Leesburg Town Council Regular Meeting: October 27, 2026

The Leesburg Town Council held its regular meeting on October 27, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber. The meeting included consent items, resolutions, public hearings on telecommunications license renewals, and an appeal of a Board of Architectural Review (BAR) decision regarding property at 7 Royal Street SE.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved 7-0. It included a cathodic protection system rehabilitation for a 24-inch reuse water main, endorsing performing artists for the 2026 Mistletoe Market, Title VI Policies and Implementation Plans, a request for the conveyance of remaining portions of Tolbert Lane (Route 654), and a fitness equipment purchase contract for the Ida Lee Park Recreation Center.
• Minutes from the October 5 Work Session (approved 6-0-1, with Council Member Steinberg abstaining) and the October 6 Regular Session (approved 7-0) were adopted.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Petitioner Session: Kevin Ash described his development record in Leesburg, stating he has completed seven projects over 15 years. He noted that four of his developments received Historic Design Excellence Awards. His remarks were concluded when his allotted three minutes expired.
• Telecommunications Public Hearings: No members of the public signed up or spoke on the license agreements for ZAYO or Lumos Networks (dba SEGRA).
• BAR Appeal Public Hearing: The appellants delivered a five-minute argument against the BAR's approval for 7 Royal Street SE. They argued that staff omitted the issue of a second-story expansion over a severely non-conforming footprint. They contended that the intended residential and commercial use influenced the design's mass and scale. They specifically opposed the front-yard parking pad, the loss of historic circulation, the cumulative site impact, and accused the design of creating an inappropriate "campus" appearance through unified fencing.

Discussion Items

• SCADA Server Purchase: Staff presented a request for a $1,589,398 supplemental appropriation to purchase servers ($1,218,000 from Maine Micro) and network hardware ($712,000 from DSI Tech) for the water and wastewater SCADA replacement project. The existing systems have been in operation since 2002 and pose cybersecurity risks. Councilmember Kurkowski asked about the replacement lifecycle; staff expects 20 years from the new system. Councilmember Steinberg confirmed the current hardware is up to 24 years old.
• Telecommunications License Agreements:
  • ZAYO (Fiber AssetCo, LLC): Staff presented a renewal agreement, noting the previous license had expired in 2021 due to an inadequate internal tracking system. As a pass-through entity with no voice lines, ZAYO pays an annual fee of approximately $14,645, which has been paid retroactively for the lapse period.
  • Lumos/SEGRA (Lumos Networks 2, LLC): An amendment to the existing license was presented to allow for extension of their fiber network. The amendment does not extend the license term beyond its 2027 expiration.
• BAR Appeal – 7 Royal Street SE:
  • Staff Clarification: Preservation Manager Lauren Murphy addressed questions from the continued hearing. She clarified the BAR does not regulate use, noise, traffic, or private viewsheds. The driveway is not historic (approved in 2006), but a 10-foot historic private access easement from the 1890s exists. She stated the flexibility on rear elevations is standard for reversible new construction.
  • Council Deliberation: Councilmember Steinberg asked about the application of non-conformity rules and the relevance of a separate application for 9 Royal Street. Councilmember Kurkowski questioned the concept of "reversibility." The Mayor expressed a strong concern about the new front-yard parking, citing the adopted guidelines directing parking to be located on the side or rear. Staff responded that the BAR considered the neighborhood context, where multiple properties have visible front parking.
  • BAR Chair Testimony: Councilmember Cummings called BAR Chair Ms. Aikman to the podium. She argued that overturning the BAR's decision would undermine the board's partnership with applicants, which relies on being fair, flexible, staying in its lane, and providing certainty that approvals will not be revoked.
  • Applicant Position: Contract purchaser Kevin Ash stated there is no room to relocate parking to the rear of the property. He argued that of the 14 structures on the street, nine have parking accessing Royal Street.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved (7-0).
• SCADA Server Purchase: The resolution was approved (7-0), amending the budget and authorizing the hardware purchases.
• Commission Appointments: Caitlin Toreau (Commission on Public Art), John Tingle (Economic Development Commission), and Jose Masquera (Technology and Communications Commission) were all confirmed (7-0 each).
• Telecommunications License Agreements: The renewal with ZAYO (motion by Cummings, second by Nasi) and the amendment with Lumos/SEGRA (motion by Cummings, second by Steinberg) were both approved (7-0).
• BAR Appeal (7 Royal Street SE): Councilmember Cummings moved to uphold the BAR's decision approving the Certificate of Appropriateness. The Mayor stated she would vote no, citing the parking guideline violation. The motion passed 5-2, meaning the appeal was denied and the BAR's approval stands.
• Future Work Session Items: Councilmember Cummings secured support for discussions on (1) incentives for converting short-term to long-term rentals, and (2) a feasibility study for a 300-spot downtown parking garage. Councilmember Kurkowski secured support for a work session on initiating streetscaping for the Crescent Design District.
• Closed Session: The Council voted unanimously to enter closed session to discuss personnel matters, zoning matters, and encroachment on town-owned airport property. A certification motion regarding the closed session subsequently passed.