Loudoun Now for April 13, 2023

Purcellville Interim Town Manager Quits Mid-Meeting

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Purcellville Interim Town Manager John Anzivino quit in the middle of the Town Council’s meeting Tuesday night, after Council member Mary F. “Boo” Bennett made a motion to amend the proposed town budget lowering the cost of living raise for staff members from 5% to 2%.

Anzivino, who has been leading the council through a series of budget work sessions to allow detailed review of each department, objected to the motion, which was made without prior consultation with him and outside the established budget deliberations.

Anzivino said he had never seen anything like it and other actions taken by the council in his 40 years of experience with municipal governments.

“It’s not something I’m going to continue with,” he said.

He called the motion by Bennett a surprise.

“You have two meetings scheduled

that are general, public discussions on the budget by the council. Those are where your amendments should take place … but it’s not so much the council exercising its right to reduce the budget, it’s how it’s

being done,” he said.

Mayor Stanley J. Milan said he would be willing to delay consideration of the budget amendment until the April 26 budget meeting.

Summit Pushes to Protect Rural West for Everyone

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

At a Tuesday summit, leaders across tourism, conservation, government and industrial circles made the case that preserving the county’s rural spaces is good not just for the people living there, but all of Loudoun.

“People want to move here from all

over the world, to live, to work, to recreate, have families and even to retire, and that’s an exceptional thing. That’s not true everywhere in the world,” Piedmont Environmental Council President Chris Miller said. “… And what we produce here is increasingly the most important thing in the global economy—data. So all that’s combined with one place and that’s amazing. We also have a legacy of

challenges that are not fully met, and future issues that we have to squarely acknowledge.”

The Loudoun Together Summit at Salamander Resort and Spa, organized by the Town of Middleburg, put Miller on the same stage as tourism and hospitality businesses, Loudoun’s town mayors, Montgomery County, MD’s land preservation expert, and Chuck

“Is that what you’re suggesting?” he asked Anzivino.

“I’m not suggesting anything. I’ve made my position clear … As I said, it’s a partnership between the manager and the council and this is completely unannounced to me tonight. I had no room, no time for preparation and I’m looking at the staff, I’m looking at the public here. And I’m here because I want to be. I don’t have to be here. And I came because you needed help … at the same time I expect a little heads up on things, and I’m not getting it, so I’m ready to go,” Anzivino said.

He said he had talked with Milan that week about when budget amendments should be proposed during the review process.

“I’ll stand by my principles as a professional … if that offends the council, I’m sorry,” he said.

It concluded Anzivino’s second stint as the town’s interim town manager. In 2017, he stepped into the job after the departure

ANZIVINO QUITS

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Kuhn, a Loudoun businessman who made his fortune as the founder of JK Moving and CapRelo, develops data center projects, and is by far the largest creator of conservation easements in Loudoun County.

And despite their different background and perspectives, Miller and Kuhn agreed Loudoun’s growth and af-

TOGETHER FORUM

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Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Interim Purcellville Town Manager John Anzivino quit in the middle of the Town Council’s meeting on Tuesday.

County Planning Staff Strained Under Board Direction

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Between staffing shortages, a comprehensive overhaul of the Zoning Ordinance and the Board of Supervisors’ many ideas for planning projects, the county’s Department of Planning and Zoning is stretched to capacity, staff members have warned.

And a staff shortage in the department today could have long-term effects on Loudoun County.

County planners in February gave the Board of Supervisors the rough schedule for the projects on their plate now. One major project is taking up most of their time: the ongoing Zoning Ordinance rewrite, currently scheduled to wrap up in July.

Planning and Zoning Director Dan Galindo told supervisors the department can’t take on anything more right now.

“To be honest, we’re currently devoting every available resource that we have to the Zoning Ordinance rewrite, so our capacity is really significantly limited by that and a number of vacant positions we have,” he said.

As of Monday, according to Public Information Officer Glen Barbour, the department has 10 vacancies, six of them senior planners. Galindo said those are the planners who typically lead the department’s projects. But Barbour also said the department has numerous job pending, so things could change soon.

The staff and the Planning Commission are also working on changes to zoning rules on clustering development, hoping to better protect the best farmland; new design standards and location rules for data centers; a Saint Louis Village Plan; designing a Purchase of Development Rights Program; a historic preservation equity initiative; and applying to have the county courthouse listed as a national historical landmark. County planners expect to be working on many of those projects through the end of next year.

And other work assigned by the current board has yet to begin—including a source water projection program, updates to regulations on solar power arrays, county comprehensive plan changes around suburban compact neighborhoods, and designing the Path to Freedom exhibit on the county courthouse lawn.

Some supervisors expressed urgency around those many projects, pressured

It’s Flower and Garden Festival Weekend

either by development concerns or the election cycle. This is the last year of the current board’s term in office.

“I do worry about this department more than any other in the county. A lot of it is not for anything that you’re responsible for, but the lack of staff in this department really is impacting a lot of things,” Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said.

Supervisor Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin) pushed to hurry the launch of a purchase of development rights program, which would allow rural landowners to realize value from the development potential of their land while ensuring its long-term conservation.

“We are really quite frankly in a race in the western part of this county,” Kershner said. “… there’s a competition between those who are developers trying to develop by-right and those who are trying to conserve by conservation easements.”

Meanwhile, Supervisor Michael R. Turner (R-Ashburn) said the east faces a similar time crunch driven by development.

“Right now in the Ashburn District, I have four data centers along Rt. 7 that have submitted site plans. And what I’m really concerned about is by the time we get to a [comprehensive plan amendment] and a [Zoning Ordinance amendment] associated with it … it’ll be far too late,” he said. “We will have data centers on Rt.

With a warm weather and clear skies in the forecast, Leesburg is preparing for large crowds to pour into downtown streets this weekend for the Flower & Garden Festival.

The annual celebration of spring’s arrival features more than 125 vendors who will fill the streets with seasonal blooms, herbs, gardening supplies, outdoor furniture, and more. Festivalgoers—up to 30,000 expected over the two-day event—also will enjoy live music, entertainment and activities for the kids, a beer garden on the top level of the Town Hall parking garage, and an assortment of festival food.

Downtown streets will be closed starting Friday evening as vendors begin setting up landscaping displays and booths and will reopen Sunday night.

Parking will be available in the Town Hall parking garage using the Loudoun Street entrance. Additional parking will be available in parking garages at the County Government Center and the courts complex, as well at Ida Lee Park, where a free shuttle service will run continuously.

The Flower & Garden Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, rain or shine. Pets are not permitted. The event is free and organized by Leesburg’s Parks and Recreation Department, with support from the Leesburg Police and staff from the Public Works and Utilities departments.

For information, call Ida Lee Park Recreation Center at 703-777-1368 or go to flowerandgarden.org. n

STAFF STRAINED continues on page 39

Reness Greene/Loudoun Now

Returning Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival vendor Acer Acres of Hanover specializes in container-grown Japanese maples.

Reness Greene/Loudoun Now In its 33rd year, the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival has grown to become Loudoun’s largest annual tourism event, attracting up to 30,000 visitors and locals for the two-day event.

“… there’s a competition between those who are developers trying to develop by-right and those who are trying to conserve by conservation easements.”

— Supervisor Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin)

Loudoun

Supervisors Seek Dialogue from State, Industry on Lifting Data Center Generator Limits

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun supervisors have sent letters to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Data Center Coalition asking that county leaders get looped in—and a say on—a proposed rule to lift environmental regulations on data center diesel generators.

The state DEQ is considering a variance to its regulations limiting when data centers run their backup diesel generators. Typically, unless they are needed because of a power outage, they are started up only for regular testing.

The proposed variance would allow data centers to use their generators when PJM Interconnection, the organization

that coordinators power transmission in the region, issues an alert of possible future power shortages. The variance would expire at the end of July. A most recent second draft of that variance narrows it to apply only to data centers in Loudoun.

But the public hearing on that variance was on a late Thursday morning in Woodbridge, in Prince William County, and supervisors said communications with Loudoun government have been lacking. That public hearing was scheduled after the variance was narrowed to apply only to Loudoun County. On Tuesday, supervisors approved a letter asking to be brought into the conversation, and that the DEQ cancel that public hearing and hold one instead in Loudoun.

“Members of the Loudoun County

Board of Supervisors first learned of the proposed Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) data center backup generator pollution variance only after DEQ issued its announcement seeking public comment,” the letter reads. “No one from the Governor’s office, DEQ or the data center industry provided the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors with any advance notice of their discussions leading up to the announcement of the variance and its inherent and potentially significant noise and air pollution risk to Loudoun County residents.”

The letter also advises that “it would have been prudent and appropriate to en-

GENERATOR LIMITS

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Cooperative Extension Releases Map of Loudoun’s Best Crop Areas

The Loudoun office of the Virginia Cooperative Extensions has released the Crops Suitability Tool, an interactive map of which crops will thrive best in which parts of Loudoun. The tool is meant to help farmers, prospective farmers and real estate agents make informed decisions before starting a crop for the first time or buying land for agriculture.

The tool identifies the best and least suitable sites for different types of crops in Loudoun, from fruits to vegetables and hay to hemp, visualizing data on soil types and slopes. The tool is a good starting point; it doesn’t account for things like weather conditions or the prevalence of pests like weeds, insects, and diseases. The cooperative extension also offers further soil map reports and site evaluations. And property owners to find major discrepancies in the tool are asked to report them by email to flores69@vt.edu.

Instructions on using the Crops Suitability Tool and a link to the tool are online at loudoun.gov/ CropsTool.

To get a soil map report for a property or a site evaluation, email VCE Loudoun Commercial Horticulturalist Beth Sastre at flores69@vt.edu.

Property Tax Bills Coming Soon

People who own vehicles in Loudoun will soon get their personal property tax bills, as car prices remain high. According to the Loudoun County Commissioner of the Revenue, the values of many of the used vehicles in the county once again went up over the last year.

This year, the Board of Supervisors approved an assessment ratio, charging taxes on 95% of vehicles’ assessed value rather than the whole value. On top of that, they approved property tax relief of 33% for 2023, which applies to the first

ON THE AGENDA

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Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Power lines run through Hal and Berni Hanson Regional Park.

“It started out as a normal outing. My wife and I had to run to the grocery store. We were driving down the road casually going over our shopping list when the car ahead of me started to slow down anticipating the yellow light.

I started to move my foot from the gas to the brake as any normal person would do when they see brake lights in front of them but I couldn’t. I couldn’t feel my foot. The car kept moving forward and I just couldn’t get my foot on the brake. And CRUNCH! I finally came to a stop when I hit the car in front of me.”

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 every day of his life with tingling and burning in his feet until numbness set in and he could no longer feel even the brake pedal beneath his foot

“The first stage is pain.” shares Rachal Lohr, Acupuncturist of FIREFLY Acupuncture & Wellness. “You feel burning, tingling, shar p pains, or you feel like you’re walking on tacks or marbles This pain eventually subsides and the numbness sets in Unfortunately the numbness brings with it a whole other host of problems.”

SHE GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK

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, ev en 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.

That’s where Rachal Lohr and her staff at FIREFLY come in. “About 75% of our current patients come to us suffering from the same condition as Mr. Dan,” tells Rachal.

“They’re in const ant pain from neuropathy and it prevents them from not only living their lives but more importantly, it prevents them from enjoying it.

Depending on the severity of their nerve damage, we typically see tremendous progress in 3-4 months of treatment.

I like to say we’re in the business of making your golden years golden.”

“I can’t lie,” confides Dan. “I was skeptical at first. The folks down at my pain center told me there was nothing that could be done and then there’s a doctor right here in Loudoun who tells me she can help. Turns out she was right! About three months after treatment I was able to confidently drive myself to my appointments!

My wife and I celebrated by buying ourselves a new car! It’s hard to put into words how incredible this is, quite frankly [Rachal] gave me my life back.”

While FIREFLY specializes in acupuncture and it’s definitely part of their protocols in treating neuropathy, the real secret is in a more modern medical solution called ATP Resonance BioTherapy™. “This technology was originally developed by NASA to expedite healing and recovery” shares Ann, a Senior Patient Care Coordinator at the clinic. “It’s like watering a plant. ATP Resonance BioTherapy™ stimulates the blood vessels to grow back around the peripheral nerve and provide them the proper nutrients to heal and repair.”

You can learn more about Rachal Lohr at FIREFLYAcuAndWellness.com. If you’re ready to schedule a consultation call (703)263-2142 and do so quickly

FIREFLY is a very intimate clinic and the staff takes pride in their ability to take their time with each patient so they are very limited in their ability to take on new patients

Local clinic has a modern, medical solution to treat your Peripheral Neuropathy and is seeing incredible results!

County Supervisors Approve New Airbnb Regulations

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun supervisors have approved new zoning rules for short-term residential rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO listings and removed a tax exemption for the smallest rentals.

Rental owners will have until Sept. 30 to come into compliance with the new regulations.

The county’s new zoning regulations define short-term residential rentals as those available to rent for fewer than 30 consecutive days and divides them into accessory uses and commercial operations.

The zoning ordinance’s new ShortTerm Rental-Residential Accessory use covers rentals as an accessory use to a dwelling, like renting out a spare room

Generator limits

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gage the County of Loudoun as decisions that impact only Loudoun County were being made.”

“In the future, we look forward to continuing the strong relations we have built, and continue to build, with the Loudoun Data Center Coalition. In the future, we invite DEQ to contact the County before drafting policy that exclusively impacts Loudoun County,” it concludes.

That followed a March 30 letter from County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) and Vice Chair Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) with a list of questions about the proposed variance, beginning with “What was the origin of this variance and what is the actual need of enacting this variance?”

“Why on earth would you hold a public hearing in Woodbridge with legislation that is about and only about Loudoun County?” Randall said at the county board meeting last Tuesday. “I am afraid that they’ll hold it in Woodbridge and then say, ‘we got nobody speaking on it, speaking against it, so we’re going to go ahead,’ when why would somebody speak on and against it? Woodbridge is an hour away. That just makes no sense at all, and I think in fact it’s actually

at home. Those may be rented for a maximum of 180 days a year.

The other Short-Term Rental-Commercial Whole House refers to homes that are accessory dwellings and are used only for rentals. In some zoning districts those may require applying for a zoning exception. Both types require zoning permits, and are required to offer one additional parking space over the parking required for the typical residential use.

Supervisors also directed zoning inspectors looking at those rentals to focus on the zoning rules specific to that rental, not the entire property, unless they see a safety hazard on the property, a violation of state or federal law or are investigating a zoning complaint. Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) said that was in response to concerns from some western Loudoun operators

inappropriate to do that.”

That prompted a comparison from Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) to the Abilene paradox, or “Road to Abilene,” about a group of people deciding to do something none of them individually want to do, because each believes the others want to do it and so doesn’t object.

“Why are we even having this? It’s been in the news, we’ve gotten emails from constituents, and no one seems to want this anymore,” Turner said. “Well, that forces we as elected officials representing the citizens of Loudoun County to stand up … and say we don’t want to go to Abilene.”

That apparently includes the data center industry.

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles)—who in his day job is the managing director of communications at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute—said the variance is likely meant to protect not just data centers, but everyone else sharing an electrical grid with them.

“I don’t want to go to Abilene, but what I also don’t want is a situation where we have blackouts for our residents, and that’s really why we’re having this discussion,” he said. “… If we ran into a point where there is a great reliability issue because of a natural disaster or because of simply demand, a variety of things would happen with the grid. The data centers are going to get their power. They’re not shutting off

who were concerned about the required zoning inspection to get a permit.

Other than those inspections, zoning enforcement typically only happens if somebody complains to the county.

“There are many, many properties in western Loudoun which currently are not in compliance. The neighbors are fine, there haven’t been any complaints, but it does open up a Pandora’s Box,” he said.

The board also expanded the Transient Occupancy Tax, the 8% tax on overnight stays at hotels, bed and breakfasts, and short-term residential rentals, to apply to all short-term residential rentals. That tax is in addition to the 6% Virginia Retail Sales and Use Tax.

Previously, the county only taxed short-term residential rentals with capacity for at least four guests.

Supervisors on April 4 approved

power to the data centers, because many of them have core critical functions. The people who aren’t going to get their power are the rest of us, and this has happened in parts of our country.”

But it is unclear what the variance as written would accomplish. The Data Center Coalition, the trade association for the data center industry, on March 27 wrote to the DEQ that the coalition understood the intent was to offer temporary, voluntary tools to alleviate demand on the electric grid during peak periods.

“However, there are important and unresolved technical, federal regulatory, and operational challenges with this variance. Due to these issues, no DCC member has indicated they would use the variance,” the letter reads. “DEQ also indicated in its March 7, 2023 notice that it did not anticipate any data center would need to use the variance, noting that it is precautionary and redundant and does not ensure compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s rules and regulations. For these reasons, we respectfully request that DEQ withdraw the new variance.”

Among other issues, even with the DEQ’s proposed variance data center operators would still be under federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations. And as Letourneau pointed out, running their diesel generators is much more expensive than using the electric grid.

The coalition’s letter instead suggested

those new regulations in a 6-1-2 vote, with Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) opposed and Vice Chair Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) and Supervisor Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin) absent.

Those new regulations and taxes add to rules the Board of Supervisors has added and tweaked for years, including that an operator or manager must be available by phone at all times and be available on-site within an hour, and that zoning-regulated private parties and special events are not permitted at the rentals.

Short-term residential rental operators are also required to register their listings with the county government. More information, including a link to register, is online at loudoun.gov/shorttermrentals. n

a program used in other states, in which regulators, electric utilities and industrial electricity users cooperate on ways to alleviate the load on the electric grid during periods of peak usage.

“DEQ could have reached out to anyone in county government, from Mr. [County Administrator Tim] Hemstreet on, and they didn’t do that either,” Randall said. “And then they set a public hearing in Woodbridge, VA for next Thursday. So that is just nonsensical.”

The DEQ’s full proposal is online at deq.virginia.gov/get-involved/ topics-of-interest/data-centers-public-comment, or deq.virginia.gov/ permits-regulations/public-notices/ air under “REVISED Order and local variance for data centers – Loudoun County, VA.”

The DEQ accepts written comments by email, fax, and mail. Comments must include the full name, address and telephone number of the person commenting. To comment, request public documents or for other information contact Karen G. Sabasteanski, Office of Air Data Analysis and Planning, Department of Environmental Quality, PO Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218. Call 804659-1973 or fax 804-698-4510, or email karen.sabasteanski@deq.virginia.gov. The comment period is open until April 21.n

ON THE Agenda

$20,000 of value. That’s up from 27% relief last year. And they lowered the personal property tax rate, which applies to vehicles, for the first time since 1987 this year, dropping it 5 cents to $4.15 per $100 of assessed value.

Property tax bills are issued in halves due May 5 and Oct. 5.

Anyone with questions about the assessed values of their vehicles may contact the Office of the Commissioner of Revenue at cartax@loudoun.gov or 703-777-0260.

State Transportation Board Seeks Input

The Commonwealth Transportation Board will host meetings across the state to gather feedback on its six-year plan for transportation projects.

The board will solicit feedback about the draft Fiscal Year 2024-2029 Six-Year Improvement Program; SMART SCALE, the process for prioritizing funding for transportation projects across the state; and State of Good Repair, the program that funds repairs on deteriorated pavements and bridges.

The Northern Virginia District meeting will also double as a joint public meeting with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, the Virginia Railway Express, and the Commonwealth Transportation Board. It is scheduled for Monday, May 1 at 5 p.m. at the Virginia Department of Transportation’s district office at 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA.

The meeting will also be live-streamed on YouTube.

Comments are accepted at the meetings or online, by email to Six-YearProgram@VDOT.Virginia.gov, or mail to Infrastructure Investment Director, Virginia Department of Transportation, 1401 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219.

For more information and to see the six-year plan go to ctb.virginia.gov.

Topping-Out Ceremony Set for Ashburn Rec Center

Loudoun County will host a topping out ceremony for the Ashburn Recreation and Community Center on Tuesday, April 25 at 3 p.m.

The ceremony symbolizes the completion of structural steel installation. Invited guests sign the final steel beam that is then

placed into the structure.

The new two-story, 117,000-squarefoot recreation and community center will include a 50-meter competition pool with spectator seating, leisure pool, spa, fullsize gymnasium, large fitness area, running track, soft sensory playroom, multipurpose room with a catering and teaching kitchen, classrooms, offices and meeting spaces. The gymnasium will be the largest in the county’s parks and rec system.

The event will take place at the end of Van Metre Drive near the Ashburn Recreation Center construction site in

Ashburn. More project information is online at loudoun.gov/5261/AshburnRecreation-Community-Center.

Loudoun to Host Pit Stops for Bike to Work Day

Loudoun County will host two pit stops in Leesburg and Sterling for Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 19.

The free annual event celebrates a healthy and fun way to get to work with more than 100 different pit stops throughout the region. Participants can bike to

a pit stop to pick up a free T-shirt, giveaways and refreshments before starting the workday.

Both Loudoun pit stops are along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, at Raflo Park in Leesburg, and in Sterling at 183 Ruritan Road behind Northrop Grumman, just east of Rt. 28.

Bike to Work Day is coordinated regionally by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and Commuter Connections and is held rain or shine Find details and a link to register at  loudoun.gov/BiketoWork. n

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Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival

Democrats Finalize Primaries; Party Candidates Lining Up

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Democrats have finalized the ballot in the June primaries as the county political parties line up their nominees for the November elections.

This year, every House of Delegates, state Senate and county-level office is on the ballot. According to campaign announcements and a report for the county Board of Elections, Democrats are so far fielding many more candidates for office this year, with 25 Democrats stepping up to run for state or local office compared to 18 Republicans. That doesn’t include School Board candidates—although they are typically endorsed by a political party, by state law they do not run on a party ticket.

Loudoun will have five Democratic primaries this year. Elizabeth Lancaster is staging a primary challenge to Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj, and Lissa Savaglio and Laura TeKrony will compete for the party nomination to the Board of Supervisors Little River District seat. At the state level, Zach Cummings and Russet Perry are competing in the 31st state Senate District; Del. Suhas Subramanyam (D-87) and Ibraheem Samirah are competing in the 32nd Senate District; and Kannan Srinivasan, Sree NagiReddi and Sirisha Kompalli are in a three-way race for the House of Delegates 26th District.

With no more than one candidate in any race, Republicans have canceled plans to hold a nominating convention.

So far, there are no Republican candidates registered or announced for the Leesburg, Sterling or At-Large seats on the county Board of Supervisors, and there is no Democrat running in the Catoctin District or for Clerk of the Circuit Court.

There are also independent candidates running, and there is still time for more candidates to jump in. Although the deadline to file for a primary has passed, the deadline for candidates to file for the November election is June 20.

Some November elections are also shaping up based on filings and campaign announcements so far.

Every member of the Loudoun Board

of Supervisors except Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) is running for reelection. Six incumbents so far face challenges, including four Democrats and both Republicans. Among Democrats, Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) will face Republican Debbie Rose, Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) will face Republican Tumay Harding and independent Brian Allman, Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run) will face Republican Michelle Suttle, and County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) will face independent Sam Kroiz. Republican Supervisor Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin) will face independent John Ellis, and Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) will face Democrat Puja Khanna.

Democratic supervisors Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) and Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) so far have no opponent for their seats.

The new Little River District will have no incumbent; Republican Ram Venkatachalam will face the winner of a Democratic primary race.

Similarly, with the retirement of longtime county Treasurer Roger Zurn, there will be no incumbent in the race for that office. Republican Henry Eickelberg will face Democrat Robin Roopnarine. And so far, Republican incumbent Clerk of the Circuit Court Gary Clemens has no opponent.

Meanwhile, Republican incumbent Sheriff Michael Chapman will face Democrat Craig Buckley and Commissioner of the Revenue Bob Wertz will face Sri Amudhanar. Republican Bob Anderson, who served as commonwealth’s attorney from 1996 to 2003, will seek to regain the seat against the winner of the Democratic primary between Biberaj and Lancaster.

Every House and Senate district in Loudoun is already contested.

In addition to their primary in the 26th House District, Democrats are running Atoosa Reaser in the 27th District, Del. David A. Reid (D-32) in the 28th District, Marty Martinez in the 29th District, and Rev. Bob Banse

PRIMARIES

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Wexton Announces Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis

Today—on World Parkinson’s Disease Day—Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) shared that she has been diagnosed with the chronic degenerative disorder.

She released her statement in a video on her Twitter account, twitter.com/RepWexton.

“Over the past few months, it has primarily affected my speech and how my mouth moves,” she said. “You may notice I speak more quickly now. It also has affected how I walk and keep my balance.”

But she said she’s doing well, with a positive attitude and strong support from family, friends and loved ones.

“What Parkinson’s is not is an untreatable disease, a cognitive impairment, or a death sentence. So please, you are welcome to empathize, but don’t feel sorry for me,” she said. “I’m working with my doctor on a treatment plan that addresses my symptoms. And I’ve been feeling good and staying strong.”

And she said her work on legislation, traveling around the district, and constituent services continues as normal. And she said she remains “100% committed to serving the people of Virginia,” and she hopes to keep serving for many years to come.

“I’m not going to let Parkinson’s stop me from being me. I am confident that as I

Primaries

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in the 30th. Republicans are running Rafi Khaja in the 26th District, Chris Harnisch in the 27th, Paul Lott in the 28th, Jonathan Rogers in the 29th, and Geary Higgins in the 30th.

work with my doctor to get the treatment I need, I can continue being a working mom and an active member of our community,” she said.

She said while generally a private person in personal matters, “I chose to come forward today, on World Parkinson’s Day, because I want to bring about as much good from this diagnosis as I can, and I look forward to doing just that here in Congress.”

Learn more about World Parkinson’s Day at worldparkinsonsday.com. n

And with primaries deciding the Democrat candidate in both Loudoun state Senate districts, Republicans have nominated Juan Pablo Segura in the 31st state Senate District and Greg Moulthrop in the 32nd.

Learn more at loudoundemocrats. org and loudoungop.com. Learn more about voting at elections.virginia.gov or loudoun.gov/vote. n

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Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) takes part in an election night party Nov. 8, 2022, at Old Ox Brewery.

FAA Eyes Move to Mobile Air Traffic Control Tower at Leesburg Airport

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Talks with the Federal Aviation Administration aimed at continuing the use of the remote air traffic control system at Leesburg Executive Airport have pivoted to use of a Mobile Air Traffic Control Tower until a permanent tower can be built, according to a Town Council briefing Tuesday night.

The FAA in February notified the town that operation of the experimental remote tower system would end June 30 after the contractor SAAB determined it would no longer pursue final certification of the system.

The action triggered alarm among town leaders and pilots who said a return to uncontrolled airspace at the busy airport would increase danger of flight operations.

During a March 31 meeting with FAA Deputy Administrator Bradley Mims and

other high-ranking administration staff members, the agency indicated to a delegation from the town that it would not reverse the decision to terminate the remote tower program at Leesburg, but was willing to help the airport maintain air traffic control operations as it transitions to a traditional brick and mortar tower, according to the report.

The staff report characterized the talks with FAA leaders as “positive,” with the FAA appearing committed to working with Leesburg on a plan for continuing ATC services without interruption. Town Attorney Chris Spera noted that Mims, as a former member of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, was particularly knowledgeable about the complexities of Leesburg’s airspace because of its proximity to Dulles Airport and the restricted zone around the national capital.

That transition plan includes the establishment of a mobile air traffic control tower, with the FAA picking up

its cost until the end of the federal fiscal year, Sept. 30—perhaps longer if Congress helps find the funding. A contract to lease a MATCT and staff it with air traffic controllers is estimated to cost $720,000 per year, according to the report. A mobile tower, about the size and shape of a large horse trailer, was previously used at the Leesburg airport during the early testing of the remote tower system.

Meanwhile, the town would be permitted to get back in line for consideration of a permanent tower. The town in 2020 was approved to enter the tower review program, but did not pursue that project because of the success of the remote system. Under the tower program, the town would be required to complete the project within five years—by 2028—but with 26 other airports currently in the review pro-

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Council Explores Affordable Housing Incentives

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Are there things the town government can do to promote the creation of more affordable housing in Leesburg?

The Town Council on Monday night initiated a staff study to find out.

Council member Zach Cummings last fall proposed a package of potential town actions that could make Leesburg a more active player in the effort to address housing needs. Over the past several months, the town staff reviewed those ideas and this week presented elements that could be included in a formal Affordable Housing Incentive Plan.

Planning Director James David said two top opportunities are to work with the county government during the implementation of Loudoun’s Unmet Housing Needs Strategy Plan, and to address the issue during the upcoming rewrite of the town’s Zoning Ordinance.

Work with the county government could include an update of the 2018 agreement in which its housing department agreed to manage up to 120 price-controlled affordable dwelling units provided by in Leesburg developers through the rezoning process, and ensuring the town is participating in other housing assistance services provided by county agencies.

The Zoning Ordinance re-write could include updates to the town’s Affordable Dwelling Unit policies to permit greater density bonuses for developers providing affordable housing, reflecting changes to state law and matching changes the county is making to its ADU regulations.

Council members also directed the staff to explore other potential incentives, including waiving review and utility fees for affordable housing projects and to permit fast-track review for those applications. While

they were advanced by the council, those suggestions drew concerns about putting a strain on the planning staff, delaying review of other projects, or losing revenue.

One area where the council agreed to halt any discussion was a program that would allow developers to contribute money to a town housing fund instead of building price-controlled units. The concept was similar to the town’s parking in-leu of policy for downtown developers—a decades-old program criticized by town leaders and developers alike for collecting money from new projects that could not provide the required number of parking spaces. Critics say that program has result in little new parking.

In its action Monday, the council did not formally endorse any initiative, but requested the staff provide more in-depth information about the alternatives at a future meeting. n

Walls Sought for Next Public Mural Project

Leesburg’s Commission on Public Art is seeking commercial property owners who are interested in participating in the Private Property Mural Pilot Program.

The commission is planning a mural with the theme “Destination Leesburg.” Identifying a suitable wall is the first step of the program, which was approved by the Leesburg Town Council last spring. Eligible properties must be located outside the downtown Historic District.

Under the program, the murals are not meant to serve as an advertisement of any business but are anticipated to be in celebration of the identified theme. The first private property mural was completed in the Virginia Village Shopping Center in December celebrating the town’s live music scene.

Proposals will be reviewed by COPA. Ultimately, the submitting business and property owner will be included in the final mural selection process and have veto power regarding the final design.

Program guidelines and submission details are available on the Town website. Submissions are due by Friday, April 21.

Registration Open for Business Awards Ceremony

The annual Leesburg Business Awards will take place at Lu’s Bar and Grill in the ION International Training Center on Wednesday, May 3. This year, 20 businesses and individuals were nominated for awards in five categories.

Winners will be announced during the program, which will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Admission is free, but registration is required by May 1 at bit.ly/3zrNNeN. For more information, contact Business Development and Retention Manager Melanie Scoggins at 571-271-1206.

Westpark Planning Meeting Set April 26

The Loudoun County government will hold a public information meeting about plans for the Westpark property from 6 to 7 p.m. April 26 in the Board of Supervisors

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AROUND Town

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meeting room.

The county purchased the 134-acre former golf course in southern Leesburg in August for use as a passive park and earmarked $13.4 million to complete the work by 2027.

Next week’s meeting at the County Government Center will provide an update on the interim maintenance the county will conduct until the park improvements are complete and offer a preview of the project schedule and public input process that is planned in the coming months.

More information—including a link to sign up updates on the project—is posted on the Loudoun County website at loudoun.gov/westparkproperty.

Council OKs Hometown Hero Banner Program

The Town Council on Tuesday signed off on a partnership with VFW Post #1177 to bring the Hometown Hero banner program to Freedom Park.

Under the program, banners featuring Leesburg and Loudoun County service members will be displayed at the park from July 4 to Veterans Day this year and from Memorial Day to Veterans Day in future years.

The VFW will coordinate the creation of the banners, which will include the honoree’s image, name, military service information, and sponsor on one side and a message from the town on the other. The town will purchase the mounting hardware and the Public Works staff will install and remove the banners. n

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cess the feasibility of meeting that deadline is a concern, according to the report.

Typically, the planning and construction of a new tower takes five to seven years, but the staff if looking for ways to compress that process.

Airport Director Scott Coffman did not provide an estimate of the money that will be needed for site analysis, environmental study, design, and construction of the tower, although he noted funding is available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grant program and other grants.

Once a permanent control tower is constructed, the FAA will fund on-going air traffic controller salary costs through the Federal Contract Tower Program. However, the town is likely to have to pick up some—perhaps a substantial portion—

of the costs of operating the interim program.

Town Manager Kaj Dentler noted a $750,000 annual cost would equate to almost an additional penny on the town’s real estate tax rate. While the FAA has indicated that Leesburg’s congressional delegation could be helpful in winning funding for the program, staff members said the town will be expected to contribute.

Dentler

On idea slated to be presented to pilots during this week’s meeting of the town Airport Commission is to establish landing fees that could provide a revenue stream for the program.

“We have to generate new revenue sources,” Dentler said. n

Education SCHOOL notebook

Feds Launch Investigation into LCPS Assaults; Judge To Review Independent Report

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation into Loudoun County Public Schools’ handling of two sexual assaults committed by the same student in 2021 following a complaint filed by America First Legal.

The investigation was launched after Ian Prior, a Loudoun resident, founder of Fight for Schools and a senior advisor with America First Legal, sent a letter to the Office of Civil Rights Jan. 18 asking the agency to investigate alleged violations of Title IX.

Prior said he asked for an investigation because he believes there are systemic problems within the division in the way it seems to protect the administration over students, something a special grand jury emplaned to investigate the division’s han-

dling of the assaults noted in a report that was unsealed in December.

“The special grand jury report uncovered there was no Title IX process in place at all, so we don’t know how many other things were improperly handled previously,” Prior said.

In the complaint, Prior denotes additional incidents he said show the division “acted with deliberate indifference to allegations of sexual assault and harassment and willfully ignored its obligations under Title IX in dealing with the victim’s assailant.”

Among those is former special education teacher Erin Brooks who was fired after filing two Title IX complaints to the division after reporting she was repeatedly groped by one of her students. Brooks also testified before the special grand jury investigating the school district. Former Superintendent Scott A. Ziegler, who was

fired after the release of the special grand jury report, was charged with retaliating against and penalizing an employee for a court appearance, one of three indictments brought against him in December.

Brooks filed a civil lawsuit last June.

The other involves the Harding family, whose daughter was one of three students who reported they were being sexually harassed by a teacher at Stone Bridge High School in March 2022. Tumay Harding spoke during a Dec. 13 School Board meeting and said another student had reported the same teacher had sexually assaulted her in 2020 but the teacher was never fired.

“It’s not about politics, it’s really about the foundational piece of Title IX and the investigation should be on the proper

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School Board Tie Leads to Delay in Middleburg Community Charter School Probation Vote

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

In a 4-4-1 tie, the School Board on Tuesday night did not gather the votes to place the Middleburg Community Charter School on probation after it failed to take corrective actions to correct its financial books.

Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian), Brenda Sheridan (Sterling), Chair Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) and Erika Ogedegbe (Leesburg) voted against John Betty’s (Catoctin) substitute motion to send the item back to committee. Harris Mahedavi (Ashburn) was absent for the vote.

Division policy and state law state whenever there is a tie vote with at least one member absent the item gets moved to the next board meeting, according to Serotkin.

MCCS Board of Directors Vito Germinario addressed the School Board for the first time during the last five years the school has had issues with its books, saying the charter school’s board is fully committed to the success of the school and is

“laser focused on provided a high quality education.” Germinario said as chairman the responsibility for the accounting deficiencies and rectifying them lies with him.

Sheridan, a member of the specialized programs and centers committee which

recommended probation, said she wanted to vote to put the school on probation back in December because of the repetitive issues taking place over the past five years. She said at that time her colleagues opted to create a corrective action plan that included two onsite unannounced internal audits to be conducted before June 30.

Sheridan said the school has been aware of the issues and because they are told of the findings during the onsite audit then are given an official letter a month later. She said the school should have taken corrective action as soon as they learned of the issues, and it shouldn’t have been the result of the School Board committee putting the school on a plan of action.

Morse, another member of the committee, reiterated his statements from the March 28 School Board meeting that he felt it should be sent back to the committee to give the school more time to make corrections before a second audit was

Students Advance to International Science Fair

Five Loudoun County students will present at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2023 in Dallas, TX.

They were among more than 300 Loudoun high schoolers participating in the 41st Annual Regional Science and Engineering Fair, held March 22-23 at Rockridge High School.

Aryaa Agarwal from Broad Run High School and the Academy of Science, Samantha Brown from Broad Run High School and the Academy of Engineering & Technology, Zoe DeWitt from Stone Bridge High School and the Academy of Science, Jagadeepram Maddipatla from Rock Ridge High School, and Tyler Smith from Heritage High School and the Academy of Engineering and Technology were selected to compete in Dallas. The five students will compete May 14-19.

The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair is the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition, according to a press release.

Additionally, Ellie Vest from Loudoun Valley High School received the Willowcroft Science Scholarship, which has been given by Willowcroft Farm Vineyards since 1991.

To see other category and special award winners, go to lcps.org/rsef.

Emerick Hosts Deeper Learning Showcase

Emerick Elementary School hosted its first Deeper Learning Showcase on April 12.

The event highlighted what fourth and fifth grade students are learning and how they are engaging in it.

The community was invited to see the students demonstrate their critical thinking skills through deeper learning experiences they chose, like Genius Hour, Computer

NOTEBOOK continues on page 14

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Middleburg Community Charter School Board of Directors Vito Germinario addressed the School Board on April 11 about the ongoing issues with the schools financial books.

PROBATION VOTE continues on page 14

Spring Break on the Farm

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Science integration, Makerspace activities, Social Studies or Science and Art and Music creations. Students chose projects they have been working on throughout the year.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

The School Board voted April 11 to adopt a proclamation marking April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

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performed. He said on Tuesday night that the school only had three weeks to make corrections to their books from the time the corrective plan was put in place to the time the audit took place Feb. 8. Morse said he thought the second audit should be the trigger for probation.

“I think that is very lenient, but I think it’s appropriate. Because I think what we are trying to do is we are trying to make sure they are fiscally responsible, but we are also trying to make sure they are successful,” he said.

The proclamation is meant to bring awareness to widespread sexual violence and its effects on the community and to help remove the stigma and shame surrounding sexual violence, expanding support or survivors and strengthening the response.

The division is working with Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter in addressing challenges and implementing solutions to stop violence before it happens.

“As a community, we share the responsibility for raising awareness about sexual violence, protecting each other from sexual violence, supporting victims when it does occur, and bringing perpetrators to justice,” according to the proclamation. n

The committee, previously voted unanimously on March 21 to recommend the school be put on probation.

Sheridan made the motion to place the school on probation before Beatty proposed a substitute motion to end it back to committee.

The vote was a tie moving the item to April 25.

According to division counsel Robert Falconi, after the board chooses to put a school on probation, they have 30 days to submit a written remedial plan on how it plans to fix the issues. Falconi said the board would need to approve the plan before it could be implemented. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Participants of the Think Outside Spring Break Camp dig an irrigation ditch at the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum on April 7. Eight Loudoun County middle and high school students decided to get their hands dirty learning about agriculture, hospitality, and leadership during the weeklong camp, organized by the museum and the New Ag School.

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policies and protocols,” Prior said. “It’s not limited to LCPS, but their failures have been perhaps the most publicized and noteworthy over the past few years.”

Prior said he hoped the investigation finds other instances that prove there are systemic issues within the division.

“Title IX policies were introduced to the [School Board] discipline committee in January 2020 and they sat there for two years,” he said. “Those policies may have had an impact on how the division handled the issues in 2021, but the board had other priorities.”

Prior, citing other cases he’s heard about from former students said, “the concern is they will do the bare minimum to keep up the public relations campaign but not actually put into place a competent policy that will address past issues and current ones.”

The sexual assaults happened at Stone Bridge High School May 28, 2021, then at Broad Run High School on Oct. 6, 2021, after the student was transferred to the school at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. The student almost immediately began causing issues with female students at the new school, according to the letter. A teacher reported incidents to the principal and the assistant principal reported them to the division’s then Chief of Staff and Title IX Coordinator Mark Smith.

Prior alleges in the complaint that despite the administration’s knowledge that this was the same student facing charges for the Stone Bridge assault, Smith determined it didn’t “necessitate a Title IX investigation.”

The School Board in October 2021 commissioned the law firm Blankingship and Keith to conduct an independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the assaults. After the report was issued in January 2022, Smith was fired, and the division hired now acting superintendent Daniel Smith to be the Chief of Staff. The School Board also adopted a series of Title IX policy changes and hired two Title IX investigators and a new Title IX coordinator.

The School Board in February voted 6-3 to not publicly release the report, citing attorney-client privilege.

There are now two cases in Circuit Court seeking access to the report—one by a special grand jury and another by a civil suit filed Tuesday by a state senate candidate.

The handling of the sexual assaults prompted an investigation by

Commonwealth Attorney General Jason Miyares at the request of Gov. Glenn Youngkin and lead to the empaneling of a special grand jury in April 2022.

In December, a Loudoun County Circuit Court unsealed a report written by the special grand jury and indictments against Ziegler and division spokesperson Wayde Byard.

Ziegler faces three misdemeanor indictments: giving false information to a publication, penalizing an employee for a court appearance and retaliation.

During an April 6 pretrial hearing in Ziegler’s case, Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge James P. Fisher demanded to see the independent report to determine whether to grant a motion by Theo Stamos, the special prosecutor from the Attorney General’s Office, seeking access to it, claiming it was “material to criminal charges” pending against Ziegler.

Stamos asked the court to force the division to turn over the report to be examined in private if the division tried to claim it was protected under attorney-client privilege or work product privilege to determine whether those exceptions to mandatory disclosure apply.

During the April 6 hearing both William Porter of Blankingship and Keith, the author of the report, and division counsel Robert Falconi testified it fell under attorney-client privilege. Fisher said he wanted to view the report to help with his decision on whether to grant or deny the Attorney General’s Office’s subpoena.

Fisher said the issue was “complex” and that often people think they are under the protection of attorney-client privilege when they are not.

Fisher said Stamos’s team could still argue their case but adjourned the April 6 hearing to give time to view the report. Stamos had called six current and former School Board members who were ready to testify. They were ordered to return May 30.

The release of the School Board’s investigative report is also targeted by a lawsuit filed April 11, by Juan Pablo Segura—the Republican candidate for 31st State Senate. Filed by attorney John Whitbeck, a former Republican Party of Virginia chairman, the suit focuses on the argument that the School Board waived attorney-client privilege by making statements on several occasions. No hearing dates are set for the newly filed lawsuit.

Also last week, Ziegler’s attorney Erin Harrigan filed an uncontested motion to move his trials from May and July to Aug. 14-15 for the charge of giving false information to a publication, and to Sept. 2526 for penalizing an employee for a court appearance and retaliation. n

Grand Jury Issues Two Murder Indictments

A Loudoun County grand jury on Monday handed up murder indictments in two death investigations. The cases next move to Circuit Court for trial.

Schuyler Lake, 22, faces a second-degree murder charge in the April 29, 2022, fatal beating of his father, Loudoun brewery industry leader Dean Lake, in his Leesburg home. The case moved to the grand jury following a Mach 27 preliminary hearing in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Ever R. Cruz, 24, was indicted on charges of second-degree murder and felony assault in the Aug. 21, 2022, death of 38-year-old Pedro Casalez “Hector” Cala outside a University Center apartment in Ashburn. Initial evidence in the case was presented during a March 20 preliminary hearing in Loudoun County District Court.

Both men were expected to appear in Circuit Court on Tuesday afternoon for scheduling. They are being held without bond at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center.

Brambleton Murder Trial Enters Second Week

The first-degree murder trial of Furqan Syed continues in Loudoun County Circuit Court this week as county prosecutors continue to lay out their case that he is responsible for the Dec. 30, 2021, shooting death of Najat Chemlali Goode in her Brambleton home.

Through much of the first six days of testimony, prosecutors have laid out the

Public Safety

work done by Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office investigators to identify Syed as the suspect and to provide evidence that he was at the scene that night.

That work included scoring Goode’s neighborhood—and other neighborhoods nearby—for surveillance videos, finding some that investigators said showed him walking and driving in the area. Investigators also described how they used cell phone tracking to reconstruct his movements.

Four days after the shooting, Syed flew to Dubai, where he was later arrested on an international warrant.

Through testimony on Tuesday, prosecutors had not put forward a motive for the killing. The murder weapon had not been found.

The jury trial is scheduled to continue through next week.

Bond Denied for Mall Shooting Suspect

A Circuit Court judge on Monday denied a bond appeal for the 31-year-old Leesburg man charged with shooting a man at the Dulles Town Center mall during the filming of a YouTube prank.

Judge Stephen E. Sincavage upheld last week’s District Court ruling denying Alan W. Colie release pending a May 3 preliminary hearing.

Colie is charged with felony assault, shooting in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm in an occupied building.

The incident happened April 2 in the mall’s food court when Tanner Cook, 21-year-old who records pranks and

uploads them to a YouTube channel, allegedly targeted Colie for a video. According to reports, Cook was following or harassing Colie and refused pleas to leave him alone before Colie pulled out a handgun and shot him in the abdomen.

Stabbing Suspect Surrenders to Sheriff’s Office

The Sterling woman wanted in connection with an April 1 stabbing turned herself in to authorities at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on Sunday, according to the Sheriff ’s Office.

Myeesha S. Hamilton, 29, is charged with malicious wounding, assault during the commission of a felony, and larceny. She was held without bond pending an arraignment hearing Monday morning.

According to the Sheriff ’s Office, deputies were called to a Stanford Square residence at about 8:48 p.m. April 1 and found the victim inside suffering from multiple stab wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital and since been released.

Harrisburg Man Charged After Rt. 7 Chase, Crash

A 29-year-old Harrisonburg man is charged with intoxicated driving, two counts of hit and run and felony eluding law enforcement after leading Loudoun deputies on a dangerous chase Saturday night.

According to the report, deputies in the area of George Washington Parkway and Loudoun County Parkway saw a man driving erratically in a parking lot, crashing into a car and leaving the scene.

The driver sped away as deputies initiated a traffic stop. During the chase, the suspect drove on eastbound on the westbound lanes of Rt. 7. Before his arrest, he crashed into a car. The driver of that vehicle was transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries described as minor.

De’von J. Harris, who also was charged with refusing a blood or breath test, was held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

Plane Skids Off Runway at Leesburg Executive Airport

The Virginia State Police is investigating a minor aircraft crash that happened at Leesburg Executive Airport Wednesday afternoon. Just before 2:30 p.m. April 5, small private aircraft was coming in for a landing and skidded off the runway.

According to the report, neither the pilot nor the passenger onboard was injured. The FAA also was notified about the incident. n

Loudoun Crime Commission Luncheon

Friday, April 14th at the Belmont Country Club.

The Loudoun Crime Commission is having its monthly buffet luncheon this Friday, April 14th at the Belmont Country Club, 19661 Belmont Manor Lane, Ashburn. Doors open at 12 noon, the cost is $25. Our guest speaker is Patti Hidalgo Menders the Community Liaison Officer for the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. She will discuss their programs to reduce crime and secure public safety in Virginia.

Loudoun

Founded in 2005, organization whose that…

“Fighting Crime is

The second Friday luncheon at the Belmont featuring a guest public safety.

State Police Photo

Expanded Buford’s Biscuits Opens on West Market Street

BY DANA ARMSTRONG darmstrong@getoutloudoun.com

After outgrowing its original location, Buford’s Biscuits opened over the weekend at its new West Market Street home.

Partners and co-owners, Lauren Barrett and Charles Schech, signed the lease on their original Loudoun Street restaurant in December 2019. After COVID-related delays, they opened in August 2020 and quickly gained popularity for their cathead biscuits and sumptuous Southern comfort fare.

But with room for only four tables in the dining area and an equally small kitchen, their cozy restaurant soon grew to be confining.

“We were very thankful to have a line [of customers] every Saturday and Sunday. But we were pushed, and we don’t always want to see a 45-minute wait when we’re so busy,” Schech said.

“We loved that space, but it was definitely a beginner space. We didn’t have any gas, so we were cooking everything off induction burners. Now with the new location, we have a range with 10 gas burners, which is pretty amazing,” he said.

The new Buford’s Biscuits fills a bank building that was converted to restaurant space in 2017. After periodic closures during the pandemic, Mexican restaurant Cocina on Market permanently closed in January.

When chef Jason Lage and his family made the difficult decision to close Cocina, they and the building’s owner wanted to pass on the opportunity to a locally owned restaurant. Buford’s Biscuits fit the description, and Lage sold the building to the couple.

“In this place, it gives us about five times the size of what I think we were at. And we have downtown Leesburg’s only rooftop [dining space], which we’re really pumped about,” Schech said.

Buford’s Biscuits held its last dining service at its original location on March 19. Since then, they’ve been changing up their new, five-and-a-half-year-old building’s interior with fresh coats of paint and homely Southern décor.

Each dining room is themed to evoke the atmosphere of a different southern city, including Savannah, Charleston, and Bristol—the area where most of Barrett’s family is from. After all, the restaurant is named after her grandfather, Buford. And they are further honoring the family ties

Business

Luck Honored by National Association

The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association awarded Charlie Luck, the third-generation president and CEO of Luck Companies, with two of the association’s most prestigious honors: The 2023 Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award and the ROCKPAC Paul Mellott Jr. Award for Political Excellence.

The awards were presented at NSSGA’s annual convention held in Las Vegas from March 12-15.

with a heritage wall of family photos and a family tree.

The rooftop is designed to have a New Orleans feel. Though they’re holding off on full-service dining there for now, they hope guests will enjoy the area for hanging out or having a cocktail.

Guests can look forward to the return of their favorite Appalachian-inspired breakfast and lunch dishes, such as the Buford’s Biscuit: a sweet tea brined chicken thigh, collard greens, and mustard velouté smothered over one of their signature cathead biscuits.

But even more exciting, Schech revealed they will gradually expand into having a dinner menu.

Over the next few weeks, they will announce some limited-menu soft openings on their social media to test everything out before their official opening later in the month.

“Soft openings are really important for restaurants. But it’s important for guests to understand there’s a reason for soft openings so we can figure out what we have to improve on and what works, what doesn’t.”

What they are sure to carry on is their commitment to making all their dishes with locally sourced ingredients.

“Our whole menu is about 80-85% local. So, we don’t purchase food from larger corporations like Sysco, U.S. Foods, and things like that. Even our mushrooms are from Misty Meadow Mushrooms and eggs are from Wiffletree Farm out in

Warrenton.”

“The majority of our proteins, like sausage for our sausage gravy, are from Mr. Baker down Mount Jackson. We get it from the Leesburg Farmers Market. So, every Saturday you’ll see us there picking up our food from him.”

Schech and Barrett owe their inspiration for supporting local to Jason Miller of The Wine Kitchen, where they both worked. They thank him for teaching them how a restaurant should be run and look forward to implementing this knowledge in their next chapter on West Market Street.

“We’re ecstatic to be in Leesburg still … We didn’t know what our options were going to be for that restaurant because it was tough. We wanted to find our forever home, so the opportunity to buy the building was fantastic,” Schech said.

“Downtown real estate—there’s not a lot of it, so when something comes up it’s really important. I’m just happy that Leesburg is our place.” n

The Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award recognizes an individual who exhibits the selfless dedication to family, community and the aggregates industry that was exemplified by the award’s namesake. Charles S. Luck III, Charlie Luck’s father, received the Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award in 2004. Luck’s commitment to carry on and expand the legacy of his father’s and grandfather’s commitment to take care employees, customers, business partners and communities in which Luck Companies operates was cited as a reason for his nomination for the award.

The Paul Mellott Jr. Award for Political Excellence is given annually by NSSGA to an industry leader who works tirelessly on behalf of the aggregates industry to promote NSSGA’s political action committee ROCKPAC and the importance of political advocacy.

An active member of NSSGA for his entire career, Charlie Luck has served the association as a board member and as chairman in 2015.

EdgeCore Enters Ashburn Data Center Market

EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure announced plans for a 285,000-square-foot, 36 MW data center in Ashburn.

The project is in partnership with DC-based real estate developer Penzance.

Hungry

for more?

Buford’s Biscuits is located at 7 W. Market Street, Leesburg. Stop by during your visit to the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival this weekend and keep an eye on their Facebook and Instagram to hear the latest updates on the restaurant and catch one of their soft openings.

EdgeCore was acquired by Partners Group in November with plans to invest $1.2 billion to fund the acquisition and buildout of existing and future data center sites.

It will be the second Loudoun data

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Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Buford’s Biscuit co-owners Lauren Barrett and Charles Schech pose in the main dining room of their new space on new West Market Street location.

center campus for EdgeCore. It also is developing a 348,000-square-foot, 54 MW center along Maries Road in Sterling.

“The Penzance team has prepared this site for data center development and is excited that our partner, EdgeCore, shares our vision and will apply its expertise to advance the project to its next phase,” Penzance Managing Director of Investments Cristopher White stated. “We continue to invest in and grow our Virginia portfolio across multiple product types, including data center, industrial and multifamily through our discretionary value add funds.”

Chargois Joins JK Moving Services

JK Moving Services has named moving industry executive Steve Chargois as the head of all financial and accounting functions for its Residential Division.

Chargois has extensive experience with strategic and short-term business planning, training and execution and enjoys developing and building high performing teams. In addition to his financial and accounting responsibilities, he also will be collaborating with residential management on financial analytics and performance.

He joined JK Moving from Daryl Flood Relocation and Logistics where he worked for nearly three decades, serving as chief financial officer for the past six years.

Direct Line Expanding in Ashburn

Direct Line Global has signed a lease with St. John Properties for 17,040 square feet of space within Ashburn Crossing. The lease represents an expansion from the 5,520-square-foot space currently occupied by the Silicon Valley-based company, nearly tripling its presence within the 80-acre mixed-use business community.

Headquartered in Fremont, CA, Direct Line is a globally recognized technology services provider serving the mission-critical design, installation, and managed services needs of the growing data center industry.

“Our Ashburn Crossing operation has us centered within Data Center Alley, and we are excited to serve the growing needs of our clients from this important geographic hub,” stated Vice President of Operations Vern Kuehn,. “We are excited to continue to build our presence and the scale of our operations in the expanding Northern Virginia data center market.”

For more information, go to dl-global.com.

SG Law Opens in Leesburg

SG Law PLC has opened offices in Leesburg and Frederick, MD. The firm is headed by attorneys Ryan Schmalzle and Christin Georgelas, and will specialize in family law, mediation, and personal injury law.

Schmalzle and Georgelas have years of experience handling family law and personal injury cases and have an understanding of the legal and emotional challenges that clients face in these ar-

eas. Their goal is to provide compassionate and effective legal representation that helps clients move forward with their lives, according to the announcement.

The Leesburg office is located at 102 N. King St. Learn more at sglawplc.com.

Freeze Dried Candy Fav Moves to EatLoco Markets

With the closure of Purcellville’s Western Loudoun Farmers Market, one favorite vendor is heading east to provide their popular freeze-dried candy treats. Purcellville-based Cryo Candy is moving to the EatLoco farmers markets this month.

Christy and Troy Hendrickson of Purcellville launched the side business with help from their five kids in 2020. Their freeze drying passion started with an effort to preserve produce from their garden. During the pandemic, the Hendricksons began to freeze dried favorite candies to help their teens with orthodontia enjoy formerly forbidden candies.

Cryo Candy can be found at EatLoco’s One Loudoun Market on Saturdays and the new Loudoun Station on Sundays.

For more information, go to facebook.com/cryocandyva or instagram.com/cryocandyva. n

Nonprofit

Gingersnap Girls Foundation Hosts Rescue Horses Fundraiser

The Gingersnap Girls Equine Education & Rescue Foundation will celebrate its 20th year by opening its facilities to the public Saturday, April 15 from noon to 4 p.m. to bid in a silent auction and meet some of the horses the organization has rescued.

While the nonprofit rescue is mostly known for its equine rescues of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules, it has also recently been helping dogs, cats, goats, sheep and other animals.

Marshall Center to Honor Gates at Gala

The Board of Directors of the George C. Marshall International Center has selected Robert Gates to receive its second annual Marshall Award in Ethical Leadership.

The 22nd U.S. Secretary of Defense will be honored during the center’s annual gala April 14 at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington.

The award is presented to a recipient who embodies the principles of selfless service, unwavering integrity and visionary leadership that characterized the life and example of its namesake. Col. Greg Gadson (U.S. Army, Ret.) was presented with the inaugural award in 2022.

“Through decades of faithful service to

Four years ago, the organization also started a Good Samaritan program in Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia bringing hay, horse feed, dog and cat food and other necessities to family farms facing short-term critical needs because of job loss or illness. The program operates through veterinarian referrals.

The foundation was founded and is run by Ann Mercer, and gets its name from the three mares, Calypso, Flag and Chris, in whose honor it was founded. After

our nation, Dr. Robert Gates has demonstrated that character and effectiveness go hand in hand,” stated Marshall Center Chairman Thomas Greenspon. “We are proud to confer our second annual George C. Marshall Award in Ethical Leadership to a man who has lived up to General Marshall’s standards and served our country with honor.”

Proceeds from the gala will support a range of the organization’s activities, including its growing ethical leadership training program. Five-Star Character: The

George C. Marshall Ethical Leadership Conference was created to inspire and develop leaders among high school juniors and seniors. Using examples from Mar-

bringing in Chris, who had been abused, Mercer used gingersnaps as a training tool to help gain the horse’s trust with Calypso and Flag’s help. One of Mercer’s friends would call and ask, “how are those gingersnap girls today?” The name stuck.

Chris died in 1996, and in 2005 Mercer launched the Gingersnap Girls Equine Education & Rescue Foundation.

The foundation is located at 11767 Ropp Lane, Lovettsville. Learn more at gingersnapgirls.org. n

shall’s long career of service, participants learn and apply these enduring lessons in a modern context. Thanks to donor support, all students attend for free.

Robert Gates served as secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. Gates served in the CIA for nearly 27 years, culminating his service as director of Central Intelligence from 1991 to 1993. During his career, he served eight U.S. presidents across both parties. On Gates’s last day in office, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Learn more about the Marshall Center and its work at georgecmarshall.org. n

Rotary Contributes to Windy Hill Foundation

The Rotary Club of Leesburg recently donated $3,000 to the Windy Hill Foundation to support its affordable housing mission.

The foundation provides housing to low and lower-income individuals, families, older adults and adults with disabilities in Loudoun and Fauquier counties and promotes self-improvement and self-sufficiency among residents. In 2019, Windy Hill Foundation provided 310 affordable units.

Resident support programs include afterschool academic and social programs for children, including an eight-week drop in summer day camp, tutoring programs during the school year, family programming, and personal enrichment, social, and health programs for both younger and older adult residents.

The Rotary Club contribution is part of its on-going recognition of local community organizations and scholarship

programs for rising high school seniors. The club meets Thursday evenings at the River Creek Club. Learn more at leesburg-rotary.org. n

Contributed

The Gingersnap Girls Equine Education & Rescue Foundation will open its doors to the public for a silent auction and to meet some of its rescue horses on Saturday.

Contributed

Rotary Club of Leesburg President Steve Chapin presents a donation to Windy Hill Foundation Executive Director Eloise Repeczky.

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

Summer Internship

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.

Construction Project Manager/Project Engineer

Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a motivated, qualified individual to handle all aspects of construction project management. Duties include Preparing, scheduling, coordinating and monitoring the assigned projects. Monitoring compliance to applicable codes, practices, QA/QC policies, performance standards and specifications.

Interacting daily with the clients to interpret their needs and requirements and representing them in the field.

We are looking for an accountable project engineer/project manager to be responsible for all engineering and technical disciplines that projects involve. You will schedule, plan, forecast, resource and manage all the technical activities aiming at assuring project accuracy and quality from conception to completion.

Qualifications

• BS degree in Engineering/Construction Management or relevant field

• Prior federal government project experience is preferred, but not required

• Entr y-level/mid-level Position

Contact Info: Katherine Hicks

305 Harrison Street STE 100 Leesburg, VA 20175

Send Resume to: khicks@meridiengroupllc.com (703) 777-8285

Purcellville Considers Additional Capital Project Manager in Budget

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Purcellville’s Director of Planning, Engineering and Development Dale Lehnig presented to the council her department’s portion of the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget April 5, asking the Town Council for funding for an additional full-time employee.

The position, a capital project manager, would primarily focus on projects funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. The proposal seeks $128,569 for the position. According to the draft budget, Lehnig and GIS and Special Projects Coordinator Andrea Broshkevitch are currently managing ARPA-funded projects, but that heavy workload is delaying other duties including plan review, staff reports, mapping requests and GIS updates and requiring staff to put in long hours.

It is also a position recommended in the staffing analysis now Interim Manager John Anzivino delivered to the council last November.

The Engineering, Planning and Development Department also requested an additional full-time assistant and a full-time

economic development specialist, which were not funded in Anzivino’s proposed budget.

The capital projects manager is one of three new full-time positions proposed in the fiscal year 2024 budget, with the other two requested for the Utilities Department.

Financial Analyst Linda Jackson also

briefed the council on the town’s partnerships with the county and state governments. She said both entities provide valuable services to the town including grant funding to support the town’s Capital Improvement Plan.

“This is another item we’ll talk about on May 1, but these are our VDOT revenue sharing projects where, for a project, VDOT will give us 50% of the funds, and then the town pays 50%,” she said.

Mayor Stanley J. Milan asked if the town was also pursuing grants that provide 100% of project funding.

“We have looked at the transportation enhancements. That’s, I think, an 80/20 match,” Lehnig said. “We have gotten the recreational trails. I can’t remember if that’s 80/20 or 98 and 2%. So, there are various levels of funding. Revenue sharing is the 50/50 typically.”

Milan asked if town staff had identified grants they want to pursue for the town’s water plant. Lehnig said they had, but that the deadline for this year had passed and applications would not open again until

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Purcellville Appoints Cafferky as Town Attorney

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Town Council on Tuesday appointed John Cafferky to serve as Town Attorney on a contractual basis following the recent resignation of Sally Hankins, who served in the post for the past 10 years as a full time town employee.

Cafferky, of the Blankingship and Keith law firm, will represent the town in all legal matters pertaining to the town and advise the mayor, council and town staff on legal questions related to town business.

The agreement stipulates that in Cafferky’s absence Gifford Hampshire and Jeremy Root of Blankingship and Keith are authorized to act on behalf of the town when necessary. The firm will also ensure that an attorney is on-site at the Town Hall one day a week to meet with council mem-

bers and staff to discuss questions and legal issues related to the town. Cafferky will also be present at some council meetings. Interim Town Manager John Anzivino said Cafferky would like to see the council move away from the expectation that an attorney would attend every council meeting.

Gifford would take the primary responsibility to attend Planning Commission meetings, with support from Root when necessary.

The resolution states that Cafferky, Hampshire and Root will bill at the rate of $330 per hour and any work done by associates of the firm will be billed at $275 per hour or their actual rate which could be as low as $190 per hour for junior associates. The firm will also bill the town for mileage, tolls and ordinary costs including postage and copies.

The council also decided to retain part-

time attorney Marty Kloeden to draft contracts, draft and prepare insurance compliance and review and recommend telecommunications-related documents. Kloeden will bill at $80 per hour rate.

With this change from the employment of a full-time attorney to contracting Cafferky Anzivino cut the proposed budget for legal services to $317,200, a $105,580 reduction.

Cafferky is a partner at Blankingship and Keith and leads the education law and litigation practice group there. He has been focused on education law and defense of public, charter and private schools since 1986, according to a profile drafted by Purcellville staff. He also acts as general counsel to several Northern Virginia school boards and provides legal advice on topics critical to the operation of public schools. n

HILLSBORO Town Launches Sunday Farmers Market

The Town of Hillsboro has partnered with local and regional farmers to launch the county’s only Sunday afternoon farmers market at the Old Stone School.

Beginning April 16, area residents and visitors will have the opportunity to purchase high-quality, farm-fresh foods, including meats and cheeses, produce, honey, syrups and fresh flowers at the market.

Vendors signed up for opening day include Hill Top Farm, located just west of Hillsboro and featuring beef and pork; Hillsboro’s Stoneybrook Farm will be offering fresh chicken, eggs, vegetables, breads and baked goods; artisan goat milk cheeses and products from Happy Creek Cheeses. Lovettsville’s Basking Bee Farm & Apiary will be selling honey, and Vale of the Blue Ridge Maple Farm offers maple syrup and candies. Fresh flowers will be available from Stonehedge Flower Farm and Wren’s Rest Gardens.

Ford’s Fish Shack food truck will also be open on site for the opening as a preview to its ongoing satellite Hillsboro location set to begin later this month. Ford’s will join Moo Thru Ice Cream on the Millstone Plaza at the Old Stone School Thursdays through Sundays and during the town’s Friday night Music in The Gap summer concert series and other special events.

MIDDLEBURG Jones Promoted to Police Chief

Following a nationwide search, the town found its next police chief close to home.

Starting May 1, Lt. Shaun D. Jones will step into the shoes of retiring Chief AJ Panebianco, who has served in the post for 11 years.

Jones has more than 23 years of law enforcement experience and joined the Middleburg Police Department in December 2020. Previously, he served with the Spotsylvania County Sheriff ’s Office, the Mary Washington University Police Department, and

AROUND TOWNS

continues on page 23

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Purcellville’s Director of Planning, Engineering and Development Dale Lehnig presents to the Town Council at a budget meeting April 5.

PROJECT MANAGER

AROUND towns

continued from page 22

the Pamunkey Regional Jail. He is a member of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He also teaches training classes on behalf of VACP and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.

“During the interview process, Lt. Jones consistently demonstrated a dedication to the highest standards of public safety, community engagement, and officer training and development,” stated Town Manager Danny Davis in the announcement.

A retirement ceremony for Panebianco is planned for 5 p.m. April 21 at the Middleburg Community Center. The public is invited.

ROUND HILL Town Council Looks to Fill Vacant Seat

Round Hill again is looking for a resident to step up and fill a vacant Town Council seat.

The resignation of Council member

Jesse Howe was announced during Wednesday’s meeting.

Under the Town Charter, the council has 60 days to make an appointment to fill the seat until a special election can be held in November. The winner of the election will complete Howe’s term, expiring Dec. 31, 2025.

Howe resigned because he is moving out of town.

Howe got his start on the council by being appointed to fill an empty seat in 2020. He subsequently was elected to a full four-year term.

Now, three of the town’s five council seats will be on the ballot in November, along with the mayor’s chair.

The town also is seeking a resident to serve on the rarely convened Board of Zoning Appeals.

The town plans a mailing to all town residents to encourage volunteers for the positions. Candidate interviews and appointment votes are expected May 17.

PURCELLVILLE Police Dept. Joins Drug Take Back Day

The Police Department will take part in the National Prescription Drug Take

Back Day sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Agency on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The program seeks to prevent pill abuse and theft by providing a safe, convenient and responsible means for disposing of prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous, no questions are asked. Individuals may drop off unused or expired medications at Town Hall for safe disposal.

Acceptable items include prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, medical samples, pet medications, vape pens and e-cigarettes (battery must be removed).

Since the program was started in 2010, more than 17,000 pounds of prescription medications have been collected in Loudoun County.

Police Officer Burkett Receives VFW Award

Officer Alexander Burkett was awarded the Veterans of Foreign Wars Law Enforcement Public Servant Citation during an April 5 ceremony.

He was presented the award by Stephen Hood and Commander Ray Delpesche of the Loudoun County Post 1177 of Veterans of Foreign Wars. The citation is given to a law enforcement individual who

shows consistent excellence in the performance of their duties, as well as continuous dedication and growth in their official responsibilities and skills within their profession.

In addition to handling service calls and traffic enforcement, Burkett has taken an active role in the Books and Badges program, where he reads to preschool children at the Purcellville Library. He also assists students in the Purcellville Police and BetterALife Homework Club, where he mentors children by helping them understand school assignments.

He also participates in the Loudoun County Public Schools Job for a Day Program. He volunteers with high school juniors and seniors who have an interest in the law enforcement profession, by leading them through mock traffic stops, testing police equipment, and answering questions regarding possible police career paths. Additionally, Burkett is a certified Bicycle Patrol Officer and leads the children’s safety obstacle course at the department’s Bicycle and Safety Rodeo held in the spring.

Burkett has worked for the Purcellville Police Department since 2019. n

GETOUT

LOCO CULTURE

LEESBURG FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW

Saturday, April 15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Downtown Leesburg

Details: leesburgva.gov

This regionally acclaimed festival features more than 125 vendors, including landscapers, gardening suppliers, plant sellers, outdoor living businesses and furniture makers, plus live music, children’s activities, a rooftop beer garden and delicious food for sale. Admission is free.

INFLUX DANCE COMPANY

PRESENTS SURGE

Saturday, April 15, 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 16, 4 p.m.

Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441

Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville

Details: franklinparkartscenter.org

In this debut performance, INFLUX dance company presents SURGE, a contemporary dance experience featuring powerful storytelling, compelling choreography and explosive energy. Tickets are $18 at the door.

‘THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT’

Saturday, April 15, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 16, 2 p.m.

StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn

Details: stagecoachtc.com

The 1964 play (made into a 1970 film) follows Doris, an actress, model and part-time sex worker who moves in temporarily with her neighbor Felix, an intellectual aspiring writer with hilarious results. This production is intended for an adult audience. Tickets are $25. Performances run through April 29.

HISTORY TALK:

ALEXANDER B. ROSSINO

Sunday, April 16, 2 p.m.

St. James UCC, 10 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville

Details: lovettsvillehistoricalsociety.org

GET OUT THIS WEEK

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Leesburg Teen Is Virginia’s Poetry Out Loud Champ

BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounnow.com

Let me make the songs for the people,

Songs for the old and young; Songs to stir like a battle-cry Wherever they are sung.

— From “Songs for the People”

by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

For Evalynn Bogusz, poetry means lifting voices and stirring hearts.

Bogusz, a senior at Heritage High School and the Academy of Science, won Virginia’s Poetry Out Loud competition last month and moves on to the national finals in May.

The competition, which combines memorization and high-energy recitation, requires students to dive deep into their selected poems, connect with the texts, and put their own spin on the words of acclaimed poets.

“When you’re reciting [a poem],

you have to be so aware of every word and what every line means–every minute shift that’s going on within the poem,” she said. “Reading it, you’re trying to get an idea of what did [the poet] do with it. When you’re reciting it, it’s, ‘How can I take that and make it my own–what can I do with this poem?’”

The state-level competition was organized by the Virginia Commission for the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the

continues on page 26

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Evalynn Bogusz, a senior at Heritage High School, won Virginia’s Poetry Out Loud competition last month and will compete nationally in May.

Best Bets

continued from page 24

The Lovettsville Historical Society presents a talk from Alexander B. Rossino, author of “Their Maryland: The Army of Northern Virginia from the Potomac Crossing to Sharpsburg in September 1862.” Rossino discusses misconceptions and myths about the first major Confederate operation north of the Potomac River. Admission is free but donations are welcome.

MOONLIGHT DRIVE

Friday, April 14, 8 p.m. Monk’s BBQ monksq.com

DANNY KENSY

Saturday, April 15, 3 p.m. Lost Rhino Brewing Company lostrhino.com

GET OUT THIS WEEK

LOCO LIVE

NOTAVIVA BLUEGRASS JAM

Friday, Nov. 14, 5 p.m.

Notaviva Craft Fermentations, 13274 Sagle Road, Hillsboro

Details: notavivavineyards.com

Enjoy the best in local live bluegrass every fourth Friday. Admission is free.

HERB AND HANSON

Friday, April 14, 5 p.m.

Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont

Details: dirtfarmbrewing.com

Celebrate Friday with new roots music, including blues, bluegrass, folk and rock.

MOON MUSIC

Friday, April 14, 6 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950

Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville

Details: flyingacefarm.com

This acoustic contemporary trio features three-part harmony arrangements and unexpected covers from Queen, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and other favorites.

SHOT THRU THE HEART

Saturday, April 15, 7 p.m. (doors) Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

DC IMPROV COMEDY NIGHT

Friday, April 14, 6:30 and 9 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg

Details: tallyhotheater.com

DC Improv returns to the Tally Ho with two shows featuring host Katie McKelvie and comics Cerrome Russell, Josh Kuderna, Haywood Turnipseed and Shelley Kim. Tickets are $22-$32.

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continues on page 27

POETRY OUT LOUD

continued from page 24

Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Woodgrove High School sophomore Daniela Vitello was also among 12 finalists in the state competition, an impressive showing for Loudoun Public School students in a field of finalists that included students from public schools, governor’s schools and private schools around the commonwealth. As Virginia’s state champ, Bogusz moves on to the national finals May 8 through 10 in Washington, DC, where she’ll compete against top orators from 55 states and U.S. territories.

Competitors select poems from an anthology created for the competition, choosing works of different lengths and from different time periods. For Bogusz, all three of her pieces struck a chord.

“I think they all resonated for slightly different reasons, but there was something about the language or the structure or the imagery that jumped out to me. They each had a powerful message that I enjoyed and I wanted to get across in

my own way,” Bogusz said.

Bogusz chose contemporary New York-based poet Desiree Alvarez’s “‘Un Tintero’ Inkwell.”

The bilingual poem immediately appealed to Bogusz, who attended Virginia’s Governor’s Spanish Language Academy last summer.

“It’s got a very powerful message about healing from the injustices of the past, of colonization and reckoning with that,” Bogusz said.

Bogusz reached out to the poet, who helped her prepare her recitation.

When I’m selecting my poems, I like to research them and figure out what’s the story behind them,” Bogusz said. “[Alvarez] gave me some great feedback and encouragement.”

For her pre-20th century piece, Bogusz chose “Songs for the People” by the 19th Century African American poet Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, which taps into the need for poetry and the arts during challenging times and connected with Bogusz’s own passion for the arts.

“I love the sounds of it and how it’s got a lot of shifts of tone and emotion within the poem. … It also has a lot of reflection on my journey with Poetry Out Loud and art in general,” she said.

Bogusz’s final selection for the state and national competitions was the tender and evocative “Meeting at an Airport” by the Palestinian poet Taha Muhammad Ali, who died in 2011.

Bogusz started her Poetry Out Loud journey her freshman year at Heritage when her English teacher, Colleen Dobbs, encouraged her to compete. Competing at the school level helped her learn how to dramatize poems and make them accessible to classmates and judges. Bogusz won her school competition her freshman year and went on to win the regional competition the following year. Moving forward and observing fellow competitors at every level has helped her perfect her craft: “What kinds of techniques are these people using? How can I apply some of these techniques on my own?”

Bogusz has a background in community theater and loves the performing arts, but her demanding high school schedule doesn’t allow her to participate in Heritage’s theater program.

Bogusz was an award winner in Environmental Science at this year’s LCPS Regional Science and Engineering Fair and leads an extracurricular robotics team. At press time, Bogusz was still deciding between

top colleges and plans for a career in environmental science.

“Poetry Out Loud was letting me express that same sort of thing and use it as a creative outlet in the same way that acting and theater were for me,” she said.

For Bogusz, the state competition in Richmond was rewarding because of the level of competition but also the spirit of camaraderie and mutual support. And the national competition promises more intense and amazing experiences as a teenage renaissance woman wraps up her high school career.

“It was the most impressive group of orators that I’d gotten to witness,” she said. “Getting that full immersion and seeing how supportive everyone is and what a great environment with so many talented people–it was phenomenal.” n

For more information about Virginia’s Poetry Out Loud program, go to vca.virginia.gov.

Virginia Public Media will broadcast Virginia’s Poetry Out Loud competition on Sunday, April 30 at 4 p.m. on VPM PBS, with a repeat broadcast on Monday, May 1 at 8 p.m. on VPM PBS Plus. For more information, go to vpm.org.

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continued from page 25

CHRIS MANGIONE AND MADELINE MILLER

Friday, April 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.

MOONLIGHT DRIVE

Friday, April 14, 8 p.m.

Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville

Details: monksq.com

Moonlight Drive is back with acoustic renditions of bluegrass, country and pop favorites.

YOUNG RELICS

Friday, April 14, 8 p.m.

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg

Details: spankyspub.com

Young Relics serves up hits and deep cuts from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

SHAG

Saturday, April 15, 1-4 p.m.

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts

Details: vanishbeer.com

Shag celebrates 28 years of British and European rock hits of the ’80s and ’90s.

SHANE HINES

Saturday, April 15, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro

Details: breauxvineyards.com

Hines returns to Breaux with his special brand of indie pop.

JASON MASI

Saturday, April 15, 2 p.m.

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro

Details: doukeniewinery.com

Masi is back with a mellow afternoon of acoustic soul and R&B.

WILL SHEPARD

Saturday, April 15, 2 p.m.

Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville

Details: twotwistedposts.com

It’s a fun winery afternoon with singer/ songwriter Will Shepard.

JOEY BAUER

Saturday, April 15, 2 p.m.

Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane,

Lovettsville

Details: creeksedgewinery.com

Enjoy Americana rock from Joey Bauer.

SUMMER AND ERIC

Saturday, April 15, 3 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville

Details: flyingacefarm.com

This DMV duo plays a fun, eclectic and unexpected mix of music from the past and present, as well as original tunes.

DANNY KENSY

Saturday., April 15, 3 p.m.

Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn

Details: lostrhino.com

Danny Kensy is a nationally touring country music artist and songwriter with an edgy sound that brings fans back for more.

DOMENIC CICALA AND THENSOME

Saturday, April 15, 5 p.m.

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg

Details: lostbarrel.com

Check out roots rock and Americana from a DMV favorite.

MEISHA HERRON

Saturday, April 15, 5 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights

Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing

Rising star Meisha Herron returns to HFB for an afternoon of soul and blues.

SHOT THRU THE HEART BON JOVI EXPERIENCE

Saturday, April 15, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg

Details: tallyhotheater.com

STTH pays homage to the music and showmanship of Bon Jovi, offering a highenergy concert experience and staying true to the original recordings. Tickets are $15.

LIBERTY STREET

Saturday, April 15, 8 p.m.

Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville

Details: monksq.com

Enjoy soft rock favorites from Eric Stanley and Doug Wall.

NO LAUGHING MATTER

Saturday, April 15, 8 p.m.

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg

Details: spankyspub.com

Regional favorite NLM is back at Spanky’s with an evening of fun covers.

JEFF TAULTON

Sunday, April 16, 1 p.m.

Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville

Details: creeksedgewinery.com

Taulton’s solo show features a mix of covers and originals from a range of genres.

KEN WENZEL

Sunday, April 16, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro

Details: breauxvineyards.com

Wenzel returns to Breaux with his signature roots-rock, country-jazz take on love, learning and life in America.

MELISSA QUINN FOX

Sunday, April 16, 2 p.m.

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro

Details: doukeniewinery.com

Country/Americana songstress Melissa Quinn Fox is known for her story-driven songs, unique vocal tone and captivating live performances.

MICHELLE AND JASON HANNAN

Sunday, April 16, 2 p.m. Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights

Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Michelle and Jason Hannan bring chart topping original independent country/ Americana music and favorite classic country covers.

THE VERVE PIPE

Thursday, April 20, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg

Details: tallyhotheater.com

The 90s alt rockers known for their breakthrough hit “The Freshmen” bring old favorites to the Tally Ho. Tickets are $29 for general admission, $65 for VIP seats.

The 150-Year Effort to Save Ball’s Bluff Battlefield

BY PAUL MCCRAY

Ball’s Bluff Battlefield Regional Park, site of the largest Civil War action in Loudoun County and the third smallest National Cemetery in the United States, is a popular tourist attraction in the county. The 1861 battle is considered a pivotal point in the early part of the war, with Union casualties numbering 1,002 soldiers wounded, killed, captured or missing from the 1,700 on the battlefield.

The battlefield at the park looks much the same as it did during the battle. But for 150 years after the battle, the integrity of the cemetery and the land around it where the fighting took place were at risk from multiple proposals to move the interred bodies, and more recently, to develop the area for houses.

The first attempt took place in 1868, three years after the cemetery was established on five acres of land donated by Thomas Swann, Jr, builder of Morven Park and owner of the battlefield. Because the cemetery was overgrown and the surrounding fence in poor shape, the Department of the Army decided to move the 54 Union soldiers buried there to Arlington National Cemetery. However, that decision was not carried out, and subsequent improvements included replacement of the fence with a stone wall.

The land around the cemetery was bought in 1875 by Charles Paxton, who donated a perpetual right-of-way to the cemetery so that access from today’s Rt. 15 would be maintained. But legal access did not ensure practical access.

Soldiers who fought at Ball’s Bluff for the 15th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment toured the battlefield in 1900 and found the road to the cemetery almost impassable. The stone walls were overgrown with vines and had collapsed in places. Outraged that the final resting place of their comrades was in shambles, a complaint was filed with Army Quartermaster General M. I. Luddington by J. Evarts Greene, an officer of the 15th Massachusetts, and then editor of the Worcester Spy newspaper. Luddington responded that the cemetery was too small and of little significance. He wanted to close it and move the bodies to Arlington National Cemetery.

Letters of opposition came from near and far. It was a bipartisan effort: the local petition opposing the closure was signed mostly by local Confederate veterans. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, who was wounded at Ball’s Bluff, wrote to Secretary of War Elihu Root, imploring him to keep the cemetery at the battlefield.

Representative John Rixey of Virginia

and Senator George Hoar of Massachusetts took special interest in Ball’s Bluff, and put pressure on Luddington and Root to keep the cemetery open. Hoar was particularly adamant, as his brother-in-law served with the 15th Massachusetts after Ball’s Bluff and died in the Battle of Antietam. The opposition was successful, and the controversy drew attention to the onceagain poor conditions of the site. By 1901, a new stone wall was erected using local red stone, and in 1907 a formal easement was acquired to build a road with proper drainage from Rt. 15 to the cemetery.

In 1902, a petition circulated in Loudoun motivated Rep. Rixey to sponsor legislation for federal purchase of the battlefield, but his effort failed.

Consequently, the cemetery remained only lightly maintained for decades by the Department of the Army—a responsibility it tried numerous times to shift elsewhere. In 1943, 1947 and 1957 the cemetery was offered to the National Park Service, a federal agency responsible for some national cemeteries, but it refused to take over Ball’s Bluff. In 1950 and 1957, legislation was introduced to close Ball’s Bluff, but at the urging of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and county residents, Virginia members of Congress put a stop to those efforts.

The 100th anniversary of Ball’s Bluff in 1961 brought the battlefield into the spotlight, but it reverted to a little-known historic site for the next 20 years. That situation changed in 1981 when the Beus Corporation, a Swiss company, bought 475 acres around the cemetery, including

about one-third of the 78-acres which made up the core of the battlefield. Although Beus had not announced any plans for the land, which was zoned R-1 for single family homes, there was little doubt a housing development was its intention. While the cemetery itself was not at risk, now being run by the U.S. Veterans Administration, the idea of it in the middle of a subdivision was not a popular thought for many.

One upset Loudoun resident was Hugh Harmon, a Civil War reenactor, and Loudoun County’s assistant director for Economic Development. Harmon spoke to Civil War groups, elected officials and anyone who would listen about what might become of Ball’s Bluff. He also printed 5,000 copies of New York Daily Tribune articles about the battle from October 21 to 28, 1861, to hand out around Loudoun.

To further draw attention to his cause, Harmon announced that he would stand vigil in Leesburg at the corner of King and Market Streets from the evening of Saturday October 17, 1981, to Sunday afternoon the next day. He wore a Union soldier uniform, carried a period musket and displayed a large American flag.

Word spread and others joined him—a few overnight, plus 60 people who arrived Sunday at noon. Most were reenactors who came from the Loudoun area, New York and Pennsylvania. His vigil was reported in the Washington Post and local newspapers, with interviews on the streets of Leesburg.

Perhaps a sense of urgency was felt by Harmon and others from the example of

what happened to the land where the Battle of Ox Hill was fought in Fairfax County. The property was rezoned, with little opposition, for a large shopping mall in the 1970s, and now Fair Oaks Mall covers the battleground, except for a 4-acre park.

The media coverage and public pressure surrounding Hugh Harmon’s overnight vigil had a positive effect. In 1984, the developer, Potomac Crossing Limited Partnership, proffered 174 acres of the battlefield and surrounding area to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, now NOVA Parks. NOVA Parks bought an additional 55 acres in 2000 for $1.3 million. That same year, 76 acres of the battlefield, including the cemetery, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Ball’s Bluff National Historic Landmark.

The last piece of Ball’s Bluff was saved in 2014 when the Civil War Trust bought the Jackson House, a home that was part of the battlefield. The Trust then deeded the house and three acres around it to NOVA Parks.

Concerns about further development encroaching on the battlefield area led the Loudoun County Heritage Commission, in 2012, to seek an expansion of the Ball’s Bluff National Landmark to 3,300 acres. The request was approved by the Department of the Interior. The new boundaries take in the area to Edwards Ferry Road, riverfront land on both sides of the Potomac River, and Harrisons Island.

The sheer length of time entailed in saving Ball’s Bluff was extraordinary. The measures taken to protect it—from the initial donation of five acres for the cemetery in 1865, to the final acquisition of park land in 2014—involved hundreds of individuals. Being of different generations, they could not have acted in concert. Yet, they were united in their persistence to turn away threats to the viability of land historically significant to the nation, Virginia and Loudoun County. Instructively, the Ball’s Bluff experience demonstrates the need for constant vigilance to protect Loudoun’s valuable, unique features. n

Paul McCray is a 31-year Loudoun resident. He managed various NOVA Parks in Loudoun, including the W&OD Railroad Regional Park for 20 years, and continues to work part-time for NOVA Parks as a historian. He is a 2011 recipient of Thomas Balch Library’s History Award. In Our Backyard is sponsored by the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition. For more information about the organization, go to loudouncoalition.org.

Courtesy of Ken Fleming Soldiers from the 15th Massachusetts Regiment are seen during their first reunion tour of Ball’s Bluff in 1886. The veterans toured the site again in 1900.

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG DEPARTMENT OF UTILITIES NOTICE OF WATER MAIN FLUSHING

The Town of Leesburg will conduct controlled flushing of water mains throughout the Town beginning April 17 through May 31st, 2023. This preventative maintenance program is essential for maintaining the Town’s high standards of water quality.

Water mains are flushed by opening fire hydrants and allowing them to flow freely for a short period of time. The flushing cleans out sediment, removes air which may accumulate in the water mains and restores chlorine levels in areas of limited water use.

Water is safe to drink and safe to use during flushing. However, flushing may result in temporary discoloration and sediment in the water. If discoloration or sediment is evident, the Town recommends residents avoid doing laundry until the discoloration subsides. Flushing may also introduce air into the water, which may temporarily cause erratic flow. If this occurs, open your cold water tap until a clear steady flow of water is observed.

Some residents and businesses may experience lower than normal pressure during the flushing in their neighborhood. The Town regrets any inconvenience the flushing operation may cause.

Please call the Utilities Department at 703-737-7075 for further information. For after-hour emergencies, call the Leesburg Police Department at 703-771-4500.

4/13 – 5/25

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

LVBZ 2023-0001, APPLICATION FOR VARIANCE

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-2204, 15.2-2309, 15.2-2310, 15.2-2311 and 15.2-2312 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, the LOVETTSVILLE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS will hold a public hearing at their meeting at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at the Lovettsville Town Council Chambers located at 6 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, VA 20180.

Bret and Amy Lynn Spencer of Lovettsville, Virginia, have applied for a variance to permit a deviation from Section 42-304(d)(1)b, Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems, of the Lovettsville Zoning Ordinance, to waive a requirement that solar panels be flush mounted on roofs that face a public street. The property is zoned T-C (Town Center). The subject property is approximately 0.18 acre in size and is located on the north side of Eisentown Drive approximately 100 feet east of Fox Meadow Drive, at 40 Eisentown Drive. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 369187170. All persons wishing to speak will be given the opportunity but must be present at the meeting. Members of the public may access this meeting electronically. The papers comprising the variance request are available for review on the Town website at: Board of Zoning Appeals Application

You may also request a copy be sent to you via email by contacting John Merrithew, Planning/Zoning Administrator at (540) 822-5788 between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays, holidays excepted. In the event the meeting is postponed, the public hearing will be readvertised.

4/13 and 4/20/23

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLES 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 AND 15

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, April 25, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg VA 20176 to consider the following amendments to the Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance (TLZO):

1. Amending TLZO Article 3 to specify an inactivity period for Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) applications in the Old and Historic Overlay District.

2. Amending TLZO Article 7 to specify an inactivity period for Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) applications in the Gateway Overlay District.

3. Amending TLZO Sec. 3.8 to require additional information for Wall Checks.

4. Amending TLZO Sec. 10.4.4.F to reconcile State Code requirements for Boundary Line Adjustments that result in a Lot Consolidation.

5. Amending TLZO Articles 6 and 9 to include the use “Trade/General Contractor”.

6. Amending TLZO Sec. 9.1.5 to remove the term “Transient Housing” as a prohibited use.

7. Amending TLZO Sec. 10.4.5.C.9 to allow pool covers in lieu of fencing around resident owned pools.

8. Amending TLZO Sec. 15.2.5 to include a size limitation for Temporary Signs.

9. Amending TLZO Sec. 15.3 to create a definition for “Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Sign”.

10. Amending TLZO Sec. 9.4.5 to increase sign area for electric vehicles, and to permit illuminated signage.

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-2022-0010.

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. 4/13/23 & 4/20/23

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING

SEALED COMPETITIVE

BIDS FOR:

OVERHEAD DOOR AND SECURITY GATE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE, IFB No. 607792 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, May 8, 2023.

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.

4/13/23

Legal Notices

PUBLIC AUCTION

This proceeding is for the judicial sale of real properties located in Loudoun County, Virginia, for payment of delinquent taxes pursuant to the provisions of Virginia Code §§ 58.1-3965, et seq. Pursuant to Orders entered by the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, Virginia, the undersigned Nicholas J. Lawrence and Robert J. Sproul, Special Commissioners of Sale of said Court, will offer the real properties described below for sale at public auction to the highest bidder in front of the Historic Loudoun County Courthouse, facing King Street near the intersection of King and Market Streets, at 18 East Market Street, in Leesburg, Virginia on:

April 20, 2023

3:00 p.m. RAIN OR SHINE

Registration Starts at 2:30 p.m.

the chain of title. Any costs incurred by a bidder to inspect or investigate any property are the bidder’s responsibility and are not reimbursable.

The owner of any property listed below may redeem it at any time before the date of the auction by paying all taxes, penalties, interest, costs (including the pro rata costs of publishing this advertisement and attorney’s fees) incurred through the date before the auction.

Below is a brief description of each property to be offered for sale at the auction. More detailed information may be obtained by examining the files in the Clerk’s office of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, or by contacting the Special Commissioners of Sale at (703) 777-0307; or N. Rebekah Long, Deputy Treasurer for Collections at (703) 771-5656.

TERMS OF SALE:

1. The sale of any real property is subject to the approval and confirmation by the Circuit Court of Loudoun County.

2. The Special Commissioners of Sale reserve the right to withdraw from sale any property listed and to reject any bid by declaring “NO SALE” after the last bid received on a property.

3. Any person who wishes to bid on any property during the auction must register with County staff before the start of bidding. As part of the registration process, potential bidders must: (i) have sufficient funds on hand to pay the Minimum Deposit required for each parcel on which they want to bid; and (ii) sign a form certifying that they do not own any property in Loudoun County for which any delinquent taxes are due, or for which there are zoning or other violations.

4. The Minimum Deposit required for each parcel is specified below, as part of the property description. The full amount of the Minimum Deposit must be paid by cashier’s or certified check made payable to Gary Clemens, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, at the time the auctioneer declares the sale

5. In lieu of attending the auction, bidders may submit written bids to the Special Commissioners of Sale, at the address listed below. All written bids must be accompanied by the applicable Minimum Deposit, which shall be paid by cashier’s or certified check made payable to Gary Clemens, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County. Written bids must also be accompanied by a certification that the bidder is not the owner of any property in Loudoun County for which delinquent taxes are due, or for which there are zoning or other violations. A written bid form, which includes the required certification, can be obtained from the Special Commissioners of Sale or the Treasurer’s website.

6. Written bids (with the required deposit and certification) will be received by the Special Commissioners of Sale at any time prior to the date of auction and held under seal until the date of the auction. If a written bid exceeds the highest live bid received from the audience during the auction, the audience will have an opportunity to bid against the written bid. If a higher bid is not received from the audience, the Special Commissioners of Sale may declare the sale to the proponent of the highest written bid or may reject all bids by declaring “NO SALE.”

7. If either a written bid or a live auction bid is approved by the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, the balance of the purchase price must be paid in full within 30 days of Court approval.

8. Once a submitted written bid or a live bid has been accepted during the auction, it cannot be withdrawn except by leave of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County. Any bidder who attempts to withdraw his/ her bid after it has been accepted by the Special Commissioners of Sale may be required to forfeit his/her deposit.

9. Properties are offered “as is”, with all faults and without warranties or guarantees either expressed or implied. Prospective bidders should investigate the title on properties prior to bidding. The sale of the properties is not subject to the successful bidders’ ability to obtain title insurance. The sale of the properties is made free and clear only of liens of defendant(s) named in the respective judicial proceeding, and of those liens recorded after the County filed a lis pendens with the Circuit Court of Loudoun County.

10. All recording costs (including but not limited to any grantor’s tax/fee) will be at the expense of the purchaser. All property will be conveyed by Special Warranty Deed from the Special Commissioners of Sale.

11. Announcements made on the day of sale take precedence over any prior verbal or written terms of sale.

The Special Commissioners of Sale represent that information regarding the property to be offered for sale, including acreage, type of improvements, etc., is taken from tax and/or land records, and is not guaranteed for either accuracy or completeness. Bidders are encouraged to make their own investigation to determine the title, condition of improvements, accessibility, and occupancy status of each property and to bid accordingly. The sale will be made subject to matters visible upon inspection, and to restrictions, conditions, rights-of-way and easements, if any, contained in the instruments constituting

THE COUNTY OF LOUDOUN v. HEIRS AT LAW & SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF DOUGLAS PETERSON, Sr, a/ka FRED DOUGLAS

PETERSON, Sr., and JOSPEHINE PETERSON, et al

CIVIL ACTION NO. CL 22-5153

LOUDOUN COUNTY TAX MAP NO. /53////////36/ PIN 653-37-8651-000

Nicholas J. Lawrence, Special Commissioner of Sale

Robert J. Sproul, Special Commissioner of Sale

Minimum Deposit Required: $18,444.00

0.41 acres, more or less, with improvements, located at 33670 Austin Grove Road, Bluemont, Virginia 20135, and described of record, among the land records of Loudoun County, Virginia as:

All the following described tract and parcel of land, with all the improvements thereon and appurtenances thereunto appertaining, situated, lying and being in Loudoun County and near the Trapp (a town in said County), Virginia, adjoining the lands of Dr. Wiley and others and bounded as follows by a survey made on the 28th day of November 1928, by A. C. Bell. Beginning in the center of a road and running N 13 ¼ E 12.20 poles to Fig. 2, a stake, thence N 68 ¾ W 4.72 poles to Fig. 3, a stake in a line of fence, thence in the center of the said road S 79 ¾ E 5.48 poles to Fig. 1 the place of beginning, containing sixty-five and seven tenths (65.7) poles, more or less, also known as:

33670 Austin Grove Road

Bluemont, Virginia 20135

AND BEING a portion of the same property, conveyed to Robert L. Peterson and Estus Peterson by deed dated May 10, 1930, recorded at Deed Book 10-F-320, 4-D-441 WB, among the land records of Loudoun County, Virginia.

THE COUNTY OF LOUDOUN v. HEIRS AT LAW & SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF DOUGLAS PETERSON, Sr, a/ka FRED DOUGLAS PETERSON, Sr., and JOSPEHINE

PETERSON, et al

CIVIL ACTION NO. CL 22-5153

LOUDOUN COUNTY TAX MAP NO. /53////////38/ PIN 653-37-8564-000

Nicholas J. Lawrence, Special Commissioner of Sale

Robert J. Sproul, Special Commissioner of Sale

Minimum Deposit Required: $15,790.00

0.25 acres, more or less, of vacant land with miscellaneous improvements, no situs address, located near Bluemont, Virginia and described of record, among the land records of Loudoun County, Virginia as:

All the following described tract and parcel of land, with all the improvements thereon and appurtenances thereunto appertaining, situated, lying and being in the County of Loudoun and State of Virginia, and near the place called the Trapp, and bounded as follows: Lot No. 3 beginning at post and running S 68 ½ E. 8.24 poles to a cross fence, thence with said fence N 14 ¾ E 10 poles to an iron pin thence N 72 W 7.28 poles to an iron pin, thence S 20 W 9.60 poles to the place of beginning. Containing 10,662 square feet, more or less.

Nicholas J. Lawrence

Robert J. Sproul

Special Commissioners of Sale

Office of County Attorney

1 Harrison Street, S.E.

P.O. Box 7000

Leesburg, Virginia 20177-7000

(703) 777-0307 3/30,

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, April 25, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

ZRTD-2022-0005

OPPIDAN INVESTMENT COMPANY

(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District)

Oppidan Investment Company, of Fairfax, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 6.99 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in order to permit all principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject properties are located within the Route 28 Taxing District, within the Route 28 Optional Overlay district and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60, aircraft noise contour. The subject properties are approximately 7.09 acres in size and are located east of Route 28, on the south side of South Sterling Boulevard (Route 846) and north side of Davis Drive (Route 868) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PINs: 033-38-7850 and 033-38-5671. The area is governed by the policies of the Revised General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment Place Type)), which designate this area for Office, Production, Research and Development, Flex Space, and Contractor without outdoor storage uses at a FAR of up to 1.0.

CMPT-2022-0004 & SPEX-2022-0040

INFRA TOWERS – EVERGREEN MILL

(Commission Permit & Special Exception)

Infra Towers LLC, of Alexandria, Virginia has submitted applications for the following: 1) Commission approval to permit a 150-foot-tall Telecommunications Monopole with a six-foot-tall lightning rod at the top of pole inside a 50 by 50 square-foot related equipment compound in the AR-1 (Agricultural Rural) zoning district; and 2) a Special Exception to permit a 150-foot-tall Telecommunications Monopole with a six-foot-tall lightning rod at the top of pole inside a related equipment compound in the AR-1 zoning district. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The proposed use requires a Commission Permit in accordance with Section 6-1101 and is listed as a Special Exception use in Table 2-102 of Section 2-102 and under Section 5-618(B)(2). The subject property is approximately 3.14 acres in size and is located west of Evergreen Mills Road (Route 621) and south of Battlefield Parkway (Route 627), in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 27420-4037. 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 rural economy uses and limited residential development at a recommended density of up to one dwelling unit per 20 acres or one dwelling unit per 5 acres equivalent for optional Residential clustering in large-lot subdivisions.

SPEX-2022-0031

DULLES TRADE CENTER WEST

(Special Exception)

10 Trade West Drive, LLC and 11 Trade West Drive, LLC, of Sterling, Virginia, have submitted an application for a Special Exception to permit an increase in the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from 0.4 to 0.6 on two parcels located within the PD-GI (Planned Development – General Industrial) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and the proposed modification of the FAR is listed as a Special Exception under Section 4-606(C). The subject property is located within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District within the Ldn 65 or higher, aircraft noise contour and in the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District). The subject property is approximately 14.8 acres in size and is located north of Arcola Mills Drive (Route 621) and on the west side of Trade West Drive (Route 3535) in the Little River Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PINs: 161-17-2615 and 161-17-0879. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Industrial/Mineral Extraction Place Type)), which designate this area for large manufacturing, contractor with outdoor storage, and other productive uses at a FAR of up to 0.6.

ZRTD-2022-0004

INTERRA SKY TRANSDULLES

(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District)

Davis Drive PropCo. LLC, of Excelsior, Minnesota, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 8.83 acres 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 in order to permit certain principal 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 and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60, aircraft noise contour. The subject property is approximately 8.83 acres in size and is located on the north side of Davis Drive (Route 868) and east of South Sterling Boulevard (Route 846) at 22630 Davis Drive, #225, Sterling, Virginia, in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 033-39-2929. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment Place Type)), which designate this area for Office, Production, Research and Development, Flex Space, and Contractor without outdoor storage uses at a FAR of up to 1.0.

ZMAP-2022-0005, SPEX-2022-0017, SPEX-2022-0018, SPEX-2023-0013, SPMI2022-0005, ZMOD-2022-0017, ZMOD-2022-0070, ZMOD-2022-0071, ZMOD2022-0084, ZMOD-2022-0085, ZMOD-2022-0086 and ZMOD-2023-0018

OLD ARCOLA RESIDENTIAL

(Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exceptions & Zoning Modifications)

Capretti Land, Inc., of Sterling, Virginia, has submitted applications for the following: to rezone approximately 31.67 acres from RC (Rural Commercial) and GB (General Business) zoning districts under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R8 (R-8-Single Family Residential) and R16 (R-16Townhouse/Multifamily Residential) zoning districts under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 228 residential units comprising 14 single-family detached units, 81 single-family attached units, and 133 multi-family units; and Special Exceptions to modify yard and lot requirements, and one minor special exception to modify recycling container setbacks. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed uses are listed as Special Exception uses under Section 3-506(C)(1)(c), Section 5-607(A)(9), Section 7-803(C)(1)(c), Section 7-803(C)(3) and Section 7-903(C) (2)(b) and (c). The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modifications:

ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION PROPOSED MODIFICATION

§5-1404(B)(D), Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening and Landscaping Plans, Buffer Yards, Use Buffer Yard Matrix Table 5-1404 (B), Buffer Yard Widths and Plant Requirements Table 5-1404(D).

§5-1404(B) and (D), Buffer Yards, Use Buffer Yard Matrix Table 5-1404 (B), and Buffer Yard Widths and Plant Requirements Table 5-1404(D).

§7-903(C)(2)(a), R-16 Townhouse/Multi-family District, Lot and Building Requirements, Yards, Multi-family structures, Front.

§7-803(F), R-8 Single Family Residential District, Lot and Building Requirements, Other Regulations.

§5-200(A)(2) and (6), Permitted Structures in Required Yards and Setbacks, In all yards or setbacks, including a front yard.

§5-1407(B)(1), Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening and Landscape Plans, Parking Area Landscaping and Screening Requirements, Peripheral Parking Area Landscaping.

§3-508(B)(2), R-8 Single Family Residential, Building Requirements, Building Heights.

To allow no buffer yard A, B or C requirement and to reduce the width of a buffer yard from 20’ to 10’.

To allow no buffer yard A requirement.

To reduce the front yard requirement for corner lots from 25 feet minimum to 10 feet minimum.

To allow single family attached units and multifamily units to front on private streets.

To allow for no maximum height for patios or decks and to allow for porches, enclosed or unenclosed, to not extend closer than 10 feet to a lot line.

To allow for all required plant unit types within the Type-A Buffer Yard requirement for peripheral parking lot landscaping to be located on the adjacent County property.

To allow for single family attached buildings in the R-8 Zoning District to be a maximum height of 50 feet.

The subject property is approximately 31.67 acres in size and is located east of Stone Springs Boulevard (Route 659), south of Arcola Mills Drive (Route 651), and north of John Mosby Highway (Route 50) in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as:

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Employment Place Type) which designates the area for the development of office, production, flex spaces, and warehousing uses. The Suburban Employment Place Type is 100% non-residential at up to a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.

REQUEST FOR WITHDRAWAL OF LAND BELONGING TO GUINEA BRIDGE, LLC, FROM THE NEW MOUNT GILEAD AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT

Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-4314 and the New Mount Gilead Agricultural and Forestal District Ordinance, Guinea Bridge, LLC, of Sterling, Virginia, has submitted an application to withdraw a 119.47-acre parcel from the New Mount Gilead Agricultural and Forestal District. The subject property is located

Legal Notices

west of Lancer Circle (Route 1148) and south of Hughesville Road (Route 725), in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 457-26-1326. The New Mount Gilead Agricultural and Forestal District currently has a 4-year period that will expire on December 6, 2025, and is subject to a subdivision minimum lot size of 20 acres.

In accordance with Section 15.2-4307 of the Code of Virginia, the applications 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 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling 703-777-0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies or electronically at: https://www.loudoun.gov/adac (2-27-2023 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: https://www.loudoun.gov/pc (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for Public Hearings Packet).

Unless otherwise noted above, full and complete copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances and/or plans, and related documents may be examined in the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday or call 703-7770220, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www.loudoun.gov/pc. For further information, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246.

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 703-7770246 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. If written comments are presented at the hearing, please provide ten

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE

§ 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ045610-05-00; 07-00; 08-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Kelvin Menjivar Loudoun County Department of Family Services

Rene Alavarenga Buezo, putative father, and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold a second permanency planning hearing and review of foster care plan with goal of adoption, pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Kelvin Menjivar and Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Rene Alavarenga Buezo, putative father, and Unknown Father pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Kelvin Menjivar. Rene Alavarenga Buezo, putative father, and Unknown Father are hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of their residual parental rights with respect to Kelvin Menjivvar. Rene Alavarenga Buezo, putative father, and Unknown Father are hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Kelvin Menjivar; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Kelvin Menjivar; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Kelvin Menjivar. Further, Rene Alavarenga Buezo, putative father, and Unknown Father will have no legal and /or financial obligations with respect to Kelvin Menjivar, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Kelvin Menjivar for adoption and consent to the adoption of Kelvin Menjivar.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Rene Alavarenga Buezo, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 9, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. 4/6, 4/13, 4/20 & 4/27/23

Trust Local Expertise

(10) copies for distribution to the Commission and the Clerk’s records. All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. 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: MICHELLE FRANK, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

4/6, 4/13 & 4/20/23

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

EAST BROAD WAY 2A STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

In accordance with the statutes of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and policies of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on April 27, 2023 at 5:30pm in the Town Council Chamber, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia at which time the public shall have the right to provide written and oral comments on the Town’s East Broad Way 2A Streetscape Improvements project and the associated project design, tentative project schedule, environmental document and right-of-way requirements.

The project includes public improvements comprised of sidewalks, curb, gutter, streetlights, storm drainage, on-street parking spaces and landscaping, storm water management and drainage, waterline replacement, and pedestrian and vehicular safety in the corridor of East Broad Way from South Loudoun Street to South Church Street.

This project will not involve a change(s) and/or break(s) in limited access control. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) an Environmental Document is being prepared. Pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106, information concerning the potential effects of the proposed project is included in the environmental document. Updates will be provided to the public on the status of the environmental studies and the NEPA Document at the public hearing.

All persons desiring to submit written or oral comments will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting or comments can be submitted by Monday, May 8, 2023 to Charlie Mumaw, Project Manager, Town of Lovettsville, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, VA 20180 or via email: cmumaw@ lovettsvilleva.gov.

Additional details concerning the project including design plans, schedule and funding are available for review at the Town Hall between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays or by special appointment, holidays excepted. 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.

The Town of Lovettsville ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact the Town of Lovettsville at (540) 822-5788.

STATE PROJECT: EN18-255-290, P101 TAP-5B01(024), R201 TAP-5B01(287), C501 TAP-5B01(480)

UPC No: 113840 3/23, 3/30, 4/6, 4/13, 4/20

Legal Notices

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ045188-09-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re

Ashli Martinez-Bonilla

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

/v.

Maynor Martinez Acosta, putative father

The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Ashli Martinez-Bonilla.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Maynor Martinez Acosta, putative father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 17, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.

4/6, 4/13, 4/20 & 4/27/23

ABC LICENSE

Master A INC trading as Potomac Taphouse, 44921 George Washington BLVD, Ashburn, Virginia 20147-4032.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer On and Off Premises, Mixed Beverage Restaurant license sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Mina Bebawy

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.

4/6 & 4/13/23

ABC LICENSE

LT Nail Spa LLC trading as LT Nails Spa, 108 South St SE, Ste. 108C, Leesburg, VA 20175.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Marketplace license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Lisa Truong, Owner

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.

4/13 & 4/20/23

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE MIDDLEBURG PLANNING COMMISSION

The Middleburg Planning Commission will hold public hearings beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 24, 2023 to hear comments on the following:

Zoning Text Amendment 23-01 - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLE XI, PART I OF THE MIDDLEBURG ZONING ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO AN INN AS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE IN THE C-1 RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.

Zoning Map Amendment 23-01 – AN ORDINANCE TO CONDITIONALLY REZONE APPROXIMATELY 0.26 ACRES OF LAND AT PIN 538-29-0376 FROM R-3 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO C-1 RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. The subject land currently consists of a legally nonconforming parking lot supporting office use at 204 E. Washington St. The rezoning would bring the land into common zoning designation with the adjacent commercial property, with an accompanying proffer to consolidate the two properties.

Special Use 23-01 - Request of The Middleburg Inn & Restaurant LLC for a Special Use Permit for an Inn at 204 E. Washington St. zoned C-1 Restricted Commercial District.

The hearings will take place at the Town Office, 10 W. Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia. The application materials may be reviewed online at www.middleburgva.gov/313/Public-Hearings or in the Town Office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Questions may be directed to Deputy Town Manager Will Moore at (540) 687-5152 or by email at wmoore@ middleburgva.gov

The Town of Middleburg strives to make its hearings accessible to all. Please advise of accommodations the Town can make to help you participate in the hearings.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT 2023-2024 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN

The Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development has prepared the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Annual Action Plan for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by May 15, 2023.

HUD has designated Loudoun County as qualified for Urban County participation in the CDBG program and entitled to receive CDBG funding directly from HUD. HUD regulations require the adoption of the above referenced Plan, which outlines the County’s housing and community development needs, priorities and objectives, and proposed use of the federal funds for the ensuing CDBG program year.

Components of the CDBG Program FY 2024 Annual Action Plan include, without limitation, descriptions of:

§ Federal and other resources expected to be available;

§ Leveraging of resources and how match obligations will be met;

§ The activities to be undertaken;

§ The geographic distribution of investment; and

§ Planned homeless and other special needs activities.

The CDBG Program FY 2024 Annual Action Plan also contains an accounting of distributions and unexpended funds for the CDBG Program in FY 2023. Reimbursements to the subrecipients of the activities indicated below have been made. Some files are complete. Other activities continue to request reimbursements and will be completed by the end of FY 2023. Activities with unexpended funds are attributed to the completion or cancellation of the activity at the end of the program year. Unexpended funds from completed or canceled activities are then reprogrammed into a new activity to be expended in FY 2024.

Good Shepherd was awarded $75,892 in FY 2023 for capital improvement, and due to the increase in capital cost, Good Shepherd needs an additional $18,844 to complete the project for the safety of the community, against funds from capital improvements for FY 2024, which includes unexpended funds for FY 2023.

Copies of the proposed Plan are available and may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, and the Department of Housing and Community Development at 106 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, Virginia from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. The Plan is also available online at www.loudoun.gov/cdbg. Written comments on the Plan may be submitted to the attention of the CDBG Program Manager Johnette Powell at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, Virginia 20177 or by email: johnette.powell@loudoun.gov.

Comments will be received until May 10, 2023. Board of Supervisors Public Meeting to approve the Plan will be held on May 10, 2023, at the Loudoun County Government Center, Board Room 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia at 6:00 pm.

4/13 & 4/20/23

4/6 & 4/13/23

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATION

TLZM-2021-0006; HAMBLET PROPERTY

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 PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing on THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Rezoning application TLZM-2021-0006, Hamblet Property.

The subject property consists of approximately 6.44 acres of vacant land located along Route 7, with property access provided from Bow Lake Place, N.E. within the Potomac Station neighborhood. The property is zoned R-E, Residential Estate and is further identified as Loudoun County Property Identification Numbers (PIN), 149-38-2764 & 149-38-3136. The property also lies within the Gateway District (Overlay).

Rezoning Application TLZM-2021-0006 is a request by Carrhomes, LLC to rezone, subject to a Concept Plan and Proffers, approximately 6.44 acres from R-E, Residential Estate to R-8, MediumDensity Attached Residential District.

The application requests 25 single family attached residential units. The application also proposes rehabilitation of an existing structure referred to as “the Stone House” located on a .42- acre parcel that is part of the site. The Hamblet property is located in what the Legacy Leesburg Town Plan (LLTP) describes as an “Area to Enhance” on the Area Based Land Use Initiatives Map (LLTP pg. 72). The property is further designated within the LLTP as a “Residential Neighborhood” on the Character Areas for Preservation and Change Map (LLTP pg. 76). There is no recommended residential Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.). The proposed density is approximately 3.89 dwelling units per acre.

The subject property is further identified as “Opportunity Area Number 3, Eastern Gateway District” on page 200 of the LLTP. This subjects the property to further guidance by the Eastern Gateway Small Area Plan (EGSAP) of the Town Plan. The property is also part of the Gateway Design District (Overlay) for architectural control.

Additional information and copies of the application 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 contacting Scott E. Parker, AICP, at 703-771-2771 or sparker@leesburgva.gov.

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of the Commission at (703) 771-2434 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

4/6 & 4/13/23

Loudoun County Public Schools Community Information Meetings on Future School Facility Projects

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Department of Support Services continues to schedule monthly community meetings to share information on funded, planned and proposed school capital projects. By design and to focus the discussion and public involvement, each community meeting will spotlight a specific geographic area of Loudoun County. The March and April meetings will highlight LCPS’ Dulles South and Dulles North planning districts, respectively. Additional community meetings for other areas of the county will be scheduled and announced.

Date & Time Auditorium of Meeting Spotlight

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

6:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 20, 2023

6:00 p.m.

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

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLES

5, 7, 8, 9, 11 AND 18 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A CONTINUING CARE COMMUNITY DEFINITION AND REGULATIONS

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 PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing on THURSDAY, April 20, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 to consider Zoning Ordinance Amendment TLOA-2023-0001 to revise the following articles of the Zoning Ordinance:

1. Article 5, Residential Zoning Districts: To establish Continuing Care Facility as a Special Exception use in the R-16, Planned Housing Development District and the R-22, Multi-Family Residential District.

2. Article 7, Special Purpose Districts: To establish Continuing Care Facility as a Special Exception use within the MC, Medical Center (Special Purpose) District

3. Article 8, Planned Development Districts: To establish a Continuing Care Facility as a permitted use within the PRN, Planned Residential Neighborhood District, and the PRC, Planned Residential Commercial District

4. Article 9, Use Regulations: To create Use Standards for a Continuing Care Facility, and to amend the Use Table to include Continuing Care Facility, and to establish Continuing Care Facility as a Special Exception use in the R-16, Planned Housing Development District and the R-22, MultiFamily Residential District within the Use Table.

5. Article 11, Parking, Loading and Pedestrian Access: To create parking standards for Elderly Housing and Continuing Care Facility.

6. Article 18, Definitions: Establish a new definition for a Continuing Care Facility.

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 703-771-2771 and asking for Scott E. Parker, Senior Planning Project Manager. Mr. Parker can also be reached by email at sparker@leesburgva.gov. This Zoning Ordinance amendment application is identified as case number TLOA-2023-0001.

Mercer Middle School (42149 Greenstone Drive, Aldie)

Brambleton Middle School (23070 Learning Circle, Ashburn)

Dulles South Area (General Description: North of Prince William County, East of Town of Middleburg, South of Rt 50, West of Fairfax County)

Dulles North Area (General Description: North of Rt 50, East of Goose Creek, South of Rt 267, West of Rt 28)

Following each meeting, the presentation will be posted on the LCPS website, at https://www.lcps.org/ Page/81470.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate meaningfully in the community meetings should contact the Support Services office at least three (3) days prior to the specific meeting.

Kevin L. Lewis, Chief Operations Officer Loudoun

County Public Schools

Department of Support Services

21000 Education Court

Ashburn, Virginia 20148

Telephone: 571-252-1385

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG

3/9/23 – 4/20/23

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 the Commission at (703) 771-2434 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 4/6 & 4/13/23

end his conservation easement work. He said that “easement harvests” already makes half as much now as it did when he started a decade ago, and has warned before those zoning changes could reduce the value of that land, which would also further reduce the profitability of placing land under easement.

“When we buy a farm to put it into easement, we’re always competing with a homebuilder. And we always have to pay the landowner something close to what the builder’s going to pay or they’re not going to sell it to us. They all care about easements, but they all have their own financial goals and needs, and I understand that,” Kuhn said. “So we have to pay what the homebuilder’s going to pay. As these easements provide less and less return, they won’t be possible. Easements provide a fraction of what we would get building homes on these properties.”

Together forum

continued from page 1

fordable housing needs shouldn’t mean opening the floodgates for development in the county’s rural reaches.

Miller pointed out that contrary to Loudoun’s rapid population growth, worldwide, population growth is less than 1% a year, and Virginia’s population growth is less than a half-percent.

“So yes, there is growth, but it’s growth about choice, and it’s growth about planning,” he said. “Not growth about inevitability, and that has to be part of our thinking. We cannot simply say we have to grow in an unlimited fashion, because that’s when you start to run into the consequences.”

Kuhn, on the other hand, said he’s “a big believer, whether it’s in your businesses, whether it’s in your community, whether it’s in your town, it’s grow or die. You’re either going up or you’re coming down.”

But he said that did not translate to opening the doors to unchecked residential development.

“I’m a big believer that we’re short on affordable housing. I think we need to get moving on it. We’ve been talking about it in this county for a long, long time. Good things are happening. We have been moving the needle, but it’s not enough fast

enough,” he said. “What I don’t think we need is thousands and thousands and thousands more general homes built through Loudoun County.”

He pointed out the county is generally upside down on tax revenues with residential development—those homes cost the county more to serve with roads, fire departments, schools and other amenities than they pay in local taxes.

But he also argued Loudouners in some parts of the county will have to get used to seeing development like data centers from their windows.

“Where are we getting in Loudoun County that we think we’re going to build things that are not seen from any door?”

he said.

But Kuhn’s speech also highlighted some of the opposing forces and difficult questions around protecting rural land from development. The county is working to update its cluster subdivision zoning ordinance, which gives developers a bump in how many homes they can build overall in a subdivision if they cluster those homes together, leaving more space open. In practice, that has resulted in the homes being clustered on the best land for septic systems—which is also the best soil for agriculture, meaning preserving land that is less suitable for farming.

But Kuhn said the change to cluster zoning under consideration now would

The summit was meant to move the conversation toward answers. Montgomery County, MD Agricultural Land Preservation Program Administrator Mike Scheffel shared some of the lessons learned from his county’s decades of experience with land preservation. Montgomery County’s programs are held up as a model for land preservation. And Scheffel said the county is “basically built out.”

In 1981, Montgomery County established it Agricultural Reserve, downzoning a third of the land in the county. Even in Montgomery County, which under Maryland state law has much broader authority to make laws than Loudoun, that was no small decision—that made farmers’ land much less valuable, which had effects like making it harder to raise money by borrowing against that land.

He said the proposal led to a “revolt” among the farmers. To make them whole, the downzoning was accompanied with a Transfer of Development Rights program—while they could no longer build as many houses on their land, they could sell the rights to build those houses to apply to land in other parts of the county targeted for growth. That gave them a way to raise money from their land’s development potential while also permanently protecting it from development.

He said that master plan is working— the 2017 Census of Agriculture found 558 farms in Montgomery County, covering 65,537 acres and employing more than 10,000 people.

And Montgomery County has avoided Loudoun’s rapid loss of farmland over the past decade. The U.S. Department

continues on page 37

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Middleburg Mayor Bridge Littleton speaks at the Loudoun Together summit at Salamander Resort and Spa Tuesday, April 11.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Farmland just outside Purcellville adjacent to Hirst Farm, a subdivision at the edge of town limits.

Together forum

continued from page 36

of Agriculture’s most recent 2017 Census of Agriculture found Loudoun had lost 10% of its farmland over the previous five years, shedding 137 farms and 12,860 acres of farmland. Over the same period, Montgomery County’s farmland slightly increased, adding 18 farms and 2,044 acres being farmed, about a 3% increase in farmland.

It’s also had other benefits for Montgomery County farming, he said. When the program started, farmers rented about 60% of the land they farmed. Now, he said, that has flipped—the farmers now own about 60% of their farmland.

“That’s really what we want to encourage. We want the farmers to own the property, to be able to make those investments because they’re certain that they’re going to own the equity. There’s no uncertainty with the lease with the landowner,” he said.

Middleburg Mayor Bridge Littleton closed the summit with a warning about how much development could occur in western Loudoun under today’s zoning— and a pitch for starting Loudoun’s own Transfer of Development Rights program, something county supervisors have debated but never acted on. And he pointed to state legislation in Virginia allowing the county to sell residential development rights in one area as commercial development rights in another.

The county government would also designate which areas of the county can sell those rights, and where they can be bought. Littleton said it’s an opportunity to let data center developers buy those rights to build bigger data centers in industrial areas, rather than spread into new areas where they may clash with homes and other businesses.

“This is a government land zoning program, but it is a private transaction, so there’s no government money involved. A data center person and a landowner will come to a negotiated price,” he said. “… It’s a win-win for Loudoun. We get to take and put into conservation easement those prime agricultural areas and farming areas that we really, really want to protect, and we get to concentrate those data centers and take the other data center areas off the table.”

That answer is not universally agreed to among stakeholders or policymakers. And with local elections this November, those policymakers could change, and county policy with them. Littleton urged people at the summit to make their voices heard

Anzivino quits

continued from page 1

of former interim town manager Alex Vanegas, who was fired amid a management and Town Council scandal.

More recently, Anzivino was hired as a consultant to review the town’s staffing and pay, and frictions between the council and staff.

After calling a short recess, the council met in closed session with newly appointed attorney John Cafferky—who stepped into the role after Town Attorney Sally Hankins resigned two weeks ago after 10 years on the staff.

Anzivino packed up his desk during the recess and told Loudoun Now that he would be making the three-hour drive home to Urbanna in the morning.

After the closed session, Milan said the town would reach out to Interim Zoning Administrator Martha Mason Semmes to ask her to stand in as town manager. Semmes, a veteran municipal planner and manager, served as Middleburg’s town administrator from 2010 to 2019.

while those elected officials and candidates are campaigning.

“They need to hear from you. On these types of ideas, your voice will make the difference,” Littleton said.

After the summit, Littleton said he was pleased with the attendance and discussion at the summit.

“This is exactly how we’re going to tackle these issues: people being engaged, having meaningful conversations, asking questions, learning more, figuring out solutions and getting to an end state,” he said. “It’s

going to be the 80% solution, but it’s going to be one that everyone can live with, and that’s the goal.”

“Whether it’s access to healthy local foods, safe drinking water, housing attainability, or even access to nature and open space which we all celebrate—these are all things that are really at risk or have not been fully addressed,” Miller said. “And so we need to acknowledge and be humble at the same time as we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.”

During Tuesday’s meeting, Milan also publicly clashed with the Police Chief Police Cynthia McAlister.

During the brief discussion on Bennett’s motion, Milan said he thought a 2% raise was reasonable in the face of economic difficulty facing the whole town.

“In what universe?” a man from the audience asked loudly. Milan asked McAlister to escort the man out of the building. The man responded that he would walk himself out and left.

From the dais, Milan criticized McAlister’s inaction, claiming she met his request with a scoff.

“If you’re dedicated to your trade and you see an unruly person in the chambers, and the council asks to escort this individual out—that was a surprise to me,” he said.

“Every person in here has the freedom of speech,” McAlister said. “He was not unruly. He made a bit of an outburst. He was not unruly. He didn’t raise to the level of disorderly, nor was I going to interfere with his freedom of speech.”

Bennett said that the man raised and shook his fist.

McAlister told Milan she couldn’t lay hands on the man without the intent to arrest him, an action she said would be required to forcibly remove him.

After the meeting, Milan told Deputy Police Chief Dave Dailey to “be ready to stand in.”

The council was scheduled to meet again on Wednesday, March 12 for a budget meeting. n

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Piedmont Environmental Council President Chris Miller speaks at the Loudoun Together summit at Salamander Resort and Spa on Tuesday.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now JK Moving founder Chuck Kuhn speaks at the April 11 Loudoun Together summit at Salamander Resort and Spa.

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The 100 Days

On the 101st day of its term, the Purcellville Town Council experienced the abrupt departure of its second town manager. That came just weeks after its longtime town attorney left and a few months after the planning director resigned. What is particularly remarkable about John Anzivino’s decision to quit in the middle of Tuesday night’s council meeting—that itself an unprecedented action—is that the veteran municipal manager was brought into the post on an interim basis with the specific goals of strengthening the town’s management structure and helping the new council accomplish its goals—as well as to help find the next town manager to carry those accomplishments forward. He was tapped for that job after being contracted last year to provide a candid, independent management assessment and to review the town’s staffing needs. He was brought in as a fixer.

What is clear now—and apparently became crystal clear to Mr. Anzivino on Tuesday night—is that the council has little interest in improving the town’s management, or really accepting contrary advice from any source.

“It’s obvious that you can handle this on your own,” Mr. Anzivino said. No doubt the town’s elected leaders missed the defeated sarcasm from the veteran consultant unaccustomed to failure in his chosen craft.

For now, the council is on its own.

It has a budget to adopt without a town manager. It’s in the midst of a top-priority Zoning Ordinance re-write without a planning director. It has replaced a veteran municipal attorney with a contractor who specializes in education and litigation. It has alienated the county government. And it has to find a qualified town manager willing to step into a work environment that has demonstrated an unlikelihood of facilitating success.

Thus ends the council’s first 100 days. n

LETTERS to the Editor

Our Health

Editor:

I’ve been hearing that Loudoun County data centers have been pursuing an exemption on emissions for their generators, in anticipation of needing to run them extensively in the event of a utility power shortage.

I sincerely hope that this exemption is not granted.

I understand that data centers need to be “up 24/7” and that we all rely on the services they provide. But I don’t think Loudoun residents’ air quality should be sacrificed for savings on the expense of having emissions-compliant generators; that should be a cost borne by the data centers.

The situation also suggests a failure of the county planning process: If there is not enough power for the data centers, why were they allowed to be built in the first place?

Please don’t jeopardize our health for corporate profits.

— Albert Lingelbach, Sterling

Fix It

Editor:

As a constituent, Virginia lawyer and someone who voted for Senator Warner, I must ask for immediate attention in modifying the Restrict Act being sponsored in Congress.

It currently fits the profile of bait and switch legislation at best and a highly punitive, overly expandable law at worst. Warner’s TV presentations and the Section 4 introduction of the bill clearly implies the intent and design is to control/prevent foreign governments and foreign entities from predatorily manipulating mostly American youth.

I could agree with the “bait,” but upon reading Bill 686 the inclusion of any persons under U.S. jurisdiction for even potential threats spoken to a second person or shared on a social media site or even just “liked” on a site could yield a 20-year prison term, $1 million fine and property forfeiture under a changing definition controlled by an unelected, non-judicial federal employee is the “switch” that has to be changed or deleted.

The chilling effect against our First Amendment rights are painfully obvious.

The act also describes American citizens and illegal aliens as the same under the persons definition. Would you be willing to accept this act knowing that even a verbal threat by one child to another child clearly not executable by a child to hack a video game (included under Section 5-6C) being played would fall under the act as a criminal violation?

Individuals are not entities. Americans are not foreign adversaries. Illegal aliens are not Americans. Sharing a post should not be a crime. The Secretary of Commerce should not be the judge and jury on thwarting American First Amendment rights and most importantly congressional bills should be clearly outlined as to what is included and not included rather than described as patriotic in the front and totalitarian in the back.

Please fix it.

— Bob Ohneiser, Lucketts

READERS’ poll CHIPshots

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

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21.0%

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How important is rural preservation to Loudoun’s future?

Staff strained

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rather you have the time to be comfortable with your work on it, and the time and staff to do a good job on it.”

getting “mixed messages” on that work.

7 with associated power lines.”

Deputy County Administrator Charles Yudd said given the time left in this term, getting that lengthy process done before then is impossible.

But others urged county planners to nonetheless take their time to get their work right. Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) said planners should also have work-life balance.

“I am fine if we do not complete the Zoning Ordinance rewrite before the end of this board’s term,” Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) said. “I would

Project manager

continued from page 3 spring 2024.

“The second round will be less money available,” Milan said.

Lehnig said that it was often difficult for the town to be approved for grants because Loudoun County is a high-income area.

“We may be able to get low-interest loans instead,” she said.

Milan said to pursue the grants anyway and that he was encouraging members of the council to look for grants and help take some of the load of applying for grants off the staff.

“We can find things and fill out the

County Administrator Tim Hemstreet said planners need clear direction either way, especially on the work to rewrite the Zoning Ordinance to match the 2019 comprehensive plan. And he said getting that project done will make all of the department’s other work easier.

“The staff, particularly the planning and zoning staff, are working in an ordinant amount of hours right now. The number one cause of work is the fact that the Zzoning Ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan are not aligned,” Hemstreet said.

He said he’s concerned the staff is

application, and then if it’s viable pass it along to staff and a lot of the heavy lifting will be done by some of the council members,” Milan said.

During Monday’s budget work session, the council heard from Director of Administration Hooper McCann, Director of IT Shannon Bohince and Director of Finance Elizabeth Krens regarding the administration, IT, and finance portions of the budget.

The proposed budget does not include any new positions, although the Administration Department had requested an additional part-time associate that remains unfunded.

Krens said that a rising cost related to the finance section of the budget, which makes up 10 percent of the general fund,

“If completing that Zoning Ordinance rewrite is not a priority of the board, then I think we need to tell the staff that, because we can take the pressure off. We can let a long-term employee who has delayed that life event for himself to do the work of the Zoning Ordinance rewrite,” he said. “But if it is a priority of the board, then we need to say that as well, because their work needs to have meaning, and they have been doing everything they can to try to bring those two documents into compliance with each other.”

Supervisors approved the staff’s current work schedule in an 8-0-1 vote, with County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) absent.

is the line item dedicated for independent auditing services. The town is required by federal and state law to have an audit conducted by an independent certified accountant each year.

“We’ve been warned by our auditors that these costs are really going up,” she said. “They’re actually taking a loss on our contracts … she told us to double it.”

Krens said the town typically signs fiveyear contracts with auditors and that their current contract will be ending in fiscal year 2024. The town budgeted $31,400 for fiscal year 2023 and is proposing $33,200 for the budget in progress. However, she said the sharp increase would likely be reflected in next year’s budget as labor costs increase.

Milan asked if the staff was looking

And they added to it. They directed the department to bring estimated timeframes and recommendations for a planned Village of Lucketts small area plan to their next update, voting 7-1-1, with Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) opposed and Randall absent. And they directed staff members to report to the Transportation and Land Use Committee on possibly adding a Transfer of Development Rights program to their work on restarting a Purchase of Development Rights program, voting 4-3-2 with Briskman, Letourneau and Vice Chair Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) opposed and Glass and Randall absent. n

into other contractors. Krens said they were.

“What we’ll do is we’ll work on the [request for proposal] throughout the fall, so that we’ll release at the beginning of January,” she said. “That way this particular auditor is finished everything. They’ve delivered the financial statements to the council. They’ve completed the audit and then we’re starting fresh and so we’re going to be procuring [a new contract] for FY 24 in January.”

The Town Council on Tuesday night held public hearings on the proposed budget and tax rates. There were no speakers. The council is tentatively scheduled to adopt the fiscal year 2024 budget May 9. n