HomeMy Public PortalAbout1998_06_23TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF JUNE 23, 1998
A regular meeting of the Leesburg Town Council was held on Tuesday, June 23, 1998 at
7:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20178, Municipal
Government Center. The meeting was called to order by Mayor James E. Clem.
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT
J. Frank Buttery, Jr.
Jewell M. Emswiller
Joseph R. Trocino
Kristen C. Umstattd
B.J. Webb
William F. Webb, Jr.
Mayor James E. Clem
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT
Town Manager Steven C. Brown
Deputy Town Manager Gary A. Huff
Director of Engineering and Public Works Thomas A. Mason
Director of Planning, Zoning and Development Michael Tompkins
Chief of Plan Review Paul Gauthier
Planner Marilee Seigfried
Assistant Town Manager for Economic Development John Henry King
Deputy Town Attorney Deborah Welsh
Clerk of Council Barbara Markland
1. INVOCATION was given by Councilmember Jewell M. Em. swiller
2. SALUTE TO THE FLAG was led by Councihnember William F. Webb, Jr.
ROLL CALL all members of Council were present.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION: On motion of Councilmember William Webb, seconded by Councilmember Umstattd,
the regular meeting minutes of May 26, 1998 and June 9, 1998 were approved as corrected by
Councilmember Umstattd.
VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Buttery, Emswiller, Trocino, Umstattd, B. J. Webb, William Webb,
Mayor Clem
Nay: None
CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION were presented to Peter Burnett for being awarded
the BAR Leader of the Year and for his appointment as President-elect of the Loudoun BAR
Association and to Councilmember Jewell M. Em. swiller for her years of service as a
Councilmember.
Councilmember B. J. Webb presented a video presentation honoring Vice-Mayor William F.
Webb, Jr., for his 37 years of service to the Town of Leesburg.
6. PETITIONERS
Mr. Gary_ Spetz, a resident of Kincaid Forest and President of the Kineaid Forest Homeowners
Association, addressed thc Council in opposition to the proposed Leegate Center rezoning. Mr.
Spetz read from a written statement which is attached and made a part of the official record.
Ms. Barbara Emmons, a resident of 775 Gateway Drive, S.E., addressed the Council in opposition
to the proposed Leegate Center rezonmg. Ms. Emmons read from a written statement which is
attached and made a part of the official record.
Mr. Craig Lane, a resident of 613 Cobbler Terrace, S.E., addressed the Council in opposition to
the proposed Leegat¢ Center rezoning.
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Mr. Allan Furman, a resident of Linden Hill Way, S.W., addressed the Council regarding agenda
item 10. (i) requesting the Council not permit the developer of the stormwater detention pond to
extend the bond more than six months.
Mr. Richard Adamson, a resident of 667 Tammy Terrace, S.E., addressed thc Council in
opposition to the proposed Leegate Center rezoning. Mr. Adamson read from a written statement
which is attached and made a part of the official record.
Ms. Sandra Kane, a resident of 815 Kenneth Place, S.E., addressed the Council in opposition to
the proposed Leegate Center rezoning. Ms. Kane read from a written statement which is attached
and made a part of the official record.
Ms. Cheryl Kilday representing the Loudoun Tourism Council thanked the Council for their
continued support and additional funding this year. Ms. Kilday presented Councilmember
Emswiller with a Certificate of Appreciation for serving on the Loudoun Tourism Council.
Mr. Christopher Romero, a resident of Kincaid Forest, addressed the Council in opposition to the
proposed Leegate Center rezoning.
Mr. Leonard McDonald, a resident of Pershing Avenue, addressed the Council in opposition to the
proposed Leegate Center rezoning.
7. COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS
Councilmember William F. Webb, Jr. thanked the Council, staff and citizens for their support
during his tenure with the Town of Leesburg.
Councilmember Frank Buttery_ stated he has enjoyed serving with Councilmembers William Webb
and Jewell Emswiller. He welcomed the two new Councilmembers, Bob Zoldos and Leonard
McDonald, into office on July l, 1998. Mr. Buttery encouraged everyone to take part in the
Fourth of July festivities planned at Ida Lee Park on the Fourth. He announced that Leadership
Loudoun will begin its next session soon and is seeking individuals to participate m the program.
Any one interested should contact Kaj Denfler or Councilmember Trocino. Mr. Buttery
encouraged everyone to check on the elderly during the extreme hot weather to make sure they are
okay.
Councilmember Kfisten Umstattd congratulated Councilmembers William Webb and Jewell
Emswiller on their tenure with the Town of Leesburg. Ms. Umstattd pointed out that
approximately 1,500 participants m the Bike Virginia Tour will be passing through Leesburg
during the weekend. The American Legion Post 34 recently held its election of officers.
Councilmember Umstattd stated, "I would like to thank everybody who came out to speak tonight.
Those who spoke against the Leegate application included, even though, for reasons that I am
about to explain I intend to support this application.
I think as a Council we unwittingly and unintentionally do a disservice to the public when we direct
all of the intention to the Town Plan and none of it to the underlying Zoning Ordinance. Trying to
balance this Town Plan with its vision of a high paid economic comdor with our Zoning Ordinance
which calls for industrial as well as office use of the property is like trying to balance an elephant
on a two legged table.
When you look at what can be done by-right on this property - which means the developer whether
its Pence-Friedel or some other developer - what they have the right to do under Virginia law - and
we don't make law on this Council, that it is made by our General Assembly which is very pro
business in this state. But what they can do is put four intersections on Route 7 with four separate
traffic lights instead of one with a right in and right out. What they can do if they want to, is put a
store, a building, a Lowe's or whatever in the middle of the area that we hope would be reserved
for a cloverleaf intersection. Which brings me then to the question, do you want a cloverleaf
there? I don't for the reason that I have taken a lot of rack, understandably, for being on Council
when the new bridge and intersection was built at the bypass. People are starting to tell me
Leesburg is beginning to look like Los Angeles. I think if we have a full cloverleaf just east of that
intersection, we'll be half the way there, already.
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I would like to see office uses there, but that's not the only use that by- right zoning allows to go
there. There is the impact of office use on transportation. Office users put more traffic on the
roads, during rush hour, than do retail centers. This information is from VDOT.
Second, the appearance issue. I have taken to heart the comment made by one member of the
Kincaid Homeowners Association when he said, 'please remember I have to look at whatever goes
there and it may be selfish, but I don't want to look at this shopping center'. I am worried about
what can go there by-right. For example, under our zoning, you could have a major or minor
utility. That would include an electrical transformer station. One of those large ones with the
coils and the fencing, etc. That is not an attractive use of the property, but it is a by-right use. We
could have cellular communication towers there which given the direction that industry and this
economy is going, I think is a very likely use for that property and it is a very marketable use. We
recently had a gentlemen who came in here and got authority to build a 199 foot tower in an
industrial zoned area in Leesburg. This is the same zoning as the Leegate Center property. He
just sold his tower pad for a nice profit, so that is a very attractive use - and the Rt. 7 Corridor is a
very attractive place to have large mono-poles, cellular communication towers.
Furthermore, because of Federal legislation, The Federal Telecommunications Act, we as a local
government have been denied the right to say no to these. The only thing we can do is say, well if
we have something zoned industrial we can put them all there. This land is zoned industrial, so
my fear is they are all going to go there.
The alternative is that we have the possibility of an architecturally coordinated center. It may not
be what most people want there. We may want an office park. But, I look at cellular
telecommunication towers, and I look at transformer stations and I think, that could be our future
in this corridor.
Third issue, environmental protection which is always very near and dear to my heart. Industrial
use is not necessarily desirable. According to the Washington Post in the last month, the Post has
chronicled several industrial facilities in Loudoun which are among the regions, Northern
Virginia's, largest polluters. That could go there too.
Revenge. I thoroughly sympathize with the two members of the homeowners association at
Kincaid Forest who said we don't want First Potomac to get a dime - given what they have done to
us. We don't want Leegate to get a dime. But when you have an owner who is in bankruptcy, it's
the creditors, the people who innocently did work and didn't get paid, not the principals who are
either going to see money or not based on whether this deal were to go through. So, even if
revenge were something that, my heart aside, I could as a council member vote to endorse. It
won't be effective.
Financially. Many folks tonight have called the proffer system a system of bribes. And actually
it may or may not surprise you to know, the developer more than the politicians view it that way.
They hate the proffer system because they end up having to come up with more and more money to
get approvals. Most developers would prefer some other system. But we are looking at proffers
that are close to 1.4 million dollars in improvements. I recognize there is a sentiment, as I have
heard expressed tonight, that for the convenience - recreational convenience of one side of town
which we shouldn't totally shat~, give the shat~ to another side of town. I agree with that
sentiment. But, I also understand that a recreational facility - and the several that Pence-Friedel
has offered are going to be impossible for us to afford for years and years, by which time the
children who might be able to benefit next year will be grown and gone. It is not just the children
of those who live in Woodlea and Country Club and Greenway; its the children of everybody in the
Town who would use the ball fields, or the tennis courts or the trail. It is more, I think, than just a
convenience. It would be the only way the folks in the southwest and the folks throughout the
town have a way of visiting each other without getting in their cars and driving.
I think a legitimate argument against this proposal would be that it would bring too much
competition in for existing retail. That argument has been made a couple of times. But, I am not
entirely convinced that it is the role of government to make a decision as to which retailer should
succeed and which should fail. And what that argument does, I think, is pit the existing retailers
against the consumers, who are always going to benefit from a lower price for the goods - and if
one retailer can offer a lower price, then I think a consumer has a right to go there and save money.
Finally, when you look at what is being proffered, it's almost $ cents oh the real estate tax rate in
the town or 30% of our existing tax rate. So in order to fund what is being proffered we would
have to raise taxes in this town by 30%. I haven't ever voted for a tax increase, and I don't intend
to. But to provide the kind of facilities a growing town needs, its either tax or get them from the
private sector and I would prefer to get them from the private sector.
So, I know you all feel passionately about this, and I sympathize with you. You have done an
eloquent job - and you have done a superb job laying out the facts. But the way I see it, is what is
going to come to that corridor if Leegate fails is going to be far worse than what we have got now.
Councilmember Trocino also congratulated Councilmembers William Webb and Emswiller for
their years of service to the Town of Leesburg. Mr. Trocino encouraged everyone to attend the
Fourth of July festiva'ties at Ida Lee Park. He stated the naming of the formal gardens at the
Thomas Balch Library in honor of B. Powell and Agnes Harrison is appropriate. Mr. Trocino
suggested appointing a panel of specialists to look into the town's position regarding information
technology, stating he feels the town is falling behind.
Councilmember Jewell Emswiller thanked the Council, town staff and the citizens for their support
during her tenure with the Town of Leesburg.
Councilmember B. J. Webb stated she is honored to have served with Councilmembers William
Webb and Jewell Emswiller. Ms. Webb attended the successful All Night Graduation party at Ida
Lee Park. The Loudoun School/Business Partnership program is moving forward. Ms. Webb
disclosed that she met with representatives of KSI/Goose Creek Communities and Pence-Friedel.
Ms. Webb attended a dinner in honor of B. Powell and Agnes Hamson and thanked everyone who
helped with the preparation of the video honoring Vice-Mayor William F. Webb, Jr.
8. MAYOR'S REPORT
Mayor Clem stated it has been great working with Councilmembers William Webb and Jewell
Emswiller. They have served the town well and will be missed. He reminded everyone of the
Fourth of July activities at Ida Lee Park. Mayor Clem offered his condolences to the Douglas
family.
9. MANAGER'S REPORT
Mr. Brown thanked Councilmembers William Webb and Jewell Emswiller for their support on
behalf of the town staff.
10. LEGISLATION
10. (a) MOTION: On motion of Councilmember B. J. Webb, seconded by Councilmember
Umstattd, the following ordinance was proposed and adopted.
98-0-13 - ORDINANCE - AMENDING THE LEESBURG ZONING MAP AND
APPROVING REZONING APPLICATION #ZM-I$$ LOUDOUN COUNTY COURTS
PROJECT BY THE LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE
LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL
Councilmember Umstattd stated she will vote against this ordinance because the cost has doubled
and the citizens voted it down.
VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Buttery, Emswiller, Trocino, B. J. Webb, William Webb, Mayor Clem
Nay: Councilmember Umstattfl
10. (b) MOTION: On motion of Councilmember Emswiller, seconded by Counciimember
William Webb, the following ordinance was proposed and adopted.
98-0-14 - ORDINANCE - AMENDING SECTIONS 17-69(a) and (b) and 17-177(b) OF
CHAPTER 17 OF THE LEESBURG TOWN CODE, RELATING TO THE BUSINESS,
PROFESSIONAL, AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE TAX
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VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Buttery, Emswiller, Trocino, Umstattd, B. J. Webb, William Webb,
Mayor Clem
Nay: None
10. (c) MOTION: On motion of Councilmember William Webb, seconded by Councilmember
Umstattd, the following ordinance was proposed and adopted.
98-0-15 - ORDINANCE - AMENDING SECTION 2-86.1 OF THE TOWN CODE
PERTAINING TO BAD CHECK FEE
VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Buttery, Emswiller, Trocino, Umstattd, B. I. Webb, William Webb,
Mayor Clem
Nay: None
10. (d), (0, (g), (h) MOTION: On motion of, and duly seconded, the following resolutions were
proposed as consent and adopted.
98-142 - RESOLUTION - INITIATING AND REFERRING AN APPLICATION BY THE
COUNCIL TO REZONE #ZM-156, CERTAIN ROYAL STREET PROPERTIES, C/O
KAREN COOPER FROM R-HD TO B-l, TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
98-143 - RESOLUTION - AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR REHABILITATION OF
THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CENTER PARKING STRUCTURE
98-144 - RESOLUTION - ACCEPTING PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND APPROVING
A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AT LEESBURG
SOUTH WATERLINE EXTENSION (SERVING EVERGREEN MILL ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL)
98-145 - RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING A TIME EXTENSION FOR COMPLETION
OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND APPROVING A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE
FOR LEESBURG GATEWAY CONDOS
VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Buttery, Em, smiler, Trocino, Umstattd, B. I. Webb, William Webb,
Mayor Clem
Nay: None
10. (e) was referred to a special meeting of the Town Council on June 25, 1998 at 4:30 p.m.
10. (i) MOTION: On motion of Councilmember Umstat-td, seconded by Councilmember Trocino,
the following resolution was proposed and adopted as amended by the Council to allow a six
month extension.
98-146 - RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING A TIME EXTENSION FOR COMPLETIOI~
OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND APPROVING A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE
FOR THE GREENWAY FARM ULTIMATE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT POND
VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Buttery, Emswiller, Trocino, Umstattd, B. J. Webb, William Webb,
Mayor Clem
Nay: None
10. (j) MOTION: On motion of Councilmcmber William Webb, seconded by Councilmember
Emswiller, the following resolution was proposed and adopted.
98-147 - RESOLUTION - NAMING THE THOMAS BALCH LIBRARY GARDEN AS
THE B. POWELL AND AGNES HARRISON GARDENS
Councilmembcr B. J. Wcbb asked that a letter b~ sent to the Hamsons informing them of this
resolution.
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VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Buttery, Emswiller, Trocino, Umstattd, B. J. Webb, William Webb,
Mayor Clem
Nay: None
11. NEW BUSINESS
11. (k) MOTION: On motion of Councilmember B. I. Webb, seconded by Councilmember
Umstattxl, the following resolution was proposed and adopted.
98-148 - RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE ASSIGNMENT OF THE FBO LEASE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF LEESBURG AND AMERICAN
BEECHCRAFT COMPANY TO PIEDMONT/HAWTHORNE HOLDINGS, INC.
VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Buttery, Emswiller, Trocino, Umstattd, B. J. Webb, William Webb,
Mayor Clem
Nay: None
On motion of, and duly seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m.
Jl~tnles E. Clem, Mayor ~ot~
Clerk of Council
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10.
(g) MOTION: On motion of Councilmember Emswiller, seconded by Councilmember
B. J. Webb, and amended by Councilmember Buttery, the following resolution was
proposed and adopted by a roll call vote of 6-1-1.
98-126 - RESOLUTION - ESTABLISItING A NON-STOCK CORPORATION TO
ADMINISTER FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
VOTE:
Aye: Councilmembers Emswiller, Trocino, Umstattd, B. I. Webb, William F. Webb
Nay: Councilmember Buttery
Absent: Mayor Clem
On motion of, and duly seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 11:45 pm.
Clerk of Council
Clem, Mayor
Text of remarks to June 23, 1998 Leesburg Town Council meeting
Good Evening. My name is Gary Spetz, President of the Kincaid Forest
Homeowners Association. I am speaking on behalf of the Kincaid Forest
HOA Board of Directors.
With regard to the Leegate Center project, I applaud the Planning
Commission's vote to reject the rezoning application and its unanimous
rejection by the Council's own Planning and Zoning Subcommittee. I went
on record opposing this application on April 2 and May 26, and I do so again
tonight: I oppose this rezoning application and its associated special
exceptions. I ask the Council to reject it tonight.
Of course, the vote tonight concludes nothing. Indeed, it is merely a
reminder of our ongoing concern over development throughout Northern
Virginia, in general, and of Leesburg, in particular. Kincaid Forest has been
in the "front lines", so to speak, with both the Leegate Center project and the
default of our own developer. Both situations have been confounded by
inconsistent information and confused lines of authority.
The most perplexing issue was, and still is, the 'by-right' issue. 'By-right'
construction is the implicit 'blackmail' underlying this entire debate; even a
Council member on the Planning and Zoning Subcommittee expressed
concerns over it. (He didn't go so far as to refer to it as 'blackmail',
however). Our own Board has concerns right now over this authority and
the apparently related issue of'special exceptions'. Tonight I ask the Town
Council to task your staffs--planning, legal, whichever--to thoroughly
investigate this authority and the legal recourses available to Leesburg to
ensure that any by-right construction is done with the same attention to Town
impact--including Kincaid Forest, its adjacent neighbor and potential victim--
as the Leegate Center project.
I would like to remind the Council that any development on the Leegate
property or the East Route 7 corridor would effect the quality of life of
Kincaid Forest'citizens more than in any other residential community in
Leesburg. I expect the Town to exercise its full authority--and hope that Mr.
Pence and his representatives extend their Leegate Center commitments--to
ensure that line-of-sight considerations and sound and ambient light pollution
problems are competently mitigated.
Another issue that disturbs me is the 'contributions' that the Leegate Center
developer--any developer, for that matter--is offering the Town contingent
upon acceptance of its application. These contributions disturb me because,
while certainly above-board, they interfer with the ability of the ongoing
dialogue to be based on the merits of the situation. These types of
contributions also attempt to inappropriately confuse our ability to assess
'interested parties'; for example, citizens that lived miles from Leegate
Center suddenly declared their interest based on a recreational convenience
and spoke in favor of accepting the rezoning application. I hope that Kincaid
Forest never becomes so narrow-minded that we would countenance the
suffering of other residential areas for our own Community conveniences.
With your rejection of this application tonight, you are making the
exceedingly important statement that development in Leesburg will be
decided on the basis of merit and law and not by the depth of one's pocket.
Thank you.
Leegate 6/23/98
Good Evening Mayor Clem and Town Council Members -
From H~'e~sfe~'.~ Z)/c#o, eaO; I bring you the following:
BRIBE ~ Money or favor given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person
in trust. Something that serves to induce or influence.
INTEGRITY - Firm adherence to a code of moral or artistic values; incorruptibility.
INCORRUPTIBILITY - Incapable of being bribed or morally corrupted.
At the Planning Commission and Town Council hearings for Leegate. the applicant stood up and
defended the professional and personal integrity of Pence-Friedel to what appeared to be a hostile
crowd. The project was not being welcome or embraced as they had expected.
This same applicant then resorts to what amounts to as bribery, pure and simple, in order to gain
approval for the Leegate Shopping Center. The thinly disguised Iproffersl that the applicant most
recently submitted are in NO WAY related to the scope of the project itself. Nor do they in ANY WAY
change the fact that this is not the time, not the place, for the retail components they seek to build.
In light of this pending application we now have Leesburg Commons coming back out of the
woodwork, circling overhead, waiting to go in for the kill should Leegate be approved. Doesn't
Leesburg have enough trouble with buzzards as it is??
It's time for the Town of Leesburg to set an example of what integrity really stands for - stick to the
Town Plan. heed the advice of the Planning Committee and hear the concerns of your citizens. Just
say No, thank you, to Leeg&te.
Leesburg VA 20177
Good evening. My name is Richard Adamson and I live in the Kincaid Forest subdivision
adjacent to the Leegate Center property. Although I am a member of the Board of Directors of
the Kincaid Forest Homeowners Association, I speak to you tonight on behalf of myself, my wife
Kathryn and daughters Jennifer and Lauren. We purchased our home in 1994 after long, careful
consideration of many alternatives. The foresight of the Leesburg Council in establishing the
zoning limitations for East Market Street and the Route 7 corridor was an important issue in our
decision to buy where we did.
I want to remind Council that the development of the Leegate Center property will affect the
Kincaid Forest citizens and voters more than any other neighborhood in Leesburg. The line-of-
sight considerations along with traffic, sound, light, and air pollution problems are of major
concern to us all.
I, too, applaud the Planning Commission and the Zoning and Planning Committee in voting to
reject the rezoning application. I oppose this application and its associated special exceptions. I
ask the Council to join me in opposition and reject it in your vote tonight.
This is not, however, just your typical "not in my backyard" speech. I was shocked when I heard
of the various "special exceptions and contributions" being offered by Pence-Friedel. Initially to
me, these "special exceptions" sound like bribes. The Oxford Dictionary defines "bribe" as
"persuade (a person etc.) to act improperly in one's favor by a gift of money, services, etc."
Upon further scrutiny though, one finds this to be a standard business practice. It happens all the
time. Is the Town ofLeesburg a business? NO! It is a representative government. Although we
often think that govemement should be run "like a business", the operative words "like a
business" tell us that it is not so. While this improper type of persuassion is acceptable in
business, it is not acceptable in this government.
Kincaid Forest has long stood against changes to the Town Plan regarding the Leegate property.
We will stand against this application and show that our integrity is not for sale. Ballfields, tennis
courts and bike trails are, surely, nice recreational conveniences. But these special contributions
confuse, detract and conceal the facts and merits of this rezoning application. While citizens
(seemingly "interested parties"), miles from Leegate Center, may speak in favor of acceptance, it
can only be from unaffected day-to-day lives, a lack of pertinent information, or excess self-
benefit via the depth of this developer's pocket. I, for one, will never be in favor of rezoning
along 15 South, even for their very own strip mall.
With your rejection of this application tonight, you are confirming a belief that our elected
representatives can see past all the smoke and mirrors, listen beyond all the bells and whistles,
and make decisions on the basis of merit and law.
My family recently spent time in Australia, where they have a phrase for someone who does the
right thing. Please, let me be able to say to you, "Good On Ya, Mate!"
Thank you.
TOWN OF LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
JUNE 23, 7:30 PM
I am Sandra Kane. I live at 815 Kenneth Place in Kincaid Forest. I address this Council
representing my husband, Bill, and myself, as residents of Leesburg, and as a director
serving on the HOA Kincaid Forest Homeowners Association Board. We are greatly
impacted by the rezoning of the 48-acre tract located east of Leesburg on Route 7.
Consequently, we remain vehemently opposed to the approval of the rezoning application
for this tract.
In 1997, the Town Council deemed it appropriate to establish a Town Plan by which they
would be guided in the best interest of the residents of Leesburg. A committee was
selected to include residents of the community, as well as Town officials. At that time, the
Council adopted a Town Plan for the good of the community at large. We are in favor of
the Council continuing to use this Plan as a guide that is representative of what the
community has addressed as appropriate for our growth.
Great emphasis has always been given to the historic section of Leesburg and
appropriately so. However, the ENTIRE community of Leesburg should be given equal
consideration, as all of this area has greatly impacted the history of Loudoun County.
Residents not living within the historic section should receive your guarantee that you are
interested in serving their best interests equally. Please recognize that we look to you to
weigh carefully ALL "rezoning" applications, answering the question, are they really in
the best interest of our community?
Given that we currently have seven percent of unoccupied retail space in Leesburg and
over 600,000 square feet designated in retail along the Leesburg Bypass and East Route 7
interchange, we are unclear as to the wisdom that additional retail space is needed.
Further, many more thousands of square feet have already been rezoned for retail.
Through our research, we have not found any statistics that indicate that the Town of
Leesburg is in need of or could support additional retail space, especially in the form of
strip malls. The population of 21,500 cannot continue to support the retail establishments
at the rate given for construction. Simply put, Leesburg has too much retail space
committed without rezoning additional property to increase this type of construction.
We request that you abide by the wisdom of the committee that developed the 1997 Town
Plan. The Leegate tract should be used for light industrial/office development. Let's work
to encourage that kind of business to come to the Town of Leesburg. The tax base for the
community would still be preserved and higher-paid jobs would become available to the
residents of our Town.
From the beginning of our opposition to the rezoning of the Leegate tract, we have
encountered nothing but a lack of interest of the concerns of the residents by the
principals requesting this rezoning. The Pence-Friedel principals and their representatives
never approached the residents of our community until Vice Chair William Webb
requested them to do so.
We have witnessed and read about "girls" being promised to various factions throughout
the Leesburg community. It has appeared that the size of these "girls" has increased
dramatically as it became apparent that the rezoning application was not a sure thing. We
are appalled to see business being conducted in this manner.
We continue to remain unwavering in our belief that the Town Council members will
show foresight by rejecting this rezoning application to minimize excessive retail
expansion in the Town of Leesburg. We encourage you not to abandon the plans that you
adopted for the development of our community. Please give consideration to this issue
based solely on the merits of this project relative to the needs of the Town of Leesburg.
We implore you to stand firm and strong against the pressures of developers' special girls
to sway your vote. The Town Council needs to remain united in its goals, always acting in
the best interest of all of its residents. The Route 15 Bypass and East Market Street retail
centers are daily reminders of how developers are allowed to continue to ravage the land
of our community, such as the triangle design that includes McDonalds, Applebee's and
the tractor center with an over-sized tractor parking lot--an excellent example of
community enhancement by Pence-Friedel. In our opinion, their ideas continue to remain
self-serving and not in the best interest of the Town of Leesburg and its residents. Please
cast your vote to deny this rezoning application.
Thank you for the opportunity to address this issue this evening.