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HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL NR 2022-09-14 Leesburg Will Pursue Annexation of Compass Creek Property Town of Leesburg News Release For Immediate Release September 14, 2022 Media Contact: Kara Rodriguez, Public Information Officer pio@leesburgva.gov 703-669-1425 Leesburg Council Will Pursue Annexation of Compass Creek Property Leesburg, VA (September 14, 2022) – The Leesburg Town Council has approved a plan to bring the Compass Creek property into the Town limits. At the Council’s Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 meeting, Council members voted unanimously to authorize Town staff to move forward with the annexation of the remaining 402.8317-acre portion of Compass Creek that is not currently in the Town limits. This includes more than 323 acres of land owned by Microsoft Corporation, and the land that currently contains the Walmart and AtHome stores. The county has approved a boundary line adjustment for Walmart and AtHome, but the agreement has not yet been finalized. The Town has been engaged in talks with the County since the fall of 2019 regarding bringing the identified area into the Town by way of boundary line adjustments. However, the parties have been unable to arrive at an agreement related to the continued expansion of the Town’s corporate limits. The Town remains willing to negotiate with the County throughout this process. As part of the Town’s commitment to maintain open communication, Town and County representatives will meet regularly to continue negotiating throughout this process. These meetings will include the Mayor and a Council representative, along with the Board Chair and a member of the Board of Supervisors. The Town will initiate the annexation of the Annexation Area, located in the Town-County Joint Land Management Area (JLMA), pursuant to Chapters 29 and 32 of Title 15.2 of the Code of Virginia, as amended. This procedure will involve notice to the Virginia Commission on Local Government and associated proceedings, followed by a petition to the Circuit Court for Loudoun County for the annexation of the Annexation Area. The Town believes the proposed annexation benefits Leesburg, the County, and property owners in the Annexation Area in several ways. Property owners in the Annexation Area already benefit from the availability of Town water and sewer services, and the properties are primarily accessed through streets maintained by the Town. The annexation will not have any material adverse effect on the County, as the County will continue to collect taxes from the Annexation Area, and the property in the Annexation Area will remain a part of the County. Finally, the Town will benefit from the annexation because it will expand its tax resources, which will allow it to provide existing and additional urban services to the Town, the Annexation Area, and the surrounding region. “The Town has negotiated in good faith with the County. The Town has been a good partner throughout the process by agreeing to serve each phase of the Microsoft development with water and sewer service when needed. However, as negotiations have moved forward, the County has continually reduced the potential benefit to the Town. We want to partner with the County on economic development opportunities in the JLMA. We remain committed to reaching a mutually beneficial resolution; however, any agreement with the County must be on fair and reasonable terms to the Town. Leesburg has been a partner in this economic development project and should benefit from this project’s success,” stated Mayor Kelly Burk. # # #