that was a designation for arts, entertainment and dining and an ideal place to live, work and play.” “We all have different perspectives about what the future of the town will look like. We all want to maintain the character of the town. We all want a more walkable community. We all want plenty of parking and manageable traffic,” he said. “Rather than try to predict the future, we have an opportunity to build the future. A future that has been envisioned by our community for decades.” Mayor Kelly Burk, Neil Steinberg and Suzanne Fox voted against approving the applications, citing concerns over parking, traffic, the ratio of residential and commercial space and the mass of the proposed buildings. Burk said that, as someone who lives near the property and frequently walks to the shopping center, she was disappointed to not be able to support the project. Although it included many positive elements, she said the outstanding concerns were too many to overcome. Steinberg raised concerns about putting the high-density project in an area of town with a limited transportation network and the large number of policy modifications needed to accommodate the project. He suggested the council wait for a different proposal to come in for the property. n

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Towns

Lovettsville Council Finalizes Town Charter Changes The Lovettsville Town Council pushed through efforts to update the Town Charter by holding two special meetings Monday night. After a slate of changes championed by Vice Mayor Chris Hornbaker failed to gain majority support during the council’s Dec. 16 meeting, members had planned to continue talks about what changes to make during the new year. However, during the council’s Jan. 6 meeting, Hornbaker presented a new draft that he said addressed the concerns expressed by residents and council members and pushed to have the changes ready for consideration during the current General Assembly session. The original proposal drew criticism from town residents who objected to the plan to make the mayor a voting member of the council while stripping his veto power, and removing the prohibition of a sitting council member being appointed to fill a vacancy in the mayor’s seat. In the final version, the mayor’s role will remain unchanged, but the council members and Mayor Nate Fontaine

agreed there was merit in allowing an experienced council member to step into the mayor’s seat if needed. The amendments also would spell changes for residents appointed to fill vacant seats. The current charter stipulates that individuals who are appointed to fill vacant council seats serve out the unexpired term of departed members. That would be dropped, requiring the town to follow State Code provisions that mandate a special election be held no later than the next scheduled general election. The changes also remove the prohibition on appointed council members voting on appropriation issues, including the town budget. Two of the town’s six council members are appointed. Renee Edmonston was appointed in September 2020 to serve the remaining 21 months of Matthew Schilling’s term. Tony Quintana was appointed in May 2021 to fill the final 19 months of David Steadman’s term. Both terms expire this year, and those seats will be on the November ballot. Had the proposed changes been in effect, both seats would have been subject to special elections. A new power proposed in the amendments is to permit the mayor or any three council members to request a confirma-

tion vote on the hiring of any town staff member by the town manager. The current charter provides for confirmation votes of only town officers who serve at the pleasure of the council. After Hornbaker presented his revised draft during the Jan. 6 meeting, Councilman Buchanan Smith, who supported the motion to table the issue at the Dec. 16 meeting, made a motion to rescind that action. That was approved on a 3-0-11 vote, with Edmonston abstaining and Councilman David Earl absent. While that action permitted the council to move ahead with discussion on the charter changes immediately, Town Attorney Shelby Caputo recommended, that because the topic was not listed on the published agenda for the council’s meeting, that the issue be moved to a future session when public comment could be made. The council then scheduled a pair of special meetings for Monday, one to hear public comments and finalize the charter changes and another to approve the minutes of that meeting so the record could be included with a package summitted to the town’s General Assembly representatives by Tuesday morning, one day before the 2022 session begins in Richmond.

During the public comment period of Monday’s meeting, several residents continued to raise concerns about council’s process of developing the changes, calling for more public input and time to understand the impacts of the amendments, which only had been available to the public since Friday afternoon. Hornbaker rejected those concerns, noting the council has held several meetings and work sessions on the changes over the past seven months and saying most of the concerns that have been raised were addressed in the final version. He also noted that residents who continue to have concerns about the changes can work with members of the General Assembly who have the final authority. The proposed charter changes were approved on a 4-0-1-1 vote, with Edmonston abstaining and Smith absent. Edmonston said she was abstaining from votes on the changes because of a proposed change that would remove the prohibition on non-elected council members from voting on appropriation measures. As an appointed member, she said she wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. n

AROUND towns

for Wine as needed and providing a line of succession for management of the town.

for various capital projects. Council members noted many of the town’s projects take several years to complete, potentially over the terms of several mayors, and the town’s current staffing isn’t well equipped to handle complex, long-term projects.

munity development goals. Additionally, they said more than $100,000 has been spent in past few years to maintain and improve the structure. The three-story brick building is listed on the state and national registers of historic places. It was built in 1873 and served as a Masonic meeting hall and then a school for grades 1-12 until the 1920s.

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

HAMILTON Mayor On Leave Mayor David Simpson is stepping away from his town duties for a few months as he recovers from injuries sustained in a car crash. During the December council meeting, Simpson said that he was pretty beat up in the crash that totaled his car but was saved by the airbags. Subsequently, he determined his recovery would require time away from running the day-to-day operations of the town. Following the Town Charter, Vice Mayor Kenneth Wine is serving as mayor pro tem and will take over as the town’s CEO. On Monday, the council unanimously elected Rebecca Jones to serve as vice mayor pro tem with authority to step in

Council Approves Project Manager Post The mayor may soon be getting some extra help in managing the town’s larger projects. On Monday, the council unanimously approved a proposed to advertise for the hiring of a project manager on a contract basis. The position is expected to cost $60,000-$80,000 annually. Working at the direction of the mayor, the person will manage public works capital building, park, and water tower restoration projects and take on similar work as the town adds new projects, such as potential traffic calming strategies. The position will assist with the initial planning and budgeting phases, and continue through the design phase, bidding process, construction phase, and one-year review period

Rezoning Approved for Rogers St. Property The Town Council on Monday approved a rezoning to allow the owners of the Hamilton Masonic Lodge on South Rogers Street to undertake additional commercial uses that can help maintain the historic structure. Green Property Management asked to change the property’s zoning from Light Industrial—the last piece of industrially zoned land in town—to C2 Retail Sales and Services. In a letter to the council, the owners note that the property isn’t well suited for industrial use and allowing more typical commercial uses would better help achieve the Town Plan’s com-

MIDDLEBURG Town Hall Groundbreaking Set Following the selection of a contractor last month, the Middleburg Town Council will kick off construction of the new town hall during a Jan. 24 ceremony. The town received five bids to build a new town hall on land behind the current town office, with base bids ranging from $8.95 million to $11.1 million, exclusive of seven bid alternatives. The contract was awarded to the lowest qualified bidder, Cooper Building Services for an initial amount of $10.9 million. n

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JANUARY 13, 2022

PAGE 17

Post your job listings at NowHiringLoudoun.com Town of Leesburg Employment Opportunities Please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs for more information and to apply online. Resumes may be submitted as supplemental only. EOE/ADA. Regular Full-Time Positions Position

Department

Salary Range

Closing Date Open until filled

Accounting Associate II

Finance

$44,905-$76,882 DOQ

Director of Planning & Zoning

Planning & Zoning

$150,000-$180-000 DOQ

2/14/2022

Enterprise GIS Manager

Information Technology

$76,426-$130,688 DOQ

Open until filled

IT Systems Administrator

Information Technology

$70,374-$120,339 DOQ

Open until filled

Maintenance Worker I

Public Works & Capital Projects

$50,000-$65,186 DOQ

1/21/2022

Planner - Zoning Administration

Planning & Zoning

$61,857 - $105,896 DOQ

Open until filled

Police Officer

Police

$62,000-$89,590 DOQ

Open until filled Open until filled

Senior Buyer/Contracts Administrator

Finance

$67,175-$115,044 DOQ

Senior Management & Budget Analyst

Finance

$72,952-$124,893 DOQ

Open until filled

Stormwater & Environmental Manager

Public Works & Capital Projects

$82,999-$141,929 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility Plant Technician or Senior Utility Plant Technician

Utilities

$50,000-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility System Trainee or Technician

Utilities

$50,000-$76,882 DOQ

Open until filled

Wastewater Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior

Utilities

$50,000-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

DRIVERS NEEDED Regular & CDL Call 703-737-3011

Flexible Part-Time Position Position

Department

Hourly Rate

Closing Date

Administrative Associate

Thomas Balch Library

$20.51-$33.42 DOQ

Open until filled

Receptionist

Public Information Office

$20.51

Open until filled

Senior Buyer/Contracts Administrator

Finance

$34.44-$58.99 DOQ

Open until filled

See the full job listings at NowHiringLoudoun.com

To review Ida Lee (Parks & Recreation) flexible part-time positions, please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs. Most positions will be filled at or near the minimum of the range. Dependent on qualifications. All Town vacancies may be viewed on Comcast Cable Channel 67 and Verizon FiOS Channel 35.

Contract Position: Superintendent Construction Superintendent Contract Position with Potential for Permanent Employment Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a deadline-driven Construction Superintendent to oversee our construction projects, and to act as the link between various project parties. The Construction Superintendent will lead and manage the on-site construction team and oversee all work on site. The Construction Superintendent will be responsible for orderliness on site and ensure compliance with safety regulations. You will ensure quality standards are met, and all equipment and materials are available on site at all times, as well as liaise with inspection authorities regarding approvals, complete projects on time and within budget, and never compromise on quality. Construction Superintendent Requirements: • 5+ years of experience as a Construction Superintendent. • Proficient with MS Office Word and Excel. • Proficient with scheduling software, and CAE and CAD applications. • Proficient with taking and uploading digital photographs. • Ability to lift 40 pounds and to operate heavy equipment. • Ability to interpret and build according to drawings, specifications, and other documents. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. • Outstanding organizational skills. • Must be able to pass background check for access to Federal buildings Send Resume to Katherine Hicks, khicks@meridiengroupllc.com

FULL TIME FLAGGER Traffic Plan seeks FT Flaggers to set up and control traffic around construction sites. A valid drivers license is a must, good pay, and benefits. If interested please fill out an application at 7855 Progress Court Suite 103 Gainesville, VA on Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 pm or online at www.trafficplan.com

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LOUDOUNNOW.COM

JANUARY 13, 2022

Loco Living

THINGS to do

Loudoun’s Figure Skating Programs Shine at U.S. Nationals BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounnow.com

Eight years ago, Sofia Bezkorovainaya was a 3-year-old enchanted by Russian figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya’s performances at the Sochi Olympics. Now Sofia, who trains at Loudoun’s Ashburn Ice House, is the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating national juvenile champion with Olympic dreams of her own. January is National Skating Month, and with the Beijing Winter Olympics coming up next month, Loudoun’s skating facilities are celebrating impressive performances at nationals and getting ready for a wave of interest in figure skating from kids all over Loudoun. Sofia, now 11, started once-a-week lessons at age 3 and began private lessons at 4. Now she does online school and practices around five hours a day in Ashburn with her coach Inna Volyanskaya. And it all started with the Ice House’s learn-to-skate program. “The learn-to-skate program is so good for all ages,” Sofia said. As a preschooler, she made friends and fell in love with skating. As a tween, she’s committed to taking it all the way. Last week, Sofia, her mother Katya and coach Volyanskaya spoke with Loudoun Now from U.S. Figure Skating Nationals in Nashville. Sofia had already earned her title but stayed in Nashville for a national development camp and an opportunity to watch top U.S. senior skaters qualify for the Olympics. Leesburg’s Ion International Training Center also had several skaters competing in Nashville, including ice dancing team Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, who hail from Maryland and train in Leesburg. Green and Parsons earned a spot as Olympic alternates after an impressive fourth-place finish in the national ice dancing championship. Last fall, Ion ITC was one of eight sites across the U.S. to host U.S. Figure Skating Championship Series events as qualifiers for the national championship. Sofia and her family live in Springfield but make the commute to Ashburn Ice

Village at Leesburg Hosts Ice Festival on Saturday Frosty fun returns to the Village at Leesburg this weekend, as the development hosts its 8th annual Winter Ice Festival. From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, the shopping center will be transformed into a winter wonderland. Professional ice carvers will compete to create the best sculpture. Visitors can also enjoy practicing their moves on a real ice skating rink, live performances, activations, and ice games. For more information, go to villageatleesburg.com.

LOCO LIVE Live Music: Summer and Eric

Friday, Jan. 14, 5:30 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: lostbarrel.com This DMV duo plays a fun, eclectic and unexpected mix of music from the past and present, as well as original tunes.

Live Music: Jake Phillips

Friday Jan. 14, 6 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Jake Phillips is a singer/songwriter who has traveled the world. With a powerful voice and dynamic guitar skills, Phillips’s repertoire includes original music and an eclectic set of classic folk and alternative covers.

Live Music: Chris Mangione and Madeline Miller

Friday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m. Tarbender’s Lounge, 10 S. King St., Leesburg Details: tarbenderslounge.com It’s a jazzy evening at Leesburg’s downtown speakeasy with tunes from Chris Mangione and Madeline Miller.

Live Music: Better Off Dead

Melanie Heaney Photography

Sofia Bezkorovainaya performs at the U.S. Figure Skating Nationals in Nashville, TN.

House to work with Volyanskaya, a noted pairs skater who won numerous international competitions on the Soviet national team in the 1980s. “We knew she was one of the best coaches in the area—that’s why we made the decision,” Katya Bezkorovainaya said. Volyanskaya said the Ice House’s management and learn-to-skate development program were part of the appeal for her as a coach. “When you have a good program for

learn-to-skate, you can grow good skaters,” Volyanskaya said. “It’s a lot of fun for kids; they make friends and learn new elements, have fun together and grow together.” Volyanskaya said skating facilities often see a bump after the Winter Olympics, just as a young Sofia was inspired by Lipnitskaya’s gold medal winning performance in 2014. “She wanted to skate like her. I’m sure FIGURE SKATING continues on page 21

Friday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com Better Off Dead approaches the music of The Grateful Dead and The Jerry Garcia Band with the same sense of discovery, care and exploration as their heroes. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $35 for VIP seats.

Live Music: Karen Jonas

Friday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m. Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville Details: monksq.com Jonas is a country and Americana songwriter and performer who’s released five acclaimed albums. Her live shows offer a mix of her award-winning originals, modern alt-country tunes and classic country standards.

King’s Tavern Open Mic

Friday, Jan. 14, 9:30 p.m. King’s Tavern and Wine Bar, 19 S. King St., Leesburg Details: kingstavernandwinebar.com

THINGS TO DO continues on page 19

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PAGE 19

BEST BETS

THINGS to do continued from page 18

Bill Rose and Laurie Blue host this monthly second Friday open mic night at King’s.

Live Music: Lenny Burridge

Saturday, Jan. 15, 1 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Burridge brings acoustic blues and Americana, classic rock and new rock to Flying Ace.

Live Music: Chris Bone

Saturday, Jan. 15, 1 p.m. 50 West Vineyards, 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: facebook.com/50westvineyards Enjoy an evening of great tunes from Western Loudoun singer/songwriter and one-man band Chris Bone of the Bone Show.

BETTER OFF DEAD Friday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m. (doors) Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

CHRIS TIMBERS Saturday, Jan. 15, 5 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing lostbarrel.com

BRYAN FOX Sunday, Jan. 16, 2-5 p.m. Flying Ace Farm flyingacefarm.com

Live Music: Linda Andersen and Friends

Saturday, Jan. 15, 1 p.m. Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville Details: creeksedgewinery.com Andersen and her band serve up a mix of jazz and pop favorites. Reserving a table is recommended.

Live Music: Chris Timbers

Saturday, Jan. 15, 5 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: lostbarrel.com Enjoy acoustic soul tunes from Chris Timbers.

Live Music: Shade Tree Collective

Saturday, Jan. 15, 5:30 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com This Maryland-based five-piece ensemble returns to Flying Ace with traditional bluegrass.

Live Music: Trial By Fire Journey Tribute

Saturday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com Trial By Fire’s seasoned musicians embrace the sound and visuals of the Steve Perry era of Journey. Tickets are $15.

Live Music: Crash The Limo

Saturday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg Details: spankyspub.com This brand-new DMV band offers a high-energy, hardedged rock sound.

Live Music: The Derailleurs

Saturday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville Details: monksq.com Shake the winter blues with raucous hot jazz from the Derailleurs.

Live Music: Juliet Lloyd

Sunday, Jan. 16, 1 p.m. 50 West Vineyards, 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: facebook.com/50westvineyards Singer/songwriter/pianist Juliet Lloyd brings pop, rock and classic soul favorites to 50 West.

Live Music: Wayne Snow

Sunday, Jan. 16, 1 p.m. Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro Details: twotwistedposts.com Wayne Snow is a singer/songwriter based out of Shepherdstown, WV with a fun repertoire of indie, folk, pop and rock songs.

Live Music: Acoustic Moose

Sunday, Jan. 16, 1 p.m. Maggie Malick Wine Caves, 12138 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville Details: maggiemalickwinecaves.com This south-central PA duo with acoustic guitar and dynamic vocal harmonies plays a range of folk rock, blues and classic rock favorites.

Live Music: Bryan Fox

Sunday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Middleburg’s own Bryan Fox returns to Flying Ace with soul and funk tunes.

Live Music: Jason Masi

Sunday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Masi returns to Breaux with his signature brand of acoustic soul and R&B.

The Nighthawks

Sunday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m. The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com The legendary blues and roots rock band The Nighthawks return to The Barns for an evening of great music. Tickets are $25 in advance.

Live Music: Julia Kasdorf

Monday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m. 50 West Vineyards, 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: facebook.com/50westvineyards Kasdorf’s exceptional voice, top-notch guitar skills and catalog of standards, pop hits, folk and rock ‘n’ roll set her apart on the local music scene.

LOCO CULTURE Village at Leesburg Ice Festival

Saturday, Jan. 15, 1-5 p.m. Village At Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg Details: villageatleesburg.com Check out live professional ice carvers as they compete to create the best sculpture, practice your moves on the ice skating rink.

MLK March and Celebration

Monday, Jan. 17, 10 a.m. Loudoun County Courthouse, 18 E. Market St., Leesburg Details: www.facebook.com mlkmarchleesburg The in-person march begins at the Loudoun County Courthouse and moves to Frederick Douglass Elementary School. The program of speakers and music will be virtual this year and broadcast on YouTube at @mlkmarchleesburg at 1 p.m. This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. W. Andy Knight, Professor of International Relations in the political science department at the University of Alberta.

COMING UP Cabin Fever Film Fest

Saturday, Jan. 29, 7-9 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Now in its fifth year, the festival celebrates films created by Loudouners, including feature length films, documentaries, short films, live-action, stopmotion, animation and music videos. Tickets are $5.

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Autism continued from page 1 and services, like many early-childhood fields, is high. According to Johanna Van Doren-Jackson, senior manager for Loudoun County’s early intervention program, Infant and Toddler Connection, referral rates from pediatricians are through the roof. Pandemic-related staffing shortages and limited funds strain the resources available to the community’s youngest, most at-risk population. “We have had an increase in referrals for children since probably March of 2021. Our numbers dropped in the beginning of the pandemic,” Van Doren-Jackson said. “I think a lot of children were missing those well-child checks. It seems like around the one-year mark of the pandemic there was a deep breath of ‘OK, I need to call about this.’” While many parents speculate that their children are socially stunted because of pandemic-era isolation, there is no consensus among experts as to why ASD rates are burgeoning among youth. “It’s fascinating,” Van Doren-Jackson said. “The field has changed. It was about parenting. Now it’s seen as possibly genetic.” Van Doren-Jackson said that getting treatment for children as early as possible, while their brains’ neuroplasticity is high, is crucial. Services include speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and feeding therapy. “If we can get children talking meaningfully—I don’t mean just naming things or numbers, but really communicating with someone—if we can get that going

Pre-session hearing continued from page 6 David Broder. “We simply cannot afford to go backwards.” And several people living on Gleedsville Road urged lawmakers to stop Newport Academy, a for-profit residential therapy provider for mental health or addiction issues, from opening up shop in three houses the company has purchased in their neighborhood. Louis Bergeron

Floodplain costs continued from page 6 engineering study was still required,” Turner said. “To be determined. But right now the goal is, with this relatively minimal amount, is to really put some nice

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JANUARY 13, 2022

before two, the prognosis for that person is so much better than if it happened later.” Van Doren-Jackson said. “That means we need the child by 18 months. Then we have time to get it going to support the child.” The first five years of a child’s life are when their brains are most pliable and able to change. But for older children, Van Doren-Jackson said, it’s not too late for intervention. Children ages 2 and up can be referred to Child Find, the federally mandated program operated by the school division to provide special education. Children not yet school-aged are entitled to free developmental screenings to determine eligibility for special education preschool. In Virginia, all families can refer their children to be evaluated for early intervention services provided by their county. In Loudoun, the Infant and Toddler Connection program serves children from birth to 36 months old. Van Doren-Jackson said that any family with concerns about their child’s development should call the program. “We are happy to be wrong. We don’t have any problem screening or accessing a child to only determine that they’re perfectly typical,” Van Doren-Jackson said. “We’re not here to set up barriers or access to treatment.” The CDC advises that parents look out for a wide range of particular traits or missed milestones. Traits include a child not making eye contact, not responding to their name, not pointing or making communicative gestures, and hand flapping are common traits of ASD in toddlers, though there are many others. For new parents the signs can be easy

to miss, said one mother of three in Ashburn who asked to not be identified. She said that when her second son turned a year old, she noticed he hadn’t been communicating in the same way that his older brother had at the same age. She looked back in her older child’s memory book and brought her concerns to her pediatrician. “I went to the pediatrician and he said it is worrisome, but they said let’s wait until his 15 month checkup, and then his 18 month checkup,” she said. She said she followed her gut instinct and pursued testing for her son. She got slightly discouraged not receiving a call back from two large institutions because of high volume, but a private practice in Tyson’s Corner got her son in quickly. Within a few weeks, her younger son received a diagnosis of ASD, which opened several doors to various therapies for the family. “The diagnosis is important for a couple of reasons. In Virginia, it can give parents access to some types of services that they wouldn’t otherwise have. It is also helpful for parents to know the name of their child’s condition,” Van DorenJackson said. Still, the diagnosis isn’t required to begin early intervention services with the county. If an evaluation finds that a toddler is a certain number of months delayed in meeting milestones across multiple categories, they qualify for services. Time is of the essence for getting children services, but there are things parents can do at home to improve communication. KayLynn Newton, clinic director at New Directions ABA in Herndon, said

parents should mimic their children during play to encourage them to connect and communicate. “Pay attention to what types of activities and toys your child is drawn to. Once you have a good idea of what they like, you can start to engage in the activity by following your child’s lead. When the child becomes accepting of you as a play partner, it is your opportunity to teach new things,” Newton said. Van Doren-Jackson said for babies, it’s key to ensure they’re comfortable, or regulated. “Children learn when they’re connected and happy. What can you do as a parent to extend those times when the child is connected and happy,” she said. Newton also said that when it comes to therapies, balance is key. “Parents and children can’t be expected to do it all. Seek balance and don’t expect your toddler to have a 40 hour-perweek ‘job,’” she said. As with many early childhood education fields, early intervention is wildly underfunded, and there is a shortage of professionals, Van Doren-Jackson said. Early intervention is an unfunded mandate under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. She said Loudoun, as a locality, is generous toward early intervention. The department falls under the county’s Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Developmental Services. “It always leaves us wondering in that struggle of ‘will we have enough money to serve all the children, when the funds coming from the state and federal government are not sufficient?’” she said. n

told them about a petition with more than 500 signatures to stop the business from moving in, and asked them to amend the state law governing where assisted living facilities and group homes may be located. He pointed to a bill introduced by Fairfax Del. Richard C. “Rip” Sullivan, Jr. (D-48) in 2020 amending that law, which he said was introduced in response to another Newport Academy property. That bill, which did not permit certain new residential facilities within a quarter-mile of existing facilities, was defeat-

ed in committee. Another neighbor, Sulagna Pearson, said she holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology and worked as a crisis counselor for nearly 12 years. “I more than most understand the need for treatment centers and rehab, but they should be located in appropriate areas,” she said. “The safe functioning of this area and of this community is paramount and must be prioritized.” The online hearing was organized by the office of Sen. Jennifer B. Boysko (D-

33) and attended by her, Sens. John J. Bell (D-13), Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-27), Barbara A. Favola (D-31) and Dels. Wendy W. Gooditis (D-10), David A. Reid (D32), Kathleen Murphy (D-34), Karrie K. Delaney (D-67), Irene Shin (D-86) and Suhas Subramanyam (D-87). Del. Dave A. LaRock (R-33), the county’s only Republican representative in the assembly, was invited according to Boysko did not attend. The 2022 General Assembly Session begins Jan 12. n

conservation programs and practices in place in the floodplains.” Other supervisors applauded Turner’s work. And some who were on the board at that time expressed frustration that they went into the 2017 vote without that information. “Had I known that we would need an

engineering study to simply plant some trees, I can’t imagine any of would have wanted to do that,” said Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “This is a perfect example of good intentions kind of going awry and not knowing kind of the back end, so it’s a reminder to me that any time we’re pass-

ing something, we want to look at it very, very carefully,” said Supervisor Caleb E. Kerhsner (R-Catoctin). More information about the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District is at loudounsoilandwater.com. n

JANUARY 13, 2022

Schools budget continued from page 1 Harris Mahedavi (Ashburn) said. “I think have some way to display it in a matrix would be helpful for me and for Loudoun residents. That’s kind of a big shift.” Ziegler responded saying that modest growth was still anticipated for the student body over the next several years. Expectations for population growth are underscored in Ziegler’s proposed six-year Capital Improvement Program. Several new school buildings will be deferred for several years, resulting in the $164 million in construction projects that had been planned for this year dropping to $91 million, a 44% drop. Ziegler said he does not want to underestimate the division’s need to accommodate more student growth than expected for next year. “My biggest worry is that we will be surprised with a huge influx of students in one year, and the possibility of being caught unawares and unprepared to handle a huge number of enrollees in a year,” Ziegler said. The 5% teacher raises would include any step increases that employees were scheduled to receive. For example, if a teacher was scheduled for a 2% step increase next year, the proposed raise would account for the remaining three percent. “Some of the teachers would receive a little bit more, some would receive a little bit less, with the focus going to further reducing the gap for our mid-year and lateyear teachers,” Ziegler said, noting the ongoing effort to better match the pay bands of other school districts in the region. Accounting for step-increases, the minimum raise teachers would receive is 2.2%, while the maximum would raise

Figure skating continued from page 18 after the Olympics there will be a lot of new kids inspired by skaters’ performances,” Katya Bezkorovainaya said. Volyanskaya said after the initial learnto-skate phase, some kids, like Sofia, get the bug and have the talent and commitment to take it to the next level. This year, Sofia won the juvenile division, open to skaters 13 and younger. U.S. figure skating offers several levels before seniors, including intermediate and novice and junior levels. But Volyanskaya said Sofia will likely move up quickly because of her national win. For Sofia, her passion means lots of work and commitment, but she still taps

LOUDOUNNOW.COM would be about 7%. On average, teachers would receive a $4,151 raise. Other employees would receive a 3% cost of living raise. New initiatives in Ziegler’s proposed budget include introducing world languages to elementary schools, beginning International Baccalaureate in two high schools, new supports for English language learners and extracurriculars, and enhancements to student mental health supports. Ziegler’s proposal also includes $3.3 million held in reserve in anticipation of collective bargaining for school employees, and a proposal to hire 17 full-time substitute teachers to address difficulties in finding substitutes. And despite new programs such as International Baccalaureate and a new school opening, Elaine E. Thompson Elementary with the budgeting equivalent of 40 full-time positions or FTEs, the school district would see its projected staffing drop by 183.1 FTEs overall based on lower-than-projected enrollment. Based on the latest guidance from the county administration, Ziegler said, his proposal is $7.3 million more than the county has said will be available from local tax funding to transfer to schools. “I think this is a very thoughtful budget,” Vice Chairman Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) said after the presentation. “I appreciate that it incorporates a lot of the things that we as a board or we in conjunction with staff have discussed over the last six months in committee meetings and board meetings and previous budget conversations.” The School Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the budget Jan. 25, with a vote to adopt the spending plan set for Feb. 2. n into the pure joy of skating. “I love the coldness of the rink. I love making friends there,” she said, adding that her favorite element is the triple flip, an impressive toe jump approached backwards. Is 2026 or 2030 in Sophia’s future? Northern Virginia will be watching. But the Olympics is her goal, and she’s ready to put in the work. “I’m going to try my hardest every single time,” Sofia said. n For more information about figure skating programs at Ashburn Ice House, go to ashburnice.com Follow Sofia Bezkorovainaya on Instagram at @sofiabezkorovainaya. For information about Ion International Training Center, go to ionitc.com.

Redistricting continued from page 4 Leesburg an “Evergreen” District again generally follows Evergreen Mills Road and the Transition Policy Area including Brambleton. “Starting from Leesburg going all the way down to the southern border, you do have a lot of similarity of communities … communities that have a lot of common interests, and we frequently hear the same sort of things from those residents,” he said. He, too, ran into difficulties balancing the district populations around Brambleton—“it’s got so many people in it that any district that you put in it with another major HOA, you’re going to have population problems.” The southeastern Dulles District would be somewhat consolidated, removing some of the areas north of Dulles Airport from the district, with the Sterling District gaining those areas. That, he said, was to try to put all of the Loudoun Valley Estates neighborhood in one district, where it is currently divided. “The main goal that I had was trying to

PAGE 21 keep as many communities of interest together as possible, and in doing so the difficulty is always with the specific HOAs and their lines,” Letourneau said. “So we really went as far as we could to try to keep pretty much every major HOA in the county within a single district.” With the proposals now published online, the county is soliciting comment from the public ahead of the Board of Supervisors’ first meeting on those proposals, expected Jan. 18. An online viewer provides access to all of the submitted plans. The plans and other data are also on the county’s Redistricting Hub. Feedback can be offered through an online comment form. The county board’s adopted redistricting guidelines and other information are at loudoun.gov/ redistricting. The Board of Supervisors is expected to narrow down its options at its Jan. 18 meeting and refer a short list of plans to the county staff members for more work. The board is expected to hear about that work again in February, and select a single plan in March to send to a public hearing in May before final adoption. n

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Legal Notices NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING BY THE TOWN OF HILLSBORO, VIRGINIA Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission and Town Council of the Town of Hillsboro, Virginia (the “Planning Commission” and “Town Council”) will hold a VIRTUAL joint public hearing to receive public comment and to consider adoption of an ordinance amending the Hillsboro Zoning Ordinance to add new off-street parking regulations. A summary of these Amendments is provided below. Complete copies of the amendments are available for review on the Town website at: www. hillsborova.gov and also by appointment at the Town office at 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, VA, 20132 between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Summary of draft Zoning Ordinance Amendments to Add Off-Street Parking Regulations: 1. Amend ARTICLE II, Basic Definitions, to add new definitions relating to off-street parking; 2. Amend ARTICLE X., Regulations Applicable to All Districts, to add a new Part IV: OFFSTREET PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS, Sections 10-24 – 10-34. These regulations, in summary, will require the provision of off-street parking and loading spaces for new or expanded uses according to the intensity and parking needs of various residential and commercial uses. Some regulations may be waived by the Town Council after recommendation by the Planning Commission within the Hillsboro Historic District. Design standards are included for new spaces. The new Section 10-34 will also regulate the parking of large trucks and vehicles on residential properties. The public hearing, which may be continued or adjourned, will be held before the Town Council and Planning Commission on Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, via Zoom at the link listed on the Town’s website or by telephone, Dial: (301) 715 8592, Meeting ID: 862 0172 5276, Passcode: 222266. Any person interested in the Amendments may appear electronically via Zoom at the public hearing and present his or her views. The Town Council may set time limits on speakers and other rules and procedures for the conduct of this public hearing.

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLES 9, 10 AND 18 TLOA-2021-0003 DONATION BOXES Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg VA 20176. The purpose of this amendment is to create a new accessory use called “Donation Box”. The proposed amendments affect the following sections of the Zoning Ordinance: Section 9.4 Accessory Uses, creating a new accessory use “Donation Box” with performance standards. Section 10.4.5.C Extensions into Required Yards, amending certain encroachments into required yards. Section 18.1 Terms Defined, adding a definition for Donation Box. Copies and additional information regarding each of these proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments are available at the Department of Planning & Zoning located on the 2nd floor of Leesburg Town Hall, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg VA 20176 during normal business hours (Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or by contacting Michael Watkins, Zoning Administrator, via email at mwatkins@leesburgva.gov, or via telephone at 703-737-7920. This zoning ordinance amendment application is identified as case number TLOA-2021-0003. At this hearing all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 1/13/22 & 1/20/22

Written comments regarding the Amendments may be delivered prior to the public hearing in care of the Mayor at 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, Virginia 20132, or e-mailed to jshelton@hillsborova.gov. All comments received will be presented to the Town Council and Planning Commission during the public hearing.

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING LEESBURG TOWN CODE AMENDMENTS:

TOWN OF HILLSBORO, VIRGINIA Roger L. Vance, Mayor 1/13 & 1/20/2022

CHAPTER 2 (ADMINISTRATION); ARTICLE V (BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS); DIVISION 1 (GENERALLY); SECTION 2-195 (DUTIES) In accordance with Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, Sections 15.2-1411 and 15.2-1427, the Leesburg Town Council will hold a public hearing on:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Members of the Loudoun School Board will seek public comment about Loudoun County Public Schools’ Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2023 at the January 25 and February 2, 2022, School Board meetings. Comments also will be welcome at School Board meetings throughout the budget process. To speak to the School Board, please go to Citizen Participation page on the LCPS website, www.lcps.org, between 9 a.m. on the Friday prior to the School Board meeting and noon the day of the meeting to fill out a brief form. Those who sign up to offer public comment must meet one of the following criteria: 1. Residents of Loudoun County (including incorporated towns within); 2. Businesses located in whole or part in Loudoun County; 3. Loudoun County taxpayers; 4. Current or former LCPS students; parents and guardians of LCPS students that live outside of Loudoun County; and 5. LCPS employees and retirees; or representatives of organizations serving LCPS employees and students.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA at which time the public shall have the right to present oral and written testimony on proposed amendment to Town Code Section 2-195 (Duties). The amendment will make the removal of a board or commission member automatic in the event they miss three consecutive meetings or four meetings within a twelve-month period. A copy of the proposed ordinance is available from the Town Clerk, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); or by calling Eileen Boeing, Town Clerk, at 703-771-2733. At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at 703-771-2733, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 1/13/2022 & 1/20/2022

Those wishing to speak to the School Board must provide proof that they meet the above criteria. A list of accepted means of identification are available on the Citizen Participation page on the LCPS website. These meetings may be held virtually, or in person, depending on the COVID-19 restrictions in place. If the meeting is being held in-person and you choose not to register to speak via Citizen Participation form, walk-up registration will be accepted at the front of the Administration building until 30 minutes before the start of the meeting. Those who register on-site will be added to the end of the list of pre-registered speakers. Meetings are held at 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, VA 20148. Persons, who, due to a disability, need assistance to participate meaningfully in School Board meetings, should call (571) 252-1020 at least three working days prior to the meeting.

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES This notice is to inform the owner and any person having a security interest in their right to reclaim the motor vehicle herein described within 15 days after the date of storage charges resulting from placing the vehicle in custody, and the failure of the owner or persons having security interests to exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle within the time provided shall be deemed a waiver by the owner, and all persons having security interests of all right, title and interest in the vehicle, and consent to the sale of the abandoned motor vehicle at a public auction. This notice shall also advise the owner of record of his or her right to contest the determination by the Sheriff that the motor vehicle was “abandoned”, as provided in Chapter 630.08 of the Loudoun County Ordinance, by requesting a hearing before the County Administrator in writing. Such written request for a hearing must be made within 15 days of the notice. YR.

MAKE

MODEL

VIN

STORAGE

1997 UNK.

LEXUS CHRYSLER

ES300 SHELBY

JT8BF22G6V0054910 133BZ64E8FD342175

D&M TOWING BLAIRS

PHONE# 703-471-4590 703-661-8200 01/06 & 01/13/22

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Legal Notices TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE 5 RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS; ARTICLE 9 USE REGULATIONS; ARTICLE 12 TREE PRESERVATION, LANDSCAPING, SCREENING, OPEN SPACE AND OUTDOOR LIGHTING; AND, ARTICLE 18 DEFINITIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDING NATURAL SPRING WATER EXTRACTION AND BOTTLING PLANT IN THE R-E SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ESTATE ZONING DISTRICT Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, January 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 to consider Zoning Ordinance Amendment TLOA-2020-0006 revising the following Sections of the Zoning Ordinance: Sec. 5.1.2 Use Regulations adding Natural Spring Water Extraction and Bottling Plant as a special exception use in the R-E Single Family Residential Estate Zoning District Sec. 5.1.3 Density Intensity and Dimensional Standards establishing minimum setback requirements for a Natural Spring Water Extraction and Bottling Plant use Sec. 9.3.15.1 Use Standards establishing minimum use standards for a Natural Spring Water Extraction and Bottling Plant Sec. 12.8.4.C Land Use Category establishing the land use category for buffer yard and screening requirements applicable to a Natural Spring Water Extraction and Bottling Plant Sec. 18.1.163 Definitions redefining the term Farming Copies and additional information regarding these proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments are available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by calling 703-737-7009 and asking for Christopher Murphy, Senior Planning Project Manager. This zoning ordinance amendment application is identified as case number TLOA2020-0006. At this hearing all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 1/13/2022 & 1/20/2022

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

CL21-2168, Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176

Case No.:

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.:

In re Name Change Cyrus Lee Zug

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104

CL21-2167, Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176 In re Name Change Victoria Noelle Zug

The object of this suit is to petition fo rname change of minor.

It is ORDERED that Christopher Zug appear at the above-named Court and protect their interests on or before March 4, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.

1/13, 1/20, 1/27, & 2/3/2022

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS January 13, 2022 County of Loudoun P.O. Box 7000 Leesburg, Virginia 20177-7000 703-737-8323 These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the County of Loudoun. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or about January 13, 2022, the County of Loudoun will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of Housing Choice Vouchers - Project Based, under Section8(o) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as amended, to undertake a project known as Tuscarora Crossing Phase II, an affordable multi-family rental housing project in the County of Loudoun to serve households with incomes at 60 percent area median income and lower. The project involves the construction of 90 apartments built on a 2.3-acre parcel located at the intersection of Tuscarora Ridge Drive & Mattaponi Terrace in Leesburg, VA 20175. The project will be a four-story building that is part of a larger development and residents will have access to the community amenities provided by the larger Tuscarora Crossing homeowner’s association. Overall, the location provides good access to employment and other amenities for residents. The estimated project cost is $35.1 million. The project was awarded eight (8) Project-Based Vouchers with an estimated value of $1,899,792. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The County of Loudoun has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. The ERR will also be made available to the public for review at: http://www.loudoun. gov/pbv. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Loudoun County Office of Housing, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177-7000, Attention: Housing Finance Project Manager. Written comments may also be emailed to housing@loudoun.gov. All comments received by 5:00 p.m. on January 31, 2022, will be considered by the County of Loudoun prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing. ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The County of Loudoun certifies to HUD that Mr. Tim Hemstreet, in his capacity as County Administrator of the County of Loudoun, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the County of Loudoun to use Program funds. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the County of Loudoun’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the County of Loudoun; (b) the County of Loudoun has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted via email until further notice in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to: HUD, Public and Indian Housing Program Center, Christine Jenkins, PIH_Covid-19EnvironmentalObjectionsDCFO@hud.gov. Potential objectors should contact the Washington, D.C. HUD Public and Indian Program Center at (202) 275-6306 to verify the actual last day of the objection period. Tim Hemstreet, County Administrator Certifying Officer 1/13 & 1/20/22

LoudounNow.com

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Legal Notices PUBLIC HEARING The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following: CMPT-2021-0008 DULLES SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Commission Permit)

The Loudoun County School Board, of Ashburn, Virginia has submitted an application for Commission approval to permit an elementary school in the TR-1(UBF) (Transitional Residential – 1 (Upper Broad Run and Upper Foley)) and TR-3(UBF) (Transitional Residential – 3 (Upper Broad Run and Upper Foley)) zoning districts. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and requires a Commission Permit in accordance with Section 6-1101. The subject property is located partially within FOD (Floodplain Overlay District), and partially within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours. The subject property is approximately 117.49 acres in size and is located south of Braddock Road (Route 705 and Route 620) on the west side of Lightridge Farm Road (Route 705), at 41025 Collaboration Drive, Aldie, VA 20105, in the Blue Ridge Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 288-19-4044. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Transition Policy Area (Transition Large Lot Neighborhood Place Type) which designate this area for low density Residential neighborhoods, Agricultural uses, and Extensive Natural and Manmade open space areas developed at a non-residential Floor Area Ratio (FAR) up to 0.1.

ZMAP-2021-0001 GUM SPRING RESIDENTIAL (Zoning Map Amendment)

25534 GumSpringRd LLC, of Ashburn, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 2.0 acres from the R-1 (Single-Family Residential 1) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-8 (Single-Family Residential 8) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to develop 12 single-family attached residential units at a density of approximately 6 dwelling units per acre. The subject property is approximately 2.0 acres in size and is located north of Braddock Road (Route 620) on the east side of Gum Spring Road (Route 659), at 25534 Gum Spring Road, Chantilly, VA 20152, in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 20628-7547. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Neighborhood Place Type)), which designate this area for Residential uses arranged on medium-to-large lots at a recommended density of up to six dwelling units per acre for infill development.

ZRTD-2021-0007 HERCULES VENTURES LC

(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District) Hercules Ventures L.C., of Bethesda, Maryland has submitted an application to rezone a 2.02-acre parcel from the PD-GI (Planned Development-General Industry) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-GI zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance as amended from time to time, in order to permit the development of all principle and accessory uses permitted in the PD-GI zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.4 (up to 0.6 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, the Route 28 CI (Corridor Industrial) Overlay District, partially within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District between the Ldn 60-65, and partially within the AI Overlay District outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours. The subject property is approximately 2.02 acres in size and located on the south side of Moran Road (Route 634) and the west side of Markey Court (Route 741), at 22570 Markey Court, Sterling, Virginia in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 045-35-2429. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Industrial/Mineral Extraction)), which support large manufacturing, contractor and outdoor storage, industrial, and mineral extraction uses at a recommended FAR of up to 0.6.

ZRTD-2021-0006 SHAW ROAD BUSINESS PARK

(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District) PS Business Parks, L.P., of Tysons, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone a 9.6-acre parcel from the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance as amended from time to time, in order to permit the development of all principle and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, the Route 28 CB (Corridor Business) Overlay District, the Quarry Overlay District (Loudoun Note Area), and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District outside of but within one mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour. The subject property is approximately 9.6 acres in size and located east of Sully Road (Route 28); north of Old Ox Road (Route 606); and south of Sterling Boulevard (Route 846); at 22930, 22960, and 22980 Shaw Road, Sterling, Virginia in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 034-37-2453. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment)), which support a broad array

of employment uses at a recommended FAR of up to 1.0.

SPEX-2021-0025 SCOTT JENKINS MEMORIAL PARK (Special Exception)

The Loudoun County Department of Transportation & Capital Infrastructure, of Leesburg, Virginia, has submitted an application for a Special Exception to modify the conditions of approval and Special Exception plat associated with SPEX-2009-0004, Scott Jenkins Memorial Park, which currently govern the subject property, in order to amend Condition #5 to allow lighting for the existing ballfields on site in the AR-1 (Agricultural Rural - 1) zoning district. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is located partially within the Sensitive Mountainside Overlay District and is also located partially within the Somewhat Sensitive Mountainside Overlay District. The subject property is approximately 34.21 acres in size and is located on the south side of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) and on the north side of East Colonial Highway (Old Route 7), at 39464 E Colonial Highway, Hamilton, Virginia, in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 346-35-3765. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Rural Policy Area (Rural North Place Type)), which designate this area for mostly Agricultural and Agricultural Supportive uses with limited Residential uses.

ZMAP-2020-0009 & ZMOD-2021-0022 POTOMAC VIEW TOWNHOMES (Zoning Map Amendment & Zoning Modification)

Zohrab Tikoyan, of Fairfax, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 3.054 acres from the R-1 (Single Family Residential), PD-H3 (Planned Development – Housing 3), PD-H4 (Planned Development – Housing 4), and PD-H6 (Planned Development – Housing 6) zoning districts under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-8 ADU (Single Family Residential – 8 Affordable Dwelling Unit Development Regulations), zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 21 single family attached units, at a density of approximately 6.8 dwelling units per acre. The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification: ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

§7-803(F)(2) R-8 Single Family Residential Permit the development to front on a private road. District, Lot and Building Requirements, Other Regulations, Frontage. The subject property is approximately 3.054 acres in size and is located north of South Cottage Road (Route 1724), east of Potomac View Road (Route 637) and south of Hopeland Lane (Route 1721) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as: PIN

PROPERTY ADDRESS

012-26-2912

N/A

012-25-5549 Area of Right-of-Way

N/A N/A

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area) in the Suburban Neighborhood Place Type which designate this area for predominately Residential uses on medium-to-large lots with a residential density up to four dwelling units per acres, or up to six units per acre for infill development, and a total non-residential Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 1.0.

ZMAP-2020-0014, SPEX-2020-0028, ZMOD-2020-0034 & ZMOD-2021-0009 THE VILLAS AT CASCADES (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception & Zoning Modifications)

Tradition Companies LLC, of Arlington, Virginia, has submitted applications for the following: to rezone approximately 6.93 acres from the PD-H4 (Planned Development – Housing 4), administered as PDCC-CC (Planned Development – Commercial Center (Community Center)) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, to the R-24 ADU (Multifamily Residential – 24 Affordable Dwelling Unit Development Regulations) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 173 stacked multifamily residential units, at a density of approximately 24.96 dwelling units per acre; and a Special Exception to reduce the front yard setback from 25 feet to 10 feet. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and the proposed modification of the front yard setback in the R-24 zoning district is listed as a Special Exception under Section 7-1003(C)(4). The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s):

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

JANUARY 13, 2022

PAGE 25

Legal Notices ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

§3-702(A), R-24 Multifamily Residential, Size and Permit the development to have direct access to Location. Cascades Parkway by private roads. §3-707(B), R-24 Multifamily Residential, Building Permit multifamily buildings to be constructed to Requirements, Building Height. a maximum height of 50 feet without providing an additional setback from streets or lot lines beyond the required minimum yard dimensions.

The subject property is partially located within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District), minor floodplain. The subject property is approximately 6.93 acres in size and is located north of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7), east of Cascades Parkway (Route 1794) and south of Palisade Parkway (Route 1795) in the Algonkian Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as: PIN

PROPERTY ADDRESS

019-27-8810

46303 McClellan Way, Sterling Virginia

019-18-2198

N/A

019-18-1583

46321 McClellan Way, Sterling, Virginia

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area) in the Suburban Mixed Use Place Type which designate this area for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0. Unless otherwise noted in the above notices, copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances, and/or plans and related documents may be examined by request at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 703-777-0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/ lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. To arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email dpz@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246, or you may view the file electronically at www.loudoun. gov/lola. For detailed instructions on how to access documents using LOLA, to request that documents be emailed to you, to receive physical copies of documents, or to arrange a time to

view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email DPZ@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246 (option 5). Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www.loudoun.gov/pc. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, members of the public are encouraged to view the public hearing electronically; however, the Board Room will be open for any members of the public who wish to attend in person with appropriate physical distancing. Planning Commission public hearings are available for viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40, and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/webcast. All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing. If you wish to sign up in advance of the hearing, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the public hearing. Speakers may also sign up at the hearing. Written comments are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor, MSC #62, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun. gov. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the public hearing if special arrangements for additional speaking time and/or audio-visual equipment will be requested. Such an organization representative will be allotted 6 minutes to speak, and the Chairman may grant additional time if the request is made prior to the date of the hearing and the need for additional time is reasonably justified. Citizens are encouraged to call the Department of Planning and Zoning on the day of the public hearing to confirm that an item is on the agenda, or, the most current agenda may be viewed on the Planning Commission’s website at www.loudoun.gov/pc. In the event that the second Thursday is a holiday or the meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be moved to the third Tuesday of the month. In the event that Tuesday is a holiday or the Tuesday meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be held on the following Thursday. The meeting will be held at a place determined by the Chairman. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings at all other locations. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246. Please provide three days’ notice. BY ORDER OF:

FOREST HAYES, CHAIRMAN LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

01/06, 1/13 & 1/20/2022

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ABC LICENSE

Virginia Winery Distribution Company, trading as VWDC, 22455 Davis Drive, Suite 106, Sterling, VA 20164-4446 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL for a Virginia Wine Wholesaler’s license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Courtney Mailey, Chairman

The Town of Leesburg will accept proposals electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia. gov), until 3:00 p.m. on February 2, 2022 for the following:

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc. virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard 1/13/22

Pursuant to §§ 15.2-1427 and 15.2-2118, et seq., of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a Public Hearing on THURSDAY, January 20, 2022, at 6:30 p.m., at the Lovettsville Council Chambers, 6 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, VA 20180, to receive public comment concerning proposed revisions to Lovettsville Town Code §§ 38-48 and 38-50 regarding water and sewer billing and collection policies to comply with the Virginia Code. All persons desiring to speak will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting. The proposed revisions being considered are available for review at the Town Hall between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays or by special appointment, holidays excepted. Call 540-822-5788 for more information or visit www.lovettsvilleva.gov. In the event the meeting is cancelled, the public hearing will be convened at the next regular scheduled meeting at the same time and place. 01/06 & 01/13/22

01/06 & 01/13/22

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS FOR:

RFP No. 100161-FY22-24 Audit Services The Town of Leesburg is soliciting proposals from qualified certified public accounting firms to audit its financial statement beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022.

Proposed Revisions to Lovettsville Town Code Sections 38-48 and 38-50 regarding water and sewer billing and collection policies to conform with Virginia Code §§ 15.2-2119; 15.2-2119.1; 15.2-2119.4

ACCEPTING

SEALED

GENERAL FOOD SERVICES: TOURNAMENT CONCESSIONS, RFQ No. 471782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, February 1, 2022.

LoudounNow.com

Solicitation forms may be obtained 24 hours a day by visiting our web site at www.loudoun.gov/procurement. If you do not have access to the Internet, call (703) 777-0403, M - F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. WHEN CALLING, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DISABILITY IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCUREMENT. 1/13/22

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 26

JANUARY 13, 2022

Legal Notices NOTICE OF SEIZURE AND INTENT TO FORFEIT Notice is hereby given that the United States Department of the Interior is hereby commencing a forfeiture proceeding against the following items of wildlife or wildlife products, which were seized in the Eastern District of Virginia on the dates indicated because they were involved in one or more violations of any of the following laws: Endangered Species Act, Title 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1538, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, 11 U.S.C. Sec. 1371-1372, the Lacey Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 3372, Wild Bird Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 4901-4916, or the African Elephant Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 4221-4245. These items are subject to forfeiture to the United States under Title 16, U.S.C. Sec. 1540(e), 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1377, or 16 U.S.C. Sec. 3374 and Title 50 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 12.23. Any person with an ownership or financial interest in said items who desires to claim them must file a claim with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, 23703-C Air Freight Lane, Suite 200, Dulles, VA 20166; telephone (703) 661-8560. Such claim must be received by the above office by 02/03/2022. The claim will be transmitted to the U.S. Attorney for institution of a forfeiture action in U.S. District Court. If a proper claim is not received by the above office by such date, the items will be declared forfeited to the United States and disposed of according to law. Any person who has an interest in the items may also file with the above office a petition for remission of forfeiture in accordance with Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 12.24, which petition must be received in such office before disposition of the items. Storage costs may also be assessed. INV #

SEIZURE DATE

VALUE

ITEMS SEIZED

2021505390

12/07/2021

$19516

One thousand one hundred ninety-six (1196) money cowrie (cypraea moneta) jewelry (other than ivory); Three hundred forty-seven (347) money cowrie (cypraea moneta) shell product (mollusc or turtle).

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RESOLUTION NO. 2022-001 A RESOLUTION:

PRESENTED January 6, 2022 ADOPTED January 6, 2022

TO ALLOW THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CONTINUE MEETINGS IN THE EVENT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2-195 of the Leesburg Town Code and Section 1.2 of the Planning Commission Bylaws and Rules of Procedures, the Planning Commission holds regular meetings on the first and third Thursdays of each month; and WHEREAS, Virginia Code § 15.2-2214, authorizes local planning commissions to adopt at a regular meeting a resolution that “fix(es) the day or days to which any meeting shall be continued if the chairman, or vice-chairman if the chairman is unable to act, finds and declares that weather or other conditions are such that it is hazardous for members to attend the meeting”; and WHEREAS, § 15.2-2214 further states that when such finding occurs, it shall be communicated to the members and press as promptly as possible, and all hearings and other matters previously advertised for such meeting shall be conducted at the continued meeting with no further advertisement required; and

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WHEREAS, the Planning Commission wishes to adopt a resolution that will allow it to continue Commission meetings in the event of inclement weather in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of its members and the public. THEREFORE, RESOLVED by the Planning Commission of the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, as follows: 1. Any Planning Commission meeting may be continued upon a declaration by the chairman, or vice-chairman if the chairman is unable to act, that weather or other conditions are such that it is hazardous for members to attend the meeting; and 2. In such event, such declaration shall be communicated to the Commission members and the press as promptly as possible, the affected meeting shall be continued to the next regularly-scheduled meeting date, and all hearings and other matters advertised for the date of the affected meeting shall be conducted at the continued meeting without further advertisement; and 3. A copy of this Resolution shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation within the Town of Leesburg as soon as practicable, and no Planning Commission meeting shall be continued pursuant to this Resolution until at least seven (7) days after the date of such publication.

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JANUARY 13, 2022

Opinion Supporting the Vision Once again, the Leesburg Town Council has found itself divided over implementing its adopted community development strategy. On Tuesday night, a project that spent the past several years undergoing an extensive community feedback process and had been held up as an example of the type of redevelopment envisioned by the town’s own planning documents was approved by a single vote. It could just as easily have been rejected by the same slim margin. When the whim of a single member can wipe out years of investment, it sends a troubling signal to those on whom the town will rely to implement its vision. The Town Plan and, in this case, the Crescent District Master Plan, are the roadmaps on which landowners should depend to determine the future uses of their land. If there are changing priorities—or a simply a desire to stop change—those planning policies should be adjusted to provide clear guidance. If the goal is no longer to encourage an expansion of the downtown core, the town’s plans should make that clear. The Town Council is about to embark on the final stages of the latest Town Plan update. This is the opportunity for the current set of elected representatives to put their stamp on the vision for the town’s future. Setting those policies is important, but the plan only works when town leaders undertake the even harder work of making those plans reality. n

Norman K. Styer, Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com

Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC

EDITORIAL Renss Greene, Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com

15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176

Jan Mercker, Reporter jmercker@loudounnow.com

PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723

Kara C. Rodriguez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Hayley Milon Bour, Reporter hbour@loudounnow.com ADVERTISING Susan Styer, Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow.com

Loudoun Now is delivered by mail to more than 44,000 Loudoun homes and businesses, with a total weekly distribution of 47,000.

Tonya Harding, Account Executive tharding@loudounnow.com Vicky Mashaw, Account Executive vmashaw@loudounnow.com

LETTERS to the Editor Protect the Park Editor: Bles Park needs our attention and help. The Board of Supervisors doesn’t understand the value of Bles Park’s natural beauty and value to the county. On Jan. 18, the board plans to pass zoning special exceptions put forth by Loudoun County Parks and Recreation to greatly increase hard surface parking areas, add hard surface trails, surround the wetlands area with boardwalks and an improved gravel road with parking for a kayak launch next to the Potomac River, and build additional “improvements.” My family and I have lived on Smith Circle adjacent to Bles Park since it was set aside as a county park in the late 1990s. It is one of only two natural parks in Loudoun County and is home to varied wildlife and plants, many of which are not found elsewhere in the county. We’ve been fortunate to enjoy its natural state and peaceful beauty. Bles Park is largely within the Potomac River floodplain, has natural surface walking trails that follow the river and go through woods and fields, has a small wetlands area, has four soccer fields, and about 50 paved parking spaces. The wetlands, park, and floodplain serve as an important buffer and filter to runoff from developments in the surrounding area before it reaches the Potomac River. The proposed changes would increase

paved surface parking 5x, build paved walking paths, surround 90% of the small wetlands area with boardwalks and an improved gravel road with parking for a kayak launch next to the river, build an open recreational field, build pavilions, and build other “improvements.” The Loudoun County Planning Commission has been reviewing the proposed changes and working with the parks and recreation department over the past year to reduce the impact of the proposed changes to Bles Park. They identified that the proposed changes, even after several revisions to the site plan, were not in keeping with the Loudoun County General Plan policies calling for the protection of natural, environmental, and heritage resources. The Planning Commission identified that the proposed changes to Bles Park will destroy habitats for rare and sensitive plant and animal species. The Planning Commission considered the Loudoun County staff report recommending approval of the special exception permits but ultimately felt the proposed changes were too destructive to the park and voted to deny the proposal as is. The Planning Commission identified many alternatives to the increased paved surfaces for parking, boardwalks, location of the kayak access area, and other intrusive changes to Bles Park. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 29

JANUARY 13, 2022

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

Readers’ Poll

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: What should the priorities be for this year's school budget?

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: Do you support a county tax on plastic shopping bags?

LETTERS to the editor continued from page 28

I sincerely hope, with public outcry and support for the park, that the Board of Supervisors recognizes the value that Bles Park has to county residents and votes to deny the application or to send it back to the Planning Commission for rework and adoption of the commission’s proposed changes. — John Hentschel, Ashburn

Deserve Better Editor: I want to add my voice in support of Loudoun County School Board Member Brenda Sheridan. The recall efforts against Sheridan are part of a coordinated right-wing attack to scapegoat school policies that promote equity as the source of problems facing public schools. There are over 80,000 children in LCPS. Educating this many children effectively could never be less than a gargantuan task filled with complicated problems. In the past two years, that gargantuan task was made almost impossible by a global pandemic. Falsely pointing to “critical race theory” as an explanation for current public school issues misleads the public and steals time and resources better directed at the significant challenges that have always and will always arise in public education. Fight for Schools is the PAC leading the recall effort against Sheridan. I explored the FFS homepage. It took all of a minute. I wanted to examine their claims and the information they had to support it. The FFS website contains no specific claims and no data. The homepage is a long, disjointed, vent. They have dozens of upsetting accusations but present no

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evidence, no reports, nothing to back them up. They do make sure to ask you for money immediately. According to local reporting, the claims against Sheridan are that she violated open meeting laws by being part of a community Facebook group. Being a part of a community Facebook group has never constituted a violation of open meeting laws. They are also accusing her of violating First Amendment rights by halting public comment at a School Board meeting after the crowd refused to stop yelling despite repeated warnings. School Board policy 2520 permits public comment to be closed if they cannot make comments in a civil manner. Finally, the filing claims that Sheridan mismanaged a sexual assault case. The School Board plays no role in “managing” sexual assault cases. They are asked to hear appeals of disciplinary actions against students. Therefore, it is imperative that the School Board not manage the investigation and only be given minimal information. I’d also like to share things not getting said about Brenda Sheridan. She was an LCPS substitute teacher from 2004-2011 and named the 2006-07 Substitute of the Year. She has been part of PTA leadership on local, state, and national levels. She coordinated projects for Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops. She founded a boosters organization for kids’ arts programs. As a School Board member, she advocated for full-day kindergarten, reductions in class sizes, and increases to teacher salaries, which is a sure way to attract great teachers. Finally, Brenda Sheridan has been elected three times by her district. In the 2019 election, she won by 62%, a far better margin than what we see in our national election. The recall petition submitted just over 800 signatures, which is

only 10 percent of her district. If the judge finds in favor of this meritless legal action, it will reinforce the false idea that elections have little meaning and suppress the will of the majority of Ms. Sheridan’s district—the majority that duly elected her. The people of her district deserve better and so does Ms. Sheridan. — Betsy Scotto-Lavino, Leesburg

Bles Park Plan Flaws Editor: The Board of Supervisors plans to vote shortly on the Parks, Recreation and Community Services zoning request for Bles Park. This is alarming because their plans showed a lack of consideration for nature and natural spaces. Please ask your supervisor and Juli Briskman, the supervisor for the Algonkian District where Bles is located, to vote against the approval of the zoning changes and send it back to the Planning Commission for changes until it gets planned right. The current plan has several flaws—in fact, so many flaws that the Planning Commission recommended to not approve the zoning change even after several parts of the plan were changed for the better. Bles is the best spot in Loudoun for dragonflies without a doubt. It contains a secluded natural space that appeals to birds and humans alike with a great variety of aquatic habitats—a marsh, Broad Run, the Potomac River and a pond. Ask the residents of Arlington or Fairfax if they would have liked to have more natural spaces closer to home and I’m sure they would answer a resounding yes, so please protect our spaces in Loudoun now. PRCS’s plan includes several ideas that maybe sound great at first glance, but important nuance makes their plan a

poor plan. First and foremost among the plan’s problems is to add a boardwalk along the marsh. I love boardwalks, but this boardwalk would expose all the most secluded parts of the marsh. This will drive away lots of wildlife. Yes, there will still be birds even if they install the boardwalk—you’ll see mallards and Canada geese, but you’ll no longer see the reclusive marsh wren, American bittern, common gallinule or wood ducks. A great alternative has been recommended—an observation tower. Another part of the plan is to put in an unprogrammed lawn near the pond which is heavily used by wildlife to provide a space for people to picnic and play. While that sounds nice in the abstract, it will remove trees and shrubs that currently help absorb runoff and harbor beautiful breeding birds like the spectacular prairie warbler (google it, I’ll wait). It is lightly used by people because the path to it is often flooded and it is deep into the park, the sort of place that isn’t easy for people to take their picnic basket for a nice outdoor afternoon. These are just a couple of reasons the Planning Commission and concerned residents are opposed to this change. This is also why the county needs to hire someone with wildlife biology and natural systems expertise to help steward the environmental and wildlife needs in the county. Without that influence, we get these plans that are better suited to urban areas, not the natural beauty of Loudoun. This Bles Park plan doesn’t match the comprehensive plan or what should be done in a floodplain or what should be done for wildlife. Why would it possibly be approved? — Bryan Henson, Sterling LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 30

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LETTERS to the editor continued from page 29

Disregarding Residents Editor: As a resident of the Cardinal Glen community in Sterling, I am deeply alarmed by the Route 7 corridor study to limit access to our neighborhood to a right in/right out-only onto Rt. 7. The proposal includes removing the fully functional traffic light at the intersection of Cardinal Glen Circle/ Sterling Blvd. and Rt. 7. That traffic light offers us a safe passage in and out of our homes. To go eastbound on Rt. 7 we will be forced to make a U-turn lane at or near Potomac View Road. It forces us to make an aggressive right turn onto Rt. 7’s heavy flow of traffic, only to muscle our way into the leftmost lane immediately. The Potomac View intersection is already infamous for its high number of accidents. Residents of our community rallied together and met with Supervisor Koran Saines and representatives from the county’s Department of Transportation & Capital Infrastructure. What’s concerning is that no one from the DTCI or county leaders reached out to us, the residents who will be most affected by these changes, before our invitation. The whole neighborhood overwhelmingly rejected the proposal, citing concerns about safety, emergency personnel access into our neighborhood, and dropping home values due to unsafe/ inconvenient access. The initial response from the representatives was not reassuring. Koran Saines set the tone with “you can’t please everyone when you make these decisions.”

ON THE agenda continued from page 7

Court Records Preservation program. One grant will be used to complete conservation of the land tax books for 1872, 1874 and 1878, will books from 1806-1809, 1825-1827 and 1829-1830, and a deed book from 1767. The other grant will be used to digitize criminal court papers from 1757 to 1865. The deed and will books are used frequently by title examiners to conduct title research and are used extensively for genealogical research, according to the clerk’s office. The 1757–1865 criminal court papers are a collection of loose pa-

When we focused on the primary safety concern, John (JT) Thomas from DTCI stated: “Accidents that come from making a right-hand turn tend to be less fatal.” Accepting a risk that we have to sacrifice our safety for the needs of other commuters is unconscionable. As Bob Brown from DTCI walked through the plan, I wondered did he ever try to exit Cardinal Glen using a right-only without the aid of the traffic light? I can rarely make the right turn unassisted, even during non-rush hour traffic. While I appreciate the intent of the study, in dealing with the county’s rapid growth and high traffic, I oppose the measures to put in place interim safety improvements that will disregard the safety and convenience of over 500 people in addition to the Bahai temple and its congregants located on our grounds. This could be a basis for a lawsuit, if we have no other recourse. Interims could last decades with a shifting political landscape and will to fund the full 2040 design. In the future, I will vote no on capital infrastructure improvement plans because I have lost faith in the process, the county leaders, and their lack of transparency when it comes to engaging the citizens who will be affected the most. — Maliha Balala, Cardinal Glen

Our Priorities Editor: I am writing about the proposed enhancements to Bles Park, which the Board of Supervisors may approve on Jan 18. The proposal includes active recreation facilities which could be located elsewhere in Loudoun County, even within the Algonkian District. They do pers that have undergone substantial conservation by the historic records team in the clerk’s office. The collection is now prepared for digitization, which the state grant will finance. Following the digital conversion process, the records will be indexed in an online database for those researching the historic court papers. “I am grateful to the Library of Virginia for these grants and funding will be used to ensure proper conservation of valuable historic documents and to promote improved public access to these public documents,” Clemens stated. “I am also very grateful to my dedicated team of deputy clerks who work in my historic records division. We have a talented group of people who understand the virtues of

not need to be built at Bles Park, which provides habitat for many birds and other unique species. I do not understand why the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services is ignoring the results of the 2020 survey conducted by its consultant, the ETC Institute. 907 county residents responded to the survey with their rankings of unmet needs and importance of park facilities. Those responses were combined into a Priority Investment Rating. This showed that the top three facilities that residents want are paved trails for recreation, unpaved/natural trails, and natural areas. Bles currently provides miles of unpaved trails and acres of natural area. Supervisors should abide by their constituents’ wishes and vote no on this proposal. — Linda Hollis, Ashburn

Reverse Course Editor: More than a decade ago, a short-sighted Board of Supervisors approved removing about 30 acres of passive land use from Bles Park, a small 124-acre park, to create four soccer fields with inadequate parking. Because of its small size and the badly planned, active use encroachment that began more than a decade ago, the natural habitat of Bles Park is now further endangered by this Board of Supervisors. For people who understand and value the natural, Bles Park provides the calming presence of being in harmony with nature. Its unique location which borders the Potomac and Broad Run Rivers on two sides, provides for shared family experiences in an irreplaceable, ecologically fragile sanctuary for wild flowers and birds. According to Birds of Loudoun, more safeguarding and promoting our local history assets.” Over the past 20 years, Clemens and his team have received $687,457 in state grant funding for historic preservation efforts from the Library of Virginia, according to his office. For more information about the clerk’s historic Loudoun court records program, go to loudoun.gov/clerkarchives.

Free Education and Support Offered for Caregivers The Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging offers free, virtual education sessions to help ease the burden and stress of caring for loved ones.

JANUARY 13, 2022

bird species have been seen in Bles Park than any other place in Loudoun County. Furthermore, according to a national database of bird sightings, 190 species of birds have been seen at Bles Park in recent years. I attended the Board of Supervisors Dec. 15 public hearing and the decision to move ahead with a January vote seemed to hinge on concern about the safety of street parking—a bad parking solution that resulted from approval of soccer fields with inadequate parking. As a result, the plan now intends to add about 160 parking spaces. The prior and proposed parking changes to Bles Park seem to amount to no more than the game of “foot in the door followed by entire body.” If more parking and other amenities are needed, stop the gamesmanship and replace a soccer field. Moreover, remove the proposed wetlands boardwalk; Bles Park is not the Everglades. And how is increasing the impervious area within the floodplain from 10,000 square feet to 304,025 square feet consistent with the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan policies that call for the protection of natural, environmental and heritage resources? Supervisor Briskman should consider how absurdly out of balance a 10% decrease in the floodplain impervious area (347,150 to 304,025 square feet), which she approvingly commented on, is compared to a 30% increase (10,000 to 304,025 square feet) in the floodplain impervious area. If the supervisors don’t reverse course, Loudoun County and Virginia would never be able to recover the precious natural asset it has lost. The supervisors were elected to be responsible stewards of Bles Park. — Timothy R. Kroboth, Ashburn The January session, “When Nobody Else Gets It” will focus on dealing with people who don’t understand dementia and will be presented by Jennifer L. Fitzpatrick. The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. The February session, “Boundaries in Caregiving” will focus on preventing and avoiding the martyr syndrome and will also be presented by Fitzpatrick. The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 23, from noon to 1 p.m. EST. To register for the programs, email aaasupport@loudoun.gov. To learn more about Area Agency on Aging programs and community resources, visit loudoun. gov/aaa or call 703-777-0257.

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The Great Hound Match of 1905 BY TRAVIS SHAW

The sport of foxhunting has remarkably deep roots in Northern Virginia. The first hounds were introduced to Virginia just a few decades after Englishmen landed at Jamestown. George Washington learned to love the sport as a young man, hunting with Lord Fairfax across his vast estates in the Northern Virginia piedmont. The Piedmont Fox Hounds–the oldest established hunt in America— was founded by Richard Dulany here in Loudoun County in 1840. During the Civil War, Confederate partisan John Mosby and his men passed their free time chasing foxes. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century, however, that this area achieved nationwide fame as the epicenter of American hunt culture. 1905 marked the coming of age for organized fox hunting in the United States, and it was all due to a series of magazine articles. Harry Worcester Smith, Master of Fox Hounds for Massachusetts’s Grafton Hunt, wrote into Rider and Driver magazine to argue that American-bred fox hounds should be recognized as a breed distinct from their English antecedents. This argument, however, did not sit well with Alexander Henry Higginson, MFH for the Middlesex Hunt (also of Massachusetts). Higginson claimed there was no such thing as a distinct American hound, and if there was, it would surely be inferior to their British cousins. Their argument played out in the pages of Rider and Driver before a practical solution was proposed. The two men would gather their respective packs and engage in a competition “for love, money, or marbles” to see which hounds would prevail. Alexander Henry Higginson was 29 at the time of the match. Born into a life of privilege, he was a Harvard graduate and a devoted sportsman. His father, Major Henry Higginson, was a veteran of the Civil War who had been wounded at the Battle of Aldie in 1863. Harry Worcester Smith, 12 years older than Higginson, was a magnate in the textile milling industry. Smith was familiar with the Middleburg area, having hunted there several times as a guest of the Dulany family in the years before the match. Each man chose a judge, and together the judges chose a third, more impartial judge to join them. Smith chose the Master of the Warrenton Hunt, Jim Maddux, while Higginson chose Charles McEachran, Master of the Montreal Hunt. The third judge was Hal Movius, Master of the Pennsylvania-based Brandywine Hunt. The location for the match would be the area between Upperville and Middleburg – the birthplace of organized foxhunting in America. In the weeks preceding the match, hundreds of riders, spectators, and journalists arrived to watch the sport. Inns and homes were packed with visitors, and the narrow winding roads were clogged with onlookers. Representatives from hunts across the United States, Canada and Europe were in attendance. The match was set to begin Nov. 1, and the rules were simple – whichever pack caught the most foxes would be the winner. If no foxes were caught, the judges would decide which pack had “done the best work with that

Harry Worcester Smith Archive, Collection of the National Sporting Library & Museum

Alexander Higginson, Master of Foxhounds for the Middlesex Hunt.

object in view.” Welbourne, home of Richard Dulany, was chosen for the opening ceremonies, and the old founder and master of the Piedmont Fox Hounds himself was there to preside over the competition. For the next two weeks, the opposing packs scoured the southern Loudoun Valley for their wily prey. Higginson and his English hounds preferred the vicinity of Middleburg, while Smith’s group typically met near Oakley outside Upperville, but ranged as far as Oatlands. The Great Hound Match, as it came to be called, did not end without incident. One rider nearly drowned in Pantherskin Creek when he and his mount fell into an unseen pool while following Higginson’s pack. Harry Worcester Smith broke his foot and had to be cut out of his boot. A woman rider broke a tooth in a fall, but courageously remounted and continued pursuit. Higginson and several of his followers were threatened with arrest after trampling a farmer’s wheat field, and the situation was only diffused by the direct intervention of Richard Dulany. Through two weeks of hunting, numerous foxes were chased, but neither Smith’s nor Higginson’s pack killed a single fox. Although most assumed the result would therefore be a draw, the judges deliberated and decided the American hounds “had done the best work with the object of killing the fox in view.” It was a moment

of vindication not only for American-bred hounds, but for American foxhunting in general. The Great Hound Match of 1905 marked a watershed moment for the sport and for Northern Virginia’s hunt country. The Upperville-Middeburg area was already building a reputation among foxhunters in 1905, but after the Match, it began to be seen as the heart of Virginia’s, even America’s, hunt culture. Wealthy northern equestrians flocked to the area in ever-increasing numbers, bringing a fresh infusion of capital to an area devastated by the Civil War four decades earlier. The rise of Virginia’s hunt country even made its way into popular culture, as celebrities like Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor flocked to the area. Middleburg even appeared in the 1964 Alfred Hitchcock thriller “Marnie,” in which foxhunting is an important part of the plot. Hunting continues to draw thousands of visitors to the area today, and the hounds are a popular sight at events such as Middleburg’s annual Christmas parade. American foxhounds also feature prominently at the annual Foxhound Show at Morven Park. More details about the hound match and its legacy can be found in Martha Wolfe’s “The Great Hound Match of 1905.” The camaraderie born of the match also led to establishment of the Masters of Fox Hounds Association of North America in 1907–with Harry Worcester Smith serving as the organization’s first president. One of the MFHA’s most important duties was to define and delineate the territories of the nation’s hunt clubs. This boundaries matter became an important issue around southern Loudoun and northern Fauquier counties, where the Piedmont Fox Hounds (1840) was joined by the Blue Ridge Hunt (1888), Loudoun Hunt (1894), and Middleburg Hunt (1906). These homegrown hunts also were joined by the Orange County Hounds (1900), who left their eponymous New York home for Virginia in 1903. All these hunts remain active today. They play a crucial role in the preservation of the Virginia piedmont’s historic rural landscape, encouraging and advocating permanent conservation easements across tens of thousands of acres. n Travis Shaw is director of Education for the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association, with nearly two decades of experience in archeology, historic preservation and museum education. In Our Backyard is compiled by the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition. For more information about the organization, go to loudouncoalition.org.

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