HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2010-08-04 Town Plan review
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
David Fuller
Comprehensive Planner
dfuller@leesburgva.gov
703-771-2775
Review of Leesburg Town Plan to Begin in August 2010
Leesburg Planning Commission to review and discuss each element of the Town
Plan in a series of monthly meetings, from August 2010 to May 2011
Leesburg, VA (August 4, 2010) – Beginning in August 2010, the Leesburg Planning Commission
and Town staff will undertake a full, comprehensive review of the Leesburg Town Plan. The
review is scheduled to be conducted over a series of nine Planning Commission meetings, from
August 2010 through May 2011. At these meetings, the Planning Commission will review and
discuss the individual elements of the Town Plan, tackling one or two elements at each
meeting.
“State code requires that local planning commissions review their comprehensive plans at least
once every five years,” explained Susan Berry-Hill, the Town’s Director of Planning & Zoning.
“The Leesburg Planning Commission actually reviews our Town Plan every year, through our
annual Town Plan Monitoring Reports. However, those reports focus on progress made toward
the goals and objectives outlined in the existing plan. This new review process will take a more
global view of the plan and the changes that the Town has experienced since the plan was
adopted in 2005. We want to make sure the goals and objectives are still relevant.”
The first element of the Town Plan to be reviewed will be the Transportation element, which
will be discussed at both the August 5, 2010 and September 2, 2010 meetings. The Planning
Commission will discuss the Natural Resources element at the October 7, 2010 and November
4, 2010 meetings, and has reserved the December 2, 2010 meeting for any follow up discussion
of the Transportation and Natural Resources elements. The remaining elements – Economic
Development, Housing, Parks & Recreation, Community Facilities & Services, Heritage
Resources, Community Design and Land Use – will be discussed at meetings in January,
February, April and May 2011, respectively. The full review schedule is on the Town website at
www.leesburgva.gov/townplan, under “Review Process & Schedule”.
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TOL PR 2010-08-03 Town Plan review
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In preparation for the review of each element, the Planning Commission is reaching out to
many of the Town’s other boards and commissions for their input. Planning staff will prepare a
white paper on each element of the Town Plan and submit that paper to the relevant board or
commission for consideration and comment. As the white papers are completed, they will be
posted on the Town website.
“In addition to input from the Town’s boards and commissions, we also are seeking input from
the citizens,” said Brett Burk, chairman of the Leesburg Planning Commission. “We invite
members of the public to attend the Planning Commission meetings on the first Thursday of
each month to participate in the discussion, as well as follow the progress of the review process
on the Town website.”
Town staff is in the process of developing an online form that citizens can use to provide
comments about the individual elements of the Town Plan.
Following the completion of the Town Plan review, the Planning Commission will recommend
that the Town Council initiate any necessary amendments to the Town Plan, based on the
results of the review. The Town Plan amendment process will include public hearings on the
proposed changes before the Planning Commission and the Town Council. The entire Town
Plan review and amendment process is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.
For more information about the Town Plan or the review process, please contact David Fuller at
dfuller@leesburgva.gov or 703-711-2775. Additional information is also available on the Town
website at www.leesburgva.gov/townplan.
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