Loudoun County BOS July 25 Public Hearing on the Zoning Ordinance

On Tuesday, July 25^th the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (BOS) held the first Public Hearing on the new Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. This is the beginning of the final – and most important — stage of adopting an ordinance implementing the Comprehensive Plan.

While the new ordinance addresses a wide range of land use issues across the County the portion that is of greatest concern to Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains is in Chapter 5 – The Mountain Overlay District (MOD). When adopted, this section will establish the basic ground rules about what can and cannot be built in Loudoun County portion the Blue Ridge Mountains for decades to come.

Friends, along with our partners such as the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC), The Blue Ridge Mountain Civic Association, Land Trust of Virginia, the Loudoun County Farm Bureau, and many others have been working diligently for many months with the Planning Staff and the Planning Commission to secure the strongest possible protections for the delicate mountain environment. 

IMPROVEMENTS — We have achieved notable improvements over the initial draft of the zoning ordinance released January 2023. At the May 11, meeting, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve significant changes to the MOD.

For example, there is a new requirement that non-residential developers must prepare a Tree Cover Inventory; a Tree Conservation Plan demonstrating the long-term management strategy for forest to be preserved on site; and an Invasive Species Management Plan to identify and address the removal and monitoring of invasive species. In many areas, the amount of permitted tree clearing and permitted land disturbing activity is significantly reduced from what is currently allowed. The “spring protection area” in which land adjacent to a stream may not be disturbed has been increased from 100 feet of a stream to 300 feet of a stream. There is a new parking requirement for non-residential uses.  50% of the required parking must be of permeable material and any overflow or special event parking must be of permeable material.

NEXT STEPS — The Board of Supervisors will hold work sessions beginning in September to review the draft ordinance section – by section. The work sessions most relevant to the Blue Ridge Mountains are scheduled for:

• Monday, September 25 – Uses in Rural, Transition and JLMA Zoning Districts
• Monday, October 5 – Overlay Districts including the Mountain Overlay District
• Monday, October 30 – Procedures — including enforcement
• Wednesday December 13 – Public Hearing

Friends will continue to provide you with information about the individual work sessions. It is important that none of the improvements in the language of the draft ordinance are lost or reversed as the BOS reviews the language.

While Friends is pleased to have played a significant role in strengthening the zoning protections for the Blue Ridge Mountains, there remains one major weakness in the draft ordinance. Zoning will still permit commercial development such as retail stores, rural retreats, sit-down restaurants, new commercial wineries, and commercial sawmills. This type of commercial development will seriously and permanently compromise the beauty of the mountains and the capacity of the mountains to clean our air and our water.

Friends is already working with other conservation and environmental organizations to amend the new zoning ordinance to prohibit commercial development in the Mountains. We will keep you informed on this major initiative.

What to do in a Wildlife Emergency

Have you found a wild animal in need of assistance?

• Observe the situation from a distance. Are there any obvious injuries or bleeding?
• Note the location (exact street address/location
  landmarks, if possible)
• CALL a professional: Blue Ridge Wildlife Center at 540-837-9000, a licensed wildlife rehabilitation, or your local animal control.
• Regardless of species, do not touch the animal directory (wear gloves, use towels, etc. to prevent injuries and the spread of disease).
• Keep the animal in a dark and quiet location.
• Do not offer food or water – especially for babies.

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is open between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
For after-hours emergencies please visit their website for alternatives. You can visit their Frequently Asked Questions, which may also address your emergency.

Nature Walk at Chapman DeMary Trail

Sunday, August 27, 2023
1:00 pm
Chapman DeMary Trail
205 East Hirst Road, Purcellville

Join the Purcellville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Stream Team to see creek critters of the Catoctin up close at the Chapman DeMary Trail! At 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 27, members of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Stream Team will share fun facts about creek critters that live in the South Fork Catoctin Creek. Some of these include water penny larvae, dragonfly nymphs, mayfly nymphs, crayfish, hellgrammites, and clams. You can help find and identify them, and learn how they help determine the health of the stream.This activity is supported by the Purcellville Arts Council and the Tree and Environment Sustainability. Nature journals will be provided at the event, and those who have received nature journals at previous walks are encouraged to bring them back to get a sticker. Participants with six or more stickers from the monthly nature walks through November 2023 will get a prize. Bringing the journal to each nature walk encourages participants to observe, write, draw, and capture the seasonal changes at the Chapman DeMary Trail.

The Chapman DeMary Trail is a 10-acre area considered to be the last stand of old-growth forest in the Town of Purcellville. It runs along the South Fork Catoctin Creek, part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The area is open to the public for environmental recreation, exploration, and education. The Town of Purcellville holds the conservation easement for this privately-owned property.