May 2024

Introduction

Welcome to the May 2024 edition of the Dulles Direct newsletter. I hope you are all healthy and enjoying warmer weather. I want to give a special shoutout this month to all the moms in the Dulles District: I hope you had a great Mother’s Day and feel appreciated every day.

Memorial Day

We also observed Memorial Day this month. It is a somber yet special reminder of the members of the United States Armed Force who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom. We are fortunate to live in an area with many who choose to serve, for which I am always thankful.  

Eagle Scout Resolution for Grant Kleinsmith

At the Board’s May 23 Business Meeting, we approved a resolution celebrating Freedom student Grant Kleinsmith achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. Grant has been scouting with Troop 1430 for ten years and has amassed 23 merit badges and over 30 hours of community service. For his final project, Grant planned and executed the construction of a 48 ft. boardwalk at the Brawner’s Farm Loop Trail area of Manassas National Battlefield Park to help preserve the land for visitors to enjoy. Congratulations to Grant for his years of dedication to the Boy Scouts of America and for achieving the highest honor in scouting! 

South Riding Mosaic Festival

Late last month, I attended South Riding’s annual Mosaic Festival and had a fun time chatting with local residents. I’m glad so many of you braved the wet weather and came out. Thanks to South Riding for putting on a great event as always. 

Dulles District Volunteer Award: Charlene Jones

Also this month, my office recognized Charlene Jones as our Volunteer of the Year at Loudoun Cares’ annual volunteer awards dinner. Charlene previously worked with the Dulles South Food Pantry and currently volunteers with the Dulles South Neighborhood Closet, providing clothing to those in need. Charlene does excellent work, and the Closet hosts clothing drives throughout the year, as you’ll see periodically in the announcements section of these newsletters. Thanks Charlene for all your hard work on behalf of the Dulles South community! I am very grateful for the thousands of volunteers in the County who contribute through our nonprofits, religious charities, and more each and every day. 

Virtual Dulles Direct Town Hall Meeting June 10

I will be hosting my next Dulles Direct Town Hall meeting virtually on the evening of Monday, June 10. The main topic of discussion will be the Defender Drive Residential rezoning application that will be coming to the Board’s Public Hearing on Wednesday, June 12. I have more information on the application below and we will be joined by representatives of the applicant to discuss the application and answer your questions about the proposal. After we're done discussing that, we will move on to other projects and topics of interest to Dulles residents and I’ll open the floor to questions from those who join the meeting. I'll be sending a Webex link by email closer to the meeting, and it will be recorded and posted on my website for access in the future.

A Special Thanks to our Capstone Student

A big thank you is in order for Megan Aldorisio, a senior at Freedom High School who decided to do her end of the school year Capstone project with our office. Megan has been supporting the Dulles team on several projects over the last two weeks. Thanks to Megan for all your hard work!

Transit Summit

The Board hosted its annual Transit Summit this past Wednesday evening. There were several items I do want to flag for you, but this newsletter is already one of our longest, so we'll do a detailed update next month. 

DULLES UPDATES

Destiny Drive Corridor Study

Residents of Kirkpatrick Farms, Stone Ridge and Westview Estates who live along or regularly use Destiny Drive will be in interested in the outcome of the County’s study of the Destiny Drive Corridor. The completed study was presented to the Board of Supervisors at our Business Meeting on May 7 with a request for the Board to endorse the recommendations and direct which funding programs would be utilized.

Background

As background, I secured Board approval of the study in early 2023 following long-term concerns from area residents about speeding, limited sight distance, and the lack of pedestrian crossing locations. My office worked with LCSO, VDOT, and the County’s Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure at various points to try to address these issues, but LCSO couldn’t substantiate the speeding complaints and a VDOT staff evaluation found that minimum sight distances were already provided. The classification of Destiny Drive as a neighborhood collector road with no direct driveways makes it ineligible for VDOT’s Residential Traffic Calming Program. I sought the corridor study to comprehensively identify the issues and determine recommended solutions that could be implemented outside of that program.

Following funding approval, the County’s consultant collected traffic volume data, accident statistics, speed data, and field measurements for sight distance at intersections. This was used to develop recommended solutions that were broken down into both short-term (could be implemented within existing right-of-way) and long-term (required more construction and would need easements and right-of-way). These proposed solutions were provided to VDOT for their review to ensure they would approve of the recommendations before seeking endorsement from the Board of Supervisors.

Study Results

Destiny Drive stretches for approximately one mile between Mineral Springs Circle and Gum Spring Road. There is a section which was constructed 32 ft. wide and has a speed limit of 25 mph and a section that is 36 ft. wide and has a speed limit of 30 mph. The VDOT/County traffic calming program is available for roads with a 25 mph speed limit, so only that section would qualify had it met the criteria. However, it did not. The speeding analysis completed as part of the study found that the average 85th percentile speeds in the 25 mph portion ranged from 5-8 mph over the limit, with the higher speeds closest to Mineral Springs. The 30 mph section ranged from 2-9 mph over the limit, with the higher speeds closest to Gum Spring Road. The 85th percentile speed did not exceed 10 mph over the speed limit on any section of Destiny Drive, so the road would still not have qualified for traffic calming. However, recognizing that some of the speeds were approaching the threshold, the study recommended that Destiny be striped for its full length with a double yellow center line and marked parking shoulders. This would allow a visual narrowing of the travel lines by reducing them to 11 ft. wide.  

Study Proposals

The proposal also included a raised center island at the end closest to Gum Spring to physically reinforce to drivers that they are entering a residential area and no longer on Gum Spring Road. A sight distance analysis was conducted and found that five intersections along Destiny Drive actually did not meet the required VDOT sight distance. The types of obstructions included on-street vehicle parking – particularly around the Himalayas Terrace/Diamond Leaf Terrace and Eloquence Terrace/Opportunity Drive intersections – as well as overgrown vegetation, mailboxes, and fencing. The study has recommended that vehicle parking obstructions be removed through the expansion of no parking areas adjacent to those intersections, obstructing vegetation be trimmed, and that the stop bars be relocated to improve sight distance.

To improve pedestrian connectivity across Destiny Drive, the study recommends the installation of five high visibility crosswalks with increased signage and, in some cases, a raised crosswalk or pedestrian refuge at points along the way. These locations would be at Possibility Way, the Kirkpatrick Farms HOA Park trail crossing, Supreme Drive, Eloquence Terrace/Opportunity Drive, and Green Mountain Terrace/Moreland Mine Terrace.

Concurrently with the Destiny Drive study, the developer of Kirkpatrick Farms completed a Signal Justification Report (SJR) for the intersection at Gum Spring Road and submitted it to VDOT for review. The SJR found that the intersection met warrants for a traffic signal and VDOT has informed the County that they concur with those findings. Another traffic signal at this close of a location to Braddock Road is not ideal, but my office conducted our own analysis using crash data we compiled and found that the rate of accidents seems to be increasing. We have had 13 total accidents of varying degrees of severity since April 2021. There were a total of 14 for the 5 years before that. Also, VDOT’s concurrence that the intersection should receive a signal would rule out their approval of an alternative measure such as restricting left turns from Destiny.

Including the cost of a traffic signal at the Gum Spring intersection, the recommendations of the study are estimated to cost nearly $6 million in total. Components of many of these items require engineering work, utilities/right-of-way, and construction funding/contingencies. As I noted earlier, the recommendations were broken down into short-term items such as on-street parking restrictions, installation of centerline pavement markings along the entire corridor, and implementation of a raised median, striped median, and dedicated right-turn lane at Destiny Drive and Possibility Way/Oribi Place. The short-term items total $650,000.

The long term-items would require easements, right-of-way, utility work, and significant construction to complete. They include the marked and raised crosswalks, curb extensions at intersections, and the signal at Destiny and Gum Spring. These total $5.34 million. The largest component of this would be the signal, which is estimated at over $2.2 million.

There is some ongoing discussion about the cost of that signal and whether it should be covered by the developer under an existing proffer from the original rezoning of Kirkpatrick Farms in the mid-90s. The structure of that proffer is currently being evaluated by the County’s Proffer Management staff and the County Attorney’s Office at the request of the developer. It appears that the enforcement mechanism may not be as secure as the language that we use today on these types of proffers, and they never constructed the number of units needed to trigger even the cash in lieu provision. Obviously, it would be best for everyone if the developer were to cover the cost, but that will come down to a legal opinion on enforceability.

Board of Supervisors Process

As I stated in the opening, all of this was presented to the Board at our Business Meeting on May 7. Staff proposed that all these improvements be endorsed and that they be forwarded for inclusion in a future Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funding discussion. If you follow my budget reports, you will know that this process is done annually and approved in April. We just finished a six-year plan for FY25-30 and next year is an amendment year (no new years will be added). Our CIP has been maxed out for many years with various road, school, and park construction projects. So, it would be difficult to find a slot for this within the next six years to even get funding assigned. Because of that I offered an alternative motion that would send the short-term recommendations and signal at Gum Spring to the Board’s annual fund balance discussion, held near the end of each year. Fund balance is made up of unexpended funds from the prior fiscal year. We receive these funds through savings realized at the department level as well as when revenue comes in higher than budgeted. It is common for us to have several capital projects funded through fund balance each year.

However, my colleagues on the Board were concerned that sending the signal project to the fund balance discussion would “jump the line” on the County’s Intersection Improvement Program projects. We created the Intersection Improvement Program several years ago to evaluate every unsignalized intersection in the County for safety and determine which should get priority funding for improvements. The ranking system looked at traffic volume and crash data to identify those most in need of improvement. We have updated those rankings every 2-3 years. Intersections ranked “5” are the worst and would top our list for funding improvements, while those ranked “1” would be at the bottom. The Gum Spring and Destiny intersection had originally been ranked a “4” and the County is still working through those ranked “5” currently.

When it was time to reevaluate the intersections in 2022, they used data through 2021 but had to take traffic volume out of the criteria due to the pandemic. They shifted the evaluation criteria to a crash severity scale which places a lower emphasis on property damage accidents, of which this intersection has had many. This caused the ranking to drop to “2” for the most recent update. That places it pretty far down the list for improvements as part of that specific program.

My issue is that there appears to be a recent uptick in crash frequency, and we need to be able to reevaluate these intersections, should conditions warrant. Some of my colleagues agreed but still felt that they wouldn’t support jumping the line for this signal, and I had to drop that portion of my motion. Staff will reevaluate this intersection - and all others - in 2025, and I suspect by then it will be ranked much higher on the list. I find this frustrating and unfortunate but I have no way to allocate funding for the signal outside this program.  

Interim Outcome

After dropping the signal request, I was able to gain approval of my motion to send the remaining short term items to the Board’s fund balance discussion. In addition, the Board endorsed the full recommendations.  

I will update you on the status of the signal funding, as well as the short-term study recommendations, as we get the proffer question resolved and then work to secure fund balance funding later this year. I am also working with VDOT to see if they are able to implement the recommended parking restrictions and vegetation trimming in the right-of-way in the near-term. If you have questions, please feel free to email me.  

Several Updates on Airport Noise

General Assembly Voids Loudoun’s Noise Notification Requirements

With all the issues in our state, you may think that the General Assembly would have more to worry about than Loudoun County’s airport noise notification ordinance. However, you would be wrong. The powerful state realtor lobby decided to target our ordinance using sneaky language that didn’t even mention Dulles Airport, and the bill had two co-patrons that live nowhere near here. They pushed through a bill that makes it illegal for a locality to require notification to prospective buyers that a property could be impacted by airport noise. This requirement had been in place in Loudoun since 1993. 

Loudoun County, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and the Virginia Association of Counties fought this bill and I made a direct appeal to the Youngkin Administration to veto it, but we were not successful. I’d like to thank Delegates Atoosa Reaser, Marty Martinez, David Reid, and Geary Higgins of Loudoun for opposing the bill, but I'm disappointed that several other members of the Loudoun delegation supported it.

The County is working on a strategy for next year’s session to restore this language. I do believe that many legislators weren’t clear on exactly what they were voting on due to the deceptive tactics of the bill’s supporters.  

County Engagement with FAA on Airport Noise

As a reminder, while the County controls zoning on the ground via our Airport Impact Overlay District (AIOD) process, flight paths from Dulles Airport are solely determined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). We updated our AIOD last year to reflect the most recent flight data, but we continue to receive feedback from residents west of the airport about disruptive flight noise from Runway 30. At the Board’s May 23 Business Meeting, we heard an update on the process. 

Design Group

On May 23, the Board voted 7-0-1-1 to endorse the community engagement plan. I abstained from the vote. Right now, the plan consists of a Design Group and a Regional Project Group. The Design Group is composed of representatives from the communities that the Board previously chose for inclusion based on their proximity to the most severe noise contours, as well as representatives from the airline industry. The group’s main task is to establish a design philosophy for a potential rule change scenario that will then be presented to the FAA. My concern with the engagement as a whole is that after it is presented to the FAA, we have no real control of what they may do with it. While our consultant believes that the FAA is unlikely to shift flights to the south, without that guarantee I wasn’t fully comfortable supporting this. However, I do think it is important that our communities remain engaged in the process to make sure that the agreed-upon recommendations result in changes solely to the Runway 30 departure process. I was able to get a representative from South Riding included in the Design Group.

Regional Project Group

The Regional Project Group is composed of representatives from County and municipal governments within ten nautical miles of Dulles Airport. This group will provide oversight to the Design Group and holds voting authority on any designs submitted. The Regional Project Group will review design plans from the Design Group before they are sent to the FAA for consideration. Supportive consensus from the Regional Project Group and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) will be necessary for any proposal coming out of the Design Group. This part of the process is new, and required an additional $40,000. The County’s consultant, Vianair, requested to bring on an additional consultant, Aloft Group. The Aloft Group representative is very knowledgeable about the air traffic corridor, but he is a resident of Birchwood at Brambleton, which is the community that has been most engaged with concerns about Runway 30 departures. Therefore, staff flagged a potential conflict for the Board about his participation. Ultimately, the Board voted 5-3-1 to approve the additional consultant, with myself, Vice Chair Briskman, and Supervisor Umstattd opposed. 

I do not think it is appropriate for the County to be using a consultant that is a resident of one of the impacted communities. One of the reasons given to use him was his familiarity with this particular issue and his success in engaging with the FAA previously about Runway 30 departures. However, he was doing that in his capacity as a resident, which speaks to the potential conflict. I believe we should have identified a different consultant, and this individual could have remained engaged as a resident.  

Process and Timeline

The timeframe for developing proposals and presenting them to the FAA is approximately 12 months with anticipated completion in mid-2025. The FAA has agreed to the parameters of a community input process but has not yet agreed to implement any specific proposals or plans. I’ll keep you updated as the group process progresses and once we have proposals to discuss. I’m eager to see the outcomes of this process.  

VDOT Paving Projects

VDOT continues to work on a few paving projects of note for Dulles District residents.

Gum Spring Road

Paving on Gum Spring is now complete.

Pleasant Valley Road/Wade Drive

VDOT is currently on track to begin the milling and paving for Pleasant Valley Road from the airport to Route 50 and on Wade Drive in July. 

Tall Cedars Parkway

If you’ve driven in the vicinity of the Tall Cedars Parkway and Nations Street intersection this month, you probably noticed that VDOT’s contractor removed the flex posts for milling work as part of their larger paving project. I wasn’t thrilled with how this removal was handled, and my office worked with VDOT to get the flex posts restored last week – a week before the contractor was originally intending to reinstall them. Milling and paving work on Tall Cedars is now complete, with striping work ongoing. 

Loudoun County Parkway/Edgewater Street Signal



I am pleased to report that the traffic signal at the intersection of Loudoun County Parkway and Edgewater Street is now fully operational. The signal was constructed by Toll Brothers to comply with a proffer associated with the South Riding development that was specific to that intersection. Please be mindful while driving through the intersection that drivers are still getting used to the new traffic patterns. We will be monitoring the intersection and providing feedback to VDOT on the signal timings as necessary. 

Braddock Road Projects

Supreme/Summerall

The County-helmed project to widen Braddock Road in the area of the Supreme/Summerall intersection is nearing substantial completion. VDOT is currently finalizing review of the signal timing before providing approval to go into the mandatory flash mode. During that time, the barrels and stop signs will remain in place and the signal will flash red on all four approaches to maintain the existing all-way stop. The signal will become activated and all barrels and signage will be removed after the flash mode is complete, potentially after school is out for the summer.

Royal Hunter to Gum Spring

Work continues on the Van Metre widening in the Gum Spring Road area. Work on the retaining wall at the corner of Braddock and Gum Spring is nearing completion. This week, poles are being removed at the intersection and crews are working on the underground Verizon line. A required gas line relocation has started and will need to be completed prior to finishing some of the aspects of this project. Upcoming work includes storm drain completion, curb and gutter work, road milling and overlaying, final roadway striping. Substantial completion on this portion is estimated for October, although the gas line relocation did start about two weeks ahead of schedule so the timing could improve.

Arcola Boulevard/Arcola Mills Road Project



Improvements on Arcola Mills Drive near the intersection of Arcola Boulevard continue to progress on schedule. The large under-roadway culverts are complete and backfilling has begun. The poles and mast arms for the signal at the intersection have been installed. Weather permitting, we expect completion and being able to open Arcola Boulevard all the way to Loudoun County Parkway by mid-summer. Stay tuned for an announcement on an opening date soon. 

Northstar Boulevard: Evergreen Mills to Route 50



On the south end of the project site, earthwork, dry utilities, and storm pipe installations continue to remain on track and are expected to be completed in the next two weeks. Concurrently, the north end's earthwork, dry utilities, and storm pipe operations are ongoing. The Design-Build team has successfully completed the southbound bridge deck and is preparing to commence pouring concrete on the northbound bridge deck with an anticipated completion in mid-June. Looking ahead, the Design-Builder anticipates base paving Northstar Boulevard from Dulles West Boulevard to Route 50 in mid-June as well. Following this, they plan to base pave from Dulles West Boulevard to Racefield Lane in late June. The newly constructed access to serve Racefield and Hiddenwood Lanes should open by the end of the summer.

Animal Advisory Committee Opening

The Dulles District position on Loudoun County’s Animal Advisory Committee is currently open and seeking applicants. If you reside or work in the Dulles District, have experience in the field and would like to submit an application, you can do so by clicking here. You should also send me an email to matt.letourneau@loudoun.gov to let me know you are interested. We have received several responses, but so far none have been Dulles District residents. You can find more information on the AAC here. For a full list of vacancies on the County’s boards, commissions, and committees, please click here. 

DULLES LAND USE UPDATES

Stone Ridge Section 40 Approved

LEGI-2023-0042

Details of Approved Application

The Board voted 7-1-1 at our May 15 Public Hearing to approve the Stone Ridge Section 40 application, a rezoning that will permit 144 dwelling units comprised of 65 single family detached and 79 single family attached. The application includes 18 affordable dwelling units and 6 workforce housing units, as well as a recreation building and active recreation facilities for the Stone Ridge HOA. 

Sidewalk and Trail Construction

As part of the application, the developer will complete missing sidewalk and trail links on Stone Springs from Pepperbush Place to Greenstone Drive and along the Greenstone frontage connecting to the existing trail. A new sidewalk will be built along Gum Spring Road from Greenstone to meet the existing trail at Destiny Drive, as well as a trail connection to Kudu Court.

School Capacity Timing

As mentioned in previous correspondences, my largest outstanding concern with the application was regarding school capacity, but I negotiated with the applicant to cap the number of homes that will be built prior to May 2027 at their by-right density allowance of 26. An additional 80 units would be allowed by May 2028. The delay in the construction timeline will allow HS-14 to open on Red Hill Road freeing up capacity for Dulles North students who currently attend Mercer and John Champe. While the School Board does not comment officially prior to school attendance changes, it is likely that the John Champe cluster will see some relief from the opening of HS-14. Currently, the land located directly south of Mercer in this application is actually zoned for Lightridge/Willard, but I think it would be sensible for that to change since the new community will be walkable to Mercer.

Final Thoughts

Given the applicant’s willingness to work with me on missing sidewalk and trail connections, school capacity mitigation, and the existing precedent set by surrounding properties, I supported the application. As is frequently the case, input from the neighborhood helped improve the application, so I appreciate the engagement of the community.   

Defender Drive Residential Deferred to June

LEGI-2023-0025

Unfortunately the Defender Drive application that was scheduled for the May Public Hearing has been deferred to June 12 due to a notice error. This application will be discussed in-depth at my virtual Town Hall meeting on June 10. I will remind you of my analysis from last month on the application: 

Application Details

An application will be coming to the Board at our June 12 Public Hearing to develop 161 single-family attached homes just south of Defender Drive to the west of East Gate III. The application would rezone the parcel (13.8 acres) from PD-H4 and CR-1 to R-16 Townhouse/Multifamily Residential ADU (R-16 ADU). 21 of the units would be provided as ADUs. This is the second iteration of this application. The first was for 264 homes. That density was extreme for the parcel and I told the applicant I could not support it. They renegotiated with the landowner and came back with the current proposal, which the Planning Commission has recommended for approval.

Most of the parcel is in the Suburban Commercial Place Type, which our 2019 General Plan envisions as being 100% non-residential, so I expect this nonconformity to be raised at the hearing. The property’s zoning was set as part of the original South Riding rezoning in the early 90’s and would allow data center development by-right. I am concerned about data centers being developed at this location given the proximity to residential housing. Given the scarcity of by-right data center land, data centers are a potential lucrative alternative for this property.

As for the application itself, I have some concerns with the connectivity to adjacent parcels and traffic flow, which I will be reviewing further with staff and the applicant.  

Thus far, I have heard mixed feelings from residents. Like you, I wish that those weren't the only two options. My general observation is that those who live closer to this site are strongly opposed to it being developed by data centers. 

Of note, my Planning Commissioner, Commissioner Madireddy, was able to secure a $1.2 million contribution for intersection improvements on Route 50 during the Planning Commission’s review of the application. The Defender Drive intersection at South Riding Boulevard is already slated for improvements from a different application, but we were able to double proffer that in this application as a backstop. 

Speak at the June 12 Public Hearing

The Board will be reviewing this application for the first time on June 12. I expect that it will then be sent to a future meeting for final review and action. You can sign up to speak to the Board at the hearing.

Hiddenwood Assemblage Headed to Board Public Hearing

LEGI-2023-0070

Introduction

Tentatively scheduled for the Board’s July 10 Public Hearing, we will hear an application for the first time to rezone properties in the Hiddenwood Assemblage (28.92 acres) from Countryside Residential-1 (CR-1) to Planned Development – Industrial Park (PD-IP) for the purpose of constructing 756,000 sq. ft. of data center uses. About 19 existing homes would be torn down and converted to data centers. The applicants have proffered out some uses that are allowable under PD-IP zoning but are incompatible with the parcel’s Suburban Neighborhood Place Type such as utility substations. 

Application Details

The Planning Commission heard the application at a public hearing and work session before forwarding it to the Board with a recommendation of approval on a 4-3-1 vote. The vote was actually deadlocked 4-4 until one of the Commissioners decided to abstain. Dulles District Planning Commissioner Madireddy made a motion to recommend denial, and voted no on approval. 

The Commission worked with the applicant on some architectural standards: a height restriction of 60 feet, façade step-backs, additional fenestration and foundation plantings, and commitment to locating generators behind buildings. They also worked on site design standards: internal pedestrian connections, improved site circulation, increased building and parking setbacks adjacent to residential uses, and additional Tree Conservation Areas and supplemental plantings. The applicant has also agreed to limit noise to 55 db(A) and conduct pre- and post-construction noise studies and adhere to strict construction vehicle procedures. County staff still have outstanding issues with some land use determinations, design of the data center buildings, and submitted application materials. Since the Place Type is Suburban Neighborhood, the 2019 General Plan envisions primarily single-family detached and attached dwellings integrated into a walkable street pattern with no more than 15% non-residential uses: obviously an intensive data center use is not even close to that goal. Furthermore, building heights in the place type should be limited to no more than four stories.

This proposal is in an area that I inherited from the former Blue Ridge District when the County was redistricted last year. I had opposed a few other intense data center applications, primarily the JK Technology Park 2, which was right across the small gravel road from the front of these homes on Hiddenwood Lane. The approval of that application, which was a 5-4 vote, directly led these homeowners to file this rezoning request. However, this would move data center uses very close to the Briarfield Estates community and other homes, and I have repeatedly expressed concerns about continually moving the line of data center development closer to residential uses. I will be meeting with both the Hiddenwood residents and the surrounding Briarfield community ahead of the hearing to listen to their concerns, and I think we have a lot of work to do on this application at the Board level. I also have been pursuing some alternative ideas I will be presenting. I’ll provide another update after the hearing and again when it returns to future Board meetings. 

LOUDOUN UPDATES

County's AAA Bond Ratings Reaffirmed

Our capital projects in the County are funded via a number of different sources, one of which is contracting debt to build a project. The County receives a bond rating each year that reflects our economic health. A rating of AAA enables us to borrow money for projects at the lowest possible interest rates, thereby saving the taxpayers money and ensuring greater efficiency in our infrastructure processes. Earlier this month, I joined Chair Randall and County staff in New York in my capacity as Chairman of the Board’s Finance, Government Operations, and Economic Development Committee to meet with credit rating agencies.

AAA Bond Ratings Reaffirmed

I am pleased to report that the nation’s top bond rating agencies have again affirmed Loudoun County’s AAA ratings on its general obligation bonds, noting the County's strong financial performance, a robust economic profile with a diverse tax base, and strong management. Loudoun County has held the AAA rating from Moody’s since 2004, and AAA from Fitch Ratings and S&P Global since 2005. The three ratings agencies also affirmed Loudoun’s AA+ and AA1 ratings on the upcoming sale of public facility revenue bonds through the Economic Development Authority, as well as its outstanding appropriation-backed bonds. The rating outlook for all three rating agencies was noted as “stable.” 

Agency Analysis of the County's Fiscal State

According to the official County press release, here are some notes that the agencies made on the state of our economic health.

Fitch Ratings noted the County’s

• Broad and diverse economy, strong employment, educational attainment and household income levels
• Strong financial performance and resilience, resulting from a stable unrestricted general fund balance maintaining the county’s ability to respond to fiscal stresses and allowing for strong budgetary flexibility

Moody’s noted the County’s:

• Large and dynamic tax base with income levels more than double the national median
• Financial position and reserves, supported by the county’s policies, proactive management and solid leverage position

S&P Global noted the County’s:

• Historically strong financial performance, with available reserves exceeding 30% of expenditures, resulting from conservative revenue and expenditure assumptions and strong adherence to fiscal policies
• Robust economic profile, supported by proactive management policies and long-term planning
• Rapid debt amortization and low debt compared with market value, supporting its sizable Capital Improvement Program

The County’s fiscal discipline continues to pay off, with these agencies noting year-over-year our strong financial performance. I want to thank County staff for all their hard work. More information on Loudoun County finances and its AAA status is online at loudoun.gov/bondratings.

Good News on the Greenway!

Introduction

As you’ll recall from earlier this year, the State Corporation Commission (SCC) has been considering a request by TRIP II (the owners of the Greenway) to raise tolls once again on the beleaguered road.  

Trip II Proposal

TRIP II submitted an application (Case # PUR-2023-00089) to increase the maximum tolls for most drivers to $8.10 during peak hours, up from the current $5.80; and to $6.40 during off-peak hours, up from $5.25. Under legislation passed in 2021 that the County heavily advocated for, the SCC is required to examine proposed toll increases against an objective three-factor standard. 

SCC Judge's Recommendation

This time, I have good news to report! A senior hearing examiner for the SCC, Judge Michael Thomas, has recommended that the SCC deny the latest proposal by TRIP II to increase tolls along that road. Judge Thomas found that TRIP II’s proposed increase failed two of the three factors listed in the previous paragraph. Specifically, he found that the proposed toll rates would materially discourage use of the Greenway, and also found that TRIP II did not demonstrate its proposed toll increases would be reasonable to the user in relation to the benefit obtained.

Loudoun County provided the SCC with its own analysis that confirms the proposed toll increase would fail to meet the objective standard required by law. The County’s analysis also shows if TRIP II’s proposed rate increase were allowed, the increased revenue per driver would be more than offset by the number of drivers who would abandon the Greenway, actually worsening TRIP II’s financial condition.

While TRIP II has tried to defend their increase request by stating that the Greenway will experience 8.1% increased traffic, Judge Thomas’ report agrees with Loudoun County that the company’s approach to consistently raising tolls is “seriously flawed,” and finds that there “is absolutely no way that the implementation of the proposed toll increases will result in an 8.1% increase in Greenway traffic.” Judge Thomas reviewed more than 900 comments from members of the public, stating it is “the understatement of the year to say that Greenway riders are vehemently opposed to any toll increase.” Thanks to all those who submitted comments and came out to Freedom High School earlier this year to oppose the increase: your voices were heard, and your comments were reviewed as part of Judge Thomas’ decision. 

Next Steps

As a next step in the process, all parties involved in the case, including Loudoun County, have until June 5, 2024, to submit comments to the hearing examiner regarding the recommendation. The case is expected to be forwarded to the three-member commission this summer for a final determination by the SCC later this year.

Closing Thoughts

While I’m not celebrating just yet, this is an important step toward denying TRIP II’s requested increase. I’ll continue providing updates as we have them. Loudoun County continues to oppose arbitrary toll increase requests that materially discourage use of the road. It’s been a long and hard fight on the Greenway, but we are making progress on limiting rate increases and preventing ludicrous requests from the Greenway’s owners.

Read the hearing examiner’s complete report online (PDF).

Collective Bargaining Agreement with International Association of Firefighters

Introduction

At our May 7 Business Meeting, the Board ratified a tentative collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 3756 chapter and the Loudoun County government. While I did not support the collective bargaining process in the manner it proceeded, I voted to ratify the contract as it was the result of a good faith effort by the County and IAFF to come to an agreement.

This is the first CBA to be ratified in Loudoun following an amendment to the Code of Virginia permitting collective bargaining for public employees as a local option and the Board of Supervisors’ adoption of a collective bargaining ordinance in December 2021. The CBA is the result of 30 bargaining sessions and two days of mediation held between February 2023 and February 2024. 

The CBA between the county and IAFF Local 3756 has a total cumulative fiscal impact above the pre-contract baseline (the status quo of pay, benefits and other provisions in effect as of FY24) of approximately $47.2 million over three years. The FY25 Adopted Budget includes funding for costs associated with the first year of the CBA, including one new position for a county-funded full-time union representative. I will note that much of the anticipated cost is due to the associated salary increases which would likely have been included in the County budget in those years anyway.

Provisions of the CBA

The CBA contains the following provisions: 

• Compensation (wages and specialty pay): Increases for the uniformed salary scale plus step increases for uniformed personnel in each of the next three fiscal years (additional stipends and specialty pay, and increased values for existing stipends and specialty pay are effective for FY25)
• Union activities: One full-time union representative; Union Leave Bank of 750 hours annually for bargaining unit employees to use for other union business 
• Annual Leave: Effective in FY25, an increase to the maximum amount of accrued annual leave that can be carried over from year to year and paid out upon separation; in FY26, an increase to annual leave accrual rates
• County 401(a) Matching Contributions: Beginning in FY26, an increase in the County's match to employee contributions to the 457(b) deferred compensation plan

IAFF

The IAFF was certified in September 2022 as the exclusive bargaining agent for Loudoun’s fire and rescue bargaining unit members. Fiscal provisions in the CBA for future fiscal years must be approved by the Board during its annual budget development and approval process. 

Board Approves "Guaranteed Basic Income" Pilot Despite My Opposition

Last week, the Board of Supervisors voted to reallocate $2 million in federal ARPA funds to create a new pilot program to provide residents at certain income levels with a monthly payment with no restrictions. The money can be used for any purpose: it is literally just free money with no strings attached. The proposal passed on a 6-2-1 vote, with myself and Chair Randall opposed. County staff were directed to return to the Finance Committee, which I chair, by September with more details and a potential non-profit partner. 

The desire to help those who are less fortunate is admirable and the County has extensive programs in place to do so, including low income rental assistance (see below). I am concerned, however, about something this broad, without any parameters. We are, after all, using taxpayer dollars. Should we wish to increase assistance, I think we can do so in more targeted ways. I am also concerned that a pilot program will eventually expand into a much larger and more expensive program that would have to be funded through County tax dollars.

This Board is increasingly embarking on new spending initiatives at the same time that there is a desire to reduce data center development. These two things are at odds with each other and will result in higher tax rates passed on to citizens.  

Public Hearing Notice Requirements

Introduction

During the May 23, 2024, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board amended its Rules of Order to allow ordinances and land use applications to be forwarded from a public hearing to a business meeting for final action. This change to the Rules of Order reinstates the Board’s longstanding practice that was in effect prior to July 1, 2023, and is anticipated to provide efficiencies in the Board’s processes.

Background

In 2023, the Virginia General Assembly amended sections of the Code of Virginia governing public notice for ordinances and land use applications. These 2023 amendments resulted in a requirement for a notice to be published two times, with the first notice appearing no more than 14 days before the Board’s intended adoption. To implement that requirement, the Board changed its Rules of Order, effective July 1, 2023, to require that all public hearing items be forwarded to a future public hearing for action, which also required the agenda item to be re-advertised. The unintended byproduct of the change was a lengthening of the ordinance development and legislative review processes. 

In 2024, Loudoun County was among the Virginia localities that pursued a change that would restore the county’s previous practices. This year, the General Assembly adopted additional amendments to the Code of Virginia sections governing public notice (HB 1488 and SB 413). The 2024 amendments require public notice for ordinances and land use applications to be published twice, with the first notice appearing no more than 28 days before the meeting date and the second notice appearing no less than seven days before the meeting date. This change in law is effective July 1, 2024.

As a result of the General Assembly’s action, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is able to reinstate its prior practice of forwarding agenda items to a business meeting for action following a public hearing, instead of forwarding it to a future public hearing for action.

The Code of Virginia public notice amendments apply to both the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission. Therefore, the Planning Commission adopted similar updates to its bylaws. The Planning Commission will continue to forward agenda items to work sessions for final action; however, the amended legislation enables the Planning Commission to discontinue public hearings on the same evenings as work sessions, which is consistent with the commission’s long-standing practice prior to July 1, 2023. Beginning in July 2024, the Planning Commission will hold one work session and one public hearing each month. This update to the commission’s schedule brings back efficiencies in the Planning Commission processes.

Documents prepared for Board of Supervisors’ meetings, including the updated Rules of Order, can be found at loudoun.gov/bosdocuments. Meeting documents for the Planning Commission are posted online at loudoun.gov/pc. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

New County Rent Assistance and Eviction Prevention Programs

Loudoun County residents who are struggling to pay their rent or facing eviction may be eligible for assistance through two new programs that launched on May 15. The programs are funded by the Loudoun County Government and administered by the nonprofit Loudoun Cares in association with Northern Virginia Family Service, Crossroads Jobs, and Legal Services of Northern Virginia.

Individuals and families must meet specific criteria to be considered eligible for the two programs. All applicants must:

• Live in Loudoun County
• Have a current lease for which rent is more than 30% of household income
• Have a total household income of no greater than 80% of the Area Median Income
• Be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 (this includes historically marginalized populations, adults who have complex needs, households who have lost wages during the pandemic, or those who have experienced challenges in accessing services)

In addition, the applicant’s landlord must agree to participate in the program and provide documentation, including a current ledger, signed lease and an IRS W-9 form. Individuals seeking eviction prevention assistance must have an eviction summons for unlawful detainer.

While homeowners are not eligible for financial assistance with mortgage payments, they may be eligible for other programs offered by Loudoun Cares. Individuals who are delinquent on paying their mortgages may seek assistance from housing counselors that are approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). More information is posted on the HUD website here.

All applicants will be required to submit a short, online pre-screening form to Loudoun Cares to determine eligibility for the programs. The online form is available at loudouncares.org/help. Any applicant who does not have access to the internet may call Loudoun Cares at 703-669-4636 for assistance in submitting an application.

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved limited funding for the temporary rent assistance and eviction prevention programs as part of the county’s efforts to distribute available funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to address lingering economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Loudoun Cares will make rent payments directly to landlords on behalf of approved applicants. The program will end by December 31, 2026, or sooner if funds are exhausted.

For more information about other rent assistance programs offered by Loudoun County, visit loudoun.gov/rentassistance. For information about all Loudoun County housing programs and services, visit loudoun.gov/housing.

Loudoun County Job Fair

The Loudoun Workforce Resource Center will host a Loudoun Job Fair on Wednesday, June 12, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., at the Dulles South Recreation & Community Center, 24950 Riding Center Drive in South Riding.   

The Loudoun Job Fair will feature more than 20 local employers with full-time, part-time and seasonal job openings in Loudoun County. Immediate opportunities are available in the fields of administration, construction, customer service, education, entertainment/media, government, health care/social assistance, hospitality/food services, manufacturing, nonprofits, recreation, security/public safety and transportation/warehousing.

Visit loudoun.gov/jobfair to register for the job fair. Job seekers are also encouraged to prepare for the fair:

• Attend a virtual preparatory workshop: "Ready, Set, Go to the Job Fair"
• Register at loudoun.gov/wrcworkshops
• Get a free copy of "Turn a Job Fair Into a Job Offer"
• Call 703-777-0150 or email wrc@loudoun.gov
• Dress professionally and bring multiple resume copies to the job fair

Anyone who requires an accommodation for any disability in order to participate, including language assistance, should contact the Loudoun Workforce Resource Center at 703-777-0150. Three business days’ notice is requested.

For more information, including participating employers and event status, visit loudoun.gov/jobfair.

For employers interesting in participating in the job fair, contact the center’s Employer Services Coordinator Michael Bozeth at michael.bozeth@loudoun.gov.

The Loudoun Workforce Resource Center provides no-cost resources and equipment to job seekers and businesses to help them achieve their employment goals. For more information, contact the center at 703-777-0150 or visit loudoun.gov/wrc.

Dominion Morrisville to Wishing Star Transmission Line Project Community Meetings Postponed

Last month I wrote about upcoming community meetings for Dominion’s Morrisville-Vint Hill-Wishing Star 500-230 kV Project. Those meetings have been postponed as Dominion’s engineers continue to work on plans for the project. Please stay tuned to this newsletter and the project website (www.dominionenergy.com/morrisvillewishingstar) for information on when the meetings will be rescheduled. 

As a refresher, the project will remove and rebuild an existing 36.5-mile transmission line beginning at the Morrisville Substation in Fauquier County, continuing north, through Prince William County, to the Wishing Star Substation in Loudoun County. This rebuild is required to meet increased load demand and enhance regional reliability. The project will replace the existing 500 kV and 230 kV lattice structures with new double-circuit monopoles, while adding a new 500 kV transmission line to the corridor.

Dominion Aviator to Takeoff Transmission Line Project Community Meeting

Dominion has proposed a new 230kV overhead transmission line to connect the Aviator Substation in Loudoun County to the Takeoff Substation in Fairfax County on the south side of Dulles Airport. The proposed routes all would run through existing commercial and industrial areas north of Route 50 and not along the road frontage in Loudoun County. Dominion will be holding the public meeting on Thursday, June 6 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Rajdhani Mandir (4525 Pleasant Valley Road). More information on the project is available here.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

There will be a household hazardous waste collection event on Saturday, June 22 from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Freedom High School (25450 Riding Center Drive in South Riding).

For a list of what is and isn’t accepted at the collection event, please click here.

Because of safety concerns related to the handling of various types of hazardous materials, the events feature a drive-through process in which residents are instructed to remain in their vehicles and allow event staff to unload any items accepted for disposal. To ensure everyone remains in their vehicle while at the point of service, items must not be in sealed or tied plastic bags. Staff are not allowed to open any plastic bag containing HHW.  

For more information about the Loudoun County Household Hazardous Waste Program, call 703-771-5500 or visit loudoun.gov/hhw.

Donations to Local Food Banks

Donations to the Dulles South Food Pantry (DSFP) can be made in person at the pantry at 24757 Arcola Mills Drive on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or on Mondays from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., or online. DSFP provides food assistance up to twice a month to any person who resides in the attendance zones for the following high schools: Freedom, John Champe, Lightridge, Independence, Rock Ridge, and Briar Woods. Call 703-507-2795 or email info@dsfp.org to schedule an appointment. See the pantry's website for information on how you can help fight local hunger. The pantry is currently looking for plastic bag donations as well. 

Donations to the Dulles South Soup Kitchen can be made on their website or at their location by appointment. Call (202) 930-3775 or email to make an appointment. The Dulles South Soup Kitchen distributes fresh and nutritious hot meals to anyone in need within Loudoun County every Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the StoneSprings Hospital Center parking lot by Route 50. Registration is required on their website.

Blood Donation

To schedule an appointment to donate blood or platelets with the American Red Cross, please visit redcross.org/give-blood.

Inova Blood Services also takes donors by appointment. Visit https://www.inovablood.org/ to schedule an appointment.

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