Loudoun Now for Feb. 20, 2025

‘Still Healing’ Community Honors Fallen Firefighter

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Despite the cold and windy February weather, community members gathered Sunday along Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling at the site of a home explosion that killed one volunteer firefighter and injured 13 other people a year ago.

Trevor Brown had been a volunteer at the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company since 2016. His crew responded to a call for a gas leak Feb. 16, 2024. They arrived to find propane leaking from a buried 500-gallon tank, and evacuated residents from the home moments before an unknown source ignited the gas, causing the explosion.

Brown, a husband and father of three, died at the scene, while several other firefighters were trapped beneath home debris.

Speakers at the memorial service included Loudoun County Combined Fire-Rescue Chief Keith Johnson, Sterling Volunteer Fire Company Chief David Short, County Chair Phyllis J. Randall and Sheriff ’s Office Lt. Col. Christopher Sawyer, each of whom focused on the overwhelming support from the community in the days, weeks and months following the explosion.

TREVOR BROWN continues on page 43

‘Unprecedented’

Data Center Revenues Fuel FY26 Budget

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet last week presented his proposed $4.7 billion fiscal year 2026 budget to the Board Supervisors, built around an 80.5 cent real property tax rate – a six-cent

reduction from the current rate and one cent below the equalized homeowner’s rate.

The equalized tax rate, the rate at which the average homeowner’s tax bill would remain the same as last year, is 81.5 cents. Even with the increases in property assessments presented by Commission-

er of the Revenue Bob Wertz earlier this month, homeowners should see a reduction in their tax bills, with the average homeowner’s tax bill going from $6,337 last year to $6,280 this year.

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

County Administrator Tim Hemstreet presents his proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the Board of Supervisors Feb. 12.

County Leaders Eye Impacts from Federal Cutbacks

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

As President Donald J. Trump’s administration continues to eye federal workforce cutbacks, Loudoun’s residents and elected representatives are planning for impacts within the county.

During a recent town hall, hosted by Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) in Leesburg, residents said they are concerned about losing their jobs because of actions by the Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts to push out Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility programs.

Trump also signed an executive order Jan. 20 that required the heads of all departments and agencies within the executive branch to terminate remote work and require in-person work, while some residents have also raised concern about increased efforts by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to deport undocumented immigrants.

In 2023, Loudoun was home to an estimated 17,600 federal workers in addition to an unquantified number of federal contractors. As of last fall, 6,671 federal jobs were based in the county, according to Director of Economic Development Buddy Rizer.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority on Feb. 4 said it recorded its highest 8-9 a.m. ridership numbers since 2020 at 92,600 passenger trips.

But the impacts of the president’s executive order in Loudoun are still to be determined and are being monitored by the county’s Department of Economic Development. They could be offset by DOGE’s efforts.

Rizer said it’s too soon to know what the impacts will be and that it will be important to watch for action from the administration rather than the rhetoric.

“I don’t know what impact the DEI thing is going to have,” he said. “I don’t know that they’re going to achieve anything on that. … I don’t know that it’s going to have a major fiscal impact, but

things like dissolving an entire agency, that’s going to have an impact, like USAID.”

There could be effects that trickle down to other parts of Loudoun as well.

“Let’s say 5,000 [federal employees in Loudoun] lose their jobs. That’s maybe 5,000 homes that then come onto the market, that means prices go down, but that could also mean 5,000 people filling one of the 17,000 empty jobs in Loudoun County or starting a new business. So, I just don’t think there’s enough data to inform what all this means yet,” he said.

Rizer also said many government contracting companies have spent the past six to eight years diversifying their customer base.

“I was at [a company] last week for a planning session for Go Virginia, and they were talking about how they used to be 80% government. They made an absolute choice to start consulting with other things and it was an active business decision, so they’re not as completely exposed,” he said.

During a recent Loudoun Chamber of Commerce event, county supervisors were asked about resources for companies that may employ undocumented immigrants.

“We have conversations with the board, ‘what if’ conversations to try and figure out how we’re going to respond to this, and we don’t know,” Vice Chair Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) said.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) added it would be both “illogical and unwise” to talk about all the potential actions the board could take to help at this point.

Supervisor Kristen C. Umsttad (D-Leesburg) has also raised concerns that because of the county government’s DEIA policies, it may be cut off from some federal grant funding.

The board is scheduled to receive an update from its contracted federal lobbying firm on Wednesday about the potential impact of new federal legislation, executive orders and grant funding. n

Amid Federal Gov’t Shakeup, Kaine Hears Concerns from Loudoun Farmers

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Members of Loudoun’s agricultural community on Friday shared their concerns with Sen. Tim Kaine about the challenges they face amid the chaotic transformation underway within the federal government early in the second Trump administration.

During the roundtable meeting at Hillsboro’s Old Stone School, the panel said spending freezes have impacted grant funding for important projects, tariffs threaten to drive up costs and reduce their markets, and immigration policies limit access to critical labor.

Kaine said legislators in Washington, DC, often don’t hear the stories about how policy changes impact individual businesses and families.

Scott and Becky Harris, of the pioneering spirits company Catoctin Creek Distillery in Purcellville, told Kaine the retaliatory tariffs installed by the EU during the first Trump administration killed their expansion into Europe. Now, their distributors in Canda and Mexico are hesitant to plan imports because of the threat of new tariffs there.

Sara Brown said plans to establish a demonstration agroforestry project on her family’s Lincoln-area beef farm are now

uncertain because an approved federal grant—one of only two awarded in Virginia—may be withheld.

“Farming and forestry is key,” Kaine said. “It’s the biggest part of the Virginia economy. People think about Virginia and they think high tech, they think ship building. That’s really important, but ag and forestry is still number one.”

“The uncertainty is very difficult. Around the table, you have folks whose business is dependent on a healthy economy,” Kaine said. “A lot of people around the table have applied for grants. Those dollars aren’t flowing and there’s an uncertainty effect. And here we are a few weeks away from spring starting, which is a really important time for farmers to start planning and undertaking projects, and they’re not sure where they’ll be.”

Kaine said he expects grants and other funding previously approved by Congress to move forward as the courts review challenges to administrative actions.

“I think the key, the first key, would be getting funding turned back on grants that people were appropriated by Congress. In my view, it’s unlawful to stop a grant or stop a program if Congress has passed an appropriation,” he said.

And, several said, the move to put federal employees and contractors out of work is likely to reduce the customer base for their products.

Avis Renshaw, of Mom’s Apple Pies, said she expects the cost of her pie tins to increase if tariffs are imposed on Canada, as they did during the previous round of Trump trade wars.

He said the next hurdle will be the March 14 deadline for Congress to agree on a budget. “We’ve got to make sure in

continues on page 41

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Sen. Tim Kaine talks with members of Loudoun's agricultural community during a Feb. 14, roundtable discussion.

Loudoun Residents Weigh in on Eliminating By-right Data Centers

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

As the growth of Loudoun’s data centers continues to yield record levels of tax revenue, the Board of Supervisors last week convened to discuss a significant change in how applications for new ones should be reviewed.

Currently, there are areas in the county where data centers are allowed on a byright basis. This means that if a project meets standards set forth in the Zoning Ordinance, it is subject only to staff-level review.

Applications in areas where data centers require legislative action—rezoning or special exception permit—are reviewed by the staff and then sent to the Planning Commission for a public hearing and recommendation on whether to approve them. The plans then advance to the Board of Supervisors, which also holds

a public hearing before making a final determination.

Last year, the board directed the Planning Commission to consider a change which would remove data centers as a by-right use anywhere in the county. After months of review, the commission did not recommend that proposal, but made several recommendations for the board to consider if it wanted to move forward with the change.

Those included removing by-right data centers near Arcola and Goose Creek as well as proposing a grandfathering resolution that would allow any applications submitted prior to Feb. 12, the night of the board’s public hearing, to be evaluated under the current regulations. The commission also asked the board to consider giving existing data centers that would become subject to special exception requirements the flexibility to make minor changes in their applications such

as building relocation, implementing county-desired equipment changes, or other changes to adapt to industry standards.

A fourth recommendation proposed that the Board of Supervisors consider data centers as conditional uses in several places throughout the county. Those would be subject to potential performance standards that would be reviewed by the staff. However, county planning staff members said those types of considerations would be considered during the next phase of the process to revise data center development policies, to include design and operational standards.

Over 30 speakers attended the Feb. 12 public hearing, with some expressing support for the blanket change, while others urged supervisors to implement many of the commission’s recommendations.

Among those speaking were all of the town mayors who supported removing

the by-right allowances without a grandfathering proposal.

“This change aims to give the county greater control over the data center development in ensuring compatibility with community needs and planning goals,” Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk said.

The Leesburg Town Council went through a similar process last year, requiring that any data center applications within the town limits receive their direct approval.

“I would also like to encourage you to make stringent standards, not guidelines but standards,” she said.

Representatives of the Piedmont Environmental Council also supported the blanket change citing concerns on the industry’s impact to the community.

“Industry changes are happening so

BY-RIGHT DATA CENTERS continues on page 6

County Fire-Rescue Proposes Increase in Volunteer Benefits

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

County supervisors are considering an increase in the retirement benefits offered to volunteer fire and rescue personnel. If approved, it would mark the program’s first increase in 20 years.

Loudoun County’s Combined Fire-Rescue System has over 1,200 volunteers and 600 career members. As a thank you, the Length of Service Award Program was established in 1986. The plan pays a small retirement allotment and death benefits to qualified participants based on points earned by volunteers and their years of service.

The points are used to calculate an annuity paid monthly upon reaching retirement. The amount established in 1986 for a fully vested volunteer was set at $10 per service credit with a maximum of $250 for volunteers who had served 25 years. In 2004, county supervisors increased that to $12 a month, making the maximum $300 for a fully vested volunteer who had served 25 years within the system.

Now, system leaders are requesting that amount be increased to $18, bringing the maximum monthly stipend up to $450 a month. That amount is based on comparison with similar jurisdictions includ-

ing Fairfax and Prince William counties and Montgomery, Howard, Calvert, and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad Board President Jen Ferguson said.

Ferguson started a LOSAP committee three years ago to look at an alternative method of tally credits that would focus on the number of hours volunteered.

“It was first to change it from that the complicated point system, and then when the topic came up of also including the enhancement to the retirement benefit, it was decided to lump them together,” she said.

The average length of volunteer service is six years and with the approximate 1 to 3-year timeframe needed for a volunteer

to fill officer roles, the program serves as an important tool, Deputy Chief Todd Lupton said.

“It’s not intended to be a primary retirement for volunteers,” he said. “It’s intended to be a benefit from a recruitment and retention standpoint, for us to be able to recruit new members and then to be able to retain the members that we have within the system.”

The amount included in the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to support the program is $1.6 million. This change is expected to increase the required annual contribution by approximately $860,000 to $1 million.

Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad Chief Kathleen Harasek reiterated Lupton’s point that the program isn’t meant as a primary source of retirement but honors the volunteers’ service.

“As a recipient of it, since I’m old enough now, it’s a nice thing to kind of memorialize what you’ve done,” she said.

“We don’t do this for the money,” Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad Board Vice President Scott Maurice said. “I was doing it to give back to my community. It’s an extra benefit. It’s a welcome benefit.”

The proposal received endorsement from the Board of Supervisors’ finance committee the last week and will now advance to the full board for approval. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Members of the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad pose for a photo moments before a call for service comes in. The station received 9,400 calls in 2024.

Supervisors Consider Micro, On-Demand Bus Service

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

A proposal for a pilot microtransit service, which would operate similarly to ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft, is advancing to the full Board of Supervisors after receiving endorsement from the finance committee Feb. 11.

The proposal comes after a feasibility study was completed by a county consultant in January. Microtransit provides on-demand transportation services, allowing passengers to request rides, typically through their phones, with short wait times and to the destination of their choice. Vehicles used in microtransit are typically minibuses or vans.

Based on the results of the feasibility study, county staff members recommended a one-year pilot program that would serve part of Leesburg, focusing on major commercial hubs, employment centers and medium to high density residential areas. The service zone would include six square miles, including most of the incorporated Town of Leesburg and an estimated population of 23,600. Over a third of the households in that zone have one car or fewer and seven percent of residents have a disability, according to a staff report.

If approved, the service would be provided seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a targeted wait time of 20 minutes. During peak hours, the number of vehicles in service would be three. The one-year pilot is estimated to cost just over $2 million.

The program looks to address five goals: replace existing service where on-demand transit options might be a better fit, sup-

plement existing services, mitigate service gaps, expand transit access and improve accessibility for transit-dependent groups.

The Leesburg service zone aligns with all five of those goals, according to the staff report.

During a Jan. 7 meeting, supervisors authorized nearly $1.2 million for the pilot to fund software, hybrid electric vehicle chargers, five microtransit vehicles, marketing and other startup costs.

The county is attempting to obtain grant funding for the $939,000 difference.

“If the Board directs staff to implement the Microtransit Pilot and grant funding is not received, this shortfall will have to be addressed in a future fund balance request or potentially an FY 2027 budget consideration brought to the Board at a later date,” according to the staff report.

The feasibility study also examined providing service in Sterling in a zone bounded by Loudoun County Parkway, the Fairfax County line, Rt. 7 and the Dulles Greenway, totaling 14.2 square miles.

Of the estimated 44,200 residents within that service zone, over a third of the households have one car or fewer and seven percent of residents have a disability, according to the staff report.

The Sterling zone is expected to cost $2.3 million for the first year.

Director of General Services Ernest Brown told supervisors on Tuesday that he recommends expanding the pilot to Sterling during the second year of the pilot to gather additional information if they want to continue the project.

The committee recommended moving forward with the Leesburg one-year pilot on a 4-0 vote with Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) absent. The proposal was expected to be approved by the board Wednesday. n

Tax Relief Seminars Set

Commissioner of the Revenue Bob Wertz is encouraging eligible property owners who are 63 years or older, or who are permanently disabled to attend one of the upcoming property tax relief seminars.

Applicants that meet the qualifying criteria of the program, which includes income and net worth limits, may be relieved up to 100% of real estate taxes on their primary dwelling and lot, up to three acres. Eligible residents may also have their vehicle taxes reduced.

The sessions will take place Tuesday, Feb. 26 at Cascades Library in Potomac Falls; Friday, Feb. 28 at Rust Library in Leesburg; Wednesday, March 5 at Pur-

cellville Library; Friday, March 7 at the Sterling Community Center; and Monday, March 10 at the Ashburn Library.

All sessions will begin at 10:30 a.m. and reservations are not required. Each of the sessions will be conducted in English, except the March 7 session which will be conducted in Spanish.

Anyone who requires a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability or needs language assistance in order to participate in the program may contact the Tax Exemptions & Deferrals Division by email at trcor@loudoun.gov or call 703-7378557. n

By-Right Data Centers

continued from page 4

quickly that even the most appropriate sites for data center growth will have negative impacts: more energy demand spurring more transmission lines with hard to avoid impacts on residents, the use of on-site power creating cumulative air pollution and health impacts, threats to adequate water supply with changing climate conditions,” PEC Senior Land Use Field Representative Gem Bingol said.

Representatives from the Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance and Wildlife Conservancy also supported the change without a grandfathering resolution.

But members of the data center industry and the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce said the impacts of cutting off applications that have already been submitted would be significant.

“Changing these regulations affecting a sole industry will send ripples across all sectors, businesses, labor unions,” Chamber Government Relations Manager Theo Stamatis said. “Partners will take notice. Billions of dollars are currently being invested in ongoing or planned data center developments. To protect Loudoun’s economy, we urge this board to take the time to ensure these safeguards are in-

In addition, she said a grandfathering resolution like one recommended by the Planning Commission would protect investments already made by commission.

“[That] would effectively ensure that only existing applications that have been in design and/or review for some time will be considered,” she said.

The number of those applications was not completely clear during the discussion, but Department of Planning and Zoning Director Daniel Galindo told the board that as of Dec. 1 there were 36 active by-right applications that would be impacted if the board adopted the change without a grandfathering resolution.

Galindo said his team had also done a broad estimate to see how much data center square footage had been applied for since the process to consider removing the by-right use has begun.

cluded in the final adoption of the [Zoning Ordinance amendment].”

Stamatis said the county’s reputation is “paramount” to its standing in the global economy.

Data Center Coalition Virginia Policy Director Kate Smiley said under the proposed change, existing or already approved data centers wanting to make minor adjustments to their site plans would need to come back before both the com-

mission and the board to make them.

“Innovation drives the data center industry, and our members continue to lean in on efforts to increase efficiency and reduce and mitigate any environmental impacts as technology solutions and facility designs and enhancements evolve,” she said. “Flexibility is therefore needed to protect existing or partially built campuses as changes are often required to update or modernize facilities.”

Between March 1 and Dec. 1 of last year, the amount of data center square footage in the pipeline increased from 36 million to nearly 60 million. Of that total, 18 million requires legislative approval and will be coming before the board anyway, he said, adding that the numbers are rough estimates put together quickly

FROM THE $500 ’s

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) speaks with staff members during a Feb. 12 public hearing on whether to amend the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance to require that all data center applications receive legislative approval.

By-Right Data Centers

continued from page 6

ahead of the meeting.

Ultimately, supervisors decided they needed more time to consider grandfathering options and voted 7-1 with Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) opposed and Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) absent, to have the staff return on March 4 to present more information on the topic.

Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin) said he does not support moving away from the by-right allowances at all. However, if the board does vote to implement the change, he supports a grandfathering policy and said without it, the impacts of the change would be far-reaching.

“It’s huge investments and so this is real life discussion that we’re having here,” he said.

Companies foresaw the change coming and moved quickly to submit applications before it was implemented, Kershner said.

“There are supervisors on this dais that say, ‘well for those data centers this [grandfathering] defeats the whole process.’ Well, that’s what happens when you mess with people’s land rights. They try to get in and they try to preserve the land rights that they have,” he said.

Kershner also expressed concern about the legal implications of choosing a “capricious” date for the change to go into effect.

County Attorney Leo Rogers said the implementation date is up to the board and added, if a grandfathering resolution is passed the goal is to find a fair date.

“A grandfathering date needs to be an objective period. You have to have an objective time for when it’s going to be done,” he said.

Supervisor Kristen C. Umsttatd (D-Leesburg) said she also did not support the blanket change, raising concerns that the county is singling out the industry.

Supervisor Laura A. TeKrony (D-Little River) and County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) asked if there is a way to allow minor changes to be made to existing facilities without requiring legislative approval.

Galindo said the staff could develop language to allow that.

Vice Chair Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) said the goal of the by-right change is not to penalize companies looking to make “non substantive” changes.

“We want to be able to allow existing data centers to be able to flex and grow and evolve based on a rapidly changing environment,” he said. n

General Assembly Energy Bills Advance Ahead of Session Deadline

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

As the deadline for the 2025 General Assembly session approaches Loudoun’s legislators are working to have bills that will address concerns of county residents regarding data center energy usage and cost allocation enacted into law.

One bill by Sen. Russet Perry (D-31) directs the State Corporation Commission to examine the cost allocation among different electric utility customer classes.

The goal is to ensure that electric utility ratepayers that are not data centers are not unreasonably subsidizing costs for data centers. A recent report conducted by the Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission on data centers found that has not been the case but said it could change as more electric infrastructure is needed to support the industry. If the study found

that the current allocation was requiring unreasonable subsidization or unreasonable rate increases to support new infrastructure the bill requires the commission to mitigate that as much as possible.

That bill was approved by the House of Delegates on a 63-34 vote Tuesday afternoon.

Two bills introduced by Del. David Reid (D-28) that address other information presented in the JLARC data center report received Senate committee approval Monday night.

The first, HB1821 would allow large energy consumers to claim credit under the Accelerated Renewable Buyers Program by using battery energy storage systems. Currently, the program provides credit for purchases of solar and wind energy to offset certain utility charges.

The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee recommended the bill with

minor amendments that keep utility customers from involuntarily paying for any of the resources outlined in the bill.

It is supported by Dominion Energy and the Southern Environmental Law Center. The bill was also supported by 11-year-old Winter Ford who spoke on behalf of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters.

It passed 9-6.

A second bill by Reid regarding transmission lines also received approval from the committee.

“Continuing in the vein of being able to discuss what we can do to improve things related to data centers, what this does is this provides that the State Corporation Commission, when making determinations regarding the need for quarter route or method of installation of transmission lines, or reconductoring, that they consider the prudency of using

advanced conductor materials,” Reid told the committee.

Advanced conductors replace traditional cables made with aluminum strands around a supporting steel core with a lighter steel core such as ceramic, glass or carbon fibers, resulting in a line that can transmit more power than conventional conductors.

Transferring more power through the same amount of cable is a better use of rights-of-way, he said.

The bill also includes an amended stipulation to allow for the same consideration of “similar technologies.” That amendment put concerns from Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29) regarding whether the definition of advanced conductor materials allows for emerging technologies, at ease.

The bill passed the committee unanimously. n

Sen. Russet Perry

Sen. Russet Perry (D-31) speaks about data center and energy legislation she and other legislators are working on during the

2025 General Assembly session.

Senate Finance Committee Calls for Study of Oak Hill Park Plan

BY NOMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

The effort to establish as state park at the Loudoun County home of President James Monroe hit opposition Monday as members of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee raised objections to a bill that would allow the commonwealth to take ownership of the 1,200-acre Oak Hill property.

The bill, sponsored by Del. Alfonzo H. Lopez (D-3), of Arlington, cleared review by the House of Delegates without a single vote in opposition. The bill also was supported by the Senate’s Agricultural, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee.

However, a Senate Finance subcommittee on Monday morning threatened to kill the bill, with committee chair L. Louise Lucas (D-18), of Portsmouth, and others raising concerns the project would be jumping ahead of other proposals to establish new state parks.

Appearing that a subcommittee majority was prepared to let the bill die, Lopez pleaded with the panel to allow it to survive for review by the full committee

later in the day.

The senators voted to report the bill to the full committee without a recommendation. Later that evening, the committee endorsed substitute legislation that calls for the Secretary of Finance’s office to study the proposed park financing plan or other models to support long-term park operations—action that

“This is the last chance to get this property... they've turned down requests over $55M from developers for it. They want this to be a park.”

— Del. Alfonzo H. Lopez (D-Arlington)

left the door open for the Senate to consider the plan before the assembly adjourns Saturday.

Lopez stressed that the 1,200-acre

property could be acquired for the parks system without tapping into the commonwealth’s General Fund. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors last year approved spending $22 million to help acquire the property and the total funding commitment, including an endowment to help cover annual operations, has grown to $48 million, he said.

“This is the last chance to get this property. The family that has been taking care of this land for a generation. They cannot take care of the property any further. They’ve turned down requests over $55 million from developers for it. They want this to be a park. It’s the last homestead of a founding father in the United States that is not either a state park or a federal park, and the fact that this could be developed for townhouses is offensive,” Lopez said.

Lopez said the project would have little impact on the state budget but would have a tremendous public value.

“This is a coalition of extraordinary citizens and local government who put up all the money. Loudoun County put up all the money to address this, to buy the property. We have an endowment to actually fund the property going for-

ward in perpetuity—to pay for staff, to pay for upkeep. Last week, they got an additional $5 million of private funding. This is the last chance to ensure that the location where the Monroe Doctrine was written doesn’t go away,” he said.

Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-11), of Charlotteville, asked if the Loudoun County government would consider operating Oak Hill as a local park.

“I recognize a whole lot of what you’re saying is correct, but it’s difficult for us to figure out how this gets priority over everything else we have,” he said.

Lopez said this was not a typical state park proposal.

“This this is one of the best gifts I’ve ever seen. This is also something that from a historic preservation perspective, and from a 1,200-acre park in Northern Virginia, this is pristine land with river frontage. It’s got Revolutionary War history, Civil War history, African-American enslaved history, prehistoric history, indigenous peoples—history that needs to be preserved,” Lopez said. “You know as well as I do that in Loudoun County this will be developed and it will go away, and this is our last chance to actually preserve it.” n

Five Education Bills from Loudoun Delegation Advance

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

Five education bills from Loudoun legislators advanced to the governor’s office this week.

Three of the bills were proposed by Del. Atoosa Reaser (D-27).

HB1945, passed by the House on Jan. 31, gives direction for school boards to consider policies for allowing students to access telehealth appointments on school property during school hours with parental consent. It was conformed to SB1037, which performs the same function. It passed the Senate on Tuesday in a unanimous vote.

Reaser’s HB1936 requires the Department of Education to create an index that chronicles all trainings teachers have received in an easily accessible public format and on its website. It requires the index to be updated

annually or when there is a change in trainings. A substitute by a House committee took away mention of trainings required by individual school board policies and just included state or federal training. An amendment also required that this be completed by Aug. 1. The fiscal impact of this bill is expected to be an additional $25,500 in staffing costs. It passed the Senate on Tuesday unanimously.

HB2055 would require that in instances when school personnel notify a parent about a student with suicidal intent, they also must provide information on suicide prevention and safe firearm and medication storage. It will also create a rubric for parental notification processes. It passed the Senate unanimously on Tuesday.

HB2774 was introduced by Del. JJ Singh (D-26). It requires parents of every child in a school division to be no-

tified of an overdose on school grounds within 24 hours of the incident. It also directs school boards to create policies surrounding the notifications and for guidelines to be created by the Department of Education. Notifications will include the name of the substance and directs school staff to take all reasonable effort to protect the students’ identity. It incorporates HB2424 by Loudoun’s Del. Geary Higgins (R-30) and HB2287 by Carrie E. Coyner (R-75), both of which create similar directives. It was conformed to an identical bill from the Senate, SB1240. It passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday.

SB1370 by Sen. Kannan Srinivasan (D-32) amends the Virginia code section that provides guidelines for school divisions to work with private mental healthcare services. The amendment provides for telehealth to be included as well.

According to Srinivasan’s Chief of Staff Brandon Jackson, the bill does not require school divisions to take action, but provides a pathway to expand services.

It passed the House unanimously Monday.

“I am proud that SB1370 was my first bill to pass as a senator, building upon the work I began last year to ensure that nationally recognized schoolbased telehealth providers were included in efforts to expand mental health resources for our students,” Srinivasan said in a statement to Loudoun Now. “This year, SB1370 takes the next step by adding school counseling via telehealth to the memorandum of understanding developed by the Board of Education. This simple yet impactful bill will help schools provide essential mental health services to our students when in-person support options are not available,” n

AROUND town Leesburg

New Empower Mobility Store Offers Medical Equipment, Support

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

Medical equipment supply company

Empower Mobility celebrated its Leesburg opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 14.

The store offers supplies and medical grade equipment that help people remain independent, recover from surgery, and stay safe. Owner Chris Poland said the equipment serves seniors and those with physical disabilities, also people who have recently gone through surgery.

“A lot of people are thrown into the situation where they don’t shop for this kind of stuff,” Poland said. “No one ever goes around and says ‘hey sweetie, you know what we should do this weekend? Let’s go look at some hospital beds, right?’ … until all the sudden you have a fall or you keep putting it off long enough and then you really need it.”

Empower Mobility carries lift chairs designed to look like traditional household furniture, a full range of compression garments to improve circulation, powered mobility chairs, rollators, bath safety items, hospital beds and more. Customers can try out many of the products in person, seeing how they operate, to make their best personalized decision.

Jeffrey Miller, Poland’s business partner, said the benefit of the store is that people can actually feel the products.

“We want to make sure [the product] going to fit their lifestyle,” Poland said. He joked about customers being able to buy beverage holders for their rollators.

TVs also display the items that can’t be housed in-store for customers to view.

Poland worked at the East Burke Phar-

macy, Strive Pharmacy, for 30 years before moving to Empower Mobility. Seeing people’s lives benefit as a caregiver was one of his main drives to make the transition to Empower Mobility, he said. He described a time Miller helped someone who came in for a separate issue, but after using a

EMPOWER MOBILITY continues on page 11

Power Strip Fire Displaces 9 Leesburg Residents

A family of nine was displaced following a Feb. 14 house fire on Wage Drive in Leesburg.

According to Loudoun Fire-Rescue, the fire was reported just before 6:15 p.m. Feb. 14th. Crews from Leesburg, Lansdowne, Lucketts, and Purcellville were dispatched to the scene. Arriving units found fire and heavy smoke coming from the first floor of the split-level home. The residents were safely outside the home.

The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was accidental, caused by an unspecified electrical event in a power strip supplying power to an appliance for a reptile tank. Smoke alarms were present in the home and functioned as designed. Damages were estimated at $480,000.

During the operations, one firefighter was transported to a hospital and released after treatment of an injury described as

minor. Loudoun County Animal Services responded to the scene to assist the family with a deceased cat and reptile that perished in the fire. The American Red Cross is assisting the family.

Fire-Rescue issued tips to protect against electrical fires, including:

• Ensure that all appliances are using the proper type of wall receptacle outlet. All major appliances such as refrigerators, dryers, washers, stoves, air conditioners, microwave ovens, should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet.

• Do not use extension cords and power strips in place of permanent wiring as they are only intended for temporary use. Inspect cords regularly and immediately unplug and replace those with any damage or fraying.

• Ensure that any electrical work is done and inspected by a qualified electrician in accordance with all local permit-

Speed Camera Revenue Bill Killed

A bill that proposed diverting profits from local speed camera fines to the state treasury was defeated in the General Assembly, with Leesburg leaders joining in the opposition.

HB2041, introduced by Del. Holly Seibold (D-12), would limit revenues from local speed cameras to be used solely for the operating costs of the program and required revenues exceeding that cost to be directed to the Commonwealth Transportation Board for use in the Virginia Highway Safety Improvement Program.

The bill failed in the Senate Committee on Transportation on a 6-9 vote Feb. 13.

During the Town Council’s Feb. 10 work session, staff members raised concern that the town would lose the ability to dictate what would be done with a potential $500,000 in revenue expected from a pilot school zone speed camera project planned to roll out this year. The council was waiting to see where the bill would go before making any further decisions on that project.

Hockey Legends to Honor Fundraising Champions

ting requirements.

• Immediately call a qualified electrician if you experience frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers, a tingling feeling when you touch an electrical appliance, sparks coming from outlets or discolored or warm wall outlets, or a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance.

The National Fire Protection Associations Electrical provides a Safety Checklist to help protect homes against electrical fires.

For more information, go to  Loudoun.gov/FireMarshal or contact Public Education Manager Lisa Montalvo at 571-258-3222.

The impacted family’s go fund me can be reached at https://www.gofundme. com/f/help-sandi-snd-family-rebuild-after-fire-tragedy. n

Team Ion in Leesburg was honored Tuesday for its performance as the top fundraising team in the October Saves goalie challenge. They were awarded with a “fireside chat” featuring Mitch Korn, renowned NHL goaltending coach.

The challenge allowed youth hockey goalies to fundraise for cancer research and support for each save they make.

Team Ion, comprised of goalies from the Washington Little Capitals, Loudoun Knights and Loudoun Castles, ranked as the top fundraiser for the second consecutive year, bringing its total contributions to nearly $100,000.

Joining in the chat were other professional goaltenders and coaches, including Braden Holtby, Logan Thompson, Charlie Lindgren and Scott Murray. n

William Timme/Loudoun Now

Chris Poland, left, and Jeffrey Miller recently opened their medical equipment store Empower Mobility in Leesburg.

Empower Mobility

continued from page 10

walker, was driven to tears.

“I have a senior mom, so I can really relate, you know,” Miller said. “I see her, and then that kind of translates to helping the people here, which is good. It’s a nice formula, because a lot of stuff, they weren’t even aware that they even had.”

Miller and Poland both said having the right people to guide customers through the process is important.

“I had a patient come in and she was pretty bruised up on one side,” Poland said, describing how the patient didn’t quite understand how to use a rollator. “I will show you how to use it, but let me put it together,” he told the patient. Poland said even though you can buy something online, the safety of the product isn’t guaranteed unless someone can assemble it correctly.

That patient hadn’t purchased the rollator from Empower Mobility, but regular tune-ups are something Poland and Miller do. “Just because we sell a rollater and everything’s working because its brand new does not mean that a year or two down the road the brakes won’t start to weaken,” Poland said. “We want to make sure we tighten those types of things up. So we try to go out and do little community service type things.”

Miller added that it was mostly senior communities. Poland said folks could also come into the shop and get repairs in-store.

Poland is also a member of Senior Resource Partners, a group that provides members to do specific tasks for senior support. He works on the medical equipment side, and explained that they have people who do everything from helping move out old medical equipment “treasure” from someone’s house to helping transport seniors who need to move into new communities.

“We’re always looking for the next big thing, or the next thing that’s going to help someone in the community, live their life to the fullest,” Poland said. “That’s our whole goal. Is to obviously, keep them independent, keep them mobile, keep them safe, keep them healthy, and hopefully we give them the knowledge and be that trusted source.”

Empower Mobility is located at 34-D Catoctin Circle SE. Learn more at empowermymobility.com. n

Town Staff Ramps Up Public Outreach Efforts

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

Public Information Officer Leah Kosin on Feb. 14 recorded an episode of “Live in Leesburg,” a Facebook Live series that connects Leesburg residents to behind the scenes footage of different departments in the local government.

Kosin recently began previewing the episodes the day before they air as part of the town’s greater effort to expand communications, alongside other projects like the “Around Town” weekly newsletter. Kosin added that video efforts, including the “Locally Leesburg” series, have “proven to do way better” for the town’s ability to reach people.

Those video efforts started in 2019, when Kosin did the first Live in Leesburg and streamed a snowplow ride-along on a particularly snowy day.

“We were getting a lot of complaints,” Kosin said. “Like, ‘why is it taking you so long to come through my neighborhood? The streets are awful. What’s going on?’ … So I went to our public works team, and I said, ‘hey, I’m not shy to be on camera. What would you guys think if I did a ride along in a plow truck and just kind of shared a Facebook Live to share what that experience is like for our staff and what conditions are like outside?’”

Kosin said the initial live show got tons of reactions and comments in real time, and even took some of the burden off other departments.

“No joke, our calls on the snow hotline and to town hall, they just started to diminish,” she said.

Since then, the live shows have grown significantly, with a video about lantern

Kosin came to the town in 2018 and looked for new ways to try and enhance its communications skills, a job she said she enjoys because it lets her do “a little bit of everything.”

She also puts her ideas and editing skills to use on the town’s “Locally Leesburg” series, where Assistant Director of Economic Development Melanie Scoggins interviews local business leaders. Those interviews have helped businesses grow, Kosin said.

Kosin said Locally Leesburg was born during COVID, when the Economic Development team came to her, and she suggested doing the interviews with a focus on three questions.

“Tell us about your business. What are the most popular items you sell? What do you love about being in Leesburg?” Kosin listed.

fly egg masses getting up to 110,000 views. That episode saw Tree Commission Member Frank Schneider explain how to remove the egg masses and was shared 271 times in up to 43 states and garnered 103 comments.

Kosin said her aim was just to show the public how to stop the spread of lantern flies, but that the video “just took off.” A lifetime of Kosin using her skills to promote, market, and build community underlies that success.

“In middle school I remember I was excited to promote this fundraiser,” Kosin said, describing a time she sold candy bars for her school. “I was the top seller in the whole school. …I just remember that one moment, and I think that that was just it–when I knew I had that passion for marketing and promoting things that I really enjoyed doing.”

Kosin graduated with a degree in media and communications studies from Penn State. Throughout her life, she’s done broadcast journalism, newspaper work, and marketing.

That short and sweet approach has reaped positive feedback for the town. Kosin added that many times businesses are worried they might have to pay for the promo, only to be surprised that it’s free.

“That’s what I love about our small town,” Kosin said. “I think that we do a really good job of taking care of everybody and helping to spread the word.”

Through “spreading the word” on “Locally Leesburg” and “Live in Leesburg,” Kosin said she’s been able to answer many of the public’s questions. She added that she encourages people to send questions before, during, and after the live shows.

“If someone has a question, if they have an idea, let us know,” Kosin said. “I’m always happy to go out there and get the information that people are seeking. …I just ask that people help spread the word and reach out if they want to know anything about the town or local business.”

“Live in Leesburg” and “Locally Leesburg” can be viewed on the town’s Facebook page. The town’s YouTube also features “Locally Leesburg” episodes for interested residents. n

William Timme/ Loudoun Now Leesburg Public Information Officer Leah Kosin Records an Episode of “Live in Leesburg” featuring Sustainability Manager Deborah Moran.

Shernoff's School Calendar Option Considered Ahead of Board Vote

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

The Loudoun County School Board has delayed the adoption the 2026-2027 school year calendar until Feb. 25, pending review of a new option presented by Lauren Shernoff (Leesburg) last week.

In a Facebook post, Shernoff wrote that her plan resulted from feedback from constituents about the four options presented to the school board in November. The first option then kept the same holidays and general structure as the 2024-2025 school year, keeping 180 instructional days. Two other options changed the start dates to early August and the end date to late May, with option two keeping 180 days and option three shortening to 174. A fourth option also has 174 instructional days, starting mid-August and ending in late May, but it breaks the tradition of aligning spring break with Easter.

In November, Shernoff supported severing the link between spring break and Easter. She also supported moving the school year start earlier, creating more instructional days before end of year testing.

“In my view, shifting the school year to end the Friday before Memorial Day weekend would benefit LCPS in the long run by allowing for more instructional days before testing in May. This change would support maximizing instruction earlier in the year. However, I understand that this transition would result in a shorter, more challenging summer for a year if we chose that path,” Shernoff wrote in her post.

Shernoff said her plan offers a compromise between the other four plans with less impact on instructional days and the transitional summer.

For students, school would start on Monday, Aug. 17 and end on Friday, June 4. She writes in the post that she acknowledges that Monday starts aren’t the most popular, but this will allow more days and will end the year on a Friday. It would have 179 instructional days.

For teachers, they would start one week earlier than the students on Aug. 10. It gives them an extra week of summer compared to the start date of Aug. 3 in the November options.

Shernoff ’s plan moves away from closing schools for religious holidays in favor of establishing four “cultural observance” days. The holidays changed to cultural observance days would be Eid, Diwali, Lunar New Year and Yom Kippur.

Families who observe the holidays would receive an excused absence, and

teachers would be instructed not to have any big projects due or tests those days. The cultural observance days are a tradeoff that will add four more instruction days for teachers that will fulfill contract requirements without lengthening the school year.

Decoupling Easter and spring break is part of the cultural observance mindset, according to Shernoff. Spring break will be tied to the end of the third quarter marking period, which is March 25 in her proposed plan.

The other members of the School Board had mixed reactions to the changes to the calendar. Linda Deans (Broad Run) did not think they should stray from the original options that were presented and put out for the community survey in November.

“My thoughts are that Ms. Boland and her staff have already vetted the full options with all of the different groups that we would not venture away from those options that have already been given to the public and to staff and to principals and to student groups. I think that venturing away from what Ms. Boland and her staff have legitimately vetted with the different groups would be something that would not be as acceptable as those that have already been vetted,” Deans said.

Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) agreed that the new option needed public comment and proposed bringing this item back to the board after a new survey.

Arben Istrefi (Sterling) and Vice Chair Anne Donohue (At-Large) agreed that Shernoff ’s proposal had potential and needed further public input, but said the survey would take weeks. Donohue won unanimous support for her motion to bring this item back to vote at the Feb. 25 School Board meeting. n

SCHOOL notebook

School Nutrition Services Win Innovation Award

Loudoun County Public Schools

School Nutrition Services has been honored with the Innovation and Nutrition Education Award, given in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services and Action for Healthy Kids.

According to Superintendent Aaron Spence, this award recognizes the commitment to teaching and serving students healthy food. Initiatives like “Taste it Tuesday” and “Fear Factor Friday” are programs that show the innovation and dedication, he said.

Spence said the school division showcases scratch-made recipes and enlists Academies of Loudoun students to make educational posters for the schools. Nutrition Services also hosted a food show in October, showing off food from many cultures.

Belmont Ridge Teacher

Awarded 40 under 40

Adam Odenwelder, Belmont Ridge Middle School’s guitar teacher, was recognized in Yamaha’s 2025 40 under 40 list for his work in music at the school.

According to Superintendent Aaron Spence, he was nominated for his student-centered approach to music. For example, he would ask for recommendations from students and arrange popular music for the guitar class to perform.

Yamaha launched the 40 under 40 Music Education Advocacy Program in 2021. It is meant to recognize young music teachers and the difference they make in their schools. n

Watson Middle School Teacher Earns Virginia SAR Award

Erik Sassak, a history teacher at Watson Mountain Middle School, is the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution’s Teacher of the Year for 2024.

He was nominated by the Loudoun County-based Sgt. Maj John Champe Chapter and his selection was approved unanimously by the Virginia SAR Teacher of the Year Committee.

The award was presented Feb. 8 by Virginia SAR President Bill Greaf, Sgt

Maj John Champe Chapter President Barry Schwoerer and Virginia SAR Awards Committee Chairman Ken Hawkins.

Last year, Sassak received the Virginia Council for the Social Studies’ Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Excellence in Teaching Award. He also is a previous Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award nominee. n

Amber Lucas/Loudoun Now Loudoun County School Board member Lauren Shernoff (Leesburg) speaks about her experience on the School Board at the Jan. 24 School Board retreat.

Contributed

Erik Sassak is presented with the Teacher of the Year award Feb. 8, by Virginia SAR President Bill Greaf, Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter President Barry Schwoerer and Virginia SAR Awards Committee Chairman Ken Hawkins.

Proposal to Prohibit Seclusion in Schools Garners Heavy Debate

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

Changes to the Loudoun County Public Schools seclusion and restraint policy presented to the School Board last night include a prohibition on seclusion as defined by Virginia State Code. However, this change prompted much debate from School Board members, as some fear that banning the procedure could have negative impacts on instructors in emergency situations.

The review of the restraint and seclusion policy began last April and passed out of the Student Services Committee in January. Changes to the policy emphasize that restraint is a last resort after other interventions and prohibits seclusion altogether. The current policy identifies both seclusion and restraint as last resorts.

Seclusion is defined as “the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving until the student no longer presents imminent danger to self or others. This includes any time a student is involuntarily alone in a room and prevented from leaving regardless of the intended purpose or the name of the area where the student is secluded.”

Chair Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) during committee meetings proposed amendments that would allow for students who communicate through sign language to have their hands free while being restrained unless it would cause danger and also would require training for staff member on restraint and seclusion.

According to Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Tedra Richardson, there were four reported instances of seclusion in the 2023-2024 school year, three involving one student, three instances in 2022-2023 and five instances, with three for one student, in the 2021-2022 school year.

The banning of seclusion as a practice in the school division was supported by many parents during the public comment portion of the meeting. Students referenced studies that say seclusion causes harm. Several also mentioned that surrounding counties including Fairfax have already banned seclusion and have implemented better interventions for children in crisis.

Liz Crotty, chair of the Special Education Advisory Committee, said that the panel wrestled with the policy for seven years. She said it was a difficult policy, but at the end SEAC voted unanimously

to recommend removing seclusion from schools altogether.

Another parent, Valerie Schoenfeld, said that her family was experiencing a nightmare after seclusion incidents with her child last year without her knowledge. She said that her child has been unable to attend school since February of 2024 due to the trauma and distrust of adults since the incident. The current policy requires that parents be notified of any incident and any first aid administered on the day.

Shehnaz Khan, a parent of a special education student, pointed out that instances of this prompted then-Gov. Ralph Northam in 2018 to sign GiGi’s Law after an incident at Loudoun County Public Schools where she was photographed secluded at school.

“The plan was to first provide better tools, then eliminate seclusion,” Khan said. “Seven years later, despite implementing all these recommendations, LCPS still hasn't ended seclusion. Seclusion is not a solution. It is not a tool. If a child is repeatedly secluded it means their needs are not being met. Instead, we must create supportive spaces and provide resources, especially for vulnerable students, like non vulnerable children who can't advocate for themselves, and we need to provide evidence-based tools for our teachers and staff.”

Vice Chair Anne Donohue (At Large) said that she struggled with completely eliminating seclusion at school, as it might cause issues for staff being disciplined if they act in an emergency with the use of seclusion. She said that many of the reported instances of seclusion don’t meet the federal definition of seclusion, which is very specific.

“While I am not going to sit here and say that seclusion is good or is something that we should be using in our schools, I think we should be doing our best to minimize it as much as possible, I have some concerns that if we recategorize seclusion as a prohibited practice that there may be some unintended negative consequences for our staff. And for those reasons, I did not support those amendments in committee and have proposed a different version of the policy,” she said.

Donohue proposed holding off on making any changes to the policy until a policy on isolation and seclusion can be drafted to better encompass instances that don’t quite meet the definition in the law. The policy will define acceptable and not acceptable actions in situations of isolation that do not meet the federal

definition of seclusion.

This sentiment was echoed by Linda Deans (Broad Run) who thought that taking away a tool like this might tie educators’ hands in an emergency.

Kari LaBell (Catoctin) disagreed, saying that their goal was always to do away with seclusion and restraint. She cited her 52 years in the education system and said that she only had to use seclusion four times in her career. She also cited the many new staff members included in the adopted fiscal year 2026 budget, includ-

ing behavior specialists that work with teachers.

“Seclusion is like putting someone in solitary confinement. Aren’t we beyond that? Think about this: it’s not helping the child, it’s causing more anxiety, more stress. And that’s part of the reason that that child may not be able to deal with the situation in the classroom but putting him in a solitary confinement situation is not the answer, I’m sorry,” LaBell said.

The item will return to the board for action at a later meeting. n

Kathy Shipley Excellence in Real Estate

RE/MAX Executives

Each

LOVETTSVILLE NEW LISTING

Occasionally you come across a home that is perfection. This custom, 2 year old cape cod on 2.46 acres is one of them. From the moment you step onto the large front porch, with 3 sets of custom Mahogany double French doors, you will feel like you have found your new home. The ease of main level living awaits with this open floor plan. The amazing kitchen is equipped with custom Amish solid wood cabinets with soft close, quartz countertops, pot filler, Frigidaire professional appliances, large island with plenty of seating space and a custom built butler pantry with Zellige handmade tiles. The great room has vaulted ceilings, cast stone fireplace mantel and hearth that can be either wood or gas burning, an abundance of natural light, and full pane door to a rear porch. Gorgeous primary suite also has access to rear porch. More custom features in the primary bath including porcelain tile and white venetian marble accents, separate soaking tub, double sinks with solid wood cabinets and oversized shower with two shower heads. Two more main level bedrooms with jack and jill bath, with porcelain tile and custom solid wood cabinets. Upstairs offers another bedroom, full bath, office area and play area.

$1,200,000

How fortunate that this amazing 55 plus community, with all its amenities & shopping seconds away, is right in desirable Loudoun County. Check out this Wilson Model’s unique floor plan with over 2,800 square feet, loft, and outstanding floor plan. Formal living room or office, large dining room and perfect great room with fireplace and french doors that lead to rear patio. A cooks delight with abundant cabinet and counter space in large kitchen with gas cook top, double ovens, granite and stainless. Main level primary bedroom with large walk in closet and lovely adjoining bath with two sinks, separate shower and soaking tub. Perfect community with fitness center, indoor & outdoor pools, indoor walking track, meeting rooms, game rooms, library, community walking trails, sports courts, etc. Seconds to One Loudoun, which offers many restaurants, shops, movie theater, events... Senior center & hospital close by.

$875,000

and chicken coop. Main house is amazing with cathedral ceilings and tons of natural light. Both main and lower level has completely new paint and LV flooring throughout. $899,000

POTOMAC GREEN

Lozupone Tapped to Expand JK Moving’s Data Center Services

Mike Lozupone is the new vice president of business development—technology services at JK Moving Services, charged with expanding its work to provide worldclass relocation and logistics experiences for data centers and critical environments.

“Northern Virginia is the nation’s hub for data centers. They have specific logistical and moving needs, and we are committed to meeting those needs and providing a bestin-class experience,” stated JK Moving President David Cox. “Mike has deep experience in sales and tech, including data centers, and he will lead our efforts to grow and serve this important commercial segment. His expertise and leadership skills will be invaluable, and we welcome him to the team.”

Lozupone will lead initiatives to support customers with critical IT environments while advancing the capabilities of JK’s technology services including the use of AI to transform data management. JK also offers secure warehousing, final mile logistics, and construction support services.

“Data centers are critical in supporting our nation’s infrastructure and everyday lives. Technical expertise is required for performing IT relocation, asset management, and layer one infrastructure services. This

Business

calls for employing comprehensive project management and end-to-end logistics. Our culture of care and respect, industry experience, and Northern Virginia location uniquely qualify us to provide outstanding customized services to this rapidly growing industry,” Lozupone said.

Lozupone previously worked as director of business development for DataBridge Sites, which specializes in colocation and private cloud services within its data centers. He has a bachelor’s degree from Towson University and grew up in the DC region.

Stone Joins St. John as Regional Development Manager

Peyton Stone is the new development manager for St. John Properties in its Virginia and Central Maryland regional office.

He previously served as project manager for Dewberry and brings more than eight years of engineering and entitlement experience to the position. Stone will oversee the activities of third-party design, planning, and legal professionals, while working with

the company’s in-house civil engineering and landscape design teams. He will interact with government agencies in the review and approval of land development projects.

St. John has six active projects in Loudoun and Prince William counties and four in Frederick, MD. He also will support site evaluation and due diligence activities for land acquisition across the region.

Stone earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a minor in green engineering, and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Virginia Tech. He is a Virginia board-certified professional engineer and is active with NAIOP Northern Virginia, including the Loudoun and Prince William Government Relations Committees. He also serves on Loudoun County’s Facilities Standards Manual Public Review Committee. In Maryland, Stone is part of the Land Use Council for the Frederick County Building Industry Association. A former competitive college lacrosse player, Stone also served as head varsity coach of Heritage High School in Leesburg for several years.

Founded in 1971, St. John Properties,

Inc. is one of the nation’s largest privately held commercial real estate firms, developing more than 24 million square feet of flex/R&D, office, retail, and warehouse space and has investments in over 3,000 residential units. Learn more at sjpi.com.

Visit Loudoun Offers Marketing Leverage Grants

Visit Loudoun is accepting applications for its FY24 Tourism Marketing Leverage Program, which offers grants up to $25,000 to support to tourism-related programs, projects and special events.

The competitive application process offers matching funds to extend the reach of the industry and to support tourism partners who create innovative campaigns that attract visitors to Loudoun. Programs with the greatest return on investment in terms of visitor spending will have priority.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. March 10. They will be reviewed by a volunteer committee and approved by the Visit Loudoun Board of Directors. A virtual pre-application meeting will take place Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. Contact Greg Harp at harp@visitloudoun.org for more information. n

Lozupone

Stone

Nonprofits

VPHA Honors Preservationist, School Librarians for Heritage Work

The Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area will recognize a trio of honorees during a March 11 ceremony at Buchanan Hall in Upperville.

Since 2007, Heritage Hero awards have been presented to residents and organizations making an important contribution or lifetime of contributions to the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area. In addition, the organization presents the Public Educator of the Year award.

The 2024 Heritage Hero award will honor Carol Lee. The 2024 Educator of the Year award will be presented to Laura Channing and Erin Curry, librarians at Stone Bridge High School.

A third-generation resident of the

historic village of Willsville, Lee was the founder of the Willisville Preservation Foundation and enjoyed a record of success in bringing public attention to the history of her community. Her work led to Willisville’s listing on the Virginia and National Register of Historic Places as well as the creation of a historic landmark road marker Rt. 50. She was the co-author of “A Path Through Willisville,” a comprehensive history of the village, its families, and legacy. Lee died in December; the award will be accepted by members of her family.

The Public Educator of the Year award is given each year in recognition of a person or group for their

commitment to sharing the history of the Heritage Area with a wider audience. Channing and Curry will be recognized for their initiative, working with the Heritage Area staff, to create a series of artifact trunks chronicling

A Invitation

ENJOY SWEET TREATS & TOUR 3 DECORATED MODELS

Saturday, March 1 11am-2pm

eras of American history. Inside each trunk are original and reproduction items and documents, along with lesson plans and links to digital resources that help to bring history to life. Covering topics from the Vietnam War to the American Revolution, the trunks will be available to educators throughout Loudoun County to offer students a hands-on opportunity to learn more about the nation’s past.

Learn more about the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area at piedmontheritage.org. n

the $400’s in Stephenson, VA

Equality Loudoun Forms Cheerful Spaces Nonprofit

Equality Loudoun has formed a new nonprofit organization, Cheerful Spaces, that will focus on legislative advocacy and events including the Loudoun Pride Festival.

The organization is in the process of obtaining a 501(C)4 tax-exempt status and will continue to operate as a subsidiary of Equality Loudoun until that process is completed, according to the announcement.

Cheerful Spaces’ initial board of directors will be headed by original festival planners and EQLOCO’s former Community Director Jenny Parsons and former President Candice Tuck. They are joined by Jamie Bost.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see Equality Loudoun grow and evolve into two organizations, expanding our reach and impact,” Parsons stated. “This isn’t just growth—it’s a testament to the strength of our community, creating more spaces for support, advocacy, and celebration.”

The organization is revamping the Loudoun Pride Festival, which is set to move to Ida Lee Park in Leesburg from

its previous location at Claude Moore Park in Sterling. This year’s festival is scheduled for May 31, with plans for more than 150 community vendors, live music, activities, food, and a beer and wine garden and an anticipated crowd of 5,000 attendees.

“I’m thrilled to see Equality Loudoun bring the Pride Festival to Ida Lee Park. Leesburg is a welcoming and inclusive community, and this move highlights our commitment to celebrating diversity and equality for all,” stated Leesburg Vice Mayor Todd Cimino-Johnson.

Leigh Guarinello is the new president of Equality Loudoun. Tuck will remain as executive director.

The next steps include a relaunch of the Equality Loudoun and Loudoun Pride websites, a call for festival sponsors, and a renewed appeal for volunteers wishing to support LGBQTIA+ equality, dignity, and respect in a time of unprecedented hostility and attacks on queer Americans.

Learn more at eqloco.com. n

Experience the power of a transformed life

Become a CSLI Fellow

n The C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows Program offers a tuition-free year of intensive training that leads to significant life-change. n The program prepares each Fellow to live a powerful transformed life in their church, their community and in their workplace. n It involves Bible stud y, classic readings, lectures, group discussion, personal mentoring and accountability–all in the context of a small group of likeminded believers. n The program is designed to be achievable even for busy professionals with families. n Join the Fellows Program and learn to live as a fully devoted disciple of Jesus Christ and make an impact for Him in the world.

Please Consider Joining Us for the 2025-2026 Loudoun County Fellows Program.

To apply or for more information, please visit: www.cslewisinstitute.org/loudoun-county

Tim Bradley CSLI

City Director, Loudoun County

Email: t.bradley@cslewisinstitute.org Phone: (301) 325-8565

Towns Purcellville Council Debates Limits on Police Department Comp Leave After Handbook Update

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

An effort to raise the newly imposed limit on the number of compensatory leave hours Purcellville’s Police officers can accrue did not garner support by the Town Council during its Feb. 13 meeting.

Before July 2024, the town’s police officers could earn an unlimited amount of compensatory leave. That leave is earned at a rate of time and a half when an officer works beyond their regularly scheduled hours.

When the town updated the employee handbook in July, the accumulation of that leave was capped at 40 hours, Human Resources Director LaDonna Snellbaker said.

“The officers used the compensatory time, and their annual leave builds up over time. So, at the end of the year, what we were experiencing was anything in their annual leave over the allowed balance we carried forward was an additional cost to the town because we would have to pay that out,” she said.

Snellbaker said the unlimited amount of compensatory leave originally had been put in place to align the town with surrounding jurisdictions. However, she said the town’s police force is much smaller than most of its neighbors and noted that Virginia law stipulates the rules around compensatory leave apply to police de-

partments with over 100 employees.

“One of the other changes that we made was to cap annual leave,” she said.

“So, our non-exempt employees can have maximum of 300 hours of annual leave and our exempt employees can have 400.

Once they hit the cap, they do not earn any additional leave until they reduce their balance.”

Both changes were put in place as cost-saving measures for the town, Snell-

baker said. In fiscal year 2024, 1,352 hours of compensatory time was earned costing the town $149,000.

A motion to raise the compensatory leave cap from 40 hours to 120 hours and to allow officers to continuing accruing annual leave above 300 hours until the end of the fiscal year was set to be considered during the Jan. 8 Town Council Special meeting. The item was continued to the Feb. 13 meeting.

Snellbaker said she recommended keeping both caps in place.

Noting that the staff had not asked for the item to be included on the agenda, Council Member Kevin Wright asked who was pushing for the change.

“I believe the mayor put it on the agenda,” Vice Mayor Ben Nett, who is employed as a Purcellville police officer, said. “And there was discussion from me and Sgt. Starkey with the Purcellville Police Department.”

During the Town Council meeting, Nett said he would recuse himself from the discussion on the issue, following the advice of the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council.

“Here’s what I know about comp time working in public safety all my life. The public safety officials need time off, especially in the police force with what they see. No doubt in my mind,” Wright said. “Unfortunately, comp time is not the best way to do that because it does place an undue burden on the jurisdiction.”

Council Member Susan Khalil said the discussion was stemming from an “illness” that existed within the Police Department, which is high turnover and retention.

“I don’t think we should dissect one aspect of that illness, or one symptom, when the bigger picture needs to be looked at an evaluated. What do other well-run

COMP LEAVE continues on page 21

Purcellville Police Dept. Hit with Retirements, Resignation

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Since the beginning of the year, Purcellville’s Police Department has lost three officers – including former Chief Barry Dufek and longtime Sgt. Paul Kakol.

Dufek announced his retirement Jan. 16, just one week after the newly elected Town Council fired former Town Manager Rick Bremseth during a special meeting.

Dufek was promoted to the chief po-

sition last July. He had worked for the department for 12 years and prior to that, had 13 years of experience in law enforcement.

“I stand firm in my belief that leadership should always reflect the highest standards of integrity and transparency. Unfortunately, in my experience as your Chief these principles aren’t shared by all,” he said.

His retirement was followed by the announcement that long-time Sgt. Paul Kakol would also retire after a 23-year career in law enforcement – nearly 20 of

those spent with the town.

In a Feb. 4 Facebook post, Holtman wrote an open letter to Dufek thanking him for his leadership.

“Your departure is not only a great loss for the department but for the entire town. I know without a doubt that you did everything in your power to bring about positive, lasting change, despite the many obstacles placed in your way,” he wrote.

Holtman said he understood Dufek’s decision to retire citing “injustices” endured by former chief Cindy McAlister

when she was caught up in the town’s 2017 management scandal. Starting in October 2017, she faced allegations of misconduct by Interim Town Manager Alex Vanegas and was placed on leave and then fired after a “no confidence vote” by the Town Council. She was reinstated to her post three weeks later, but remained on leave until November 2018 when an independent investigation exonerated her, finding Vanegas and a POLICE continues on page 21

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Purcellville Interim Police Chief Sara Lombraña speaks to the Town Council during a Feb. 13 meeting.

Purcellville, Middleburg Councils Enact Vehicle Fee Waivers

BY HANNA PAMPALONI AND NORMAN K. STYER hpampaloni@loudoudnnow.org nstyer@loudounnow.org

The Purcellville and Middleburg town councils voted unanimously last week to reduce their $25 vehicle license fees to $0.

The actions come as each of Loudoun’s town councils deliberate whether to accept a one-time grant offer from the county to offset the revenue they would have received from the fee. The Board of Supervisors earlier this year voted to reduce its fee to $0, citing an increase in data center revenue to offset it.

The fiscal impact on Purcellville is $181,000, Assistant Director of Finance Connie LeMarr told the council Feb. 13.

The money coming from the county will cover expenses already accounted for in the fiscal year 2025 budget.

“A decision to reduce 2025 vehicle license fee to $0 would require action

to mitigate the impact to the FY 2026 budget,” LeMarr said.

Some council members expressed hesitancy about where the money would be made up and whether the town would need to reinstate the fee in the future. The town’s General Fund already will be reduced by the council’s Jan. 8 vote to use $1.5 million to subsidize the utility funds.

“I’m not very confident that individuals that have moved this money around and say that they can find the difference and make up this loss in our General Fund can do it without severe cuts of services, huge cuts of services and impacts,” Council Member Wright said. “So, I’m not even sure we can continue services based on the personal property rate.”

But Council Member Susan Khalil said the council was making too big a deal out of the decision.

“I think we should graciously accept this money from the county and let our residents know that we are graciously

accepting this money from the county, but it may not last. Be very clear with our residents. To not accept this money would be really looking a gift horse in the mouth,” she said.

Khalil said she hoped the council would not have to reinstate the fee next year and suggested that the council may be able to ask the county for a grant again.

“I don’t know what would preclude us from going back to the county,” she said. “If I remember correctly, this money is coming from excess funds from the data centers, I could be wrong. Well, the data centers aren’t going to stop, so hopefully they’ll continue to have this excess cash.”

Mayor Christopher Bertaut said reinstating the fee doesn’t have to be an “either/or” situation.

“The Town Council sets this vehicle license fee rate every year,” he said. “This year, we’re going to set it at $0. Next year, if we can’t find all $181,000 and if the county cannot be convinced

to continue to share their large excess, we may nonetheless find some savings and be able to set it at a smaller rate. It might be $20; it might be $10 but I see no reason not to take the money from the county that they’re offering.”

The Middleburg Town Council’s decision to reduce its vehicle license fee to $0 came without controversy Feb. 13. It was approved on a 7-0 vote.

It will cost Middleburg $15,000, which will be replaced by a grant from the county government in fiscal year 2025.

The council did not eliminate the fee, leaving the door open to its reinstatement in the future.

The Round Hill Town Council was scheduled to vote Wednesday on a proposal to also reduce its fee to $0. The fee brought in $16,135 last year and $24,089 in fiscal year 2023. This year it was budgeted to generate $12,000 in revenues, money that would be replaced by the one-time county grant. n

Middleburg Town Council Votes Narrowly to Continue Farmers Market, Double Investment

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

The Middleburg Farmers Market may continue for another year following a 4-3 vote by the Town Council last week.

The council emerged from its Jan. 30 strategic retreat with an apparent consensus that, after three decades, the program didn’t provide enough community value to support the cost and staff time required to operate the weekly event.

However, when it came time to formally ax the market at its Feb. 13 meeting, a majority pushed to keep it going—and to double the town’s funding support to implement a revitalization plan.

The market, one of the longest running in the county, has struggled to attract the numbers of vendors or shoppers seen at more vibrant operations. Over the years, it has been held at several locations around town, including the community center and the charter school. Last year, it moved to the Town Hall.

As council members increasingly questioned the merits of the program, the town staff last week presented two options—increase funding to provide a better push to attract visitors or shutter the project

said.

Council member Bud Jacobs said after visiting other successful markets it was clear to him that Middleburg lacked the critical mass to support the operation. “Nothing I’ve seen compels me to move forward with this,” he said.

But others said the program had value for the town and should continue.

Council member Darline Kirk said it should be viewed as a service to the town’s residents. She was joined by Vice Mayor Chris Bernard and council members John Kevin Daily and Pamela Curran in supporting the new staff plan to continue the market.

AROUND towns

LOVETTSVILLE

Hearing Set for Special Events Ordinance

The Town Council is holding a public hearing Thursday evening to hear from residents on plans for a proposed ordinance that would regulate private special events.

with the expectation that a private vendor could launch a replacement should the market justify it.

Mayor Bridge Littleton said the market has been nice to have but requires a lot of work for relatively little return in the form of vendor or shopper interest. Other markets in the area, including at Upperville and Gilberts Corner, consistently draw large crowds, he noted.

Council Member Cindy C. Pearson said concerns over the small number of vendors and shoppers have changed little over the market’s three decades of operations. “It’s not working. Bottom line,” she

Under that plan, the market will move to the more visible Marshall Street side of Town Hall, feature live music performances each week, have improved directional signage around town and additional marketing, and offer giveaways and other enticements.

The council’s action to continue with the market also came with the direction to double town funding to $40,000.

Council members acknowledged that program may not see an immediate turnaround even with the increased investment but said it could take three to five years build a stronger following. n

Hynes Recognized for 10 Years of Service

The document was drafted by the Planning Commission after being added to its 2024 work program. In 2023, the town learned that the county government would no longer accept applications for special events inside the town without indication that the town had approved the event. Typically, Zoning Administrator John Merrithew has signed a zoning permit indicating that approval. But, when the Town Council voted to annex land planned for a brewery, the commission recommended adopting a formal policy with specific standards.

The specific limitations include a maximum duration of nine consecutive days, allowances for amplified music only between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and only noon to 10 p.m. on Sundays, and six special events per property per year. The ordinance also requires a notification to surrounding neighbors at least two weeks in advance of the event.

The hearing will be held in the Council Chambers on East Pennsylvania Avenue at 6:30 p.m.

WATERFORD

John Wesley Church Restoration Kickoff Planned

Two decades after work began to restore the John Wesley Community Church, the community is invited to tour the building Saturday in advance of the next round of renovation projects gets underway.

The open house will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Feb. 22.

In 1888, trustees began the process to establish a permanent building for the African American Meth-

The Round Hill Town Council last week celebrated the 10-year work anniversary of Town Administrator Melissa Hynes. She joined the town staff as a planner. She was promoted to the top administrative post six years ago and is now the second longest serving municipal manager in Loudoun County, behind only Leesburg’s Kaj Dentler.

Town of Middleburg

Middleburg’s farmers market is expected to return this spring on the Town Hall grounds.

Around Towns

continued from page 20

odist-Episcopal congregation on Bond Street. The John Wesley Community Church was completed in 1891 and continued to hold services and community events until the congregation merged with another church in 1968.

Working with the former members and descendants the Waterford Founda-

Comp Leave

continued from page 18

police departments offer their officers?

I am more concerned about the well-being of our officers, quite frankly, than the money in the town,” she said.

Council Member Carol Luke agreed that retention within the Police Department is a concern, saying it is common for the town to hire young officers, pay for their training and then have them move to a different jurisdiction.

Snellbaker agreed that was common, but added that a large percentage of the department’s recent turnover was attributed to retirements.

“I think it has to do with the fact that we pay for training and then they take that training somewhere that pays a little better,” Mayor Christopher Bertaut said. “This is one way to address that imbalance for the officers.”

Police

continued from page 18

hired human resources consultant had misled the council. Her wrongful termination lawsuit ended with a settlement.

“Still, it is deeply unfortunate that you weren’t given the opportunity to fully implement your vision. The fact that you felt that chance would never come is heartbreaking, and for that, I am truly sorry. This leaves a void that will be felt for a long time,” according to the post.

Recently promoted Lt. Mike Holman also wrote a Facebook post praising Dufek for his work with the town saying he had been moving the department in the right direction.

“Sadly, because of personal agendas,

tion in 1999 began work to preserve the property and its stories. A long-term capital rehabilitation and restoration project launched in 2002.

The goal now is to finish returning the building to its period of significance and to make historically sensitive capital improvements to the building to improve accessibility and long-term stability.

Learn more at waterfordfoundation.org. n

Responding to a question from Council Member Erin Rayner, Interim Police Chief Sara Lombraña acknowledged that retention is a problem for the department.

“I think the officers right now especially are dealing with low morale and I don’t have to go into why,” she said. “I think everybody understands why …”

“Excuse me, I’d like to hear you elaborate on that,” Nett interrupted. “What is the purpose of…”

Rayner, Wright and Council Member Caleb Stought interrupted Nett to say that he had recused himself from the discussion.

Lombraña said the town is not very competitive with its surrounding jurisdictions in the salary it provides to officers.

“I’m new, I’ve only been here five months, but I am very proud of what Chief Dufek has done for our department, and before that, Chief McAlister,” she said.

No motion was made to enact the changes. n

egos, and others unwillingness to accept responsibility, that vision was destroyed,” he wrote.

On Tuesday afternoon, the department confirmed that a third officer had tendered his resignation and left for a job with a nearby agency. The department withheld the name and rank of the officer.

The Police Department is authorized for 21 positions with a freeze currently enacted on one of those positions. When asked how many officers are currently employed by the town, department representatives said Interim Police Chief Sara Lombraña would not disclose that information because of public safety concerns.

Loudoun Now reached out to Mayor Christopher Bertaut for comment on the status of the department but did not receive a response. n

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PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.”

This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753. fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

PUBLIC HEARING

TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE, VIRGINIA

The Purcellville Town Council will hold a public hearing in the Town Council Chambers located at 221 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville, Virginia, on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., in order to consider the following proposed real property tax increase:

NOTICE OF PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-107, 58.1-3007, 58.1-3201, and 58.1-3321 of the Code of Virginia, the Town of Purcellville hereby gives notice of a proposed increase in real property tax levies.

The purpose of the public hearing is to receive comment on the proposed real estate tax rate for calendar year 2025. The adopted tax rate for calendar year 2024 was $.205 per $100 of assessed value. The Town Manager has proposed that Town Council adopt a tax rate not to exceed $.205 per $100 of assessed value for calendar year 2025, no change from the prior year.

SUMMARY OF REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAX RATES

Obituaries

Adele Miller

1. Assessment Increase : The total assessed value of real property within the Town of Purcellville for 2025, excluding additional assessments resulting from new construction or improvements to property, exceeds last year’s total assessed value of real property by 6.54 percent. (Note: the total assessed value of real property within the Town for 2025 exceeds last year’s total assessed value of real property by 6.85 percent, if additional assessments resulting from new construction or improvements are not excluded.)

2. Lowered Tax Rate Necessary to Offset Increased Assessment. The tax rate that would levy the same amount of real estate tax dollars in 2025 as were levied in 2024 (when multiplied by the new total assessed value of real estate and with the exclusions mentioned above) would be $.192 per $100 of assessed value. This rate will be known as the “Lowered Tax Rate.”

3. Effective Tax Rate Increase : The Town of Purcellville proposes to adopt a maximum tax rate of $.205 per $100 assessed value. The difference between the Lowered Tax Rate and the proposed tax rate is $.013 per $100 of assessed value, or 6.77 percent. This difference will be known as the “Effective Tax Rate Increase.”

Because the above numbers deal with the aggregate of all real property within the Town of Purcellville, it is possible that an individual’s real property taxes may change at a percentage greater than or less than the Effective Tax Rate Increase.

4. Proposed Total Budget Increase : Based on the proposed real property tax rate and changes in other revenues, the total proposed budget of the Town of Purcellville will exceed last year’s adopted budget by an estimated 10 percent. A public hearing on the proposed budget for the next fiscal year will be advertised and held separately from the public hearing that is being advertised herein for the proposed real property tax increase.

All members of the public are invited to present their views on this matter at the public hearing. The complete ordinance and other information concerning the proposed tax increase are available for review at the Purcellville Town Hall, located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia.

Town Manager

Adele Hawthorne Fox Miller, passed peacefully on February 1, 2025. Born September 6, 1936, in Leesburg, Virginia, Adele became an icon of the County she loved well. Adele spent her childhood in what has always been referred to as the Pebbledash house, located on Main Street in Purcellville, VA. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1953, and then from the Washington School for secretaries, which trained her to work in her family’s business, Paxon and Hawthorne Insurance Agency in Leesburg, VA. “Miss Adele” married Morris Fox in 1956. The couple lived and worked on their farm, Foxdelle, outside Purcellville. They started a family with the birth of two daughters, Melinda and Janett. Years later, after divorcing, Adele moved back into town, where she eventually met and married her loving husband, LCDR Henry W. Miller Jr. USN in 1986. Together, they enjoyed a life of companionship and caring. Throughout her life, “Miss Adele” was a true equestrian. She competed, showed, and attended events in Upperville, Madison Square Garden, and Wellington. She was a mainstay at Virginia’s famous Point-to-Point races. Riding was Adele’s refuge, where she found joy, and peace. In addition to her devotion to horses, Adele found time to volunteer at Loudoun Hospital, be a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Ketoctin Chapter, which her mother co-founded, and a lifelong member of both St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and Loudoun Golf and Country Club. Adele was truly a kind and strong woman, with a quick wit, who always displayed proper etiquette, was a firm believer in the “King’s English,” but she also had an uncanny ability to fit in anywhere with anyone. Adele’s husband, Henry W. Miller, Jr., died in 2022. Her parents N.B. and Louise Hawthorne also predeceased her, as did her beautiful daughters, Melinda “Lynn” Fox and Janett “Jan” Adell Fox Longerbeam, and brother-in-law Chez Miller. She lost many good friends along the way but she is survived by her former son-inlaw Tracy Longerbeam and his significant other Valerie Cooper, stepson William “Bill” Miller, III, brother and sisters-in-laws John and Candy Miller, Virginia Miller and close friends Kathleen O’Keefe, Rebekah Rexrode and Vickie Fuog. Perhaps the one who will miss her the most is Adele’s constant companion for over thirteen years--Gracie, her beloved pup. Graveside Services will be held on February 22, 2025, 11:00 am at Lakeview Cemetery, Hamilton, VA, followed by a reception at Loudoun Golf and Country Club, Purcellville, VA. Those who knew her are well acquainted with her abundant love of animals, especially horses. They request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made in her name to the Loudoun County Equine Alliance, P O Box 293, Purcellville, VA 20134, in support of equine education and recreation in our County, or to the Middleburg Humane Foundation, P.O. Box 684, Marshall, VA 20116 which provides care for animals in need. Please visit www.hallfh. com to express online condolences to the family. Arrangements by Hall Funeral Home, Purcellville, VA.

LIVE MUSIC

RICHARD WALTON

4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 Marie de la Fleur, 19375 Magnolia Grove Square, Leesburg. fleurdecuisine.com

JUSTIN SUEDE

5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20

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

SHANE GAMBLE

5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. larkbrewingco.com

LOUDOUN JAZZ

7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 Lansdowne Woods Clubhouse, 19375 Magnolia Grove Square, Lansdowne. lwva.org

CARY WIMBASH

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

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

FREDDIE LONG

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

SHANE GAMBLE

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

ELIJAH GREELEY

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

DOIN’ TIME

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

BIG BRAD’S BIG BAD BAND

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

RON THAYER

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 24

Layering with Jess Sauder

BY KATIANA DAWN

Picture the serenity of watching birds flutter to a back porch, singing their soft lullabies and then taking off again to continue their journey. It is this precise scene that captures Artist Jess Sauder’s attention and inspires much of her work.

Sauder describes her work as “eclectic, exploratory, but also reflective of the surrounding beauty.”

Sauder bears witness to her surroundings and allows them to speak for themselves—or sing if they are the birds on her porch—before exploring how to capture the beauty they provide.

Growing up, Sauders did not envision art meaning much to her. With a brother who is a talented artist, she stuck to the unspoken sibling rule and never attempted to follow down the road he

had claimed. In college, Sauders studied recreational therapy and only took one art class her senior year as it was a requirement for graduating.

Little did she expect to be noticed for her talent by the oil painting professor who questioned why she was not, in fact, an art major. “It never crossed my mind. But that is something that’s always been in the back of my head, that he saw something.”

The revelation has stuck with her through work in long term care, memory care, and as a mother. When she had an opportunity to combine worlds, Sauder brought art into her memory care work with painting.

“I did painting with memory care. That’s one-on-one and small classes. And then the pandemic came and everything shut down.”

As with many, time spent at home during the lockdown led to a surprising discovery.

“That’s when I started luring birds to my porch,” she said with a laugh, “and they were just like these joyful little friends.”

She used her skill with watercolor to bring the birds to life that demonstrates her boundless creativity goes beyond the paint to the paper and material underneath each bird.

“My grandfather is a pastor missionary so there’s a cabin my parents have up in Maine that is full of really old books in all different languages and there’s nothing you can really do with them. I brought a few of these home with me and started using upcycled paper,” she said.

The pages of these old books became an infinite source of canvases. Along with books, Sauders used old sewing patterns to create a texture to the foundation of the painting before any watercolor touched the surface.

“I think in this case it’s kind of good that I didn’t have any formal art training because it means that I’m open. There is a freedom in not knowing because you just have to go for it.”

In community classes Sauder has led, she noted how people tend to be their own worst critics because of prior expectations within art. To approach the process without expectations has been a blessing.

Where Sauder has been able to find her own peace in creating these watercolor paintings, she also is keen on sharing that peace with others in the community through her art classes for memory care, classes at area libraries, and working with the Loudoun Coalition for Women and Girls.

“Looking back as a recreational therapist, you do an assessment, you make goals, and one of the things you do is look at the barriers. Then you try to find ways to overcome the barrier so that you can help whoever you’re helping,” she said. “Where I’m coming from with art, it’s really interesting because there’s so many barriers that people create because everybody is afraid. There are so many boxes that we are like ‘I have to fit in here.’ So trying to help people realize that they don’t have to do it that way. It’s about the exploration of discovery and creating and not getting something to look a certain way.”

Her aim in sharing art with people

page 25

Courtesy of Jess Sauder

JESS SAUDER continues on

BEST BETS

JED DUVALL AS JOHNNY CASH

Saturday, Feb. 22, 2 p.m. Two Twisted Posts Winery twotwistedposts.com

Tribute artist Jed Duvall returns to the tasting room for his popular portrayal of the man in black. $5. Reservations recommended.

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 23

LAURA FARRELL

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseva.com

DYLAN WOELFEL

8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

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

JUST STONES

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21 Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

SHAKE THE ROOM BAND

9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21 Rai’s Rendezvous Kitchen + Bar, 44042 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn. raisrendezvous.com

DOERS AND MAKERS

8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com

8 TRACK JONES DUO

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

LINDA ANDERSON

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

MELISSA QUINN FOX

1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

DAN CRONIN

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyard.com

WANNABE

Saturday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. (doors) Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Five spice-y Canadians with a six-piece band and lots of platform shoes celebrate the music of the Spice Girls. $20. Second show added.

MIKE LEVERONE

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyard.com

ROOK RICHARDS

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

JOE DOWNER

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

50 West Vineyards, 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. 50westvineyards.com

RICHARD WALTON

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton. fireflycellars.com

SCOTT KURT

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com

LIBERTY STREET

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

PETTY THIEVES

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

DEANE KERN AND ERIC SELBY

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

JANNA AUDEY

2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryhartland.com

TOMMY BOUCH

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. larkbrewingco.com

LAURA CASHMAN

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

JON CAMP BAND

2:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Road NW, Leesburg. library.loudoun.gov/Rust

JAKE PHILLIPS

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com

STEVE BOYD & FRIENDS

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

NATHANIEL DAVIS

4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Lost Rhino Brewing Company, 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn. lostrhino.com

FORK IN THE ROAD

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

THE WRIGHTS

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

THICK AS THIEVES

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. oldoxbrewery.com

THE BRUNO SOUND

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseva.com

CHRIS TIMBERS BAND

7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive, Sterling. crookedrunfermentation.com

WANNABE

8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $20. tallyhotheater.com

AIRMONT ROAD

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

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

HUBIE G

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

MELISSA QUINN FOX

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, 38906 Mount Gilead Road, Leesburg. willowcroftwine.com

MATT BURRIDGE

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. larkbrewingco.com

BRITTON JAMES

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

ADRIEL GENET

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com

LAURA CASHMAN

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

ACOUSTIC SOUL

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

SCOTT KURT

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 25

Jess Sauder

continued from page 23

is not about guidelines, proper ways to do things, or a “right” way. Rather, the significance is that participants relax and are able to connect with the experience of the work.

“I’ve done a few paint nights where everybody paints the same thing. Those are fun and you can see how everybody has their own certain look, but you see for some people it’s so anxiety-producing because they’re thinking they have to be exact,” she said.

Sauder urges them to keep going and seeing where it leads without trying to make it look exactly like something. “That’s a really hard thing for people to do,” she said.

She finds inspiration in our love for nature. Sauder is an avid walker and has a particular path in her neighborhood where she enjoys noticing the changes that occur.

“Like a tree that’s fallen down, there’s a log and then you see that it gets hollow, and then you see that it collapses and the mushrooms grow on it. There’s so much beauty there it’s like just layers and layers,” she said.

That might be why she uses upcycled paper as the basis of her work, from the very start of each piece there are already

layers in play.

She highlights one of her nature scene works. “I love holes in leaves and how all these little imperfections in the light shines through. It’s just so captivating,” she said. “It’s like that idea: You know how we are, some good, some bad but just like there’s just beauty and that’s wonderful.”

Sauders work can be found at Global Local in Leesburg. She looks forward to more community classes this year and continuing to explore and discover.

Learn more at brushinhandllc.com. n

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 24

JASON & MICHELLE HANNAN

4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

SCOTT KURT

5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. larkbrewingco.com

CHUCKIE D DUO

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27

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

PRIVATE EYES

8 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $15. tallyhotheater.com

HAPPENINGS

BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION

12 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market St., Leesburg.

loudoun.gov

COMBAT BASICS SEMINAR

3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Mastery Jiu-Jitsu, 161 Fort Evans Road NE.,

Leesburg. Free.

masteryjj.com

JOHN WESLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH

RESTORATION KICKOFF

3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

John Wesley Church, 40125 Bond St., Waterford. waterfordfoundation.org

CLASSICAL CHAMBER CONCERT

7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 605 W. Market St., Leesburg. Free. holytrinityleesburg.org

THE MAGIC OF BIRDS

1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Chapman DeMary Trail, 355 N. Hatcher Ave., Purcellville.

purcellvilleva.gov

WONDERFUL WINTER WALK

2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Reservoir Park, 22211 Water Vista Drive, Ashburn. novaparks.org

CHOCOLATE REIMAGINED!

3:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Woodlea Manor Clubhouse, 1430 Hague Drive SW., Leesburg. $40. wigglesworthwellness.com

WINE & UNWIND

4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27

Heritage Farm Museum, 21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling. $10. heritagefarmmuseum.org

HELLO DOLLY!

7 p.m. Feb. 27 and Feb. 28

Freedom High School, 25450 Riding Center Drive, Chantilly. $10. freedomhs.booktix.com

Courtesy of Jess Sauder

Courtesy of Jess Sauder

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2025-0016

Goose Creek Village West - Phase III

Mr. John Paltineanu, of Goose Creek Commercial LLC, of Ashburn, VA is requesting preliminary plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately thirty-four (34.1) acres into one hundred and one (101) lots, one (1) open space parcel, and associated easements. The property is located north of Sycolin Road (Route 625), north of Dulles Greenway (Route 267), and west of Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 153-17-2472000 in the Ashburn Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0016. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Samantha Lockwood at Samantha.Lockwood@Loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 20, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

2/13, 2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13 & 3/20/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2024-0338

Kincora Village Center

Mr. Joshua Reynolds, of Gateway Engineering, of Ashburn, VA is requesting preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately two-hundred and eleven (211.89) acres into seven (7) lots, and associated easements. The property is located south of Leesburg Pike (Route 7), west of Sully Road (Route 28), north of Gloucester Parkway (Route 2150), and east of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607). The property is zoned PD-MUB (Planned Development - Mixed Use Business), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 040-29-7132-000, 040-18-9517-000, 041-19-4573-000 in the Broad Run District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http:// www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2024-0338. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Samantha Swift at Samantha.Swift@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 13, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27, 3/6 & 3/13/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2025-0002 Goose Creek West Residential

Mr. John Paltineanu, Goose Creek Commercial LLC, of Ashburn, Virginia is requesting preliminary record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately thirty-four (34.01) acres into five (5) lots and associated easements. The property is located north of Sycolin Road (Route 625), north of Dulles Greenway (Route 267) and west of Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 153-17-2472-000 in the Ashburn Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0002. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Suzanna Brady at Suzanna.Brady@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 27, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO). 2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20 & 3/27/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ039727

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Amaris Victoria Quintanilla Loudoun County Department of Family Services v.

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 Amaris Victoria Quintanilla; and hold a hearing on the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Unknown Father, pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Amaris Victoria Quintanilla. Unknown Father is 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 Amaris Victoria Quintanilla. Unknown Father is 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 Amaris Victoria Quintanilla; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Amaris Victoria Quintanilla; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Amaris Victoria Quintanilla. Further, Unknown Father, will have no legal and/or financial obligations with respect to Amaris Victoria Quintanilla, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Amaris Victoria Quintanilla for adoption and consent to the adoption of Amaris Victoria Quintanilla

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before March 11, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.

2/13, 2/20, 2/27 & 3/6/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ049567

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Daniel Merlo Arita Loudoun County Department of Family Services v. Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold an adjudicatory hearing pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-252 for Daniel Merlo Arita; and hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-278.2 and 16.1-281 for Daniel Merlo Arita

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before February 13, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. (adjudication) and March 14, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. (dispositional).

2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

2025 TAX EXEMPTION INFORMATION

Pursuant to §58.1-3604 of the Code of Virginia, the Loudoun County Commissioner of the Revenue has determined that the 2025 aggregate assessed value of all real property exempted from taxation under §§58.1-3607 and 58.1-3608, and Articles 3, 4 and 5 of Chapter 36 of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia is $9,782,056,680. This aggregate assessed value represents 5.43% of all real property assessed in the County.

The total reduction in tax revenues resulting from such exemptions is $78,745,556 based on the maximum proposed tax rate of $0.805 per $100 of assessed value.

Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue Loudoun County

Government Center Office 1 Harrison St. SE, 1st Floor, Leesburg

Sterling Location 46000 Center Oak Plaza, Sterling

MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 8000, Leesburg, VA 20177-9804

Phone: 703-777-0260

E-mail: realestate@loudoun.gov

Website: www.loudoun.gov/cor 2/13, 2/20, 2/26 & 3/6/25

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDS/ PROPOSALS FOR:

CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROUTE 9 AND ROUTE 287 ROUNDABOUT, IFB No 670843 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, March 27, 2025.

LEACHATE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, TROUBLESHOOTING, REPAIR AND REPORTING SERVICES, RFP No. 670838 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, March 21, 2025.

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

2/20/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

Business, Professional and Occupational License tax for 2025 is due on March 3, 2025. Failure to receive a renewal application does not relieve penalty and interest charges. Elizabeth B. Krens, Treasurer 2/13 & 2/20/25

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

EAST G STREET SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS UPC 122041

The Town of Purcellville is in the process of designing a sidewalk and associated improvements along East G Street from South 12th Street to 350 feet east of South 11th Street. The Town will be holding a Design Public Hearing to gain additional input on design elements from the community at the following date and time:

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

*Alternate Date April 8, 2025 6:00 p.m.

Town Hall Council Chambers

221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA 20132

Project Description: Improvements will include installing an American with Disabilities (ADA) compliant sidewalk, curb and gutter, and storm sewer to address pedestrian safety and connectivity while simultaneously improving drainage. The Town of Purcellville was allocated $2,733,414 in project funding from the Transportation Alternatives Program (Safe Routes to School category) administered by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

At the Public Hearing, project plans, information about property impacts, right of way policies, the tentative construction schedule, and environmental documents may be reviewed. This information will also be available 30 days prior to the public hearing at Purcellville Town Hall, 221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA 20132. Community input is requested on the design details. If you are unable to attend the public hearing, comments can be sent to Jessica Keller, Project Manager via phone 540-751-2330 or email at jkeller@purcellvilleva.gov. All comments must be submitted to Jessica Keller by April 4, 2025. *In the event of inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances and the March 25, 2025 Public Hearing is cancelled, the Public Hearing will be held on April 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. If the Public Hearing is held on April 8, 2025, comments must be submitted by April 18, 2025.

Consistent with the Memorandum of Agreement pursuant to Code of Virginia § 10.1-1188-B., VDOT has determined the project will not have significant impacts to the environment and meets the criteria for a Programmatic Categorical Exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR Part 800, information concerning the potential effects of the proposed project on properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places is also available.

The Town of Purcellville 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. All Town government offices can be contacted by dialing 540-338-7421. If you require an accommodation for any type of disability or need language assistance, please contact Kimberly Bandy, Town Clerk, at kbandy@purcellvilleva.gov.

2/20 & 3/13/25

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

The Town Council of the Town of Purcellville will hold a public hearing in the Council Chambers located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia on Tuesday, March 11th, 2025 at 6:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following item:

ZONING ORDINANCE AND MAP AMENDMENT: Pursuant to Code of Virginia 15.2-2285, the Planning Commission has prepared amendments to the Town’s Zoning Ordinance and Official Zoning Map. The proposed amendments include various zoning changes and additional district overlays for the majority of properties along East and West Main St, 20th St., 21st St., 23rd St., Hatcher Ave., and Hirst Ave. Broader changes in various articles may affect all properties within Town limits. As authorized by Code of Virginia 15.2-2204, the full extent of Zoning Ordinance and Map Amendment is depicted in the map and materials available on the Town website linked below. https://www.purcellvilleva.gov/1149/Zoning-Ordinance-Update

Additional information regarding this amendment is available for review at the Purcellville Town Hall at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia during regular business hours, by appointment, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

At this public hearing, all persons desiring to present their views concerning this matter will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact Kimberly Bandy, Town Clerk, at kbandy@purcellvilleva.gov, three days in advance of the meeting.

2/20, 2/27 & 3/6/25

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2025 - JUNE 30, 2026

In accordance with the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, § 15.2-2506, the Leesburg Town Council will hold a public hearing on:

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Lower Level Conference Room of Ida Lee Park Recreation Center 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg, VA

At which time the public shall have the right to provide written and oral comments on the Town’s proposed budget for fiscal year July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. If the public hearing is canceled for any unforeseen reason, the public hearing will be held during the next Town Council regular meeting.

SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES

As part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget process, the Leesburg Town Council will adopt the property tax rates for Tax Year 2025. The table below shows the current and forecasted real and personal property tax levies for tax (calendar) years 2024 and 2025 at the current and proposed rates. Tax Year 2025 will be the first year the Town of Leesburg levies business tangible personal property (BTPP) taxes on computer equipment in data centers. With no historical information, the FY 2026 budget does not include revenues from BTPP taxes on computer equipment in data centers, however, the Council will adopt a tax rate that is expected to result in the revenues shown.

This budget is prepared for informative and fiscal planning purposes only. Such preparation, publication, and approval shall not be deemed to be an appropriation. No money shall be paid out or become available to be paid out for any contemplated expenditure unless and until there has first been made an annual, semiannual, quarterly, or monthly appropriation for such contemplated expenditure.

Copies of the proposed budget are available on the Town website and for inspection at Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, and at the Thomas Balch Library, 208 West Market Street. Questions should be directed to Owen A. Snyder, Assistant Town Manager/Chief Financial Officer, at 703-771-2717. Persons requiring reasonable 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. 2/20 & 2/27/25

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION

TLSPEX2024-0005 POTOMAC STATION DUNKIN DONUTS DRIVE-THROUGH

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, FEBRUARY 25, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Special Exception application TLSPEX2024-0005, Potomac Station Dunkin Donuts Drive-Through. This hearing, originally scheduled for February 11, 2025, was rescheduled due to an emergency weather event.

The subject of the application is an existing, vacant structure at 607 Potomac Station Drive NE. The property is zoned PRC, Planned Residential Community, and is further described by Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 148-16-4540-000.

Special Exception Application TLSPEX2024-0005 is a request by Vigario Holdings, LLC to allow an overall total 3,028 square foot fast food use with drive-through pursuant to Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance Section 8.5.2 Use Regulations.

Additional information and copies of this application are available at the Department of Community Development located at 222 Catoctin Circle SE, Suite 200, Leesburg, Virginia 20175 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Debi Parry, Planner – Land Use, by telephone at 703-737-7023, or by email at dparry@leesburgva.gov.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning this matter will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 7712733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 2/20 & 2/27/25

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

LOUDOUN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLE

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.

YEAR MAKE MODEL VIN STORAGE PHONE NUMBER

2009 NISSAN ALTIMA 1N4AL21E29N408815 BLAIR’S TOWING 703-661-8200

2013 CHEVROLET EXPRESS GB6G5BG4D1154759 ROAD RUNNER 703-450-7555

2003 TOYOTA CAMRY 4T1BF30K83U558018 BATTLEFIELD TOWIN 703-378-0059

2005 TOYOTA SIENNA 5TDZA23C05S236397

LCSO IMPOUND LOT 571-367-8400

2010 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1GCSKSF31AZ168731 LCSO IMPOUND LOT 571-367-8400

2011 TOYOTA SIENNA 5TDKK3DC5BS102337 LCSO IMPOUND LOT 571-367-8400

n/a EXMARK ZERO TURN SN/922059 LCSO IMPOUND LOT 571-367-8400

2/13 & 2/20/25

TOWN OF HAMILTON, VIRGINIA

NOTICE OF PROPOSED PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATES AND MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE FEE FOR FY26

PPursuant to Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, §§15.2-107, -1427, 46.2-752 and 58.1-3000,3506.1 and -3524, the Hamilton Town Council will hold a public hearing at the Hamilton Town Office, 53 East Colonial Highway, Hamilton, Virginia, on February 25, 2025, beginning at 7:00 pm, for the purpose of receiving comment and taking action on the proposed personal property tax rates ordinances and proposed amendment to Hamilton Code Chapter 26, Article II, Section 26-20 to allow the reduction of the Motor Vehicle License Tax/Fee to $0.00 for Fiscal Year 2026.

FY2025 personal property tax rate:

$1.10 per $100 of assessed value; 38% Personal Property Tax Relief (“PPTR”) for qualified vehicles

FY2026 proposed personal property tax rate:

$1.25 per $100 of assessed value; increase in rate; 36% PPTR

FY2026 proposed personal property tax rate for elderly/disabled: $0.01 per $100 of assessed value.

Proposed amendment to Chapter 26, Article II, Section 26-20 to allow the Town Council to set the amount of Motor Vehicle License Tax/Fee and setting the FY2026 fee to $0.00.

Copies of the proposed ordinances, amendment and related documents are available for review on the Town website and at the Town Office by appointment, Monday through Friday, 8 am through 4 pm. All interested persons are invited to participate in the public hearing by following the instructions on the Town website, hamiltonva.gov, emailing comments to Sherri.Jackson@hamiltonva.gov, or attending in person.

2/13 & 2/20/25

FIND OUT ABOUT THE COUNTY’S REAL ESTATE AND VEHICLE TAX RELIEF PROGRAMS FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE AGED 65 YEARS OR OLDER OR DISABLED

View Online

Spanish translation available

Ver en línea Traducción al español disponible

Commissioner of the Revenue, Robert S. Wertz, Jr., encourages eligible property owners who are aged 65 years or older, OR are totally and permanently disabled, to learn about Loudoun’s property tax relief programs. Applicants that meet qualifying criteria of the program, including income and net worth limits, may be relieved of up to 100% of real estate taxes on their primary dwelling and lot, up to 3 acres. In addition, eligible applicants may also have their vehicle taxes reduced.

To learn more about this tax relief program, please plan on attending one of the free sessions that are being offered throughout the county. No appointment or RSVP is required.

Cascades

Friday, February 28 10:30 AM Purcellville Library

Purcellville Wednesday, March 5 10:30 AM

Sterling Community Center* español Sterling Friday, March 7 10:30 AM

Ashburn Library English Ashburn Monday, March 10 10:30 AM *Presentado solo en español

If you require a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability or need language assistance in order to participate in tax relief, please contact Tax Exemptions & Deferrals, email trcor@loudoun.gov or call 703-737-8557 (TTY-711). Three business days’ notice is requested.

2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27 & 3/6/25

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING

The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a public hearing in theBoard of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 6:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, March 12, 2025, in order to consider:

CORRECTION OF AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 1450 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCE OF LOUDOUN COUNTY, AFFORDABLE DWELLING UNITS (ADU) PROGRAM.

Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1427, the Board of Supervisors gives notice of its intention to propose for passage amendments to Chapter 1450, Affordable Dwelling Units, of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County.

On September 11, 2024, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved amendments to Chapter 1450 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County. Among others, the proposed amendments to Chapter 1450 extended the rental control price period for the Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program for Rental from 20 to 50 years. The text of the amendment that was attached to the Board item and approved by the Board showed, erroneously, that the extension of the rental control price period went from 20 years to 30 years when in reality the Board had approved an extension from 20 years to 50 years. The purpose of this item is to have the Board approve the correct amendment to Chapter 1450, which extends the control price period of the ADUs for rental to 50 years from the date of execution of the initial lease agreement for the respective rental ADU.

A complete copy of the above-referenced amendment may be examined at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, Front Desk, 1st Floor, 106 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, VA 20175 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays or call (703) 737-8213 to request hard copies or electronic copies. A complete copy of the proposed amendments are on file and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200 to request hard copies or electronic copies. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun. gov/bosdocuments

PROPOSED LEASE OR SALE OF COUNTY OWNED REAL PROPERTY Development Agreement

for the Former Ashburn North Park and Ride

Pursuant to Virginia Code e §15.2-1800 et. seq, the Board of Supervisors gives notice of its intention to consider a proposed development agreement for lease or sale of County owner property formally known as Ashburn North Park and Ride. The property consists of two parcels designated as PIN 040-38-3790-000 and PIN 040-38-1852-000 with a combined total of approximately 4.86 acres and are located along the south side of Russell Branch Parkway (Route 1061), east of Waverly Court (Route 1060) in the Broad Run Election District. (the Subject Property).

The Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development released a Request for Expressions of Interest solicitation on October 26, 2023, to identify a preferred development concept to develop the Subject Property with Attainable Housing. The Department of Housing and Community Development entered into exclusive negotiations with Enterprise Community Development Inc. and LT Development Group LLC to develop the Subject Property.

A development agreement between Ashburn P&R Master LLC (a joint venture between Enterprise Community Development, Inc. and LT Development Group LLC), and Loudoun County has been finalized that proposes developing the Subject Property with 140 units of mixed-income and mixed-tenure Attainable Housing. According to the development agreement, the Property will be developed in phases, and each phase entails either the lease or the sale of the Property, or portion of the Property to Ashburn P&R Master LLC, an entity under the control of Ashburn P&R Master LLC, a non-profit organization or a community land trust entity, as applicable and at the discretion of the County.

A complete copy of the above-referenced development agreement may be examined at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, Front Desk, 1st Floor, 106 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, VA 20175 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays or call (703) 737-8213 to request hard copies or electronic copies. A complete copy of the development agreement is on file and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200 to request hard copies or electronic copies. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments

THE ADOPTION OF THE REVISED HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN, STREAMLINED PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY (PHA) ANNUAL PLAN, AND FIVE-YEAR PHA PLAN

Pursuant to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations at 24 CFR § 903.17, the Board of Supervisors hereby gives notice that it intends to conduct a public hearing for the purpose of considering and adopting the Streamlined Public Housing Agency (PHA) Annual Plan, Five Year PHA Plan, and Revised Administrative Plan (effective April 1, 2025) for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. The Streamlined PHA Annual Plan and Five-Year PHA Plan are comprehensive guides to PHA policies, programs, operations, and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals. The Administrative Plan establishes policies for Loudoun County to implement the HCV Program in a manner consistent with HUD requirements, local goals, and objectives contained in the Administrative Plan.

A complete copy of the above-referenced plans may be examined at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, Front Desk, 1st Floor, 106 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, VA 20175 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays or call (703) 737-8213 to request hard copies or electronic copies. A complete copy of the plans are on file and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling the Office of the County Administrator at 703-7770200 to request hard copies or electronic copies. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE FY2024 -2025 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN

On April 14, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2025 Five-Year Consolidated Plan (Consolidated Plan) which requires the submission of an Annual Action Plan (AAP) for each year. On April 10, 2024, the Board approved FY 2025 AAP.

Pursuant to Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, 42 United States Code §5301, et seq., and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations at 24 Code of Federal Regulations Subtitle A §91.105(c), the Board shall consider a Substantial Amendment to the FY 2025 AAP.

The proposed Substantial Amendment includes changes to the following components of the FY 2025 AAP:

High Priority Activities

• Projects that promote energy efficiency and conservation through rehabilitation or retrofitting of existing buildings (24 CFR 570.201(c)); and

• Public Facilities (24 CFR 570.201(c)

Unexpended and unallocated CDBG funds to be reprogrammed to the following FY 2025 eligible high priority activities

Organization CDBG Citation National Objective Funded Amount

Loudoun County Government 24 CFR 570.201(c)

Upgrade 1st & 2nd Floor Public Restrooms and Corridors at 102 Heritage Way, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Low-Moderate Limited Clientele (LMC)

$914,218

The public comment period is open through March 12, 2025. Comments may be submitted:

• Online: Complete the online comment form at loudoun.gov/cdbg.

• Mail: Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, Virginia 20177, Attn: CDBG Program Manager

Copies of the Substantial Amendment to the FY 2024-2025 AAP are available for review from February 6, 2025, through March 10, 2025, at the following locations from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday: Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, 106 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg Information Desks at all branches of the Loudoun County Public Library System. To find a branch, visit library.loudoun.gov. The Substantial Amendment will also be available online at www.loudoun.gov/cdbg through March 10, 2025.

continued on next page

Legal Notices

PROPOSED CONVEYANCE OF COUNTY PROPERTY

Conveyance of Easements Within Claude Moore Park to Loudoun Water, Washington Gas, and Dominion Energy Virginia

Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1800 et seq., the Board of Supervisors shall consider conveying to Loudoun County Sanitation Authority d.b.a. Loudoun Water, a ten-foot-wide easement, to Washington Gas, a six-foot-wide easement, and to Virginia Electric and Power Company d.b.a. Dominion Energy Virginia, a 25-foot-wide easement, all to be located across County-owned property known as Claude Moore Park in the Sterling Election District, for the purpose of installing, laying, constructing, operating, repairing, altering, and maintaining water, gas, and electrical lines, respectively, to service Park View High School. The property on which the easements will be located is: 21544 Old Vestals Gap Road, Sterling, Virginia, and is more particularly described as PIN: 021-35-8640-000 and Tax Map # /81////////39/.

Copies of the draft deed of easements and plats showing the location of the above-listed conveyances, and associated documents, are available for review and may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center; Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. Documents may also be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun. gov/bosdocuments

LEGI-2024-0049, NAJLA’S HAPPY HEARTS DAYCARE: SPEX-2024-0066

(Minor Special Exception)

Najla Ismail has submitted an application for a minor special exception for approximately 0.051 acres of land located north of Gracehill Terrace, east of Northstar Boulevard, and west of Capecastle Terrace in the Dulles Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as: 24711 Capecastle Terrace Aldie, Virginia, PIN: 247-19-6253-000, and Tax Map # 100//32///220/. For SPEX-2024-0066, the applicant seeks a minor special exception to increase the number of children permitted in a child day home from 9 to 12 in a single-family attached dwelling within the Planned Development – Housing 4 Zoning District under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance

LEGI-2023-0053, MAGNOLIA ROSE 1880: SPMI-2022-0015 & SPMI-2023-0012

(Minor Special Exceptions)

Magnolia Rose 1880 LLC, has submitted applications for minor special exceptions for approximately 50.86 acres of land located east of Berlin Turnpike (Route 287) and Rickard Road (Route 692) and west of Milltown Road (Route 681) in the Catoctin Election District (the “Subject Property”). The Subject Property is more particularly described as: 39149 Rickard Road, Lovettsville, Virginia, PIN 374-30-2576-000 and Tax Map # /17////////32/. For SPMI-2022-0015, the applicant seeks to permit a banquet and event facility use in the AR-1 (Agricultural Rural – 1) Zoning District. For SPMI2023-0012, the applicant seeks a zoning modification to modify roadway access required from type C3 to an enhanced type C2 to allow a 30-foot wide easement pursuant to Section 5-642(C) (1) of the Revised1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The applications are being processed under the land use and development regulations of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance Grandfathering Resolution dated December 13, 2023.

LEGI-2024-0011, COMMONWEALTH CENTER COMMERCIAL: ZCPA-2024-0005 (Zoning Concept Plan Amendment)

CWC Shops, LC has submitted an application for a zoning concept plan amendment for approximately 3.382 acres of land located at the southeast intersection of Russell Branch Parkway (Route 1061) and Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607) along Heron Overlook Plaza in the Broad Run Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as:

040-45-0894-000 20500 Heron Overlook Plaza, Ashburn, VA

040-45-3498-000 N/A

040-35-0972-000 N/A

/80/P/1/////2/

/80/H/1///3A1/

/80/H/1/////3B

For ZCPA-2024-0005, the applicant seeks eliminate the required 100-foot setback from the CC-SC (Commercial Center – Small Regional Center) Zoning District to the R-24 (Multifamily Residential – 24) Zoning District under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance

LEGI-2023-0064, CROSS MILL CENTER: ZMAP-2023-0002, SPEX-2023-0006 & SPEX2023-0007 (Zoning Map Amendment and Special Exceptions)

JK Land Holdings II LLC has submitted applications for a zoning map amendment and special exceptions for approximately 22.73 acres of land located south of Crosstrail Boulevard (Route 896), north of Cochran Mill Road (Route 653), and east of Sycolin Road (Route 625) in the Leesburg Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as:

193-46-2583-000 N/A /60////////30A

192-16-3918-000 20040 Sycolin Road, Leesburg, VA /60////////29/

192-16-9020-000 20052 Sycolin Road, Leesburg, VA /60////////33A

193-46-7168-000 N/A /60////////32/

193-46-3445-000 N/A /60////////31/

193-46-1044-000 20100 Sycolin Road, Leesburg, VA /60////////30/ 192-16-4105-000 N/A /60////////29A

For ZMAP-2023-0002, the applicant seeks to rezone the Subject Property from the JLMA-20 (Joint Land Management Area – 20) zoning district to the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district in order to develop data center or other industrial uses permitted by the requested zoning district. For SPEX-2023-0006 and SPEX-2023-0007, the applicant seeks to increase floor area ratio (FAR) from 0.6 to 1.0 and to increase maximum lot coverage from 0.45 to 0.60. These applications are being processed under the land use and development regulations of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Grandfathering Resolution dated December 13, 2023.

Copies of the proposed plans, ordinances, and amendments for each land use application listed above may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center; Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 7037770246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies. Additional project files related to land use applications for public hearings may be reviewed electronically at loudoun.gov/landmarc. In addition, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: loudoun.gov/bosdocuments.

Board of Supervisors public hearings are held in the Board Room of the Government Center. Meetings are televised on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40. Meetings also are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings.

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views regarding those matters listed for public hearing. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, are encouraged to sign-up in advance; however, speakers may signup during the public hearing. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200. For this public hearing, advanced sign-ups will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on February 28, 2025, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on March 12, 2025. Members of the public may also submit written comments by email sent to bos@loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members. Members of the public may also submit comments on land use items electronically at loudoun.gov/landapplications.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory, or mental disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-7770200/TTY-711. At least one business day of advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings.

BY ORDER OF: PHYLLIS J. RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

2/20 & 2/27/25

Legal Notices

ATTENTION LOUDOUN COUNTY BUSINESS OWNERS

MARCH 3 DEADLINE FOR 2025 TAX REPORTING

Notification of 2025 business tax filing requirements has been mailed to each business and selfemployed person on our tax rolls. The notification contains the account number and owner name necessary to report both business receipts and business equipment online.

BUSINESS LICENSE RENEWAL DUE MARCH 3

Business owners who possess a 2024 Loudoun County Business License must obtain a 2025 license by reporting their calendar year 2024 gross receipts and paying the applicable license tax or fee at loudoun.gov/efile. The annual FILING and PAYMENT DEADLINE is midnight, March 3. After reporting the business’ receipts online, filers will be provided with a link to pay online as well. Owners of new businesses must obtain a license within 30 days of beginning business. Owners of businesses located in one of Loudoun’s incorporated towns should contact the respective town regarding business licensing requirements.

BUSINESS EQUIPMENT REPORTING DUE MARCH 3

Owners of business equipment that was located in Loudoun County on January 1, 2025, must report it for taxation at loudoun.gov/efile. The reporting of original cost, year of purchase, location, and item description for all business equipment in the county is due by midnight, March 3, 2025. Resulting semi-annual tax bills for this equipment must be paid to the Treasurer by the May 5 and October 6 deadlines. The reporting of business equipment is made to the Commissioner of the Revenue for all businesses in the County whether within or outside of an incorporated town.

The tax filing deadline for business license and business personal property reporting is usually March 1, but has been moved to the next business day for 2025 because that date falls on a weekend.

Business owners subject to local business taxes must file annually, even if there is no tax due or property to declare. Mailing address changes and notification of business closure should also be reported at loudoun.gov/efile. Most transactions with our office can be done online. For more information or filing assistance, please visit loudoun.gov/cor or contact my office at businesstax@ loudoun.gov or 703-777-0260. You may also write or stop by my office weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. So that we may better serve you, taxpayers are encouraged to email or call prior to visiting the office.

Robert S. Wertz, Jr.

Commissioner of the Revenue Loudoun County Loudoun Tech Center Office 46000 Center Oak Plaza, Sterling Government Center Office 1 Harrison St. SE, 1st Floor, Leesburg

MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 8000, Leesburg, VA 20177-9804 Phone: 703-777-0260, Option 2 E-mail: businesstax@loudoun.gov Website: www.loudoun.gov/cor

PUBLIC NOTICE

2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS will hold a public hearing in the DULLES MEETING ROOM, on the first floor of the Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

LEGI-2024-0060

CASCADES OVERLOOK SIGN PLAN: ZMOD-2024-0018 Sign Development Plan

Starlite Media, LLC has submitted an application for a Sign Development Plan for a property approximately 13.22-acres in size and is located at the southeast intersection of Bartholomew Fair Drive (Route 1792) and Benedict Drive (Route 1010) in the Sterling Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is zoned Town Center (TC) and more particularly described as PIN’s 020-38-8593-000. Pursuant to Section 10.11.03 of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance, the applicant seeks approval to amend a previously approved Sign Development Plan (SIDP-2015-0003) to modify the sign regulations of Table 8.04-1 and Table 8.05-1 of the Zoning Ordinance to the following: replacing the 4 pedestrian map directory ground signs with digital sign boards and adding 2 new digital wall signs.

BOZA-2024-0004

Variance

39422 Buchannon Gap Road, Aldie and PIN:363-25-3720-000

Saravanan Ranganathan and Sridevi Saravanan have submitted an application for a variance for a properties approximately 6.883 acres in size (total) and are located on the north side of Buchanon Gap Road (Route 764), approximately 0.15 miles east of the intersection of Buchanon Gap Road and New Mountain Road (Route 631) in the Little River Election District. The properties are more particularly described as 39422 Buchanon Gap Road, Aldie, Virginia PIN: 363-25-7549-000 Tax Map # /98////////26A and PIN:363-25-3720-000 and Tax Map # /98////////25/. The variance seeks to permit a deviation from the following provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance from Table 2.04.03.02-1.3 – A-3 Zoning District Dimensional Standards, Depth to Width Ratio (max.), which requires a maximum depth-towidth ratio of 5:1, and Table 2.04.03.02-1.2 – A-3 Zoning District Dimensional Standards, Lot Width (min.), which requires a minimum lot width of 200 feet for lots fronting on public roads, in order to create a lot with a depth to width ratio of 7.84:1 and a width of 122 feet. The purpose is to allow for a boundary line adjustment between the respective properties. The subject properties are zoned A-3 (Agricultural Residential - 3) under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance.

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2025-0012 Rivana

Mr. Joelle Kellam, of DWC Holdings LLC, of Chicago, IL is requesting preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately sixty-nine (68.61) acres, into sixteen (16) lots with accompanying right-of-way, civic space, and associated easements. The property is located north and east of Dulles Greenway (Route 267), west of Rock Hill Road (Route 605) in Fairfax County, and south of Innovation Avenue (Route 209). The property is zoned TC (Town Center), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as MCPI #035-259545-000, 035-26-5792-000, 035-17-3948-000, and MCPI #035-16-7624-000 in the Sterling Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0012. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Vaughn Bynoe at Vaughn.Bynoe@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 27, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO). 2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20 & 3/27/25

Copies of the applications and related documents listed above may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, First Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday or call 703777-0246 (option 5), to request hard copies or electronic copies. County staff reports will be made available Friday, February 21, 2025. Documents may also be reviewed electronically at loudoun.gov/landmarc. Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views regarding these matters. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, are encouraged to sign up in advance. If you wish to sign up in advance of the hearing, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 no later than 12:00 PM on the day of the public hearing. Speakers may also sign up at the hearing. Written comments may be sent to the Loudoun County Board of Zoning Appeals, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, Virginia 20177, or by e-mail to stephanie.capps@loudoun.gov. Members of the public may also submit comments electronically at loudoun.gov/landapplications. If you require a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability or need language assistance in order to participate in the public hearing, please contact the Department of Planning & Zoning at 703-777-0246 (option 5) or, TTY-711. Three business days advance notice is requested.

Nan M. Joseph Forbes, Chair Loudoun

County Board of Zoning Appeals

2/13 & 2/20/25

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING COUNTY OF LOUDOUN, VIRGINIA

Proposed Budget for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026

Proposed Tax Rates for Tax Year 2025

Pursuant to Section 15.2-2506 and Section 58.1-3007 of the Code of Virginia, the County of Loudoun, Virginia (the “County”), gives notice of its proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026 (the FY 2026 Proposed Budget); and the proposed tax rates on real and personal property for Tax Year 2025, beginning January 1, 2025, and ending December 31, 2025. The budget is prepared and published for informative and fiscal planning purposes only. The inclusion in the budget of any item or items does not constitute any obligation or commitment on the part of the Board of Supervisors of the County to appropriate any funds for that item or purpose. There is no allocation or designation of any funds of the County for any purpose until there has been an appropriation for that purpose by the Board of Supervisors.

The estimated local contribution for the school budget is $1,389,449,364. This is the local tax revenue proposed for the Loudoun County Public Schools to fund its Fiscal Year 2026 budget for public schools, as compared to the estimated minimum contribution required by state law in the amount of $508,733,248.

Two public hearings on the proposed budget and the proposed tax rates will be held by the Board of Supervisors in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Any member of the public may address the Board of Supervisors on these matters; however, each member of the public wishing to address the Board may speak at only one of the sessions. An additional public input session will be held by the Board of Supervisors in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.

The Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room is located in the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, SE, Leesburg, Virginia. Copies of the FY 2026 Proposed Budget may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The FY 2026 Proposed Budget is also available online at www.loudoun.gov/budget.

Board of Supervisors’ public hearings are televised on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40. Public hearings also are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings.

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views regarding the FY 2026 Proposed Budget. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, are encouraged to sign-up in advance; however, speakers may sign-up during the public hearing. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200. For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will begin at 8:30 a.m. on February 13, 2025, and will close at 12:00 p.m. on February 27, 2025, for the two sessions held on February 27, 2025. For the public input session on February 22, 2025, advanced sign-ups begin at 8:30 a.m. on February 13, 2025, and will close at 5:00 p.m. on February 21, 2025. Written comments are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, Virginia 20177 or by e-mail to loudounbudget@loudoun.gov. If submitting written comments, information, or materials at the hearing, 10 copies should be provided for distribution to the Board members and for the Clerk’s records.

The following is a summary of the total revenues and expenditures for each appropriated fund:

Legal Notices

and Public Service Corporation Real Estate & Tangible Personal Property in the district, except automobiles, trucks & aircraft (in addition to the general rate applicable to all real estate in the County and the rate for any other service district where the property is located, if applicable)

Real Estate in the Loudoun Gateway-Airport Station Service District; and Public Service Corporation Real Estate & Tangible Personal Property in the district, except automobiles, trucks & aircraft (in addition to the general rate applicable to all real estate in the County and the rate for any other service district where the property is located, if applicable)

Real Estate in the Ashburn Station Service District; and Public Service Corporation Real Estate & Tangible Personal Property in the district, except automobiles, trucks & aircraft (in addition to the general rate applicable to all real estate in the County and the rate for any other service district where the property is located, if applicable)

Tangible Personal Property (to include all categories of tangible personal property unless the category and rate is set out separately in this notice), including automobiles and trucks of Public Service Corporations (Va. Code § 58.1-2606 (B))

Tangible Personal Property Used in a Research and Development Business (Va. Code § 58.1-3506 (A)(7)); and Machinery and Tools (Va. Code §§ 58.1-3507 et seq.)

Tangible Personal Property – Motor Vehicles of Eligible Elderly and Disabled (Va. Code § 58.1-3506.1; Chapter 873 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County)

Tangible Personal Property – Eligible Motor Vehicle of a Qualified Permanently Disabled Veteran (Va. Code § 58.1-3506(A)(19))

Tangible Personal Property – Aircraft and Flight Simulators (Va. Code § 58.1-3506 (A) (5)), including aircraft of Public Service Corporations (Va. Code § 58.1-2606 (B))

Tangible Personal Property – Heavy Construction Machinery (Va. Code § 58.1-3506 (A)(8)) $4.000

Tangible Personal Property – Motor Vehicles specially equipped to provide transportation for physically handicapped individuals (Va. Code §

3506 (A)(14))

Tangible Personal Property – Eligible Motor Vehicles of Fire and Rescue Volunteers and Auxiliary Members and Auxiliary Deputy Sheriffs (Va. Code § 58.1-3506 (A)(15), (16) & (32))

Tangible Personal Property – Satellite Manufacturing, Testing and Operating Equipment within Route 28 Highway Transportation Improvement District (Va. Code § 58.1-3506 (A) (21))

(Va. Code § 58.1-3506 (A)(24))

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory, or mental disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200/TTY-711. At least one business day of advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings.

BY ORDER OF: PHYLLIS RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2024-0372

Defender Drive, Phase 1

Mr. Stephens Collins, of Defenders Inc., of Washington, District of Columbia is requesting preliminary record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately twelve (12.373) acres into forty-eight (48) lots, one (1) open space parcel, private streets, street dedication and associated easements. The property is located south of Little River Turnpike (Route 50) and east of the intersection of Defender Drive (Route 1278) and South Riding Boulevard (Route 2201). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential 16) and PD-H4 (Planned Development-Housing 4) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 128-48-4437-000, 128-48-1771-000, and 127-18-4380-000 in the Dulles Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2024-0372. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Hilary Russo at Hilary.Russo@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by February 27, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2024-0373

Defender Drive, Phase 2

Mr. Stephens Collins, of Defenders Inc., of Washington, District of Columbia is requesting preliminary record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately twelve (11.924) acres into thirty-two (32) lots, one (1) open space parcel, private streets, street dedication and associated easements. The property is located south of Little River Turnpike (Route 50) and east of the intersection of Defender Drive (Route 1278) and South Riding Boulevard (Route 2201). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential 16) and PD-H4 (Planned Development-Housing 4) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 128-48-4437-000 and 128-48-8353-000 in the Dulles Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www.loudoun.gov/LandMARCand searching for PLAT-2024-0373. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Suzanna Brady at Suzanna.brady@loudoun.gov or you may mailthem to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by February 27, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

ABC LICENSE

JW’s Fish and Biscuits LLC, trading as JW’s Fish and Biscuits, 101 Executive DR Ste 101 A, Dulles, VA 20166. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Mixed Beverages, Consumed On and Off Premises.

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.

2/20 & 2/27/24

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2024-0374

Defender Drive, Phase 3

Mr. Stephen Collins, Vice President, of Defenders, Inc. of Washington DC is requesting preliminary/ record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately four (4.03) acres into 47 (47) lots, one (1) open space parcel, and associated easements. The property is located south of Little River Turnpike (Route 50), west of Poland Road, east of South Riding Boulevard, and north of Tall Cedars Parkway. The property is zoned R16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 128-48-4437 and 128-488353 in the Dulles Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2024-0374 Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Samantha Swift at Samantha.swift@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by February 27, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2024-0375

Defender Drive, Phase 4

Mr. Stephens Collins, of Defenders Inc., of Washington, District of Columbia is requesting preliminary record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately three (3.035) acres into thirty-three (33) lots, one (1) open space parcel, private streets, and associated easements. The property is located south of Little River Turnpike (Route 50) west of the intersection of Defender Drive (Route 1278) and Helmsdale Terrace, and northwest of Valley Vista Lane. The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential 16) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as a portion of parcels 128-48-4437-000, 128-48-8353-000, 128-489540, and 127-48-9920-000 in the Dulles Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2024-0375. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Vaughn Bynoe at Vaughn.Bynoe@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by February 27, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

ABC LICENSE

D&R Ventures Corporation, trading as Senor Ramon Taqueria, 38 South King Street, Leesburg, VA 20175. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Restaurant Beer, Wine and Mixed Beverage Consumed On and Off Premises licensed to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Rajveer Nijjar, President

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.

2/20 & 2/27/25

Misc. Loco Service Providers

VEHICLE AUCTION

MD Repo Vehicles For Public Sale at ADESA Washington, DC. All Makes and Models Running Weekly Details can be found at www.adesawashingtondc.com

Terms: State and local orders will be strictly enforced at the sale, including social distancing and limits on the number of people permitted to gather in certain areas. All attendees must comply with such procedures or will be required to leave the premises. We strongly recommend that all attendees wear face coverings for the protection of themselves and our staff. Bidder agrees to register and pay a refundable $500 cash deposit plus a non-refundable $20 entry fee before the Sale starts. The balance of the purchase is due in full by 5:00pm on sale day. vehicles are AS-IS and are subject to a buy fee based on the sale price of the vehicle. Only cash or certified funds will be accepted. No vehicle will be released until Payment is made in full. Children under the age of 18 are not permitted.

VEHICLE AUCTION

ADESA WASHINGTON DC 705-996-1100 44475 OLD OX ROAD DULLES, VA 20166

20+Chase repossessions will be offered to the public sale monthly on Wednesdays. Auction doors open at 8:00 a.m. Sale starts at 9:50 a.m. ET. Registered persons may preview/inspect vehicles on the day of the sale before bidding. Bids accepted only when a vehicle is presented for sale. The auctioneer will conclude the sale when bidding stops. All results will be final by 5:00 p.m. Terms: Cash or Certified Check.

of Leesburg

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

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.

Published by Loudoun Community Media

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

703-770-9723

NORMAN K. STYER

Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.org

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EDITORIAL

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Leesburg, western Loudoun and Ashburn, and distributed for pickup throughout the county. Online, Loudoun Now provides daily community news coverage to an audience of more than 100,000 unique monthly visitors.

The Wave

Opinion

The data center land rush that occurred during the past year as county leaders plodded through potential changes to development policies has shown with crystal clear clarity that the wave is far from over.

Two hundred data centers were built in Loudoun during the past three decades. Now over 100 more are in line to gain assurances they can move to construction. With suddenness, the debate has pivoted from a study of what areas are best suited for data centers to questions about where to draw the line providing vested rights to those building the largest segment of the local economy—and providing most of the funding for government operations.

After a year of policy study, and still more to

Cooler Heads

Editor:

Data Centers are such a polarizing topic that “data” is the new four-letter word. But what if we viewed the data center land use policies through the lens of a less offensive word/use?

What if, in an alternative universe, we were grappling with a proliferation of backyard swimming pools. It’s gotten so out of control that the use now requires a Special Exception that’ll take 18 to 24 months and hundreds of thousands of dollars in consultant/application fees.

Residents complain that:

• Many of the old pools are above ground and unsightly

• They have noisy/unscreened pool equipment

• Too much electricity is used to heat the pools

• Too much water is used to fill the pools

• Pool chemicals are bad for the environment

• Backyard pools are generally filled with young screaming children, which is a noise nuisance to the neighbors. Some even have outdoor music playing loudly – ghast.

• Some argue that pools are a blight and dangerous and hurt property values. Some have hideous slides!

• Others argue that pools have gotten so big and elaborate and expensive that they

do regarding plans to impose additional design requirements, county leaders seem no closer to addressing the community concerns. They have only seen more land that might have been available for other priorities—affordable housing, flex space for small businesses, or even new office buildings if “going to work” is truly making a comeback—become data center target territory.

As we’ve learned that ultimately it may be outside forces like the power grid more so than boardroom votes that will control the scale and pace of data center development, it might be time to focus instead on pushing for the types of development the community wants before there is no space left for them.

LETTERS to the Editor

have driven property values up to where no one can afford land anymore

We have to clamp down on this runaway pool issue. And the new pool standards adopted last year in the ZOR haven’t fixed the old sites yet – and we are an impatient public so let’s make it even harder.

Confused residents looking to build pools ask:

• But when I bought my house, pools were allowed.

• Everyone around me has a pool.

• But we bought in swimming pool alley.

• But I plan to use new energy efficient equipment and fill it with my cistern.

• So, will my Special Exception get approved now that it is become so politically unpopular?

And so, aspiring backyard pool owners will be forced move to a neighboring county—places that still get their power from the same utility plants and from the same overhead lines—and withdraw the same water from the Potomac River.

Hopefully cooler heads will prevail.

— William Beamer, Leesburg

Epicenter

Editor:

A priority for any enemy or terrorist attack will be a nation’s information infrastructure—data centers. This

vulnerability is rarely discussed.

Loudoun County is now America’s epicenter for these tremendous structures, with over 200. Believe it or not, this is the world’s greatest concentration of data centers. That fact places us in a target area if a potential attack is planned.

The one at Compass Creek in Leesburg, as well as the proposed location for another, is directly adjacent to residential neighborhoods and two schools.

Are these locations the best the supervisors could come up with? They will not have a positive effect on the safety of neighboring communities or on future real estate values.

— James Sivard, Leesburg Work Harder

Editor:

I am asking for more reductions in the equalized tax rate. The proposed rate is not low enough and still allows for personnel and programming unnecessary to budget.

70.5 cents is a fair rate. Get those pencils working harder to eliminate overzealous budget requests.

The extraordinary revenue from data centers should be as extraordinary in tax reductions for taxpayers. That is equality.

— Robbie Milberg, Potomac Green

continues on page 39

Loudoun Now is mailed weekly to homes in

READERS’

CHIP

Snipe Hunt

Editor:

It has been reported that the U.S. Department of Education is investigating Loudoun County Public Schools. Its concerns are bathrooms, locker rooms and those who use them.

Gov. Youngkin campaigned on schools, with a particular animus against Loudoun County. His attorney general brought two lawsuits in that effort, one he lost and the other he dropped.

The Loudoun County school system ranks fourth in the state and is in the top 4% in the nation. Three of the top 10 high schools in the state are in Loudoun County.

Perhaps, the U.S. Department of Education and the governor should study our successful system, rather than wasting time and money on a snipe hunt.

— FW Lillis, Leesburg

Show Up

Editor:

As some of us consider how we want to move forward in times like these, we cannot forget the contributing factors like the local and national newspapers that suddenly had the editorial policy change where they no longer endorsed presidential candidates.

Consider who are the allies and who by their silence are co-conspirators. Consider your sources of information

LETTERS

to the Editor continued from page 38

or inspiration. Consider your personal tolerance for sacrifice, commitment, and compassion. Small actions can have large impacts. Use the power of your voice to help make others see you as an ally and friend. Share the joy of your resistance, resilience and relationships to inspire and encourage others.

Show up to local political meetings and events to call out elected officials who fail to respect and represent your faith in them when they asked for your vote.

Our many communities stand together when all our humanity is respected and valued. There is power in loving all alliances.

Share your journey, share your stories and share yourself.

No one is coming to save us, and no one should be lost because of us. The least of us can be the leaders for the rest of us and our futures rely on all of us.

— Ron Campbell, Leesburg

Unite

Editor:

In the Feb. 13 issue, letter writer Frank McDonough cited “Make America Great Again.” How do we make America great by attacking personal freedom, speech and profess world peace by dividing the country by a president whose mission it is to destroy and conquer, create chaos, and fear in a way reminiscent of Hitler who divided the country, destroyed democracy, and controlled the country in his plan to

create fear and paralyze the people?

He built loyal or complacent leaders who felt threatened and compelled in self-defense to be silent. The nexus – 2025: Trump’s love of self; harm to our nation as the bully and dictator in chief, bulldozes our democracy while good Republicans paralyzed in fear, sit silent and complacent, observe and don’t say a word.

The Nazi’s rounded up and executed 11 million victims they deemed inferior or undesirable— “life unworthy of life”— among them Jews, Slavs, homosexuals, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. That mirrors 2025, with Trump’s executive orders, mandates and destruction of civil servants, demanding partisan allegiance, weeding out the weak, the disabled, the low performers, the diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility heroes, people of color, LGBTQ+, and immigrants.

Complacent followers didn’t utter a word and felt powerless. Hitler had supreme authority as führer, but could not have risen to power or committed such atrocities on his own. He had the active support of the powerful German officer class and of millions of everyday citizens who voted for the (Nazi) Party, hailed him as a national savior in gigantic stadium rallies. Wake up from your slumber and ask yourself does this feel familiar and resonate with the readers?

Your president continues to bash and ridicule his own leaders in his party and recently directly attacked Mitch

McConnell in saying, “I feel sorry for Mitch,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “If I didn’t come along, the Republican Party wouldn’t exist.”

Trump attacked Mitch. “I have no idea if he had polio,” Trump said. Belittling and denigrating people with disabilities to make oneself superior to others yields an insecure person who lacks empathy.

Pope Francis issued a rebuke to Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations of migrants, warning that the forceful removal of people purely because of their illegal status deprives them of their inherent dignity and “will end badly.”

“Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups,” he wrote.

We, the citizens, hold the vote, to speak against any leader who threatens our constitution and our democracy. It is our duty.

As a disability activist and loyal civil servant for more than 20 years, I ask you to unite in solidarity against an attack on our democracy. History does and can repeat itself, only this time it is America, and the year is 2025 not 1939. Defending our constitution is not a partisan act, but the duty of every American. United we stand, divided we fall.

— Linda Aase, Leesburg LETTERS continues on page 40

Loudoun Schools: A Remarkable Return on Investment

BY CHARLES HANSEN

Practically every week in this newspaper (and in this newspaper’s online comments), I read complaints about Loudoun County’s alleged “high taxes” and “poor student academic performance.” I’m a Loudoun County Public Schools high school math teacher and I’d like to set the record straight. I’d also like to provide some data analysis of the type that my students learn in our algebra classes. And, like Loudoun County Public Schools students learn in their social science classes, I’m going to cite sources, so that readers will be able to know exactly where this data originates and be able to verify it for themselves.

Let’s first look at student success. The Commonwealth of Virginia uses annual standardized testing to measure student achievement and learning. According to test score data publicly available through the Virginia Department of Education’s website, Loudoun County Public Schools average overall test pass rate for reading and mathematics has been significantly better than the Virginia statewide average for each of the past 18 school years. Let me repeat that: Loudoun County Public Schools test scores beat Virginia’s statewide average every year since the 20052006 school year. This should come as no surprise. Studies consistently show that student academic success is most closely tied to family socio-economic factors and Loudoun County is among the wealthiest counties in Virginia and the country.

Having said that, there is always room for improvement. Like the rest of Virginia, and for that matter the rest of the country, test data show that Loudoun County students have not quite reached where they were prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Loudoun County students have

Oversight Needed

Editor:

Loudoun County spending needs to be more tightly controlled by an independent efficiency board like DOGE—particularly spending by the Board of Supervisors.

That group headed by Phyllis Randall and Juli Briskman love to spend taxpayer money, so better transparency/oversight is needed to ensure better accountability concerning their spending decisions.

As a former auditor, I've always wondered about why there is a lack of independent review for each Loudoun County expenditure.

Certainly, our current board needs

made faster progress catching up to their pre-pandemic 2018-19 school year scores than Virginia has overall. Also, several subgroups such as students with disabilities and English learners continue to lag behind in Loudoun County, and in Virginia, which is why Loudoun is investing additional resources into helping these students close the gap.

Next, let’s look at taxes, another perennial complaint. Each year the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors sets two tax rates which determine Loudoun County residents’ tax bills: the real estate tax rate and the property tax rate. Of course, our tax bills are also determined by our assessments, but the county has little discretion over how our homes and vehicles are appraised and assessed.

Loudoun County’s current real estate and property tax rates are $0.865 and $4.15 per $100 respectively. In towns like Leesburg and Lovettsville there is typically an additional levy, as there is throughout Virginia. Compared to other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, Loudoun County is in the lower half of cumulative tax rates – roughly comparable to Prince William County’s cumulative tax rates, a little higher than Clark and Frederick counties’, and significantly less than the cumulative rates in Fairfax, Arlington, Stafford, Alexandria City, and Spotsylvania Counties. This tax rate information is publicly available on each county’s website.

Now for the data analysis of the sort that my high school algebra students learn. Regression is a technique that compares two sets of data to each other and seeks to determine if one data set (“independent variable”) has an impact on another data set (“dependent variable”). The classic example examines how ice cream sales might respond to changes in outdoor temperature. As you’d expect, a regression analysis comparing ice cream sales to out-

door temperature shows a strong correlation between higher outdoor temps and higher ice cream sales.

How might county tax rates relate to student standardized test scores?

Well, it turns out that higher county cumulative tax rates strongly correspond to higher student standardized test scores. The Northern Virginia locality with the highest tax rates, Falls Church City, also has the highest average student math and reading test scores. The locality with the second highest tax rates, Arlington County, has the third highest test scores. (Loudoun was in second place.) Those Northern Virginia counties with comparatively lower tax rates, like Prince William and Frederick, also tend to have lower standardized test scores. If you were to create a scatter plot graph comparing county tax rates with test scores, most Northern Virginia counties line up rather neatly.

Except for Loudoun County. Loudoun County is what we call an outlier. Given Loudoun’s tax rates, the analysis suggests that LCPS standardized test scores should be lower. But they’re not. Indeed, LCPS test scores are slightly better than Arlington County’s even though Loudoun’s cumulative tax rates are 17% lower than Arlington’s.

I get it. Schools are surprisingly expensive to operate. But this is true for all schools, both public and private. For example, tuition at St. Paul VI Catholic High School is over $25,000 (less if you’re Catholic). At Loudoun Country Day School, tuition is over $33,000 per year, while at Virginia Academy in Ashburn, tuition is over $17,000. (I am aware there are scholarships and multi-sibling discounts available at some private schools.)

Bottom line – Loudoun County residents are enjoying a remarkable return on their investment in education. Our test

LETTERS to the Editor

more oversight to prevent Juli Briskman and Ms. Randall from wasting our money as they see fit. Why hasn't better accountability review and reporting occurred already? Probably because they prefer it that way.

But why should we trust them when Briskman's poor analytical ability continues to equate the arrest and deportation of illegal aliens who commit violent crimes to the treatment of German Jews during Kristallnacht in 1938? And to add injury to insult, Ms. Randall permits Ms. Briskman to continue to do this over and over. Supervisor Briskman's hurtful and inappropriate comparisons—always about Jews and no other minorities—

scores are the second highest in Northern Virginia even though our cumulative tax rates are lower than most Northern Virginia counties. And data clearly show that most Loudoun County parents agree. Every year, LCPS surveys its families and publishes its “LCPS Annual Family, Staff, and Student Survey.” Last year 88% of LCPS families agreed that their child’s school, “provides a high-quality education.” In the same survey, 92% of family respondents agreed that their LCPS school “provides a safe place for students to learn.” In addition, the Virginia Board of Education recognized 37 schools with the 2023-2024 Board of Education Highest Achievement Award. Five of those 37 schools are right here in Loudoun. No other Virginia school division earned more. Finally, Virginia has recently implemented a new School Performance and Support Framework. Even under this new evaluation system from Gov. Youngkin, Loudoun public schools continue to be among the highest rated in Virginia. (This information is publicly available on the LCPS and VDOE websites.)

I understand that citizen complaints have been a long part of our American heritage. Indeed, the First Amendment to our Constitution ensures that citizens are free to “… petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” However, I would urge readers that instead of seeking to manufacturing outrage about Loudoun’s public schools for political purposes, let us celebrate together our students’ and Division’s many successes and support our educators’ efforts toward continued improvement. n

Charles Hansen is a high school math teacher with Loudoun County Public Schools. This op-ed shares his views only, not those of LCPS nor any other organization or association.

continued from page 39

reflects a basic bias and ignorance regarding history. So why should we trust her analytical and financial management skills?

With such poor reasoning skills why should Loudoun's taxpayers and residents trust either of them with spending decisions? I don't, and fortunately there are many others who don't either. So clearly, increased and independent review and new accountability measures seem warranted before money is wasted rather than after-the-fact.

To correct this ongoing problem, I propose that an independent DOGE-like group be created and tasked with keeping better review and accountability over

public monies spent by Loudoun's Board of Supervisors. Reports of their review efforts and dollars saved should be made accessible to the taxpayers for better accountability over our politicians. Given the increases in county expenditures in recent years, shining the light on wasteful spending by our politicians should serve to curtail their wasteful spending, keep taxes under better control, and serve as the "best disinfectant" for Loudoun's Board of Supervisors to deter wasteful government spending. And then, Loudoun County residents may be able to sleep better at night.

— Howard Katz, Ashburn

Oak Hill: A Singular Opportunity for Conservation, Historic Preservation

BY LARRY SELZER, CEO, THE CONSERVATION FUND

In a busy corner of Northern Virginia off Highway 15 lies a quiet farm called Oak Hill. Spanning more than 1,200 acres of forestland and open fields with extensive river frontage, it may be our last chance to protect a property of this size, scope and importance in Northern Virginia. If all goes well, Virginia leaders are just steps away from conserving Oak Hill in perpetuity.

Beyond its conservation and recreation value, Oak Hill also holds immense cultural and historical significance. The estate is anchored by a well-preserved mansion completed in 1823 by President James Monroe — the only privately owned home of a Founding Father. This year, the General Assembly could vote to open Oak Hill to the public, and I urge them to do so.

Monroe’s Virginia roots run deep. In addition to his tenure as president, Monroe served as Governor twice, was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, and represented us in the U.S. Senate. He was also a Revolutionary War hero who crossed the

Delaware with George Washington and was seriously wounded at the Battle of Trenton. Monroe acquired Oak Hill in 1794. Following the burning of Washington, D.C., in 1814, he decided to turn the site into a peaceful retreat. Oak Hill is where he penned the Monroe Doctrine, delivered to Congress in 1823. The doctrine declared European non-interference in the Western

business to zero, and it’s stayed at zero in Europe.”

Hemisphere and remains a cornerstone of American foreign policy today. After two terms as president, Monroe retired to Oak Hill, where he farmed, wrote his autobiography, and hosted guests.

Beyond its architectural beauty and presidential legacy, Oak Hill holds valuable stories of enslaved African Americans and Indigenous peoples who lived and worked on the land. It also contains geological artifacts and remnants of early mechanized agricultural systems. Antiques from Monroe’s era sit alongside modern furnishings, preserving its deep history.

Best of all, Virginia already has the resources to preserve this cultural gem, thanks to incredible support from federal, local, and private sources. Of the $52 million needed to secure this property for public access, 80 percent of the funding has already been secured. According to a report commissioned by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Historic Oak Hill State Park is expected to generate sustainable revenue that will cover its capital and operating costs. It’s a fiscal, historical, and conservation no-brainer.

A bill before the Virginia Senate (HB2306) would authorize the creation of

Historic Oak Hill State Park and provide for its ongoing care and maintenance. It already passed the House of Delegates and is under consideration by the Virginia Senate. I urge Governor Youngkin and the entire General Assembly to work together and get this legislation across the finish line, because a site like this won’t come around again. With their advocacy — and yours — we can preserve Oak Hill and its surrounding lands for the public, honoring James Monroe’s legacy and preserving a living reminder of the historical, architectural, and cultural heritage that has shaped our United States.

Larry Selzer is a resident of Winchester, Virginia and President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conservation Fund, which protects the land that sustains us all. For 40 years, The Conservation Fund has worked across all 50 states to conserve more than 9 million acres of irreplaceable American landscapes — protecting habitat for countless species, supporting millions of jobs, and providing communities across the country with better quality of life. Learn more at conservationfund.org. n

continued from page 3

that budget that the kinds of programs that farm and forestry industry sector rely on are available. I take that back very strongly as we work on the budget.”

Scott Harris said the European tariffs applied to American whisky during the first Trump administration still impact his business.

“A year before the first Trump administration, we were building a nice business in Europe. We were using various state monies that are available for promoting exports and new trade missions and things like that,” he said.

They invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in preparing the required labels, traveling to trade shows and building a distribution network. The year before the Trump administration started, 11% of the company’s revenue was coming from Europe. And, he said, that was important because of the increasingly saturated domestic craft spirits market.

Then the U.S. applied a tariff on European aluminum imports. “The Europeans retaliated with whiskey 25% tariff and our products went from being 50 euros to 75 euros. It’s more than 25%, right?” he said.

In addition to the product becoming unaffordable to European consumers, there became a negative perception of American products generally, he said. “So, it killed our

Renshaw said during the last round of tariffs on Canadian aluminum, the cost of pie tins went from $72 a case to $173—a far higher increase than the 10% tariff. “What we experienced is that the price never does come back down once it goes up,” she said.

While tins are a relatively minor cost overall in her family bakery operation, butter is a major one, she said. She is concerned about the spread of disease that are impacting the nation’s poultry and dairy industries at a time when programs like those at the National Institutes for Health are being shut down or de-staffed.

Brown is working with the Savanna Institute to create a silvopasture, a farming practice that combines trees, grazing animals, and forage on the same land.

Eliza Greenman, of the Savanna Institute, said the integration of livestock and trees in a pasture, not only provides shade and comfort, but also feed with chestnuts, persimmons and mulberries—once common on American farms. “We are bringing that back. This grant was to become a demo farm, but also provide breeding for the improvement of these crops so that others can copy and use better genetics and be more successful,” she said.

After another grant awardee was told the funding wasn’t available, Brown said she isn’t sure whether to move forward with the $60,000 investment to get the project started.

Tia Erman, of the Piedmont Environ-

mental Council, said uncertainty about grants may delay plans to expand production at the organization’s community garden and to offer new educational programs.

Stephen Bradford, a third-generation farmer at Potomac Vegetable Farms, said the current climate may be a setback for efforts to implement more sustainable farming methods.

“We’re seeing the chaos that’s being caused in this specific moment with the funding increases and with uncertainty about which programs farmers can continue to rely on,” he said. “There was a lot of movement in supporting farmers to develop more regenerative practices and now that’s up in the air.”

However, Bradford also hopes for something positive to come from the priorities laid out by President Trump and newly approved Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“I do think there is a silver lining if a bipartisan effort were to be put forward serious, significant change that could be created,” he said, suggesting a shift away from exporting agricultural products and instead keeping produce in local communities.

“If Donald Trump is serious about America first, if Robert Kennedy is serious about making America healthy, there is an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is and invest seriously in the types of programs and infrastructure that will allow for American soil to be feeding American people, which I think would not be a bad thing if we were able to create a more

robust local and regional food economy,” he said.

Failings of the national immigration policy also present challenges to the farmers.

Scott Harris said the legally documented immigrants who work at his distillery are concerned.

“We have employees that work for us who are legally documented immigrants, not citizens, immigrants from a blended family of citizens and immigrants. Even the legal ones are worried that they could just get swept up. … These are really, really, really big concerns. They hit us right at home,” he said.

Others said it should be easier to allow agricultural workers into the country and it easier for seasonal workers to return each year and longer stays.

Kaine said that with a limitation on the number of worker visas, many seek entry under the asylum policies that can take years to adjudicate.

“There are those who are fleeing domestic violence. There are those who are fleeing drug violence in their neighborhood. But 80% are people who are looking for economic opportunity,” Kaine said. “But we don’t make it easier for somebody to immigrate for a job, and so we make it very hard. There are these visa categories, but they’re capped, and as the population grows and grows and grows, the cap doesn’t change and so it’s harder and harder to qualify for one of the work visas.” n

Larry Selzer

Data Center Revenues

continued from page 1

Condo owners will see the largest decrease in their tax bills with the average per unit bill seeing a $141 difference. Single-family attached homes will see an average decrease of $112, and single-family detached homes will see an average of $8 in savings.

The draft budget also includes a 67-cent reduction in the vehicle property tax rate, bringing down the existing $4.15 rate to $3.48.

The tax bill for a vehicle valued at $20,000 would be $134 less in fiscal year 2026 than it would be in fiscal year 2025 under the new rate. In addition, vehicle owners will not be charged the $25 per vehicle fee after the board voted earlier this year to reduce it to zero.

Hemstreet said the significant tax rate reductions are only made possible by the “unprecedented” 50% increase in commercial property valuations attributable to the data center industry.

“I have never seen appreciation of this magnitude in my career,” he said.

Data centers now generate 38% of the county’s General Fund revenue and nearly half of the county’s property tax revenue.

Ten years ago, the personal property tax provided 17% of the General Fund revenue, now it accounts for 35%. And 10 years ago, the real estate tax provided 58% of the General Fund revenue, now it represents only 46%, Hemstreet said.

“Growth in data center real property continues to reduce the pressure on the residential tax base to fund the growth of services,” he said.

The average value per parcel of data centers is $172 million, while the average value per parcel for hotels, which is the next highest value, is $11 million.

Without data center revenue, the real property rate would be likely be over $1 and the county would not be able to make the investments in human services, capital facilities and education services that it currently does, Hemstreet said.

A penny on the real property tax rate is equivalent to $17.3 million in revenue.

As the revenue from data centers increased, the county has consistently lowered tax rates on other revenue sources, Hemstreet said.

“We need to carefully monitor this continued trend and address the trend in a thoughtful and deliberate manner over the coming years,” he said.

The proposed budget also fully funds the School Board’s $1.96 billion budget,

which is a $123.4 million increase from last year’s local transfer request.

All of the resource requests from county departments are also fully funded in the proposed budget. That includes 240 new full-time equivalent employees across 30 departments.

The budget also proposes a 4% merit increase for general workforce employees, a 2.5% salary scale adjustment and a step increase for fire-rescue personnel and a 5% salary scale adjustment and step increase for Sheriff’s Office deputies.

While the county has seen tremendous population growth over the past three decades, Hemstreet said that is beginning to plateau and will continue to do so for the next 10 years.

“As growth begins to stabilize, the board will need to consider strategies to slow the growth of the budget in a manageable and strategic way, in recognition that as growth slows so will revenue,” he said.

The local tax funding growth in the proposed budget is 11%, higher than the 9% average the budget has typically experienced over the past decade.

“This higher growth rate is driven by several factors, including a higher-than-normal base budget and debt service needs such as increases in the retiree healthcare program and several land acquisitions in the current fiscal year that resulted in an increase in debt service payments. While the growth rate is higher than average, it is affordable, even within a budget that proposes the most significant tax rate decreases in at least the past decade,” Hemstreet said.

The proposed budget also fully funds the Revenue Stabilization Fund, which was created in 2023 to manage risk from uncertainty surrounding data center revenue. The target balance is 10% of the data center related real and personal property tax revenue which or FY 2026 is just over 110 million. Currently there is $80 million in the fund.

“[It] is a working reserve that the board can use during the year to address differences between budgeted or projected revenues and actual revenues received,” he said. “Over the longer term, the Revenue Stabilization Fund can serve as a budget balancing tool should abrupt or significant changes occur in the data center industry that would otherwise require immediate and deep expenditure reductions or increases in the real property tax rate.”

In addition to multiple budget work sessions, the board plans a public input session Saturday, Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. and public hearings Thursday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. n

Hemstreet: State Devolution of Duties Costs County Millions

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

During the presentation of the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget Feb. 12, County Administrator Tim Hemstreet said the state government is “devolving” on its funding responsibilities, leaving Loudoun taxpayers to pick up the multi-million-dollar tab.

The county’s rate of local tax funding growth has been higher than is typical for other localities, he said, with Loudoun’s increase this year at 11% more than last year. The county’s average of the past 10 years has been a 9% increase.

There are several factors contributing to the growth, including retiree healthcare costs and land acquisitions, Hemstreet said. However, the state’s refusal to pay a significant amount of its responsibilities to the county is also a major factor.

“Loudoun County is an economic driver in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and our businesses and residents contribute greatly to the commonwealth,” he said.

For every tax dollar the county sends to the state, only 30 to 35 cents is reinvested back to Loudoun.

“There are multiple circumstances where the board has chosen to supplement state funding to meet service requirements within the county,” Hemstreet said.

Based on 2023 Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission report on education, the county should expect an additional $200 million annually from the state to support Loudoun County Public Schools.

According to current state requirements, the county should be providing 55% of the school division’s operating budget.

“However, in order to provide the high-quality school system that Loudoun County enjoys, the county provides 71% of the schools’ operating budget,” Hemstreet said.

Loudoun County Public Schools budget approved by the School Board earlier this year totals $1.96 billion with nearly $1.4 billion of that coming from the county.

In addition to schools, the state should be providing funding for 303

Sheriff’s Office deputies, but is only funding 180 positions. That number is based on the state standard of one law enforcement per 1,500 residents, Hemstreet said.

A total of $128 million is proposed in the county’s FY 2026 budget for Sheriff’s Office personnel.

“The commonwealth significantly underfunds Loudoun’s Health Department compared with neighboring jurisdictions, currently providing only 15% of the true service costs of the county’s public health needs,” he said.

That is the second lowest overall funding allocation in the state, and the lowest per capita funding at $10, which is less than a third of the average.

“Another notable driver of the growth in the budget is the opening of the Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center – a community-based solution that the board has taken on to ensure our community has the appropriate emergency resources needed for individuals who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis,” Hemstreet said.

Of the center’s $16.6 million construction price tag, $6.9 million was funded by the county, with the remaining $9.7 being funded through federal, state and regional grants. In addition, the center is expected to cost more than $14 million a year to operate.

“So far, the commonwealth has not committed to contributing any funding to its operations,” according to the draft FY 2026 budget document.

The board has also taken on substantial responsibilities for transportation projects including $1.2 billion in the proposed six-year Capital Improvement Program. Again, Hemstreet said road maintenance and construction is traditionally a state responsibility.

“The commonwealth continues to underpay and underfund its judicial system responsibilities, leaving the county responsible for supplementing the salaries of critical positions like clerks and public defenders to ensure Loudoun County residents’ rights can be upheld,” he said.

The draft FY 2026 budget allocates $1.1 million to the Office of the Public Defender, which includes supplementing employee salaries by 40% and adding four support positions proposed by Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) earlier this year. n

A Loudoun Moment

One year ago, on March 4, 2024, members of Loudoun’s

Trevor Brown

continued from page 1

“I have seen so much warmth and so much love from the Loudoun County community, both here locally and throughout the county,” Johnson said. “Many of our nonprofits are here today that have supported us. The people that live around the community, all of you that are here tonight braving 30 degrees to be here for a vigil, many of you for somebody you didn’t even get a chance to meet. That is really heartwarming for all of us that serve in a uniform.”

Short specifically thanked residents living along Silver Ridge Drive, noting the “scar” left on their neighborhood.

The site is now being converted to Trevor Brown Memorial park through a collaboration between the Honard family, the Silver Ridge community and K&H Landscape and Grounds Maintenance.

“Many of you drive by this site every day. I cannot imagine the impact that’s had on your community, to drive by this site every

day. Thank you for keeping Sterling Volunteer Fire Company in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for help building this park and thank you for helping us remember Trevor Brown,” he said.

Randall said the tragic event showed her the “beloved community” that Loudoun is.

“There is nothing that we would want more than that this didn’t happen to Trevor. There is nothing that we want more than that this didn’t happen to nine other firefighters that night. But if we had to have lost Trevor, if we had to have sent nine other firefighters to the hospital that night, at least we learned what a beloved community is and what it looks like,” she said.

She encouraged the crowd to continue reaching out to the Brown family and each other, especially the county’s first responders. She recalled a year ago as she visited the injured firefighters at the hospital, how they had each asked her how the rest of their crew were doing.

“No one said, ‘what’s going on with me?’ They all said, ‘Where’s my crew?’ … But every single firefighter asked about

somebody else, because that’s who they are. That’s who first responders are,” she said.

Randall also praised the firefighters’ resilience, continuing to protect and serve Loudoun’s community members.

“The next day, there was a call at some fire station in Loudoun County for a propane leak. You know what they did? They got in the trucks, and they went there even knowing what happened the night before, because that’s who they are. So, when we say thank you to our first responders, you know we say they’re heroes, but think about what they do. Think about what they do every single day,” she said.

The park is planned as a passive place with a garden, benches and memorial to Brown.

Steve Honard, who purchased the land with his wife, said he hopes it becomes a place for people to reflect and find quiet.

Short said over the past year, he has already experienced that at the site.

“Over the past year, I’ve taken some time and come to visit this address,” he said. “I don’t tell anybody that, and probably a lot

of you didn’t know that, but I simply pull up here in my car, park on the side of the road, I get out, and I quietly walk out onto the grounds here and spend a few minutes. I feel the trees. I like that one. I feel the earth. I listen to the wind, and I try to center my thoughts just for a moment.”

Short said the soon-to-be-park serves as a reminder for why he, and others risk their lives for the community.

“It reminds me of what it’s meant to be a first responder. It reminds me of the risks. It reminds me of the lives we save and the lives we cannot. It also challenges me to be better. It challenges me to be a better fire chief, better husband, better father and better man. I can’t take tomorrow for granted,” he said.

Johnson said the explosion, Brown’s death and the injuries endured by his fellow first responders continue to have impacts on the community.

“We are still healing, and we will be healing for the foreseeable future. We have a lot to do. We strive to never let this event happen again,” he said. n

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

fire-rescue community turned out by the thousands for the funeral of Trevor Brown, the volunteer firefighter killed in Silver Ridge Drive house explosion.

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