Leesburg Board of Architectural Review Business Meeting – 2026-05-20

The Leesburg Board of Architectural Review (BAR) held its business meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May 20, 2026, in Council Chambers at 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, with all seven members present. The board adopted the revised agenda 7–0 after removing the 203 Harrison Street SE sign plan (TLHPBR2025-0083) for re-advertising to June because missing PIN numbers were not captured in adjacent property owner notifications. The April 22, 2026 business meeting minutes were approved 6–0–1, with Tom O’Neill abstaining. Rick Brown recused himself from items TLHPBR2026-0012 and TLHPBR2026-0014.

Meeting Administration

• Roll call established a quorum; Chair Helen Aikman presided.
• Agenda adopted 7–0, with item 8b removed.
• Minutes approved 6–0–1; member disclosures were noted.

Consent Calendar

• TLHPBR2026-0011, 214 Town Branch Terrace SW deck replacement: approved 7–0 as a consent item, including the stated findings and conditions. No board member or member of the public requested full deliberation.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No one spoke during the general public comment period.
• No testimony was offered on the 213 West Market Street or 212 South King Street applications.
• Valerie Baudouin, speaking for the George C. Marshall International Center, supported the 206 East Market Street project as good for downtown but expressed concern that rooftop equipment and trash enclosures could be visible from Dodona Manor, particularly in winter.

Discussion Items

• TLHPBR2026-0010 – 213 West Market Street (sunroom addition): Staff described the property as a contributing vernacular resource built circa 1878, with an existing rear addition of unknown age. The proposed rear sunroom was generally appropriate in size, but staff raised concerns about drawings marked only as typical, a conflict between the submitted drawings and the plat, and the proposed sliding contemporary windows and foam-filled materials, which staff considered inappropriate for a historic building. Applicants Lisa and Robert Merhout said their contractor was not present and agreed to defer. Board members advised providing accurate scaled drawings showing how the addition ties into the existing roof, clarifying the addition’s orientation, submitting material and window samples, and using more traditional materials. The BAR deferred the case to the June 17, 2026 business meeting 7–0.

• TLHPBR2025-0083 – 203 Harrison Street SE (Market Station comprehensive sign plan): Removed from the agenda because the public hearing had not been properly advertised; staff will re-advertise and bring it back in June. No public hearing was opened.

• TLHPBR2026-0012 – 212 South King Street (amendment to TLHPBR2025-0053): Staff reported that six-over-six windows were mistakenly installed in place of the approved two-over-two windows on a contributing c. 1895 structure, and the error was discovered through a complaint and required site visits. Staff’s window survey found 22 six-over-six windows in the area; 15 were appropriate for their buildings’ ages, while 7 should have been two-over-two, and staff recommended that the approved two-over-two configuration remain the standard. Applicant Dylan McGreevy of Clay Construction acknowledged the error and said the six-over-six sashes could be removed and reused elsewhere. Board consensus was that the windows must be corrected to two-over-two; the door/transom changes raised more flexibility, but procedural questions about whether to approve, deny, or condition the application led the BAR to defer to the June 16, 2026 business meeting. The motion carried with no dissent (noted as 7–0 in the transcript, with Rick Brown recused).

• TLHPBR2026-0014 – 206 East Market Street (mixed-use new construction): Staff presented the proposal for a mostly demolished, non-contributing former piano store site: mixed-use building with retail/restaurant space, five residential units, and first-floor parking. Key staff issues included a potential conflict with an existing town water line, front and rear setback questions, rooftop equipment height and screening, extensive use of faux windows, and a large metal canopy. Board feedback was split: several members praised the pedestrian-scale front and stepbacks and the street activity it would create, while others, especially Tom O’Neill and Julie Pastor, said the contrast between the traditional street-front facades and the modern upper stepbacks read as “facadomy” or Disney-like and asked for a more cohesive design. Chair Helen Aikman noted that the applicant’s design choice should be respected if it meets the guidelines. The applicant said the upper stepbacks are limited to stucco or siding because of the wood-frame structure and said he would work through the water-line, setback, and screening issues. The BAR deferred the case to the July 15, 2026 combined work session/business meeting 6–0–1, with Rick Brown recused, and requested updated plans/renderings, a roof plan, and view-from/-of Dodona Manor analysis.

Staff Announcements

• Staff recognized Historic Preservation Month and noted Preservation Day attendance more than doubled from the prior year.
• Staff highlighted training opportunities through the Campaign for Historic Trades and the Department of Historic Resources, as well as upcoming Leesburg 250 programming.

Key Outcomes

• Consent item TLHPBR2026-0011 approved 7–0.
• TLHPBR2026-0010 deferred to the June 17, 2026 business meeting 7–0.
• TLHPBR2025-0083 removed and re-advertised for June.
• TLHPBR2026-0012 deferred to the June 16, 2026 business meeting with no opposition; Brown recused.
• TLHPBR2026-0014 deferred to the July 15, 2026 combined work session/business meeting 6–0–1; Brown recused.
• The meeting adjourned by unanimous motion.