HomeMy Public PortalAbout2005_01_25_r017The Town of
Leesburg,
Virginia
RESOLUTION NO:
A RESOLUTION:
PRESENTED January_ 25, 2005
2005-17 ADOPTED January 25, 2005
TOWN OF LEESBURG'S POSITION ON CREEKSIDE AND
PETERSON CPAM'S AND RELATED PLANNING ISSUES
WHEREAS, the current Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has championed
economic development efforts in the county and Town of Leesburg, especially efforts to protect
and enhance the county's and town's commercial base; and
WHEREAS, in 2004, the Virginia Department of Aviation estimated that the
Leesburg Executive Airport was generating upwards of $40 million in economic activity for
Loudoun County and the region in direct and spin-off economic impacts; and that county
businesses that depended on the airport were generating 1,203 jobs, $67.62 million in payroll,
and $176.72 million in economic activity for the county and region; and
WHEREAS, the Federal and State governments and the Town of Leesburg have invested
well over $20 million in the Leesburg Executive Airport, including, most recently, $1 million in
federal funds dedicated by Congressman Frank Wolf for installation of an Instrument Landing
System to promote safety at the Airport and ensure the future development and viability of the
Airport as an economic engine for the county and town; and
WHEREAS, compatible land uses surrounding airports include commercial, industrial,
agricultural, golf courses, and parks; and
WHEREAS, the county's proposed regional park, known as Phil Bolen Park, on
the Shellhorn tract is a compatible use in close proximity to the airport and was supported by
62% of the voters in the bond referendum of November 2001; and
RESOLUTION:
-2-
TOWN OF LEESBURG'S POSITION ON CREEKSIDE AND PETERSON
CPAM'S AND RELATED PLANNING ISSUES
WHEREAS, incompatible land uses within 7,500 feet of an airport runway include
residences, schools, places of worship, hospitals, daycare centers, nursing homes, large, open-air
assemblies such as stadiums and amphitheaters, and other similar uses; and
WHEREAS, the location of high-density residential development in close proximity to an
airport historically tends to strangle the economic viability and future development of that
airport; and
WHEREAS, Loudoun County has received Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM)
applications for two projects known as Creekside (CPAM #2004-0020) and Crosstrail (CPAM
#2004-0018) which, together would locate upwards of 5,000 new homes in close proximity to
the Leesburg Executive Airport within Leesburg's Joint Land Management Area (JLMA); and
WHEREAS, the applicants have indicated that rezoning applications will be filed this
month; and
WHEREAS, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has agreed to allow the
Phil Bolen Park property to be considered as part of the Creekside rezoning; and
WHEREAS, these applications differ significantly from Loudoun County's General Plan
as well as the Leesburg Town Plan in terms of airport compatibility, economic development,
land use, transportation and fiscal impacts; and
WHEREAS, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has indicated they will accelerate
the rezoning process for these two projects which would allow them to be processed prior to the
Board's deciding on the major policy issues contained within the CPAM' s; and
WHEREAS, the County's Revised General Plan recognizes that "planning and policy
documents in the JLMA's will be adopted by the County through cooperative planning efforts
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RESOLUTION: TOWN OF LEESBURG'S POSITION ON CREEKSIDE AND PETERSON
CPAM'S AND RELATED PLANNING ISSUES
with the Towns, and decisions on land-use applications concerning land in the JLMA's will be
made by the county in consultation and collaboration with the Towns." (Policy 3, p. 9-5); and
WHEREAS, this accelerated review of these two projects will put a burden on the town's
ability to analyze the effects of this development upon its business base, its finances, its
transportation network, continued viability of the Leesburg Executive Airport and the quality of
life of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, the addition of upwards of 5,000 homes to the Leesburg area would
generate tens of thousands of additional vehicle trips a day on Leesburg and eastern Loudoun
County roads; and
WHEREAS, the construction of the new roads proposed in the Creekside and Crosstrail
applications will be inadequate to handle the vehicle trips generated by these additional homes.
THEREFORE, RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia as
follows:
Section I. The Council strongly urges the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to
construct Phil Bolen Park on the remainder of the Shellhorn property, as planned, as soon as
possible.
Section II. The Council strongly urges the county to take ample time to assess the major
public policy issues, which are contained within the Crosstrail and Creekside CPAM's.
Section III. The Council strongly urges the county to deny the request of the developer
proposing Creekside to join its development as a co-applicant.
RESOLUTION:
-4-
TOWN OF LEESBURG'S POSITION ON CREEKSIDE AND PETERSON
CPAM'S AND RELATED PLANNING ISSUES
Section IV. The Council strongly urges the County to deny the Creekside and Crosstrails
CPAM applications and any rezoning applications that permit additional residential development
within 7,500 feet of the Leesburg Executive Airport's runway.
Section V. The Council strongly urges the county to afford more meaningful
opportunities for broad-based public input and collaboration with the Town of Leesburg in
planning efforts that affect residents of the town and Loudoun commuters.
PASSED this 25th day of January 2005.
x'-gdd~ C. U~stattd, Mayor Town of Leesburg
ATTEST:
lerk of C~ouncil
R05 :CREEKSIDEPETERSONPOSITION